Lord of the Wind
by Teddylonglong
All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.
I am not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes.
COMPLETELY AU! Partly OOC! Time travel! Partly Animagus story!
It is my story, and I intend to write it the way I want it. If you don't like it, don't read it.
Reviews are very welcome, as they inspire my muse. Thanks a lot to the kind readers who commented on the previous chapter!
Gaoithe looked up when Ceridwen stood in front of the perch. "Gaoithe, should I take Uisce down from here?" She asked gently. "I'm afraid that she might fall off, considering that she isn't used to her phoenix form yet."
#I don't think so,# Gaoithe trilled, trying to recall how he had bonded to Severus in the first place and then to Minerva, before a thought crossed his mind. 'I can try to use telepathy,' he realised. 'Ceridwen, do you understand me if I think to you, even if I'm in my phoenix form?' he thought to his girlfriend, who looked to him and smiled.
"I can understand your thoughts, Gaoithe. I'm glad to hear you, sweetie. I missed you, even if you were here the whole time," Ceridwen said in a soft voice.
'Do you think I could transform back?' Gaoithe asked, sighing. 'How much time passed since Malfoy attacked me?'
"It's three weeks tomorrow," Ceridwen replied slowly, "but I'm not sure if you're strong enough for the transformation yet. Your mother said something about maybe changing you back on the day after tomorrow."
'Where are my parents?' Gaoithe asked, glancing around in surprise. Normally, both of his parents tried to work at home, especially now during the summer holidays. However, only Ceridwen and Uisce were keeping him company today.
Ceridwen sighed. "They went to see the Minister of Magic for the umpteenth time, because of the fight between Malfoy Senior and you and Draco. He should be sent to Azkaban; however, he denies that he cast the killing curse at you," she explained in a grave voice, causing Gaoithe to let out a gasp.
'And?' he asked urgently.
"The Minister sent Aurors to Malfoy Manor; however, his wand did not show that he used the killing curse."
'Of course he must be using a different wand, if he goes to kill someone,' Gaoithe thought to Ceridwen in an upset voice. 'We had that before, and his wand didn't show anything.'
"That's what your father said as well," Ceridwen said, letting out a long sigh. "He assumes that he also took an antidote to Veritaserum, so that they couldn't question him properly. Fortunately, the Minister is on your parents' side, and he tries to do something about Malfoy, but it seems to be very difficult. However, I haven't told you the worst yet." Seeing that Gaoithe looked at her in expectation, she continued, "He accuses Draco of trying to kill him and instead killing his house-elf, who jumped in front of him right in time."
'And now?' Gaoithe asked, feeling absolutely terrified. 'Of course, Draco cast the killing curse at his father,' he remembered and asked, 'Where is Draco now? Did they take him with them? I will...'
"No Gaoithe, you won't do anything," Ceridwen said sternly. "You're still a baby phoenix, or maybe a toddler; I'm not sure. However, you're not able to flash yet, let alone transport persons."
'Ceridwen,' Gaoithe thought urgently. 'I still need to know where Draco is. We must do something. Otherwise, they're going to take him to Azkaban.'
Ceridwen let out a long sigh. "Gaoithe, Professor Lupin is Draco's guardian. Do you really believe that he would easily allow them to send Draco to Azkaban?" Seeing that Gaoithe fluffed his feathers in anxious expectation, she explained, "He will have a trial at the Ministry, which is scheduled for a date in about a fortnight. Fortunately, he told your parents everything that happened in Hogsmeade as soon as you arrived back with him, and your father cleared his wand from any possible evidence. Well, apart from the dead house-elf," she corrected herself. So there is no proof that Draco did anything. Since you were with him at that time, they will probably question you, and you need to discuss with your parents what you should say."
'All right,' Gaoithe agreed, looking up startled, when his father stepped out of the fireplace, closely followed by his mother. Gaoithe let out a happy trill to greet them, before he asked, #Mum, could you please change me back into my human form? I'd love to be able to properly communicate with everyone.#
Minerva cast him a sharp look and said, "All right; I can do that, but you might still feel better in your phoenix form."
Before Gaoithe could insist, Severus queried, sounding surprised, "Where is Uisce?"
