Chapter Ten:
November to Demember
It was November, and Quidditch Season had begun. And it got very cold. And by then, every single person knew that Harry was the Seeker, both Ame and Ace, main the Ace, were ready to pulverize anyone who talked about Quidditch to them. Therefore they were left alone, as the only thing anyone was talking about was Quidditch. And this Saturday was the big day. Gryffindor versus Slytherin. If Gryffindor won, they would move up into second place in the house championship.
Ame could see that Harry was really stressed out because people kept telling him he'd be brilliant or people telling him they'd be running around under-neath him holding a mattress. She'd also noticed that the homework had really bogged everyone down. Thank Apollo and Artemis that Ace had Ame as a sister and Harry had Hermione as a friend. In Ace's opinion Hermione had become a bit more relaxed about breaking rules since Harry and Ron had saved her from the mountain troll, and she was much nicer for it. Ace and Ame, meanwhile were visting Hagrid, to Ace's pleasure.
Ace had learned that Hagrid visited the Dark Forest fluently to take care of problems and pests. They were on there way back to the castle after meeting Hagrid and learning about the herds and territories of centaurs when they ran into Harry, Ron, and Hermione. Hermione had conjured up a bright blue fire that could be carried around in a jam jar. They had their backs to Ame and Ace, and the jar trying to get warm, when Snape crossed the yard. Ace noticed at once Snape was limping. Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer together to block the fire from view, as they were sure it wouldn't be allowed. Unfortunately, something about their guilty faces caught Snape's eye, He limped over, right as Ame and Ace were passing. He hadn't seen the fire, but he seemed to be looking for a reason to tell them off anyway.
"What have you got there, Potter?"
It was a book. Ame and Ace zoomed in, reading the title "Quidditch Through the Ages." Harry showed him.
"Library books are not to be taken outside the school," said Snape. "Give it to me. Fire points from Gryffindor." Ame wondered why he was so mean to Harry. She probed his mind to hear what he was thinking. Ame realized that she had a little problem. Garnet, their mother, had never shut them out of her mind or shut it down.
Apparently, Snape was a master of mind blocking, his auto-defenses almost made Ame collapse. Only the training Ame had had with Ace the past few months had kept her standing. Ace felt her distress signal and caught her immedantly. Unfortunately Snape had felt the auto-defense but not who had caused it, he turned immedantly and saw the twins.
"What are you doing out here, you two? What's wrong with her?" Snape growled.
"None of your business," Ace hissed. To bad for Ace, Ame wasn't really conscious enough to give caution. Snape should have been more open the possibility that he was about to, well get hurt…. Badly.
Aces' eyes started to change color, his hair slowly grew longer and started to change color also. Ame eyes popped open. She knew immedantly what was about to happen. She had seen the only once before in her time.
Five years ago, Ace had been in the yard, Ame and Garnet had been inside cooking. Ace started to feel, well, hatred and a lot of it. He looked up and saw a flock of birds. No, not birds. Bats. Garnet felt them and something a lot eerier a moment later. She grabbed Ame and ran outside. The bats were gone but instead a tall, strong, man stood there. A red eyed, white haired man stood before them. He had blue strips markings on his face below the ears. Ace was no where to be seen.
Ame had never seen the man. Garnet had. Garnet didn't take time to explain to Ame, she screamed a word the made the ground shake. The man stumbled the shoved his hand into the ground and the shakes stopped. Garnet then screamed "Banish", spread her hands wide, and shoved power toward him. The man put his hands up defensively and was shoved back into a portal as if a Force Wave had hit him. The portal closed after he went into it. Exhausted Garnet collapsed for a few moments, while Ame stared at the now empty place where the man just was. One week after, the portal opened again. And Ace fell out.
Snape didn't notice Ace change in appearance, which was very gradual.
"What were you doing out here?" Snape repeated.
"We were on our way back to the castle from Hagrid's," Ace said, "you got a problem with that Snape?"
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ame all thought Aces' voice had deepened.
