A/N: Chapter 10's finally up! Te-he, sorry for the long wait, I had no idea what to write (just kidding, I was lazy and I've been working one another fanfic of mine).
You know the usual drill: REVIEW! (Even if it's just an 'I like it!' or 'I hate it!' [Though I'd appreciate if you'd tell me why you hate it!]), with that said, enjoy the chapter!
Chapter 10: The day the demon was born
"Run, Draco!" Abraxas Malfoy shouted while rushing at top speed out of the Slytherin common room. The rest of the Slytherins weren't far behind him.
Draco sighed in frustration. He had been in the library all day working on his Defense essay and for the first time in weeks he just wanted to sit down an relax. But, apparently Riddle and Rowling couldn't of picked some other place instead of the Slytherin common room to solve their differences and it was commonly known that you'd have to be suicidal to stand anywhere near those two when they were having a fight. So, Draco wisely turned 180 and darted for the Room of Requirement.
It had been a week since Harry and Tom declared war on each other and it hadn't been a pleasant one for the Slytherins, especially for Draco. He couldn't even remember how many times he'd ended up in the hospital wing thanks to their altercations.
Miss Muller had told Harry to stop, that they were here to befriend Riddle but to no avail, even Luna and Hermione's threats didn't work on him. So, they two had let them be after Hermione had been hit by a rather nasty curse when she had tried to stop one of their minor arguments.
The worse part was that Riddle had come out of hiding, and was now talking to the Slytherins, which had angered Tonks to the point that she had, not once, but trice suggested they kidnap Riddle and keep him away from those mean and ugly little harpies (not that he wasn't one himself mind you).
Sirius and George hadn't had much time to plan pranks or enjoy the success of the 3 they had managed to pull of in the last week, because Tonks had insisted they concentrate on befriending Riddle first and leave the pranks for lather. So, the two were stuck goggling the Marauders map all day long, and searching for the evasive little bastard.
Edward (who was still pissed at Riddle for getting better results then him on last weeks defense test) and Hermione (who was pissed at him for the same reason and the trip she had to the hospital wing) had more then once suggested they off Riddle (to everyone's surprise). Of course they had given legitimate reasons for their drastic decision like: he's gonna kill Harry! Or: he was the one to force that boy to jump off the astronomy tower! And let's not forget everybody's personal favorite: it would be so much easier if he were dead! EVERYONE agreed with that! Though, Draco (of all people), had reminded them that they shouldn't sink that low, yet.
To Hannah's relief, Edward had given up on his midnight stroll in the courtyard after a week and a half of no incidents revolving the astronomy tower, being late for two more meetings with the others, nearly being caught by the caretaker, Matt Brown and not to mention that the sleepless nights had won him 2 more weeks of detention with Beery.
"I hate that pig!" Edward growled after returning from his detention.
"Yes hun, I know," Hannah sighed and resumed writing on her defense essay.
"Why, what did he do?" Tonks asked curious and Hannah cursed.
"What didn't he do? He had me writing I will not tell lies for the first half an hour and then he started interrogating me about time freezing spells! Like always! I'm bloody lucky that he hasn't tried Veritaserum on me yet!" He complained though he had noticed in the past couple of weeks that he was immune to certain potions, he still doubted he'd be able to resist that.
Hannah grabbed her essay and bolted from the room leaving a dejected Tonks to listen to Edward ramble on and on for 2 hours about what a jerk Beery was. 'Hump, serves her right for asking!' Hannah sneered un-remorsefully.
-OOOOOO-
Luna had a stalker problem. She had never in her life considered that a person could be that much obsessed with another that they'd follow their every move! But it seems Demeter Greengrass thought there was nothing wrong with following her around (even into the girl's bathroom!). She had barely evaded him last time when they had a meeting and he was at it again! She long grew tired of his gawkiness and decided it was about time she told him to go to hell. So, after diner, she told Hermione to go back to the common room by herself and ran straight to the Astronomy tower knowing Demeter would follow. She entered the Astronomy classroom and locked the door. Then she proceeded to lay out her trap.
