Chapter 11: The Bloody Handkerchief
A few days later, Eleanor was beside herself with glee at hearing Selene's story about vampires in the forest, though she gave an obligatory lecture on the dangers of the forbidden forest.
"And they were dashing," Eleanor asked.
"Dashing," agreed Selene.
They sat in a large window of the greenhouse, books, and plants left behind on the worktables as they felt the warm rays in the late January sun. They had been working on the Herbology homework, but the sun and breeze had been so appealing that they had taken multiple breaks. This one had consisted of Selene retelling the story of the forbidden forest encounter. They returned to the dancing cactus they were looking at.
"Now, the book says that the needles need to be exposed before we can pluck them out," Eleanor said.
"That seems obvious," Selene said looking at the smooth green skin of the cactus as it shook back and forth.
"But we have to be careful with how we do it. If we get it mad it won't give us anything."
"What does that even mean," Selene asked. Another breeze blew through the green house. Fredrick entered through the open top window and sat on Selene's shoulder with a hoot.
"I'm not sure," Eleanor said reaching over and petting Fredrick's belly feathers. "But to get on its good side we need to compliment it."
"Compliment it," Selene said skeptically.
"Why would I make that up," Eleanor asked pointing to the book. "It says right here: Despite its confident dancing from which it gets its name, the Prancing Cactus is notoriously shy and self-conscious. In order to get it's highly desired needles the cactus must be raised to the proper age and then complimented until it has revealed the needles for plucking."
"Right," said Selene. Fredrick hooted as if laughing at their situation.
"This Prancing Cactus is by far the most gorgeous one we could have chosen. It's eye for rhythm is simply unmatched," Eleanor said. The plant let out a sound, much like a giggle, and continued to sway back and forth.
"That's normal," Eleanor assured Selene looking back at her book. "It means it was an acceptable compliment. You try."
Selene rubbed Fredrick's head as he took some of her raven hair into his beak. "The lovely shade of green is one of my favorite colors. It really brightens the room." A second giggle and Selene could see the tips of very small needles beginning to appear on the cactus.
Another breeze flew through the greenhouse. Fredrick hooted, Selene's hair still in his beak. She looked up to see a small paper airplane falling into the greenhouse, carried by the breeze until it was within the glass. Then it zipped around once, as if looking for an exit.
"If I could have any plant in my dorm it would be this specific Prancing Cactus. It would brighten my day every time I looked at it," Eleanor said, not noticing the plane. Selene watched as the plane paused in midair. It turned its pointed end towards them. Without any warning it zoomed towards Selene. Fredrick pulled her hair in his beak.
"Ouch," Selene gasped, dodging the plane as it skidded to a stop across the greenhouse.
"Selene you're scaring it," Eleanor said. "What a lovely cactus you are!"
Eleanor looked up just as the airplane charged a second time. Fredrick released Selene's hair and lifted himself in the air, grabbing the plane with his talons and ripping it in half with his beak. The airplane fell harmlessly to the ground.
"Well, that was odd," Eleanor, said. "Seems like the whole physical world is out to get you this week."
"I'll say," she agreed. "I would be simply heartbroken about it, except that I can't get sad around such a lovely and energetic Prancing Cactus like this one in front of us."
With a final giggle the needles completely revealed themselves and Eleanor plucked three out and put them in a vial. Once plucked, the remaining needles shrunk away again leaving only smooth green skin.
"It's odd, isn't it," Eleanor said as they walked back to Professor Sprout's office to give her the vial. Fredrick transferred to Eleanor's shoulder, nipping her lightly on the ear. "You've broken two plates, tripped over empty air, and almost fallen down stairs- it's like you have a poltergeist."
"It has been an accident prone few days, hasn't it," Selene asked knocking on Professor Sprout's door. She handed the vial to Professor Sprout who made a pleased sound (remarkably close to the Prancing Cactus) and awarded Hufflepuff thirty points. Eleanor thanked the professor and they closed the door behind them as they headed to lunch.
