Chapter 11 Yule Tidings and Goblins Treasure
December was now upon the school and the students were all a buzz with excitement over the up and coming Yule Ball. Severus glanced longingly across the Dining room at Lilly hoping that he could find a way to ask her to the ball. His heart fell when he remembered that he hadn't a clue on how to dance. Eden sat beside him and waved her hand in front of his eyes to break the trance like state that he was in.
"Severus, it's rude to stare." She said as she poured herself a hot cup of coffee.
"You're right Eden; I don't know why I bother anyway. She'll never except me as her date for the Yule Ball anyways." Said Severus as he lowered his eyes to his plate of eggs.
"I don't know about that Severus, you're not that bad looking of a chap. Why wouldn't your little girl friend want to accompany you to the ball?" asked Eden as she took a sip of her drink.
Severus rolled his eyes and glared at his sister. "Eden, Lilly is not my girlfriend." He argued.
"Don't get snippy with me because you don't have the balls to ask her." Said Eden as she buttered a piece of toast.
"Eden, you may have been following me around during the holidays and summer, but it's more complicated than just having the nerve to ask her. She's one of my best friends; I know that if I can ask her before Potter does that she'll go with me. That's not the problem." Said Severus as he took a sip of cold milk.
"Well then, what is the problem?" asked Eden as she leaned back in her chair and settled her gaze on her little brother appraisingly.
"I don't know how to dance." Said Severus softly.
Eden looked at her little brother then rose to her feet and pulled him up and out of the dining room to speak with him in private.
She ran dragging him through the school until she got to her common room. Once the door closed behind them she whirled on him and gave him a piercing look. "Severus, forgive me for saying this but considering your father's upbringing, the fact that you can't dance does not surprise me. I can teach you some simple dances that won't get you off on the wrong foot at the ball." Said Eden as she flicked her wand at an antique gramophone. The sounds of a waltz came flowing into the room as she turned back to her little brother.
"Alright, to begin place your right hand on my waste and you can either place your left on my shoulder or in my hand," said Eden as she placed Severus's hand onto her waste. Severus blushed crimson as he looked down at his feet in embarrassment. "Now watch my feet and follow with yours," she said as she led her brother into the dance floating with the music.
Thirty minutes later found Severus taking the lead and guiding his sister around the room in a simple box step. "You're doing much better. Keep this up and you'll be the best dancer at the ball," said Eden as she flopped down into a comfortable chair and put up her feet. "Is that set of navy blue robes the only set of dress robes that you have," asked Eden as she twirled a lock of her hair in her fingers serenely?
"Yes," mumbled Severus softly under his breath.
"Well then, we'll need to fix that," said Eden as she jumped up from her seat and glided to the door. "Come with me Severus, we need to ask your headmaster for permission to take you to a local robes shop."
Severus followed his sister and stood there quietly as she spoke with Headmaster Dumbledore on his behalf.
Ten minutes later found Eden and Severus browsing the racks at Quigley's Robes for all occasions in down town Wizarding New York. Eden insisted that Severus pick out a few extra sets of robes that he could ware when he visited with other wizarding families.
"Eden I can't afford these," protested Severus as his sister held up a black set of silk Dress robes with forest green accents and trim.
"Don't worry, Severus, I can," she said as she pulled an elegant set of Silver dress robes with ruby's and emeralds along the neckline and the hem for herself.
"Severus I want you to look good," she said as she nodded at the store attendant. "I'm not taking no for an answer and you will wash your hair better than that," she said as she pointed to his oily hair.
Severus frowned at his sister as she paid for their new clothing. "Eden I wash my hair every night before bed," he argued as they left the shop.
Eden looked down at him and took a lock of his hair between her long fingers thoughtfully.
"You have a naturally oily scalp. I have a hair potion that will help make your scalp a little less oily," she said as she pulled him into a beauty salon.
"Eden, I'm a boy. I'm not going to sit in here and let some strange woman put her hands on my head," he said defiantly.
"Nor should you, I might think you were crazy if you actually wanted to have your hair done by a professional," she said as she grabbed two bottles of Sleek-easy's Scalp potion and paid for them.