"Luna?" Demeter knocked on the Astronomy classroom door. He had seen the girl go in, and wondered what she was doing here, after all, the class started at midnight. He tried to open the door but found it locked. "Alohomora!" He said and cheered when the lock gave a soft click annunciate that it was opened.
"Luna?" He cracked the door open and peeked inside.
The class was definitely one of the weirdest rooms that Hogwarts had ever had. It was large and had enough benches to accommodate all the first years. Each of the benches were engraved with a model of the night sky and a gigantic telescope, which was connected to the ceiling, hung over them. The walls were filled with posters, illustrations and images of the constellations, galaxies and the 9 planets that surrounded the sun. The teacher's desk was a tad larger then the rest but made out of the same maple tree as everything else. It was full with books, sketches, maps, parchment, ink and a model of the solar system which was charmed to move in conformation with the planets.
Demeter stared at it for a little while and then noticed the store room, on the left side of the teacher's desk was opened. Curiosity got the best of him and he went to check it out. They weren't really allowed in that room - last he heard it was supposed to be locked.
As soon as he entered the room the door banged shut and a soft click was heard from the lock. "What? Hey is somebody out there?" Demeter asked while banging on the door.
"Yeah, you bet there is!" Luna's chuckling voice was heard from somewhere behind the door. "Now listen to me you little minx! I don't appreciate the fact that you've taking to stalking me as your new sport, so I'm gonna say this only once: Stop now or you'd better jump off the roof, because the next time I catch you at it you'll be in a lot more trouble then this!" She shouted and stormed out of the room. She had placed one of the Weasley brother's permanent sticking charm on the door so it would be a while before Demeter managed to get out of there.
-OOOOOO-
Midnight came much too slow in Tonks's opinion, but thank Merlin it finally did and Edward finally stopped ranting about what a jerk Beery was when said teacher came into the Hufflepuff common room to take the children to the Astronomy tower. Hannah rejoined the group and was careful to sit as far away from Tonks (who was glaring hatefully at her), as possible.
"Everyone here?" Beery asked.
"Demeter Greengrass is missing, sir!" Eleanor Branstone, a known member of the Riddle fan club answered.
Beery sighed. "I want the prefects out looking for him while I take the first years to class, then I'll join the search." He said and exited the common room.
Edward was one of the last to go hoping that Beery might stick in the front of the line like he usually did, but to his misfortune, the bastard waited for all of the kids to leave the common room and walked right behind Edward.
-OOOOOO-
Professor Horace Slughorn, head of Slytherin house, made his way to the Slytherin common room at approximately 23:45, like he always did on a Wednesday night, in order to lead his first years to the Astronomy tower for their class. He never really understood the use for an Astronomy class, nor the reason why it had its own tower on the campus. I mean seriously, potions was a much more important subject which was required in many of the Ministry jobs, but he didn't have his own bloody Potion's tower, no, he got stuck with the dungeons, which wasn't half bad, but still…
He was pulled out of his thought as he came across what must have been every Slytherin in the school standing a good 5 classes away from the common room.
"What are you all doing out here?" Slughorn asked confused.
"Riddle and Rowling decided to use the common room as their battle ground today." Hyperion Malfoy answered.
Slughorn nodded uncertainly and went to investigate. He remembered hearing rumors about the two, but seriously, they were first years! How bad could it be? His question was answered the moment he stepped into the Slytherin common room.
The small oak table that was closest to the entrance exploded right in his face. A loud bang was heard from somewhere to his right and the shouts of the two youngsters were echoing in the dungeons, but Slughorn was too busy covering his face to take notice.
"That was cheating!" Harry threw another Stunning hex.
"A-ha, can you prove it?" Riddle mocked and lazily cast a shield to deflect the curs. "Or else the words you said are nothing but meaningless rambles coming from a kid who didn't get his way! Conjunctivitis!"
"I can cast the Lumos spell perfectly you ass! You jinxed my wand to jump out of my hand!" Harry blocked the upcoming spell and was about to cast another one of his trademark Stupefy when suddenly his wand flew straight out of his hand and into professor Slughorn's awaiting one along with Tom's wand.
"What were you boys thinking!" Slughorn shrieked and pointed at the now destroyed common room. The furniture was scattered around the floor, the walls were filled with cracks and most of the paintings were half torn to shreds.