"Yes I do," replied Snape, "its obvious that you were somewhere you were not supposed to be. Your sister is half conscious, and you're storming back to the castle. I bet you were at the forest and got into to trouble that you first years couldn't handle."
O Gods, Ame thought. It's as if Snape was actually provoking Ace. Ace started to make a move toward Snape when he heard Ame in his head. Ace, now is not the time to go on a teacher killing spree. If you attack him I will be forced to remove you from that form and hurt you very, very, badly. Ace realized Ame wasn't in the mood to play around, and she was hurt he remembered.
Ame was working up powerful meditation needed for a spell, when she saw Ace change back. Great Mother. she thought incredibly, He actually listened to me.
Snape, meanwhile, had regain some of his composition.
"Five points from Gryffindor for the refusal to answer your teacher." he said, "Now, I will ask again, why is your sister too weak to answer for herself."
"Professor," Ame said, standing up. "What are you talking about??"
"Its been great chatting Professor," Ace said. "But we need to be getting back to the castle." They walked off. Snape, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at them as the walk off. More than one mouth was open. Snape realized he was staring also and walked as quickly as his hurt leg could manage back to the castle.
Later that night in the common room it seemed that entire Gryffindor House was in the common room. Maybe no one was in there, but it still seemed loud. They were either gossiping or talking about --
Tomorrow. The first Quidditch game.
The next morning dawned very bright and cold. The Great Hall was full of the delicious smell of fried sausages and the cheerful chatter of everyone looking forward to a good Quidditch match. Harry looked terrible. He wasn't eating anything Ame noticed. In an hour's time he'd be walking onto the field.
By eleven o'clock the whole school seemed to be out in the stands around the Quidditch pitch. Many students had binoculars, with the exception of Ame and Ace who could zoom in and out just by focusing their eyes. The seats might be raised high in the air, but it was still difficult to see what was going on sometimes.
Ame and Ace stood with Ron, Hermione, Neville, Seamus, and Dean, the West Ham fan, up in the top row. They had painted a large banner on a ruined sheet. It said Potter for President, and Dean had drawn a large Gryffindor lion underneath. Ame looked examined it with expert eyes and saw a charm of paint changing on the sheet. Then Gryffindor and Slytherin walked out onto the field to loud cheers. Madam Hooch was refereeing. She stood in the middle of the field waiting for the two teams, her broom in her hand. Ame and Ace honed their hearing to hear what she said.
"Now, I want a nice fair game, all of you," she said, once they were all gathered around her. They noticed that she seemed to be looking particularly to the Slytherin Captain, Marcus Flint, a sixth year. It looked as if Flint looked as if he had some troll blood in him.
"Mount your brooms, please." They clambered onto their broomsticks. Madam Hooch gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. Fifteen brooms rose up, high, high into the air. They were off.
"And the Quaffle is taken immediately by Angelina Johnson of Gryffindor - what an excellent Chaser that girl is, and rather attractive, too -"
"JORDAN!"
"Sorry, Professor."
The Weasley twins' friend, Lee Jordan, was doing the commentary for the match, closely watched by Professor McGonagall.
"And she's really belting along up there, a neat pass to Alicia Spinnet, a good find of Oliver Wood's, last year only a reserve - back to Johnson and - no, the Slytherins have taken the Quaffle, Slytherin Captain Marcus Flint gains the Quaffle and off he goes - Flint flying like an eagle up there - he's going to sc- no, stopped by an excellent move by Gryffindor Keeper Wood and the Gryffindors take the Quaffle - that's Chaser Katie Bell of Gryffindor there, nice dive around Flint, off up the field and - OUCH - that must have hurt, hit in the back of the head by a Bludger - sent his way by Fred or George Weasley, can't tell which - nice play by the Gryffindor Beater, anyway, and Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle, a clear field ahead and off she goes - she's really flying - dodges a speeding Bludger - the goal posts are ahead - come on, now, Angelina - Keeper Bletchley dives - misses - GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"
Gryffindor cheers filled the cold air, with howls and moans from the Slytherins. At this moment Ace took time to observe his surroundings. He was on the lowest form of platforms. About twenty or thirty feet off the ground. The senior platforms were about one-hundred feet. Available only by stairs. Hagrid had just joined Hermione and Ron. Judging from the giant binoculars around his neck he had been watching from his hut. Ace smiled and returned to the game.
