"Construtum, Obtume!"
The first words I've ever heard, as I was brought to life.
At least, as much life as a statue could be given anyways. One moment, I hadn't existed, the next, myself along with several others just like me, had been assembled together in one fell-swoop.
"Nicely done, McGo" a wizard complimented our creator. "They sure make a nice touch to the castle. Though, I hope all they'll ever be is decoration."
The witch nodded "So do I. Still, they are an impressive sight Hogwarts."
If i could have, I would have beamed with joy.
Many years had passed since we were brought into being. Since then, not a lot has happened for us. Or at the very least, for me. I was stationed a bit further back in the castle in a corridor that lead to the middle of the school. I'm not sure to where or what, but i didn't get much traffic except when students raced by to get to their classes.
For a while though, it was good. I could have simply spent an eternity watching the students I was created to protected faced no real danger aside from an occasional wandering troll or wild hippogriff.
Then came the dark days. A time when the students in my hallway walked in terror as everyone seemed on high alert. Even the sky itself seemed darker for the longest time. I was sure that any day, we would have to be called into action.
I wasn't sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
However, almost as soon as the gloom had come, it had left. One day, everyone seemed to be in fear. The next, the sky had brightened and students and teachers alike danced with joy. Shortly after, things had returned to normal.
Normal as it could in a school of magic anyways. So, I did as I always did, I watched, and watched… and watched.
Some years, there'd be a few boys bullying a smaller boy, and then there'd be a student who ran down the hall in flames while another broke out in strange rashes that couldn't be explained.
Nothing life threatening, by any means, but it left me with a bitter feeling that I was unable to help. Like, I had only been put onto this planet as some punishment to simply stand by, watch, and be unable to do anything to help.
Then again, I supposed there were worse things than a quidditch player being rushed to the infirmary without his arm out there.
So as always, I stood guard.
Over the years, like many of the ghosts, paintings, and other non-living things in castle, I began to pick and choose which students I liked the best, and which I liked least.
If I couldn't have talked with the other statues, I don't think there would have been a single one among us who would have consider the Slytherins their favorite. They always seemed so mean spirited and proud, as if they had to prove something by being snooty little children all the time.
In my books, the Hufflepuffs would be my second least favorite. Nothing against them, they were good hearted and nice. Yet, they just seemed like the most boring among the students. Usually they just hurded together in large groups, talking about 'stuff'' I couldn't comprehend. Oh well, at least they never caused any trouble.
Next up in my book would have been the Gryffindors. While I have no way of knowing, I felt as if the other immobile statues would have considered them their favorite. I guess I should have as well. I mean, if there were trouble or a student being picked on, they would often be seen rushing to the rescue.
But… I don't know. I guess they would be my favorites, if not for the Ravenclaws.
Ah yes, the Ravenclaws. Such a bright bunch who almost always took some time in their first year to admire our architecture and such. I would love it when they said things like, 'look how well they are made,' or 'I don't think they make such craftsmanship like that anymore.' I once even heard a few think I was handsome. Which I assumed was a good thing.
While they didn't seem to be picked on as much by the Slytherins as the Hufflepuffs, some of the younger and more vulnerable one's were often just as—if not more so—targeted.
Though, what made me admire them was how they tookany bullying: with a head held high and with their books firmly held to their chest.
Oh yes, the shorting hat didn't put my lot of students into Ravenclaw house without a reason.
Yet, despite how much I loved and remembered every Ravenclaw who took a moment to admire me, there would always be that one I would find myself loving the most. Though, throughout the course of my life, none would even stand quit so strong out to me, as a little witch, named Lauren.
It began about ten years after the dark times. For some reason, the staff that stayed in the summer seemed very excited. From what I heard from them, it seemed we were about to acquire a very special student.
If the cheers I heard from the great hall when he had been sorted were anything to go by when the semester started, then this was bound to be an interesting seven years.
As for Lauren, I first noticed her about a week or so after the school year had begun. It started out as it usually did when someone from Ravenclaw caught my attention. She had wandered alone into my corridor, and began to speak to herself about the detail that went into our design. Then some other students—unsurprisingly, Slytherins—came to tease her. The only thing she did differently than normal was she took no notice of them, nor did she react to their taunts.
When she came to me, right after they had taunted her, she looked up at me, and said, "Don't suppose you could teach them a lesson?"
Oh you have no idea how badly I wanted to, kid.
"Sure could use someone like you patrolling these halls." Looking around, she then sat down at my feet, Which wasn't that uncommon either, so I didn't think much of it as she began to read.
"You don't mind if I sit here, do you?" I suppose it wouldn't have mattered now, but if I could speak, I'd say it was fine. I enjoyed some company.
"Thanks," she said as she made herself comfortable. "You know, I never really wanted to come this school?"
An odd thing for a student to say. Weren't schools the place students went? What would they be without a school?
"Sure, I never really had any friends or was liked the orphanage. 'Troubled child,' they call me, some sort of mental disorder… Whatever they call it." She laughed. "Let me tell you, I was quite happy with my little school for others like me. Not much of a talker, if you know what I mean."
Not really.
She sighed and turned a page. "Then an owl just ups and flies into the school. Hehe, caused quite a hoot." She chuckled. "Get it, hoot?"