"Maybe you shouldn't play Quidditch tonight," Eleanor suggested. "Your broom might try to beat you to death."
"Ha ha," Selene said nudging her friend lightly. "Maybe I shouldn't help Bellatrix Black with her potion instead."
"Well, I was going to suggest that even if you hadn't been attacked by a paper airplane," Eleanor said. Once in the Great Hall, Fredrick to flight and flew a few laps around the ceiling. When he returned on the Hufflepuff table he ruffled his feathers.
"What would I tell Professor Slughorn," asked Selene. "Sorry I couldn't tutor a student despite agreeing to it? I was attacked by a paper airplane after my blood."
"Well, when you say it like that," Eleanor said taking a sandwich from the tray. "It does sound ridiculous. She just strikes me as someone who could be a poltergeist."
They both looked over at the Slytherin table where the raven-haired girl sat talking to her peers. She smiled, but her smile did not seem to reach her eyes as she turned to meet Selene's. Bellatrix nodded in acknowledgement, but turned her attention back to her friend.
"That's practically a hug in Slytherin language," Eleanor said. "Maybe she likes you."
"Well she ought to because I'm meeting her after lunch in the dungeon," Selene said taking a bite of her tuna fish sandwich. As they ate Belatrix stood and walked their way.
"I've finished early," she drawled. Selene wondered if all members of Black family drawled. Then again, she had never heard Sirius drawl, so maybe it was a trait carried only in the women- a recessive gene in men? Is that how it worked? "I'm going to go set up the dungeon and cauldron. See you there in about an hour?"
"Sounds good," Selene said after swallowing her most recent bite. Bellatrix gave her an unemotional face before nodding once more and walking out of the Great Hall. Maybe emotions were recessive in the female Black and dominant in the men of the family. She wondered when he brain would tire of this subject. Hogwarts had vastly unprepared her for genetics, that was clear.
"Wow," Eleanor said taking another bite. "I really feel the connection between you two. I hope I can still be your friend with her around."
"Oh please hush," Selene snapped, waving at Remus who had just entered to grab an apple before rushing to his next class. He winked at her with a smile before rushing out.
After promising Eleanor that, yes, she would get consensus from her dorm mates before inviting Bellatrix over for a sleep over, Selene headed down to the dungeon. Fredrick sat on her shoulder, ruffling his feathers and looking around. By the time they reached the landing at one of the lower classrooms (where she was meeting Bellatrix) Fredrick looked at her as if betrayed and hooted.
"I know you don't like it underground, but I can't help where the dungeon is," Selene said. He hooted again and nipped her ear lightly. "You don't have to stay."
Fredrick ruffled his feathers once more, but stayed put until Selene stopped in front of the designated classroom door. With a final hoot he took flight, disappearing back the way they had come from.
"I'll remember that," Selene muttered to herself, shaking her head at his strange behavior. She knocked on the door, but there was no answer, so she pushed the door open gently. The room had a peculiar smell to it, like a dungbomb has been set off while someone was rotting meat. Selene tried to cough up the air she had just inhaled. It lingered in her nasal cavity, seeping into her mouth and touching her taste buds. It even tasted disgusting.
"Bellatrix?" she called. The air looked thick and smoggy.
"Thank goodness you're here," called a voice behind the smog screen. Selene waved her wand and the thick air disappeared to reveal Bellatrix, bubble charm around her head to give her air.
"I tried mixing the potion before you came," she said, her dark eyes dancing with laughter. Selene was struck by how different Sirius and Bellatrix were. When Sirius' eyes danced with laughter, it made all around him laugh as well. But when Bellatrix' eyes danced, it made Selene feel extremely uneasy.
Selene let out another cough before saying "It's fine." She cleared the potion in the cauldron. Selene looked at the page Bellatrix was open to, a particularly daring potion often used for breaking love spells. Selene felt like there was still something in her throat, so she tried coughing. Finding that did not work she tried to swallow. That seemed to clear her airway and so she rolled up her sleeves and put her wand in her pocket.
