Alright guys! Here we go, it's almost the end of the first year ^^
So read and review :D
Chapter 10: Dumbledore's gone
Baelfyre was a very bright student. Nobody could say otherwise, even professor Snape and his most ferocious glare. Black was, though, a very troublesome student. With terrible manners.
Anchored deep in pureblood traditions had said Snape one evening while facing the Headmaster. The latter had not uttered a word, deep in contemplation. McGonagall had decided to snort and to point out the numerous non-pureblooded acts of one Baelfyre Black. And then the portrait of Nigellus black had outright laughed at them.
"Nobody can understand an insane but an insane."
These very words had seemingly not shocked a single soul in the room. They knew the old headmaster was the most detestable character to have ever had free reigns of the school. There was simply no point in debating with him on a pointless subject. Especially if one were talking about this very endearing family that was the Blacks. Snape had gone simply stating the need to correct a few students to remind them about curfew – but the knowing smile of the Headmaster said he knew what Severus Snape was about to do - while McGonagall had gone to see Flitwick, thus leaving the headmaster alone with his thoughts.
"Ah, Minerva. I was looking for you!" cheered the small professor upon seeing her in the corner of a corridor. The Castle could be very accommodating when he wanted to, thought distractedly the transfiguration professor. The two professors went side by side, talking about one of the Ministry's new law about the regulation of magical property. Slowly desecrating the Minister for his stupid law, the professors met some Slytherin first years.
"You must do it Draco!" simply said a shrill voice, also known as Pansy Parkinson. "He is your cousin."
"Well, you adore him. I personally hate his guts." Muttered the small blonde through clench teeth. "I already hear too much of him at home! I thought mom was gonna strangle him when he took the floo powder to leave the manor on his birthday."
"No way! He did not …" wondered Theodore Nott behind Draco Malfoy.
"oh yes he did. Aunty Bellatrix destroyed the Chimney and Mom blew up the windows. Accidentally. That's like so unusual."
"Where did he go?" Parkinson demanded.
Draco shrugged his shoulders.
"That's the thing. I did not hear. But I bet Mom heard. Dad took me out though, said something about Black genes." The disdain and the pout could be heard miles away.
"Did Xerxès come back?"
"Yes. At 4 am. It was not pretty. Came back through the entrance of the manor, with this huge stupid grin and said he had side along apparition with Auntie Andy …Mom and Auntie Bellatrix were waiting for him with their wands."
"Andy? But I thought your whole family was at your manor for the holidays and the ball?"
"That's the thing, he came back with this … blood traitor"
The shiver that went down the spine of the little students did not go unnoticed by the two professors. Repressing both their thoughts at who and why they were talking about, they ushered the Slytherins to scatter. The conversation between the two professors came back when they were assured of being out of earshot.
"Can you believe this Minerva? Do you really think Black had the gall to leave and come back with … his disowned relative?"
The very undignified snort that left one of the portrait in the corridors answered the charms professor. McGonagall merely pursed her lips, thinking about the scene.
"Well, he definitely came back earlier than planned."
The small professor chuckled.
"Why, yes. I believe he was certainly in a better mood than when he left the castle."
A small silence reigned where the two wizards took the time to exactly remember the departure of one Black. In truth, the small student had been very quiet at the end of the term, and certainly not willing to leave the castle. And according to the rare non-explosive letters exchanged between father and son, the feeling had been reciprocated. The grin that had adorned Baelfyre's face had faded away. A scowl had taken its place.
It had been very entertaining when Draco Malfoy had tried to stun his cousin, only for the spell to backfire on him. All the while, Black had been sleeping. He had woken up at a very red Malfoy shouting blue murder at him. Then, promptly left with a pat on dear Draco Malfoy's head.
That particular action had forced the whole first year Slytherin dorm to act as a whole. They had stunned Baelfyre Black while he was brooding somewhere in the library. The following words exchange had been very crude but it was said the trip to London had been peaceful. McGonagall certainly could imagine the glare the small Black could have conjured, waiting for his parents to come while his cousin celebrated a well-done capture.