Gaoithe chuckled and pointed to the water phoenix at his side, #Here she is. She decided to keep me company.#
"Uisce transformed into a phoenix?" Minerva asked, eyeing the blue bird in disbelief.
"She is beautiful," Severus commented dryly. "You taught her well, Gaoithe."
#I did not teach her anything,# Gaoithe replied, causing his father to smirk.
"Your father knows that, sweetie," Minerva said soothingly. "You wouldn't be able to teach such a small child the Animagus transformation. "She must either be a natural Animagus as well or possess an immensely strong wish magic to achieve this."
"Wish magic is more likely," Severus uttered. "I remember that I was capable of wish magic when I was a small child. Now Gaoithe, are you ready?" He invitingly held his hand in front of the phoenix' feet.
Accepting the invitation, Gaoithe slowly stepped over, nestling on Severus' shoulder for an instant, before he jumped onto the floor and trilled, #Yes please.#
風の力を持つハリー
To Gaoithe's chagrin, he was still not allowed to do any magic and thus was even unable to head straight to the past in order to attend his sixth Hogwarts year together with Ceridwen.
"It doesn't matter if we leave now or in two weeks' time," Ceridwen said soothingly, "and my sister and my parents like it here so much that I believe they will even come back with us when we return in a year's time."
"Well, I prefer to be here for Draco's trial anyway," Gaoithe said thoughtfully. Although the plan, which his parents had made together with Professor Lupin, sounded reasonable, he was still worried how the trial was going to turn out, especially since Draco had only attacked his father to help him, Gaoithe.
On the day before the trial, Gaoithe assisted his father in the potions lab, brewing a batch of the antidote for Veritaserum. "The fresher the potion is the better it'll work," Severus explained as he laid out the recipe.
"When do we need to take it?" Gaoithe asked, feeling very uncomfortable at the thought of possibly being questioned under Veritaserum during Draco's trial.
"The antidote is most efficient between one and three hours; therefore, both of you should take it before leaving Hogwarts," Severus said thoughtfully, and Gaoithe nodded his consent.
However, when the families and teachers, who had remained at Hogwarts during the summer, were having dinner in the Great Hall the same day, two Aurors arrived and took Draco with them, insisting that he had to stay the night before the trial in a Ministry cell.
"This complicates everything immensely," Severus said, sighing, as the door of the Great Hall closed behind Draco and the Aurors.
"Dad, I can flash and take the antidote to Draco in the morning," Gaoithe offered, looking questioningly at his father.
"That would be a possibility," Severus said thoughtfully.
However, when the Snapes had breakfast in the morning, a Ministry owl swept into the Great Hall, informing Gaoithe, who was supposed to attend the trial as a witness, and Minerva and Severus, who had both offered to accompany Gaoithe and Draco, that the trial was going to commence three hours earlier than originally planned.
"So it's going to begin in ten minutes?" Gaoithe blurted out in disbelief, causing everyone to look at him in shock.
"This does not look good for Draco," Severus commented, his usually calm voice laced with concern. "Unfortunately, Lucius Malfoy still has a lot of friends in the Ministry."
'Well, at least I can take the antidote,' Gaoithe thought as he gulped down the clear liquid, trying to remember how his father had taught him to behave as if he was under the influence of Veritaserum. As soon as he was ready, he called Yuki, and the white phoenix flashed Gaoithe and his parents to the Ministry.
Gaoithe only listened half-heartedly as the trial began, feverishly searching his mind for an idea of how to possibly save Draco. However, all his hope of perhaps getting a chance to slip his friend the antidote vanished, when the Ministry Healer administered the Veritaserum.
The prosecutor asked Draco for his name as well as a few other simple questions to verify that the Veritaserum was working, before he finally asked, "Mr. Malfoy, did you cast the killing curse at your father?"
Gaoithe groaned inwardly, while his thoughts went haywire.
"Yes sir," Draco replied immediately.
Noticing that the Aurors moved closer towards Draco, Gaoithe decided to act. 'Yuki,' he thought to his familiar. 'Come to the courtroom and flash Draco away. Take him to the Merlin dungeons.' While Yuki's arrival that was accompanied by a small splash of ice distracted everyone from Draco, Gaoithe telepathically instructed his friend to grab her back feathers and to wait for him in the cellar of Merlin House. Before anyone could even realise what was happening, Yuki and Draco were gone, and a huge commotion began.
