Chapter 10
They had started off with a simple Boil Cure potion. They grabbed the ingredients out of the cupboard, and stood at there tables. Adding water till the cauldron was ¾ full, they began chopping porcupine quills, crushing snake fangs and adding powdered beet root and other ingredients.
Raven had to help Neville because he was so nervous he kept dropping the ingredients, she kept showing him the difference between crushed and powdered, chopped and slice.. excetera. (Hey being a cook help a little bit :) ) Neville blushing because of raven being near him and someone actually taking the time to show him what's proper, didn't notice Snape looking over his shoulder. He spoke making Neville jump and nearly knock over his cauldron.
"very Good Ms. Black at least someone of my house knows how to properly prepare the ingredients. Ten points to slytherin."
Raven laughed under her breath seeing his face and smiled up at Snape who looked at her for a couple seconds then left, while Raven went back to her cauldron.
At the end of class Draco and Harry got an almost perfect potion Neville and Kida did an EE worthy potion much to the surprise of Neville who was beaming. Hermione and Ron got an okay potion because Ron added the quills to early.
" Know for those of you who actually made a proper potion , you are excused from tonight's assignment. However ; those off you who created an...abomination, have to right a 12 inch essay on what you did wrong, how you should have done it, what ingredients are vital to this potion and why you botched it."
The next day after words they had DADA and that was not something harry was looking forward to. At the opening feast his scar began to hurt when he was looking at one of the professors turban. He thought it was just a fluke but still wanted to be cautious. For lunch they had Pizza and everyone got the kind that they liked they also got soda much to the surprise of the older students , when they learned that a student suggested it. It was delicious.
In DADA the Ravenclaw and Gryffindor were together they all entered a room that positively reeked of garlic. They all sat down as the professor stuttered and introduce himself as professor Quirrel. He talked about how spells are all about intent and that a wand was a buffer to help you channel the emotions and bring forth a spell. Apparently not many can do wand less magic. He said that Grindelwald the dark lord in Dumbledore's time could do it just like Dumbledore himself, He said that they would also learn about the history of curses and hexes to better understand what they were originally used for and how they had developed over the years to what they were used for today. All and all they had learned quite a bit in an hour. Harry' s scar hurt at random intervals but he didn't pay attention to it.
The rest of the month leading up to Halloween followed the same pattern. DADA they learned about jelly legs hex and light jinxes and hexes, Raven finally got her wand the last week of September . The rush of magic she felt made her feel almost complete. It was 12 inches long with a silver metal handle with a picture of a crow and a thestral underneath of a tree with eyes. The wand itself was a greenish black. They also had here first flying lesson where Seamus Finnegan took Neville's rememberall after Neville fell of his bewitched broom, harry went after him in the air and McGonagall was thinking about putting him on there quidditch team saying " lord knows we need a least one good team this year."
Snape called on Raven harry and Draco, constantly in potions,He treated the Gryffindor like the spawn of the devil though. A boy named Seamus and dean blew up there cauldron spilling their second the Boil cure potion all over themselves and were scolded by Snape and escorted to the hospital wing covered in vicious boils and burns.
Harry and Raven received a message from Joe, he was alright. The doctors put him on some chemo and the cancer wasn't progressing , which was good, he was proud that they got into respectable houses and were doing well, he asked about herbology and there other classes were about and if they needed anything. He also asked if they could get permission to come home on Christmas. He was let outside a lot more often and he started eating more. Raven and harry were ecstatic. Then Halloween came.
They had Ham, turkey, steak, salads soups and breadsticks, they also had a lot of candy everywhere. Raven was a little partial to treacle tarts, licorice wands and chocolate frogs, Harry liked the ever flavor beans and gummy worms that actually moved until you bit them. Underneath the table Lucifer was laying down surrounded by raw steaks and hams with a bowl of cider. He was passed out, purring in comfort.
Harry just noticed that Hermione wasn't at the table.
"Where's Hermione?" asked harry looking at Neville.
"Pavarti Patil said she's been there all afternoon crying because Shamus Finnegan said that she was pathetic cause she didn't have any real friends."