Later that evening Severus pulled Lilly aside and asked her to be his date for the Yule Ball. Sirius and James saw them together and was about to confront him when Eden stepped between them and her little brother. "You idiots just don't give up do you? This is my turf, so unless the two of you would like another lesson in manners, I'd strongly suggest leaving Severus Snape alone," she said threateningly.
Sirius backed down and James stepped a little closer to Eden and pulled a white rose out from behind his back. "Um, Eden I was wondering if you had a date to the Yule Ball," asked James as he attempted to hand her the rose? Eden's eyes widened in shock and she covered her mouth to hide her silent laughter. "You've got to be kidding me; I'd never date a boy who is younger than I am. That's just weird; it would be like dating my little brother over there. You should set your sights a little more to your own age," she said as she watched her boyfriend Adam Whiterose coming up behind the boys with a sly expression on his face.
The next thing that Sirius and James knew, their trousers were ripped from their bodies leaving them both standing there in front of three different schools in nothing but their boxers. Laughter erupted all around them, and they blushed crimson in embarrassment. Adam Whiterose walked passed the two boys and wrapped one arm around Eden's waste possessively as he flicked his wand turning the rose that James had in his hand to ice. Hey babe, are these little pukes bothering you," he asked as he placed a tender kiss on her cheek?
"Not anymore Adam," she said as she pulled him closer to her and kissed his lips deeply. "Oh, that's right; you didn't know that Adam Whiterose is my boyfriend, and date to the Yule Ball. Don't worry boys, maybe if you can learn some manners you might find a date," she said as She allowed Adam to lead her over to where Severus and Lilly were standing.
Christmas Eve found Sirius and James dateless and desperate. They both watched jellously as Severus Snape glided gracefully around the dance floor with Lilly Evans in his arms. Severus and Lilly danced all night long only taking breaks when his sister wasn't on the dance floor with her boyfriend. "Lilly, I want you to meet my big sister," said Severus as he led her over to the small table where Eden was sitting sipping on a goblet of punch.
"Lilly, this is my big sister Eden Merope Prince," said Severus as he pulled out a chair for Lilly to sit in.
"Pleased to finally meet you Lilly, my brother speaks very highly of you," said Eden as she watched her boyfriend in a corner kissing and groping Bellatrix.
"I'm going to kill them," whispered Eden under her breath as she got to her feet angrily. "Please excuse me, you two, there's something of a personal nature that I have to attend to," she said as she walked across the dance floor briskly.
Severus and Lilly watched as Eden stormed through the crowded dance floor, grabbed Rodolphus Lestrange and dragged him along with her toward the two in the corner. "She's been seeing Adam Whiterose since she started here," whispered Severus into Lilly's ear as they watched the scene unfold. Lucius and Narcissa had also seen what was going on and quickly followed Eden and Rodolphus to attempt to defuse the outburst that was sure to come.
Eden walked up behind Adam and glared into Bellatrix's eyes, before tapping Adam on the shoulder. Adam turned away from his fun to be greeted by Eden's fist slamming into his nose, breaking the fragile bones and blacking both of his eyes. "So, this is how you want it," she spat angrily before whirling and running from the room.
Adam quickly got to his feet and chased after Eden whom had ran out into the cold court yard without a cloak. He leapt at her throwing his arms around her waist despite being held back by Lucius and Rodolphus, whom were being held back by Narcissa and a very frightened Bellatrix. The area around the six teen's glowed blue, and Adam knew in an instant that Eden was using her warp stone.
The instant that Eden felt her feet hit the ground on the cliffs overlooking the Niagara Falls she ripped off the glove on her left arm and placed her wand to the skull tattoo on the underside of her fore arm, and instantly transported herself and everyone with her into her father's office. Her father looked up from his paper work to see his daughter and three other young death eaters and a young woman and man that he had never seen before standing in his office.
Bellatrix quickly pulled her sister behind her and they both bowed as The Dark Lord stood up from his seat behind the desk. Lucius and Rodolphus managed to wrench Adam's hands free from the waste of the Dark Princess who ran into her father's arms sobbing. Voldemort lifted his daughter onto the top of his paper strewn desk and handed her a handkerchief so that she could dry her eyes, before using his Legillimency on her to discover the boy's discretion.