Oh, must have been a joke. I think. I mean, what else would an owl do?
"Well, once the staff got the other students to calm down, the owl gives me a letter and the adults read it. Says I'm a witch. Course, we all thought it was some kind of joke. Then a man in a robe comes and explains it's legit. After a little demonstration, of course. Next thing I know, I have magic powers along with whatever else is wrong with my head. Well, in theory anyways. I certainly haven't done any spells yet. Least none that I know of. Well, then again… Oh what am I saying? They'll find out this was a mistake in a day or two and ship me off to who knows where." She looked up from the book to me. "Don't suppose you wouldn't have any advice?"
I remained motionless.
After a moment of staring at me, she laughs. "And I'm talking to a statue. Yeah, I am crazy." She shrugged. "Oh well, least you're a good listener."
I didn't really have much else to do, but thanks anyways, I guess.
She hopped off my pedestal. "Well, I suppose I better get to my class." She stood up and, seemed cheerier than before. You know, I feel… Better now. Huh, thanks a lot, good sir." She bowed, and left.
Well, if not in the way I wanted, I guess I at least got to help one student in my lifetime.
I didn't expect her to have another chat with me. I mean, who would talk to a statue? Let alone the same statue, twice? Yet, the very next day, during a break when the hallways were mostly clear, she hopped up onto my pedestal to my surprise with the brightest beam.
"You won't believe it, but watch!" She pulled out her wand, and pointed it at a nearby vase. "Winegaurdium leviosa!" From across the room, one of the many vases that decorated the halls floated off its pedestal.
I watched in as much amusement as one could at a wizard levitating an object.
"I mean, wow. Just… WOW!" She said it with such vigor, that the vase crashed down and shattered on the floor.
She looked up at me nervously. "You saw nothing!" She put her wand away and made a run for it as I simply watched in amusement.
It was then I knew that this wouldn't be the last time we would chat.
Indeed, it seemed as if she tried to spend every break and weekend on my pedestal. Which would have been one thing if she just chose this as her favorite spot to read, but no. She also seemed to take an interest in talking to me as well.
"So yeah," she said after spending an hour telling me her life story. "I mean, sweet god! So I don't like the sound of a fire engine, sue me! Like that's reason to think I need my head examined."
I merely stood there and listened. It wasn't as if I could do much else, but it did seem to please this girl, so I guess that was good.
"Then in the 2
grade, this one girl—"
"Hello there," a boy said, walking up to her out of the blue, "who you talking too?"
She froze up.
I felt a small crack form at the point where I held my malice form. This wasn't just any boy; it was a Slytherin boy.
He crossed his arms and tilted his head. "So you're Lauren, the statue girl, huh?"
If I could move, I would drop my malice right onto his head.
They stayed silent for a few moments, the Slytherin just staring at her as Lauren continued to read her book.
"Don't talk a lot, do you?"
She didn't respond, or even reacted for for that matter.
"What's the matter? Mute or something? Because I know you're not."
Lauren turned a page in her book.
He reached out a hand toward her. "You know, it's usually polite to answer— Yeow!"
When his hand had come within centimeters of her face, Lauren slammed her book closed, smacked him across the face with it, and screamed.
I grinned as I watched the Slytherin boy reel back in pain and confusion. He held his face for a moment, then ran off. Lauren, meanwhile, went back to her book as if nothing happened.
"I can never understand why people want to touch me," she explained. "I mean, it's like I don't have ears. I just don't like skin."
This girl was something.
"Did you know that outer surface of skin is really called the epidermis? Dust is actually comprised of 90% of dead human skin."
Looks like I spoke too soon.
"Also, in a recent study, they found that 90% of—" She cut herself off as the hallway echoed with a pair of footsteps.
"That's her!" the Slytherin boy cried while he held an ice-pack to his chin. "She's the one who assaulted me!"
Seriously, she didn't hit that hard.
The teacher in escort, a middle aged witch, asked, "Is this true, miss?"
Lauren turned another page.
"Miss?"
"I don't like being touched." She then scanned her eye onto the other page. "He tried to touch me."
The Slytherin boy hissed. "No, I was just minding my own business, when she attacked me!"
Oh that little—
The teacher sneered at him. "Be quite, Alfred."
He widened his eyes. "You can't—"
"Oh don't even try to use your family name for protection. It's useless here." She then narrowed her eyes at him. "As I recall, you have been seen harassing several students in the past as well. Which leads me to believe that this is no different."
"But I—"
"That will be ten points from both of your houses." Alfred's mouth dropped. "And, you will each serve a weekend detention."
The teacher walked off.
The boy, mouth agape, followed after her. "But… But Mrs, Mrs…"
At least there is some justice in this world.
He clenched his fist and turned to Lauran. "This isn't over."
"Over, over," Lauran began to mumble. "Over the moon, over the hill, over the river—"
The boy's eyes began to twitch. He then babble nonsense as he walked off into the distance. Which left me to listen in peace as Lauren ranted all about things you could over, which somehow lead to the winners of the German olympics'.
So the weekend came, and soon enough, they came into my hallway for their cleaning punishment.
"You talk at all?" I heard the Slytherin ask Lauren as they entered the hallway.
Lauren said nothing as she continued to dust.
