Chapter 12 February in the lake
Hogwarts January 18th.
"I do hope that you have used this time to reflect Miss Rosier," Albus spoke looking at the student sitting opposite him, "And that we shall not have any repeat of your behaviour."
"yes Sir," Kayleigh glanced keeping her face blank.
"you are still to serve detention with Professor Snape for the next two weeks, your detentions from defence have been lifted, do not make up regret allowing you to keep your privileges as prefect."
"I won't sir, I have had time to reflect upon my behaviour and I wish to apologise to you and the other professors as well… I was not myself," Kayleigh answered softly, "And I allowed my emotions to get the better of me."
"Very well," Albus' eyes twinkled once more, "I believe if you leave now you shall make it to your first defence class on time."
"Yes sir," Kayleigh stood up picking up her bag, "I will apologise to the other heads of schools as well sir, and I disgraced not only myself but Hogwarts with my behaviour."
Defence classroom.
"Rosier?" Moody growled out.
"here Sir," Kayleigh answered softly glancing up, she had been surprised when the ex-Auror had actually agreed to teach out the rest of the school year given what had happened, but the man had resumed teaching after a few days of rest.
"Today we are going to switch it up a little," Moody's twisted smile appeared on his face, "Duelling by yourself is hard enough but when partnered up you are required not only to protect yourself but also your partner, all of you pair up with someone from an opposite house!"
The lesson was proceeding well, the group having practiced duelling in pairs with Remus on various occasions, "do not be afraid to fight dirty!" Moody barked making a few jump sending their hexes off course, "An opponent will not hesitate to fight dirty, the rules of duelling hardly apply to a real fight."
As the bell sounded many of the students were nursing slight injuries after the 'fight dirty' remark, "Rosier a word before you leave," Moody growled as the students packed up.
Kayleigh paused before nodding to her house mates she would be fine, "Sir?"
"Take a seat," Moody growled sitting behind his desk.
Kayleigh sighed before doing as she was asked, "yes Sir?"
"Your head of house and the Headmaster wished for me to pass on this information to you," Moody's face twisted slightly, "though in truth there is another conversation that is long overdue. The first thing I need Rosier if your word that what I am about to tell you will not be told to the school."
Kayleigh paused before nodding slowly, "Before I give you my word Sir, I would like to know why it is required."
"Smart girl you are," Moody gave a bark of a laugh, "If you would prefer I can call your head of house here."
Kayleigh shook her head, "That shall not be required Sir."
"The reason your word is required girlie is the information I am going to provide you with is only known to a handful of people, if it was up to myself I would not hand it over the more people who know something the easier it is for a leak to occur," Moody growled.
"If I give you my word shall I be able to discuss it with my head of house?"
"Yes he knows the secret."
"Very well Sir, I shall not repeat what I am about to be told to anyone who does not know the secret," Kayleigh gave the easy oath.
Moody nodded once, "you have not been taught by me before."
"Excuse me?" Kayleigh played dumb to the statement, "You have been our defence professor since the start of term."
"No I have not, someone was impersonating me," Moody growled before giving a quick over view of what had happened.
"Why are you explaining this to me Sir?" Kayleigh asked quietly.
"because you have a right to know after your head of house explained to me what the impersonator had done," Moody peered directly at her, "you have your father's eyes and temper from what I am told."
Kayleigh swallowed slowly not expecting the conversation to turn this way, "Sir if it all the same I would rather not have this conversation after I made a promise to the headmaster to be on my best behaviour. We have a history together sir one which still to this day causes me pain."
"What do you know of that day?" Moody growled standing up.
"I know of my Mother's screams Sir that echoed through the manor when we received the news…" Kayleigh whispered quietly a chill running down her spine as wood collided with stone.
"We all make choices," Moody moved around the desk, "Whether they be right or wrong, your father was offered the chance to come quietly he refused the misconception you have is that I fired the fatal curse."
Kayleigh stood up quickly grabbing her bag, "whether you fired it or not sir, my father is dead and part of the blame lies in your hands. We all make choices just as you also made a choice, I do not care if you believe my father was wrong all he ever did was try to protect us to protect my Mother and me but you took away that protection."
Potions classroom.
Halting in the middle of the role as the door opened Severus lowered his parchment seeing his student take her customary seat though the fine tremor that ran through her body was obvious, keeping his eyes on her he finished off reading the name only to receive a nod in response to her name. "Today we are continuing on from our previous lesson," Severus spoke softly, "To create the base of the Spinaldex potion you shall be using the golden cauldrons on the front desk, you are to form groups of three for this potion the base formula is on the board all of the supplies can be found within the supply cupboard."
There was a soft murmuring through the class as they formed their groups, though Kayleigh had not moved from her spot her eyes still staring at a point behind their professor's desk. Severus moved forward his shadow falling over her; "Perhaps we should go into my office…" he spoke softly touching her shoulder lightly to gain her attention, "Your bench partners can start."
