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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:54:31 GMT -5
Eustace walked back towards the Gryfindor common room, his pockets full of japanese candies and his head buzzing with excitment. He had wanted to bring his new sword with him, to show the others, but Raven was firm on the fact that it had to stay at his room at Dragon's gate. Raven had also told him that they were going to Japan during the summer break to visit her friend, who had sent Eustace the sword. After seeing the odd and novel candies and the photographs from there, Eustace was really looking forward to the trip.
He was so absorbed in his thoughs, that when he rounded a corner, he was send sprawling on the floor as he tripped over a large shape in his path. Eustacepulled himself up off the floor and turned to see what he had fallen over. His eyes widened whe he stall the still form of Justin Finch-Fletchly.
Eustace crept over to get a better look at Justin, and was horrified to find bruises and cuts all over his face. Blood coated the lower half of his face, from his apparently broken nose. His eyes were closed and he appeared to be unconcious.
"Hey, are you okay?" Eustace asked, putting his hand on the boy's shoulder in attempt to wake him up. eE immediate jerked his hand away, finding it coated with blood that had soaked into Justin's robes. Eustace took a deep breath and atempted to shake his shoulder again, but found that Justin's body felt as stiff as a board. Eustace fought down a wave of nervous nausea, when he realized the boy wasn't breathing. What if Justin was dead?
There was a crash in a nearby classroom and Eustace drew his wand. The door swung open violently and a potted plant flew across the hall and shattered on the opposite wall a second or two later, Peeves came out of the room cackling and doing acrobatics in the air.
Peeves caught sight of Justin and stopped his insane cackling, "'er now, what's this?" He floated over to examine Justin's lifeless body. Peeves' eyes locked onto Eustace, and then on his wand.
"No! It's not what it looks like! I didn't-" But it was too late. Peeves was already tearing down the hallway, making as much noise as he possibly could.
"Murder! Murder! The Durmstrang boy's done it! Murder! Murder!"
* * * * * * * * * “Murder! Murder!” Peeves yelled as he burst into the Great Hall. For a moment there was utter silence, but then the room burst into simultaneous gossip. Peeves flew straight to Dumbledore at the head table, knocking over several candlesticks in the process, “Your professorships, I was…well, never mind what I was doing…I came out of a classroom and I saw… The boy from Durmstrang standing over the lifeless body of a Hufflepuff boy.” He swelled importantly, Professor McGonagall’s hand flew to her mouth, Professor Flitwick tumbled from his chair, Sprout dropped her fork, and Dumbledore rose from his seat, “SILENCE!” Dumbledore’s voice rang over the din in the room, “Prefects, you will escort your housemates back to your houses immediately, in an orderly fashion.” He turned to Professor McGonagall, who was now standing, “Professor, you will come with me. Peeves, will you please fetch Professors Snape and Xavier? I believe you will find them in the teacher’s wing. Then will you go fetch Madame Pomfrey?”
“Yes, Mon Capitan!” Peeves saluted as he tore off towards the teachers’ wing. ------------------------ “Let go of my arm! I’m not going anywhere!” Eustace shouted at Filch, who was giving him a nastily gleeful look.
“Aren’t going nowhere eh? I saw you try to run from the scene of the crime.”
“I was chasing after Peeves!”
“A likely story,” He snorted, “I wonder if they’ll boil you in acid for this…or maybe they’ll just snap your wand and send you to Azkaban.” He held a firm grip on both Eustace and Eustace’s wand, “Ahh…headmaster! I caught the culprit a few halls away from here, fleeing from the scene of the crime, no doubt.“
“I was not fleeing! I haven’t done anything to flee from!”
“That will do, Mr. Filch, thank you.” he held out his hand for Eustace’s wand.
“I was walking from the teachers wing … and then I tripped, and I looked to see what I’d tripped on and-“
“Calm down, Mr. Xavier. Innocent until proven guilty…” Dumbledore’s eyes twinkled and although there was no mirth in them, they were oddly reassuring, “Professors Xavier and Snape will be arriving any moment.”
“Professor Xavier! She’ll vouch for me. I was just there! See, she gave me something from her friend in Japan… candy, and a real samurai sword –but of course I couldn’t keep it my dorm, so she said she’d keep it for me…”
As Eustace babbled nervously on, Dumbledore took a closer look at the body, it was badly beaten and cold as ice and there was something else…
Surrounding the body, almost as if it was protecting it, was a long skull-headed Quetzal serpent with it’s tail in it’s mouth.
* * * * * *
"Are you okay?"
Eustace looked up to see Raven peering down at him, her face quite concerned. Behind her Snape was speaking in a low tone with Dumbledore as the both of them looked at the body.
"Raven, I swear I didn't do anything," the boy said, nearly hysterical. "I just found him like this..."
"I know, I know," Raven said as she placed her arm around his shoulder, in an effort to comfort him. She saw the sygil syrround the body and gave a sharp gasp. Her eyes flew towards Snape, who finished speaking to Dumbldore and walked towards them.
“Is that…what I think it is?” Raven asked Snape in a low tone.
“If you think it’s the mark of the Knights of Walpurgis, then yes, I believe so.”
“Didn’t they disband years ago?”
“The followers of Grindelwald were absorbed into the Death Eaters. No, they never disbanded.”
“Thankfully, Mr. Finch-Fletchly is not dead.” Dumbledore said, coming to join the two.
“He isn’t?” Eustace looked relieved.
“No. He is merely petrified. I believe someone would like us to believe this to be a repeat of four years ago.”
“Perhaps…” Snape examined the Quetzal closer and jumped when the thing hissed at him before putting it’s tail back in it’s mouth. He was not expecting it to be alive, “Surely you’ve noticed the similarities to the Knights of Walpurgis? The skull headed snake with it’s tail in it’s mouth, an oruborus, it was the precursor to the Moresmordre, the skull with a snake for a tongue. But the use of a quetzal… that is new…”
At that moment Hermione, Draco and Harry arrived. The three teenagers looked at the gathered teachers with utter confussion, and it seemed that no one had noticed them yet. Hermione caught sight of Eustace leaned up against Raven, looking pale and frightened.
"Eustace," she called out, strideing towards him, "Where have you been? We've been looking all over for you!"
Raven's head shot up, her expression of shock instantly turning into anger, "What are you children doing here? You should be in your dorms!"
"We were looking for Eustace Ma'am," Hermione said quietly, sensing that something was very wrong.
"Well, you three need to go back to your dorms.. Now," Raven stated in a tone that booked no argument. Unfortunatly Draco was looking at the last thing that the teachers had wanted him to see.
"What the hell happened to him?" he said, his eyes wide, pointing toward's Justin's still form.
When no one answered, Dumbledore stepped forward, “I’m sorry to say Mr Finch-Fletchly has been petrified-”
“And it wasn’t you this time, Potty Potter!” Peeves did a somersault in the air, “It was him!” He pointed to Eustace.
“Peeves!” Professor McGonagall warned with a stern look.
“Eustace wouldn’t do something like that!” Hermione insisted.
“-And until further notice,” Dumbledore continued, “You should all be in your dormitories, clearly the hall are not safe.”
“What’s that thing?” Malfoy asked, motioning to the snake.
“It’s a quetzal.” Harry said, and both Harry and Hermes looked at Eustace.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Your patronus is a Quetzal.”
“Harry! Eustace wouldn’t…he couldn’t…”
“I’m not saying he did….it’s just strange, that’s all.”
“Is that true?” Snape asked.
“Yes sir, it is.”
“Professor McGonagall, would you please escort Mr. Potter to Gryffindor Tower? Professor Snape, would you please escort Mr. Malfoy and Miss Snape to the Slytherin Dorms? I would like a few words with Mr. Xavier. Thank you.”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:55:20 GMT -5
“Who do you think was murdered?”
“I heard he was Hufflepuff, like Cedric.”
“Murdered? I heard he was petrified.”
“Peeves said murdered.”
“I heard the paintings talking about it, they said petrified.”
“I bet it was a Slytherin who did it.”
“I bet it was the Heir of Slytherin.”
“I thought he was caught!”
Ginny went pale, “He was!”
“I heard it was the Durmstrang boy.”
The knot of Gryffindors saw Harry enter through the picture hole, followed by McGonagall and the group fell silent. Ron marched over to him with a look that was a cross between anger and fear, “Where’ve you been!? We were looking all over for you! We thought something happened to you…”
Harry shook his head, “I’m fine. Justin Finch-Fletchly’s been petrified”
“Petrified!”
Harry nodded gravely.
Ron gaped for a moment, “You don’t…. you don’t think it’s another basilisk, do you?”
Harry shook his head, “I don’t know, but if it is. We’ve got to have a DA meeting as soon as possible…. Tonight.”
McGonagall clapped her hands for silence, “Can I have your attention please? Thank you! Now. As you may have already found out, Mr. Finch-Fletchly has been petrified.” There was a collective gasp (as well as a few mixed sighs of relief from those who stuck by Peeves’ original cry of murder) “Now, there is no need for panic, Petrification is easily reversible through the use of Mandrake. Professor Sprout assures me that the Mandrakes will be mature by springtime.”
Ginny edged her way over to Harry. Her eyes were wide as she tugged him into an unused corner, “You don’t think it’s him do you?” She whispered worriedly,
“Who?”
“Him! You know who I’m talking about!”
“The Diary’s been destroyed,” Harry caught on, “I don’t think there’s a way for him to try and come back again.” No, we only have to worry about a full grown Dark Wizard instead. Harry thought ruefully.
“But what if it wasn’t destroyed!” Ginny whispered hysterically, “What if it was fixed!”
Harry’s heart fell to his toes. What if it was fixed? Harry’s brain warred between his choice of using the diary to free Dobby, and having it thoroughly destroyed. But no, basilisk poison was fatal, there was no way Tom Riddle survived it’s effects, “I don’t know….”
“I bet Lucius gave it to Draco and Draco gave it to someone else, what if someone else has the Diary!?”
“Draco has been acting strangely nice lately…”
“Yes exactly, that too! Today at Merlin’s Castle… it can’t be a coincidence that it just happens to be the same day Justin is petrified.”
“But he was with me when Justin was petrified and when we got there, he looked as surprised as I did. And then there was the thing with-”
Just then the picture opened and Dumbledore walked in escorting a very pale and scared looking Eustace. The whispering in the room raised in volume and looks were passed to one another.
Dumbledore raised a hand to get everyone’s attention, “Gryffindors, I’m sure Professor McGonagall has explained to you all the situation. In addition, I would like to add that Professors will be escorting everyone to their classes for the time being. Just to be on the safe side, no one should be alone until this situation is sorted out. And also, curfew has been lowered to six o’clock, and any clubs meeting after this time are cancelled until further notice. Thank you.” Harry gasped, that meant no DA practice.
Dumbledore turned to leave the room, giving Eustace an encouraging nod. Harry had a bizarre sense of déjà vu, remembering when he’d been accused of being the Heir of Slytherin himself.
Harry caught Eustace’s eye, but Eustace just went up to the sixth year dorms.
“You don’t think it’s really him, do you?” Ron said as he made his way over to Harry and Ginny, his prefect duties completed.
Harry said nothing for a few seconds. Finally he shook his head, “I don’t know… a part of me wants to believe he didn’t do it. I mean, everyone thought I’d petrified all those people in second year, and I didn’t do it.” He’d worn exactly the same face he had seen on Eustace as he climbed the stairs, “But the rest of me keeps asking… what if?”
“We hardly know him,” Ginny conceded, “I mean, he seems nice and all, but so did…” She trailed off and became silent again.
“And he’s from Durmstrang.” Ron added.
“And his Patronus is a quetzal.” Harry recalled sadly.
“What’s that have to do with anything?”
“Oh, I forgot to tell you.” Harry lowered his voice to a whisper again as he gave them his account of Draco, Hermes, and himself stumbling in on the investigation of Justin’s body.
When he’d finished, Ginny and Ron both had dark looks on their faces, “We have to have a DA meeting, Harry… soon, very soon. Tonight.”
“What about what Dumbledore said? No clubs after six. And Eustace? He’s a DA member too.”
“I meant a real DA meeting.” Ginny said, a steely look in her eye that reminded him of Mrs. Weasley when you were doing something she didn’t approve of, “We still have the coins from last year, none of the newer members have the coins.”
“Ginny!” Harry said, not because he had an objection, but because he didn’t expect this from her, she kept surprising him with things like that. He considered for a moment, then nodded, “Alright, tonight it is, say One o’clock?”
“Harry!” Ron said in a worried tone, “Can’t it wait until later? Like a time when it’s not past curfew?”
“That prefect badge going to your head?” Ginny spat back at him and tapping him on the forehead, “You’re beginning to sound like Percy.”
“I do not! Besides, Harry could be in real danger.”
“Think of it this way, Ron, if it is Eustace who has the diary, then we have to get Harry as far away from him as possible.” She smirked.
“It’s not me who needs protecting anyway, it’s everyone else.” His face became hard and there was a spark in his eyes.
Ron sighed, “Where will we meet?”
“The Room of Requirement?”
“No… I think that room will be being watched too heavily. We have to go somewhere else.”
“How about Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom?” Ginny suggested
Ron made a face, “Eurgh, no. Besides, if it’s the Heir they’re expecting, don’t you think that’s the first place they’d guard?” “Right.”
“How about the Owlry?” No one could think of any objections to that.
“I’ll go activate the coins.” Harry said, and the meeting broke up.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:55:37 GMT -5
When Harry got up to the dormitory, he was the only one there except for Eustace, who was presumably lying on his bed, but because of his tightly drawn curtains, it was hard to tell. Harry went over to his trunk and rummaged around for the master coin, his eyes fell on the box Snape had given him and he quickly moved onward. He had so much on his mind right now, he didn’t need thoughts of his mother and Snape as well.
