[A/N: Just to avoid confusion – the "Hogwarts" and "Volari" plotlines are not necessarily going on at the same time. Hogwarts is ahead by half a week. Thus, what you read now means the Volari plotline would be starting on, say, Wednesday if Hogwarts is on Sunday. Got it? Don't worry, they'll converge soon :-) ]
54. Compromised
Benford talked with the three Volari for what seemed like hours before he finally walked back to where the group was huddled and announced, "We're in."
Carol was ecstatic. "Are Malia and Tangur coming?" They were two Volari friends of hers that she was especially anxious to see.
Benford smiled at her enthusiasm. "According to Ike, the one I spoke to, your friends about 100 miles to the north. They should get there soon after we do. We have a little less than a day's walk to reach the Volari settlement." He motioned to Moody, who drew closer, his magic eye still fixed on the few Volari lurking about fifty meters away. "We already knew that not many people could come, but they've restricted it farther than we originally planned. They're quite antsy just having this many people near their territory."
"How many?" Moody demanded, looking ready to argue.
"Four."
Moody cursed.
"It's not as bad as it seems," Benford tried to assure him. "There are three Volari, two of them full-grown, and each one of them can probably equal the strength of three full-grown wizards. There are more circling around the skies. They're quite excited about meeting a Haran. They'd die before they let anything to happen to him."
"If they can fight."
"If they can fight," he admitted. While powerful, the Volari were nervous at contact and had no qualms about flying away. "But these three seem especially anxious about having a Haran. The last Haran died two years ago, and they haven't found another since."
"You've made it clear that the boy has no intention of staying longer than possible?" They didn't want the Volari to have the mistaken impression that Llian would stay to substitute his mother's position.
Benford paused. "Well...I didn't put it that way."
"You didn't tell them?" Moody looked murderous.
"I did mention that he might not be staying, but...How else are we going to receive an audience with these people. I told them that Llian is currently traveling, but looking for a place to settle down."
Moody started growling deep in his chest.
"I made no guarantees!" Benford exclaimed, looking ruffled. "We have to give them some reason to listen to us."
Moody drew him aside and they exchanged angry whispers. The rest of the group shifted their weight back and forth uncomfortably. Finally Moody decided, "There's nothing we can do at this point. I expect you to follow through with what we've have already arranged. None of this irrelevant sneaky business." Benford frowned but nodded. He was fond of telling stories and had no qualms about whether something was true or not. His favorite game was to make up something on the spot and have his audience guess what was true and what wasn't. Half the time he wouldn't tell the answer – it drove poor Viola absolutely mad.
"Which four are going then?" Aleta asked.
Moody rubbed his chin. "I will have to stay here, and the two guides, Mr. Lupin and Mr. Kent, will be needed here. Also the Healers, let's see, that would be Cyrix and Viola, would stay; and the Seers." Edan and Gwen looked a little disappointed, but were resigned. Everyone was secretly hoping for a closer peek at the Volari. "Then we'll need protection, so I would have to think about whether I can spare any Aurors. Graff has no reason to go," he murmured, half to himself, half out loud.
"Why don't you look at it the other way – who has to go?" Meg suggested.
Quentin agreed. He nervously stroked his red hair as he asked, "Can my whole team stay here? I'd feel more comfortable if we were together. We work best as a unit."
Moody nodded. "That would work fine. So that's...Quentin, Meg, Jordan, and Terryn." Augustus was an Auror, too, but he worked solo, not on Quentin's team. "But who do I send? Augustus? Aleta? Aleta might be the most useful here, but Augustus's strength is in offensive, not defensive maneuvers."
"Well, you know that I have to go," said Carol. "I'm you anthropological expert." She grinned. "And Benford has to go because he understands the archaic Volari. My friends speak a different version, and would be biased in their translation. And Llian, of course."
"Of course. But who should be the fourth?" Moody asked. He was plainly becoming annoyed at the change of plans.
"Can I go?" Neville asked suddenly.
"You, boy? No!" Moody barked.
"But...I know a lot about Volari. My girlfriend's a full-blooded Volari. I'm best friends with two Harans. I know a lot from them." He paused. Geez, his words sounded lame even to him. He lit onto another idea. "Why did the Volari not bring three full-grown people?" He motioned towards where the two adults and one teenager waited, wings still outstretched in preparation to leave at a moment's notice.
"To prove that they mean us no harm," Carol answered instantly.
