Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.
Awakening of the Blood Moon
Chapter 26
Truce
Professor Dumbledore spoke to Reenie and Assiah the morning after the eclipse. He had happened to be at the school for the eclipse, but he allowed Reenie to rest first. Snape told him the news shortly after giving Pansy and her gang detention. Assiah and Reenie explained more about the war and the enemies they had been fighting. Dumbledore was pleased with Reenie's new behavior.
Reenie and Assiah promised to do their part to protect Hogwarts. He gave them keys to the school and special permission to search the grounds and forest for any enemies. After they discussed the war, their enemies and Reenie's new transformation, Dumbledore dismissed them so they could meditate with Elune.
Elune led the girls to her grove where she liked to mediate and stargaze. She began to burn herbs, helping the girls become calm and focused. Reenie and Assiah sat cross-legged on the ground and closed their eyes.
"Breathe deeply," Elune said. "Listen to the forest. Let it speak to you. Forget about the mundane."
The girls did as Elune told them. As they began to mediate, Assiah got a vision of Hagrid in the woods. Aragog was dead and Hagrid wanted to get him out of the Acromantula's hollow. However, the other acromantulas had another idea: they wanted to eat Aragog.
Assiah gasped and jumped up, her eyes wide. "Hagrid's in trouble!"
Her shouts broke Reenie's and Elune's focus. "What?" said Reenie.
"It's Hagrid," said Assiah urgently. "He's with the acromantulas. He's trying to get Aragog's body out of the hollow and they don't seem very happy about it. We've got to help him!"
"Go," said Elune at once. "We shall resume at another time."
Reenie apologized to Elune and then she took off after Assiah. Assiah was surprised that she was coming too.
"The acromantulas are mad at you Reenie," she said. "It will be too dangerous if you come."
"I can't let you go there alone," said Reenie.
"The acromantulas wont' hurt me," Assiah insisted.
"Maybe not," said Reenie. "But maybe I can make things right with them. I should at least try."
Assiah groaned but did not argue any further. There wasn't much time. She knew Hagrid was strong and the acromantulas did listen to him, but Hagrid was still outnumbered. When they made it to the Burrow, they found Hagrid having a tug of war with Aragog's body between him and a large acromantula.
"Aragog stays here," the acromantula insisted.
"You know he wouldn't want that!" Hagrid exclaimed. "Please, let me burry 'im."
"Shame on you, all of you!" Assiah cried. "Leave Hagrid alone!"
"We will not kill Hagrid," said a female.
"Why are you fighting with him then?" Assiah demanded. "Do you all really plan to eat Aragog?"
"Yes, it is our way," said the largest of the females. "Our nature."
"Maybe for black widows!" cried Assiah. "But not all spiders…and only after they mate! Aragog is…your king! Your father. You can't just kill him and eat him!"
An acromantula recognized Assiah and its pincers clicked excitedly. "It's her! The fool has wandered into our hollow again! This time she will not leave!"
"No, you won't hurt her!" Assiah screamed, moving in front of Reenie. Assiah began glowing a rich light brown and her attire changed into that of a sailor scout. Her collar and skirt was golden brown and her bows forest green. She wore sandals on her feet.
"Assiah?" Reenie mumbled. "No…Sailor Earth."
"Earth Stone Prison!" exclaimed Sailor Earth and she encaged the nearest acromantulas.
"Now listen to me! If you act like monsters, you will be treated as such! What right do you have, attacking Hagrid this way? He is the reason you are all here! You shall not hurt my friend either."
"She attacked our hollow," said an acromantula.
"She was not her self that day!" Sailor Earth exclaimed. "Something happened to her, took control…but she is all better now."
"Yes, I'm sorry for attacking you," Reenie said softly. "I want to make things right."
"Abbadon," said Sailor Earth to the largest of the males. "She did let Aragog live. Aragog would allow her to live. Aragog would not want this. He would not want you all to eat him either."
