A/N: SO SORRY EVERYONE! I know I haven't updated in a few weeks but I've been flat out and a little dry in the writing department. I'm still not even happy with this one but I decided it was time for a little bit of lighter reading as I didn't want this story to move too fast. So even though there's a little bit of information at the start. This is more or less a little bit of a good time for my lovely characters.
Rehash: "I knew I'd heard it somewhere before." She muttered.
She rifled through the pages before coming to a stop and slamming her hand down upon it.
"See right here! This is where I'd seen it before." She grinned.
Draco took the book from her hands and read through the page.
"Marielle Caspian… You old witch." He said.
Chapter ten.
excerpt from Hogwarts, A History. Chapter 41, Early 19th century orders and societies.
Orders and societies were quickly forming within the school due to the corruption of the then Wizarding world by Magnesia the Glacier witch and the students became divided. To this day some societies are still believed to be in operation yet many suspicions lie around as to what their purpose is or to whose side of the battle they were truly on.
Orders and societies such as the Balëgnyne's (a group of students whom recruited many followers and began to reincarnate ancient oracles to steal their wisdom) were hunted by those who sought wisdom, and the enforcements to prevent the damage they were causing in the space time continuum.
An even more illusive society was the LaBrae. It is believed that they were a select group of students who performed horrifying deeds upon unfortunate chosen witches and wizards to extract certain magical components in an attempt to create a Braelit. Some believe they were successful yet others are convinced that Braelit's are nothing more than tales spun by wives in the 13th century. (For more on Braelit's refer to Hogwarts myths and Legends, page 907.) This erroneous group were never tracked and their reasons for singling specific wizards and witches are still unknown. The most known about the LaBrae is that they supposedly only ever met when the constellation of Airedale was visible (yet where they met was never discovered.) and supposedly the leader of the society wore a blood red robe.
One of the victims of the LaBrae's crimes was a Hogwarts Professor. In 1821 Hogwarts employed the young and extremely talented Archibald the Alchemist (For more on Archibald the Alchemist refer to Hogwarts Professor's section 3b. page 179.) His service to the school came to an untimely end which to this day remains a mystery with which many myths and legends still linger around.
Archibald was discovered by a Ravenclaw student and then Head Girl, Marielle Caspian in the dungeons behind a suit of armour wrapped in a red sheet. After autopsy it was discovered that his anatomy had become voids of veins which had somehow been completely and cleanly extracted.
…………………………………………………………………
Hermione and Draco made there way out towards the quidditch pitch for the match.
"I knew I'd heard that name somewhere I knew it!" She said.
"So there was a portrait of her in my quarters last year?" Draco chuckled. "I never even knew."
"Well she was head girl at one stage so of course she got her portrait up in Hogwarts. She seemed nice enough. Do you really think she could have killed poor Archibald?"
"Hermione not everyone is as sincere as you. Some people may appear like that on the outside but you should never trust face value. She was a Ravenclaw, thirsty for knowledge and wisdom. Who knows what that Braelit thing or whatever it was they were trying to create could do. And maybe they succeeded and that's what Claribell Austen was talking about in that letter."
Hermione nodded. It made sense.
The roars of the crowd were getting louder as they edged toward the pitch.
"Good luck today then Mr Malfoy." Hermione said cheekily as they took their seats in the teachers stands.
"Against those blood thirsty Ravenclaws your soppy Slytherin's will need it."
Draco feigned hurt before grinning and looked out at the field as the Ravenclaw's entered the pitch.
Three quarters of the crowds cheered wildly and Hermione laughed as she watched Draco pouting and muttering incoherent thoughts beneath his breath.
The Slytherin's entered the field and amongst all the boo's from the Ravenclaw supporters Draco's shouting cheers of support were bellowed loudly. Even more surprising was when Hermione stood up and cheered for Slytherin alongside him.
"C'mon Slytherin's! Show 'em what we're made of!" Draco shouted.
"C'mon, put that Slytherin Determination to good use out there!" Hermione yelled.
Draco looked down startled and Hermione looked up and raised an eyebrow.
"You're my future husband I don't really think it would be right to cheer for Ravenclaw."
Draco grinned and began to shout cheers again above the roars of the student mass.
Madame Hooch made her way to the centre of the pitch and the Quaffle was released.
And they're off! Slytherin in possession now, a pass to Larson, Marx, back to Larson, he fakes left throwing off McLeish! Larson passes to Giles, Giles weaving his way threw the Ravenclaw's now and... and... Oh!! Ravenclaw steals the Quaffle right out of his hands!