Apparently something of great importance had just happened because Harry and Slytherin Seeker Terence Higgs were neck and neck in a valiant race. They were the only ones moving with the exception of Madame Hooch and Marcus Flint. Then Ace realized two things. One: Harry and Terence were after the Snitch. Two" Marcus Flint was about to --- WHAM!
All the Gryffindors roared in anger. Marcus Flint had blocked Harry on purpose, and Harry was holding on for dear life. Madam Hooch spoke angrily to Flint and then ordered a free shot at the goal posts for Gryffindor. But in the confusion, of course, the Snitch had disappeared from sight again. At least from the untrained eye. Ace was watching it as it came closer. It just happened to fly by. Ace quickly grabbed it and examined it.
Ame, sensing mischief, had looked at Ace. Ame ordered him to give it to her. Then when he looked away she quickly examined the enchantment on the Snitch. It appear to be a mixture of a levitation charm, a wings enchantment, and the rune symbols of agility. Ame was surprised, she hadn't realized that this school had Ancient Rune studies. Well maybe not the class itself but it should have books on it. But they undoubtedly had books on it in the Restricted Section.
She was about to examine it closer when she heard a strangled cry from Ace. She looked over at him in alarm. He stared at her in horror.
"So I'm not allowed to look at it but you are, huh?"
Ame sighed. With great reluctance she let the Snitch go. Meanwhile, of course the game was still going on. Gryffindors were outraged. Lee Jordan was finding it difficult not to take sides. "So - after that obvious and disgusting bit of cheating-"
"Jordan!" growled Professor McGonagall.
"I mean, after that open and revolting foul-"
"Jordan, I'm warning you-"
"All right, All right. Flint nearly kills the Gryffindor Seeker, which could happen to anyone, I'm sure, so a penalty to Gryffindor, taken by Spinnet, who puts it away, no trouble, and we continue play, Gryffindor still in possession."
Then, after that, Ame felt a frightening chill, cheeping down her back. Head pounding she looked towards the sky before her vision went neon. A premonition in public!
Slowly her vision cleared. In her minds eye she saw Harry floating high above the crowds, broom buckling madly. He was barely holding on, when her honed hearing picked up whispered words. Her eyes moved to the staff tower where dark and light auras blended.
Then the vision ended. Dizzy, she grabbed Ace's arm. He poked her, when Hermione started talking with Hagrid.
"Dunno what Harry thinks he's doin'," Hagrid mumbled. He stared through the binoculars. "If I didn't know any better, I'd say he lost control of his broom… but he can't have…"
Suddenly everyone was pointing at Harry. His broom had managed him to hold on with one hand.
"Something happen when Flint blocked him," asked Seamus.
"Can't have," Hagrid said, voice shaking. "Nothing but Dark magic can do that--"
"Wait!"
Grabbing Hagrid's binoculars Hermione searched the crowd. Stopping at the teacher's tower she pointed.
"I knew it," Hermione gasped, "Snape -- looked."
Snape was standing opposite of them, and muttering nonstop under his breath.
"He's doing something -- jinxing the broom."
"What should we do?"
"Leave it to me!"
And with that, Hermione was gone. Off to fight Snape.
Ame started tugging on Ace's arm.
"Ace," she whispered in his ear, "I can't see. Look at the teachers tower, and tell me what you see." Ace started scanning the tower, stopping at Snape.
"It's true," Ace muttered. "Snape is muttering non-stop."
"Look again," Ame instructed. Inhaling deeply, she nearly choked on essence of garlic. She started choking and sputtering.