"He did not object when we ate our mother," Abbadon said.
"He—what—you-," gasped Sailor Earth. She growled and stepped closer. "No! What is wrong with you all? You can't just eat whatever you want. She gave you all life! I can't believe Aragog would allow you to eat his mate…Hagrid, is this true/?" she turned to Hagrid.
Hagrid nodded. "They did…but they did not have Aragog's permission or knowledge. They did it when he was asleep. He was angry with them."
"You need to think more like your smaller cousins," said Assiah, "they eat the bugs that harm plants and give diseased: mosquitoes, flies, aphids…Eat those instead. There are plenty of things here that are harming the forest. You can eat them."
"There are no giant insects in the forest," growled a female acromantula. "We prefer larger prey."
"Then I will engorge them for you,' groaned Sailor Earth. "You may not eat Hagrid, or Aragog, or Reenie…or anybody from the school that may wander into this forest! You only eat what harms this forest or harms us…or….or…you will be tiny talking spiders when I'm finished with you!"
Everyone was silent. The acromantulas clicked their pincers. Reenie wondered if Sailor Earth had pushed them too far. Could she even control them? Reenie had seen her talk to all sorts of animals, but acromantulas were different. They were not ordinary animals. They were monsters.
"Very well," said Abbadon. "Take Aragog. We will hunt differently from now on, but do not let us regret it."
"Good," said Sailor Earth, setting them free.
Reenie and Sailor Earth helped Hagrid bring Aragog's body near his hut. Hagrid was impressed with her words.
"I'm sure sooner or later they would've let me take 'im," said Hagrid. "But thank yeh still the same."
"You're welcome," said Assiah.
"I've got to give Harry, Ron and Hermione the news," Hagrid said sadly.
"I'll tell them," said Reenie.
By the way Harry and his friends acted, Reenie didn't think they would come. Of course she understood. Aragog allowed his children to eat—or at least try to eat—Ron and Harry. Harry was busy and preoccupied with something, so she was slightly surprised when she saw Harry arrive. The odd thing was that he came with Professor Slughorn.
Professor Slughorn seemed interested in the giant hairy eight-legged beast, more so in his venom. When Reenie saw him bend down to collect some, she knew why. She and Assiah set down bouquets of flowers and offered their words of eulogy. Afterwards the four of them had some drinks in Hagrid's hut.
"Assiah, I think we ought to go," Reenie said after about an hour. "It's late."
"But I'm not sleepy," protested Assiah, her eyes drooping. "I want to keep singing with Professor Slughorn and Ha-haaagrid." She finally finished with a loud yawn.
"Sorry for your loss, Hagrid," Reenie said. "I hope the others will serve worthy pets for you."
Reenie steered Assiah out of the hut, but not before giving a look into Harry's direction. "Glad you came, Harry."
"Yeah, me too," said Harry.
When Reenie returned back to the common room, she figured out why Harry came, and with Slughorn. There was something Harry wanted, and Slughorn was the one who had it. Even though Reenie's memory had returned to her after she became Sailor Eclipse, it was still damaged after the Forgetfulness Potion abuse. It was so long ago when she had read about Harry Potter and the fall of Voldemort. She couldn't remember Slughorn's part in it, or even if his part was recorded in the books she had read. However, seeing Harry's attitude, Reenie was certain that Harry would get whatever information it was that he needed from Slughorn.
Several days later, Reenie was on the sixth floor headed to the Room of Requirement. She was just passing the boy's bathroom when she heard a girl shrieking: "No, no! Stop!" Something exploded inside.
"Oh crap, it's them!"
Without taking the time to transform into Sailor Eclipse, Reenie barged into the boys' bathroom, her wand raised and ready to fire. Unexpectedly, she found no Animamates, phages or even Death Eaters. It was Harry and Draco having a duel. Myrtle was yelling at them to stop. When Draco saw Reenie, he stopped before firing the Cruciatus Curse on Harry. Harry however continued the duel with, "SECTUMSEMPRA!"