"Well, you could send me to show that we mean them no harm."
"And what is Llian then?" Moody asked skeptically.
Carol's eyes widened. "You know he's right. Llian's a Haran – they have full adult status."
Moody narrowed his eyes and turned to Benford. "The only way I'll consider sending Longbottom is if you can convince them to let five people come along."
Benford shook his head. "I argued and argued. I do not believe it is possible that they'll back down."
Moody looked appraisingly at the group. They were silent, waiting for his decision. Jon spoke, "Maybe it's not a bad idea to let Neville go." Moody stared at him, but didn't say anything. Jon continued, "The Volari aren't that great at Healing charms. Their powers are too great to be focused on some of the more delicate spells for healing wings and fingers and such. They have to use plants for most of their healings, and are in some respect little better at it than Muggles. Correct?" He looked to Carol for confirmation. She nodded. "Neville is a natural at Healing, although I won't deny that it is a problem that he only just recently came into his full power. But he also has a strong grounding in Herbology – and, being a Herbology expert myself, I don't say that lightly."
Moody still didn't say anything. "Where do you want to go?" he finally asked Aleta.
"I want to stay with the kids, but I think the Volari would make me as nervous as I'd make them. I'd be pulling out knives at every sound." She smiled wryly.
"Do you think it's safe?" Moody asked Augustus and Quentin. They looked at each other and shrugged.
"I don't like it. In terms of defense it's not good, but it's probably the best way to send a delegation. They're less likely to feel threatened if we don't send in a bunch of Aurors. And they'll listen to us more if they aren't wary of us. That's the point of the mission, isn't it?" Quentin offered.
"At least we know for absolute certain that everyone we send can be totally trusted," Augustus said bluntly. There was some muttering and shuffling through the group at his comment. From the first day, there had been a constant guard against leakage and betrayal. "And some of the more...suspicious characters can be kept an eye on." Augustus had been open in his distrust of the others in the group, which basically included everyone that hadn't been trained as an Auror. The only non-Aurors he openly trusted were Carol, Benford, and Cyrix.
Finally Moody decided. "Fine. But you'd better take good care of them," he warned Benford, who only smiled toothily.
Neville shook his head in amazement. It was a testament to how powerful the Volari must be if even Moody could agree to send an old man, a middle-aged researcher, and two boys off on their own. He hadn't thought too much about what it would be mean to be separated from Llian, but now he realized he would have been terribly lonely without him. He was suddenly full of excitement. It was an adventure!
* * * * * * * * * * *
They had just started towards the Great Hall when Harry abruptly stopped and turned towards the hospital wing. Sirius was confused, but followed him anyway, his claws clicking on the stone floor. His godson stopped in front of the door to the hospital wing and listened. There were voices inside. He inched the door open and peeked inside. Sirius nosed the door open wider and slipped inside.
"Harry?" Mr. Weasley saw him from across the room. He was seated on a hospital bed surrounded by his family and Dumbledore.
He nodded and stepped into the hospital wing, with Sirius running in circles around him. Mr. Weasley had always been thin, but even a month was enough to take the color out of his face and the flesh away from his bones. His eyes were wide and hollow, as if he had lost George just yesterday. And he had really – he certainly had been reliving the tragedy, among all the others in his life, over and over. Harry knew only too well how horrible it felt to have something gnaw at his brain without reprieve. The extra mourning hadn't helped the man an ounce; it only forced him to never get over it.
In an uncharacteristic display of emotion, Harry went right up to the man who was practically family to him, and gave him a small hug. Mr. Weasley's eyes filled with tears. Ginny smiled at Harry. She knew how awkward he was at maintaining physical contact with people. They had been dating a while now and he had only hugged her twice, and once was after a particularly triumphant Quidditch practice. Sirius, seeing no one else was about, changed back to his human form. He tried to smile, but Harry thought he saw anger in his eyes. Or was it jealousy? It was an intriguing thought, and Harry decided to store it away for further examination later.
"How are you doing?" Mr. Weasley asked, wiping his tears away. He looked two snaps away from a complete nervous breakdown. Harry was confident that the aftereffects of Azkaban would melt quickly. Arthur Weasley was strong, especially when he was needed most, as he certainly was now.
"I should be asking you that, sir. Your aura is much thinner, but the core is, if anything, brighter." He smiled. "You should recover in no time."
Madame Pomphrey came out of nowhere and gave Harry a disparaging look. "That's for me to decide young man, I say he needs a least three days worth of rest and relaxation."