"I am sure that was Snape's doing," Lucius Malfoy shouted in rage. "He is a phoenix."
"Mr. Malfoy, Mr. Gaoithe Snape did not leave his seat, and other than that he is a wind phoenix and not an ice phoenix," Minister Dumbledore replied in a voice that could not deny the Minister's clear amusement. "Very well then, I believe that we can close this session for today. The trial will be reopened as soon as Draco Malfoy returns."
"I can't believe it," Gaoithe said in surprise. "Dad, can the Minister of Magic adjourn a trial? The judge and the others don't look very happy."
Severus smirked. "Well, in the magical world, this is possible. The Minister overrides everything else. Let's go home and try to find out where Draco is."
Gaoithe flashed his parents home, before he told them where Yuki had taken Draco. "I think I'm going to suggest to him that I take him to the past," he said thoughtfully. "Or do you have any other idea, where we could hide him?"
While Minerva and Severus spoke with Helga about the matter, Gaoithe flashed to Draco and quickly explained his suggestion. Draco remained thoughtful for a few minutes, before he said, "I'm afraid that's my only choice. If someone finds any other way to clear my name, please fetch me back to this time. If that's not possible, it's probably better to lead a free life in the past than to be a refugee here in this time. Thank you, Gaoithe, for helping me."
"Draco, why don't you instruct Dobby to fetch all the belongings that you want to take with you?" Gaoithe suggested, sighing. "In the meantime, I'll have to do some preparations, before I can take you to the past."
Draco agreed, and Gaoithe returned home. By the time he came back to the Merlin cellar with Ceridwen, Helga, and their parents in tow, he stopped dead in his tracks. "Draco, what do you think you're doing?" he asked in disbelief.
"What's wrong?" Draco asked innocently as if not the whole corridor was full with his luggage.
"Draco, what are you going to do with that entire luggage?" Gaoithe asked incredulously. "It's not only that you won't have much more space at Hogwarts than you have now, but also that the people in the past would be very surprised to see all these modern things."
"Oh right, sorry, I didn't think about that," Draco replied, smirking as he stuck his hand into his robe pocket, only now realising that he didn't have a wand, because the Aurors had taken it from him before the trial.
"Draco, you don't have to leave everything back," Heather threw in gently. "While you're not at Hogwarts, you may stay in Ceridwen's room at our house. We don't have much space, since our houses are smaller in comparison to the houses here in the future. However, you may still take a few items with you."
Draco pointed to one of the boxes. "Then I'll take this one if that's all right." Seeing the Hufflepuffs nod, he instructed Dobby, who was quietly standing behind him, "Take everything back to Malfoy Manor in case I'll come back some time."
Helga cast a shrinking charm at Draco's box, and Gaoithe opened the door to the staircase, ushering the group downstairs, where he first took Helga and her parents back to the time at which they had left the past, before he returned to Ceridwen and Draco and led them into Merlin House in time for the day before the beginning of their sixth Hogwarts year. Like Helga had instructed him, Gaoithe led Draco to the headmaster's office, while Ceridwen went to search for her sister.
Gaoithe unobtrusively observed Draco in concern. 'I hope he'll be able to adjust to this time,' he mused. 'For him, who grew up at Malfoy Manor, it must be much more difficult than it was for me.'
However, to his surprise, Draco was not only extremely grateful that he was given the opportunity to start anew in the past, but he behaved much politer than Gaoithe had expected.
"Professor Hufflepuff has told me everything," Godric began to speak. "Together with my other colleagues, we thought about what we could offer you here in this time. Although you have already taken your OWLs in the future, our classes here are to a great extend different from what they are in the future. That is at least what I heard from Professor Hufflepuff and also from Mr. Snape and his parents. Is that right, Gaoithe?"
"Yes sir," Gaoithe said, sighing inwardly.