Kayleigh nodded slowly standing up slipping past her head of house and into the open office door, "There shall be a one way silencing spell in place, call if there are any problems," Severus spoke to the rest of the class whom nodded before walking through the door. "Half of the students in there are nursing small injuries would you care to tell me why?"
"Moody wanted us to fight dirty," Kayleigh answered softly, "So we did, he said within a battle the normal duelling rules do not apply we worked in teams today."
"That explains the injuries then, but not what has you so rattled," Severus sighed sitting down, "I assume he spoke to you after class?"
"Yes," Kayleigh nodded, "he informed me of what had happened."
It was twenty minutes later a slightly calmer Kayleigh re-entered the classroom moving back to her group while Severus moved through the aisles of the class room checking the progress of everyone's work, "While the base is in the cooling process read through the next part of the potion found within your books paying attention to Horton's Law."
Room of Requirement, February 23rd 11:30pm.
The doors of the room flew open as a slightly panicked Harry Potter came flying in making those present look up, "Harry?" Kayleigh spoke softly getting to her feet.
"Are they here?" harry whispered desperately looking around the room.
"Are who here?"
"Ron and Hermione," Harry kept scanning the room.
"Sit down Harry," Kayleigh sighed pushing the boy into a seat, "Why would you think they are here?"
"Neville came to find them hours ago and they didn't come back…."
Kayleigh nodded looking back around the room, "That makes the four," she spoke as one of her classmates moved to the board supporting information on the second task.
"What makes four?" Harry growled, "Where are they?"
"Harry, 'Come seek us where our voices sound, we cannot sing above the ground, and while you search ponder this…"
"I know the bloody song!" Harry snapped standing up.
"We've taken what you'll sorely miss," Kayleigh pushed him back into the chair; "We've taken what you'll sorely miss."
The little colour that was in the boy's face drained away, "But why did they take them both?"
"Hermione attended the ball with Krum," Kayleigh spoke softly, "Another girl arrived in the castle tonight, Fleur's younger sister and Miss Chang is also missing."
"But…"
"Harry please tell me you have a plan," Kayleigh took hold of the boy's hand.
"I do," Harry nodded slowly, "Neville helped me and Dobby is getting hold of it for me, Natalie has been teaching me how to swim as well."
Kayleigh closed her eyes briefly, "Okay, I suggest you get some sleep."
"They'll be safe right?"
"Harry go get some sleep," Kayleigh shook her head.
Hogwarts Great Hall, February 24th 7:45am.
Excitement was within the air of the great hall as the students and professors enjoyed their breakfast the judges for the task were sitting at the table though it seemed Percy Weasely had taken Crouch's position for the time being as a judge given the rather quiet investigation that was going on. As the morning post arrived Kayleigh paid for her paper feeding the bird a piece of bacon though the headline made her blood run cold.
Magical Orphanage Attacked!
News is trickling in of an attack on the magical orphanage that our High Lady visited last week, at this stage it is unknown who the attackers were. Magical and Muggle law enforcement officers were on scene investigating the scene, though it is believed that no one was injured within the attack the main building was burnt to the ground…
Kayleigh lowered the paper her hands slightly shaking as her eyes scouted the great hall falling on others who had also lowered their papers, "Excuse me," she spoke softly to her year mates standing up.
"Kay?" Eike went to stand.
"Stay here and attend the task," Kayleigh kept her voice soft glancing once to the head table nodding once to her head of house who had his own paper lowered.
Potions classroom, 8:00am.
Kayleigh paced the classroom her mind in overdrive as the door opened two people slipping in, "If I had not visited…"
"We do not know that," Severus spoke closing the door, "you did what you needed to do."
"I am going to go," Samantha spoke softly placing her hand lightly on her friends arm, "You need to attend the task if you were to miss this one as well people would raise questions."
Once again the door opened with four sixth years entering one from each house, "How do we proceed?"
"We have an hour until the task," Kayleigh shook her head, "Floo through to the manor and we can discuss this more, Sir you need to stay here."
Severus nodded once, "Find me when you return."
"I shall."
Alliance Manor, 8:10am.
Remus stood the moment the floo flared with the paper still in his hands, "When do we leave?"
"We do not," Kayleigh sighed as the four guards went off to get changed, "You, Sirius and I need to be at the task, where is Bill?"
"Here Milady," Bill spoke entering the room already changed into battle robes tying the sword around his waist.
"Sam go get ready," Kayleigh nodded as her fifth year friend left the room, "Samantha is going to go with four guards, Bill I would like you to accompany them see if you can find anything in the wards I want to know if this was a magical or muggle attack. Do we know who is on scene?"
"Kingsley and a team of Auror's," Sirius answered entering the room, "Amelia sent through the information ten minutes ago, when do we leave?"
"As I said to Remus we don't, you need to be at the task for your Godson Sirius," Kayleigh sighed as the guards re-entered the room ready to go though their faces were grim, "Bill is in charge for this."