Honest to Merlin, the professor had been worried. She had tried to intervene but Severus Snape had shaken his head.
"Recently, it is true that the relationships between Black and his family have become … dire, but they have never been not tense."
Minerva had arched an eyebrow at Severus, not shocked about his knowledge. The snarky professor had shrugged and touched his left arm.
McGonagall almost sneered. That left arm. The Dark Mark. But of course he knew the Lestranges, they were best pal. Or more exactly, Minerva knew Severus was close to the Malfoys, who in turn were close to the Lestranges.
"Black, what are you doing?" the passably angry professor had just spotted the student whose family she was just thinking about. And said student seemed in particularly high spirits.
"Just avoiding Draco, professor." He paused with a smile, "Perhaps, I went a bit too far but I am so not apologizing." He shrugged.
"Whatever. Don't run in the corridor. Don't dirty it either … Merlin knows Filch has been absolutely cranky these last years. No need to add fuel to the fire." She said in a huff, passing the student in large steps. He had grinned.
"yes professor. Merry Christmas by the way."
McGonagall had almost waited for a prank. It never came. Well, no need to wait for one to come. Pursing again her lips, an odd tick she seemed to have whenever a Weasley or a Black was involved, she left.
On his part, Bael tried to stop his bouncing heart from leaving his chest. The old witch had surprised him. Which, in itself, was something. He had spent these last few days avoiding angry witches. And his cousin.
Oh, he had brooded alright. In the Gryffindor tower, the last month had been a bit harsh. Especially with Ron. And then, he had discovered the wonders of the library and the knowledge of the next curriculum. And then he had been bored. Angry bored. Annoyed bored. Sad bored. Something was missing and it had taken him a whole month to realize his dearly missed his friends. Actually, it had taken him a mirror. Hidden in plain sight according to him, but the Headmaster had said it was hidden in a small disused classroom. A classroom that was locked and that Bael should not have had access to.
And his terrible manners had acted again. He knew he should have at least talked to the Headmaster nicely. Ah. Well, years of contempt from his family had actually gone to his head – or that is why Bael was trying to convince himself with. He had ignored the director.
A night before the Hogwarts Express was supposed to leave, Bael had snicked yet again out of his dorm, out of the prying eyes of his dorm mates. Knowing the castle by heart, he quickly had gone to the small room with the mirror. Ha had lost himself in the reflection and cried silent tears. But that, he would never tell anyone. Only, the Headmaster had seen him. Unknowingly, Bael had realized too late the Headmaster knew of his nightly expeditions.
A loud thump of his heart later and a reminder to be stealthier next time, Bael had rudely interrupted the Headmaster in his small speech and left. But he had been there too the next night.
"What!?" had harshly demanded Bael angry with the world. A delicacy Hadès and Yvan – the Malfoy's owl – had thought necessary.
The Headmaster had chuckled. Bael had groaned.
"I believe my boy, we both know what this mirror is. Yet you keep on coming back, why?"
"You know why."
Bael's voice had been hoarse. Green with envy too.
"May I ask what do you see."
"A book."
The answer had been direct and hardly believable.
"What do you see you?" demanded the student without an ounce of respect.
Bael had thought the Headmaster would not answer.
"A pair of socks. You would not believe the number of people who think I need books at this time of the year."
Bael had sneered.
And that is exactly what had spurred a quick change in attitude. A sneer was exactly what his grandmother would have accepted. That old witch. He hated her too much and made as much effort to be as far from her as possible.
With a small cough, Bael had tried to apologized. It had come more like a cry, mixed with a weird strangle noise, but in Bael's opinion, it had done the deed.
"I really do see a book, you know. It's not written in yet. I … The name is A Thousand Years Of Forgotten History."
"May I inquire how does it begin?"
Bael humphed. A quick lie here to show he was not completely dim witted and his sentence went along the lines.