"He started it!" The boys said in union and pointed at the other.
Slughorn gave a frustrated sight. "And what do I care who started it? I care that the room looks like a pig's hall! I'm sure you boys know you're not the only ones living here!" He chastised. "And this rivalry between you is unhealthy for both your dorm mats and yourselves, I will have to ask you to stop this madness right now!"
"Oh, I'll stop alright," Harry said. "When he stops pestering me!" He glared hatefully at Riddle.
"Pestering you?" Riddle asked in an affronted tone. "Last I recall it was you who picked a fight with me!"
"Boys!" Slughorn tried to intervene, but Harry wouldn't have any of it.
"Oh, so now I picked a fight with you? Bull shit!" He swore. "You were the one to embarrass me in front of the whole school!"
"Because you deserved it!" Riddle sneered. "And let's not forget the little stunt you pulled when you glued my hand to the tea cup!"
"Yeah, so? You drugged me to insult the Charms teacher! And I got detention with her for the rest of the bloody year!" Harry accused.
"Boys!" Slughorn said a little more forcefully.
"I didn't drug you! I only gave you a sip of the truth potion. It was your own misfortune for telling her what you though."
"Fuck you Riddle!" Harry snapped.
"Hmm, I didn't know you swing that way. Well, at least you have tastes!" Tom said in a smug voice.
"GO TO HELL!" Harry bellowed.
"DETENTION, the both of you!" Slughorn roared and slammed his foot down unfortunately on a broken piece of glass and fell on his face. Harry had to suppress a chuckle.
"Professor, I think it's time for our Astronomy class," Riddle said seemingly unfazed.
"Tomorrow at 8 o'clock, my office, the both of you!" Slughorn squawked and picked himself off the floor. He grabbed a hold of Tom and Harry's hands and marched out of the common room.
The other Slytherins marveled when they saw Slughorn, relatively unharmed (if you didn't count the red nose and puffy eyes), walking towards them with Harry and Tom at his heals. He stopped in front of Hyperion and told him to pick his team of prefects and clean up the common room and then ordered the first years to follow him.
They met the Hufflepuffs on their way out of the dungeons and the Ravenclaw and Gryffindors at the entrance hall.
They had barely exited the castle when William Weasley said "professor! There's a kid on top of the Astronomy tower!" The students and teachers lifted their heads toward the roof.
"It's Demeter!" Eleonor exclaimed and in the next moment Demeter jumped.
A piercing scream escaped most of the female first years, but none was as loud as Luna's. Edward entirely forgot about the minor detail that Beery was standing right behind him and wiped out his wand faster then Dumbledore could and fired a spell. Fortunately for Edward it seemed a part of him hadn't forgot about the large amount of audience he had because the spell he fired wasn't a time stopping spell, but a simple Wingardium Leviosa.
Demeter's fall took an abrupt stop and the boy was left suspended upside-down in midair.
Beery didn't waste another minute, he summoned his broom and flew towards Demeter with such speed that he barely evaded knocking head first into the Astronomy tower. Edward released his hold on Demeter when he saw the other boy secure in Beery's hands and sighed in relief.
Beery landed on the ground and began examining his pupil while the Hufflepuffs encircled him. Luna was stuck in place glaring at the boy in Beery's hands.
"Is he alright professor?" Tonks asked concerned.
Demeter gave a soft snore and cracked an eye opened. "Ha? What am I doing here?"
That was all it took for Luna to snap out of her daze. She rushed towards Demeter and pushed his fellow house mates aside.
'How dare he!' Was all that was running through Luna's head. He was a stalker that was clear to her, but to go to the extent of jumping off the roof in order to prove… what? That he'd rather die then quit stalking her? Was he that obsessed that he'd pull such a desperate act? If he wanted to kill himself fine! But he should have thought better then to try and blame her for his inability to get a girlfriend! She'd show him!
"Demeter are you alri- hey!" Eleonor Brunston huffed indignant as she was pushed aside by Luna.
"I'm his girlfriend!" She snapped shocking the girl and Demeter himself.
"WHAT?" Draco practically shrieked startling Harry and most of the Slytherins besides him.