By the time he found it, he’d emptied his robe pockets of an extendable ear, a gum wrapper, some broken quills, a pair of mismatched socks Dobby had given him, his sneakoscope (still whistling softly), and a bottle of ink. He quickly activated the coin and hoped that everyone had theirs on them. He knew Ginny and Ron would tell the others in Gryffindor house, but there was no way to contact Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw, since everyone was now in for the night. There was nothing to do now, except get some sleep until it was time for the meeting.
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"Ginny- don't be dead,- please don't be dead." Harry fell down beside her and shook her by the shoulders. She was as cold as ice.
"She won't wake."
"Is…is she…?"
"She's still alive, but only just." Harry heard Riddle say, but then he turned into Eustace, and then Draco, and then a cowled figure, covered in snakes.
Suddenly, Ginny sat up and called his name.
"Ginny! You're alive!" Harry mumbled.
"Of course I'm alive, now you be too, we're going to be late." Harry suddenly realized he'd been dreaming. He rubbed his eyes blearily and looked at his watch. 12:48, twelve minutes to one.
He was suddenly wide awake. The DA meeting. Ron handed him his invisibility cloak as he quickly threw on some warm clothes, it would be cold in the owlry. Sneaking through the halls would be no easy task, Harry realized. It had been a while since he'd taken out his father's old invisibility cloak. It would have fit him just right, but fitting three people under it was going to be a problem. They weren't twelve anymore, and Ron had to stoop in order to keep their feet from showing.
They looked at themselves in front of the mirror tugging here and there, trying to get the silvery material to cover the three of them.
"If only we were all a head shorter, I think we could fit comfortably then." Harry muttered agitatedly, they were already late, he tugged hard at a bit of cloak, trying to get it to cover his shoulder.
"That's it! I'll be right back!" Ron threw off the cloak and tore up the dormitory stairs. Ginny shrugged.
Ron, well, most of Ron anyway, came back down a half a minute later, carrying two hats under his arms.
"Headless Hats! That's brilliant, Ron!" Harry and Ginny took one. They had no trouble fitting in the cloak now.
"I'll have to thank Fred and George for sending them over." Ron whispered just before they opened the portrait hole leading out into the main castle.
Not since Harry's third year had he seen the halls so crowded with teachers and ghosts after dark. This wasn't going to be very easy, and he seriously doubted if any of the other DA members would be able to make it. He hoped no one would be caught on his account.
Silently, they made their way through the halls, narrowly avoiding a mishap when Ron tripped over Ginny's foot and nearly crashed into a suit of armor right in front of Professor Vector, but the professor was looking in the other direction and didn't notice as Ron quickly pulled the cloak over them again.
Harry never knew how they reached the owlry, but they did. It was totally silent, all the owls had gone off to hunt and it looked deserted. Just as Harry thought, no one was guarding the Owlry.
"Well, all that and we've come for nothing." Ron sighed, "There's no one here."
"Up here," a voice called from the rafters above. Harry squinted into the heavy oak beams which crisscrossed the ceiling, but saw no one. Someone lit their wand faintly, and Harry could just make the shadows of heads tableaued on the vaulted ceiling. So they had come after all, "There's a broom under the straw." The three searched for the broom, and finally found it. One by one they flew up to the rafters.
It turned out that the Creevy Brothers, Dean, Seamus, Luna, and of course, Ron and Ginny had made it to the owlry.
“I hope this is really important, Harry, because it was bloody difficult to get past all those teachers,” Seamus grumbled, “And it’s late, and it’s freezing up here.”
“Oh, I’m sure it’s important.” Luna said absently, twirling an owl feather in her hand.
“It is important.” Harry snapped, “It’s about the attack today.” This got their attention. Harry then launched into everything he saw when he’d been watching Draco.
“I knew it!” Seamus cried, standing up on the beam “I knew he was no good!”
“So, what’re we going to do about him, Harry, we've got to do something.”
“Wait a minute, we don’t know if it was him.”
Seamus let out a snort of disgust. "Of course it was him. His Patronus is a quetzal, right? And you said that there was a queztal around the body!"
Harry shook his head, wishing Hermione Granger was here. She would have been able to figure this mess out. She was the one who figured out that it was a basilisk the last time this happened.
"What if, what if someone just wants to make us think it's him?"
"I don't think so." Colin said,
Ron nodded, "And he's obviously from bad blood. The Xaviers are from a line of death eaters."
"And Dumbledore hired his sister to be the DADA teacher." Harry butted in, "Which means he trusts her. So they can't all be bad, can they?"
"Oh yes, like he trusted Quirrel, and that great git Lockhart, and the werewolf-"
"There was nothing wrong with Lupin!" Harry snapped.
"Still, he was dangerous, wasn't he? And then there was pretend Moody. And then, last year, Umbridge."
There were groans around the loft.
"So we can't really trust Dumbledore's judgement, can we?"
Harry looked unsure. He remembered bitterly the events of the ends of last year and his face tinged with anger. He still hadn't gotten over Dumbledore's lack of consideration for him, and then there was the fact that no one told him he was related to Snape.... "No.... no I suppose not."
"So what are we going to do, Harry?" Colin asked, stumbling over his tongue. All eyes were on him.
"Well..." Harry began slowly, " I think we should all protect ourselves, in case it's a basilisk. Everyone carry mirrors with them to check around corners. We don't want anyone dying." Everyone nodded in agreement, "I want everyone to keep a close watch out for any strange activity, and report it to me." Harry stood up, signaling that the meeting was over. The owls had already started to return. Hedwig was looking at him in a perplexed manner while chewing a rat, probably wondering what he was doing up here, "As for me, I'm going to talk to Myrtle."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:56:34 GMT -5
"Jeremy, can I have a moment of your time?" Jeremy turned his head, tearing his gaze away from his arial view of the school grounds from his perch on one of the many stone outcroppings on the roof of Hogwarts, to see Albus Dumbledore standing behind him. The Dhampire's lips twitched in a small smile. "Sure," He replied, jumping off the outcropping to stand beside Dumbledore. "How can I help you?" For a moment, Dumbledore said nothing. He just gazed out at the grounds below. Finally, he inhaled the crisp air deeply and let it out again in a slow sigh, "I'm worried about Harry." Jeremy cocked his head slightly. "What's happened now? Has there been another attack?" "No," replied Dumbledore, "There hasn't been any more attacks. It's the attack from within, I'm worried about." "You think there's a traitor in the castle?" Jeremy's eyes tinged with molten gold. "No... no... nothing like that. Harry has been, the past few weeks.. up to something. I have reason to believe he feels inadvertantly responsable in some way for the attacks..." Dumbledore trailed off, thinking for the hundreth time that he should have either told Harry about the prophecy straight away in his first year, or not at all. He sighed again, chiding himself, knowing he had to tell Harry. He had to know. Finally, he continued. "And what do you want of me?" "I mean to implement a security team. My hope is that Harry will cease whatever plan he has concocted, and try to concentrate more on his school work." And lead a semi normal life, added Dumbledore in his head. *********************** Jeremy paced the perimiter of the Forbidden Forest, stopping occasionally to peer into the stary sky. After scanning to see nothing, he continued pacing, grumbling softly under his breath. "Patirnce is a virture, little brother," Came a cool silky voice from behind him. Jeremy turned to see Marcus leaning casually against a tree, his silver eyes dancing with amusement. "Took your sweet time coming, didn't you," Jeremy scowled. Marcus shrugged. "Took me a while to get everyone together. With Romania overrun with Hunters, most of the people we needed went into hiding." Jeremy raked a hand through his tawney hair, and let out a tired sigh. "Who did you manage to get?" "Mikhail, Vincent, Ethan and Kaz were the only ones who could come at such short notice. They're staying at Hogsmede right now. Tiburon and Loki will show up in a couple days. They have family buisess to take care of." "So eight of us in total then," Jeremy said half to himself. "does everyone know the rules? No feeding on locals, just the Vampire's Bane potion." Marcus rolled his eyes, "Yes I told them that. They all know were are working as a security force and they all know to be on their best behavior..." Marcus' lips spread into a wicked smile, "Or else they will have to deal with me." "Fine, I suppose we can have the ones who are here come up to the castle tomorro night so they can get familiar with the teritory." Jeremy stated. "I guess thats it..." "Well... Maybe not.." Marcus began. Jeremy gave his older brother a puizzled look. "What?" "I was thinking that there's one more person we could use.. A local to the area.. Very good at security and gathering intelligence on the enemy..." A look of slowly dawning horror washed over Jeremy's features as MArcus was speaking. "Wait, wait, wait... Please tell me you're not talking about who I think your talking about." Jeremy pleaded. Marcus sniggered at his brother's obvious discomfort. "Oh come on, Ickus isn't that bad." "Are we talking about the same guy here?" Jeremy asked as his face twisted in disgust. "You know the one covered in slime? Lives in a sewer? The one that talks to dead things?!" "Okay, I concede the fact that Ickus is a bit excentric," Marcus ingored the coments Jeremy made to that statement and plowed on. "But he has mellowed out over the years and he is very good at what he does. Plus he doersn't live in the sewr. He lives in the Tube. There a big diffrence there..." Jeremy rubs his temples as he waged a mental battle with himself. Finally he let out a sigh of resignation. "Fine.. Alright.. I suppose we would need his expertise.. But you are the one who is going to speak with him."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:57:04 GMT -5
Marcus's footsteps echoed down the abandoned Tube line of the Aldwych station. Originally he had planned on just sending Ick a message, but decided that he had better handle this face to face.
Ick was an interesting character.. He was a craven coward to the core, even though he looked frightening with his long spidery limbs, and his mouth full of shark teeth. Ick's philosophy was that it was better to run than fight.
Marcus's sensitive hearing picked up the scrabbling sound of rat feet pass him in the tunnel. He smirked. Ick's personal army of rats were scoping him out and reporting to their master. Well, at least Ick would be expecting him now. It was never a good thing to surprise Ick, as his younger brother had found out first hand. The edges of Marcus' mouth twitched up in a small smile, as the memory of Jeremy's first meeting with Ick, crossed his mind. He could still remeber the look on his younger brother's face as he had barged into Marcus's apartment in New York, covered in Ick's last meal, begging for use of a shower. That was the beauty of Ick's self defense mechanism.. Usually if you projectile vomit on someone, they tend to stay the hell away from you..
Ick was especcially proud of his inate ability to vomit on a target up to fiffty feet away. And with his unusual diet, the vitcim usually ended up covered with things that squirmed. Jeremy had spent four hours in the shower rubbing his skin raw after his encounter with the Scottish ghoul..
Marcus came to a bricked up area of the Tube, that led to a bomb shelter that was made during World War II. He took the form of mist and seeped thru the cracks in the mortar. As he resolidified on the other side, he became aware of voices coming from further down the tunnels. As he drew closer he made out the mechanically reproduced voices of John Cleese and Michael Palin, joined along with a thick Scottish burr.
It took a moment for Marcus to recognize what he was hearing. Aparently Ick was watching Monty Python's Flying Circus and mimicing the dialog along with the actors. He reached the portal of Ick's 'lair' and poked his head inside.
Ick's home was a mesh of a hacker's wetdream, a carnival's freakshow, with a little Texas Chainsaw Massacre ambiance added to the mix. One wall was lined with plasma screens, computer moniters and other high tech paraphinelia. Another was lined with shelves and shelves of various oddities, such as mutated fetus', severed heads and other body parts, in glass jars filled with formaldahyde, artisically lit from underneath by green gel lights. Another wall was lined with products of one of Ick's favorite past times. Taxidermy.. But this wasn't any ordinary stuffed animal collection. With artistic skill and precission, Ick had melded the bodies of various creatures together to create brand new entities that only existed in his imagination.. Birds of various shapes and sizes with the snarling heads of kittens fought with winged weasle-headed serpents. Bone spiders with claws and unidentifiable carnivore heads, crawled the walls on steel webs. But this was not the most distubing of Ick's decor.
Being a ghoul, Ick had an intesne facination with dead things. Once in a while he would find a body that would catch his fancy and bring it home. He used his extensive taxidermy skills to preserve the bodies, so that he could keep them around to "talk" to. So Ick's "friends" were propped against the walls or placed in the patchwork furniture spread across the room.
Marcus turned his gaze to a large couch pulled in front of the plasma screens, showing Monty Python's "Dead Parrot" sketch. He could make out the top of Ick's green, spikey-haired head leaning against the couch. He arrived just in time to hear the ghoul recite the climax of the sketch in his thick scottish brogue.
"'E's not pinin'! 'E's passed on! This parrot is no more! 'E has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is ma-kah! It's a stiff! Bereft of life, 'e rests in peace! If you hadn't nailed him to the perch he'd be pushing up the daisies! 'E's hopped the twig! E's curled up his tootsies. 'E's shuffled off this mortal coil! 'E's run down the curtain and joined the bleedin choir invisible! 'E effing snuffed it! These are the metabolical processes, 'e's had his lot! All statements to the effect of this parrot is still a going concern, are from now on inoperative. This.... is an EX-PARROT!!!"
Marcus stepped into the room and clapped. Large, lumionous, yellow eyes reguared him with mild amusement, before Ick stood up off the couch and gave a low bow. Marcus smirked as he took in the ghoul's appearance. Ick was a good 9 feet tall, most his his height due to his long spiderly legs. He had a wide grin on his face, that streched almost to his ears, his blood red lips pulled back from surprisingly white, sharp teeth. Mutiple piecings lined his pointed ears, his eyebrows and chin. His yellowish green skin glistened with slime in the faint light from the plasma screens.
Ick's wardrobe of choice was an odd conglomerate of old and new. He wore a patched, hooded t-shirt emblazed with a cartoon character that was making an obscene gesture. This stood out in stark contrast to the tartan kilt that he wore, slung low over his lean hips. Around his neck he wore a necklace comprised of severed fingers and toes.
