Right, we're getting there now! Soon, we will know what is inside the Obsidian Chest, around 2 more chapters, maybe, if that. Mind you, these chapters will be getting probably longer and complicated. I need 3 things to happen at once, 2 of which involve Voldemort's plan, which shall be revealed (almost) in time, 1 of which, involves another element, and afterwards, it just will all go to hell.
Chapter 10: The Mystery of Professor Sinistra
It was November now. All the trees near Hogwarts were bare; leaves littered the ground whose grass had lost its luscious green tinge and become slightly brown. The air was chilled throughout the castle and the grounds. Fall was over, and winter was fast approaching. A dull air had fallen over the castle. Students were anxious, as they hadn't had any sort of break for a while now and most of them were counting the days until the Christmas holidays. It was that tone of dullness that hung everywhere, even Harry felt it, but for a different reason.
Between Halloween and the current date, Harry had met with the Order of the Phoenix several more times at his godson's house. The Order was active, now, which was good. They had had some minor victories over Voldemort. George, their correspondent in Diagon Alley, reporting on everything from Gringotts to Knockturn Alley had managed to suppress some recruiting there. This was good, making it difficult for Voldemort to gain followers; however, it had consequentially led to something not so good.
Harry was positive Voldemort was aware that there was an organized resistance against him now, besides the Ministry's feeble attempts.
His suspicions were as good as confirmed a week ago in the form of Mr. Weasley's forced retirement. The Order was now sure that Voldemort had infiltrated the Ministry rather deeply because Mr. Weasley had been forced to retire unceremoniously with threats of Azkaban should he refuse. Basically, he was fired. The Burrow, apparently, was now being watched, according to Mrs. Weasley.
Andromeda Tonks was also under surveillance and was constantly late for meetings as she almost always had a tail whenever she went out. Luckily, no one was ever followed to Teddy Lupin's residence. It was demanded that to arrive there, everyone apparate outside the protection surrounding the place, and enter that way. Previously, the Weasleys had used the Floo Network (for the first few meetings) to enter Headquarters at a very specific time, and through illegal back channels in it, away from Ministry monitoring. They did not dare do it again, Voldemort's spies were everywhere.
From that evidence, it was almost a sure thing that Voldemort was keeping tabs on former members of the former Order. In fact, not almost sure, completely.
It was troubling to Harry, not only that the Order members were being watched, but more so, he didn't know by whom they were being spied on. It was either Death Eaters or the Ministry. Both were equally as problematic, but the latter was far more disturbing. Hand-in-hand with that, Harry and the Order were almost positive that Voldemort definitely had some department heads under the Imperius Curse. Along with suppressing any more recruiting Voldemort might campaign for, the Order was also quietly attempting to release those prominent figures within the Ministry from the Imperius Curse. This was difficult without being noticed, near impossible.
As a precaution, Harry had reinforced the wards around Hogwarts once more, as well as number twelve, Grimmauld Place to ensure not only his student's safety, but his family's. Right now, Lord Voldemort had a strong toehold in the Ministry of Magic. They had to work hard, and they had to work fast if they wanted to break it, and Harry could not let such worries for other people's safety distract him. He had to be sure they were safe, or he was sure he wouldn't be able to move fast enough.
XxX
Winter was approaching now. The trees around Hogwarts no longer bore leaves of multiple colors. They littered the grounds now, and blew hither and thither with the biting chill of the wind. With Fall's slow departure, so too departed many members of the Hogwarts Staff at inexplicable, sporadic times. Albus had noticed this, ever since after Halloween. Most of the time it was his father that was conspicuously absent from the school, this could be determined by a quick examination of the staff table during meal times. But Harry Potter was not the only one to disappear at random. Albus also noticed that Professors McGonagall, Malfoy, Longbottom, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Weasley vanished as well.
Constantly, this group of teachers popped in and out the school. Never during weekdays, and lessons, if it could be helped, though Albus had already had Transfiguration and Charms taught by Hermione when either of the professors of each class were absent. Most of the time, one of the group was left behind to cover. It was a clever scheme they had devised, whatever it was for.
Hugo, Rose, and Phil, of course, had noticed it as well; this might have been due to the fact that their parents were among the vanishing staff, as was Albus'. They spoke about it extensively, when it began to become more prominent, and together they could only assume that the disappearing staff was disappearing to plot against Voldemort. This was cemented in their minds mostly because Harry had fought Voldemort before, and it was only expected that he should do so again.
While it was interesting, if not frightening to dwell on, Albus and his friends had other problems. Divination was becoming an increasing annoyance. This was due to the fact that practically every time Albus came in contact with Professor Trelawney, she immediately predicted imminent doom for him and his family. Also, she was handing out copious amounts of homework, more than McGonagall, even. Albus didn't complain about this, however, since Rose usually smugly stated that he should have taken Arithmancy.
Divination did not compare to Astronomy, though. The main thing on Albus' mind.