After a few agonizing seconds he turned away from his daughter and glared menacingly at the offending boy, as he stepped forward. "My princess thinks that I should kill you," said Voldemort as he withdrew his wand and rolled it between his long fingers. "I think however, that I can do much better than that. If I kill you now, you wouldn't have learned a lesson. What kind of father would I be to my princess if I don't make this a learning experience for her," said Voldemort as he flicked his wand at the boy a few times.
Adam screamed as he felt his testicles twist and shrink as if an invisible hand was crushing them like walnuts. Then his screams stopped suddenly as his vocal cords were severed magically. "That curse has a special after affect. If you ever attempt to tell anyone that my daughter is a death eater or exactly what happened to you, you will drop dead. That said I'd keep those particular thoughts to yourself," said Voldemort as he obliviated Adam's memory.
"Eden I know that you'd like to see him dead, but for the time being this way is better. The five of you will return to school. Take him with you and leave him somewhere on campus where it could be believed that he had fallen, hit his head and gotten injured by some sort of creature," ordered Voldemort as he hugged his daughter before the teens apparated away.
Once they arrived back at the school they left Adam knocked unconscious in the middle of the forest where he would be found by a herd of Centaurs that lived on campus. The next morning Eden sat at a small table with Severus, Lucius, and Narcissa exchanging Christmas gifts. Super Intendant Whiterose walked over to the table with a worried expression on her face.
"Eden, what happened between you and Adam last night," she asked?
"I caught him attempting to force himself on my cousin Bellatrix Black, and I punched him in the nose for his discretion," admitted Eden calmly. "He then followed me outside and hit me, and attempted to rape me in the forest," she said as she drew her wand.
"You don't look like you've been injured," observed Mrs. Whiterose with narrowed eyes.
"Finite Incantatem," whispered Eden as she flicked her wand at herself to reveal ugly dark purple bruises on her face and wrists. Severus's jaw dropped in shock at the bruises on his sister's pale skin. He attempted to jump from his seat and hunt down Adam for his crimes against his sister, when he was held down by Lucius and Narcissa under the table.
Super Intendant Whiterose nodded and left the four teens to their breakfast. Eden cast the disillusionment charm over her bruises and smiled wickedly as Lucius cast the muffliato charm so that they would not be overheard. "I'm going to fucking kill that asshole," exclaimed Severus angrily as he slammed his fists down onto the table making the plates and silverware clatter and shake.
"There's no need for you to do that, Severus," said Eden as she sipped her morning coffee calmly.
"Eden, how can you say that to me? I am powerless to stop my git of a father from abusing our mother, but I can certainly do something about that lowly sack of flubber worm excrement," shouted Severus enraged!
"Severus, use the Legillimency skills that I've been teaching you. I promise that you'll see the truth of everything," said Eden attempting to calm the temper of her enraged little brother. Severus gazed into her eyes and delved into her mind. After seeing her memories of the night before he instantly calmed down and started laughing at how they had left Adam Whiterose alone in the forest.
Later that night, Adam Whiterose was found wondering around the forest at the base of the cliffs unable to speak and badly injured. No matter what the school healer attempted, there was no known way to heal his condition. The time passed and soon the entire school was looking forward to the day of the second task.
Eden had already learned the secret of her clue a week before the Yule Ball, and sat with Severus, Lucius, and Narcissa in the common room of her dorm in front of the fire. Lucius was starting to freak out and angrily flung the pendant into the flames of the fire in frustration. Eden flicked her wand and stopped the jeweled pendant from hitting the flames.
"Lucius, I know that I said that I wasn't going to help you again, but you need to gaze into the pendent after it has been heated in a fire," she said as she levitated the warmed pendent back into his hands. Lucius held the pendent up in front of him and blew on the hot metal and gemstones. As he blew on the pendent to cool it down the sounds of a croaky man's voice came issuing from the pendent.
"Come seek us where our treasures lie. Not below but somewhere high, While you're searching ponder this, We have taken what you'll sorely miss, an hour long you'll have to look, to discover what we've took, pass an hour the prospects black, too late it's gone and won't come back, Your stolen treasure you shall find, once you too return our kind."
"What does this mean," asked Lucius with a puzzled expression on his face?