"Ame!"
Quickly, she stopped chocking, to prevent flying over the rail.
"Stop -- hitting -- me --" she sputtered.
Her eyes cleared immediately. Her premonition was happening right now. The jinx was ending.
"Ace." She grabbed his hand."
In their combined eye sight, they saw through Professor Flitwick, who was in front of --
"Quirrell!" they both whispered.
Dark runes were flowing out his mouth, dark intention written on his face.
"Oh no!" the twins mimicked.
"Leave it to me," Ame said, but Ace had ran off to destroy the monster.
"Nothing I can't handle," Ame sighed, inhaled, and began,
Sun that shines brighter light,
Here, today, there is a perilous flight.
Cobwebs of evil being spun,
This sacred magic must come undone!
"Let the spell be broken," Ame finished. Then honing her sight, she saw the best parts. The runes Quirrell used were returning back into his mouth! Now he was the one choking!
But then fire erupted in front of Quirrell, on Snape's robe!
Ace! She screamed. What are you doing? The fire could spread?
That wasn't me, he glumly replied. Your goody-goody friend got here first.
What? Hermione!?!
)(&$)(
By now, it was Christmas. Snow covered the grounds, which caused some conflict. The Weasley twins were punished for making snowballs follow Quirrell, which the Ace and Ame didn't object to. But Ame did object at Ace for getting a detention. It seems he threw a snowball at Draco Malfoy, then put snow in front of their common room. It was pretty uneventful, besides Ame almost decapitating Ace.
No one could wait for the holidays to start. Even Ame, although she was depressed that school would be out for two weeks.
It was always cold, and even fires didn't help their stone walls. But worst was Snape's potions' class in the dungeons. Ame seriously considered burning his classroom, but it was Ace who actually did it. And got another detention.
"Ahh!"
"You're going down!"
After potions, their final class before Christmas Break, everyone went to have snowball fights. But Ace and Ame weren't throwing snowballs.
Everyone who watched were amused or awed. Ace moved quickly enough where no one could catch him. And Ame… lost her temper.
"That's it, you mutt!" she yelled 20 feet away from him.
"Time to show some power," she muttered to herself.
Pointing a finger at him, she yelled, "SIT!"
White light enveloped Ace, and moments later he was face first in the snow.
After Ame had smacked Ace across his head, and screamed about his two detentions, was she calm enough for the spell to go off.
"What' da do to me?!" He said, while spitting out snow.
"Just a perk, for me at least, for giving you the sword card," she replied smugly. "And now that I'm done beating you down, in public I might add, we can enjoy our break."
There were more rumors in common rooms that night.
A few nights later, starting of the break, Ace suggested going to see the three-headed-dog. Ace was perfectly comfortable going and having a conversation with the dog, but, of course, Ame had forgotten that Ace's powers granted him a certain gift of tongues.
It took Ace almost an hour to convince Ame to get her nose out of her book to listen to him.
"Ame, why can't you understand that you can talk to animals?" said Ace. "If you'd stop be so stubborn you would understand that."
Ame, however, was addicted about a spell she was reading. Ace saw that she was spell-tranced. He sigh mentally and thought why does she torment me, and then he broke into her mind. Before Ace was brutally kicked out of Ame mind. If anything, Ame had really good mind powers.
"Oh lord, why does she have a really good guarding spell?" he thought as he was thrown into the wall. Unfortunately his offensive power had a rebound effect on him. He slammed into the wall, into the floor, across the dressing into the common room, into a fireplace, but his power had one ill-effect. Most people think breaking the fire place is bad. Well, Ace had re-arranged some magical hinges. He slid down a slide trying to have the perfect calm that Ame always seemed to have. Thinking of Ame he tried to remember what his mind probe effect had had. "If I alter the aconite to powdered moly and the brimstone to powered sage then I could focus the spell to animals only." What? Is she trying to kill the animals? Oh, I see. She is trying to talk to them. I can't believe that she doesn't remember the lesson Mom taught us. Idiot girl.
