CHAPTER 3: OLD FRIENDS AND NEW ENEMIES
EXT. FRONT ENTRANCE TO HOGWARTS TO HAGRID'S HUT – AFTERNOON (SEPT. 17TH, 1998)
Angered by Snape's harshness towards him, Harry was about to leave Hogwarts on his godfather Sirius's motorcycle and go back to Hogsmeade, where his soon-to-be fiancée Ginny was waiting for him. He was followed closely by Hermione and Ron.
"Don't let it bother you, mate." said Ron trying to cheer up Harry. "You should have known Snape wasn't going to be polite or nice about it. Professor Snape never changes."
"Really, Ron? I hadn't even noticed," barked Harry spitefully almost sounding like Snape whenever he would bark at him.
"I should have known that this was going to happen," said Hermione, "That's why Ron spoke for you just now Harry. Because we knew that you were going to act like this if you tried apologizing to Professor Snape. Professor Snape was mad at you when he was alive and he is still mad at you. This was to be expected."
"You don't understand, Hermione!" hissed Harry angrily looking back at Hermione and Ron as he stood next to the motorcycle. "Professor Snape doesn't want me to apologize to him! He's being bitter and cruel...again."
Hermione shook her head briefly then spoke, "Do you know nothing of the feelings of Occlumens Harry? You don't get anywhere with them directly like the way you were doing it just now. You need to approach the matter gently and level with Professor Snape. Cause the way you were doing it..."
"...We were doing it," said Ron as Hermione looked over at him and scowled.
She then looked back at Harry and continued, "...it's almost like you were forcing him to accept your apology. Occlumens such as Professor Snape need to be approached differently then most other people when it comes to such matters. Because..."
"Because he's angry...and complicated," said Harry calmly, sounding as though he had suddenly gotten over his little spat with Snape. "It's not going to be easy having a heart to heart with Snape because he always does a good job hiding his emotions and how he really feels. When I saw his memories in the Pensieve right after he died, I remember seeing him holding my mum's body. The look on Snape's face was a look I had never seen on his face before. A look like..."
"Sorrow," said Hermione.
"A bit more than that."
"Tortured?" said Ron.
"A bit less than that."
"Anguish?" said Hermione.
"Maybe that might be it."
"You could try for all of the above mate," said Ron scoffing.
Suddenly, a loud shriek rang out through the sky above Hogwarts Castle. Looking up, Harry and his friends spotted a large winged black mass fly overhead almost brushing the top of the upper most tower of the castle before landing just behind it. Curious as to what could have flown over them, Harry ran towards the back of the castle with Ron and Hermione in toe. Harry and his friends soon followed the roars and shrieks to the top of the low sloping hill which lied behind Hogwarts Castle.
The slope was covered by lush green grass and a loose gathering of large black boulders, overlooking a large open field surrounded by the Dark Forest on one side and a range of mountains and high hills on the other. The slope had a narrow winding cobbled path which led from the top of the slope and all the way down to the doorstep of Hagrid's Hut, which lied near the base of the slope.
Ever since Hagrid took up the position as Gamekeeper at Hogwarts School long ago, Hagrid's Hut had been visited by many students over the years. Even Severus, who normally kept to himself and away from such places couldn't seem to stay away from Hagrid's Hut when he himself was a student.
Hagrid's Hut was always a friendly and interesting place to visit, just as Hagrid who lived there made for friendly and interesting company even at night when the students were normally supposed to be in bed and sleeping. The front of Hagrid's Hut had a set of wooden stairs which led up to a large wooden door that had a large metal ring for a door handle. Behind Hagrid's Hut there was a small back garden surrounded by a tall wicker fence draped in ivy.
On the outside, Hagrid's Hut was a single story eight sided structure made of cobblestone and wood topped with a pointed sloping roof made of black and blue gray shingles. The hut had elegant stain glass windows, one facing the back; one facing the center right and one facing the center left.