"Oh well, you know. It is a history book so it would begin with: In these pages, A thousand years of long memories and terrors are imbued. Erased and half-truths are the remnants of a once grand civilization, the rest since long in a state of decay."
Albus Dumbledore had indulged him a knowing smile.
"It is certainly a bit dark, don't you think?"
"Well, that is the middle ages." Bael had said.
"True enough. Do continue, I find myself curious."
Bael followed his lead.
"Well, it is about a lot of things. But I can't really read it to you. My hand is hiding the rest."
"Oh, your hand? Are you writing it? Do you want to become an historian?"
Bael felt insulted. An historian, ah, the good joke. He would be disowned just thinking about such an unpureblood job.
"It's a working project." He begrudgingly said.
A small silence had reigned.
"I do see my sister Arianna. She died a long time ago in a terrible family drama."
Bael turned slightly his head, that was the only emotion filtered. He had not thought the Headmaster would really answer him. The piercing eyes of the Headmaster stayed solely on the mirror in front of him.
"Many men before you have lost their lives in this very mirror. I'm an old man with many regrets. You have your whole life in front of you. Do not falter in front of such artifacts."
Bael's heart clenched at these words. And he knew the Headmaster realized it too. Well too late now.
"I know."
"Good. I will hide the mirror again."
Bael had nodded without conviction.
"It changed, you know. What I see in the mirror."
Without knowing why, Bael told the Headmaster his greatest fear.
"It used to be just my close family. I … wanted to make them proud again. It's my friends now."
At these words, Bael showed his left arm.
"Sometimes I wonder … if they ever were. Proud I mean. My parents. Of me. The Dark Mark, I received it when I was five or something, for them. I thought they were proud at me for … you know. But now that I think about it, they never really were. I know Aunt Cissy was afraid. She never said so but she was. Mom … it was never clear, but I think she just worshipped the Dark Lord even more. The others did not utter a word. I think they were jealous I got it so young."
Dumbledore had taken a sit. Bael could not see him, but the atmosphere felt tense enough.
"I never really wanted that mark though. The only thing that made the Dark Lord accept me was perhaps because of my parents. The rest … he did not care. Left me a book and told me to study it. Left Nagini too. I don't really remember much about him. He was harsh and unforgiving, I know he always felt cold too."
"That book … is it the one you were talking about?"
Bael shuddered.
"No. The book he gave me is somewhere in my room at the Manor. But I never could open it. It was locked. It's not like I could read it at that time though."
They said nothing for a small while.
"You said you wanted to make your parents proud again. When did they stop ever being proud at you?"
The small shake od Bael's voice was heard.
"I don't know. They certainly are not anymore with Gryffindor. I wanted to make them proud but …" Bael was afraid now, " I hate it." His voice was barely above a whisper, "I hate it so much. I won't lie, I don't particularly like muggle born. But I found Hermione and Uncle Ted. I hate squibs but then I found Neville and some family. Even what they called blood traitors … I don't see it their way anymore. They used to say they would kidnap us. But they never did. If ever, they showed more kindness than my own mother did. And the Dark Lord …"
"he has a name." said slowly Dumbledore.
"Please… don't say it. I hurts."
Dumbledore indulged. Bael let out a small laugh.
"It's pathetic."
"I don't think so."
"I'm jealous and afraid. At almost 14, I'm afraid and jealous of a dead man."
"Jealous?"
Bael laughed again. It was not a joyous one.
"It's his fault my family is that way. Had he never existed, things would have been different. Perhaps my family would have loved me too."
"he certainly inspired fear in many others. Jealousy too. A Dark Lord he might have been, but he was bright."
Bael huffed in denial.
"You ought to talk to Sirius, my boy. He could understand many of your pleas. He too, looked for his parent's approval."
"But he does not want it anymore. They're dead anyway. Heard it from Mom, Walburga died in a fit because Sirius had dared to show his girlfriend to her. How insane does it prove my family to be?"
Dumbledore said nothing.