"Therefore, it won't be easily possible for you to attend our sixth year," Godric continued. "We'd like to suggest that you try to attend sixth year classes together with Ceridwen and Gaoithe in Potions, Transfiguration, and Charms. For all other classes, we will teach you in private, so that you might or might not be able to catch up with your classmates at some stage. We'll see if you'll be able to take your OWLs at the end of your sixth year and, depending on the outcome, we'll have another suggestion to make, but we'll speak about the matter next summer."
"Thank you very much, Professor," Draco said gratefully.
In the meantime, the other professors had arrived as well, and Godric introduced Draco, before he fetched the Sorting Hat, who sorted Draco into Slytherin.
"Are you still not able to sort students into Merlin?" Gaoithe blurted out, glaring at the Hat.
"Maybe next year," Sopho replied curtly, before he quietened and Godric placed him back onto the shelf.
"Sir," Ceridwen spoke up hesitantly, "when I'm in the future, I always live in the Snapes' quarters, so that the other students don't notice that I come from a different time. Won't the students in Slytherin notice that Draco is strange in comparison to them?"
"Maybe Draco could stay in my room together with me?" Gaoithe suggested, thinking, 'Since Mum and Dad are not here at the moment, I'd prefer to stay in Hufflepuff, but that's the least I can do for Draco.'
"Very well, you may stay in your parents' quarters," Helga agreed after a quick glance at her husband. "However, I'm going to make the connecting door, which we had in the future, tonight, so that I Professor Slytherin and I will be able to check on the two of you at anytime."
With that they were dismissed, and Gaoithe and Ceridwen led Draco to the Snapes' quarters. "I wonder what they have planned for Draco," Ceridwen said thoughtfully.
"At least they're all really nice. I'll just have to do what they suggest, and whatever it is, it'll definitely be better than receiving a one-way ticket to Azkaban," Draco replied, smirking.
風の力を持つハリー
Gaoithe's sixth year in the past passed fairly uneventfully. Although Ceridwen, Gaoithe, and Gawain noticed that the teachers seemed to expect much more than before their OWLs, Gaoithe found that he had much more free time than he used to have in the future. 'Of course, in the future I have Quidditch practice, have to help Mum and Dad look after Uisce, have to help Professor Lovegood with the computers, and have to do my assignments for the past,' he thought. He even wondered if he should stay the whole year in the past, however dismissed the idea as he thought of Uisce and his parents. To Gaoithe's relief, Draco had become good friends with Gawain, and he was getting along well in the past, so that he probably wouldn't overly miss Ceridwen and him.
At the beginning of the winter holidays, Ceridwen and Gaoithe returned to the future. Originally, Helga had wanted to join them; however, a few weeks before, she had noticed that she was pregnant and had decided not to undertake the strenuous travel in order to not possibly harm the baby.
"To when do you want to go?" Gaoithe asked Ceridwen at breakfast, right before most of their classmates were going to travel home for Christmas. "I think I should be back at least two weeks before the beginning of our sixth year, because Professor Lovegood said something about beginning with the computer classes from September onwards."
"Yes, I heard that," Ceridwen replied with a thoughtful expression on her face. "However, I believe that you should be back even earlier, on the day of the trial or the next morning at the latest. You wouldn't want anyone to think that you had something to do with Draco's escape."
"Oh that's true," Gaoithe agreed, looking at his girlfriend in appreciation. 'You're brilliant, Ceridwen. You just think of everything,' he thought to the girl, noticing in surprise that her cheeks turned lightly pink at the sudden praise.
風の力を持つハリー
Minerva and Severus were just having tea together with all of their colleagues, when Ceridwen and Gaoithe arrived.
"Oh my, Ceridwen and Gaoithe, did something go wrong, or are you already back?" Minerva asked in surprise, causing Severus to smirk.
"Look at their ancient attire," he drawled with clear amusement, pointing out that they had completely forgotten to change their clothes to modern robes. "They must have absolved a few months of their sixth year in the past, considering that they're even wearing winter clothes."
'Thank Merlin all of the teachers know about our time travel,' Gaoithe mused, giving Minerva a grateful look when she waved her wand, transfiguring Ceridwen's clothes into a modern one-piece and his own clothes into blue jeans and a T-shirt.