The long-limbed ghoul flopped into a swivel chair and gave Marcus a look over.
"Oy, Marcus, it's always a pleasure ta see yer canty face. How ya doin, and how is that braw brother of yourse?"
"I'm fine.. Jeremy on the otherhand is still traumatized by your last meeting." Marcus replied with a chuckle.
"Ach.. Ya'd be thinkin that the boy would let bygones be bygones. I mean I did apologize and that was o're eighty-odd years ago. I didn't know he'd be one to crow a pyke o're somethin as little as that."
"Well, what can I say.." Marcus stated with a small shrug. "Jeremy was always the squiemish one in the family... At any rate, I have some serious buisness I need to talk to you about."
Ick raised a pierced brow. "What can I do for ya then?"
"We, thats is Jeremy and I, need your expretise in helping guard a place thats heavy in magic..."
"So basic technological means would be useless eh?" Ick finished for him making a face. "Gawd, magic can be a real pain in the ass.."
The Vampire smirked, "So it would be to hard for you to do? and here I was, bragging to Jeremy how good you were-"
Ick raised a hand, "Stop, stop, stop!" he chuckled, "Appealing ta my sense of vanity is useless. But I can do it. Although unlike the songs says, my dirty deeds arn't done dirt cheap..." He caught the look on Marcus' face, "Buuut since I owe ya a thousand or so favors I'll do it for free. "
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:57:38 GMT -5
"Okay.. I think I must be certifiably insane," Jeremy groused, half to himself.
Marcus chuckled, "Oh it's not that bad.."
Jeremy made a face and guestured at group of assorted Vampires milling around the Quidditch pitch."How the hell am I going to get this group to work together? I mean I know they are the best we got at the moment, but this lot will probably kill each other in less than a week."
"All they need is a good leader to draw them together."
"Then Albus Dumbledore chose the wrong man for the job," Jeremy snorted. He casted a sidelong glance at Marcus. "Hey, why don't you take over? They're all scared of you and you can keep them in line."
"Oh no little Remmy, you're not pawning off this job on me," Marcus smirked, "I'm just here as moral support and as backup. That's it. Don't worry. You'll do just fine."
"Whatever.." Jeremy mumbled before, drawing himself up before the other vampires. "Okay people, listen up."
The assorted vampires turned to look at Jeremy with a vague intrest. Jeremy fought the urge to look at his brother and continued to speak. "Alright, I'm sure Marcus gave you the rundown. We're supposed to guard this place, safekeep the students and all. Also no feeding on the locals or students. Bloodbags and Vampire's Bane will be available for everyone, and thats all you should be feeding on till this assignement is done. The last thing we need to to draw the attention of Vampire hunters here." Jeremy paused to gather his thoughts. "Now.. Does anyone have any questio-"
"Oy, has the party started yet?"
"Jeremy turned to see Ick ambling towards them. He wore a long patched trench coat with the collar pulled up, and a battered fedora hat shoved low over his brow to hide most of his features. He carried a duffle bag slung over one shoulder and had a large cat-sized rat sitting on his other shoulder. The rodent looked at everyone with bright, inteligent eyes. Ick grinned.
"Sorry I'm late, but I had ta pick up some things on me way here."
"Why's a techhead like you here?" groused Kaz, a pale, severe looking woman with short back hair. "Ya can't use your little toys here. The magic would fry them."
"Who sed I waz gonna use me "toys" as ye call em? Actually I was planning on using this.." Ick pulled something out of his dufflebag and tossed it to Kaz. She caught it and looked at it closely. It was a tube-like jar, filled with fluid. Suspened in the liquid was what appeared to be an eyeball with a bundled string od viens and nerves still attached to it.
"How's this going to help-" Kaz began before the bundle of nerves twiched and the eye, like some grotesque tadpole, turned in it's jar and looked at Kaz, it's pupil dialated then contracted.
Kaz yelped and dropped the jar. Ick expected her reaction and easily caught it before it hit the ground.
"What the Hell was that thing?!?"
"That, me luv, is me new security system." Ick chuckled, as the eye wiggles about in the jar. "Whatever this little bugger sees, I kin see. It's a trick I picked up from me da. He's a Necromancer, and I figure might as well use magic, since tech is out."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:58:36 GMT -5
But Harry didn’t get to see Myrtle the next day, and it didn’t look like he’d be able to get to see her any day after that either. The girl’s bathroom was guarded by a somber-looking women whom Harry didn’t recognize. In fact, there were a lot of strange people around the castle lately and it wasn’t until breakfast on Friday that they found out what was going on.
“Attention everyone,” Dumbledore said as Harry wolfed down his porridge, “In light of recent events, a security team has been brought in to ensure your safety. I expect you to be ambassadors to your school and treat them as you would any teacher here at Hogwarts. Thank you.”
Ron gave Harry a dark look, which Harry returned. They were both thinking the same thing; how hard it would be to have DA meetings now. They’d resumed regular Defense Association meetings with the presence of the DADA teacher, but Harry hadn’t had another late night meeting since the last one in the owlry. They’d tried to plan something several times, but it seemed they always fell through at the last moment.
Harry looked up from his porridge. Malfoy was talking animatedly with Hermione Snape who had a bored expression on her face. He had been spending an awful lot of time at the table. Harry had thought for sure Malfoy would give up on ‘being nice’ to him, but so far, the outlook wasn’t good. He almost missed the old Draco. Harry had to keep checking the enchanted ceiling to see if pigs were flying across it.
As for Eustace, he hadn’t been the same since Finch-Fletchly was attacked. Harry sympathized with him. He remembered what it was like when everyone thought he was the Heir of Slytherin. But still, there was a nagging at the back of his mind… What if?
Since then, Eustace spoke to Harry less and less. Not only Harry but he seemed to really stop talking to anyone, often waiting until the other Gryffindors were asleep before ambling up to bed, or else turning in early to make sure he didn’t have to see anyone. The only one whom he talked to was Hermes, who hadn’t seemed to have changed her view of Eustace one iota. She still met him at breakfast, despite Seamus’ scowls of disapproval.
Harry was still unsure about how he felt about Eustace, but he thought he’d ere on the side of caution and take the ambivalent stance of avoidance. It seemed to be what Eustace wanted anyway. And if the rest of the Gryffindors weren’t chilly towards him before, they were now. He became, as on his first day, The Durmstrang Boy. He was back to square one.
Despite this, things had settled down somewhat since the initial attack, Professor Sprout had assured them all that the Mandrakes the second years were planting were coming along nicely, and Finch-Fletchly would be back before they knew it. Nothing had happened since; with this new security team around, who would be fool enough to try anything?
“Excuse me, Mr. Weasley?” It was professor McGonagall, “Would you come with me please? And you too Miss Weasley?” Ron and Harry exchanged a worried look before following McGonagall to the anteroom.
Hedwig delivered the morning paper, which Harry stood up as a sort of partition between him and Eustace.
The noise in the room seemed to jump from a whisper to a low rumble, Harry looked up over the top of his newspaper to see people were standing, talking in small groups while the security team tried to regain order in the room.
“Can you believe it!?” Ron said as he sat down next to Harry.
“Believe what?”
Ron ogled at him, “What do you mean what? You mean you don’t know yet!?” He plucked the newspaper and shoved it at Harry, “Front page.”
MINISTER OF MAGIC VICTIM OF MEMORY ASSASSIN
Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic was found this morning, a block from his estate, without any idea where he was, why he was there, or even who he was. The Minister of Magic has been rushed to St. Mungo’s Hospital. There has been no word on his condition as of yet.
Aurors have been brought on the scene to look for clues. So far, nothing conclusive has been found, however it is suspected to be the work of the Memory Assassin. The Memory Assassin was first sighted at Merlin’s Castle in Hogsmeade and since then, has been popping up all over wizarding Britain. It is unclear whether this string of memory murders is connected to recent Death Eater activity involving the grousome deaths of the Pevensie’s a family of known Muggle supporters….
"Well?" Ron said anxiously.
"That's awful."
"I'll say. I mean.. I can't say I didn't see it coming, but still, Percy? I don't know whether Mum'll be proud or disgusted. I'm just glad I'm not home right now to find out."
"Huh?"
"Didn't you read the article?"
"Not all of it."
"Percy's going to be Minister of Magic."
"Percy!?"
"Just until another election is held."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:58:55 GMT -5
A tall figure followed by a group of smaller ones walked up to the front gates og Hogwarts. Loki rested her hand on the sword that rest on her hip as she narrowed her violet eyes to get a better look at the figure walking so boldly up to her. He was tall with flaming red hair drawn into a ponytail and, Loki noticed with disgust, he was followed by a group of goblins. She pushed her white-blone bangs from her face before standing in the young man's path.
"Halt," she stated in an icy tone of command. "Who goes there and what buisness do you have here?"
"My name is Bill Weasley, representing the Interim Minister of Magic" The young man stated, holding out an official scroll, "And I have to speak with Dumbledore." -----------------------------------------
A short, stocky, figure made its way to the Forbidden forest with something clutched under his leathered shirt. Even in the darkness he could see a figure, waiting for him. And to him he looked like money.
"'allo Guv." The goblin said pleasently.
"Have you any news?"
"It'll cost you."
The wizard rolled his eyes and took a few galleons out of his purse and handed them to the goblin.
"The interim Minister 'as akst 'is bruver, a co-worker of mine, to gaver up a team to watch over the school," he motioned over his shoulder, "'owever, when we got there, we found that the vampires was already there. The 'eadmaster must've come up wiv them on 'is own." The goblin shook his head, "Goblins and the bloodsuckers don't get along, to puts it nicely. We've aksed the Minister for more money. 'es still 'emming and 'awing about it, but 'es vying for permanant minister, so we finks 'e'll do whatever it takes." He grinned toothily.
"And what of the vampires?"
The grin faded, "We don't expects the Minister to do nufink about them. It's not really his jurisdiction, is it? 'e jus' wants to be seen doing sumfink, dunne?"
“So there’s no chance of them leaving.” The hooded man sighed, it was as he feared, security had been increased because of Voldemort. Blast that Harry Potter. Life would have been so much easier without him. Think of how many wrongs he wouldn’t have to avenge?
“It’s going to be more difficult than I expected.” He said out loud. It seemed to be the cue the goblin was waiting for, because his eyes brightened.
“It doesn’t have to be.” He said with an enticing surety, “I have sommat that will makes your life much easier. Only, it’d be a shame. I’m not sure I’d be willing to part wiv it.”
Oh dear lord, how much is it going to cost me he thought, “What is it?”
“I found this wilst going on me rounds about the castle, and I says to meself, I says 'that might come in dead useful for sommat.' so what's I to do but-"
"Get on with it."
The goblin pulled a glass jar from under his dragon leather coat, "I got’st me a bug.” He held the jar up for him to see.
“A bug? I should have known you couldn’t get me anything really useful.”
“Well, if you don’t wants a bagman in your pocket, I’ll sell him to a richer man than you, I’m sure The Dark Lord would be mightily pleased to know what he knows… yes indeed….” The little insect banged itself against the glass furiously, “This ‘ere’s a wasp, a Whimbourne Wasp, as a matter t’fact, but you can use ‘im as a bug. Doan’t worry about him getting away. He knows how we feels abouts shirking out of debts owed. And if he don’t remember, I’ll be around to keeps a sharp eye on him...” The goblin directed the last statement towards the glass and the wasp immediately calmed down.
He peered into the glass jar. It couldn’t be Ludo Bagman, could it? “How much?”
“Twelve-thousand galleons.”
“Twelve-thou… are you insane man?”
“If you don’t wants to buy ‘im. I won’t waste your time.” The goblin made a show about puttin him away.
“How can I be sure that it’s not a garden variety wasp?”
“I don’t know about you, but I’ve never seen a garden variety wasp play Quidditch.” He unscrewed the jar and the wasp made a break for it, but it was almost like he was on an invisible chain and couldn’t go any further. The goblin gave him a look and Ludo Bagman materialized in front of him, looking miserable.
“Need any more convincing, guv?” He leered menacingly at Bagman who shrank away from him.
He shook his head and pulled out a bit of parchement from under his robes, scribbled something on it, then handed it to the goblin, who clutched it greedily, “Always a pleasure doing business with your lordship.”
“Mutual, I’m sure.” The hooded figure rolled his eyes.
“Come on Bagman, back in the jar.”
“But can’t I...?”
“In.” The goblin growled, and Bagman retransformed into a wasp.
“When do I get Bagman?”
“When I get me galleons. I’ll stop at the bank tomorrow to transfer the gold. And I’ll deliver him to you then.”
“Very well, “ He said begrudgingly, “Tomorrow it is.”
The goblin walked away with a new spring in his step
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:59:29 GMT -5
The tension in the air was thick as Harry entered the DADA classroom. He sat next to Ron and seamus, who seemed to be keeping a keen eye on the door. Other students poured into the classroom but one was noticably missing. Finally, just before the class started Eustace stalked in and made his way to the back of the classroom, ignoring the glares and whispers that surrounded him. He sat in the far corner ignoring everone, hunched down low in his desk.
"A-HEM!"
Harry tore his attention away from Eustace to the front of the Classroom. Professor Xavier gave the assembled mass of students an icy glare that stopped their whispers dead in their tracks.
"Now that I have your attention," she stated in a frosty tone, "Maybe we could begin class?", she took the sullen silence for a yes, "Now, for today's lesson, we're going to look at two creatures of Asia: nagi, and phoenix's." Raven glanced at the door, from which came a soft knock, Right on time, Raven thought, as she went to go open the door, "Today we are very lucky to have a very fine specimen available of at least one of the creatures for today's demonstration," She said as she opened the door to reveal Dumbledore and Fawkes on the other side.