The roof was flanked by small round stain glass skylights, one on each side that were built in the roof, allowing light from the outside to filter in from above. Inside there was a single room with an oak wood floor and a complex latticework of large wooden support beams throughout that were holding up the roof and the sides of the hut. There was also a wooden staircase which led up to a loft area and a large mantled stone fireplace just underneath it. Inside the fireplace, a large black cauldron hung, boiling full to the brim with a thick and bubbling stew.
In the far corner of the room there was a large oak wood bed with a large patchwork quilt covering over it while a large wooden table with large wooden chairs sat in the center of the room just in front of the fireplace. A variety of animal skins, metal cages and other strange and interesting items hung from the wooden rafters above.
"Oye now, Moesdolor! That is no reason for you to get all huffy over this! I'm sure yer goin' be alright without him."
Looking down at Hagrid's Hut below, Harry and his friends could hear Hagrid talking to something that was standing in back of the hut off in the distance before a great blast of blue fire and smoke shot up into the air followed by another loud shriek and a long hiss.
"Moes! Moes!" said Hagrid sternly, trying to get control of whatever he was talking to. Harry soon ran down the cobbled path and to the back of Hagrid's Hut, followed by Hermione and Ron.
"Hagrid! What in the world is that hideous noise coming from?"
"Oh, hello Harry, Hermione and Ron. It's nothin' much really," said Hagrid, sounding as though he was hiding something huge in the forest edge behind his hut. "Just me talkin' to an old friend of mine."
"An old friend, Hagrid?" said Hermione blatantly, "It sounds like your old friend is some kind of monster."
"Oh, you heard that did you? Sorry he's just a little bit suspicious about strangers. Can't really blam'um though since he used to be belongin' to Professor Snape."
"Come again?" said Harry as another loud shriek bellowed out from the forest edge nearby. Harry and Ron suddenly looked over at Hermione, who had walked up near the forest edge and began looking into it, slowly raising her hands up in front of her.
"It's alright," said Hermione gently, "We aren't going to hurt you. We're your friends."
There was a hiss and a low lengthy growl carrying in the air as the sound of footsteps began to shake the ground beneath Hermione's feet.
Suddenly the shape of a large black dragon, known as Moesdolor, emerged out from the shadows of the forest edge and onto the ground beyond. He had huge black and leathery bat-like wings, an arrow shaped head and a long sleek body like that of a cat, covered with shiny black scales. He had large, yellow eyes like that of a snake, long slender whiskers like that of a catfish and a long slender tail which ended in a teardrop-shaped bony club.
A spiny and tampering frill ran down the entire length of his back, starting from the top of his head and ending halfway down his tail. His neck and flanks were ablaze with narrow, broken and glowing bands of yellow-white, which started from the top of his head and ended near the end of his tail. His snapping gaping maw was filled to the brim with long needle-like teeth like that of an angler-fish, which folded back into his mouth like snake's fangs when his mouth was closed. He had two sets of straight black horns sprouting from its forehead, one set longer than the other. The toes on his front and back feet were tipped with long razor-sharp claws, which could easily slice through almost anything. Moesdolor was not only beautiful to look at but also dangerous if rubbed the wrong way.
"Professor Snape owned...a dragon?" said Harry.
"That's not just any dragon, Harry. It's a Hungarian Nox-Wing!" said Ron, who was glaring up at the beast as if he was a small child opening up his first ever Christmas present, "There one of the sleekest and fastest dragons in the whole Wizarding world! Their rather picky about who they make friends with though. They usually pair up with Occlumens."
"His name is Moesdolor," said Hagrid, "He came back here rather suddenly just after Professor Snape died. I haven't seen Moesdolor since I sent him off to Romania years ago."
"But, Hagrid...a dragon! Since when did Professor Snape ever own a dragon?" said Harry as Ron kept his eyes firmly on Hermione as Moesdolor stopped and stood in front of her, looking down at her closely.
"Owned him? Professor Snape practically raised him from an egg. He was Snape's familiar, like Hedwig was to you. Kept rather close company with him while Snape was a student. Even fought off the Marauders for Snape a couple times until the school found out about him of course. Then I had to send him off to Romania."