"How is Draco?" Severus queried, quirking an eyebrow at his son.
"He's doing great," Gaoithe confirmed, explaining that the Founders had promised to somehow keep him at Hogwarts when he was finished with his studies.
風の力を持つハリー
During the remaining weeks of the summer holidays, Ceridwen and Gaoithe finished their assignments for the rest of their sixth year in the past, and Ceridwen began her apprenticeship with Professor Pomfrey, while Gaoithe helped Professor Lovegood with the computers. Since the new subject Computer Studies was going to commence from the new school year onwards, they equipped each of the common rooms with one computer, and every professor received a computer for their office. All computers were connected through the Wizardnet.
When the last computer was installed, Minerva thanked Professor Lovegood and Gaoithe profusely, before she let out a sigh and said, "Gaoithe, I'd like to suggest something to you." Seeing that her son looked at her in expectation, she continued, "Since Professor Lovegood has other research to do apart from the computer problems and also the Quibbler to publish, we need someone who can assist him with the computer classes. I know that you're very busy; however, your father and I were wondering if you perhaps would like to become Professor Lovegood's assistant and teach a few classes each week."
Gaoithe looked at his mother in shock, mumbling, "Of course I'd like that, but when?"
"Easy, Gaoithe," Severus said in a soothing voice. "Considering that you already took your OWLs twice and nearly finished your sixth year in the past, we thought that it would suffice if you only attended the core classes in preparation for the NEWTs, just like Ms. Hufflepuff, who is already beginning her apprenticeship."
"Ah all right," Gaoithe said, letting out a relieved sigh. "Well then I think I'll manage to do that."
"Thank you, Gaoithe," Minerva replied, sounding very contented. "However, there's one more point, which we need to discuss."
Gaoithe looked at his mother in expectation, and she explained, "You should inform Minister Dumbledore about the Wizardnet." Seeing that he opened his mouth to protest, she continued, "Gaoithe, I'm aware of the fact that you're extremely busy during the school year; however, please don't forget that Professor Dumbledore was the one who gave you the idea of researching computers in the first place."
"That's true," Gaoithe said thoughtfully. "Without him I wouldn't have been able to find out how to make the computers work in the magical world at all." He let out a long sigh, asking slowly, "Do you think he'll want me to provide the whole magical world with computers like Dad and I had to brew the wolfscure for everyone?"
Minerva fondly ruffled the boy's hair. "Gaoithe, I believe that's what he is going to ask from you. Probably, he'll want to have computers for the Ministry first, then perhaps for St. Mungo's, and finally, you'll be asked to provide computers for private users. Why don't you ask your friends if anyone is interested to learn from you and then help you with the work? I am sure that the Ministry will pay you well," she said, smiling.
"Okay, I'll speak with him," Gaoithe grudgingly agreed. "Could you perhaps call him here, so that we can speak with him together?"
"Very well then," Minerva said and headed to the fireplace to call the Minister of Magic, who stepped out of the Floo an instant later.
"Good afternoon, my boy," he gently greeted Gaoithe, pulling a small box that had the form and colour of a yellow duck out of his robe pocket, offering him a lemon drop.
Gaoithe politely declined, inwardly chuckling at the old wizard, who still loved his sweets like a little boy, and explained about the Wizardnet, noticing that Dumbledore's eyes began to twinkle merrily. Like Minerva had predicted, Dumbledore asked him to provide quite a number of PCs for the Ministry and also asked Gaoithe if he could come over and teach his employees how to use the PC as well as the Wizardnet.
"There is not much on the Wizardnet itself yet; however, you'll be able to access the Muggle Internet, and Professor Lovegood and I are trying to set up a few pages for the magical world," Gaoithe informed the Minister, inwardly sighing and wondering if he would have much time for dates with Ceridwen during the upcoming school year. 'Maybe Hermione would be interested to assist,' he thought, deciding to ask his best friend first before talking to anyone else. As soon as the Dumbledore had returned to the Ministry, Gaoithe asked his mother, "May I flash to Hermione to ask her if she's willing to assist?"
"Can't that wait until she's going to come here the day after tomorrow?" Minerva asked, rolling her eyes. "Very well then, be careful and be back, before it becomes dark," she agreed upon noticing the disappointment in Gaoithe's eyes.