"I guess not. So, I'm just talking to myself." They continued on their way until they came up to me. He was about to dust me off, when Lauren shoved him out of the way.
"Mine," she stated as she started to dust me.
He shrugged. "Suit yourself. At least you're talking now."
Lauren continued to speak. "This statue was created in 1473 by the witch, Madelia McGonagall."
The boy looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "Um, okay." He went back to dusting. "Anything else interesting about your little friend there?"
"No, he's exactly 3.61 meters."
I was impressed with how much she knew. The boy, on the other hand, seemed less than thrilled.
"Right, stupid me." He dusted off one of the vases. "So, your parents a witch and wizard?"
Lauren didn't answer. "Um, okay. Well I guess that works out. Father says I'm not supposed to talk to mudbloods. So, if I don't know, I can assume you're at least a halfblood?"
"Blood isn't made of mud or can be half. It's made up of various proteins that carries oxygen throughout the body." I chuckled at how smart she made herself sound. I was even more impressed that it seemed to take effect in the boy.
"Eh, tell that to my father and see how it goes."
"How would it go?"
Alfred stared at her and blinked. "You're something, I'll give you that."
"I'm not a something, I'm a girl." She finished me off and began to move down the hall. "A girl is a young women who has long hair and—"
She continued on her rant as Alfred looked up to me. "Seriously, how do you put up with her?"
Easy, because she's more interesting and nicer than you.
Of course I couldn't answer, so he just shook his head and carried on with his punishment.
Before I knew it, the year came and went with. Lauren spent every moment possible—as well as the holidays—in my corridor. Sometimes she would sit in other places, but always came back to me. At least I didn't see the Slytherin boy again. Although she would bring him up here and there.
From what she told me, he mostly kept to himself and the other slytherian boys. although, once or twice, we would flick a spell at one of her pecniels to roll it away from her hands. I would always find it amusing every time when she would tell me how she turned his shoes into Jelly.
Guess it must have worked because each time she got some revenge on whatever he did, he would alway seem to act a little nicer to her. Never as far as helping her when she dropped something, but nice enough to say excuse me and such.
Though, i began to find it odd, not how Lauren had become attached to me, but how attached I was starting to grow to her. Now in a relationship way like when i see couples hide behind me to make out, but more in a… I think fatherly way? Yes, that was it, a father. which was fine by me. If it brought comfort to a student, then i guess it was some small way for me to fulfill my duty, which made me very proud of myself.
I was given an additional pleasure when Gryffindor won the house cup instead of Slytherin. Although, it didn't help when Lauren came to say goodbye to me that year either.
"You've been a good friend to me," she said as she held up her luggage. "I'll be looking forward to seeing you next year."
"Freak," someone passing by said quickly and disappeared before either one of us could see who it was.
However, while I'm not sure if she saw it, I saw that Alfred boy look at her after that comment, but he had a look of sympathy upon his face before he disappeared in the crowd of faces.
Lauren, meanwhile, flinched at the comment, but was quick to act as if nothing were wrong. "Goodbye!" She waved at me, and was off.
To be honest, when the next semester came, I had expected her to have moved on, grown up, or at least picked another statue. which I suppose wouldn't have been a problem. I had lost most negative emotions a long time ago after seeing so many students grew and moved on throughout the halls.
Yet, Lauren proved to be different.
While she didn't spend as much around me as she did her first year, she always found some time to spend at least once a week on my pedestal.
I'm not sure why. Though, I guess she just felt safe around me or something as if i was her father.
I couldn't blame her though. It seemed as if there was always something going on since that Harry Potter kid showed up. One year, a giant snake would slither past me at night, the next, a large black dog would prowl the hallways followed by a giant troll. Or was it, troll, dog, and then snake? Either way, it was a crazy time.
Though, for me, the highlight was watching Lauren grow, and being there to witness most of it. She would come to me and tell me all about a new spell she had learned and even when she had only gotten a C on an exam.
she would tell me about her life in the muggle orphanage, any and all friends she had made, and even how her progress went with her disability.
Autism, I think she called it. Some brain disease she explained that made her different and unable to interact with other people so easily. Which, if her first interaction with Alfred was any indication, could have used all the help she could get.
And indeed, I may not have know where she got it, but every month, she did come to me, a little different. still bright eyed and minded, but a little more sociable and even waving to a few students who would pass her by on her third year.
Then there was her fourth year.
The castle had become cramped as the tri-wizard tournament took place. Witches and wizards came from all over the world came to take part. As a result, there seemed to be someone everywhere at every time. Even my quiet little hallway seemed to always have at least five wizards in it at a time.
I guess while I enjoyed the non-dangerous excitement, I found myself missing Lauren. The loud crowds would scare her off, and the few times I heard from her she would say she would prefer to hideout in her dorm.
She had come a long way since she was a kid though. Catching onto sarcasm more, and acted more polite when someone touched her, even if she still didn't like it. Or at least, she figured out that slamming someone with a book and screaming wasn't an appropriate response. She even made a friend or two in the processes. Though, she still preferred to spend time along around me.
Most of all, she would always talk about that Alfred boy. While I didn't catch much since she would always seem to run off as soon as a large crowd appeared, I gathered that they had a lot of classes together. What he was doing to her, I didn't know. Though, from the way she kept bringing him up, I could be sure it wasn't anything good.