"Does it make me someone bad for seeking my parent's attention?"
"No."
The answer had cut through the tense atmosphere.
"There is nothing to shame here."
"But it's … my family. Professor, they hate every one. Why can't I?"
"Do you really wish to hate people?"
"No … I mean … I'm not like them. I tried to make them laugh for as long as I can remember. But something changed with the Sorting hat. I could have gone to Slytherin. That hat … it asked me if I wanted to live or not to have regrets."
"What did you choose? To live?"
Bael, felt a surge of certainty cover him.
"No. I wanted to live without regrets. I don't like them. But now … I do have regrets."
Dumbledore said nothing for a while.
"You are looking at it from the wrong angle. You seek recognition, I think. That is not something you will see in your family for various reasons. But here, at Hogwarts, amongst your friends … you will find it. No regrets to have there."
"Is that supposed to make me feel better? I don't want to sever ties with them. Not when I see what happened with Andy."
"Fair enough."
"Perhaps … I need to talk a bit with them."
"I thought you said you hated it."
"Only when it is about the Dark Lord. They can be nice too."
Dumbledore hummed a bit.
"Does your family know of your thoughts."
"No!"
The reply was much easier to say than Bael would have expected.
"They can't ever know."
"Only you can decide for yourself what you want to do."
The two wizards had not spoken to the other since that day. But Bael clearly remembered being invigorated.
So what if I don't share all the same opinions as my family?
Bael had laughed heartily in a long time. And then his cousin and his merry little band of snakes had trapped him and dragged him in a compartment. That little pest had left him there for the whole day and it's his house elf that came to pick him up. Never had Bael been so humiliated. Or so he had thought. He stayed exactly 37 minutes in Malfoy Manor before disappearing through the floo. He did not want to spend the day with his family. So much to see, so little time to do it, he had said. Unfortunately, he had to come back. Only … he had forgotten a few it was supposed to be his birthday party. A party he ceremoniously crashed. Then his uncle Ted Tonks had brought him back and his Mom had seen him. With a pat on the shoulder he had left him in front of Malfoy Manor.
His ears still remembered the anguish cries of his mother. His body remembered the spells though.
Blinking twice, he had make a dive for his room, where he was punished. And behind their back, Bael had called his house elf and demanded to be brought back to Hogwarts. Naturally the house elf had complied and left him in front of the entrance with his luggage. Now, that had been a particular good escape. Flawless and silent. Even his confiscated wand had been brought back by the humble servant.
"Haha, serves them right to think they could imprison me. Now, to avoid Draco, let's turn right."
His pesky cousin had been looking for him ever since he had come back from the holidays. With glee, Bael had been very happy to let him run through the Castle. Perhaps turning in the Slytherin Common Room was not his best idea to scare him. He could already feel the rant his mother was about to write down about desecrating a noble House. Ah well. A muggle once said "you only live once".
Looking through the curtains the running small thing that was his cousin, a spark lighted his eyes.
"Found you!"
The small exclamation did not move Bael. Rooted on the floor, his eyes found those of the Slytherins he was trying so hard to avoid. And failing at it badly apparently.
"Pugginson and Greengrass. Don't the two of you just make the perfect little couple."
"Suck it Xerxès." Came the distant reply of Daphné Greengrass. "Heard you were in pretty deep."
Bael shrugged.
"Things happened. What are you doing on this lovely part of the Castle?"
"We're in the dungeons." Dead panned Pansy Parkinson.
A glare met the small eyes of the girl.
"Thank you for this formidable affirmation Pugginson. So, you were looking for me?"
The two girls merely waved to some people Bael could not see.
"Draco! He's there!"
Bael tried in vain to leave unnoticed.
"Xerxès!"
Bael turned angry.
"What do you want? If it's money, get out. Ask Mom or something."
Draco Malfoy approached. With his obnoxious sneer in place, he finally decided to open his mouth.
"You botched the holidays."