While Ace slide to unknown peril, Ame saw that he was gone. Looking around she saw his room in utter chaos. His room was almost on fire, it seemed the fire went crazy. Everything else was just disorderly.
Hum… leave it to him to leave his room a mess.
After making sure no one would bother her, by looking all doors, placing barriers, and finally her cloak of protection, she began her spell.
First she set a sacred circle, walking clockwise and leaving silver fire from her hand. When she reached her starting point, she walked counter-clockwise, pulling the fire into a dome. This way, any effects, good or bad, would only harm her and the circle. She almost forgot, but also covered the floor.
Then sitting in the center, she pulled out her ingredients, already blessed by moon and sun. First the moly, which she placed with the sage. Then pulling out copal, or copaiba balsam (an incense blessed by Jupiter), she set it alight with a look, and through it, the herbs also.
Softly the powder began to light as well. Quickly she pulled out a turquoise, the stone of animal communication. Slowly the smoke of the incense and powder rose, and looking through the crystal, she was able to see a figure.
Now for the hard part, she thought. She began chanting:
What I will, shall become reality,
What I want, will become true.
Animals shall obey my command.
In the presence of their spirit.
Ame held out a clear white quartz crystal, to amplify power. She waited for the spirit to enter the stone, and signify her final stage could be set. It eventually entered after a moment of waiting. And when it did enter, the crystal shattered and the spirit evaporated. And with a fragment of the crystal, she stabbed her palm.
With a hiss of pain, she pulled the crystal out. But where she stabbed herself, there was no wound, but a white scar, showing the spell succeeded.
Pleased, Ame began collecting her materials to be put away.
That's when she felt an alien presence that reeked of evil. Fortunately Ame had her cloak on, the one her mother gave her, when someone tried to posses her.
The cloak, protecting her from mind and body intrusion, grabbed a sliver of power from her intruder.
Pinching the power, she pulled it into a straight line, and spiritually followed to it's source.
She whipped out of her room, and followed the line down a corridor. Racing after it, she followed it down to the Grand Staircase, down to the Defense Against Dark Arts classroom.
"What an odd place for an evil spirit," Ame thought wryly.
The classroom door opened, and Quirrell emerged. And his spirit was alive with energy, coiling inside his body. Suddenly all she could see was Quirrell, and through his turban she could she gray power, like a dead person. When Quirrell turned her way, she instantly withdrew.
"Uhh," she shuddered once inside her own body.
Immediately she broke her circle and ran to her mirror.
"You look nice," the mirror replied when Ame came into view. She quieted it with a touch. She looked into it thinking about Quirrell. When nothing happened after a minute, she twitched. And the mirror broke under her steadfast gaze.
She ran over to a bowl, once again trying to scry Quirrell. Waving over it, it filled with water, and she began thinking about Quirrell again. After another minute of concentration and emotional battling, the water began to boil. The water evaporated, and the bowl exploded.
( ' ' ) KIRBY! ( ' ' )
Ace slid for about two minutes, before sprawling out the slide and onto the ground. Literally the ground. The slide took him outside the walls of Hogwarts and behind a large shrubbery shaped like a star. He peeked carefully back out, to ensure no students would see him emerge. But before that, he looked back at the slide. The wall had closed and he poked it.
The wall formed a mouth. "Password?" it asked.
"Let me in," was Aces' reply.
"Not without the password,"
"Now!" he said with emphasis.
The wall slide silently open. When he walked back through the wall swung and hit him.
"Next time use the password. It's old pickles."
Looking around, he found the chamber where the slide ended. He saw the slide emerge from a tunnel and he saw a ladder. Sighing, he began to climb.
Practically five minutes later, he fell into his room. Looking above his fireplace, he found solid rock where he fell. Jumping up he pushed at the stone. Obviously it was a one way passage. He wondered if the slide stopped at other floors, but decided it would be easier with Ame. She had that unique power to make unliving things speak.