Moesdolor brought his head down closer to Hermione's face as Harry continued, "Hagrid! You knew that Snape was keeping Moesdolor? A dragon? On school grounds?"
"Well of course I knew about Moesdolor. Snape even let me take care of him while he was away from school. I never did come to knowin' where Snape ever got Moesdolor as an egg. I just knew that he had him. I was one of the only ones that did know about him apart from Severus's closest friends: your mum Lily, young Victor Scabior, young Lucius Malfoy and young Ms. Witchazel of course."
"Witchazel?...Verena Witchazel?" said Harry, who suddenly came to the realization that Verena Witchazel, the very woman that had been standing in front of him and scolding him in the back courtyard earlier was the same Witchazel that Hagrid had just mentioned. For some unseen reason that was yet to be understood, Moesdolor began to react to the mentioning of Verena's name, spreading his wings out to the side and stomping his front feet, very nearly shrieking into Hermione's face.
"Yeah, that's her. Ms. Verena Bella-Adela Witchazel. Her friends called her Veri, except Snape of course. He often called her Belladonna." said Hagrid.
"Like the plant Hagrid?" said Ron suddenly, who was starting to get nervous about Hermione being so close to Moesdolor, who was starting to spiral out of control again.
"Yeah, the very same. Anyway, Verena took a fancy to young Snape while he was in his second year at Hogwarts and as far as I know she first met him when she followed him all the way to the Crying Ruins after the Marauders tried to bully him. They were nearly inseparable as friends after that. Until the little wand battle between Ms. Witchazel and your mum Lily. Then Snape had a fallin' out with Witchazel. Told her never to see or speak to him again."
Harry glared over at Hagrid angrily as though he felt entitled to know more about what Hagrid had just told him.
"Perhaps I shouldn't have told you 'bout that. Anyway, I don't know why Moesdolor is here now except probably to see Ms. Witchazel. But haven't seen or heard of young Witchazel round'ear in a long time."
Suddenly Moesdolor calmed down and became quiet as he began stepping up and over Hermione, walking around Hagrid's Hut and up towards the back of the castle. The eyes of everyone who was there followed Moesdolor as he hissed softly and walked to the base of the slope.
Hagrid then realized why Moesdolor had suddenly walked off towards the slope, "I say, who's that up there on top of that there hill?"
Harry and his friends looked up towards the top of the slope, where a familiar figure stood, glaring dangerously and bitterly down at him and his friends, with her arms crossed over her chest.
"It's her, Hagrid...It's Verena Witchazel," said Harry, giving an equally cold and bitter glare back at Verena in return. "And Moesdolor just noticed her."
Moesdolor then roared and shrieked up at Verena from the base of the slope, causing Verena to look down at him and smile gently. Moesdolor then began walking up the slope with his wings folded back, hissing and shrieking loudly until he was standing in front of her. Verena then brought her hands up in front of her, putting her hands on the sides of Moesdolor's face as he brought his forehead down to greet hers.
Moesdolor and Verena began gently rubbing their foreheads together as Verena began wrapping her arms around the base of Moesdolor's neck, "Hello, old friend...it has been to long," said Verena softly, smiling gently as Moesdolor purred softly and sadly with a trickle of tears welling up in Verena's cold blue eyes and rolling down her pale cheeks. "Come, there is someone who's been nagging to see you."
Moesdolor then lifted his head up as Verena continued to cling onto the base of his neck, pulling her up and away from the ground below her. It was at this moment that Harry began to realize that Verena wasn't exactly like Snape when it came to her attitude and demeanor as she was clearly more open about showing off her feelings then Snape ever was. This also brought him to the realization that no one could ever be exactly like Severus Snape even if they are an Occlumens themselves. There was and would only ever be one Professor Severus Snape and he was now dead.
