Chapter 11: The Tender Bonds of Friendship
Author's Note: This chapter is dedicated to my grandmother, for she helped in making me the woman I am today. I hope you get better soon. I love you.
Ronald Bilius Weasley was not having a good morning. He scowled at the Ravenclaw table where the Boy-Who-Lived was eating with his friends. Ron couldn't fathom why Harry Potter would eat with the son whose father followed the man who killed his parents. It was obvious that Malfoy Jr. would be just like his father. Although, Ron had to admit he was surprised seeing how civil he was with the Muggle-born witch, Hermione Granger. He knew how the Malfoys hated those who weren't pure and were blood traitors. Ron wished that Harry would wake up one day and realize that he's hanging out with the person.
One day, Malfoy would serve Harry to You-Know-Who on a silver platter.
With a sigh, he pushed his finished plate of breakfast and headed out to go to his class of the day: Charms. He still had trouble with the Wingardium Leviosa Charm. Seamus, on the other hand, managed to singe off his eyebrows. Poor bloke went a week before a single hair grew on! Unfortunately for Ron, he wasn't looking at his surroundings as he felt hands push him into the trap step. With a shout, his entire left leg went through, and he was stuck. He looked at his older brothers, Fred and George, who just stared at him.
"FRED! GEORGE! GET ME OUT OF HERE YOU BLOODY GITS!" Without saying anything, Fred and George ran away. Odd, they'd always say something to me. Mostly a taunt, but I don't have time to think about that right now. I need to get out of here. I promised Mum I wouldn't be late for classes anymore. Stupid Dean and Seamus leaving me behind. Stupid trick step. Who in the bloody hell thought this would be a good idea?! After squirming for Merlin-knows-how-long, Ron heard footsteps and quiet chatter approaching him. As the voices drew near, Draco dreaded the owners of those voices.
"Draco, you git! It's obviously Theory 3.2 in Transfiguration. The way an object should be another object to first think of the physical attributes, mainly height and color. It's not the mass of the object." Hermione Granger's voice rang out.
"Honestly, Hermione. That was rebutted, in a more recent study made by Glarisa Gregoris, a half-blood, in 1930 who stated that Theory 3.2 was actually false as it depends on the level of mastery the Transfiguration student is one. Some learn better by thinking of mass first compared to thinking of height and color." Bloody Malfoy. Just his luck.
Please don't notice me. Oh Merlin, and those above, please don't let them notice me.
"Well, well. Look at what we have here?" Merlin seemed to have abandoned Ron, as the red-haired tilted his head to look at one Malfoy, Hermione Granger, Neville Longbottom, Cedric Diggory, and last but not least, Potter.
"Er, are you alright there, Mr. Weasley?" Ron couldn't help but cringe at the kind, asking tone of Neville.
"Yeah, I'm alright, I suppose." To be fair Ron had better days before than this.
"Let me help you." Ron's head perked up at Harry, who offered to help him. It seemed that Ron wasn't the only one surprised as Hermione and Malfoy grabbed Potter's shoulders at such a speed it surprised Ron.
"Harry, are you a git? Why would help the git who made you cry?" Ron hung his head in shame. He hadn't meant to make Potter cry. He was just so mad that a boy he looked up to would defile himself by hanging out with scum like Malfoy. To Ron, Potter did not deserve to hang around such a person.
"It doesn't matter. Any person who needs help should be given help, no matter their past mistakes. We're all human. That's what Professor Snape told me." Ron's head snapped again. How many bloody times will I have to crane my head to look at them? But Snape? The one and only Dungeon Bat told Potter, The-Who-Lived, this information? Ron couldn't believe his ears. But it seemed that everyone else did. With a sigh from Hermione, she released Potter's left shoulder, but Malfoy still held on. With a gaze between Potter and Malfoy, he released Potter with a sigh.
Potter moved to Ron and offered his hand. With a sheepish smile and a blush on his face, Ron took the hand and felt his foot slowly dislodge from the staircase.
With a brave look at Potter, Ron took out his hand and offered it to Potter. "Thank you, Mr. Potter. I want to formally apologize for making you cry, along with offending your friends. But thank you." Ron gasped, and so did Potter and his friends. As Potter and his friends were taken aback, so was Ron. He didn't know what came over him to say such words, but Ron was ready to take back his hand when Potter grasped it.
"It's alright. Although what you said did hurt, I'm willing to move past it. Friends?" Ron's mouth dropped open. He couldn't hear much of what was around him except for the cries of Potter's name coming from the mouths of his friends, mainly that of Malfoy's, "Harry! Are you insane? This is Mr. Ronald Weasley, the Boy-Who-Made-You-Cry? That Mr. Weasley? Harry, come on mate. Really?" Not to mention Hermione's, "Honestly, Harry are you sure about this? Draco has a point. Mr. Weasley did make you cry after all." Ron couldn't help but flush and once more duck his head in shame. How could Ron accept such a request?
"I think we should trust Harry's judgment on this and support him." Everyone's head snapped to look at Neville, who let immediately flushed and scratched his head.
"Neville is right. It's Harry's choice in who he wants to be friends with. Besides, at least we now have an equal balance of members from three of the four houses in Hogwarts. Two Ravenclaws, two Hufflepuffs, and now two Gryffindors. Besides, I trust Harry's judgment, and a friend of Harry's is a friend of mine." Ron was flabbergasted. He wasn't that familiar with Cedric Diggory, except that he played for the Hufflepuff Quidditch team as Seeker.
Ron looked away from the third year and came to face hopeful looking emerald eyes. "Er..." Ron didn't know what to say. Harry, Neville, and Cedric were smiling at him to accept the friendship, while Hermione and Malfoy were glaring at him. Ron was sweating bullets. He didn't want to die, but he didn't want to hurt Potter's feelings again. What the bloody hell do I do?