"Re-really?" Demeter asked hopefully.
"You!" Luna turned her blazing eyes towards him and bellowed. "What were you THINKING!" She banged him on the head with her Astronomy book.
"Aw! Luna, I'm sorry!" Demeter apologized, though he didn't know for what, but Luna paid him no mind and continued swinging the heavy book on his head and shouting at the top of her lungs.
"WHAT WERE YOU THINKING PULLING A STUNT LIKE THAT?"
"Miss Bouquet!" Paul cried and darted towards his student.
"What stunt?" Demeter asked confused and tried in vain to shield himself from Luna's attacks, but to no avail, because when Luna swung the book to hard so it flew out of her hand she suddenly remembered she had a wand and began throwing hexes at the poor boy.
"AVIS!" She shouted and birds sprang out of her wand and headed towards Demeter. Unluckily for her Beery transfigured them into feathers and pulled Demeter out of firing range by casting a quick "ACIO!" charm. Paul managed to get a hold of Luna and took her wand from her hand.
"Miss Bouquet I'm going to have to ask you to calm down this instant!" Paul order while keeping a firm grip on the still struggling child.
"YOU!" Luna roared, hot tears staining down her flushed cheeks. "YOU'D BETTER CONSIDER YOURSELF LUCKY IF YOU GET OUT OF THIS ALIVE YOU STUPID LITTLE MINX!"
"WHY?" Demeter finally broke down at seeing the girl cry. "I DIDN'T DO ANYTHING! You left me trapped in the supplies room!" He sniffed softly and tears started filling his eyes. "I don't know how I got here! I don't know why you're so mad about!" He shouted and began crying too.
Something inside Luna seemed to snap at hearing those words. 'He didn't jump because of me…' A heavy weight seemed to be lifting from her shoulders. 'It wasn't my fault,' she kept repeating over and over 'it wasn't my fault!' She swallowed a mouthful of air and tried to calm her enraged breathing. She hadn't even realized she was sweating or shaking for the matter.
"Paul, I think you should take the kids to Madam Gray." Dumbledore said silently.
"Yeah" Paul nodded still a little shocked and led Luna, who was walking limply besides him, and Demeter, who kept sniffing and shooting concerned looks at Luna, towards the castle.
"Well, show's over folks! Let's get yours kiddies to class!" Beery grunted and grabbed a hold of Edwards's hand. Slughorn and Dumbledore urged their students towards the Astronomy tower as well.
Edward was walking swiftly behind his head of house and wondering why the bastard hadn't said anything to him yet, but then again, he hadn't shot a time stopping spell, thank Merlin for that, or he'd be in big trouble, but he had felt it, that annoying little tingle of magic that he felt on the Ravenclaw a couple of weeks ago. He was sure, the kid hadn't jumped on his own, no, someone had forced him, and he would find out who!
-OOOOOO-
"This girl's in shock!" Madam Gray stated. "What did you do now?" She turned towards Paul, folded her hands over her chest and narrowed her eyes.
Paul gulped and tried to explain "I-" but Demeter intervened.
"It's my fault," the boy said still sniffing. "I don't know how it happened but…it's my fault."
The nurse gave a frustrated sigh and went to her storehouse to get a potion. "Seriously you kids are gonna be the death of me, and first years nonetheless!"
-OOOOOO-
Draco was in a fowl mood during Astronomy. First he had found out that Luna had a boyfriend (and on his list of things I'd rather not have to deal with in my life! that one ranked pretty high), then he had been forced to come to Astronomy by that lame excuse of a head of house while the Arithmancy teacher had carried Luna off to the hospital wing, alone! (The stupid Hannah girl hadn't even asked to go with her, though it was clear that the girl needed support). He began twirling his wand in his hand impatiently and tapping the floor with his foot.
The Astronomy teacher sent him a worried glance. She had felt the anger pouring out of him and intoxicating everything it touched the moment the boy had entered the classroom. She had excused him from class, but it seemed that the boy hadn't heard her. He had taken his original seat unaware that his usual partner (Rowling), hadn't sat down next to him, and had started sulking and completely ignoring what was happening around him.
