Book of Shadows
Chapter 24 – Spirit snared
…
The owls flew en'masse that morning as the latest edition of the Quibbler arrived to near every student at Hogwarts that could afford it. The front page was dominated by the headline.
…
THE SHADOW SPEAKS
The latest revelation in the Hogwarts situation comes from the last place you'd expect. After a fairly one sided fight, the shadow known as RECKLESS COMMANDER, a human like shadow captured by Harry Potter in the first shadow invasion (See previous article for details), spoke at length, providing information on the origin and method of arrival of every shadow beast and specter currently running around Hogwarts.
…
The article went on to describe the entire interview, a long, somewhat unfocused string of questions that revealed much, not only of the Reckless commander, but also of the one doing the interview.
Why did they need to know what he liked for pudding?
Not since the earlier days when everything was new had so much been learned at one time as the shadow went on to detail not only his world, the Shadow Realm, a strange place that beggared belief, but also the way they'd all gotten to Hogwarts and the one responsible, the previously unnamed horror properly called He who opens the ways.
Not much of an improvement in the name department, and the information of its nature was frustratingly limited. Apparently, everyone and thing in the Shadow Realm knew of it, but that was about as far as it went. His goals, any higher objectives, all a mystery.
Nevertheless, much was learned, and this knowledge helped lift the spirits of many. Not Hermione Granger though. If anything, Luna's big scoop merely served to annoy her. Someone else was making headway that she was not, and she would not stand for it.
One would think such a reaction odd, but that would suggest they did not know Hermione Granger, a girl who based her entire identity on being smarter and knowing more than everyone else. It wasn't healthy but… shut up, what do you know? Not as much as Hermione, I'll tell you that.
This had led to a somewhat irresponsible experiment; one she was having difficulty with because the test subject refused to cooperate.
"Just put it in already."
"No, I don't want to."
"Stop being such a baby about this."
"I won't! You can't make me!"
"Wanna bet!"
Having lived with Lavender Brown since coming to Hogwarts she felt she knew the girl fairly well (this was not true, but that's hardly the point). She'd chosen her over Parvati for this experiment because she thought she'd put up less of a fight. If that were correct, she could only imagine what a fuss Parvati would have put up.
"Hermione, are you sure you should be doing this?" the Indian girl asked, safely behind several rows of desks.
"It's perfectly safe."
"Then put it in your book!" Lavender cried.
"I have," Hermione retorted, "and it worked perfectly fine. You're fussing over nothing."
"I don't believe you."
"Stop being difficult!"
The bushy-haired girl lunged at the other blonde who ducked away and put a desk between them. "If you won't even tell me what it's supposed to do why should I let you monkey with my book."
"It's supposed to do something like Harry's spell! If it works, it should allow you to catch the Shadow Specters like Harry can."
"Really?"
"YES!"
"Well why didn't you just say that?"
"Why can't you just do what you're told?"
"You're not the boss a me."
"Girls, please," begged Parvati when it looked like Hermione would jump over the desk and strangle her friend.
"Oh fine. But why me?"
"I thought you'd be easier than Parvati," Hermione admitted.
"You were right," the Indian girl assured.
Lavender scowled at her friend but allowed herself to be dragged over to the larger desk normally used by Professor Babbling.
"You're really sure this will work?"
"Just put it in already."
"You know you're lucky I'm not a boy or that would sound perfectly indecent."
Smiling inwardly at the scandalized look, she took the incredibly detailed piece of parchment and, ever so carefully, slipped it into her grimoire.
A sound like sizzling bacon followed, and a flood of knowledge coursed through her brain, temporarily overriding all other functions.
"Whoa! Easy there," said Parvati, struggling under her friend's weight.
"Did I mention it's kind of overwhelming at first."
"Hermione!" growled Parvati.
"Oh alright."
Hoisting half the weight, they put Lavender in a nearby chair and waited for her to come back around.
"Whu—what the bloody hell."
"Lav? You alright?"
"She'll be fine," said Hermione.
"I better be," Lavender groaned, "or you're gonna get it."
Parvati released a heavy sigh, sagging in relief. "You had me worried for a sec."
"My head hurts."
"It'll pass."
The blonde glared at the bushy-haired but stifled a scathing retort, saving it for later, "So, it worked? I can catch the ghosties now?"
"You should be able to."
"Should? Why only should?" said Lavender.
"You said it worked," added Parvati.
"Putting it in the book worked," Hermione clarified. "I haven't had a chance to test the spell yet. You should know that. When have I had enough time away from you two to do something like that?"
"It works for Harry. Why shouldn't it work for us?"
"This isn't Harry's spell. It's just based on Harry's spell."
"Wait, wait," Parvati broke in before Lavender could start yelling, "are you saying you invented a spell?"
"I don't know if I'd go that far," Hermione hedged. "I just compared the spell we all have with Harry's and extracted the necessary pieces from his to make one that would work on the shadow specters, and only the shadow specters I should add. You'll still need the other one to catch a shadow beast."
"Why didn't you just copy Harry's spell then? Would have been easier," said Lavender, pouting at the missed opportunity.
"You don't understand."
"Of course we don't."
Biting back her annoyance, "You don't understand," she repeated. "I've basically cracked the code on this new runic system. That means I can read it, and there are things I read in Harry's spell that scared me. Things about blood and sacrifice, things I have no idea as to their purpose and things I definitely don't want added to any spell I'm using."
"Blood and sacrifice," the Indian girl looked pale.
"Does Harry know?" the blonde one asked.
"I doubt it," said Hermione. "And I'd rather you not tell him. He still doesn't know how it got there and I don't see any reason to worry him. It's not like he can afford to just stop using it."