Dumbledore nodded warmly as a ripple of talk came through the classroom and it occured to Harry that Fawkes might not really be common knowledge to the student body. Dumbledore gave a slight nod to Harry and then another nod, Harry thought, to Eustace in the back, before taking the chair Raven offered him.
"I hope you don't mind, we are going to be discussing naga's first." Raven said apologetically.
Dumbledore waved a hand at Raven, "Not at all, please, don't let me disturb your class." He folded his hands neatly in his lap and turned his attention onto Raven's lecture,
It was a little unnerving for Raven to have the Headmaster in the room while she was teaching, but she forged onward, "First of all, does anyone know what a naga is?"
Both the Patil twins raised their hands, but Parvati answered, "Ooh... I remember hearing stories about those when I was little, it's a kind of snake woman, isn't it?"
"That's correct, Parvati," Raven nodded, "It's a creature which resembles a woman, usually with the bottom half of a snake, although they have been known to take on fully human and fully snake form. Not much is known about these creatures, and there are several reasons for this; they are very carefull to remain hidden, which is probably the worst thing for them, you see, theirs is a dying race, the main reason being that their are only female nagi -that's the plural of naga- due to a curse placed on them that they may only have daughters and never heirs. they must find companions from among other races, and the problem with that is, they are labled under international wizarding creature standardization code as XXXXX.
"ooh they must be really dangerous then!"
"Actually, Seamus, they are labled like that for the same reason centaurs are, they're highly intelligent creatures, and they don't like to be thought of as creatures any more than centaurs do. And there is another reason..."
Raven paused for effect, and the class leaned in closer, "There have been accounts of very strange things happening in the presence of nagi. According to the little known writings of an ancient muggle prince in the fifth century BC which was rumoured to have been confiscated by the magical government of the era, the naga has the power to grant your deepest desires. In his writings on the nagi he goes on to mention they have the power to change their appearance, to posses others and speaks in it's own secret language. Unfortuneatly, this is the stuff of legend, as there hasn't been a naga sighted in Britain in at least a thousand years."
Raven's eyes flicked over to Dumbledore who was listening intently to her lecture, "Now, the part of the class you've probably all been waiting for, the Phoenix. Now, the phoenix originated from the Middle East, slightly closer to home, Does anyone know anything about phonixes?"
Harry's hand was the first to fly into the air, Raven nodded to him, "The phoenix," Harry began, never taking his eyes off Fawkes, "when it's time for it to die will set fire to itself and will then be reborn from the ashes, they can carry immensly heavy loads, and they make highly loyal pets." Harry thought of when he'd first met Fawkes, and how mortified he was when he burst into flames right in front of him, and then he remembered how Fawkes had saved him by bringing him the sorting hat and gougeing out the eyes of the basilisk.
Raven nodded, "Three for three, Harry, the phoenix immolates itself and is born from it's own ashes-"
Ron raised his hand, "There's something I don't get.... you keep saying phoenixes, but how can there be more than one?"
"That's an excellent question Mr. Weasley, and one that puzzled wizards for a good many centuries, but it turns out, it has a very simple answer; on rare occasions it happens that the phoenix will be reborn as twins, or, even rarer, triplets, the most i've heard about was quadruplets.... but that is only in legend." There was a lull in the lecture, signaling a change in subject, "Anyway, I am very pleased to have one so readily available, Headmaster?"
Dumbledore stood up and Fawks ruffled his feathers slightly, keeping his balence on the headmaster's shoulder, " Now, some of you may know, " His eye flicked over to Harry, " that I have been caring for one of these rare birds, this is Fawkes, who has been with me since I've been teaching here at Hogwarts."
Fawkes, eyes sparkling with intelligence, surveyed the class, finally locking an eye on Eustace in the back of the room. Fawkes fluttered from Dumbledore's shoulder and settled on Eustaces desk, Eustace gave a small smile. Harry frowned.
"Would anyone like to share any more information about the phoenix?" Dumbledore asked
Harry raised his hand again, fiercely determined to show he knew more about phoenixes... possibly to get back at Eustace, who Fawkes had chosen to sit with, "The phoenix's tears have healing powers, Fawkes saved my life once," Harry added. He had a history with Fawkes, not Eustace.
Dumbledore merely raised an eyebrow and nodded, "Yes, Harry, that's correct." but there was a strange note to it, and Harry wasn't sure if Dumbledore was lauding the question answered correctly, or reprimanding Harry for pointing out Fawke's involvment with Harry.
But the class' attention was now focused on Eustace and Fawkes in the back of the room. Eustace stroked Fawkes' warm feathers, not caring wether people were looking at him, he knew their only interest was in Fawkes.
"Perhaps you would like to pet him as well? Dumbledore offered the class, who took this as a leave to get out of their chairs and crowd around Eustace's desk.
"One at a time, please." Raven called, trying to gain a little order in the class. The eager students formed a line and each took their turn petting Fawkes' feathers.
Harry debated staying at his desk, he already knew what Fawkes felt like, but finally, he decided to get in line anyway, He was in line behind Malfoy, and just about to go up, when Fawkes did something Harry'd never seen him do before.
When Malfoy went out to pet the bird, Fawkes squawked loudly and bit him soundly on the finger.
"He bit me!" Malfoy drew his hand away, wide eyed, it was only a warning nip, but it was strange nonetheless... Harry had never seen him do anything remotely violent, except peck out the eyes of the basilisk. Malfoy held his hand gingerly,
Dumbledore looked surprised, but there was also something else in that look, a furtive look, "May I see, Mr Malfoy?"
Draco hesitated, then held his hand out for Dumbledore to look at, it was slightly red, more like a burn than a bite. Dumbledore nodded, "It doesn't look serious. None theless...Mr. Finnegan, would you please escort Mr. Malfoy to the hospital wing?"
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 5, 2005 23:59:55 GMT -5
The class seemed reluctant to pet Fawkes again, but Harry took his turn anyway and the class followed Harry's lead, relaxing again.
It wasn't at all like Fawkes to bite anyone, but Harry couldn't think of anyone in the room who deserved a bite more. And besides, Draco must have done something to deserve it, something he just didn't happen to see.
Harry felt a bit better after seeing Fawkes, and took his seat in a better mood than when he got up.
Raven clapped her hands to get the classes attention again, "Alright, it looks like class is just about up, I would like members of the DA to wait for me here, as I have to escort the other students to the study hall."
As soon as Raven was out of the room, Eustace saw his chance. He'd been toying with the idea for days, but now seemed like his opportunity to do it, he was going to prove once and for all that he was not related to the attack that happened on Justin Finch-Fletchley. Eustace squared his shoulders as if readying for battle and approached Harry.
Or almost approached him, because as soon as Ron and Seamus saw him head towards Harry, they blocked his path.
"Excuse me." He muttered, "I'd like to speak to Harry please."
"Why? So you can petrify him?"
Eustace snorted derisively, "If I was going to petrify him, which I'm not, because I'm not the Heir of Slytherin, or whatever it is you keep calling me, I certainly wouldn't do it in front of all these people, would I?" Harry felt a chill of recognition, he recognised that haughty tone. It sounded naggingly familiar, but he just couldn't place it.
"It's alright you two." Harry stepped between his body guards. Ron and Seamus gave him disgruntled looks, but stepped aside, "What do you want?"
Hermes heard the commotion and went to join Eustace's side. She knew what he was doing. They had talked about it earlier. She didn't approve, because she didn't think it would work, but she stood by him anyway because once he made up his mind about something, there was no point in arguing with him unless you liked hearing yourself talk.
"Look," Eustace lowered his voice, "I've got some information that maybe you could use. I don't know if it will be useful to you or not, but I'm going to tell you anyway, because the attacks have to stop. Not only because they're wrong, but also because maybe it'll get you guys off my back. I haven't done anything wrong, and you shouldn't assume, because my father was a filthy Death Eater, that I'm one too." All this was true, whether his father was Lucius Malfoy, or Victor Xavier.
Ron was the first to speak, "Why not go to the authorities with your precious information, why not tell the headmaster."
"Well Weasley, that one is simple. It's Harry who's supposed to be the great savior of the Wizarding World isn't it?" He snapped, Hermione squeezed his arm and gave him a warning look. He needed to be non-threatening. He took a deep breath, "Look, do you want to hear what I've got to say or not?"
"Alright fine."
"Okay, here's what I think: I heard stories about what happened at the Ministry last year. You put Draco's dad in Azkaban, right?" He paused, thinking of how he used to hero-worship his dad, "Well, if I were him, I'd want revenge, and I'd want it pretty badly."
Ron rolled his eyes, "Well, duh, it doesn't take a genius to figure out that Malfoy hates Harry."
"No, you don't get it at all. This isn't some boyhood rivalry, this is serious. I am almost certain he's behind the attacks, and I'd bet all the gold in gringott's it's because of what you did to his dad."
"What evidence do you have to prove it?" Seamus said, sticking out his chin defiantly.
"Call it a hunch, I mean, who else would know to put the symbol of the Knights of Walpurgis.."
Harry's eyes narrowed, "You, apparently."
"I already told you, my father was a Death Eater, and why the hell would I incriminate myself by changing it to a queztal when I know bloody well everyone in the DA knows what my patronus is. Don't you think that would be a bit stupid of me? Obviously Draco's trying hard to frame me for it-"
"If it is Draco." Harry pointed out,
"-because of Hermione."
Harry looked like he was about to add more, but just then, Raven returned to bring them to the great hall for their meeting.
----
“You better have been worth 12,000, Bagman.” The assassain said as he unscrewed the lid to the jar, “Even for me, that’s quite a lot of gold.
“And if ‘e gives you any lip, you jus’ tell ol’ Grendle.” The goblin leered at newly morphed form of Ludo Bagman before slipping off back to the castle.
“Goblins,” Ludo said as he ran a sweaty palm through his hair nervously, “How was I supposed to know there were goblins at Hogwarts. I thought Hogwarts of all places would be safe.”
“You’re not out of the woods yet, Mr. Bagman. Heh…. Not out of the woods… hehehe….” They were in the Forbidden Forest, “I’ve paid your debts to the goblins. Until you have given me 12,000 galleons worth of service, you effectively belong to me.”
“What are you going to have me do?” His worry growing again.
“I’m going to have you spy for me at Hogwarts. There are three people I’d like to have their movements tracked.”
“Let me guess, Harry Potter?”
The Assassin drew his wand in a flash, “Do you know who I am?”
“Except for you being the Memory Assassin I know nothing. I just thought… well, you know… everyone is out for his blood. He’s famous.”
“Memory Assassin? Is that what they’re calling me? Oh, I rather like the way that sounds.” He lowered his wand, smiling at his own thoughts, “Yes, I want you to track Harry Potter. I also want you to track Ronald Weasley and Professor Severus Snape. Pay special attention to them, but also I’d like news on the general workings of the school, what parts of the building are left relatively empty, times of assembly et cetera.”
“I’ll see what I can do,” Bagman nodded.
“Don’t see, Mr. Bagman. Just do it.”
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:00:46 GMT -5
Between the attack, school work, the endless petty squabbles between the goblins and and the vampires (Harry found out what the guards were soon after a goblin 'let it slip'), school work, Draco behaving himself (which was more unsettiling than him behaving like Draco), more school work, DA lesson plans and quidditch practice, the next visit to St Mungo's visit sprang upon him like a flash.
It wasn't that he forgot about Hermione and Neville, it was more that he'd come to terms with the fact that they just might not recover. This wasn't something Harry liked to accept, even to himself, but the reports had not varied since the time when theyd both been struck dumb. Ron was less willing to accept it, and was continually saying things like 'Hermione'd know what house the planet Mars falls under.' and when Harry and Ron were discussing the attacks, Ron muttered, 'Hermione'd know who was behind all this.' Ron also was the one to take care of crookshanks 'just until Hermione gets back' he'd say.
At lunch, McGonnagal approached the Gryffindor table, "Mr. Potter? Weasley?"
Ron and Harry jumped simultaneously, both wondering whether their was something terribly wrong with their essays on the transformation of liquid-state objects to solid-state objects. Harry's eye met Ron's.
"I just wanted you to know," McGonnagal began in an unusually soft tone, "that tomorrow, I am available, if you wanted to visit Mr. Longbottom and Miss Granger in the hospital."
"Of course I want to go." Harry blurted out, a little more harshly than he had meant to. McGonnagal either did not notice, or let it pass.
"Can I bring Crookshanks?" Ron asked, his mouth arranged in a grim line, "Maybe Hermione'd like to see him."
"Of course you may, Mr. Weasley. Please meet me in my office after breakfast tomorrow." McGonnagall turned her back with a great steadying sigh and went back to the staff table.
Harry could hardly sleep that night. Would their condition have worsened since the last time he saw them? He didn't think they'd look any better, all the reports so far had been frighteningly similar. Still, it did mean their condition was stable...which was a good thing.... right?
So when Harry dragged himself down to breakfast the next day, he hardly touched his marmalade toast. His bloodshot eyes kept wandering between Ron (who looked as tired as he did) and the head table, willing McGonagall to eat faster.
Finally, when McGonagall finished, Harry and Ron (who also had been keeping a keen eye on McGonagall) both shot up as soon as she set her fork down. Crookshanks purred in Ron's arms as they followed McGonagall to their office.
They were so intent upon leaving that they hardly noticed they were being followed.
Luna Lovegood floated silently behind them, as if she'd come by them through some kind of coincidence and decided on a whim to follow them.
"What're you doing here?" Harry asked as he and Ron fell back, allowing McGonagall to go ahead a few paces.
Luna's orblike eyes regarded Harry mildly, "I'm going to visit Neville and Hermione."
"How did you know we were going there?" Ron asked with a note of surprise, as if it hadn't occured to him that other people cared about Hermione and Neville too.
Luna shrugged, "Ginny told me. She'll be along in a minute."