"Thank you for stating the obvious Draco." Drawled Bael already making it a point to show how uninterested he was in the conversation.
"Why?"
"What do you mean why? Is it not obvious? I was making memories."
With a slight manic grin, Bael dived for an exit within a wall. The castle being friendly with him let him pass and outright closed it for the Slytherin. Thanking again his chances for having yet again a chance at escaping the clutches of his dreadful family, the boy went for a stroll.
Considering the weather – that is to say cold January temperature and enough snow to burry a small troll – the park was out of question. Either way he was forbidden to take a foot outside. Snape had not liked the snow in his room. At all. The professor had glared during the whole welcoming back ceremony, which Bael had tried hard to ignore. Instead, he had work hard to make a lasting impression on his old friends.
"Ronnald Billius Weasley, I,"
Those words were as far as he could go. In one go, the big eyes Ron had sent his way told him to just shut up. On his right side, Neville had just lightly tapped his shoulder and Hermione had brightly smiled at him.
"Don't ever say my whole name dude!" had groaned Ron while eating some chicken wing. "I don't go around shouting Baelfyre Arctyméus Black in the Castle, do I?"
The smug look had deeply offended Bael.
"How do you know that anyway. I never told you my names."
Neville had answered him, because Ron did not seem ready to answer.
"We won chess against ted Tonks."
The slight tick in Bael's eye was the only reaction.
"hey mate, what's that?" Neville was pointing at a small flying note. Bael shrugged and Ron took it.
"It's for you." He said simply handing it to Bael.
The boy grimaced. In front of his new found friends he explained.
"From the handwriting, these are from my aunt. I kind of … left a mess. Don't look at me that way Hermione. I just left the Manor. Twice. In an evening. On Christmas day …"
Hermione did not blink, which was something really.
"Bael, whatever you do with your family stays with your family. I honestly don't want to know why you probably destroyed this or that heirloom."
"What does she want?" asked curiously Neville, peering over Bael's shoulder.
"An apology I guess. With formal warning not to come back without a present and the apology." Bael read the note, "Yep. I was completely right. Just how predictable are they …"
"What are you going to give?" groaned Ron bored out of his mind.
"Who knows … I might give her some rings. She's always loved it. That, or I just will never come back to Malfoy Manor. It certainly would be awesome."
The rest of the dinner went by peacefully. The Gryffindors actually had some real rest. Of course, this atmosphere was not meant to be. The very next day, the prank war that had been on hold – due to McGonagall – began anew in the common room. Or at least, that is what the Gryffindors thought. They were quickly proven wrong when they saw students suddenly jumping three feet in the air for no reason.
It was shown Fred and George were actually responsible for that one prank. Ron and Bael had only replicated the spell in the Slytherin common room. To the twos glee, they saw almost the whole Slytherin Common Room go through the infirmary. On this very fine day, the two old friend made up with a very manly hug. Even the Howler sent by Ms Weasley did not erase Ron's smile. His grin gave him a detention with Filch (Snape's doing apparently – Neville believed in a dark story of soap through the corridors, he certainly had heard people complaining about that). In merely two weeks in the new year, the Gryffindor hourglass had taken a huge blow. The dent was sizeable and even Bael seemed to try to make up for it in class.
Just as the two troublemakers were going up the stairs after another new bout with Filch (cleaning the whole trophy room without magic was perhaps the most disgusting the two had ever done had said Ron. Neville pointedly did not ask about the snails he had found in their hands one evening), they met Snape and Quirrel. The greasy professor sent a withering glare towards the small boys but did not say a thing. Quirrel ried to say something, but there, Bael had strolled past him without stopping. Ron could feel the house points going down but he was honestly too tired to care.
"Ha, I need to take a good shower!" claimed loudly the red head while waiting for the Fat Lady to open the entrance to their Common Room. And as if Ron had asked the Castle, he was showered with water.
"Whoever you are, I hate you." Muttered the boy. Bael, just as wet as his friend fell on the floor in a mess.