Professor Sinistra had become increasingly distant, unfair, and cruel to Albus. Picking on him extensively when he answered a question incorrectly, calling upon him in class on questions no one knew the answer to, and them humiliating him when he got them wrong. Not only that, she constantly sought excuses to take points away from him (once she did so because he smudged ink on an essay that he handed in to her this had also caused him to receive a D on the essay). And, as angry as this made Albus, it also made him uneasy.
Albus had had detention with Sinistra again for losing his temper when she gave a Slytherin an O on an assignment, and him a T, when the Slytherin had copied Albus' work word for word. Sinistra had insisted it was the other way around. And ever since that detention he'd found Sinistra suspicious. He remembered when she opened that black chest again, the awful smell, the clanking of bottles of gin. Albus was determined to know what was in that box, because it smelled like something long dead. He was sure its was illegal, or at least something Sinistra could not afford to be seen. Albus' belief in that fact was cemented because she gave detention during his last detention when he asked what was in the box.
Not only that, though. Albus was also highly suspicious of exactly what was in those opaque gin bottles Sinistra drunk from. On more that one occasion, Sinistra had promptly left the Great Hall during mealtimes when her supply of whatever was in the bottles ran dry. Again, Albus was sure whatever she was drinking, it wasn't gin, and it was either illegal, or potentially career-crippling. He intended to find out, he didn't know how, and he didn't know when.
All he knew was that he had nearly walked smack in to Sinistra's office door, unaware in all his musings that he had arrived at his destination for a single purpose. That purpose was to serve the detention Sinistra had issued him last detention. Albus knocked lightly, but no answer issued from behind the door, though he was sure he heard her moving around in there. Without even thinking, Albus threw opened the door. Sinistra was in the room, alright. She was kneeled over her open, black chest, her hands inside it, fiddling with something.
"Er…" Albus trailed off. Sinistra started, and several things happened at once.
The professor pulled her hands free from the chest as though it were something indecent, this was followed by the sound of a metallic clang and shattering glass. In the same moment, she produced her wand and aimed it at Albus.
"Damn it, Potter!" she hissed, stowing her wand in her robes. She looked positively livid. "Knock next time, yes?!"
"Sorry, Professor, I did, but you didn't answer."
"Right!" snapped Sinistra, closing the black chest with her foot, and locking it. Albus took a whiff of the air, it still smelled horrible, but, somehow, he had gotten used to it. Or maybe the thought of what he might have just walked in upon was overriding his senses. What had Sinistra been doing? It must have been something bad, because she had been startled so thoroughly that she had drawn her wand on him.
"I didn't answer Mr. Potter," continued Sinistra. "So what made you think that you should just open the door, and bloody barge right in?!"
"I heard you… and…."
"I have a good mind to give you another weeks worth of detentions, Potter, and—" Sinistra cut herself off, glancing at the chest. She seemed to decide better of giving Albus any more detentions, however, she clearly wanted to avoid a repeat of this incident, which only she seemed to understand fully. "But, no! Instead, you're going to write a different set of lines for me."
"How many?" Albus inquired dully, sitting down before her desk without being invited. Sinistra ignored this and sat down before him.
"Three hours worth, Potter."
"I—what?! Three hours?!"
"Three hours, because I have forty foot-long essays to grade. You're going to stay here for three hours, and write lines while I grade."
"But— I—"
"What?! Homework, or something of the sort? That it, Potter? Too much homework? I'd expect so, because, you know, your essay is due next class, and if I know you, you have no idea what you're writing about. What, Potter? Do you need to concentrate? Lack of sleep effect you, yes? Good! It'll reinforce my point, and hopefully get it through your thick skull not to cross me!"
Sinistra looked positively insane as she thrust a massively long piece of parchment before him, along with a quill and ink.
"And you're fortunate I'm only having you write me lines, Potter!" Sinistra snapped. "Begin, and I swear, if you fall asleep, or question me I'll give you a month's worth of detentions."
Sinistra took a swig from one of her gin bottles, Albus hadn't even noticed it was in her hand. She then sat down, and began her grading, muttering incoherently under he breath.
That detention passed rather swiftly, except near the end when Albus felt his eyes drooping, and the pace of his writing slacking. Untrue to her threat, Sinistra did not even notice, she was only about half way done grading essays when she looked at her watch.
"Merlin's knotted beard!" she shrieked, causing Albus to jump and spill ink all over her desk. "Look at the time—" she took notice of the spilled ink, "—damn it, Potter! Clumsy little child, you are! Out with you, out now! Scourgify!"
Albus stood, somewhat surprised, having fully expected another detention from Sinistra after knocking over the ink. Rather than dwelling on it, and giving Sinistra the chance to change her mind, Albus hastily exited her office, and made way for the Gryffindor tower. Upon entry, he immediately headed for his dormitory, and without changing, fell on the bed. He fell asleep almost instantly.
XxX
The next day, Albus awoke at noon, and when he made his way to the Great Hall, lunch was being served. It was after taking the first bite into his food that he realized there was Quidditch practice that day, at about three o'clock. Of course, Quidditch had started, and the Gryffindors were set to match Hufflepuff immensely soon. For the first time ever, Albus was rather irritated with Quidditch, however, since he had mounds of homework to complete.