Draco looked like he was struck several times with a blade. Both Myrtle and Reenie screamed. Reenie glared at Harry.
"Why did you do that? He stopped!"
"I didn't mean it!" Harry exclaimed.
Reenie bounded forward to Draco, pushing Harry aside. "Didn't mean it…but I saw you hex him!"
"He was about to use the Cruciatus Curse on me!" Harry said. "You saw that!"
"And he stopped when I came in," Reenie said, pulling off her robes and pressing them to Draco's bleeding body. "What were you fighting about anyway?"
"I don't know!"
Reenie groaned. "He's still bleeding…I can't get it to stop!"
"Do the Counter curse!" Myrtle urged.
"I don't know it!" Reenie exclaimed. "Harry, what's the counter curse?"
"I don't know," Harry admitted. "I—I didn't even know what the curse would do."
"You used a spell," Reenie said slowly, "without even knowing what it would do? That's crazy! You never do that."
Myrtle began screaming. "MURDER! MURDER IN THE BATHROOM! MURDER!"
Professor Snape burst through the room, his pale face looking more furious than usual. He pushed Harry aside and approached Draco. Reenie removed the robes she had wrapped around him and stepped back, allowing Professor Snape to work on Draco.
"I had nothing to do with it, Professor," Reenie said.
"I know," muttered Snape. He didn't care about her story right now. He could get that later. He was more concerned and focused on getting Draco's bleeding to stop.
"The curse Harry used was called 'Sectusempra." Reenie flashed her eyes at Harry. He frowned and looked away. He hoped she wouldn't tell him, but he wasn't too surprised. She was a Slytherin now, and was on Draco's side. Reenie cleaned Draco's blood of her robes and pulled them back on.
Snape's hand shook but he continued. When he finished healing Draco's wounds, he wiped the blood from his face.
"You need the hospital wing," said Snape. "Miss Shields, if you help me take him there. Potter, you wait for me here."
"Yes, Professor."
Reenie took Draco's left as Snape took the right and they supported him out of the bathroom. They were halfway down the hall when Professor Snape spoke.
"Did Potter attack Draco?" Snape asked.
"It didn't seem like that sir," Reenie answered. "I was passing the bathroom when I heard Moaning Myrtle screaming. I thought it was my enemies, coming to attack the school so I ran into the bathroom. I believe they were having a duel because they both had their wands out. Draco was about to use the Cruciatus Curse on Harry, but he lowered his wand when he saw me come in. That was in Harry hexed him with Sectusempra. It was an accident though, Professor. He said he didn't know what it would do—and he didn't know the counter curse either."
Had not Professor Snape been a Legilmens, he would have assumed she made the whole thing up. The story didn't make sense to him. He was trying to understand Reenie's new behavior. However, he knew Draco and Harry quite well and he knew that they would seize a moment to attack each other.
"Do you know why they were fighting?" Snape asked.
"No sir," said Reenie. "But I believe the ghost does. She was telling them to stop."
Professor Snape paused at the Hospital Wing. "I have one last question for you: do you know who taught Harry that spell?"
"I have an idea," Reenie said. "The Half Blood Prince."
"Excuse me?" said Snape. He acted as if she was playing games with him, but he knew exactly what she meant.
"Harry has an old copy of Advanced Potion Making, sir," Reenie said. "Whoever owned previously it called themselves 'The-Half-Blood-Prince.' There are notes on how to improve potions, and spells that the previous owner may have made up."
"How long have you known this?" Snape demanded
"I found out the week I was in Gryffindor," Reenie said.
"And you didn't bring it to the attention of any of the teachers?" Snape said.