"Freeed! So not fair. We weren't ready." Articulated the boy.
In front of the two boys, the twins were holding their wand, laughing merrily.
"Expect the unexpected little bro'"
Ron groaned again, and took his friend's arm. He dragged him next to their common room's fire for a quick drying up.
"Next time, we are so taking the secret passageway to the Common Room" muttered the boy.
"Hmmph. Whatever." Said Bael, still in a heap on the floor. "Hey Nev'!'Mione!"
The two gryffindors were talking quietly in a corner. At the call of their names, they went towards them. They took the sofa and helped Ron on a chair.
"You want to stay on the floor?" asked very timidly Hermione, touching with the tip of her wand Bael's backside.
" 's comfortable enough"
They left it at that. No need to ask more about their weird friend. He always some weird tendencies anyways, according to Neville.
"Well, listen Bael, we need to tell you something. Don't you dare sleep on us here!" Hermione's shrill voice brought back to reality Bael. With his eyes wide open – too wide to be natural – he listened to his friend. Hermione send him questioning glance but continued nonetheless. "Nev', Ron and I, we discovered Snape was trying to steal something which is protected by a Cerberus in the forbidden room on the third corridor."
Nobody talked.
"say something!" said Neville in an angry hushed whisper.
"hmm … what is protected?"
"yes … well … we don't really know." Answered Ron. Hermione took the hot potato out of Ron's hands quickly.
"We do know that it's small – it can stay in Hagrid hands – and it is linked to a man named Flammel."
Bael's head left the floor.
"Flammel? As in Nicolas Flammel?"
"… I don't know." Said Neville while Hermione was contemplating his words, "Do you know him?"
Bael's frown said it all.
"Well, not personally, but his name is really famous in the Wizarding World. Or so I thought until I met you three uncultured behinds."
"Now's not the time for jokes.", Hermone swatted his pick away like it was nothing. He pouted half a second before continuing.
"He invented the Sorcerer's stone."
"That's it!" exclaimed Neville! "that's what Snape is trying to steal!"
The boy was very happy to finally accuse his worse enemy. But Bael did not share his enthousiasm.
"Nev', mate, think for a second. What would Snape gain from an immortal life? He's already alone and snarky. No need to add some more ... wait a sec'! I forgot to tell you but when I was in the forest the other day" the slight frown from Hermione indicated that she was not aware of this particular excursion but otherwise nobody said a thing. It was almost a reputation Bael had created around himself: going out at night out of Hogwarts grounds.
"What is it?" wondered Ron amused
"I stumbled upon a dead unicorn. Somebody was drinking from it too."
The strangled noise Ron made was overruled.
"What!?" said Hermione, "But whoever drinks from a unicorn's blood …"
"… is forever haunted. Half alive, half dead. Semi animi." Completed Bael, eyebrows still creased.
"Do you think Snape could have … ?" wondered Hermione
"yes." Said Ron very sure of him.
"Dunno." Had said Bael at the same time, "I observed the map a lot these last few weeks. Lot's of people go to the third corridor. All of the teachers do. And I mean all of them."
"yes but at night? Remember, we saw Snape the other night next to the room. He seemed suspicious." Remarked Ron.
"Yeah well … I think the dude named Fluffy is more suspicious. He always is on the third corridor. Perhaps he is invisible or something."
Neville cleared his throat.
"erh …. Actually, that's the Cerberus's name."
"… You're joking, right? Who names a beast?" said slowly the metamorphmagus, processing the information with difficulty.
"Hagrid." Blundered Neville, satisfied with the shocked expression from his friend. It was not often one could oblige such a reaction from the boy.
"I am … at a loss of words." He said simply.
"Don't be over dramatic." Whispered Hermione looking intently at the fire.
"Hey guys, who's Riddle? Tom Riddle?" asked Ron.
Hermione and Neville whipped their heads towards Ron. Their friend had the Marauder's map in his hands.
"Look at that. It's Quirrel's tag. It's flickering …"
Neville leaned down to see it too but he saw nothing.