Walking into her room, he found it as messy as his own. There was glass everywhere, and Ame sat in the center of the room. Enclosed. With silver energy. Trying to regain her composition.
Ace sneaked up behind her. "AAAAAAHHHHHHHHH," he yelled and grabbed her.
Ten minutes later Ame handed him her potion. "This should get rid of your headache," she said. Ace drank it. Then vomited again.
"Well, I feel so much better now," he drawled. "I really love being blasted with magic every time I scare you… I would like to think you would be used to it now, as it would make things much easier on me. Anyway I need your help with a stubborn wall, Ame." Ame followed Ace to the wall. She looked at it, looked away, looked again, went to her room, came back, looked at the wall again. "Ace, sometimes I believe father was very dumb and you inherited all of it."
"Er--"
"Ace, it is a wall! Get this through your head! Do you have it?"
"Yeah Ame, it's a wall."
"Good, are you ready?"
"Huh?"
Ame pointed at him, and he literally flew through the wall.
"Ow, what did you do that for?" the wall asked.
"It wasn't me, it was -- wait. Are you talking?"
"What? Are walls not supposed to talk?"
"No."
"Oh, okay then."
Ace waited patiently, but the wall didn't speak again.
"Hello."
No answer.
"Wall."
No answer.
Ace jumped up, and poked the wall.
No reaction.
"SPEAK!"
"Ow, you freak. Quit yelling." And the wall opened.
"Ame!! What did you do?"
"I got you to talk to the unliving wall."
"And how did that happen?"
"By me throwing you into the stupid wall, so you could realize that you can control most spells. Due to the mortality of the casters."
"Huh?"
()
"So when are we going to see that dog??"
Ace and Ame were cleaning up their rooms the next morning.
"How bought tonight," Ace replied.
"Okay, but I got some homework. I'm heading to the library."
"What about breakfast?" Ace asked, shocked.
"If I get hungry, I'll just go down to the kitchens."
"You actually know where that is!? Why haven't you told me!" Ace yelled.
Ame sighed on her way to the library. In truth, she had finished all her homework the first three nights of break. She couldn't stand Ace's constant planning on how to cause mayhem to the Slytherins during the break. Even more importantly, she wanted to research Quirrell, and the reeking spirit he withheld.
When she got to the library, she asked Madame Pince about spirit possession.
"Well," Madame Pince began, "spirits are able to inhabit a living creature in numerous ways…. Spells, potions, and there is even a race of lizards that die and re-enter their young's body… of course, we only know that because they had knowledge all the way back to the sprouting of the first moonfern. But the most important thing about normal possession, is the body's permission in intelligent creatures. Practically any creature possessing the power of speech is considered intelligent, and therefore can organize their minds to resist spirit intrusion. The exceptions to the case always depend on the spirit. Is that what you wanted to know?"
"I think so," Ame replied, "thanks for your help."
Ame was very confused over the prospect of Quirrell's problem, but she quickly forgot when she found Harry and Ron, whispering, surrounded by books. It looks like they had major problems. She creped up on them.
"I still can't find anything, and we've been looking for ages," Ron complained.
"I know, and I can't find anything either," Harry whispered.
Ame was right behind them now --
"Where's Hermione?"
Both were so startled, the books they were holding flew up. Ame grabbed them, before they could fall back down.
"Ame, what are you doing here?" Ron asked.
"Oh, I was looking for Hermione," she lied.
"Sorry mate, she went home for Christmas," Harry said.
"Oh well, see you later then."
But before she could reach the library exit, they caught up to her.
"Do you know where we can find Ace?"
Ame concentrated, and found Ace lurking by the Forbidden Forest.
"He's by the Forbidden Forest."
They ran off, going to Ace. Ame shrugged, then went to McGonagall for extra work.
Leering into the Forest, Ace wanted to enter but refrained. Hagrid was doing gamekeeper work nearby, and if Hagrid found out, his Godfather would as well. Sighing he turned to go eat an early lunch, but found him face to face with Ron and Harry. Except, they were about 20 feet away from him.