Reenie shrugged. "I didn't think it would bring any harm. Harry was behind in potions, and the Prince's notes helped him. Honestly, Professor, I think the Prince should have sold his notes to author, so that they can make another version. Professor Slughorn himself said that potions can be perfected. But…even so…Harry should have known better than to use a spell when he did not know the consequences of it."
"I appreciate you telling me this," said Professor Snape.
"Thank you and you're welcome," Reenie gave a typical Japanese bow. "Does that mean I'm on your good side?"
"For now," said Snape. "Unfortunately, I must take ten points for not being up front about Potter's book."
"I understand," Reenie said with a nod.
Snape frowned. He was half expecting her to shout how outrageous it was. Not too long ago the girl was out of her mind.
"But you attempted to help Draco and you told me about Harry's source of potion making prowess," said Snape. "I therefore add you ten points."
It didn't make any difference to Slytherins current standing but Reenie was appreciative nonetheless.
"Now, stay with Draco," Snape said. "Don't leave unless it's necessary."
"Yes sir," Reenie said and she helped Draco into the hospital wing. She stayed at his bedside for hours and if she had been anyone else, Madame Pomfrey would have shooed her away. Madame Pomfrey also was not used to Reenie's new attitude. She felt as if she asked Reenie to leave, Reenie would lose her temper. She allowed Reenie to stay in the hospital wing overnight.
Draco was overjoyed when he woke up to see Reenie the next morning. Her arms were crossed in front of her on his chest and her head was laying in them while she slept. He reached over to push her hair away from her face. Reenie stirred and sat up, yawning. Draco smiled.
"Where you here the whole night?" he asked.
"Yes," Reenie answered. "Professor Snape told me not to leave you unless it was necessary."
"And Madame Pomfrey didn't object?"
Reenie shook her head. "How are you?"
"Better," Draco answered. "I can't really remember what happened."
"You were fighting with Harry Potter in the bathroom on the sixth floor," Reenie told him. "I came in right before he hit you with a bad curse. Professor Snape was able to make you better."
"Oh, right," said Draco, looking down a the bandages on his chest.
"What were you two fighting about?" Reenie inquired.
"I'm not sure," Draco answered. "I was in the bathroom first, talking to Moaning Myrtle. I saw Potter's face in the mirror and I…I well…"
"You started the fight?" Reenie said.
Draco nodded.
"Why?"
"He just came in at the wrong time," Draco said. "I was talking to Myrtle about something…secretive and I just got mad when I noticed Potter there."
"Why didn't you ask him to leave?" Reenie asked.
"I don't know," Draco groaned. "It was an impulse, I suppose."
Reenie frowned at him.
"Serena, look, Potter and I have always been rivals." Draco told her. "We'll always be rivals. If the tables were turned and I walked in on Potter, he would've attacked me too. I told you the day I offered to be his friend and ever since he turned me down, we became enemies."
"I used to be your enemy," Reenie said. "You hated my guts—and I yours. So why the change?"
"It's not the same thing," said Draco. "I can't hate you anymore, because, well….I love you."
Reenie smirked. "That must've been some curse Harry hit you with."
"I'm serious!" Draco exclaimed. "I really do love you. I don't know how it happened, believe me, I fought against it. But I just couldn't help myself. I fell in love anyway."
Reenie sighed. She wasn't expecting to hear this. This was making things difficult. After she had transformed into Sailor Eclipse for the first time, she was routinely mediating every day, sometimes twice a day. With Elune in the forest, on her own in the Room of Requirement. She tried to keep her emotions under control, but it wasn't easy. She was still a teenager with hormones. She was in an unfamiliar setting. Her old enemies had followed her to her place of sanctuary and it was very possibly the would rage the school at any time. The eclipse was somewhat easier because of the pressure. She knew it was important to eclipse her feelings then because she was on a time limit. Now even though she had done it before, it was different now. She had to do it on her own and remember what it was she did the first time. She was concerned about the safety of the school, and about what was going on at home. At times she got a little too happy when she did well on assignments. Now a boy she hardly could stand professed his love to her. She was very, very much confused—and a little happy. It was a long time since she heard someone say that to her.