Watching from a distance Harry and his friends continued watching the interaction between Verena and Moesdolor as Verena quickly crawled her way to the back of Moesdolor's head and sat herself on the back of his shoulders before Moesdolor shrieked and spread his wings, flying off into the clear blue sky far beyond the sprawling battlements of Hogwarts Castle. Harry began to smile gently as though he was beginning to understand how Occlumens thought and felt.
"Harry," said Hermione softly as Harry turned his head and looked at her. "I just realized something. Do you know what the name 'Moesdolor' means?"
Harry shook his head as Hermione and Ron looked on.
"It's a combination of the Latin words Moestitia and Dolor. It means sorrow."
Harry smiled softly and nodded, then looked back towards the direction where Verena and Moesdolor were going. Harry soon realized what the look on Snape's face meant when Snape was holding Lily's body in his arms so very long ago. It meant what the dragon's name meant, which was not at all surprising to Harry as he knew that Severus Snape had loved Lily, though unrequited but unconditionally.
EXT. THE DARK FOREST TO THE GNARLED OAK TREE – AFTERNOON (SEPT. 17TH, 1998)
Unbeknownst to Harry and his friends however, was that a strange creature had been hiding and watching high in a tree that was nearby Hagrid's Hut. Though the small creature looked like something crossed between a black cat and a spider monkey it had the pale face of a human being, with small pointed ears and large innocent looking eyes. It had long bony limbs, a long whip-like tail and small sunken hands with sharp pointed fingernails.
The creature's name was Grispell, an Animagus and Death Eater who had been punished by his master after he was caught spying for the Ministry Of Magic. For this reason, Grispell was cursed with being stuck in a hybrid Animagus form between human and two animal forms. However, Grispell's master was not his former master Lord Voldemort but was another dark and sinister figure who was almost just as bad, if not a little more so. Grispell, even now, still had the Dark Mark upon his left forearm, a strong reminder of the man he once was.
Grispell began bouncing up and down on his perch before jumping off to the ground and running away on all fours further into the Dark Forest. He ran straight through and out the Dark Forest, running over a couple large open fields and a small band of low lying hills beyond it. He jumped over three rivers and crossed over two sets of waterfalls before reaching the edge of yet another darkened forest. And as large black storm clouds began to grow in number and strength overhead, Grispell climbed his way up the side of a large oak tree which appeared gnarled, twisted and barren of leaves. It stood on the edge of a narrow winding river where within it flowed dark crimson colored water.
INT. THE GNARLED OAK TREE, CHAMBER – AFTERNOON (SEPT. 17TH, 1998)
"Is that you, Grispell?" said the cold and eerily calm voice of a woman as Grispell pushed over the small wooden door that was carved upon the side of the oak tree, crawling through it and into the oak tree before pulling it closed behind him.
"Yes my Lady Mapheria. It is me. I have brought you some news," said Grispell nervously as he crawled through the darkness towards the source of the voice, "The Witchazel woman has returned to Hogwarts."
"Good. Let us hope that our confidence and trust in our beautiful young spy will not be betrayed, without that blasted Witchazel woman getting in the way of our plans. Our beautiful young spy will find for me what I have been searching for after all these long years in this cursed and unbearable exile...We will be expecting some news from her very soon Grispell."
Grispell soon came into the light of a large chamber underneath the oak tree where a large and elaborately designed throne atop a raised portion of the gray and white marble floor sat at the far end of the large, circular room. The chamber was flanked by a line of pillars which were half embedded in the wall and looped around the entirety of the room. Crimson colored see-through drapes hung down from the ceiling above, creating walls of fabric between Grispell and the throne beyond them.
Sitting upon this throne was a dark and hooded figure, its face hidden within the darkness of its large hood. Though its face could not be seen it was clear from seeing its hands that it had pale skin. The figure wore a long and flowing purple hooded cloak which hid underneath it long and flowing dark purple robes. From these robes hung glittering sliver strings of tiny sliver bells which jingled softly and ominously whenever the figure moved around. The figure had its right arm resting near the back of a male Egyptian Mau cat sitting on its lap while the figure's left arm was resting on the left armrest of its throne, its long and pointed fingernails tapping ominously on the end of the armrest.