"ha … no. I must have imagined it." Finally said Ron.
"It could have been a ghost?" offered Hermione, "You told me ghosts only appeared on the map when you go through one."
Neville nodded.
"Yeah. It just seemed weird."
"Nah, Ron. Hermione's right. Tom Riddle must be dead anyway. He was a prefect 50 years ago."
"What?" asked Ron, "How do you know that?"
"Dude," Bael rolled his eyes, "we just cleaned the Trophy room. And one of them was for him for service given to the school."
"Well, you just said it. We were cleaning. Not learning."
"Whatever," smirked Bael, "You're jealous you don't have an awesome memory like me!" boasted the boy. Ron humphed.
"You have a selective memory at best. You chose to ignore Parkinson the other day, like she was dirt on your shoe or something …"
Bael's smug look returned.
"Well it's Pugginson. Of course I'm gonna treat her like this."
"What has she done?" asked Neville. The boy heard Hermione closing a book he had no idea she had opened.
"I'm going to bed. I don't need to hear again about Pansy Parkinson."
"Nighty night!" sung Bael in an horrible voice.
Hermione left quickly with a smile.
"Well, Pugginson is just ugly and dumb. Which I try to point out as many time as I can." Finally said Bael. Neville rolled his eyes in a typical of you
"Nope! She cut down his snake plushy when he was seven and he resents her since then! Night boys!" screamed Hermione with a devious smile, breaking any semblance of friendship between her and Bael.
Neville heard the scandalized noise from Bael and outright laugh with Ron.
"it was my favorite too. Poor Sobek! You have no idea …", if Neville did not know his friend better, he would have sworn real tears were glistening on the corner of his eyes.
"Sure mate!" painstakingly said Ron between laughs.
"This was exorcism!" claimed Bael resolutely stamping his feet towards his dorms. "You traitors."
The two following months went by in a breeze for everybody it seemed, a slight event happened on St Valentine's day (Bael glaring down the black rose he had received by a deep red owl, Bael still refused to utter a word about the incident. Coincidentally, hades had swooped in and taken the rose and then left. From the grimace Bael had made, Neville had realized the rose would be taken back to his mother, who he was still not talking to and needed to apologize to), but nothing too troubling came up. The four Gryffindors were trying, and failing miserably, to be stealthy when following Snape around (Ron had gained a week worth of detention for being in the same corridor as the potion master). Without surprise either, Hermione and Bael did not see the difference in difficulty between the first spells and the new taught.
"What are you doing with that book?" asked once Hermione to Bael when they were in the library. "Need to check up on the purity of your ancestors blood or something?" came her sarcastic question when she saw the book in Bael's arms, A Nature's Nobility. Bael laughed.
"Haha, I don't really care about that. The others do though … which makes knowing they're not pure entirely so more satisfying. But to answer your question, I'm digging dirt on Pureblood families. Just in case I need some blackmail material …"
"How so?" asked unsure Hemione actually interested. The very vicious smile sent her way froze the girl.
"You see, when Pureblood families give birth to a squib, - obviously it's a shame because, well duh, no magic - but they can't know immediately he is a squib. Unless they have a wizard in their families that can see through magic, they have to wait until the child's eleventh birthday for a letter to come. So any disappearance or mysterious death between a child's eighth to eleventh birthday is suspicious. Families would have to declare their death – no Hermione they don't kill their children. People are not heartless. They send the child away in an orphanage or something. And there! You get squibs descendants if they survive."
"That's … awful …"
Bael shrugged his shoulders.
"it's been so for ages now … but no I don't know why they did that. It's just … tradition."
"Tradition!?"
Bael seemed embarrassed.
"That does not mean you have to like it. Listen Hermione, it really is a sensitive subject."
"Wait, do you know squibs?" whispered Hermione reading her friend's eyes.
"yes. Now hush and pretend I don't know any squibs or I'm so dead if any Pureblood learns of it."