Gaoithe promised everything and flashed to where he could sense Hermione, founding her sitting in the garden together with her parents.
"Gaoithe!" Hermione blurted out in surprise.
"How nice of you to join us," Mr. Granger said kindly, pointing to the empty seat at the table.
Gaoithe quickly transformed back into his human form. "I'm very sorry for disturbing," he apologized to the Grangers and explained the reason for his visit. When he was finished, he slowly turned his eyes towards Hermione, noticing that she was grinning broadly.
"Of course I'd love to learn how to work with computers and to assist you," she said in obvious excitement.
"Do you have time though?" Gaoithe asked, knowing that Hermione had agreed to become Neville's girlfriend just a few weeks ago.
Hermione rolled her eyes as she replied, "Neville will be busy studying these last two years. Professor Sprout promised to make him her apprentice after his NEWTs, provided that he manages to get 'O's in Herbology and Potions."
"An O in Potions? Well, then he'll indeed be busy studying," Gaoithe said dryly, casting his friend a doubtful look. "Oh by the way, did you hear what happened to Draco?"
Hermione sighed. "Neville told me everything. I can understand that Draco wants to remain in the past; however, what about Luna?"
"Luna?" Gaoithe queried, raising an eyebrow at the girl.
"Luna is his girlfriend; didn't you know that? She'll be devastated if she doesn't know already."
'Draco and Luna?' Gaoithe mused, still not overly liking the eccentric girl. He was pulled back to reality when Hermione spoke up again.
"Maybe you should take Luna to the past, too. She'd love to study all the magical animals in that time," Hermione suggested, her face scrunched in thought.
Gaoithe let out a long sigh. "That's probably true; however, she should take the OWLs here in the future first. That's at least something, because if she goes back to the past without having passed the OWL exams, she'll have to begin studying everything from the beginning, unlike Draco, who only has to study the core subjects." He unobtrusively glanced at his watch. "I'll talk to her when school begins. Well, I'll better transform and flash back home. I'll see you at the welcoming feast."
Hermione leaned over, pulling Gaoithe into a bear hug. "Bye Gaoithe, and thanks for coming over and inviting me to become your assistant."
With a broad smile on his face, Gaoithe transformed back and flashed home, glad that he had thought of asking Hermione in the first place.
風の力を持つハリー
It was at breakfast the following morning that Professor Pomfrey turned to him, asking, "Gaoithe, do you have a suggestion whom I should make Quidditch captain this year? Now that the Weasley twins are gone, we need someone else, and as much as I'd love to make you the captain, I can't do that because you're too busy otherwise and you really don't need any more burdens."
'Oh right,' Gaoithe only now remembered that his good friends had taken their NEWTs and had opened a joke shop at Diagon Alley. He had even given them quite an amount of money that enabled them to open their shop; however, due to the circumstances with the trial, his study time in the past, and his computer work, he had completely forgotten to go and visit them in their shop. "That's difficult," he said thoughtfully. "The twins have been such great captains during the last few years that it's hard to think of anyone else. Maybe their sister Ginny?" he suggested. "She's a brilliant Chaser, she gets along well with everyone, and I think she'd make a good captain."
The professor smiled as she responded, "Ms. Weasley would have been my choice as well. Thank you, Gaoithe."
Gaoithe returned her smile, before he addressed Ceridwen. "I'd like to go to Diagon Alley and visit the twins. Would you like to come?"
"I shall accompany you," Severus threw in, quickly exchanging a glance with his wife, who nodded her consent.
The twins' joke shop was beyond Gaoithe's imagination. From the outside, the building seemed fairly small; however, inside it was huge, and it was packed with shelves full of prank potions, prank sweets, and other joke items. 'I need to bring Dad here,' Gaoithe thought as he eyed the back room, which held the prank potions. 'I'll ask him if he can come here with us after we meet him at the Leaky Cauldron,' he resolved and eagerly followed George's explanation about the specific potions.
"This one would be nice for Professors Gryffindor and Slytherin, don't you think so, Gaoithe?" Ceridwen suddenly spoke up, chuckling as she pointed to a group of small phials with a light yellow liquid.