"So this potion isn't too difficult, it just takes precision. You know, if it says mashed to a pulp it has to be mashed to a pulp. Let's look through the instructions and ingredients first." Selene scanned the page, then the ingredients before her on the table. She pointed the snake scales. "What kind of snake scales are those?"
"Erhm," Bellatrix looked at her jar. "Cobra scales."
"We need Black Mamba scales. That's what I mean by precision," Selene explained handing the scales back to Bellatrix.
"Thank goodness you're here," Bellatrix repeated, going to the supply closet in the corner of the room to get the correct scales.
Two hours later, the potion was a violet color, bubbling merrily in the cauldron.
"Brilliant," Bellatrix cooed. Again, Selene felt uneasy. Everything about Bellatrix made her feel unsafe. Selene tried to recalibrate herself. After all, Bellatrix had never done anything bad to her or anyone she knew. It wasn't very kind to feel this way about someone. Selene smiled.
"Thanks. You'll need to bottle it and let it rest for about twenty-four hours before it can be used, but that's the easy part," Selene explained making the fire under the cauldron disappear.
"Perfect! Slughorn said I needed a really impressive potion to raise my grade, think this will do," Bellatrix asked. Selene nodded. She felt tired. She looked at her watch, she would have time to take a nap before dinner and Quidditch practice.
"I'll just bottle a few up," Bellatrix continued unaware of Selene's sudden fatigue. She filled three small bottles with the potion and handed one to Selene to fill as well. Selene waved off the offer politely.
"I better go. I have Quidditch tonight and some homework to finish up," she told Bellatrix. Bellatrix shrugged and filled the fourth bottle herself.
"Sorry, again, about all the smoke earlier," Bellatrix said as Selene finished returning the unused ingredients back to the supply closet and closed it behind her.
"No problem, it happens," Selene assured her. She felt so tired she wasn't even sure she'd make it back to her dorm.
"Have a good Quidditch practice," Bellatrix called merrily as Selene left. Just as the door was about to close Bellatrix added, "Don't fall off your broom!"
Selene paused on the other side of the door to feel a shiver run down her spine. The cheerful departing words were possibly one of the creepiest things Selene had ever heard. She couldn't shake them, even as she fell into her bed for a quick nap. It must have been the look on Bellatrix' face that had added the creepy factor, Selene thought as she rolled over in bed and set her alarm for dinner. Bellatrix had smiled, but it had not reached her eyes. Rather, it seemed to stop short, leaving eyes as cold as death. Selene gave another shiver before falling asleep.
In her dreamland, Selene found a familiar world of moonless darkness. As always, she shone dimly. Part of her subconscious hoped that her discovery this dream would be short lived so she would not miss dinner. Selene felt as if there were eyes on her and she turned to see the figure of Diana standing behind her, wrapped in wizarding robes with the Slytherin emblem on her breast. Diana moved away from Selene in silence, an odd change since the shadows normally talked to her in her dreams. Diana led her into a field, where a full moon rested in the sky and a tall figure stood over a cauldron.
"Diana, it's only an experiment. Surely it can't hurt anyone. I need only one drop from you. No more, no less," The pale man with beetle black eyes hissed turning to Selene. Even without speaking parseltongue, Salazar Slytherin sounded like he was speaking snake. Diana had disappeared.
"I'm not Diana," Selene started to say, but out of her mouth came Diana's voice. "Why are you insisting on such practice, Salazar?"
"I need but a prick of your finger to make the potion complete," he replied taking her hand. He looked into Selene's eyes and Selene saw love and tears welling in his. "You are leaving me, Diana. Is it wrong I should want a piece of you for even a moment longer? Is it wrong I should want this last thing from you, in our last moments?"
Selene felt a swell of sympathy for the Hogwarts Founder. Perhaps history had been too hard on him, he seemed just like any man- torn by his inevitable loss. Selene felt great affection for the man growing in her chest, and she wondered if this were her dream feelings or Diana's, who she apparently was in the dream.