"The task is only an hour long," Samantha walked back through the doors adjusting her hair.
"We can cover your absence if need be," Kayleigh nodded, "Stay for as long as you need."
Hogwarts Grounds, 8:45am.
The stands that had been used for the first task were now by the black lake filled with various students all laughing and awaiting the start of the second task, Kayleigh made her way through the throng of students towards the stands nodding once to her head of house as she past him her eyes flickering to the gate where Sirius and Remus were walking up from though both men's faces were still partly grave, receiving the nod in return she made her way up into the stands finding her housemates and taking her seat next to Eike, "Samantha has gone," she spoke softly her eyes scouting those around her, "Bill is with her."
Eike nodded, "Do we know any more than what was in the paper?"
"Not yet Amelia has Auror's on site, we should know more when Sam returns."
"This wasn't your fault," Eike spoke softly squeezing her hand.
"it doesn't feel that way," Kayleigh sighed turning her eyes to the lake, "ready for round two?"
"Until we know more do not blame yourself and even then do not blame yourself," Eike kept his voice soft his hand squeezing her own again, "And truthfully not really."
Professor's and guests stand, 8:59am.
"Do you know what his plan is for this one?" Severus spoke quietly to the man sitting next to him.
Remus glanced to his left, "No, do you?"
"If he ever steals from my stores again…" Severus growled.
Remus turned his full attention to his left, "Steal from your stores?"
"Gillyweed went missing," Severus answered speaking out the side of his mouth.
"Isn't that more suited to salt water not fresh water?"
"Indeed," Severus nodded once.
"I am going to kill him…." Remus muttered passing the information onto Sirius whose face turned whiter.
Gryffindor section, 9:03am.
"Why the hell is he just standing there?" Natalie whispered looking down to the shore edge.
"Looks like he is chewing something."
"What would he be chewing?"
"Gillyweed," Neville answered glancing across to them.
"Isn't that suited to salt water?"
"It has a longer lasting effect in salt water, but recent studies have showed it can perform well in fresh water for up to 50 minutes."
"Neville the task is an hour long…"
"Let's hope he swims fast," Natalie muttered glancing over to the Slytherin stand.
Slytherin stand, 9:06am.
"Please tell me he did not just eat Gillyweed?" Kayleigh asked softly.
"he didn't eat Gillyweed," the voices around her answered.
"Liars… I swear this boy is going to send me into heart failure," Kayleigh growled.
"recent studies have shown…"
"50 minutes," Kayleigh snapped, "Is what they have shown, the task goes for an hour."
Professor's and guests stand, 9:39am.
"how are you enjoying your work with the Alliance, Lord Black?"
Sirius turned his head slightly at the question, "it is diverse and interesting."
"we are surprised to see you both here after this morning's paper," Minerva gave a sad smile.
"We were planning on going but our lady ordered us to be here for Harry."
"someone is coming up!"
All heads flew back towards the lake as a head broke the surface though it was the French champion who was in hysterics, "Poor girl."
"Looks like a grindylow attack," Remus muttered as they watched the girl ushered into the medical tent.
"How about you Remus, do you enjoy your work?"
"I do," Remus nodded answering the question, "I have had the opportunity to pick a few brains at the Auror's academy."
"Who would that be then boy?" Moody growled from his seat.
Hufflepuff stand, 10:05am.
"Aren't they meant to be back by now?" Mark looked around his friends, "The task was for an hour only…"
"It's only five minutes out."
Mark nodded turning his eyes back to the lake though not before glancing around the other stands seeing the strained looks on a few faces as the minutes continued to tick by.
"Someone is coming up!" a voice shouted in the crowd all eyes focussing on the lake only.
The Hufflepuff stand roaring loudly as they saw their champion surface with the hostage who had been taken, "Cedric made it back first!"
Professor and Guest stand, 10:15am.
"Tell me there is something to stop them from drowning," Sirius growled as Krum reached the surface with Hermione.
"I am sure the headmasters and mistress would not allow…"
"Moony they stopped this fucking competition when the death toll got to high!" Sirius snapped, So tell me positively there is something to stop them from drowning." Remus remained quiet looking out over the lake, "You lying might have helped," Sirius growled after a minute of silence.
Slytherin Stand, 10:25am.
Kayleigh was tapping her foot impatiently her eyes glued to the lake ignoring the sniggers of some of her housemates about maybe Potter had drowned, "LOOK!" a voice screamed out as three heads bursts through the surface, Kayleigh softly breathing a sigh of relief, "Only one more of these bloody things to get through…"
"Do we know if…"
"Not yet," Kayleigh answered softly as bagman announced the scores and current standing along with how harry had shown remarkable courage and bravery, "I'll give him remarkable courage and bravery…"
"You cannot go slap him this time," Eike laughed softly squeezing her hand once more.
"I was thinking more along the lines of drawn and quartered," Kayleigh growled getting to her feet.