"Three days?" Mr. Weasley guffawed. "I don't have time to sit here for three days. We have too much to do. Percy, did you bring everything?"
Percy nodded. "Of course," he replied, indignant that his father even had to ask. "All your followers are still for you. Not all of them openly support you, but they'll work with us, I think. I've been keeping up with everything – the financial books, the correspondents. I think you'll find everything in order. We need to make our move as soon as possible. The Ministry is still divided over your release right now, and they'll regroup and find their old prejudices again once everything settles down."
"He'll do nothing of the sort!" exclaimed Mrs. Weasley. "Arthur, I forbid you for moving one step out of Hogwarts until you have fully recovered."
"But-"
"It's not as if you're cut off from the Wizarding world. You can keep up with things here, and Percy can be your envoy. Billy and Charlie, too, if need be. But you are staying put until you're in a fit state to travel again."
"But-"
"What kind of example would you be to our children, running off like a little school boy who just received his Hogwarts letter?"
"But-"
"And that's my final decision." She folded her arms and suddenly used the bulk of her body to appear larger than she actually was.
Mr. Weasley hung his head. "Yes, Molly," he agreed.
"Well, now that that's settled, let's all go down to lunch, shall we?" Mrs. Weasley said brightly, rubbing her hands together. Mr. Weasley got to his feet apprehensively. "I intend to stuff you so full of food, Arthur Weasley, that you won't even be able to stand afterwards."
The entire Weasley family and Harry winced, knowing well enough to take her threat seriously. Mr. Weasley turned green at the thought of it.
"Now, now, Molly – we don't want to make Arthur sick, we want him to get better," Dumbledore said, chuckling.
Madame Pomphrey shook a finger at Mrs. Weasley. "Don't you be stressing the poor man any more than what he's been through. No heavy foods for at least two days, not too many dairy products or meat, and do try to take in as many carbohydrates as you can, Arthur?" Mr. Weasley nodded, shifting from foot to foot as if he were a little boy again receiving instructions from the school nurse.
"Are you sure you're up to having lunch in the Great Hall?" Sirius asked suddenly. "I know I was there longer and it can't compare, but when I first got out of Azkaban I know I wouldn't have been able to eat around so many people again."
Mr. Weasley smiled, but there was apparent pain underneath. "It might be a bit stressful, but nothing a nap won't cure. I want to see everybody again." His smile faltered. "I don't know how you did it, Sirius. I was loosing it. I don't know how I could have stayed there a minute longer. Every second of every hour, it was the same things over and over... My parent's house being burned eighteen years ago, the Knight Bus..." He shuddered.
Sirius gave a heart-hearted smile and put an arm around Mr. Weasley's shoulders. "It's going to be okay Arthur. You're gone from there. You just need to get back on your feet. There needs to be a change at Azkaban before the Dementors become even more in control, and you're just the man to do it."
Mr. Weasley sighed. "I hope so." His stomach growled. His family tittered. "Hmm, I guess we should eat!" The family bounded towards the entrance as one, in the typical hungry-Weasley family. Sirius stayed close by Mr. Weasley, walking besides him in dog form as they left. Ginny hung back. Dumbledore, too, looked like he was going to stay and say something to Harry, but he saw Ginny's deliberate maneuver and quickly left.
"Harry?" Ginny asked shyly.
Harry grit his teeth together, ready for her to continue her earlier assault. "You don't have to tell me. I'm revolting, I'm disgusting, I'm a horrible, horrible person. I'm a freak and my parents were no accounts and I don't deserve to live," he recited in a monotone.
"No, I never said that!"
"Well, you didn't, I guess. Not directly, anyway."
"What do you mean, that someone else did tell you that? Was it Malfoy? I can curse him for you," she offered, her hand already reaching for her wand.
"No. What a great person, even my worst enemy at school treats me better than my guardians." A flood of heat rose through him when he suddenly realized that Malfoy was no longer the enemy.
Ginny gasped. "They didn't really say that to you, did they?"
Harry gave an odd noise that sounded halfway between a laugh, a snort, and a sniff. "Only every day of my miserable life." He flung his head back and looked up at the ceiling. "I'm whining again, aren't I? I hate when I sound like this. Let's talk about something else."
Ginny bit her lip. "You're so...contradictory."
"How so?"