"It's simple really," announced Eden. "Break the lyrics of the song down and you'll see the answer," she said as she got to her feet and walked over to the window that looked out onto the base of the falls.
"Come seek us where our treasures lie. Not below but somewhere high," "That would be the Goblin's cave behind the falls," said Eden as she pointed to the mid-point of the falls.
"While you're searching ponder this, we have taken what you'll sorely miss," "That probably means that the goblins have taken some sort of precious treasure from each of the champions," said Narcissa thoughtfully.
"An hour long you'll have to look, to discover what we've took, pass an hour the prospects black, too late it's gone and won't come back," "That's also obvious, you will only have an hour to search for your stolen treasure. Because there's some kind of time limit on the task," said Severus as the door to the common room opened and Regulus Black stepped inside.
"Hi, guys, I hate to interrupt this little chat, but our head of house wishes to speak with both Narcissa and Severus straight away," he said as he held the door open for his fellow Slytherin's. Narcissa and Severus exchanged curious glances then left the room together.
"See you later this evening in our dorm, Lucius," said Narcissa as she placed a soft kiss on his cheek.
"I'll meet you at the breakfast table in the morning Eden," said Severus as he hugged his sister good night before leaving the room.
As the door closed Eden and Lucius went over the final part of the clue together. "Your stolen treasure you shall find, once you too return our kind." "From what I know of goblins that means that they will only give back our treasures when we give them back these pendants. Their Goblin made, and were probably taken from the cave," said Eden as she stretched sleepily.
"Thanks for helping me again Eden, although I can't help wondering what possession of mine the goblins could have possibly taken," said Lucius as he left the common room closing the door behind him.
The next morning Eden sat in the champion's tent and waited patiently for Lucius to arrive. Neither Narcissa, Lucius nor Severus was present at the breakfast table that morning, and that made Eden very uneasy for some reason. Lucius came rushing into the tent at the last moment with a worried expression on his face.
"Lucius, where were you and the other's at breakfast this morning," asked Eden as the referee stepped into the tent? Lucius opened his mouth to explain but was cut off by the referee's voice.
"Good morning Champions. Please follow me," he said as he walked through the other side of the tent and out onto the docks in front of the base of the falls. The three champions followed him and stood on the edge of the docks waiting for further instructions.
The Super Intendant's voice echoed over the roar of the falls. "Last night, a valuable treasure was stolen from our three champions. In order to retrieve their stolen treasures the champions must dive into the water and swim to the base of the falls. They must then climb up the surface beneath the falls until they reach a dark cave. They have only an hour to reach the cave and search for their stolen treasures. Champions you may begin when the clock strikes noon," said Super Intendant Whiterose as she gestured toward the clock tower.
When the clock began to chime the hour the three champions jumped into the water and started to swim wildly. They reached the stony bank beneath the falls at the same time and cast their respective charms to aid them in climbing the slippery surface of the rocky underside of the falls. As they climbed water nymphs and grindylows attacked them from behind and above as the water fell over their bodies drenching them to the bone.
Eden reached the mouth of the cave first and ripped an attacking grindilow from her back and threw it angrily over her shoulder into the falling water, and lit her wand to make her way through the caves. Down on the cliff below the cave mouth Lucius was struggling to fight off the grindilows whom were swarming him and pulling on his long blonde hair. He lost his grip and fell backwards into the falls screaming in fear as he attempted to pull the grindilows off of him.
Below the falls the spectators gasped and screamed in fear as they saw Lucius falling down the waterfall fighting grindilows as he fell. He bounced off of large rocks that protruded from the falls and screamed as his bones cracked with the impact, before falling into the churning water of the spring below getting knocked out. Life guards dove into the water after him and pulled him to safety. "The champion from Hogwarts has been rendered unable to complete the challenge," came the announcer's voice over the crowd as Lucius was carried into the healer's tent.
Inside the cave Eden walked into a hot chamber piled with gold, silver, and various types of precious gemstones. She looked toward the back of the room to see three golden cages holding none other than Narcissa, Severus, and another girl whom she expected was Adolph Crumb's girlfriend. Severus got to his feet and called out to his sister joyfully.