"Draco, I—I don't know what to say," she murmured.
"I know this must be confusing for you," Draco said. "I know you were in love with this Helios bloke you told me about—and I don't plan to replace him—I just want to know, if you love me back, at all."
Reenie searched her emotions. Did she love him? She was grateful to him. He helped her through her addiction. She wouldn't have made it if it weren't for him. After she saw past the spoiled little rich boy, she saw a new person. She could now call him her friend.
"That is very nice to know," Reenie said softly. "And I suppose…yes…I do love you but I don't think we can ever end up together. My parents are going to come back for me and I will need to return to Crystal Tokyo someday. I can't stay here, Draco."
"Yes, I know," Draco sighed, laying back into his pillow.
"Maybe if things were different," said Reenie, "if I was just a student like you then maybe something more could happen between us."
"You really think so?" Draco asked hopefully.
Reenie nodded.
Draco smiled. "Well, that makes me feel a little better."
"I'd better get going," said Reenie. "We have lessons today. Oh, I'll be sure get your homework for you."
Draco's smile turned into a frown. "Oh, now I feel worse."
Reenie chuckled and she kissed his cheek.
Because of Reenie's tipoff of Harry's source of success in Potions, Harry had to return the Half-Blood-Prince's copy of Advance Potion Making and start using the new one he had purchased. In addition, Snape gave him detention for every week until the end of term. Luckily, because Slughorn favored Harry, he did not take any corrective action. He did understand why Harry held onto the book, though he was still unhappy for not turning it in.
Harry's performance in Potions was back to normal-terrible. They were making a potion that allowed the drinker to see in the dark. Harry hadn't seen or heard of most of these ingredients. Hermione however, was a little smug about it. She had returned to be the top student in potions, next to Reenie of course. Eclipse's influence in Reenie returned all her memories, and stirred a new brilliance in her. Reenie knew all the spells and potions, and how to do them.
After Reenie finished making the assigned potion, she made one of her own. Her potion of Gullibility. She remembered she had used this potion on Serena's family to make them believe that she was their cousin. Reenie planned to use this potion incase her words of persuasion did not work. She had to get Harry and Draco to form a truce, before things got even worse.
"Ah, looks like you have all ready finished the potion, Miss Shields," said Slughorn brightly as he approached Reenie's cauldron. "What is this you're making here."
"A potion I invented from back home," Reenie said. "It makes people believe whatever I tell them. You care to try some, Professor to see how well it works?"
"No, no," said Slughorn. "I'll take your word for it."
After the Quidditch match between Gryffindor and Ravenclaw, Reenie went to Snape's office and waited for Harry to finish his detention. He did not look at all happy when he came out.
"Come with me, Harry," Reenie said.
Harry groaned. "I'm tired."
"This will only be a moment," Reenie said. "It's important."
"It's because of you that I've got detention!"
"Professor Snape would've given you detention anyway," Reenie told him.
"She is correct, Potter," said Snape from his desk. "Miss Shields was right to tell me what you were up to. It was important for me to know what spell you used, and how you learned it."
Harry frowned. "Oh, let's just get this over with."
"This way," said Reenie and he followed her. "Oh, I saw the match. Gryffindor won. Ginny got the Snitch right from under Cho's nose."
Harry smiled. "I knew she could do it."
They entered the hospital wing and stopped at Draco's bed.
"Come to finish me off?" Draco demanded.
"No," said Harry. "I don't know why I'm here."
"You're going to apologize to Draco," Reenie said.
"Apologize?" gasped Harry. "Malfoy, Did you put her up to this?"
"Potter, if you think anyone here can talk Reenie into anything, then you don't know her at all," Draco said. "I'm just as surprised as you are."
"It's time for you guys to stop this," Reenie said. "Look where your stupid rivalry had led—you've landed Draco in the hospital wing—you could have gotten him killed."