So imagine my surprise when shortly before winter break, that little twack of a Slytherin boy who had been nothing but the bane of my little Lauren's life, tried to ask her out on a date!
"Hey, Lauren, how are you?" He held his hands behind his back.
She didn't respond, and I just glared at him.
"Um," he said shaking a little, but stood strong. "Anyways, there's a big dance coming up. It's during the winter break, and I know you're usually around then. So… I was wondering if you were going with anyone."
The mace in my hands acquired another crack in my hands.
"No," she said simply.
I think she meant she wasn't going to go, but if I knew her as well as I did, I knew she wasn't aware of what was to come next.
"Well," he said as his shaking slowed down, "would you like—"
"Did you know black cat blood is said to contain stronger white blood cells than other species of cats." Lauren's response caused him to back up. "Yet, people still treat them so poorly, as if they were bad luck." She looked up at him. "Sorry. Just something that's been on my mind. But, sorry, did you want to say something?"
I had expected the guy to laugh or make fun of her. Instead, he seemed to… flush?
"Um, okay." Alfred scratched his head. "Anyways, I don't have anyone to go with, and I'm stuck at this school anyways, so… would you like to go to the dance with me?"
Don't say yes! Don't say yes! I moaned, and it seemed as if it would be the case when she didn't respond.
Huh. Well, that shows that Slytherin right for thinking he could—
"Okay." For my little comfort, she said it as if it was no big deal.
No wait, that made things worse!
She had no idea what she was getting herself into! Oh, my poor girl.
Alfred began to beam. "Great, I'll see you later." He then ran off with a bounce in his step, while Lauren went on reading like nothing had happened.
I merely wished—for as much as I loved her the way she was—she was a little more aware of reality.
As I heard the music for the ball began to play, all I could do was stand there in misery. That twat of a boy and his friends where drably waiting to tear apart her dress or something. Then she would run off crying.
It's not right, it's not fair! Why was I created to protect the students of Hogwarts, if I couldn't even protect one? All I could do was wait for her to come crying to me. Small comfort that at least I could never hurt her.
Sure enough, when I heard the music in the ballroom pick up into a louder beat, little Lauren came running to my statue. She was all dressed up, but not as distressed as I thought she would have been.
Without saying a word, and shaking a little, she sat down by my feet and took out a small hand book and began to read.
I had expected her to rant on about how terrible the night was, how poorly Alfred had treated her and such. When out of the hall, who should appear, but that little leech himself. All dressed up as if he was some sort of gentleman.
"I figured I'd find you here," he said as he had the nerve to walk up to her.
Unlike when she was younger, she acknowledged him by looking up, only to go back to her book.
"Um… You okay? I mean, I didn't make you uncomfortable? I thought you said you didn't mind when we danced with each other."
He did what!? Another crack in my mace formed.
Lauren sighed as she closed her book. "I didn't mind you touching me, but you just did it for some bet."
Alfred pulled on his collar "What, I…"
"I want the truth," she stated, not taking her eyes off him.
He was silent for a moment, until he sighed. "Yeah, some of the guys dared me to ask you out."
The moment I was allowed to move, I was going to cut off his head.
"But I—" he began to protest. As if he had some good reason for hurting Lauren like that.
"It's okay."
We both stared blankly at her.
"Huh?"
"I knew the only reason you'd ask me out was because someone made you." She shrugged her shoulders. "I mean, it's fine. I did a good deed to make you look good, and it's not like they would think of me any differently." She picked up her book. "You can go back to the party now and have your good laugh, and now I can tell my therapist I tried stepping out of my comfort zone. We both win." Her eyes drifted to the next page. "Though, thank you for a good time."
I think what got me the most was how sincere she seemed to say that. Either she was a really good liar, or one of the mellowest witches in the world.
Either way, I was even more surprised with what Alfred did next.
"What, no.. I, Lauren," he sat down next to her.
Lauren flinched, but didn't scoot away.
"Okay, so I had to get talked into by my friends who, yeah, only think I asked you out as a joke. But… to be honest, I've always wanted to ask you out on a date because… I like you. Like in, have a crush on you."
She looked up at him. "You do?"
He did?
Her eyes narrowed. "Yeah, first of all, why would you? Second, what would make you want to? And thirdly, then why are you always a jerk around me."
Excellent questions. And if I didn't get them, I'd find some way to come to life on my own.
He began to click his heels. "Well, I guess I've just found you, unique. You don't give a damn what anyone thinks, and you're smart, and pretty of course. Sure beats some of the purebloods my dad wants to set me up with."
Lauren shook her head. "What is up with your family's fascination with blood anyways?"
He lightly grinned. "See, like that." He chuckled. "I guess, in a way, I like you because you can just be you. You're not worried about your reputation, or even who you impress. You can just be… you!"
Lauren's lips began to curl up. "It' not all it's cracked up to be in your mind."
He twiddled his fingers. "Maybe not, and maybe it makes me sound like a jerk, but it still doesn't change the fact that I really like you." He rubbed his elbow. "If you would give me a chance."
Lauren bit her lips, and began to ponder.
It was really starting to get annoying at this point, how I kept saying to myself how I wished I could move and do something.