Actually, Ginny was waiting for the three of them impatiantly in front of McGonagall's office door. She looked like she hadn't slept much either. The only one who looked well rested was Luna.
McGonagall eyed the growing group, but didn't have the heart to turn any of them away, instead she sighed and let them into her office. where she stoked a roaring fire and passed around the floo powder.
Harry stepped into the fire and out into St Mungo's reception area, feeling the sweep of the purification spell as he passed into St Mungo's proper. Ron came next clutching a harried looking Crookshanks who's ginger fur stuck out at odd angles, and would have been covered in soot if he hadn't gone through the cleaning spell. Next came Ginny and Luna, and finally McGonagall, who shepherded them up to the front desk.
"Names please," Said a harrassed-looking wizard behind the counter.
"Minerva McGonagall, Harry Potter, Luna Lovegood, Ronald Weasley, to see the Longbottoms and Hermione Granger. We know the way, thank you."
"Just a moment, you have to leave your wands at the front desk."
"Leave our wands? Whatever for!?" McGonnagal clutched her wand tighter, making her knuckles go white.
"New security policy. On order of the Minister of Magic." He sounded as if this wasn't the first time people have asked, "Weasley, huh? You related to the Minister?"
Ron colored at he handed over his wand, "Yeah, my brother."
"I can't say I blame him for all the new precautions, what with you-know-who lurking about." He glanced around the room nervously, as if he thought Voldemort was going to burst through the wall any moment, He turned away and handed the wands over to a goblin standing near a large cabinet safe, The harried looking wizard saw their mystified expressions, "On loan from Gringotts, by order of the Minister, can't be too careful, you know. Well, there you are , you're all checked in. You said you know the way do you?"
"Yes, thanks." Harry mumbled, already steeling himself against what lay ahead of him.
The room had changed little from the last time Harry and Ron had been there. The same faces greeted them with mixed coherance to their presence. The dog-woman, Agnes, groweled at Crookshanks as they passed.
A plump witch sat aside one of the beds, combing out Hermione's hair and speaking softly of the weather, and how pretty her hair looked and other things Hermione couldn't hear, for Hermione gazed with unfocused eyes at nothing. It was a startling change, by taking away that expression of intelligence and hardnosed concentration, something of Hermione was lost.
The healer with the hairbrush noted the group's approach, "Oh, and look, you have visitors today, isn't that nice?" She smiled warmly and put the brush down on Hermione's nightstand, "Oh and they've brought your cat. Isn't that thoughtful?"
"How do you know it's her cat?" Ron blurted out in an excited jumble of words, "Has she told you about Crookshanks? Has she said anything?"
For a moment, the nurse looked confused, but then regarded Ron with a sad stare, "No. I'm sorry dear. I only guessed. I saw the picture, you see." She pointed to a posterboard above Hermione's nightstand. Magically tacked on was a picture of Hermione holding Crookshanks flanked by Harry and Ron. Harry recognised the picture as one fo Colin's.
"Oh." Ron said. Utterly deflated, he sat into the nearest chair, stroking Crookshanks fur absently. Ginny stood behind Ron and squeezed his shoulder in sympathy. Luna appeared as though she was staring right through Hermione.
McGonnagal, between daubing at her eyes, pulled chairs over for the rest of them, as there was only the one.
No one said anything as they took their chairs, each lost in their own thoughts. Harry was surprised to find he was not as sad as he had been last time. Where before there was a great gaping wound, there was now only a dull ache. He was ashamed and angry at himself for not feeling. He was numb.
Luna pulled her chair over to the other side of Hermione's bed. Neville was asleep right now, but she peered at him with her moonlike eyes.
Ron was the first to break the silence. He spoke slowly and in a low voice, mimicking the way the healer had spoken to Hermione, "I brought Crookshanks." Ron spoke at Hermione, "I've been taking care of him for you, you know... until you feel better." Hermione didn't give any sign of having heard. At the mention of his name, Crookshanks leapt lightly onto the bed, Hermion didn't move, even when Crookshanks rubbed up against her arm and purred loudly.
"So..uh yeah... I brought him because I thought you might like to see him." Zombies had more awareness, Ron thought with frustration. "You've missed an awful lot of schoolwork, Hermione." If that didn't work, he couldn't think of anything else that would, "I don't know how you'll ever make it up... you might have to stay back."
No response. Crookshanks curled up next to Hermione on the bed and fell asleep. They sat there a few minutes in silence. Harry finally stood up, "I'll be right back." He mumbled.
"I'll come too." Ron stood up as well, brushing ginger cat hair from his lap.
As they left, neither of them having any place in mind, Harry thought he heard McGonnagal say something under her breath which sounded like 'poor dears'.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:01:26 GMT -5
Ron and Harry wandered the corridors of the Permanant Residant's Wing. It's cheerlessly steril walls haphazardly strewn with signs of living, only made the place seem sadder. Harry and Ron were so preoccupied with their own thoughts that they almost ran into a nurse carrying an armful of miscelanious robes.
"Sorry, coming through, excuse me, sorry."
Suddenly, Ron smacked Harry in the arm, "Harry, is that-?" He pointed to the load of clothes the nurse was carrying. Perched on top was an unmistakable artical of clothing. A lime green bowler hat.
"Fudge. Let's get out of here."
Harry turned to go back, but Ron seized his wrist a grim expression crossing his face, "Listen."
Harry listend to the nurse as she bustled into the room, talking cheerfully to the former Minister, "Here we are, we've brought some clothes.... which ones would you like to wear?... are you sure? ... well, okay then! I'll be back again tomorrow so you can pick out some more clothes, okay?"
"I'm going to talk to the healer while you change into those, alright? I will be back." A voice said overly loud, as if the minister had been struck deaf and not just Obliviated. The voice clearly belonged to Percy Weasley.
"He still hasn't taken the bowler yet, Minister." The nurse confided as she shut the door for the newly minted Minister of Magic, "He hasn't shown any kinds of signs that he remembers anything, but these things take time...In these types of cases, it could take years."
Percy nodded, "I am sure you are doing everything in your power to accomadate the Minister-" Percy faltered as Ron caught his eye, causing Percy to grimace with an air of solomn grief.
"Heh, no doubt he spent hours in the mirror practicing that face." Ron scowled.
Percy continued with his back to Ron and Harry, "It's a terrible tragedy to befall the Wizarding World, especially in such perilous times as these. To be cut down at the height of his carreer... a tragedy."
"Oh please," Harry muttered,
"The brownosing little wanker." Ron muttered, "Come on... let's get out of-"
"Harry Potter!" In two calculated strides Percy was beside them and was pumping harry's Harry's hand. Harry watched as the color drained from Ron's face, "It really is splendid to see you visiting Minister Fudge in his time of need."
"Erm..."
"You know," Percy said to the nurse, who was still holding that lurid hat and staring at Harry's forehead, "I've known Harry here since he came to Hogwarts. We were in the same house together, isn't that right, Harry? But what a selfless, thoughtful person, he is, isn't he? Coming here, even during the school year, when I'm sure he's got a lot of other important things on his mind besides." There was a lull in the conversation, which Percy was obliged to fill, "Well then, why don't we leave Miss...?"
"Mrs. Troy, Hellena Troy, Minister."
"It was a pleasure making your aquaintance, Mrs. Troy. We'll leave to to your duties now."
After the healer was out of sight, Percy turned back to Fudge's room, but Harry didn't move, "Actually we were here to visit Hermione and Neville." he replied frostily, clearly showing how much he cared for former Minister Fudge.
Percy stood up straight, adjusting his glasses on his nose, "Hermione Granger and Neville Longbottom? What's happened to them? They weren't obliviated too, were they?"
Before Harry could reply, Ron cut in, "Shouldn't you know? You're bloody Minister of Magic."
"Interim Minister," Percy reminded, "And circumstances being what they are these days, there are a lot of things that never reach my desk. What happened?"
"Yeah, like you care."
"I care!"
"Like hell you do," Ron muttered coldly, "If you care so bloody much, then you wouldn't have-"
"If this is about Father," Percy cut across in an even tone, "You should know that I didn't want to fire him."
Ron snorted dirisively.
Percy straightened his glasses authoritatively, "Don't talk about things you do not understand-"
"Sod off, Percy. C'mon Harry," Ron grabbed Harry's sleeve, "let's leave Fudge and Percy alone. No doubt they want some 'private time' together." Ron sneered.
Percy's jaw dropped. So did Harry's. "Ronald Billius Weasley, as your acting Minister of Magic and your older brother, you will hear me out, I had to fire him. He's been... " Percy lowered his voice, as it had started to rise, "he's been charming muggle objects. And this isn't the first time either. Remember the car? Not to mention all those other things in the shed... A person who works in the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department cannot be charming muggle objects. It's totally inappropriate behavior for a Ministry OfficialIt's there in black and white. I didn't make the rules, I just follow them. You of all people should know how that is."
"Oh yeah? Why?"
Percy blinked, as if it were obvious, "Well, you're a prefect, of course."
Ron snorted, "And that's supposed to make me a heartless git like you? Do you even realize what you've done? Maybe you don't remember what it's like growing up in the Weasley household, but, we have no money. And now that Dad hasn't got a job, we're living hand to mouth off of Mum and Dad's retirement money." That wasn't exactly true. The twins and Bill and Charlie helped out immensly, but Ron wasn't going for accuracy, "Mum says he's never even home anymore, and he hasn't even found a job yet. He's so desparate, he even thought about working for Fortescue's Ice Cream as a Delivery Boy. As if it weren't humiliating enough being a Weasley with you being Minister."
Percy scowled, "If you must know, I offered to help. I really have. But Mum's been sending back my letters unopened. All this is beside the point entirely, if you must blame someone, why don't you blame Father? I mean, if he wasn't charming muggle objects, I wouldn't have had to fire him, would I? It's his own fault."
"Wait a minute what about the loophole?" Harry burst in suddenly.
"What loophole is that?"
"Mr. Weasley told me about it once, I can't remember.. something about it being okay to charm muggle artifacts-"
"Well yes that would have been fine if he didn't start using them. The loophole you are referring to was that if one charmed the object with no intention on using it.... but he came into work with some of the junk from the shed...."
Ron hissed dirisively, "You're impossible Percy, you just don't get how the real world works. The world is not as black and white as your precious rulebook"
Percy shook his head, "I can't believe I'm arguing about this, I know I was right. I did the right thing, I can't understand why you'd hate me for upholding the law. That is my job. You know what, Ron? I don't have time for this, I have other things to attend to. I hope that you will come to your senses and see that I was right. Harry, my condolences about Hermione and Neville." With that Percy walked briskly towards the exit followed by a stream of Ron's curse words.
"I can't believe I can be related to that. If I had a family tree like Sirius, guess who's name I'd like to- WHAT DO YOU WANT!?" Ron rounded abruptly on cornelius fudge, who'd been tapping him on the shoulder
"Umm.....er....so sorry....Didn't that fellow Westly say he was coming back?"
"Who?"
"Patrick something... he left his hat." Fudge clutched a black bowler, not unlike the one Crouch used to wear.
"Um... thanks." Ron took the hat just to appease Fudge, "Harry didn't we have to be somewhere?" Ron made a face as if to say, 'let's get out of here'
"Um yeah, we'd better be going..."
But Fudge cocked his head to one side, "Wait a minute, don't I know you?"
"Ummmm...."
"No, I don't think so...." Ron and Harry looked at each other.
"Oh...well, okay then. You should have that looked at...." His eyes darted up to Harry's forehead.
"It's looked at quite enough already, thanks."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:01:46 GMT -5
When Harry and Ron returned to Hermione and Neville, they found the group had somehow multiplied in their absence. The Longbottom family had wandered over and, McGonnagall was trying vainly to get them to sit down. Alice finally settled on the edge of Hermione's bed, dropping a few gum wrappers onto the bedsheets.
"What's the matter?" Ginny whispered to the two of them, as Ron leaned moodily on the edge of Hermione's dresser.
"Nothing... nothing at all."
Ginny gave him a look that said clearly that she didn't believe him.
"I'll tell you later... " Ginny sighed and looked as though she wanted to know now, but turned her attention back to Hermione, who's hand had crept towards the sleeping Crookshanks and was placed absently on his stomach.
Crookshanks opened his eyes and stretched, licking Hermione's hand. He rubbed up against Hermione's arm, walking on Hermione's lap, purring loudly.
"I think Crookshanks misses her." Ron said to Harry.
Ginny smirked slightly, "I think someone's projecting."
"Huh?"
"Well, Ronald," she said, sounding very much like Hermione, "If you'd read once in a while, you'd know, wouldn't you?"
"Alright, fine, don't tell me then."
"It's what people do when they don't want to own up to their feelings, they project them onto someone else... or someone elses cat..."
"What's Crookshanks got?" Ron wondered, stepping on Ginny's explanation, ears going pink.
Crookshanks was crouched with a paw clamped around the rubbish on the bed. His other paw batted the papers into a pile, bottlebrush tail swishing.
Ron reached out to pick him up and Crookshanks snarled, "Ow! He bit me! Stupid beast!"
"What's going on here?" The healer hurried over at the sound of the commotion, "Is there a problem?"
"No, ma'am." Ron held the struggling ball of ginger fur fast to him making sure his arms were well padded against tooth and claw.
"Weasley, if you can't keep that cat under control..."
"I'm sorry Professor. He's not usually like this..." With great effort, Crookshanks wriggled free from Ron's grasp, landing on the poor healer's chest. She flew backwards in surprise, dropping a basket she'd been carrying, the basket scattered it's contents onto the floor like marbles.
"I'm sorry," Ron repeated and prised Crookshanks off of the healer, handing him to Harry as he raced to help Luna and Ginny sweep up the basket's contents for the healer.
"Nevermind!" She pushed between them and the basket, waved her wand and the remaining blue marbles jumped into the basket, "You aught to watch that cat. This is a hospital not a veterinary office!"