Then the night was ruined. Just as he was about to go look for her the doors to the great hall burst open to reveal professor quirrel looking haggard and shaken.
"TROOLLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGONS!... thought you ought to know" he said as he passed out face first on the hard cold floor. Lightning struck and every one panicked and were running about till …
"SIIILAANCE!"
Everyone froze and looked to Dumbledore who had his wand at his throat. "would everyone please not panic! Now, prefects will lead there house to there dormitories, teachers will follow me to the dungeons. However; Slytherin house will stay in the great hall with the doors locked. Until professor snape comes for you."
After the teachers dispersed and the prefects started leading the students away harry stopped Neville and whispered harshly "Hermione! She doesn't know!" Grabbing Neville they ran up to the girls lavatory on the third floor, when an awful stench flew through the hall. Neville looked like he was ready to bark from the smell. The hid behind a door post and saw the troll stroll into the girls bathroom.
"its going into the girls bathroom! Come on we have to get her-"
"AAAAAHHHHHH!"
CRASH
Running into the bathroom they say the troll take his club and side swipe the bathroom stalls and Hermione curled on the floor.
(enter troll scene)
The next morning
Raven had just got to the great hall where she saw harry at the Ravenclaw table laughing with Neville, Hermione,Draco, Ron and Susan. Fuming Raven walked over to the table and Neville, seeing Raven on the war path ,scooted over as far from harry as possible. The others, seeing his fear turned around only for harry to get a slap in the face.
SLAP
"YOU STUPID,SELFISH,INCONSIDERATE,HERO ISSUED,LOATHSOME ASSHOLE! HOW DARE YOU GO FACE A TROLL BY YOURSELF U STUPID IDIOT!"
By this time the whole hall of students froze and looked over to the commotion.
"WHAT THE HELL RAE!" harry yelled stood now holding his now redden cheek."WHAT THE WAS THAT FOR!"
"WHAT WAS THAT FOR?! ARE YOU DEF? YOU FOUGHT A TROLL BUY YOURSELF AND YOU ASK WHY? YOU STUPID FUCKING IDIOT! WHAT WOULD DAD DO IF HE HEARD ABOUT THIS? DO YOU KNOW HOW DISSAPOINTED HE'D BE! YOUR LUCKY HE DOESN'T NEED THE EXTRA STRESS OR YOU WOULDV'E BEEN SENT A HOWLER BY NOW BECAUSE I WOULD'VE TOLD HIM!"
"Raven," he sighed swiping his hand through his long locks looking tired" look Hermione was in trouble I couldn't let her get hurt "
Calming her self down she lowered her voice into a dangerous whisper (even though the whole hall, plus the hoard of teachers buy the entrance could still here her through the silence.)
"Did you ever think to get a teacher before they left the hall, to warn them that granger didn't know and was in danger?"She Hissed.
".."
" didn't you think after reading about trolls in DADA that no student, especially a first year rarely defeats them? Your lucky that was a adolescent And not a full grown mountain troll. Really I thought after Vernon you would've learned to think before you act, you idiot."
"don't bring hi-"
"ill bring him up if I want to Harrison! You.. I cant believe you didn't think things through, I thought that your saving people thing was over and you were going to start to use your head."
"look your not my mother Raven! I'm sorry that I rushed into things but I cant help it . its none of you business anyway, so sod off."
"none of my business?! I'm your sister! Of course its my business. what if you'd gotten killed? how would I have told that to Joe? I promised to keep you safe and I cant do that if you don't talk to me and run off to save someone at every opportunity."
" look I'm sorry. Yes I should've thought it through but I didn't. I promise not to do it again this year. alright." Harry said pleadingly looking like a scolded child.
" good." Was all she said before she walked out of the great all to her class.
The following month was confusing for raven. Harry was separating himself from her, she could feel it. Normally they could tell each other everything but lately he had been hanging out with Ron and her Hermione,whispering about something. They stopped when she was near by and Raven didn't know if she could take the secrets anymore.