"The last full moon is tonight and the fresher the blood the better. Please."
Selene answered, "Very well, but do not write this potion down. It is for your eyes and ear only. Never shall this potion be used again. Having power when no one else does is a dangerous thing."
Salazar took her hand and pulled her over to the bubbling cauldron. The mixture was a putrid green color. He took a needle and pricked her pointer finger with it. With a slight squeeze a drop of blood fell into the green liquid and it turned blue and began to simmer softly. The putrid smell was gone. Salazar stirred and the blue began to lighten and glow until it turned silver, like a beam of moonlight.
Selene pulled herself back as Diana appeared next to her. From this new position the dream scene began to change. Selene saw Diana begin to glow more brightly as the moon from the sky disappeared until it seemed moonless next to Diana's shine. In a whirlwind of images and scenes, Selene saw Salazar Slytherin pleading with Diana to wait just one more hour before her ascent. She watched him showing an array of magic: smashing, bashing, destroying and creating, while the on-looking wizards could barely levitate a table. She saw the look of power in Salazar's eyes, the twinkle of madness, and she felt the pain of regret from Diana in her own chest. Selene looked to her right where Diana stood watching the scene with her. Diana inhaled and, without looking at Selene, released her breath. A large stream of white mist escaped from Diana's mouth. It formed a ball of light, just like the one Selene had seen from Artemis in the lake. The white ball grew larger and larger until it was so bright that it almost blinded Selene. She closed her eyes in an effort to shield her eyes.
When Selene opened them again, she was laying in her bed in her dorm, blinking at the ceiling. The alarm next to her was ringing and she rolled over to turn it off. Holding her hands above her she found her usual olive skin looking back at her. No glowing. She yawned and sat up, giving another cough from the potion's smoky air.
"Ready for dinner," Eleanor asked as she dropped off her bag next to her bed. Selene nodded, wondering why Diana had shown her that scene at all.
She was still thinking of the dream as she arrived at Quidditch practice. She pondered the prick of the finger as she kicked off from the ground and as she caught the quaffle and tossed it over her head to Angela Pierceson, the fourth year chaser. She only paused in thinking about it when Charles yelled, "Selene, pay attention!" At that point she ducked below a speeding bludger.
"Thank god," Charles sighed flying over and hitting her arm. "If a bludger hits you and you're out of the game, I will personally kill you."
"Noted," she laughed. She flew over towards the goals. Angela threw the quaffle over to her and Selene hit it into the goal with her broom.
"Nicely done," Angela said with a smile. The two turned at the sound of cheering from the stands. A small crowd was sitting there. Eleanor and the marauders stood cheering, while a group of Slytherins seemed bored, but watched the skies none-the-less. From her position, Selene could see the platinum hair of Lucious, who was talking to Bellatrix Black. They both glared at the Gryffindor group again as Remus shouted something that Selene couldn't hear.
"You're fan club," Angela asked with a nudge.
"And some not so much," Selene laughed. She flew down to where they all sat and asked, "What are you doing here?"
"Checking out the competition," James said with a smirk. Sirius looked at the sky. "What competition," he asked. Selene gave him a sardonic look.
"We didn't want to start homework and caught Eleanor heading out here, so we decided to join," Remus said. "Not sure what those people are doing here." He nodded to the Slytherins near by.
"Just getting some fresh air," Lucious replied in a bored tone.
"I missed my cousin," Bellatrix said with a snarl to Sirius. "You didn't miss me, Sirius?" If looks could kill than the look Bellatrix and Sirius exchanged would have meant their funerals for sure.
"Are you ready for the new maneuver, Selene," Charles called. "Or are we interrupting your social hour?"
"Cranky captain," James observed.