Finally, after a bit, and with a smile, she put her book down, and placed a hand on his. "Okay, but I have one question for you." So scooted over towards him. "Who's the real you then?"
He held out his hand. "Would you… like to give me a chance to find out?"
Lauren shrugged as she blushed. "I suppose a little experience in the realms of dating will do wonders for convincing my therapist I need less visits."
Alfred raised an eyebrow. "Um, can I take that as a yes? That you want to be my girlfriend?"
She nodded. "If," she said as a softer song began to echo down the halls, "you wouldn't mind dancing with me again." She pulled him up "I kind of liked it."
I suppose I might have been happy for Lauren, if I hadn't wanted to throw up when they kissed at the end of the song.
I didn't see Lauren as much after that. When I did, it was always on a date with Alfred.
Sure, I seemed to learn a lot more about her life when she talked with Alfred, but it didn't feel the same. she never brought any friends over before, and now she was just bring that… boy over here and…
Oh great, now i was feeling pure envy. I really was latching myself onto this girl more than I should have.
Oh well, at least i was right with how it would ultimately end with them.
Before the final rounds of the tri-wizard tournament, Lauren and Alfred came by me one last time arguing about the finals.
"You're crazier than me if you think Harry is going to win!" Lauren said as she crossed her arms. "He's in third place, and the youngest."
"Yeah, but I wouldn't count him out!" Alfred added. "He did defeat a mountain troll when he was eleven."
Lauren shook her head and pushed him. "You're hopeless."
He gave a pushed back, only he then moved his hand into her's. "Maybe, but I am with you."
Lauren giggled and went in for a kiss.
They stayed like that longer then they should have been able to when Lauren pulled out and said, "I love you."
Alfred's eyes widened as he backed off.
"Oh, I'm sorry!" Lauren placed her hand on her lips. "I just though… I know you're not supposed to say it too soon. Sorry, I didn't…"
"No, Lauren, it's not that. It's…" He placed his hand on his forehead and began to pace around. "I think I love you too… but…"
Lauren took a step back. "What? You realize I'm not worth your time anymore? That I'm just some pity case?"
He sighed. "Lauren! That's not it at all. You've made me happier this semester than I've been my whole life. It's just… My family is very old fashioned. They only want me to marry a pureblood."
Lauren rubbed her temple. "Aside from how dumb that sounds, why do you care? I mean, if it doesn't make you happy, why would you? Besides, for all we know, my parents might have been purebloods too."
He shook his head. "Yeah, they would never buy it. And that would be if you could claim you had proof. Hey. Hey!" He raced towards her as Lauren began to walk away. "Lauren, I really want to be with you. More than anything I just…"
We both held our breaths.
Lauren spoke first. "Look… You… You clearly have family drama to deal with. Something I wouldn't understand. So… Why don't we take a break over the summer?" A tear began to roll down her eye as she turned her back in an attempt to hide it.
Alfred held up a hand. "Lauren—"
"No!" She swatted his hand away. I could tell that she wanted to feel hurt. Yet, like many times before, she put on a convincing act. "You… you need to take care of yourself first." She kept her head down and began to walk away. "Ju… Just let me know how it goes next year. Okay?" Before she could say or cry anymore, she raced off.
"Lauren!" He began to chase after her, but stopped.
I almost thought he would have run after her. a part of me almost wanted to scream for him to go after her.
Not that I cared for him, I just hated to see mylittle girl so heartbroken, even if i knew it would eventually come.
He never did. He slammed his fist into the walls several time, but that's all he did. After a while, defeated, he began to head back to the Slytherin common room.
Well, at least that was the end of that. Now lauren would no longer have that jerk of a boy and could spend more time with me.
I only saw Lauren once more that year.
By then, the tournament had ended, and it seemed as if a permanent dark cloud had ascended over the school. It felt like those dark days all over again. From what I heard, one of the contestants had been killed in the tournament. Not just in any normal way for the Triwizard Tournament, but by the dark lord himself it would seem.
Several days had passed when Lauren came up to me. She sat by my feet, and began to read a copy of 101 interesting facts about strange witches who shaped the world.
All the while, she didn't say one fact out loud.
Out of all my summers, this one felt the longest. The sky always seemed darker, and the few who roamed the halls seemed gloomier. Even when the students returned, the mood didn't really improve all that much.
To make matters worse, it seemed as if the new defense against the dark arts teacher was a complete spaz. Lost in her own little world, and oblivious to the real one. At least Lauren had a method to her madness. This woman just seemed pure batshit insane. She acted as if nothing was wrong, and all was going to get better.
The only good news was Lauren still liked to sit by my feet whenever she had free time. This time though, she went back to talking about strange and interesting facts and how her friends had comforted her about Alfred. Although, she had nothing to say with what was going on. In fact, it was almost as if she was trying to avoid it as much as the DA teacher avoided reality.
Then, to make matters worse, several weeks into the semester, Alfred happened to pass by. I wish I could say he always had since day one, but he only started a week ago. One day, I hadn't heard a word from him, the next, he would always pass through my hallway everyday, looking for Lauren.
The trouble is, it had to work sooner or later. Not that either one of us liked it when it did.
"Hey," he said rather nervously as he fielded with his jacket.
"So how was the summer?" Lauren tried to say casually as she flipped a page in her book.