At that moment, Agnes barked.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:02:30 GMT -5
"I don't know what got into him," Ron put Crookshanks, now perfectly calm, on the Gryffindor common room floor and he went zipping up the stairs to the sixth year boy's dormatory, "Does this look infected to you?" Ron held his hand up which now had tiny puncture marks where Crookshanks had bit him, "Honestly, I haven't seen him act like that since he attacked Scabbers."
"Yeah, and look how that turned out." Harry muttered darkly.
"He was probably scared of that Agnes woman," Ginny shrugged, "I mean, she thinks she's a dog, doesn't she? And he'd been nervous ever since we arrived at St. Mungo's."
"He seemed perfectly fine to me up until he went nutters."
"Well, while you two were out wandering St. Mungo's, I was with Crookshanks, and I tell you, he looked nervous."
"Ginny, he was asleep when we got back! Unless he's narcoleptic, I doubt he'd do that if he was nervous."
"Well, Luna and I calmed him down. Then he fell asleep!"
"Will you two stop bickering?." Harry interrupted irratably.
"Sorry mate, but it's true... he was-."
"It's a stupid thing to argue about." Harry muttered and pressed the palms of his hands to his eyes, "Sorry," He muttered apologetically, "I've got a bit of a headache... I think I'm going up for a kip."
"You alright mate?" Ron's face darkened with concern, "It... it isn't ... your scar, is it?"
"No.. it's just a garden variety headache."
"Well, if you're sure...'
"I know the difference," Harry snapped, "between a headache and my scar-"
"I know, I know..." Ron interrupted, waving a hand placatingly.
Harry tromped up the stairs moodily. His anger lasted him almost to the dormatory, when he suddenly felt his stomach drop away from him. This sudden feeling caused him to miss the next step and he slammed his shins into the staircase. Harry swore under his breath as he finally opened the door of the dormatory.
It was late afternoon and the sunlight poured in through the windows of Griffindor Tower. Opening his trunk, Harry pulled on pyjamas, ignoring how strange it was to do so while the sun was up. He didn't care... His sleepless nights were finally catching up to him, he thought as his head gave a particularly painful throb. His headache was getting worse.
Not bothering to shut his trunk, Harry threw himself into bed and drew the heavy hangings close around him.
It seemed he was asleep before his head hit his pillow. The first thing he noticed was the deep penetrating cold that seemed to make it difficult to move. It reminded him of the cold and dark of dementors. If he could have seen anything at all, he felt sure he would have been able to see his breath come in ragged puffs, freeze, and then fall in a cloud of ice crystals.
His hand tightened on his wand as he listened with all his might. It was deadly quiet. So quiet that he thought he might have thought he'd gone deaf as well, if it weren't for the beating of his heart.
Cautiiously, slowly he crept forward, cursing every sound he made, even though they fell, muffled by a thin glaze of ice on the pavement, mere feet from him. He knew what was in here, what it could do with a mere glance...
He slipped a few inches on a slick patch of deeper ice, but caught himself in time.
CRASH!
Harry sat up so fast that he bumped his head on the headboard. Fumbling for his glasses and wand, and rubbing his head at the same time, he stumbled out from behind the curtains of his four-poster, promptly cutting his foot on something sharp and glassy.
"Dammit!" Harry mumbled, limping past the thing he had impaled his foot upon, over to the water jug.. Finding nothing with which to wrap his injured foot,, he tried to transfigure one of the glasses into a towel, but only managed a sort of spongy looking glass. He turned, intending to get a sock from his trunk, but stood on one foot in disbelief.
It looked as though a ginger colored cyclone had hit the foot of his bed. Papers, textbooks, quills, parchement, ink bottles and socks littered the floor, intermingled with long ginger hairs.
"CrooKSHANKS!" Harry bellowed, between a growl and a full on yell,, "What have you DONE!?"
Almost in answer, Crookshanks leapt out of Harry's trunk, hissing and pulling a crumpled old set of robes..
"Hey! Give me that!" Harry made to run after him, but realized too late he still had glass in his foot and overbalenced, tripping.
Crookshanks leapt lightly away from Harry's grasp, tearing Harry's robes on the pocket seam,
"STOP you stupid cat! What's the matter with you?" Harry made another grab at Crookshanks, but he streaked past Harry and out of the dormatory.
Harry grabbed a nearby sock and stuffed his injured foot into it. He looked and saw what he had stepped on. It was Sirius' mirror..
"Stupid cat," Harry muttered again, shoving the fragment back with the rest. in a corner his trunk.
"Is everything okay?"
"We heard a crash." Ron and Ginny stood uncertainly in the dormatory doorway.
"Oh I'm fine," Harry gestured to the mess around him, " Crookshanks."
"humpf" Ron muttered, and Ginny and Ron hastened to pick up the mess,
"You're bleeding!'" Ginny said, pointing to Harry's foot.
"Stepped on a mirror." Harry muttered, "No big deal"
'"Let me see it." Ginny demanded.
"The mirror?"
"No, your foot!" Sne said exasperatedly,.
"It's fine.'
"Don't lie to me, Harry Potter." She pursed her lips, which made her look like Mrs Weasley.
'Alright fine, if it makes you happy." He stuck out his leg as he sat on the floor organizing the books and papers within his reach. Ginny pulled off his sock and pointed her wand at his foot purposefully, muttering under her breath.
"Hey! Ow! What're you doing!?"
'Oh don't be such a baby, I'm trying to summon the sliver from your foot.."
Ron gave her a funny look, "That's the stupidist idea I've ever heard! Honestly! Summoning a sliver!"
Harry gave a sharp intake of breath as the piece of glass gave a final tug before being dislodged by Ginny's spell.
"There! That wasn't so bad, was it?' She said with satisfaction, ' Stupidist idea indeed!"
Ron pretended not to pay attention, "What happened to this glass?"
"Oh..umm..well, I tried to transfigure it into a towel." Harry said sheepishly. Next to potions, transfiguration had to be his worst subject.
Between the three of them, they managed to cleen theemess up in ten minutes,. All the books had been neatly stacked, Parchement rerolled, quills unruffled, ink washed off the floor and robes and socks refolded.
Harry picked up the remains of the robe Crookshanks had shreded and several blue crumpled pieces of paper fell out of the would-be pocket. Harry snatched them off the floor, glancing at them before throwing the whole thing into the rubbish bin. He took two steps away ffrom the bin, and suddenly stopped.
Something had just occured to him. He went and snatched the papers from the basket again, looking at them thoughtfully.
"Ron, do you think Crookshanks is allergic to bubble gum?"
Ron gave him a perplexed look, 'What sort of question is that?"
"Well, that healer at St Mungo's had some Drooble's in that basket,, when Crookshanks went all funny today, and when I was fighting with him just now, he was shredding this robe to bits, and there were gum wrappers in the pocket.."
"That's an odd thing to be allergic to." Ginny said, wrinkling her nose in thought.
Harry stood a moment, thinking, "In fact..." He began slowly, thinking out loud, "The last time I wore this robe was in St Mungo's... these wrappers were from Neville's mum...She was trying to give them to Neville, but he...well he couldn't take them...so she gave them to me."
Ginny's look became furtive,. Suddenly she jumped up and streaked out of the room. Alot like Crookshanks had done.
She came back five minutes later holding Crookshanks under one arm and a small box in another.
'"Ginny why're you bringing that mad cat in here?"
"Let's experiment," She said, dropping uncerimoniously to her knees and opening the small box to reveal a stash of candy. She rummaged through them until she found two fat pieces of Drooble's Best Blowing Gum. She unwrapped them and stuffed them in her mouth, "I got these last Hogsmeade visit.." She said between chews, 'Now, Harry, give me your wrappers." Cottoning on, Harry handed her the wrappers and watched for what would happen when Ginny put her wrappers doewn in front of Crookshanks.
Absolutely nothing. Crookshanks didn't even bother to bat them about. He turned an eye to them, then went on licking his paw.
Before Ginny even removed her hand from Harry's wrappers there was an immediate change in Crookshanks. He stopped his grooming to growl at the wrappers. His eyes dialated and his ginger fur stood on end, causing him to look twice his size.
"That's enough of that, I think." Ginny said, snatching up the wrappers and handing them back to Harry, with a satisfied expression on her face.
A cold, tingly sensation went through Harry as a thought occured to him. Something had just clicked.
"What... What if the Longbottoms are being drugged?"
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:02:55 GMT -5
"But... Who would drug them? And why?" Ron asked, his eyes wide.
"I'm not sure," Harry stated grimly, "It could be anyone really."
There was silence in the room for a moment. Finally Ginny broke it.
"So.. What do we do now?" she asked softly.
"We go to bed. There's nothing we can do about it right now. " Harry said as he sat on his bed, rewraping his injured foot. "We'll figure out something to do about this in the morning."
"Harry... Maybe we should tell-" Ginny began.
"In the morning," Harry stated firmly.
"Alright," Ginny said with a frown before collecting Crookshanks and heading off to her room.
Dean and Seamus came in moments later to settle into bed and Ron followed suit. Harry laid back in his bed, his eyes closed, but not really asleep. He waited until the other boys settled down to bed and then waited longer until he was possitive everyone had fallen asleep.
It was torture waiting, but harry had to be sure that no one would be awake. He gingerly sat up in bed, grabbing his invisibility cloak from under his pillow. Slipping it on and holding the gumwrapers that crookshanks had reacted so badly to, firmly in his hand, Harry made his way out of the dormetory, down towards the potions lab.
***** As Harry crept thru the hallway, he had a nagging feeling that something was watching him.. That was silly of course, he was wearing his cloak, but still... He padded a few more steps when he notcied a scuttling sound behind him.
He paused looking around warily, but there was nothing. He took a few more steps, and the scuttling continued. He whipped around and caugh the glint of something in the corner of the hallway, that ducked back into the shadows. Keeping his eye on the area he saw the movement, Harry slowly walked backwards. After a moment somthing steped out into view.
What Harry saw would of given Ron nightmares for weeks. The thing resembled a macabre parody of a spider, It had eight "legs" but those limbs were actually mummified human fingers that had been stiched together. Atop the body was a glass jar filled with murky liquid, and squirming inside, like a grotesque tadpole, was a human eye. It was looking directly at Harry.
"What the.." Harry began, when the thing scuttled a few steps towards him. Harry stumbled back.. The thing came forward, and Harry went back. To his horror another "hand-spider" joined the first one, then another. Soon Harry was surrounded by at least ten of the hand-spiders.
He backed up until hit hit a door, his hand scrambling to reach the knob. He fell into the room, onto his back, slaming the door shut with his foot. He laid on the floor, panting hard, his cloak bunched up underneath him.
"Well, well, What have we here?"
Harry opened his eyes and instantly regretted it. Yellow eyes and a shark's grin peered down at him.
For an instant, Harry thought he was looking into the face of a Basilisk. That was until whatever the hell it was chuckled at the slack jawed expression on Harry's face.
"Isn't it ah bit late tah be wanderin' the halls, eh Boyo?" The creature stated with a rolling Scottish accent.
Harry's mouth opened and closed several times before he could finally manage an answer. "Err.. Aaah.. Wha-Er... I mean who are you?" he sputtered as he sat up and scootched as far back from the creature as possible.
With a toothy grin, the monster tipped an imaginary hat ands bowed. "My name is Ickus Cyncad-Macaula Dougall O'Byrne. but ye can call me Ick. No need ta introduce yerself ta me,. I know who you are, young Mr. Potter..."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:03:25 GMT -5
"How do you know who I am?" Harry asked warily, "And why are you here?"
"Aaah I should be askin the questions," Ick chuckled, "Like what are ye doing out wanderin the halls this time 'o night..." Harry glanced away, his mouth opening to make an excuse, but Ick raised a hand to stop him, and chuckled. "But I'll be a canty fellow and answer your's first.. Well first, everyone knows who you are. I mean yer the 'Boy who Lived' and all that rot, eh? As fer yer second question, well, I'm parta the security team yer Headmaster hired. I'm here ta keep wee ones like you wanderin around where they shouldn't be..."
"I just just out to get a dri-" Ick tsked, interupting Harry from speaking.
"Aaaah now, Don't be lying ta me, boyo.. Yer headmaster warned me tha ya liked ta sneak out and about ta get yerself in trouble. Now this time I'll letcha off with a warnin, but I suggest ya get yerself right ta bed. Remeber I got eyes everywhere, so I suggest ya don't wander off.."
As if to prove what Ick said was true, About several dozen of the eye-spiders scuttled forward into view. Harry reluctantly nodded and stood up backing towards the door. Ick just grined and waved as HArry left the room.
It wasn't fair. This was important. He couldn't just let the Longbottoms stay there. He had to do the unthinkable. He had to try and get permission to stay after class for potions.
It was with some trepidation that Harry approached Snape's desk the next day after potions.
"Excuse me, Professor."
"What do you want, Potter?" Snape snapped, not looking up from a first year's paper he was filling with correcting ink.
"I was wondering, sir, if I might have permission to stay after class this week to... practice ... you know.... for... the practical exam which is coming up in two weeks. "
Snape stopped writing, holding his quill in mid stroke, "You said stay after class?"
"Yes Sir."
"Every day this week."
"Yes sir, to practice for the practical."
"I see." Snape put down the quill, "and what exactly would you be doing during this extra time?"
"Well, you know how terrible I am at potions....remedial lessons and all, and I figured it was about time I started taking my education by the horns, you know? Potions is an important discipline. So, I figured that I'd work on brewing the potions some more... my stirring technique is terrible.. well, you know.... " Harry kept his eyes fixed on the first year's paper.
"I do indeed. However, I'm not buying this, Potter. Why the sudden interest in potionsmaking? People don't just suddenly start liking something they've hated for years,."