It seemed that Harry sensed his predicament and turned to Hermione and Malfoy and stared at them. The three of them had a staring contest, which Harry won when both Hermione and Malfoy looked away with them pouting. Potter then turned to Ron, still waiting for the redhead to take his head.
With a gulp, Ron accept the hand and smiled tentatively at Potter and his friends.
"Welcome to the Hogwarts Quartet, Mr. Weasley." And boy, did Ron, not like the drawl that came from Malfoy as he said that.
E&H E
Severus smiled softly as Harry was able to diffuse the situation but to also gain a friend (even though it meant the Weasley boy). Severus had seen what had transpired with the Weasley Terrors and their younger brother, but just as he was going to help the youngest, Harry and his friends came along the corridor, arguing about a Transfiguration Theory.
One thing that struck Severus was the lack of emotion when the Weasley Terrors pulled their prank. Normally, they would laugh and call attention, yet they ran away. Something is amiss here. I need to know what it is and fast. Severus drew out his wand, and with a whispered Point Me, Severus found the Weasley Terrors standing oddly still in the middle of the Charms hallway.
"Misters Weasley?" Nothing came from the twins. Severus tensed as he approached them. He didn't know where such behavior came from, and despite his hate for Gryffindors, more especially for pranksters, he is still a teacher who looks after all of his students.
What he saw mortified him. The Weasley twins were standing still, nothing being uttered out of their mouths. Their eyes stared at nothing. Severus knew what it was, for he had seen it happen before. The twins were under the Imperius. But who could have cast such a spell? Not to mention a Forbidden One, and on under-aged students! I need to break this spell and go through their memories and find the one who cast it.
Severus immediately grabbed the two Weasleys and steered them in the direction of the dungeons as swiftly as he can. Thankfully there was nobody in the corridors, and Severus managed to get to his office with the Weasley twins in tow.
Severus had them sit down on the sofa in his office, and he paced. Severus did not know how to break the curse. Only the caster could do it, but Severus didn't know the caster. He did not want to alarm Dumbledore yet, his trust in the man dwindled the moment he placed the Philosopher's Stone within Hogwarts for bait for the Dark Lord.
Perhaps, using Legilimency would work? It's an untried theory, it's too risky to alert Dumbledore, even more, St. Mungo. I have to try it. Now.
Severus stared into the eyes of Fred Weasley and pointed his wand to him. "Legilimens."
Severus was transported to a mind full of color and laughter. He could feel childish wonderment within him, one that didn't belong to him. Fred Weasley's mind was full of prankster ideas, none of which surprised Severus. But that was not he was here for. He was here for the moment the twins were cast with the Imperius.
Thankfully, the mind was complacent and gave him the memory he needed. He looked around the Great Hall and heard the Weasley twins hatching yet another brilliant, but a stupid prank. Soon the Weasley twins walked out of the Great Hall, still muttering about their plans when they were stopped by Albus, whose London Blue Topaz eyes twinkled.
"Good morning, boys, how are you both so far?" Both Weasley twins grinned at their Headmaster and replied, "Good day, you too, Sir!" said George. "Why yes, we are once more hatching a not-prank, you see," said Fred. "It's quite plain and boring for you." finished both George and Fred. Severus sighed at the pure stupidity in front of him. He never understood how the twins managed to do such a thing. At least I know it isn't Legilimency.
"Alright then, Headmaster. We best be on our way to Potions. The Professor never really did appreciate our amazing lateness to class." Severus felt Fred move forward, but a whispered voice chilled Severus' blood. "Imperio." Soon Severus found himself back in his own body, clutching his robes as he stared at the seating twins in front of him.
Severus was shocked. How can someone who is supposed to have the best interests of the students use the Unforgivable Curse on them? Was this planned? For the twins to push their younger brother into that step to let Harry and his friends find him? But why? It doesn't make sense.
Severus paced back-and-forth, trying to come up with a solution to break the curse on the twins. Who do I ask? Surely, not Albus, although it may be the safest route. St. Mungo's wouldn't believe me, and I'm sure to land in Azkaban the moment I tell them how I learned who cast the Imperius on the twins. Minerva is out of the question, her loyalties lie with Dumbledore.
A knock resounded on his door. Severus let his wand slide from the wand holster on his left arm. "Who is there?" A trembling voice answered him back. "It-it's me, Severus, p-please let me i-in." Ugh, what does Quirrell want now? What do I do with the Weasley twins? Dammit. I don't have time for this.
Without waiting for a reply, Quirinus Quirrell came into the room, his stance one that Severus had not seen his colleague take on since his sabbatical.
"I know that the two young Mr's. Weasley over there is under the Imperius. I presume cast by Dumbledore, of course." Severus' shoulder's tensed up. This was not his colleague. A dangerous man took his place.
A raspy voice, that neither belonged to Severus or Quirinus spoke. "Oh, Severus. How could my own loyal servent forget me?" Severus' heart stopped. It was a voice that belonged to one that was meant to die eleven years ago.
Shakily, Severus quickly hurried himself to one knee, and head bowed as he answered, "My lord, I had not known that you survived the attack eleven years before." He wondered where the voice of the Dark Lord came from and how he lived.
"Rise. For we have much to discuss."
Author's Note: And that's a wrap! Yes, Voldie is back in the game! On another note: This chapter is indeed dedicated to my grandmother. I received word that she has terminal cancer, and lately it's been hard to have motivation to write. This does NOT mean that I'm quitting writing this book. In fact, this book is distracting me right now, which I need. I know that many of you may not be religious, but if you can please pray for her, I would really appreciate it. Thank you so much for your love and support. See you all soon.
- The-Songbird-Who-Wrote