"I'd rather have the recipe than the potion," Gaoithe said, smirking at George.
"Oh well, Gaoithe, since you're a shareholder, owning 33.3 percent of the shop, you can have whatever you want," the twin responded immediately, causing Gaoithe to frown.
"Oh no, I'll properly pay for everything I buy," he contradicted in determination.
"Wait a moment," George said, smirking, and left the room through a back door, which Gaoithe had not even noticed so far. A mere instant later, he came back with a pile of parchments. "We already copied the recipes for you and your father. Feel free to advertise our products," he announced, handing the pile to Gaoithe.
Gaoithe thanked the twin profusely, promising to try out the recipes as soon as he could. 'We're going to have some fun, especially with Professors Gryffindor and Slytherin,' he thought to Ceridwen, inwardly chuckling in anticipation as he proceeded to choose some harmless sweets for his friends and Uisce.
風の力を持つハリー
Since their sixth year was only just going to begin, Gaoithe had to wait a few months, before he could go back to the past to pull a few pranks on the Founders. However, with classes, homework, Quidditch and teaching computer classes, he became easily distracted, and before Gaoithe even realised how the time flew by, the last week before the Christmas holidays begun.
Unfortunately, when Gaoithe took a shower on Monday morning that week, he noticed in surprise that his body had taken on strange colours. His legs had become very dark, while his stomach looked like that of a Dalmatian, and his face displayed different shades of blue as if he had fought with someone the previous day. Only then he realised that every part of his body ached terribly. 'I just hope I won't get sick,' he thought; however, when he entered the living room, where Ceridwen was lecturing Hermione, who looked equally colourful, he knew better.
"Oh no," Ceridwen said as her eyes fell on Gaoithe. "You're sick too. I've seen this before. I think it's the merism flu, but I'm not sure, and I don't know how to brew the potion for that," she said thoughtfully, giving her boyfriend a sharp look. "I'm going to take both of you to the hospital wing."
"No," Gaoithe protested, noticing that his chest hurt and it was getting difficult to breathe. "Where are my parents?"
"They had to go to see the Minister very early this morning, and Uisce is still asleep." Ceridwen waved her wand at the door to Uisce's room that would alert her when the toddler woke up or had other difficulties, before she dragged the two friends to the hospital wing.
Professor Pomfrey motioned them to the first two beds and immediately began to cast a series of diagnostic spells on the two students. Finally, she cast Ceridwen an enquiring look, asking, "Ms. Hufflepuff, do you have an idea what might be ailing them?" When the girl repeated her earlier diagnosis, she nodded thoughtfully, before she headed to her office and fetched a large tome. 'Modern Potions for Magical Diseases' was written in the letters that had been used in the time of the Founders. She handed the book to Ceridwen, who quickly found the respective page for her.
"Very well," the Healer said decisively. "I'll have to ask Professor Snape if he knows how to brew the potion for the merism flu and has all necessary ingredients when he returns from the Ministry. Otherwise, you'll just have to stay here for a few days." She made each of them drink a fever reducing potion and instructed them to stay in bed until she came back from her morning classes. Completely ignoring Hermione's protests, she swiftly left the room with Ceridwen in tow.
風の力を持つハリー
Two hours later, Hermione was still dragging herself around the hospital wing, ranting and searching for some kind of school book in order to be able to at least study as long as their head of house was in class.
"Gaoithe!" she suddenly shouted, coughing harshly. "Wake up and look. Isn't that Lucius Malfoy? He is just walking up to the castle. He'll be in the entrance hall in a blink. We have to do something."
"Hmm?" Gaoithe asked, lazily rubbing his eyes. "Malfoy?" He dragged himself to the window, only to see that a darkly clothed man with long white hair opened the entrance doors.
"Come with me," Gaoithe instructed Hermione and transformed into his phoenix form. As soon as he felt the girl grip his back feathers, he flashed to the Control Room in the Merlin dungeons. "Where is he now?" he asked urgently.
The two friends feverishly searched the halls leading away from the entrance hall. "Here," Hermione finally said, pointing to the black dot labelled 'Lucius Malfoy.'