Two rows behind Hermione and Draco, Andromeda sat thinking intently, glaring holes into the back of Draco's skull.
Reagan scores!! Ravenclaw ten, Slytherin nil…
"Come on you slimy Slytherin's you're being beaten by bookworms!" Hermione shouted.
Draco looked at her appalled and she simply laughed.
"I do believe you just insulted both teams in that one sentence!" He said humoured.
"That I did."
Ravenclaw in possession. Brentwood passes to Argo- No he doesn't! Hendrix intercepts! Slytherin in possession now. Marx passes to Abele, Abele speedily making her way up the end of the pitch, these Ravenclaws just can't get her!
On the other side of the pitch Harry and Ron were sitting amongst the Gryffindor's cheering wildly for the Ravenclaws.
"Hey Harry! Harry can you see that!?" Ron yelled in an attempt to be heard over the roar.
"See what? The intercept? Yeh I guess it was good but..."
"No, over there!" Ron shouted pointing towards the teachers stands. Harry followed his finger and looked over at Draco and Hermione. They were both cheering wildly as well but he was quite certain it was for Slytherin. Sure it was depressing that Hermione was cheering for those sneaky snakes but Ron chose to point that out? No, it couldn't be that. He looked at the other teachers and his eyes fell two rows up to where Professor Artemis Lithben sat staring intently at Draco and Hermione. His face was fixed with a menacing snarl.
"Don't worry about it Ron." Harry said.
Ron grumbled and just continued to watch the game. He was certain he had seen a flicker of change upon the face of Professor Lithben. As if for a split second someone else was peering through.
Amongst the throng of flying robes Harry snaked his hand down the arm of the little red-headed girl beside him and grasped her hand. He felt butterflies fluttering frenziedly within his stomach but they all disappeared when he felt her squeeze his hand gently back. Harry looked down into her brown speckled eyes and she gave him a slight little smile. Tiny little tears were appearing on the corners of her eyes and although at first Harry felt terrible he realised that these were nothing but tears of bliss. Merlin he missed that smile, those eyes, the feel of her small soft hand within his.
"Thankyou" She mouthed silently.
Harry shook his head and leaned closer so as not to alert Ron to the situation.
"No." He whispered. "Thankyou."
I think he's spotted it, yes there it is! The snitch! The snitch! Von has spotted the snitch, here comes Thatcher, he's gaining! It's neck and neck boys and girls! Oh and look at that! Von has… has swung off of his broom and is attempting to catch the snitch with his feet! And, yes… YES! HE'S GOT IT! THE GAMES OVER FOLKS! SLYTHERIN WIN 50 TO 20!
Hermione and Draco stood up and joined the Slytherin's in their ear splitting applaud which managed to somehow drown out the three quarters of the stadium groaning and booing.
Draco turned and picked up Hermione twirling around excited.
"We won, we won!" He chanted immaturely. "You're our little slytherin charm now my dear." He said.
Hermione laughed uncontrollably. "Yes, we won we won. But I am no slytherin charm. When it's against Gryffindor I am most certainly rooting for them Draco."
He put her down and sighed. "I guess that would be alright." He said staring down into her beaming russet brown eyes. The full golden sun glinting playfully off of them.
He brought his face down close to hers and brushed his lips against hers. All the teachers had vacated the stands and joined the celebration on the pitch, or began the journey back to the castle leaving them alone up in their sector with nothing but the background noise of the students.
Well that's what they thought anyway. But standing rigid at the top of the stairs, still unable to turn and leave was Andromeda… well Artemis Lithben. His face contorted into the image of Andromeda's anger.
'I'll get that murderer.' She thought as she finally managed to turn and leave.
'And she… will help.'
A/N: Soo... do you like? Or would you have preferred I just kept zooming on into the mystery plot. Truly I think I actually gave quite a lot of information in that excerpt.. OH! the page numbers of the excerpts on Archibald the Alchemist and Braelit's shall be included later on. I just didn't want to put them all in at once. I have some exciting stuff coming up in the next few chapters as we plunge even firther into the mystery... yet at the same time getting closer and closer the unravelling the whoe kit and kaboodle. Please review. I hope you're all Harry and Ginny fans as well coz I lvoe them nearly as much as Hermione and Draco. XD I dedicate that little lovey bit in here to my friend Madeline.
Anyway... thanks for reading. LB. x