They held up their hands warily, remembering the threat with the big sword. Then when Ace cocked his head, they inched closer, and lowered their hands.
"Hey, we just wanted to say thanks about the troll and the dog. Those were pretty fun, right?" Ron asked.
"I guess," Ace replied warily.
"But," Harry began. "We wanted another adventure, and we need some help."
"What kind of help?" Ace, again, asked warily.
"Your help."
"Why me?"
"Er, -- Uh Ron, help me out."
Ron paled. "Well," his voice lowered. "We, uh -- think you're a -- a,"
"A what?" Ace asked.
They both put their heads closer and whispered "Vampire."
Ace laughed, then replied, "I bet Hermione figured it out."
"Well," Harry said, "Hermione suggested it, then we started adding things together."
"Like what?"
"Your paleness at night, hitting Peeves, or your super strength."
"And you assumed I'm a vampire?" Ace asked mockingly.
"Well, Hermione reckons you're half human."
"Well," Ace said, wearing a devious smile, "now I must dispose of you two."
"Ace," both of them had paled noticeably, even red-headed Ron, and Harry's voice wavered a little, "we won't tell your secret. You're a good guy, and a formidable enemy. So we wanted to be your friends."
"I'll think about it," Ace said as he got up to leave.
"Wait," the boys managed to yell after he jumped over them.
Turning around, Ace asked "What now?!?"
"Do you know who Nicholas Flamel is?"
"I'll ask Ame!" he yelled while running away.
Both boys slowly got up, and sighed in relief.
"Oh, glistening, beautiful Amethyst! Where art thou?" Ace yelled while entering his room.
"In my room, you stupid prat!"
"What's up with you?" he asked in his doorway. It might be dangerous to go closer, if Ame was in a bad mood.
But she answered normally.
"Nothing new, just bored out of my wits," was her dry reply.
"Hey, do you know who Nicholas Flamel is?"
"Ya," Ame replied, perking up. "Why?"
"Some friends want to know," Ace yelled to her room.
"Like Ron and Harry?" Ame asked slyly.
Ace leaned on her doorframe. "How'd you know that?"
Ame tapped her head. "I'm physic," she replied. "And I told them that you were by the forest."
"Your horrible!" Ace mocked.
"What can I say," she said.
"Well, they don't sound so bad, I guess I wouldn't kill me to have some more mischievous friends," Ace mused.
"Didn't you come here to ask me something?" Ame suggested.
"Oh, right. Who is Nicholas Flamel?"
She cleared her throat. "Well, Nicholas Flamel was the only known creator of the Sorcerers Stone."
"Oh… that's really interesting."
"I know that look. You are clueless to who Flamel is and what the Philosopher's Stone does."
"Hey, I know nothing about wizardry relics… just demons and vampires. Also, why did you call it the Sorcerers Stone, then call it the Philosopher's Stone."
"It's the same thing," Ame answered.
"Well, you are right. I know nothing about the Stone. Will you tell me what is does?"
"Fine, the Sorcerers Stone either: (A) turns any metal into gold, (B) makes you immortal with the Elixir of Life, or (C) …. um, there isn't a 'c'."
"That's it! Good lord! Who would want something like that?"
"I don't know, maybe the world is ignorant, and wants things that are unimportant."
"Don't be a prat, Ame."
"I'm not."
"Liar."
Christmas came and went. Both woke on Christmas morning and went to the little tree in Ame's room. And underneath were presents.
There was one from Dumbledore. He gave both Ace and Ame… socks.
"Why would we need socks?" Ace asked Ame.
She looked at him, puzzled as well. "Maybe he has a sock fetish."
Their other presents were much more appealing. Ace got a list of secret passages from Filch. He gave Filch a self sweeping broom he found in his closet. He gave Mrs. Norris cheese (strangely, she likes it).