"Oh no," Gaoithe groaned. As quickly as he could, he placed a wall on top of the staircase that Lucius Malfoy was just climbing upstairs. Almost simultaneously, Hermione added another wall to the bottom of the staircase.
Hermione and Gaoithe observed how Malfoy's dot stopped moving when he reached the wall. An instant later, the wall shook for an instant but remained firmly in its place. "Wow, was that a blasting spell?" Gaoithe queried, his voice hoarse but laced with clear amusement.
"Apparently," Hermione replied dryly, observing Malfoy descend the staircase.
All of a sudden, the black dot moved sideward and then completely vanished from the spot, causing the two friends to skim the map in shock. "Where can he have gone?" Gaoithe asked, terrified. "He's not supposed to be able to apparate from within Hogwarts."
Hermione began to chuckle. "No Gaoithe; that's a staircase. Look, he's here; he must have jumped down to the next lower staircase." She quickly applied walls to the lower staircases, nodding in relief when Gaoithe joined her activity.
However, her satisfied expression soon turned into a frown when dozens of black dots appeared in front the walls at the end of the staircases. "Oh no, the last morning class is just over, and everyone tries to get to the Great Hall," she groaned.
"Well, everyone will just have to wait for a moment," Gaoithe said grimly, before he suddenly began to chuckle. "Merlin," he read, pointing to a second black dot right next to Malfoy. "I guess Malfoy is in for some fun."
"I'd love to know what they're doing," Hermione responded, letting out a huge gasp when all of a sudden the staircase began to move. She hurriedly turned to add more walls, when Gaoithe gripped her arm.
"Mione, wait. Let's see where it heads. We should lock him into a corridor, so that we can open the staircases for everyone else," he said firmly.
"Oh right, that's true," Hermione agreed, and the two friends observed how the two dots moved into a corridor on the sixth floor.
"That corridor doesn't lead anywhere except for a small balcony at the end," Gaoithe said thoughtfully. "I wonder if Merlin is helping him or trying to help us."
"Anyway, let's put up a wall behind him, so that he can't go back to the staircase, and remove all the other walls we added," Hermione said tiredly and set to work.
Gaoithe diligently removed the walls, which were blocking the staircases, while he absentmindedly followed the two black dots head out onto the balcony. "What?" he blurted out, when suddenly a third spot appeared.
The new spot was labelled 'Buckbeak', and before Gaoithe and Hermione realised what was happening, the three dots took into the air and speedily moved towards the far corner of the zoo.
"What's over there?" Hermione asked curiously, glancing at Gaoithe. "I've never been to that part of the zoo."
Gaoithe chuckled and could only shortly reply, "That's not really part of the zoo," before he ended up in a coughing fit.
"What is it then?" Hermione asked impatiently, giving Gaoithe a sharp look. "Is Merlin helping him or trying to get rid of him?"
"I think he's trying to prank him, but I'm not sure," Gaoithe replied, coughing again. Before he could regain enough breath to explain, Ghost Merlin swept into the room, grinning mischievously.
"Thank you, Gaoithe, for allowing me to have so much fun," the ghost said in a sing song that reminded Gaoithe strangely of the Weasley twins.
"Malboy didn't overly like it," Merlin continued, causing Hermione and Gaoithe to smirk at the evil wizard's name. "First of all, I cast an undressing spell at him. Oh no," he added, seeing that Hermione was looking at him strangely, "not what you think. I left him in his underwear. Then I led him to the nice balcony, which is one of my favourite hideouts, and telepathically contacted Peeves, who called Buckbeak."
"Peeves," Gaoithe said, sighing in understanding. "I was wondering why Buckbeak appeared all of a sudden."
"And Buckbeak," Merlin continued, chuckling, "grabbed him and carried him to the dung heap behind the zoo. Malboy just loved being covered in dung just in his underwear."
"Uh," Gaoithe commented, shuddering at the thought. "Anyway, well done, Merlin. Thank you very much."
"You're welcome. I suggest going to the History Vision Room to watch the entire scene," Merlin said, letting out a cackling laughter as he swept out of the room.
"Oh well, Malfoy will come back to search for Draco; that's for sure," Hermione said, sighing.