"When it comes to other people, you're mature and understanding. You make other people confront their problems. You just have this thing around people, like a born leader. But you're completely clueless when it comes to yourself, aren't you?"
Harry shrugged. "I don't really matter much. It's not really worth my time to sit there and think about myself."
Ginny sighed. "What I said earlier was horrible. You of all people didn't deserve it. I hope you can forgive me." She looked at him sharply. "I've half a mind to charm your memory so you'll forget I said it."
Harry studied her closely. "You don't have to, I forgive you. You were angry."
She shook her head. "Of course you forgive me. You're Harry. I just ground your ego down to the ground and spit on it, what else would you do but forgive me? I believe that you'll forgive what I said, but I know for a fact you'll never forget it." Harry turned his face away. "And you believe it too, don't you?"
"But it is true."
"It's not!"
"It is."
"It's not!"
"IT IS!"
Ginny paused. "What exactly did I say in the first place?"
Harry wrinkled his brow. "You said...I don't remember your exact words." He grinned guiltily. "All I remember was thinking, 'She's right, I don't deserve to live.'"
Ginny let out a long breath. "I would never, no matter how angry I was, say that you didn't deserve to live. How could you have jumped to something like that so easily?"
"Practice."
"Oh, Harry. What are we going to do with you?"
They stared at each other for a while. "I'm sorry."
"You don't have to apologize. Harry, listen, I know you don't believe me, but there's no one except for followers of Voldemort who think that you don't deserve to live. So who are you going to believe, the crazy nutters or everybody else?"
"Who do I believe if I'm a bit of a crazy nutter myself?"
She shook her head impatiently. "It's so hard to talk with you. You're so willing to talk about everybody else, but you never say anything about yourself. Everything we learn about you we learn more from what you don't say than what you do. You've never come straight out and said that you hate the Dursleys, have you?" He shrugged. "We just figured because you never talked about them, and if mention of them came up somehow you'd just make a face and turn away."
"What is there to say about them?"
"How about that they treat you like shit and make you wish you weren't alive."
"Yes, there's that."
"But it's horrible."
"Look, plenty of kids don't even have homes. Lots of kids are beaten every day, others are starving, plenty are on the streets without shelter or proper clothes. Why should I complain?"
"Because it's still horrible. I don't think there's any excuse for it. I don't understand why Dumbledore made you stay there."
"I guess no one else wanted me."
Ginny snorted. "Rubbish! You really are thick, you know that. Plenty people would love to adopt you. How could they not, you're just so cute." She made to mock-pinch his cheeks, but he dodged her easily.
"Anyone who thinks that just wants the freakin' Boy Who Lived, they don't care about Harry."
She made an impatient gesture. "I don't even know what to say to you. You won't listen to me anyway. You know what? I'm not even going to try. You're as bad as Neville, just not as vocal."
He rolled his eyes. "I'm not that bad."
She assessed him. "I think you are. But in a different way. You both have issues."
"Issues my ass," Harry muttered. Ginny heard his statement but refrained from commenting. "Let's go eat. With that crowd ahead of us, there might not be any food left by the time we get there."
Harry reached out and held her hand while they walked, grinning to himself. 'Like two little third years,' he thought to himself. At least he was still able to laugh at himself, although such sentiments came less and less frequently.
"About what you said before...do you mind...if we talk about it?"
"Sure." She squeezed his hand reassuringly. "What did I say before?"
"About how I go around pretending that I have the world on my shoulders. I think you're right – in some way, I really do. I mean, I am one of the few people who have survived an encounter with Voldemort, hmm, three times."
"Four. You're not counting his memory from that journal your second year."
"That doesn't count."
"Like heck it doesn't count. That bastard possessed me and almost killed me. It fucking counts," she spat vehemently.
He sighed. "I really do feel that way though, like I'm meant to do something. Maybe it's just my inflated ego – that's probably what Snape would say."
"I'm not Snape."
"I just feel, that this is something I should dedicate my life to, maybe even sacrifice it for. The prophecy says that I have the potential to be as great as Voldemort. And then with all these new things I'm constantly learning about my powers, and things Florean and June are teaching me...I just feel like I have a duty to commit myself to stopping Voldemort, no matter what. It feels almost...like destiny, like something I don't even have any control over that really started with my parents."
Ginny bit her lip. "But it's not up to you. By all means, play the hero, help win this war, but it isn't up to you. It's up to a lot of people. It's up to Dad, and Dumbledore, and June and Llian, and even Neville in his own way. Even if you suddenly have a growth spurt and come to full power, you still need everyone else, too."