"It was—"
"Your dad set you up with one of those pureblood types you seem to be so fascinated in?" She kept her focus on her book.
Alfred sighed. "Many times." He then sat down next to her.
Lauren resisted for a moment, but realized it would be easier if she just let him.
"He's really been coming down hard since… We'll, he keeps saying how big changes are coming, and it's important I do my part by creating as many purebloods as I can. Keeps saying the dark lord has returned"
Lauren kept her head down into her book. "Don't you know you can get in trouble form saying you-know-who is back?" Without taking her gaze off her book she pulled up her sleeves to reveal a nasty scar on her wrist saying, 'I shall not babble disturbing things.'
My maleic formed its largest crack to date as Alfred jumped back.
"But… No!" He said flabbergasted. "I can't believe she did this to you!"
She shot up from her seat. "And you knew about it?" She pulled out her wand, said a spell, and before Alfred could react, his jacket flew off. Once off, it revealed his uniform with a badge on it I had seen several other Slytherin's wear that year labeled, inquisitor squad. "So, you're a part of her little secret police too?"
He tried to cover up his badge. "Lauren it's not like I—"
"What? Your mommy and daddy said you had to do it? Snitch on people who don't want to act like everything is okay? All your pureblood wives tell you do it so they'll fuck you some more as we get this kind of punishment for telling the truth? Maybe Voldemort himself held you up at wand point and made you do it!"
Alfred's eyes grew to the size of saucepans.
"Young lady!" a squeaky voice snapped as we all drew our attention of professor Umbridge focused her gaze on Lauran. "And here I thought your last detention would have gotten through to you the dangers of babbling such disturbing things."
Lauran hide behind Alfred, trembling.
Alfred looked like he was going to be sick.
"Mr. Alfred," she instructed, "please apprehend and bring her to my office at once."
Alfred step away from Lauran and pulled out his wand as she reached for her own.
They both looked into each other's eyes, and Lauren took her hands off of her wand. With a sigh, she then backed off and gave him a questioning and pale look of both hope and fear. Not sure what he would do, she opened her arms up.
The cracks in my mace began to widen. What was she doing? Do something, Lauran!
Alfred heisted for moment, going back and forth between Umbridge and Lauren, wand fidgeting in his hand.
"What are you waiting for?" Umbridge huffed. "I haven't got all day, young man."
Gripping his wand, he lowered it and looked into Lauren's eyes. "I'm sorry." He raised his wand, and with a quick flick of his wrist, pointed it as Umbridge. "Ilumneigh!" A bright flash erupted from his wand as the blast landed right at Umbridge's feet, sending the witch reeling onto her back.
He turn back to Lauren and pointed down the hallway and told her, "Go!"
She nodded, and with a wide smile, ran off.
Alfred tried to run with her, but was stopped as a blast of orange blasted at his feet. He was only then able to turn around and block the other spells.
"Mr. Alfred!" Umbridge cried as several other members of the inquisitor squad appeared. Half of them raced to her aid, and the other half circled Alfred. "I would never have thought someone of your standing would be so disobedient. Fifty points from Slytherin!" I saw the other boy grit their teeth in his direction. "Apprehended him! The one who does will receive one hundred points for their house."
With that, they raced forward as Alfred raised his wand.
In that moment, I realized just how badly cracked my mace had become from him dating Lauren. With one last force of will, I was able to break it. It feel right in front of Alfred, causing a nasty cloud of dust to rise and block the other boy's sight.
Fortunately, there was a small wind that kept the dust out of his eyes. He looked up at me, a little puzzled, but at least not dumb enough to look a gift horse in the mouth and ran.
It was a nerve racking week after that. Aside from not knowing what had happened to Lauren and Alfred, I was now left without my mace. It had been long swept away from the caretaker, and I just didn't feel right without it.
Still, it was worth it a couple of days later when Alfred walked up to me, carrying something bundled up in his arms.
He scratched his head. "Hey. I can't believe I'm saying this, but, thanks for that save. You didn't have to, but it was nice of you to do so. At least, I take it you didn't try to kill me."
I didn't respond.
He sighed. "And now I'm talking to a statue." He shook his head. "Well, I guess you can never know in this world." He placed down what he had carried, and revealed it to be my malice. "Anyways, hopefully I can get this new spell right." He held up his want. "Repairo."
My mace began to rise, rather slowly and shakily. Before it got even halfway back to my staff, it fell to the ground. Only saved by Alfred switching his repair spell to a levitation one.
"You need to put less wave into it."
We both turned to see Lauren had been watching.
"But, you didn't get the wording wrong. Here," she said as she stood up next to him. Wand held high, she recited the same spell, only with less wand waving.
She then looked to Alfred. "Something this size works better with two."
Catching her cue, he pulled out his wand, and carefully repeated the motion.
My mace gracefully lifted up, all the way up to my staff, where it connected and mended into myself. Not a crack in place. Yet, something felt off, as if it wasn't my mace anymore. It didn't feel wrong, but as if it wasn't a part of me anymore. Still, I could appreciate having it back.
"Alright!" Alfred beamed. He then glanced towards Lauren. "Oh, I mean… Thanks." He looked back at me. "I think you're friend has warmed up to me."