She ran over to the cages and withdrew the pendant from her pocket to see that it had changed into a golden jeweled key. She jammed the key into the lock and turned it, before ripping open the cage and pulling her little brother into her arms and hugging him. "So this is why you and Narcissa weren't at breakfast," she said as Adolph ran up and jammed his key into the lock releasing his girlfriend, and started to run for the entrance of the cave dragging her onto a broom that he had summoned.
Eden transformed into her animagus form and lowered herself so that Severus could mount. She was about to leave the treasure chamber when she noticed that Lucius wasn't coming. She had sworn that he was right behind her. Severus wrapped his fists deep into her long mane preparing for her to take off when he heard her voice inside his head.
"Something is wrong. Lucius should have been right behind me. I can't leave Narcissa behind. No matter what happens don't let go of my mane," came her voice in his head. She turned and backed up to the door of Narcissa's cage and kicked the lock as hard as she could. The Goblin's rushed at her with swards and maces threateningly.
"You may only take one prisoner," said one Goblin as he shot an arrow at her. Eden spun and kicked an advancing goblin knocking him against the wall of the cave.
"Eden, to your right," screamed Severus as a mace wielding goblin came running at her. She turned her head and sent a stunning spell at the goblin, then kicked at the lock again making it pop open.
Narcissa stood there in shock for a moment, and Severus reached back one of his hands to help her onto Eden's back. "Don't just stand there, get on," he yelled as the bow wielding goblin shot an poison tipped arrow at them narrowly missing Severus's hand. Narcissa grasped Severus's hand and jumped onto Eden's back as the cage began to fall down a deep chasm below.
On feeling both Severus and Narcissa on her back Eden lunged forward knocking down four advancing goblins. She ran and jumped through the dark cave using her horn to light the way and her sensitive nostrils to smell the water of the falls. The goblins were hot on her tail as she leapt from the mouth of the cave through the falls.
A poisoned arrow followed her out of the water of the falls and hit directly in her left hindquarter. She squealed loudly in pain and stopped flapping her wings as the poison flowed through her body paralyzing her. "Severus you and Narcissa must jump into the spring below before it's too late. I can't move, going to c-crash," came her weak voice in Severus's head.
The crowd gasped as Severus and Narcissa jumped from the back of the falling black winged unicorn and fell into the deep water of the spring. As Eden continued to fall her front foot hit the top of the stands where several teachers were sitting and she flipped over landing on the ground with a sickening crunch of bones. The life guards helped Severus and Narcissa out of the water, while the Healers ran towards Eden's broken body.
As the healers approached Eden was unconscious and had changed out of her animagus form with her last ounce of control. The broken shaft of the arrow was sticking out of her left butt cheek. They worked where they were for thirty minutes before carrying Eden back to the healer's for further treatment.
She awoke the next morning in the health center coughing up the foul taste of a beezor, and wrapped in bandages from the neck down. She blinked in the light to find Lucius, Narcissa, and her brother sitting beside her bed. "What happened while I was out," she asked after taking a sip of the cold water from the goblet held by her little brother?
"Well, I was attacked by grindilows and lost my grip on the cliff side, falling into the spring and knocking myself out in the process. While you saved my darling Narcissa," said Lucius as he pulled Narcissa into his arms. And nodded thankfully.
All of a sudden the doors of the health center burst open and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, Super intendant Whiterose and the other two judges of the Tri-Wizard tournament came in to speak with Eden.
"Miss Prince, the head Goblin has informed us that you acted on instinct and would have placed first in the competition had you not insisted on rescuing Miss Narcissa Black as well. You came in second due to the fact that Mr. Malfoy was forced to withdraw. However, because you showed impeccable moral character we have awarded you fifty more points making you tied with Adolph Crumb for first place," said Super Intendant Whiterose excitedly.
Eden winced as she smiled up at her School's Super Intendant. "I think that you should all leave her so that she can rest now," came the voice of the Healer. The others all rose from their chairs and left the room willingly ushered out by the other judges. Severus however refused to leave his sister's side.
"With all due respect, professor's, I'm not leaving my sister," he said as he took a cool wet rag and dabbed the sweat from his sisters face. Headmaster Dumbledore and Super Intendant Whiterose nodded, and left the siblings together.
A/N I hoped that you found this chapter as interesting as I did. Please review and let me know what you think. Chapter 12 Battle for the Cup is up next.