"I know. I still...it's like if I fail, I'll let so many people down, that I'll have failed them, too." He looked at Ginny's face searchingly. "Maybe this is a sign of my inflated ego. I don't know what to think. I need to go fly. Some good Quidditch practice will make me feel better."
"I agree."
Harry suddenly smiled and laughed with joy. "That's why I love you, Ginny. Hermione would have rolled her eyes and gone to sulk in the library, Eliza would have said 'If you must' and June would have thought I was wasting time I could have been using exploring dreamtime."
"Hmmph! Quidditch is just as important as life itself," Ginny declared. "There's nothing better than flying through the air at breakneck speeds on a piece of wood."
"Ahem," Harry intoned.
They reached the Great Hall and sat together at the Gryffindor table, across from Hermione and Ron. The rest of the Weasleys were sitting together at the staff table. Students and teachers alike frequently went up to the front of the Great Hall to talk with Mr. Weasley. Although he was noticeably pale, he responded jovially and seemed to enjoy talking with everyone.
"What's wrong with you?" Ginny asked Hermione, who looked depressed.
"I'm worried about Draco. He just disappeared yesterday. He was supposed to meet me in the back of the library and he never showed up." Ron stopped eating and stared at her. She blushed furiously.
"Have you talked with him yet?" Ginny asked, ignoring Ron, who was turning red in indignation. He knew about Hermione's relationship with Draco, but it was on his list of 'Things to Never Mention.'
"He's still missing!" Hermione exclaimed. "I haven't seen him at all, and now I'm worried. I asked one of the Slytherins he says I can trust and he told me that Draco went home for the weekend." She shuddered. "Do you think I ought to tell Dumbledore."
"I'm sure he's fine," Ron snapped. "What's wrong with going home for the weekend. Good riddance, I say." Hermione glared at him, but rolled her eyes instead of bothering to answer.
"You're such a prat, Ron," Ginny said. Ron continued to look indignant, an expression he was rather fond of. Ginny turned her attention away from her brother when someone tapped Harry on the head.
"May I sit here?" Eliza asked, pointing to the free seat next to Harry.
"No, you may not," Ginny said, putting her elbows on the table and unintentionally knocking June's book away. Eliza looked at her emotionlessly. Ginny stared back.
Harry sighed. "Just sit, okay?" He leaned back and started massaging Ginny's shoulders. "You really need to calm down."
"Maybe she's PMSing," suggested June, who was sitting on the other side of Ginny. June had the habit of pretending to read while listening to other people's conversations and would randomly jump in any time she felt she had a worthy comment.
"Shut up," Ginny muttered. "Not all women PMS, June. Some of us are almost normal," she said sarcastically.
June's eyes widened. "Ouch." She went back to her book, a collection of Sam Shepard plays.
"Why do you have to act like that?" Ron demanded from across the table.
"Leave her alone," Harry pleaded. "She's had a lot to deal with. It's been really crazy here lately."
"She's had a lot to deal with? I've had a lot to deal with too, and you don't see me taking it out on everybody who happens to cross my path. I lost a brother too. I damn near lost my best friend. You haven't got any right to make everybody else's life miserable-"
"You piece of crap!" Ginny spat vehemently. She lunged across the table, her nails outstretched like claws, but Harry held onto to her waist and pulled her back so sharply she fell in his lap.
He put his arms around her and didn't let go. "Just calm down, both of you. You're both super-emotional right now because your dad's back. Just cool it, okay?"
Ginny laughed joylessly. "Really? And what about you? Are you un-emotional? The epitome of the fearless hero? Thou Savior of the Wizarding World! Why can't we be more like you, and be beaten and neglected our entire lives and not even blink?"
"What the hell has gotten into you lately!" Ron shouted.
"Children!" Professor McGonagall was suddenly beside the table looking displeased. "What is the meaning of this disturbance? I should think you would be on your best behavior for today or all days. Your parents have enough stress without the lot of you acting like five-year-olds. Miss Weasley, please remove yourself from Mr. Potter's person. This kind of behavior is intolerable. I will not have my house embarrass me in front of my colleagues again! Am I understood?" Everyone nodded. "That will be ten points for Miss Weasley for inappropriate violence, ten from Mr. Potter for inappropriate physical behavior, and ten from Mr. Weasley for inappropriate conduct."