Lauren raised an eyebrow. "Um, he's a statue you know?"
Alfred shrugged his shoulder. "I've seen stranger."
They then laughed for a moment.
Once they quieted down, Lauren smiled at him a cupped her hand into his. "Like a pureblood risking everything to be with an orphan who doesn't know and doesn't care what kind of blood she has?"
Alfred pulled up his sleeve to show a slight scar labeled, I will obey my superiors. "It wouldn't matter if her blood was made of pudding."
She stuck out her tongue. "Hey, I like pudding."
Beaming, she threw herself onto him and began to kiss him until some teacher told them to knock it off.
For the first time, I found myself enjoying their little make out session. I still couldn't believe they had a future together, but as was, i could approve of this man dating my Lauren.
The year passed, and while a lot was going on with the dark one's possible return and the short tyranny of Headmaster Umbridge. Which was brought down interrupted by portable swaps, fireworks flying everywhere, and Peevs nearly dropping that chandelier above me onto Umbridge, the highlight for me was whenever Alfred and Lauren came to sit by my feet.
They always had something positive to say, and never once did I see them frown.
Of course, the year had to come to an end. All too soon for poor Alfred, it seemed. He really didn't want to go home, and face whatever fate his parents had in store for him. From the many letters he and Lauren had opened from them in front of me, his future when he got home was less than promising.
"It's going to be okay," Lauren ensured as she stroke his hair.
"Yeah," he grumbled, "if my parents don't threatened to kill me if I don't marry my cousin."
She held onto him tighter. "Hey, it's just a few months. And if you want to survive by saying you'd give one of them a chance, I won't mind. Least until we're out of school."
He shot up at her. "Lauren—"
"Hey, I know you still love and will come back to me. Besides," she said with a kiss to his forehead, "you're not good to me dead or transferred to another school. We'll be together, as long as that's what you truly want. We'll get through a few more years of school, and then you'll be able to choose for yourself for once."
Alfred titled his head. He then lowered it, and with a wide grin, shook it. "Sounds like you're looking forward to it more than I am."
"Well, being an autistic orphan that no one's wanted to adopt has had many limitations." She moved a strand of hair out of her face. "Still, I can't wait for my last year when I'll be on my own."
He placed his hand on her cheek. "I'm just as well as looking forward to it."
I gagged as well as i cold for an immobile statue.
While the atmosphere didn't grow any brighter, that summer at least passed by faster for me. This time, though, when Alfred and Lauren returned, they threw themselves into each other arms. All while Alfred said how horrible it was dating his cousin, with the only relief being his father wasn't around as often. Lauren meanwhile, simply went off about whatever books she had read that year.
Since they had to keep their relationship a secret, they didn't hang around me as much as I wanted. They still showed up whenever they thought it would be safe, but they came less often whenever some off chance student, Slytherin or not, caught them in the act of making out.
Then, the end of that year happened.
I couldn't see it from my quiet little spot, but I felt it. Something bad had happened, and if it had felt dark before around the school, it was now pitch black.
Eventually, I had found out why when Lauren and Alfred sat by my feet and talked about how the headmaster, Dumbledore, had been murdered.
"I can't believe he's really gone," Lauren said blankly as she stared in a straight line forward. "I mean, I… I didn't know him that well, but still…" she sniffled.
"He was pretty much the one thing keeping us safe from… You know." He placed his hands on his face. "Ugh!"
Lauren responded by wrapping her arms around him. "Hey, just one more year, one more summer. Then we can graduate and start our life together."
"You make it sound easy." He looked at her with a broken expression. "There may be no way to prove you're muggle born, but with no way of disproving it, you might as well be. Since you also grew up in muggle orphanage, they'll come after you too, you know."
Lauren placed her hands on her hips. "I can take care of myself!"
"I know you can, but… Just don't do anything stupid this summer, or next year. I have a funny feeling it's going to be a very rough one." He clenched his hands into a fist. "And I can't do anything to bloody protect you either."
She sighed. "Hey, it's just one summer." She wrapped her arms around him. "What could possibly go wrong?"
Why do people have to say that?
When the summer ended, I didn't see Lauren or Alfred return. I think I heard someone say they had gone hiding along with many other mudbloods. I guess it beat thinking about the alternative.
Besides, there was a lot more to focuses on that year.
No students were outside their dorms when they could help it aside from the Slytherins. Anytime someone who wasn't one ventured forth to infinity and beyond, he would always be running from some gang of pureblood boys as the two muggle studies teachers would drag off several students by their hairs.
It had become even worse than before, and I could do nothing about it. This couldn't have been what I was created for, to sit back, and do nothing! I had to move, I had to protect my school, to find Lauren and Alfred, just to see them alive!
Then one night, things really started to get hectic.
It started as every single student was ushered into the great hall. Then there was the sound of an explosion, followed by a mass panic as several students began to run about. Then, the hallways started to fill with adults wizards as if they were preparing for war.
Then, I heard the words I so longed for.
"Piertotum, Locomotor!"
I instantly felt the ability to move. All around me, my brothers felt the same way as they jumped off their pedestals. I did so in a similar fashion. Once alive, we stood up straight and followed the sound of the witch who had brought us to life.
"Hogwarts is threatened!" she explained to us. "Man the boundaries! Protect us! Do your duty to our school!"