Selene flew into position and pulled her broom up to slow down. But her hand slipped and she fell forward, hitting her face on the broom. Embarrassed, she quickly sat up. Her lip felt sore. She licked it and tasted blood. Charles gave her a look of exasperation. She waved him off showing she was fine and that they could continue the maneuver. She thought she heard laughter below.
The Hufflepuff team moved forward towards the goals. First the beater dropped off, hitting the bludgers strategically at the Keeper. Simultaneously, Angela tossed the quaffle from her left to her right hand, tossed it over to Charles, who dropped below Selene and Angela. Selene zipped forward and spun around as a second bludger aimed at the Keeper zipped passed her. Charles threw the Quaffle at her for her to throw through the closest hoop while the Keeper dodged the bludger. That was the plan. Complication: Selene let out a sound of pain as the Quaffle hit her hand. The Keeper dodged the second bludger and the window was missed.
Selene put the quaffle under her arm, pulling back her glove to look at her hand. It was bleeding in the exact places she had been cut by the glass vase. Charles flew over, ready to yell for her to get back into position to try the maneuver again, but stopped before he began. His eyes widened at the blood. She was bleeding much more than the day the glass shattered.
"Blimey, Selene," Charles gasped coming forward to look at her hand. "What did you do?"
He took her hand to look at it, but she pulled back and flipped over her hand. A cut from a butter knife when she was five had opened on her pinky. She felt cold on her left arm and pulled up her sleeve. Hardly noticeable scars from falling into thorn bushes when she was 9 had opened, soaking her uniform with blood. Charles looked horrified.
"Help," He shouted. "You!" He pointed to the two beaters who stood looking dumbfounded at what they were watching. "Go get Madam Pomfrey! Angela, go get Remus and Eleanor on the field!" The teens obeyed and flew away.
Selene felt Charles grab her broom handle as he helped lower her to ground. Every cut and scratch she had ever lost a drop of blood from was suddenly open on her arms, legs and stomach. Selene gasped as her feet hit the ground and Charles dropped the brooms. Her back seared in pain as the once existent nail marks from an grade school fight she'd gotten into felt as if they'd been inflicted only moments ago.
"We need to take the padding off," Charles said as Eleanor rushed onto the field. The Marauders followed. Behind them came the Slytherin group, eyes shocked but interested. Selene tore off her extra padding, feeling blood soaked clothes beneath them. Even the smallest cuts were releasing abnormal amounts of blood. She felt light-headed.
"She's losing too much blood," said Remus. He grabbed her arm and began wrapping gauge around it. She tried to assist; tried to stop some of the bleeding with her socks, even part of her robe.
"Here." Lucious Malfoy rushed over and pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, taking her hand in his and wrapping it firmly in his handkerchief. In moments it was soaked in blood and dripping onto the ground. He looked dumbstruck and horrified.
"Get away," Sirius said, pushing the Slytherin and his bloodied handkerchief out of the inner circle. "Give her some air you, gits," he snapped to the Slytherins and Hufflepuff team.
"What the hell is going on," she gasped. Remus, Eleanor, and Charles winced as if she'd yelled it. She might have screamed it, her voice sounded so far away. Selene felt herself sinking into the ground, voices around her sounded muffled and far off.
"I don't know, I don't know," Charles said, eyes panicked and darting back and forth. "Where the hell is Madam Pomfrey?"
"She's losing too much blood to wait," Remus said. She felt herself being picked up. She blinked and enjoyed the darkness for a bit before she opened her eyes again. She must have had them closed longer than she anticipated because she was in the castle in a floating gurney. It might be the Entrance Hall, she wasn't sure.
"Selene," Remus asked, tapping her cheek. "Selene, wake up."
She opened her eyes again to see Madam Pomfrey over her, "Stay with us, honey," the nurse cooed. She blinked. When she opened her eyes she saw the white ceiling of the hospital wing. She blinked and saw a solemn faced Diana standing in front of her in the darkness.
"They have your blood, do not let them use it for their gain. The only way to stop it is to ascend." Diana said. Then, there was nothing but darkness.