"But I haven't done anything!" Ron protested.
"You were shouting loud enough for the entire school to hear you. Now all of you settle down before I take even more!" They sunk into their seats, eyes downcast as she stalked away to the staff table.
Harry leaned over and gave Ginny a small peck on the cheek. She looked surprised. He wasn't usually so openly affectionate. "What's wrong Ginny?" He rubbed her back lightly.
Ginny's lower lip began to tremble [A/N: Yes, CastleRock, that does happen when one cries, you unemotional zombie]. "It's...I'm so sorry." She took a couple quick, shallow breaths before continuing.
"It's the book?" Hermione guessed.
Ginny nodded.
"But...the book didn't posses you, too, did it?" Eliza asked, perplexed at Hermione's guess.
Ginny shook her head. "No..." She looked away.
Ron looked like he started to understand what was going on. "Why didn't you tell us?"
"What am I supposed to tell you?" she replied.
"What? What? I'm at a loss here," Eliza said.
"The book," Ginny said emphatically. Eliza stared at her. "The bloody book! You'd been reading it since forever – for months – and you never told me a thing. All this time I could have helped you..."
"Is this about your first year?" June asked. She could sometimes be a bit slow when it came to other people's emotions. She claimed it was because she was a Volari and uncertain how to interpret the emotions on human faces, an explanation Llian laughed at.
Ginny nodded. "I know it's stupid, you couldn't have told me... But I feel betrayed almost. And then Dumbledore was searching all of you, trying to find the missing book, and nobody even bothered looking at me. You just sat there in your own misery. Nobody bothered to think of me sitting there, trapped in my own memories, you were too busy..." She was crying openly. Harry pulled her closer and she buried her face in the front of her robe.
"I'm sorry," Eliza said in a small voice. "You're right, nobody thought of you at all. I guess it was just a distant memory for all of us."
"It's not for me," Ginny whispered. She shuddered. "I still hear him sometimes. I'll wake up in the middle of the night and feel him watching me, and lay there waiting for him to tell me..."
"Lie," June said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Eliza asked.
"Isn't it lie? Lay is for inanimate objects, and lie is for humans. Right?" She looked up at the table but found only frowns directed at her.
Ginny ignored her, which Harry thought was probably the kindest thing to do. "I'm sorry guys. I keep on making digs at you, Harry, how you hide everything, but I'm just as bad. All that stuff my first year, and I never told anyone. I think that was one of the most horrible things about it, being so alone and afraid all the time. Everything just sat in my head and burned me because I never told anybody what was going on. I'm the same way now."
"You have a right to keep whatever you want to yourself," Harry said immediately. "But next time if you need to talk to someone tell us."
Ginny nodded. "Okay. But let's finish talking about this some other time. People are staring at us." She speared some chicken with her fork and started chomping noisily on it. Ron, who had already cleared his plate, helped himself to another serving. June took three more chocolate-chip cookies and dunked them in her milk as she went back to reading.
"It's about me, too, isn't it?" Eliza said, leaning across Harry.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"Me and Harry." The entire group was silent. "You're jealous that...well, I guess that we were possessed together. And you're disgusted with yourself for being jealous. And you're frustrated because you don't even know what to think."
Ginny clamped her jaw shut. "We're not talking about this now."
Eliza took the hint and went back to her mashed potatoes. "Why not?" June asked. Nobody said anything. Eliza picked up her plate and went back to the Hufflepuff table. "Why'd she leave?" June asked. She looked around. "Why are you all ignoring me? Geez, I can take a hint." She went back to her book.
Hermione started giggling first and Ron and Harry joined in. Ginny eventually managed a weak smile. June looked up again. "What is it this time?" June demanded.
"Comic relief," Hermione gasped.
June frowned and ate another milk-soaked cookie.
"Fleur!" Billy stood up and grinned as he called out. They all turned to see Professor Delacour make her way down the aisle towards the staff table. "I thought you were staying with your parents for the rest of the weekend?"
She stopped in the middle of the Great Hall and started singing. It was a high-pitched, miserable sound, like nails on chalk boards and out-of-tune upright pianos. Her face turned scaly and inhuman. Wings ripped out the back of her robes. The professors were suddenly running everywhere, taking out their wands and shrieking something to the students that couldn't be heard over Fleur's singing.
Students fell to the floor left and right.
"Stop her!" someone shrieked.
Everything was pandemonium. Fleur was hypnotizing everybody.