These feelings of glumness, and the volume of his homework grew throughout the week. They reach boiling point Wednesday night, when Albus had class with Sinistra again (since not every class was Friday). Luckily, he'd escaped with no detention. However, this did nothing to ease his mood. Once more, homework was being piled upon him, and to make things worse, James, his dear brother, had called for practice every night.
Albus was constantly exhausted, resulting in poor marks on all his homework, or else no completion of them at all. To make matters worse, tonight was Friday night, and once more, he had a double period of Astronomy, beginning at eleven o'clock. He'd had to run all the way to the Astronomy Tower after Quidditch practice, to make it there in time. Upon arrival, his heart sank. The entire class was already there. He was late.
Sinistra scoffed, standing near the black board. She took a swig from an opaque bottle near her side.
"Potter," she sneered. "You're late by a minute. Twenty points from Gryffindor, and a detention, I think."
"What?" Albus snapped incredulously. A minute late?!
"Yes, Potter, I think that will do. You shall have detention in my office next Saturday evening."
"But—" Albus sputtered, "I have a Quidditch match!"
"All the better, then, yes? Take a seat, Potter, now."
Albus slammed his books upon his desk and sat down. Sinistra shot a glaring look at him.
"Another twenty points from Gryffindor, careful, Potter, or I might give you another detention."
Immediately, Sinistra turned to the blackboard and began to write something, at the same time, the door burst open, and several tardy Slytherins made their way to their seats, which Albus had only just noticed were empty. Sinistra paid them no heed, anger erupted in Albus' stomach, and boiled all the way through the class.
Steaming after class, Albus, Rose, Hugo, and Phil silently made their way back into the Gryffindor common room. Their fellow classmates all headed up to bed, as it was quite late, however, neither Albus, Hugo, Rose, or Phil felt tired in the slightest. Albus' anger had reached boiling point, and as the last Gryffindor (an exhausted looking second year) climbed the stairs to the dormitories, Albus finally spoke his mind.
"I can't believe her!"
"Neither can I," said Rose. Everyone looked at her, for Rose rarely ever criticized teachers. "Well, she's been so unfair to Albus. She didn't even look at those Slytherins."
"There's something off about her," interjected Phil.
"Yeah," Albus agreed. "Last year she was as fair as anyone else…. I don't understand it, but I reckon it has something to do with all those bottles of gin she drinks, or whatever she's got hidden in that black chest of hers."
"What chest?" Rose inquired.
Albus launched into an explanation about the black chest in Sinistra's office, making it as short as possible. He, Albus, spoke to Rose, Hugo, and Phil about how the chest bore a magic lock, and Sinistra stored bottles of gin in it, as well as spare ink and quills. But, also, about the horrible stench that emanated from it.
"Odd…" said Rose when Albus had finished.
"What's odd?" Albus asked.
"What could she possibly be keeping in that chest that smells so horrible? And why does she drink so much gin?"
"Dunno," said Albus. "But I think there's something bad in that chest. Maybe something illegal, she nearly hexed me when I went into her office and she was digging around in the thing…. There's something in there that's messing with her mind or… something."
"Well," said Rose, "it's not likely she's going to show you, is it?"
"Probably not," Albus replied.
"She gave you detention," Hugo stated. All eyes turned to him now.
"What?" Hugo asked, as though what he said had made complete sense and there was no reason as to why they should look at him so inquiringly. "What if you looked inside the chest that detention?"
"How am I going to do that?" Albus asked, slightly irritated.
"I dunno… I suppose it would require more than a bit of luck, requires a bit more thinking," Hugo said.
"Luck…" Rose trailed off. "Oh--!" everyone jumped as she shouted this, "Albus, Felix Felicis!"
"What about it?"
"Slughorn gave you a vial of it last year! What if you used it during your detention with Sinistra and looked inside the chest? I'm sure it would prove helpful somehow, it is liquid luck after all."
"I…" Albus trailed off, having almost completely forgotten that there was indeed a tiny vial of golden liquid in his trunk upstairs, a bottle of luck. "Well… yeah, I reckon I might just do that."
"Yeah, but Rose," said Hugo, "why are you giving us advice on how to trespass on a teacher's personal property?"
"Oh, honestly," snapped Rose indignantly, "haven't I just said I thought she'd been acting weird? I suspect whatever she's drinking from those bottles of gin is illegal or something. But whatever she keeps in that chest I'll bet has to do with her behavior. Anyway, she hasn't always been like this. Last year she was completely fair, and a good teacher…."
"Well, that explains it," said Hugo tonelessly. He gave a great yawn. "Anyway, I'm going to bed, we can talk about this tomorrow."
Everyone exchanged goodnights, and they too followed Hugo up to their dormitories to sleep.
Ok… now, many, many things must happen in the span of 2 to 3 chapters including finding out what is inside the Obsidian Chest. This is likely going to take me a long time to plot out straight, so be patient. It's in my head, but it must be written down in an organized way. By the way, you may want to click the review button, just a thought.