"Don't get the wrong idea, I hate potions still....sorry... honestly.... but well, you know.... with Hermione gone and all... I figure I have to start taking the bull by the horns, like I said." This wasn't exactly a lie., " Otherwise, how will I ever become an auror?"
Snape picked up his quill again, thinking, "Very well Potter, you may use the lab this week. But please be sure I am in my office and available to supervise before beggining. "
"Oh there's no need to worry about supervision, I'm only going to be- "
"Be sure I am in my office and available for supervision, Potter." Snape glared at him.
"Yes sir."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:04:01 GMT -5
" Hermione, could you pass me the scaley nematodes?" Harry read ingrediants from the potions text propped against his desk. Silently Hermione Snape handed him a small can of pickled nematodes.
"Could I-?" Before he could continue, she handed him a magical can opener, "Thanks." Still, she didn't reply.
Harry slid the hovering lid off of the can, "You're quiet today."
"You have to watch that, Harry, or it will boil over... stir anticlockwise." Harry, with some effort sploshed the pickled nematodes in the cauldron with a sickening squelch and carefully stirred the concoction.
"You've hardly said a word to me all class."
"I'm busy with the potion." She said shortly, " Some of us do care about our educations." She muttered curtly.
"I do care about my eduction," Harry muttered back, "'I'm even staying after class to study for the practical."
"Good for you." She spat at him
"You've been jumping down my throat all morning, what'd I do to you? What's wrong with you today?"
"Now, I know you just didn't ask me what's wrong, Harry Potter, because that would have been thick of you."
"How am I supposed to know what's wrong, I haven't done anything wrong!"
"And neither has Eustace." She muttered, "What's the matter Harry? Don't like the taste of your own medicine? You can dish it out, but you can't take it?"
"I don't know what you're talking about, I haven't done anything to Eustace either."
"I want you to call off your gang,"
"I haven't got a gang!"
'"The other DA members... Seamus... Ron... Chang"
Harry glanced over at Cho, she hadn't heard them, "I'm not responsible for their actions, I'm just-"
"Is there a problem, Mr. Potter?" Snape had come to their lab table and was frowning down at them.
"No, Sir."
"Good, then there's no reason why your potion shouldn't be ready," He indicated Harry's cauldron. "Let's have a sample."
"But-" It wasn't ready. He didn't turn down the heat, like he was supposed to have done. Instead he'd been quarreling, Hermione was glaring at him, as if it was all his fault.
"Well?" Snape snapped, "I'm waiting."
Reluctantly, Harry handed him a vial of his potion.
"This hasn't had time to coagulate. Can you tell me why that is?"
"Um..."
"You don't know? Then, did you turn down the heat of your flame?"
"Errm..."
"No? Well naturally, it will be runny then. Come here Potter, and we'll test it out on you."
"What!?"
Hermione's eyes widend slightly, but she said nothing.
"You heard me, now move." Harry glanced around the room. Malfoy's face was a mask, Ernie and Cho looked anxious. Harry glanced back at Hermes, she wasn't even looking at him, but was reading her potions text.
Once in the front of the room, Snape handed him his vial, "Well Potter? Down with it." Harry looked daggers at Snape, but did as he was told. Painfully. The mixture was still very hot, and tasted like rancid tar. Harry gagged, but one glare from Snape told him he'd better hold it down.
Just then the bell rang and Harry made a break for the bathroom, "Not another step, Potter."
"I'm going to be sick," he said, not bothering to stop on his way to the door, but Harry was in such a hurry, he tripped and fell to the floor, and a second later, Snape caused the doors to slam and lock themselves, nearly hitting Malfoy in the face as he lingered near the door on his way out.
Snape stood over Harry, who was gagging too hard to get up off his knees, "I told you to stay where you were." Snape dropped a vial in front of him carelessly, "Drink that."
Harry took the potion and drank it without question, "Aaargh...it's cold!" He choked out hoarsely as he felt the back of his throat go from burning hot to freezing so fast that it gave him a severe headache.
"That will teach you to pay attention in my class."
"It hasn't worked so far," he gasped, the cold had etched its way through into his stomach, threatening to turn it into a massive ice cube. He ground his teeth together, sweating and freezing cold at the same time, hoping it wasn't going to go any farther.
"You know, Potter, I should have let you suffer the 36 hour recovery from your inattention. However, I was under the impression that you wanted to study for the practical. So let's begin.." He indicated a cauldron station all set up for the day's potion. Harry saw, to his horror, that the ingredients looked like things he didn't recognise.
"What, you mean...together?" Harry found he could stand up now, but the biting cold was seeping through his skin now and he was a shaking wreck. Snape didn't seem to notice.
"What did you think? I was going to let you run around the lab unsupervised? Will nothing make you realize how dangerous potions-work is, or wasn't your latest fallure enough for you?"
Harry said nothing, but his still thawing stomach answered with a gurgle.
Harry was mentally cursing his luck. It was impossible to get down here to use the equipment without getting specific permission and there was no way he was going to try it again with those eyes scuttling around. And with permission, Snape was going to hold his hand through extra potions lessons. Harry did not savor the idea of suffering a whole week of extra potions, Feeling suddenly a lot more clearheaded and a lot warmer, he took a step towards Snape.
"Professor," Harry asked, forcfully keeping his tone even and non-confrontational, " how am I supposed to learn how to do it right if you guide me through it like a first year?" Actually, Harry couldn't remember Snape ever guiding them through anything, even in first year. Why start now?
"Firstly, I never guide my regular classes through anything individually. This is something I reserve for those who ask for it.. Secondly, the potion I am going to show you is something which, if done improperly can be dangerous."
"You mean that rubbish I drank today wasn't dangerous?"
"Don't be a fool, Harry, I wouldn't entrust a potentially dangerous potion to a classroom full of dunderheads." His stomach didn't agree, although little of the freezing effect remained, and he now felt perfectly normal, except for the horrid sinking sensation in the pit of his stomach caused by extra potions with Snape, and, more importantly, no progress with the gum wrappers.
"But you're always telling us how dangerous it is."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:04:28 GMT -5
"Yes, and think of how sloppy you all would be if you didn't think it was dangerous to get it wrong. Enough dallying, you should be perfectly fine by now. We're going to work on a Cleverness Cream. Lord knows you could use it."
Indignation rose in Harry, but he forced himself to master it, and instead sat down moodily where Snape indicated, "We didn't learn this in class. How is it fair for the others if you put it on the exam?"
"It won't be on the exam."
"Then what's the point of me making it?" Harry thought seriously of leaving then and there. There was no real reason for him to stay. It was clear he wasn't going to get to examine the gum wrappers anyway.
"The point ..." Snape said in his dangerously quiet tones, "is that you need to learn to do as you are told, and not ask silly questions."
Harry opened his mouth then closed it again, "I see what you're doing and it's not going to work."
"You think you know so much, do you?"
"Don't flatter yourself. You're just trying to make me angry so I'll leave and you won't have to waste your precious time doing some asinine potion with me when you could be doing something else like...like....correcting papers, or something."
"Careful Potter, you are dangerously close to getting me angry. First off, one word from me and I don't have to be here 'wasting my time with some asinine potion ' at all. I'm the professor and all I would have had to do is say 'No Potter, that wouldn't be fair to the others who actually do pay attention in class.' and that would have been that.
Second of all, I can think of a dozen diferent things I'd rather be doing with my time right now, but not one of them includes correcting papers.
Thirdly, the Cleverness Cream not only can help you with your exam by covering every single advanced technique that you should have learned so far this year , but also can aid you simply as a potion. You'll be happy to know it's not banned by the Board of Governers, so it is useable during exam time." Snape glared at him, allowing the full impact of what he just said to sink in, "However," he continued, ." Mr. Potter thinks he knows what's best for Mr. Potter. and Mr. Potter thinks he's wasting his time with a cleverness cream, which he so succinctly calls 'asinine'." Snape turned his back on Harry and stalked to his desk, "Alright, Potter, you may leave." Snape waved his wand carelessly and the doors unlocked themselves.
"Wait, I didn't mean it lik that," Harry muttered.
"Yes, you have a habit of not meaning what you say," Snape said, his attention only half on Harry now, as he started writing furiously on a piece of parchement.
"I thought we were past the petty bickering."
Snape took a moment to finish his sentence, "Really! What a coincidence. So did I. " Snape said dryly.
"I mean...there was no reason to single me out for poisoning in front ot the wh-"
Snape put down his quill and peered at Harry menacingly, "Don't talk to me about poisoning, you don't know what poisoning is. No idea at all. Well, allow me to enlighten you. Poisoning is having the blood curdle in your veins as you slowly die a painful death as your heart tries desperately to pump solid matter through your useless vasculatory system. Poisoning is having liquid fire transform your insides into burning coals as you're consumed with flames from the inside out. Poisoning is having your body slowly decay, starting with the fermentation of the stomach, causing it to balloon to tremendous and unimaginably painful sizes, stretching until it bursts and the rancid gastric juices start eating away at your insides, and you're sure there's nothing you or any mediwizard in the world can do to fix the horrific cellular damage inflicted by the poison and you know you are dying because you can taste the burning caustic stench of digestive bile welling up in your throat. Burning your eyes until they mean nothing more than searing pain, and you wish you can tear them out, but you can't because you can't move, because you can't breathe, because you can feel your lungs fill up with your own blood as your vessel linings break down, and your body literally comes apart at the seams and turns to a pile of dust. THAT, Potter, is poisoning. Poisoning is NOT a little stomachache. So don't talk to me about poisoning."
Harry said nothing and Snape turned back to assaulting the parchement, paying him no more attention.
"You made them," Harry said slowly, coming to realize Snape had been staring him in the eyes for far too long for Snape's own good, and that he, Harry had been subconciously Legilimencing information out of Snape while he had talked.
Snape froze, "I'm sorry?"
"Those poisons you just mentioned, you've made them all- no, invented them all for Vol- for the Dark Lord, when you were a Death Eater. You went to Dumbledore-"
Snape leapt up suddenly, snarling, He looked as though he was going to jump clear over his desk and strangle Harry with his bare hands, but instead he threw his wand at him. It hit harry squarely in the head, bouncing and rolling under a nearby desk, "Get out!" Snape bellowed, "Get out of my sight!"
"No." Harry was ready for this, he had seen this reaction before, when he'd looked in the pensieve and this time he was going to stand his ground. When Harry made no pretense of leaving, Snape sat down in his chair abruptly, staring into his pachement. The red ink had spilled on it and it made the paper look like it was bleeding. Snape closed his eyes, breathing heavily, in a strictly even pattern. Snape's trembling hands were formed into claws which slowly scratched into the varnish on the desk, and Harry had never before noticed how sharp Snape's fingernails were as Harry watched small curls of varnish and wood give way under their pressure.
"It is still my classroom," He said in overly controlled tones, "and you will do as you are-" he took a deep breath, "Get out of my sight, Harry, before I kill you, or worse. I'm not bluffing." Snape's lips barely moved as he spoke, and he kept his mouth tightly closed when he was not talking.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:04:44 GMT -5
"No, not until I've said what I have to say."
"That's very stupid of you."
"I know you'll want to hear it."
"Then say it, and get out of my sight."
"I also know you hated every minute of it."
"And how does the great all-seeing Potter know I didn't enjoy watching all those muggles and mudbloods die?" Snape gave him a haughty, close-lipped smirk.
"Honestly, I don't know, I just do. What I was going to say before was; Dumbledore knows about it, because you told him. You confessed making those potions and of being a Death Eater to Dumbledore. You regretted it and you meant it, and that's why he trusts you." Harry, in his minds eye, as if it was a memory of his own, could see a teenaged Snape, shaking uncontrollably, pouring the contents of a small vial into a teacup on Dumbledore's desk. The teacup foamed and frothed decay before reducing it's contents to ashes.
"You will tell no one." Snape growled, "I mean it, are you listening to me?
Harry nodded. He was listening, and listening better than he had ever listend before. Harry was acutely aware that somehow the tables had turned and Harry now possessed information which could be severely damaging, even fatal to Snape. And even Harry could see that underneath that furious and petty exterior, Snape was terrified. Harry was solomn and resolute, "I won't tell anyone, I swear it."
"Because if you breathe a word of this to one of your little friends, I swear I will make your life Hell on Earth. And believe me there are many ways for me to do it without doing any bodily harm."
"Look, I know you think I'm a stupid, annoying, meddling little boy, who doesn't put much store in rules. But it's not true, , yeah I don't always obey the rules, but it's always for a good reason. Never just because I felt like it, or to hurt people-"
"oh yes." Snape interjected, "St Potter of Gryffindor, brave, bold and true-"
"You shut up," Harry said angrily, " just shut up for five minutes and listen for once. I've had enough of this. I don't know just who you think I am, but I am not some snot-nosed, opportunistic backstabbing bastard. And when I say I'm not going to tell anyone, I'm not going to tell anyone. I keep my word. And if my word isn't good enough for you. You can clear off."
Snape glared at Harry, not quite meeting his eye, and Harry glared back.. Neither blinked. "Then we have nothing else to discuss," Snape picked up his ink-sodden quill and threw it into a nearby waste bin, "You've said your piece, now leave-"
"I have something else to say too,"
"Far be it from me to stop you." Snape said coldly.
"I have a confession to make myself. I... when I asked for extra potions lessons, I wasn't being entirely honest." Harry knew that revelation was nothing compared to what he just found out about Snape. It probably wasn't even remotely surprising, but it was something.
Snape snorted, beginning to relax into his usual demeanour, "Well, that much was obvious from the moment you asked me, although I couldn't fathom what reason you could possibly have to fake wanting extra potions. Knowing you, that would be torture. The only thing that occured to me was that you wanted the potions lab for some other activity, like brewing polyjuice or some other controlled substance."