Hermione was lost.
"But then, why looking for them?"
Bael bristled.
"I'm not looking for them. Merely checking facts. And gaining blackmail material."
"Whatever you say. Did you find some actually?"
Bael's smile returned.
"Were you ever doubting me? Hermione dear, I have like a huge file showcasing how un-pure some purebloods families are. That is pure galleons."
Hermione smiled back.
"Alright. So have any names to drop off?"
Bael almost barked.
"Asked this nicely. Well, recently – and I'm talking like in a 40 or so years, I can tell you the Umbridges, Bourglaff and Racky are having terrible issues to produce correct magical heirs."
"Eurgh … I did not need these kind of details. Anybody I know?"
Bael seemed to hesitate, then reconsidered.
"Well, the Bones have three distant cousins that are in reality squibs from the former Head of House, the Notts have the same kind of problem and … they are some rumors about the Parkinson, which I am currently checking. I need then to use a muggle orphanage list and that is like … such a pain!"
Hermione clapped.
"You actually have researched quiet a lot about this."
"yep." The boy said happily, "Actually Dumbledore gave me the idea to look for Muggle lists for cross-checking some facts when I asked him for some referencing."
"Wait, is that not supposed to be illegal?"
"Haha. Why would it be? You're so weird sometimes Hermione. It is just very sensitive informations and plausible for murder acts but no one cares for a snot nosed kid, right?"
"You are unbelievable. When did you meet Dumbledore anyways?"
"What? The Headmaster? This morning, caught him just before he left for the ministry."
A small silence reigned between the two children, and then Hermione seemed to understand something.
"Wait. Does that mean that Dumbledore will be gone the whole day?"
Bael arced an eyebrow but said yes with his head.
"Wizengamot sessions tend to be terribly long. I would not expect him to come back until late in the night."
Hermione frowned.
"idiot. Bael! That means nobody is protecting the Sorcerer's stone!" hissed Hermione in a very scandalous snake tone. Bael's arms went rigid for a second before his eyes went wide open.
"Merlin! You're right! I had completely forgotten about it too! Hurry, we must make it to Ron and Neville then!"
"Wait, no. We can still warn the teachers!"
Bael stilled for a moment.
"they won't believe us in the slightest Hermione. I mean, we are first years. We should not even know about that stone. And if we know about it, who else does? That is far too suspicious. I think something else is going on right now."
"No Bael!"
"Hermione!"
"Promess me to at least try to reach out for a teacher." Hermione crossed her arms. Bael huffed a small fine and hurried the girl through a passage way.
"it's almost curfew anyway. Ron and Neville should be in the Common Room. We are going to pick them up and then we will see McGonagall. Alright with that?"
Hermione followed him.
"There is something you are not telling me."
Bael glared at her.
"Fine, I still think telling the teachers is like the worst idea ever, but perhaps we could tell Snape. That way he won't do it tonight."
"What? Are you daft or something? He will attack us!"
"I don't think so. We are in the Castle. We just have to talk to him in a corridor full of portraits – not very complicated – and that way we have witnesses. He can't attack and therefore must wait until Dumbledore comes back. And then, no more troubles!"
Hermione sniffed.
"And here I thought you were a Gryffindor. You are being very sneaky lately. Anything to do with your mother dearest full bouquet of black roses?"
Bael stopped.
"That … was … low, Hermione. You promessed not to say a word about that."
Bael was terriby red.
"it might slip past my tongue …"
"Fine. We are doing it your way. Just McGonagall. Right now. Fine."
Hermione smiled triumphally.
"Don't make this face, dear Bael. There's nothing wrong with sending roses to your parents on Valentine's day."
"It wasn't me damnit! It was this stupid red owl who brought that stupid black rose and then that Hades who took it back to them. Of course she would send back a huge bouquet!"
"Keep telling yourself that. You're a softie. You left that rose just for Hades to take it back to your home."
Bael sniffed.
"So not true."
"Whatever. Here we are. Big baby."