"I told you I didn't know what the spell would do!" Harry barked.
"Yes, you did," said Reenie. "But have you told Draco?" Reenie gestured to him. "He's the one that needs to hear your explanation more than everyone else. He has to know you didn't liberty try to kill him!"
Harry's mouth fell open. He knew she was right, but apologize to Draco? What about all the wrongs that Draco had done?
"He—he attacked me first!" Harry exclaimed. "He was going to use an Unforgivable Curse on me!"
"It will be Draco's turn to apologize after yours," said Reenie. "Both of you have wronged each other, and we are not leaving until you apologize for each stupid and immature thing you've done!"
Harry sighed and collapsed in a chair. He was going to be here for a while. He might as well get started.
"Right—well—I'm sorry for using that curse on you. I swear I didn't know what it would do. I just panicked, and said the first thing that came into my head. If I knew what it would do, I wouldn't have used it on you. I swear."
"Now accept his apology, Draco," said Reenie. "And mean it."
Draco sighed. "I…I accept your apology, Potter."
Harry looked at him expectantly. "Well…aren't you going to apologize for trying to use the Cruciatus Curse on me? For attacking me in the first place?"
"You shouldn't have walked in on me in the first place, Potter? Why can't you just mind your own business?"
"Silence!" Reenie snarled. "Enough. Draco, take your medicine." She handed him a goblet of liquid.
"Why?" Draco demanded.
"You're getting too excited," said Reenie. "This will help you relax. Your wounds are still healing."
Draco paused and took his medicine. Then he suddenly felt that whatever Reenie told him, would be the truth. She didn't think she would have to, but she spiked Draco's medicine with her potion of gullibility. It would be difficult to be able to spike Harry's drink. She couldn't exactly just walk over to him during dinner and pour it in his pumpkin juice. Madame Pomfrey let Reenie come in whenever she liked, and helped give Draco his medicine. When Draco was asleep when she had it ready, she would make sure he drank it…and sometimes she spiked it with some of her own useful potions.
"You are sorry for attacking Harry, aren't you?" Reenie said.
"Well…yes, I suppose you're right," Draco sighed. "Sorry, Potter. You just…surprised me as all. I guess I panicked too."
"Now, Harry," said Reenie, "I think you need to apologize spying on Draco."
"Spying?" Harry said.
"I know it wasn't just coincidence that you were there at the same time," Reenie said. "You weren't there because you had to use the toilet, did you? You sought Draco out. You knew he was there and you went there to see what he was going?"
"How do you know that?" Both Draco and Harry demanded.
"I just do," Reenie said. "You were too obsessed with what Draco was doing, and you made it your personal mission to find out. You were given tasks from Dumbledore, you became Captain of your Quidditch team, but that did not really matter to you, because getting Draco was more important, was that right?"
"Oh, hold on!" Harry exclaimed. "Malfoy's done the same thing! He tried to get us in trouble our first year, when we were with Hagrid. Hagrid had to send his pet dragon away."
Draco smirked at the memory.
"And Draco got his punishment for snooping…just as you have," Reenie said.
Harry sighed. He knew Reenie was right and she would not let him leave until he was finished apologizing for his "wrongdoings." It took several hours for them to finish apologizing and forgiving each other for every little thing. Once they had done so, Reenie made them shake hands.
"Don't expect a hug, Potter," Draco muttered after he was done shaking Harry's hand.
"That will do," said Reenie. "You two do not need to become friends-that would take a miracle. However, you two are no longer enemies or rivals. I don't think you can trust each other or like each other, but I hope you two understand one another more."
The two grumbled in agreement and Harry left the hospital wing finally. Reenie kissed Draco goodbye and she too left. Draco sighed. Without Reenie's persistence, there was no way Harry and Draco would voluntarily bury the hatchet between them.
TO BE CONTINUED