"Well, no, not exactly." Harry took a deep breath, "There's something you should know about the Longbottoms. I- I don't think they were really crucio'ed into madness."
Snape frowned, "In what way does that have to do with the potions lab?"
"Remember when you and Professor Xavier took me to St. Mungo's to visit Hermione and Neville? Well, Mrs Longbottom came over to Neville with gumwrappers, but he couldn't take them. So I did. I put them in my pocket and forgot about them. Then, Professor McGonnegal took Ron, Luna, Ginny and I to see them. Ron brought Crookshanks, that's Hermione's cat. But he acted strangely and attacked a healer who was carrying a basket of bubblegum, the same kind as Mrs Longbottom gave me. So when we got home from St Mungo's Crookshanks was fine, but then he shredded my robes that had the bubblegum papers in it from our first visit to St Mungos. So we think there's something bad in the bubblegum and I was going to try and research what it might be."
Snape stared at him, "Ten points from Gryffindor for lying to a professor"
"Yes Sir."
"And twenty points for being an insufferable moron. Do you honestly think, with your abysmal potions skills you would be able to accomplish anything? That is, presuming of course that I believe a word of this, which I don't. You have a potions-Master, not just a regular potions professor, mind you, but a potions-Master at your school, and instead of speaking with him, you concoct a cock and bull story to get me to allow you to use the potions lab unsupervised, because somehow you believe your potions knowledge is greater than mine. "
"I didn't think-"
"That's right! You didn't think. What a surprise. You have a question about potions, and it never even crossed your mind to ask me?"
"Why would I ask you? What would make me think that I can approach you with a problem?"
"Oh I don't know, maybe because I'm a member of the Order? And anything having to do with the Longbottoms has to do with the Order."
"I meant in general. You pride yourself on being so bloody intimidating, why don't you try being nice for a change. It certainly couldn't hurt. and people might actually like you."
"If I cared to, I would have more fairweather friends and fawning women than Gilderoy Lockart. As such, I don't care to, and prefer that people don't waste their time and mine unless they're willing to accept me the way that I am and not what they want me to be."
"You can catch more flies with honey-"
"Certainly, if I wanted flies."
"I don't understand you."
"Well, then why don't you Legilimens some more memories out of me, perhaps that will help." Snape sneered.
"I didn't do it on purpose!"
"I matters little whether or not you did it on purpose, the fact remains you now have information-"
"I already told you I'm not going to tell anyone!"
"And what of the Dark Lord? What happens the next time he decides to tromp through your mind?"
"I've been practicing my Occlumency!"
"Oh yes, just like last year."
"No! Not like last year! i really really am practicing! You've seen my improvement."
"But not perfection."
"I've only just started last year!"
"I highly doubt the Dark Lord will care."
"Yeah, well, nothing I can do about that now."
The conversation again evaporated into silence and Snape put his palms to his temples. Harry shifted uncomfortably, "So, what are we going to do about the Longbottoms?"
Snape didn't answer right away, "First of all, this idea of yours seems highly unlikely-
"See? I knew you wouldn't help."
"Did I say that? It seems highly unlikely, but not impossible.
"I- I have the wrappers with me..." Harry said hopefully, turning to get his satchel.
Snape sighed, "Alright, give them here."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Aug 6, 2005 0:20:10 GMT -5
The next week was pure hell for Harry. Classs were as stressful as usual, and once they were over, he had to spend several hours working with Snape.
He sorely missed Hermione's help and constant nagging to study. Half the time most of what Snape was telling him to do was going over his head. And to top it all off, he'd lost his potions book about a week ago and had been looking off his neighbors' book when Snape wasn't watching. Maybe he should have taken him up on the offer of learning to make Cleverness cream. He deffinetly could have used it now.
To give Snape a bit of credit, he didn't totally explode when Harry sheepishly asked him to explain his instructions several times. Though he looked like he was sorely tempted. Several times Snape opened his mouth to make a scathing remark before snapping it shut, taking a deep breath and repeating himself once more.
At the end of the week, Harry was seriously consdieriing that he must be a masochist to put himself through this punishment, and it seemed even Snape had his limits.
During their Friday lesson, after having to repeat himself for the fifth time, Snape finally exploded.
"For God's sake Potter, these are things you should already know by now! Have you been sleeeping through everything I've taught you for the past 6 years?!"
Harry's face turned red and he opened his mouth to retort but then snapped it shut. Snape was right. This was stuff he should have known but he wasn't about to admit that to Snape.
"Well maybe if you didn't yell at me all the time, I would learn better," Harry snapped.
Snape let out a snort of disgust. "My treatment of you has nothing to do with it, Potter. I suspect you are having so much trouble because Granger isn't here to be your crutch. Looks like you're going to have to learn to use your brain for a change. Or perhaps that's too much to hope for?"
Harry seethed, his hands clentching into fists. He was tempted to tell Snape to sod off and leave. Of course he couldn't do that. Herminone and Neville depended on him. He couldn't just give up now no matter how much of an ass Snape was being. With a great deal of willpower Harry reigned in his temper. Snape would not run him off.
"You're trying to drive me off again," Harry growled. "I won't let you."
"If I wanted to drive you off Potter, you would be gone," Snape sneered as he picked up the roll of parchment he had been making notes on. "Is it my fault you can't keep up?"
"See?! You're doing it again! Stop trying to pick a fight with me!"
Snape gave Harry a scathing glare and began gathering up all the materials that ther were using.
"What are you doing?" Harry asked.
"We're done," Snape growled as he took beackers and vials over to the sink and began cleaning them out.
"No! Please, professor! This is important! This is really important! My friends could die!"
"No. . .they'll just be in a constant state of confus-" Snape stopped and seemed to turn inward in thought.
Harry didn't notice, "Oh and that's much better, is it?" Harry snapped, "I bet you'd love that! The know it all [i']mudblood[/i] now not even able to think of her own name!" Harry was close to tears.
"Language, Potter, " Snape said quietly, not really listening any more. . . His hand had closed on the wrapper and he was staring at it, thinking hard.
"You can take your sodding language and stuff it-"
"Assignment!" Snape cut across harry's tirade as though it was some form of comeback. Harry's anger evaporated into confusion, thinking that maybe he'd misheard. Snape held up the wrapper between his thin index and middle fingers, "You will research the ingredients of this gum. That will be all for today." Snape carefully put the wrapper in a jar for safekeeping.
Harry stared at him for a moment, finally uttering a confused, "Huh?"
"You heard me. The ingredients to the gum!"
"But what does that have to do with it?"
"It has everything to do with it! And if you don't know why, turn to page 1307!"
Harry broke into a cold sweat, "What, you mean now!?"
"Of course I mean now! When else!?" Snape's eyes scanned the table, "Where's your book?"
"Um. . ." Harry looked determinedly anywhere but into Snape's eyes, "I left it in my trunk."
"Don't lie! Where is it?"
Harry mumbled to the floor, "Lost it."
"What? I couldn't quite hear you."
"I said, I lost it!"
"Where did you see it last?"
"I don't know! Potions I guess."
"Then it couldn't have gone too far. . . "
"Er. . . "
Snape's eyes narrowed, "When did you loose it?"
"Erm. . . probably last week. . " Harry muttered. ..
"Five points from Gryffindor. When will you learn to speak up when you have a problem!?" Snape stalked over to the supply room, Harry following him angrily.
"Never! Because you always yell at me when I do, just like you're doing now!" Snape pulled a tattered potions volume from a pile in the back room, causing the whole pile to totter precariously and fall over with a flump onto the floor.
Annoyed, Snape kicked at the pile before charming it back to order,"Because you always wait until I have to pry it out of you!" Snape shoved the book at Harry causing him to step backwards with the force, "Did it ever occur to you that maybe if you just asked right away, I wouldn't be angry!?"
Harry said nothing, but backed away from Snape as he stalked out of the potions supply cupboard, "1307, Potter. Check it out on your own time. See if you can't figure out it's significance for yourself. Now I have real work to do. "
Harry didn't need to be told twice, Clutching the potions book, Harry grabbed his back and left.
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Post by Demonic Neko on Oct 4, 2005 0:20:06 GMT -5
Fueled by anger, Harry stalked out of the dungeons and made his way out of the castle. He was halfway to Hagrid's hut before he ran out of steam. Clutching the book Snape had given him, he was sorely tempted to pitch the damn thing in the lake. The only thing that kept him from doing it was the fact that Snape would be all over him again for losing another book.
With a sigh he looked about, realizing he had gotten awfully close to the Forbidden Forest. Pausing for a moment to decide what he was going to do now, he caught a movement out of the corner of his eye. Harry turned and squinted, certain that he had seen something moving at the edge of the forest. He moved several steps forward to get a better look, and this time he actually saw a flash of tawny brown moving in the underbrush.
Curiosity won out over good sense as Harry moved closer to get a better look. For a moment he saw nothing, but as he drew nearer to the forest, suddenly something sprang out at him. Harry flailed backwards, landing on his back and losing his glasses as a large shape loomed over him but made no further move. He managed to quickly locate his glasses and slip them back on, only to get a warm blast of dog breath in his face.
He blinked a few times as he was face to face with a reddish-brown dog -- no... a wolf? It cocked its head and gave him a doggy grin, its blue eyes sparkling with mirth and intelligence before it bounded back into the forest.
Shaking his head in bewilderment, Harry rose to his feet and looked vaguely in the direction the wolf had gone. That was definitely not normal behavior for a wolf. The only furry, four-legged animal that had shown such playfulness toward him had been his godfather....
Bitterly Harry turned away from the wolf's path. Sirius was gone and Padfoot would never pounce again... but the thought that the wolf might be an Animagus compelled Harry's gaze back toward the forest for a moment, though he didn't know who it might be or why he had been singled out for the wolf's attentions.
"Harry?" called a soft voice over his shoulder.
He whirled around and saw Ginny Weasley standing under a tree a few feet away, looking puzzled, concerned, and more than a bit dissheveled.
"What are you doing here?" Harry asked, sounding grumpier than he had intended to.
"I might ask you the same thing," Ginny said coolly, crossing her arms in front of her. Several smears of mud and something dark green streaked her robes, and there was a long, jagged rip in her right sleeve. "I was picking leechwort and got attacked by what must have been a vampvine. Those things are really vicious." She rubbed her elbow and shrugged sadly. "I used to come out here with Neville, since he knows where all the dangerous plants are, but..."
"Yeah," Harry agreed, nodding sullenly.
"Who's your wolf friend?" Ginny asked curiously.
"No idea," said Harry, wanting desperately to change the subject. "Why were you picking leechwort?" Though Harry had never thought of Ginny as being good at Potions, he now wondered if she had some kind of illicit potion-making project in the works. If so, he might be able to get her help and not have to go back to Snape at all.
"So that I don't have to write to Mum and tell her to buy some for me from Diagon Alley," she replied matter-of-factly.
Though Ginny seemed to feel no embarrassment at this, Harry felt himself going a bit pink; he should have realized that she was trying to save a few Knuts by procuring her own basic Potions supplies.
"I'm almost out and I've got Potions first thing tomorrow morning," she added, as if she knew what Harry was thinking but didn't want him to think it.
"Oh," uttered Harry. "I was just in the Potions lab myself." He was latching onto anything to make conversation that wasn't about the wolf.
"More extra lessons from Snape?" Ginny asked sharply.
"How did you know about those?" he snapped.
She shrugged again. "I live in the castle, I see things and hear things... and you know how it is with secrets at this school."
Apparently Harry hadn't been as discreet about his comings and goings to the dungeons as he thought he had. "Yeah," he replied bitterly, "I know."
"Honestly, I could use some extra lessons, too," she went on, trying to make Harry feel better about it. "The only reason I ran out of leechwort already is because I added too much to my Surprising Syrup a week ago." Ginny grimaced, looking a bit guilty. "It was so strong that it scared the living daylights out of my cauldron partner, and she had to spend the night in the hospital wing. You probably don't know her... Donna Markum from Slytherin?" A slight smile quirked up the corner of her mouth.
"That's too bad," said Harry, unable to completely suppress a grin himself. "No, I don't. I don't really know anyone in your year, except you and Colin Creevey."
"Yeah, well, most of them aren't worth knowing," Ginny said dryly, "especially not the Slytherin lot."
Harry chuckled a little at that, then regarded Ginny strangely. An idea had just come to him...
"Ginny," he said slowly, choosing his words with great care, "what do you know about the ingredients in blowing gum?"
"In gum?" Ginny repeated, blinking a bit to get past her incredulity. "I... I don't know. Sugar, I suppose... and the actual gum itself... the rest of it's just flavorings, isn't it?"
She paused and looked at him, the wheels in her mind almost visibly turning as she tried to figure out what was behind his question. "I really don't know... why do you ask?"
Quickly Harry told Ginny the same story he had told Snape: the gum wrappers from the first visit to the hospital, the ripped-up robes from Harry's trunk, and Crookshanks' odd behavior on the second trip. She didn't seem too surprised at either of those last two tidbits.
"Crookshanks is a smart cat. Hermione thinks he might be part kneazle," she explained, her voice lingering sadly on the name of her catatonic friend as if loath to let it leave her mouth. "So if there really is something dangerous in that gum, some kind of poison or suspicious additive, Crookshanks would be sure to pick up on it."
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Post by Demonic Neko on Dec 1, 2005 17:07:48 GMT -5
"Well, well, What are you two doing out here?" drawled an unfamiliar voice. Harry and Ginny turned to see a tall, lean young man, who couldn't be more than twenty looking down at them. Harry vaguely recognized him as the head of the Vampire security force, but that couldn't be possible, it was full daylight out.
The young man looked down at them expectantly, waiting for an answer.
"We were.. Gathering herbs.. For Professor Snape's class." Harry stammered. There was something about the man's ice blue eyes that seems to be looking right through him.
At the mention of Snape's name, the
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