The moment Harry saw Draco's face in the courtyard he had decide he's rather die then sit besides the boy in class, so, he had reluctantly accepted that it would be more beneficial for him to sit besides Riddle in this class (because that was the only free spot!). He of course deemed himself a coward for it, but, there were things not even a Gryffindor was foolish enough to do.
"Your friend doesn't look to well," Riddle remarked. "Douse he like the Bouquet girl?"
Harry tensed and wondered how Riddle knew that. "Why would you think so?"
"Oh please, it's rather obvious," Riddle scoffed. "I'll admit, he's not as plain as that Gryffindor prankster who keeps glaring at the other Bouquet twin, or like you when you're ogling Virginia Parkinson" he stated smugly at seeing Harry's surprised expression, "but, I caught him staring a few times when he thought no one was looking."
"Is that your new hobby now? Spying on people?" Harry asked vexed.
"No, I'm just a little more astute then most people," Riddle gave him a superior smirk.
"You don't say," Harry scowled at him.
"So, you like Parkinson?" Riddle asked seemingly uncaring. "I never thought the loud ones were your type"
"She's not loud!" Harry defended.
"If you like her so much, why don't you tell your friend Jean to hook you up with her, I hear she's always willing to help."
"Why the sudden interested in my love life? Just yesterday you wanted to hex me, and now you want to hook me up with Parkinson, I find that hard to believe." Harry asked acidly.
"Oh, well, that would be one more thing I could tease you about, wouldn't it? Seeing as you don't have the guts to ask her out yourself," Riddle asked with an innocent smile on his handsome face.
"Why you little…" Harry fisted his hands in an attempt to calm himself. He just wanted to throttle the little bastard or punch him in the face!
"So, who's writing and who's looking through the telescope?" Tom asked and pulled out a piece of parchment. "We have to locate Mars, Venus and Saturn by the end of the class you know!"
"Am," Harry eyed the telescope and said "I'll write!" He definitely wasn't going anywhere near that thing. All the stars looked the same to him so he figured he'd let Riddle play with the thing, after all, if he fail, it would be one more thing to tease him about!
-OOOOOO-
Harry was lost in thought the next morning at breakfast. He hated to admit it but Riddle was right! He had to get a grip of himself and ask Virginia out or Riddle would teas him for the rest of his short lived life!
Draco (who was sitting right besides Harry), was still in a fowl mood. He was glaring hatefully at Demeter who was seated at the Ravenclaw table next to his Luna and talking to her like there was no tomorrow and the worst part was that the girl was laughing! He decided right then and there that Demeter Greengrass would be dead by the end of the day!
Luna was pissed (people could feel that from afar), the air around her had sunk below freezing level (though the one around Demeter seemed unfazed), the food on her plate had turned into a weird mixture of poison and broccoli crossed with honey and spice that had been left out for two weeks (probably do to the magically saturated air around her), and the bench and part of the table which she was occupating were rotting away fast. And if that wasn't proof enough then the maniacal laughter that tore from her throat at the very moment which could easily be mistake with a demons cry of carnage and blood definitely was.
Hermione regarded her friend worriedly, something very evil was born that morning Luna woke out of bed she just knew it!
'How dare he!' Luna thought, or maybe not, because even to her the sound of the voice in her head was kind of scary, but she didn't really care right now. 'Making me worry like that! Making me feel responsible! Making me feel week and helpless! Oh, I'll make you regret the day you fell in love with me! I'll make you curs the very meaning of that blasted word! I'll make you pay, Demeter Greengrass if my name isn't Luna Lovegood!' An evil laugh burst from her throat as her beautiful face contorted into a cruel an demon like smirk, her eyes flashed a vivid blood soaked red for only a second and the air around her became so saturated with magic that electrical sparks were formed in the air.
Hermione and everyone who didn't have a death wish toss the food down their throats and ran out of the great hall so fast one would have thought the devil himself was after them. Demeter, the poor, poor bastard was the only one stupid enough to confuse that demon howl for laughter and continued ranting on and on about whatever came to mind completely oblivious to the fact that his life was in danger, and that the person he was talking to looked at him like a rare piece of meat she'd like nothing better then to burry her fangs into.