Harry was at present their one best weapon against the shadow specters; some might argue against the shadows in general, having been at the forefront of the conflict nearly from the start just be virtue of being who he was.
"Alright, fine. So, what now?" said Lavender.
"We need to test it."
"Crazy witch says what!"
"Don't give me that. We'll never know if it works unless we do."
"But what if it doesn't? I am not going ghost hunting without backup."
"I agree with Lavender," said Parvati. "I'm not going to be involved in this unless Harry comes along."
Lavender nodded in agreement. It was Harry or bust.
"Well that's fine. He's probably in the library right now. Let's go find him."
He wasn't in the library, but Remus Lupin and his 'dog' were. The mismatched trio asked if he'd seen their quarry, and after referring to a tatty looking piece of parchment, they were directed up to the trophy room where they found Harry, as well as Ron and Neville, all of whom looked thoroughly rung out.
"What happened to you three?" Lavender asked.
"Shadow beast—broke into—little ones—chased'em—chased'em in here," Harry panted in explanation.
"Nice to see you're having fun."
The blonde smiled at the trio of glares. Didn't matter if it was good so long as it was attention.
"Can we help—you ladies?" said Harry with more civility than he felt.
"Yes, yes you can," said the cheeky witch.
"We need you to help us find a shadow specter to test something on," Hermione jumped in before someone got a spanking.
"Haven't seen many of those lately," said Ron.
"Pretty please," Lavender pouted with the dewy eyes.
"I suppose it wouldn't hurt to look around a bit," said Harry, capitulating much too easily.
"Yay!" squealed the blonde, latching onto the dark-haired Gryffindor.
"Really Lavender? I thought you were chasing Dean."
"He's playing hard to get," said the blonde as she was escorted into the hall.
"Is that what it is?" In fact, Dean was not playing hard to get, he was playing hide and don't seek. Slight difference.
Giggling at her friend Parvati walked up to Neville and took him by the arm as well. Blushing only a little the Longbottom scion allowed himself to be led from the trophy room.
Ron and Hermione looked after the departed couples and shared a look.
"I'm not doing that," said Ron.
"What makes you think I wanted you to do that?" said Hermione. (For those reading this in Japan, you may add the word 'baka' at the end of the sentence)
"So, what have you been up to Harry?" Lavender asked, batting her eyelashes while clinging to his arm.
"Oh, you know. Little this, little that," he hedged.
"Did it involve getting yelled at and told to do things you didn't want to do?"
"HEY!"
"Uh, no, no, not really."
"Hm, must be nice."
Hermione growled from the back of the line, making Ron nervously adjust his course further away from his bushy-haired friend. Couldn't be healthy, grinding your teeth like that.
Thankfully for Hermione's teeth, and as the daughter of two dentists she really should know better, I mean really; they came upon a pair of boys under assault by a familiar shadow of the long, gangly, froggy variety.
"Hey! Get off'em!" Ron shouted, hurling a spell without thinking.
The spell eater looked up just in time to open its massive mouth and swallow it down his gullet.
"Honestly."
While the ginger glared at the bushy-haired one, Neville floated a nearby halberd and hurled it at the froggy shadow. To everyone's surprise, the monster leapt at the weapon, displaying an enviable acrobatic skill, and planting the point of the halberd into the stone floor.
"Whoa!"
"When did he start doing that?"
With what could have been taken as a smirk, the spell eater stalked toward them.
"Oh, I don't think so," said Harry, pulling his grimoire.
"Neither do I," said Lavender, doing likewise.
"WOLF BAT!"
"SCREAMING HARPY!"
Darkness exploded into a pair of vicious forms, and whatever courage the Spell eater had found that allowed him to menace the young wizards evaporated before the two greater monsters.
"ribbit!" and the Spell eater bounded away with the flying wolf and the angry harpy hot on his heels.
"Think they'll catch him?" asked Lavender.
"Doubt it," said Harry. "Are you guys alright?"
The two boys, Ravenclaws, were battered and bruised but still conscious.
"He kept trying to get at my book," said the one as Harry helped him to his feet.
Just like that girl, Harry thought.
"He's getting braver," Ron observed. "Six of us, plus two of them, and he was still ready to try and take us before you to called out the monsters."
But why? Where was the bravado coming from, and why the interest in the books?
"Hermione, I know you're busy, but I think we need to make this a priority. Think you can come up with a way to catch him?"
Hermione grinned, an insufferably smug grin, "Who do you think you're talking to."
"I really don't know, but maybe if you hum a few bars."
The group looked up to the source of the insufferable cackling to find an all too familiar phantom hovering overhead.
"Well look who it is," said Harry.
"No! No! I don't wanna talk to you," the creep exclaimed. "You are a dirty, dirty cheater and I have no time for you. Poo poo."
Harry stared at the demented specter, then grinned, when Lavender tugged on his sleeve and he remembered what they'd been doing. "He's all yours."
"What, her? Bwahahahaha! What's she gonna do?"
Unperturbed by the taunt, Lavender raised her book and began to read.
"OO, ya gonna read me a story? What is it, Beauty and the beast; Sleeping beauty; Cinderella?"
"Sprit snare."
"Spirit wha—NO! Hey! What do you think you're—no, NOOOOOOO, Leggo! Leggo! I don't wanna go in the book! I don't wannaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!"
Screaming and wailing the obnoxious specter was pulled into the book of Lavender Brown. "Huh, it does work."
The group as a whole smiled, a smile of deep satisfaction… well, almost the whole group.
"What do you mean 'huh, it does work'!"