Ame received a book from Filch, Madame Pince, and Dracula. Filch's was Creatures of Dark Hallways, Madame Pince's was Rise and Fall of the Sun, and Dracula's was The History of Iris's, found in his library.
Ace received gag gifts from the Weasleys and Harry, got a pie from Hagrid, which looked inedible. And from Dracula he received an amulet with a setting sun portrayed on it.
All the note said was Useful after sunset….
"Awesome presents!" Ame exclaimed.
Once again neither had got each other presents, they would just give as they got.
So Christmas dwindled down. Term started again, and the students returned.
Ironically, things very interesting soon happened. Ace and Ame had again planned to visit the three-headed dog, but they found out something much more interesting.
Ace had gone to the Gryffindor Common room to hang out with the Weasleys, and Harry.
But Harry and Ron weren't there. And since Fred and George were occupied and Harry and Ron were closer to his age, he went looking for them, instead of hanging with the twins.
He searched the library, where he found Ame, who was looking for Hermione. He convinced her that Hermione was probably with the others, so she joined his search.
After looking in Filches' office (and saying "Hi" to Filch and Mrs. Norris), Snape's dungeon, and looking out the window towards Hagrid's, they still couldn't find them.
They were walking past the hospital ward towards their room, when they heard Harry and Hermione.
They walked towards them, and with the corridor being dark, they weren't seen. They also got to overhear some things….
"So all we have to do is have Norbert up at the astronomy tower at midnight and bam, no dragon," said Harry.
"Who has a dragon?" asked Ace's voice from the shadows.
On Saturday night, the night the dragon Norbert was to be taken up to the astronomy tower, Harry and Hermione headed down towards Hagrid's house. They were covered by Harry's new Invisibility cloak, of course. And Ace followed them secretly, covered in his own Vampire cloak.
For some reason, Ace could still see Harry and Hermione, their outlines through the cloak. Maybe it was because he was invisible, also. But when he opened a slit to look through, he still saw them. He decided it was a vampire thing.
When Harry and Hermione reached Hagrid's, they disappeared inside, briefly. They returned, with a box in between their outlines.
He followed them through the Entrance Hall, up the entire staircase, down a corridor, up more stairs, and that's we're they froze. And witnessed Professor McGonagall catch Draco Malfoy, and give him a detention.
They climbed the final spiral staircase, where Hermione did a jig and almost sang. They waited, and gloated about Malfoy.
After ten minutes or so, the lot picking up the dragon arrived. They showed Harry and Hermione how they strapped the crate between four broomsticks.
After two to three minutes, Norbert was gone.
They slipped down the staircase, but got caught by Filch. You would think they would notice the Invisibility cloak not on them….
Ace grabbed the cloak and ran after Filch.
It seemed that Neville had also been out of bed. Gryffindor lost 150 points, while Slytherin lost none. All four: Hermione, Malfoy, Harry, and Neville, got detention. You would think McGonagall would have been a little fairer about the points though.
After talking to Filch and Professor McGonagall, Ace learned the four would have detention in the forest with Hagrid. But Ace couldn't go since he didn't get in trouble. So Ace decided to try and get there without getting in trouble. So he decided to talk to ---
"Headmaster," Ace asked, pushing through his office door. "Are you here?"
"Yes, what do you need, Ace?" Professor Dumbledore walked down the stairs outlining his office. All the portraits in his office either waved to Dumbledore or Ace, and the others slept or tried to look bored.
"Er-- I need a favor…"
"A favor?" Dumbledore asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Ya, I've heard rumors of trouble in the forest. And that some people I know have to go to detention there. And since I can't get in trouble, without Ame killing me, I wanted to ask if you will let me go?"
"And Ame? Does she want to go?"
"Er-- I'm not sure."
"Well," Dumbledore said, "it depends on Ame. If she doesn't mind, I'll reconsider it, but I probably won't let you."
"But ---"
"And," he added wickedly, "if she wants to go along, you can both go."
"Thanks, Professor. I think…."