"I trust that you have brought me the item that I sent you out to get for me didn't you?" said the cold voice of a woman.
"Wha...what do you mean, my Lady?" stuttered Grispell who slowly walked on all fours through the walls of drapes and stopped at the base of the staircase which led up to the throne beyond them.
"The book Grispell you dunderheaded fool...Do you have it?" said the woman's voice softly and coldly, which was coming from a seemingly unseen source in which Grispell addressed as either my Lady or as Lady Mapheria.
"I'm afraid the Witchazel woman took it before I could steal it away, my Lady."
"Intolerable you are, Grispell! I need that book if we are to succeed in our ultimate goal!" snapped Mapheria, revealing the source of the woman's voice when she leaned towards Grispell and pounded her left fist once on the armrest of her throne before slowly leaning back in her throne and speaking calmly once more. "A pity it seems. What a shame that the book has managed to allude you once more, Grispell. When I have been waiting so long to read from it. Perhaps I should teach you to be more aware of your shortcomings."
"Please, my Lady. Don't hurt me! I am doing the best that I can!" said Grispell fearfully as he began cowering and rolling into a ball at the bottom of the staircase. Mapheria then pulled out her black and twisted Alder wand from out of her right robe sleeve. Pointing it towards Grispell she said calmly and ominously, "Crucio..."
Suddenly, Grispell began to writhe and shriek out in pain. Along the edges of the chamber dark shapes began to appear out of doorways and enter into the room. Then after a moment more Mapheria pointed her wand away from Grispell, causing him to become still and begin sobbing and whimpering.
"You're pathetic and intolerable, Grispell. Quite unworthy to be a Death Eater," said Mapheria as she stuffed her wand back in her right robe sleeve and began tapping her fingernails on the armrest again. "I am growing impatient with you Grispell. I did not send you out to tell me that the Witchazel woman has come to Hogwarts."
"But the book is in her possession, my Lady!" said Grispell nervously, unrolling out of his ball and getting back on all fours again. "And the wizard Snape's whereabouts remain unknown."
"Severus Snape is dead, Grispell. He is no longer my concern."
"But he is the son of your greatest enemy, my Lady! The wizard Snape is one of the most powerful wizards this Wizarding world has ever known!"
"Yes, and he was also the son of my greatest love. But that doesn't sway me from achieving my goal. With Lord Voldemort now gone there is nothing to stop me from fulfilling the task in which Lord Voldemort himself has so obviously failed to complete. A storm is gathering Grispell and without that book we will be unable to complete the task that is currently at hand.
"Since Lord Voldemort no longer has any control over his remaining Death Eaters and the Wizarding world has stopped using Dementors, I have since become the new master of both. Dementors and Death Eaters can be quite useful when it comes to achieving one's goal and destiny." said Mapheria as Death Eaters both masked and unmasked began to appear throughout the chamber and walk around Mapheria's throne.
"But what if the wizard Snape is still alive, my Lady? He would hunt you down and fight you if he knew that you were still alive. You did kill his parents and his family, my Lady...long ago. He would seek nothing but revenge from you."
"If the rumors are true Grispell and Severus Snape is indeed still alive, than he shall have the chance to fulfill the revenge that he has so desperately seeked upon me...that is if he knew that I was alive. But he would never get close enough to me...to fulfill it." said Mapheria. Above her a group of Dementors looked upon the scene below them as other Death Eaters and sinister fowl beasts entered the room and surrounded Mapheria and Grispell.
Suddenly, Mapheria lifted her right arm and pulled back her hood, revealing the pale face of a beautiful but sinister looking woman with long dark brown hair and sinister black eyes.
"The Battle of Hogwarts may be over, Grispell...But The War of Wyverns One has just barely begun." said Mapheria as a wicked smile formed upon her face and she began laughing quietly and wickedly.
CONTINUED...CHAPTER 4...