Raven was feeling more depressed and angry then ever and her housemates could feel the storm beneath her skin. She disappeared during breaks and at night. She had dark circles underneath her eyes and she was constantly practicing with her sword and mind prowess in secret . She was determined to make Joe proud, and show him her technique at Christmas. Snape hadn't come to the lobby after the first night. This frustrated her to no needed someone to talk to, since some one wasn't available anymore.
But today was thanksgiving and her dorm mates were supposed to name one person in the school they were thankful for and give them a kiss during the feast. Raven thought of Harry, but then they weren't really talking. Then she thought of joe, but she highly doubted they'd let her go all the way to London right now. Draco, don't know him that well. Wait ...' Brilliant' she thought.
During the feast, dumbledore door stood.
" Attention please. Now it is time for the thankful kiss tradition. Now I shall go first. I am thank full for Mrs. McGonagall ." He said leaning down to kiss Minnie on the cheek to where she blushed.
" I am thankful to... Fawkes ." Dumbledore stunned watched as Minerva kissed his Phoenix on the beak who preened at the attention. Dumbledore huffed and muffled, ' stupid bird '
And so it went throughout the hall. Until it was ravens turn. Standing up she cleared her throat and walked up to the teachers who were looking at her curiously. Walking around she said. " I am thankful to ..professor Snape.." And kissed the unsuspecting teacher square on the mouth. Shocked, the only thought that went through his mind was 'soft'.
Backing away from him she noticed the whole hall was silent. But she didn't care.
"Happy Thanksgiving!" She said skipping her way out. Of the hall.
Unfortunately for her Snape gave her the cold shoulder the rest of the time. 'well we will see how long that lasts' she thought.
Questionably though he seemed to be in a daze leading up to Christmas.
December
There was a Hogsmade trip tomorrow with the teachers as chaperones, so that the students could get presents for there loved ones. Every weekend of December the teachers took two classes at a time ravenclaws and Gryffindor and hufflepuffs with Slytherins. Snape and hagrid took the S and H's McGonagall and Flitwick took the G's and R's.
Raven went with Draco to random she had money now she decided to splurge. She got Swiss chocolates for Millicent and Zambini, Emerald and diamond earrings for Daphne, dragon hide gloves for Nott and Crabbe. For Goyle she got a gift card to Honey dukes Sweetshop,( and while she may not like them, they were friends at some point) For Hermione she got a ancient runes textbook, for Ron a gift card to madam milkins, and for Draco she wanted to get something special, so she separated from him and went into a little jewelry shop on the corner near knock turn alley as she entered she noticed how cold it was, she wandered from case to case before a hunchback man came over and snarled,
" what you doing her grille?"
"I'm looking for something special, no price limits for 2 slytherin males of best quality, …..also I'm looking for the same for a ravenclaw male. DO you have anything of interest?" seeing the males eyes light up when she said no price limit she raised an eyebrow as he nodded and scurried to a room in the back and came out with a black hulky jewelry box.
Opening the box she saw a beautiful silver necklace with a snake biting its own tail wrapped around an a sapphire the size of a thumbnail. It had what looked like runes which as confirmed by the shop keeper when he spoke after coming out with another box.
"that is a silver pendant with a true sapphire, its covered in protection runes, that protects from any hexes or jinxes when cast upon the wearer it also casts a protégo shield upon the warer when they are unconscious and unable to protect themselves."
" perfect, and the others?"
" ah of course. Thus one here " he started as he pulled out a ring made of silver that looked like a dragon surrounding the finger clutching a ruby( ring from sorcerers apprentice)
"Is a match to the necklace in terms of protection." He said
" I'll take it, and the last ?"
" I think you'll like this one...these" he said pulling out two necklaces that were on a simple black string. They each had a green gem about an inch and a half in length with two pearls next to it near the top of the gem on each necklace. "This my lady belonged to that of Salazar Slytherin and his wife. They having tracking spells and the highest of protection spells placed upon them however there is a catch..."
Raven however was barley paying attention, what he said, had caught her attention, her vault was missing two necklaces, both belonging to Salazar.
' Thief' she hissed violently.