Harry jumped to his feet and cast a Stunning spell. It bounced off of Fleur and hit a dazed Ron in the face so that he immediately slumped in his seat. Someone from the staff table was sending curses too, but Harry didn't have time to see who. Every curse that hit Fleur bounced off. Meanwhile, more and more students succumbed to unconsciousness. It was strange, Harry thought, that he wasn't the least bit sleepy.
A red blur made him turn his head in time to see Ginny launch herself from her chair onto Fleur's back. She clawed at her face, trying to cover the Veela's mouth. Fleur threw her off easily and continued singing.
June outstretched her Volari wings and flew up next to Fleur. She enveloped her in carmine light and before Harry knew it Fleur was out cold on the floor.
An eerie silence settled on the room.
"What the-" Harry muttered, looking around. There were few people still conscious: himself, Ginny, Fred, Billy, Mrs. Weasley, Eliza, Cho, Professor Dumbledore, Professor Snape, Professor Florean, Ahren (the Hufflepuff replacement Seeker), a Ravenclaw third year named Charlotte, two seventh-year Slytherins that he didn't know the names of, and June.
Professor Dumbledore quickly flew past Harry and secured the doors. He placed strong locking charms on all the doors and windows. He summoned Fawkes and gave him instructions. In a burst of fire, the phoenix disappeared. "Fawkes is going for backup," Dumbledore said calmly. He turned to watch Snape, who was walking around the hall making sure no one had fainted in a position that obstructed their breathing.
"What the bloody hell's going on here?" Billy shouted out, his eyes wide with fear.
"Miss Delacour has used her Veela powers to hypnotize the hall into sleep," Dumbledore explained.
"I know that! But why? And how come we weren't hypnotized?"
Dumbledore looked around. "There is a small, small percentage of the population that is not able to be hypnotized under any circumstances. Some may have powers that can block against this, others guard their minds so carefully that nothing can enter it. Some nonhumans can't be hypnotized, like vampires, Veela, and Volari." Harry realized this made Draco and June doubly guarded – they were both vampires and nonhuman.
"But what about people like me?" Eliza asked. "I don't have any special powers, and I'm not anal about being hypnotized. How could I have guarded myself?"
Dumbledore looked grave. "Those who have been completely possessed before automatically set up guards in their mind. For this reason, Eliza, you can no longer be hypnotized. Your mind, in a way, has already been compromised and is now impenetrable. It has to do with your soul and life energy, but I'm afraid we haven't time to discuss it right now."
"Mom, you've been possessed? And Billy?" Ginny asked.
Mrs. Weasley shook her head. She was too shaken to speak, so Dumbledore answered for her as she rearranged her unconscious husband to a more comfortable position. "It is also a trait that one can have a natural talent for, like Florean, and Molly. I suppose Billy and Fred must have inherited it from her. I have noticed that the twins always had a bit of extra sparkle when it came to powers of the mind."
"But why Fleur?" Billy asked, kneeling next to his girlfriend's limp body.
"I do not know," Dumbledore said heavily. "She may not have been acting of her own free will. It is incredibly difficult to control a Veela; it requires many men and much power, but it can be done."
"We need to get everyone out," Snape growled, joining Florean and Dumbledore at the center of the room. "How soon will they wake?"
Dumbledore looked pained. "It may only last a few minutes, but that is still too long. We don't have any time."
"Any time for what? Shall I go get Madame Pomphrey?" June offered.
"I'm afraid no one can leave the hall," Dumbledore said. "Whoever went through such pains to control Fleur surely wouldn't have sent her for no reason. Unless Miss Delacour was acting alone, Howarts is being attacked."
* * * * * * * *
[A/N: Credits:
-Did I really forget to mention this before? "Edan" got him name as an allusion to a song by Samuel Barber called Promiscuity, which comes from his Hermit Songs. The song is only one page long, travels between four different notes, and consists of two lines:
I do not know with whom Edan will sleep
But I do know that fair Edan will not sleep alone.
Say what you will about this illustrious reference, but I chose it because I thought the name was cool.
-What an amazing coincidence that the majority of un-hypnotizable people just happen to be main characters. Astounding! (I myself am one of the whatever percent of people who can't be hypnotized; probably because my skull is too thick for anything to penetrate)
-Is it just me or am I unnecessarily making fun of myself? What's with the June bashing? Maybe I'm feeling self-deprecatory. Then again, when am I not?]