As she said it, any positive feeling I may have had vanished. If giant snakes and students being tortured wasn't consider bad enough to need us, what was?
I shook it off. All that mattered as I walked past screaming students, was the fact that they needed me now, and now, I could do something.
I was about halfway to where the magic was leading me, when I saw out of the corner of my eye two familiar faces.
"You don't regret this?" Lauran asked.
Alfred shook his head. "Not for the world." He turned to Lauren. "Just, thank you. No matter what happens, I don't regret any of it. Least of all, you." They held hands, and continued to kiss.
I stopped mid-track, but was forced forward by my peers behind me. We were supposed to protect the Hogwarts boundaries, and by the witch who brought us to life, I was going to do it for them.
I made it to the bridge just as a massive force field sealed itself around the school. Since I was in a further corridor, I wound up near the back, where I could still hear the commotion of students and teachers preparing for whatever was threatening the school.
Only now, did I wish I hadn't been brought to life.
All of a sudden, the shield around the school erupted in a bright flash a blue light.
Thousands, upon thousands of different spells had begun to bombard the shield. It didn't let up with that first explosion. Soon, more and more blast hit the shield. It was an impressive sight, but the shield held strong. Sometimes it seemed as if the shield faltered, but it never broke.
Ten minutes passed, half an hour passed, an hour, shortly followed by the two hour mark. By that time, I began to think the shield was going to hold, and we wouldn't be needed.
Then a powerful and continuous spell struck the shield.
All around, the doom fractured and began to burn. Pieces of it began to drift down as it disintegrated all around us.
Get it back up, I plead, get it back up!
It never did.
Shortly after, a massive battle cry erupted in the distance.
Our time had come.
Any of us that had one raised their shield. Even from the back, I could hear giants hacking away at my brothers further up the ranks. We made them pay, and even the lopsided head of one of the statues rolling past didn't make us stop.
However, what made me stop was when I saw a dark shadow fly past, followed by dozen more. Some of which even fired green spells at us.
The statue that had been in front of me burst into pieces under such a spell. However, when one of those spells came to me, I was ready. With a wave of my malice at the green light, I was able to knock it back at them, sending whoever had cast it plummeting to the earth.
However, more and more shadows and enemy wizards on brooms flew past me. Then, the giants that had been destroying our ranks came upon me. It was only a matter of time before I would be next.
I was scared, but I was more worried that I wouldn't be able to protect my school if I was destroyed.
I'm not sure how I heard her among the vast cries, but I heard Lauren scream.
Not thinking, I shoved past the statues behind me—one of whom got blasted by a green spell as he watched me—and ran back into the castle.
The enemies who had broken in certainly made short work of the place. Dozens of bodies of teachers and students alike littered the halls, as many more were fighting for their lives.
As I searched for Lauren, I at least made myself useful after abandoning my brothers by whacking away at any enemy wizard that had a student pinned into a corner. However, there was only one life I cared about.
Then, somewhere on my journey as I took care of another enemy wizard, I felt an emptiness in my left shoulder. Looking towards it, I saw that my arm had fallen off, destroyed by a spell.
It didn't stop me, although I significantly slowed down when one of those enemy wizards blasted my leg off.
Hobbling now, I looked around to see the hallway I called home. It was empty, as most of the fighting was taking place in the courtyard.
For some reason, I thought back to all my brothers who had been destroyed on the bridge. I had done my duty, I had protected the school as well as I could. In my condition, I wouldn't have been of much use. Besides, the numbers were so great that I wouldn't have made much of a difference at this point. Maybe I could just—
I heard Lauren scream. This time, it wasn't a feeling, but the real, hard to miss thing.
As best as I could with only one foot, I raced over to her cry.
I saw her knocked on the ground with Alfred, wand held up, as he stood between her and an enemy wizard.
"You see what happens when you fall in love with weaklings!" With a flick of his wrist, the enemy wizard disabled Alfred. "Now, you useless bastard, you and your mudblood will—" He never got a chance to finish once my mace connected with his body, sending him to the far end of the school.
Weakened, I collapsed to my knee as my remaining arm held myself up.
"Lauren!" Alfred cried as he helped her up.
"I'm okay," she assured him. She then looked at me, and I looked directly at them. "So you really are my guardian angel."
Guessing that was a good thing, I nodded my head.
"Hang on." They both raised their wands.
"Re—" They were interrupted by a deafening roar.
Turning towards the noise, we saw a giant advancing towards us. For whatever reason, fixated on Lauren and Alfred.
They raised their wand and fired, only to have their spells bounce off of him.
Unable to lift myself up, I tightened my mace and dragged myself as close to him as possible. Lauren and Alfred tried to help me, my remaining leg kicked dust at them. As the giant was about to hit me, I tightened my mace, pulled back, and smacked his right knee.
He groaned, and in his pain, dropped his sickle upon my leg, leaving me with only one moving appended. With one last strong flick of my wrist, I flung my weapon at its head.
Dead upon impact, the giant began to rock back and forth, not sure which direction to fall. Finally, it deiced that it was going to fall on top of me.
In my last moments, I looked towards Lauren and Alfred, who were in the midst of battling off a horde of giant spiders.
I reached out to help them and—