Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
The Webs We Weave
It wasn't a long wait. But it was certainly an uncomfortable one. Lockhart glared at us from his position on the floor being the main reason for the tension hanging in the air. With his wand still pointed at the tied-up teacher, Adrian shifted his weight between his feet. His enraged expression hadn't changed. Despite the current atmosphere. Meanwhile, I was still working on catching my breath. You'd think that all the times I've spent panicking, I'd be in better shape.
Adrian cleared his throat; his eyes flickering to me. "Do you want to sit down?" He asked in reference to the leather sofa.
I eyed it with disdain. Like the sofa was covered in unidentifiable stains and infested with creepy crawls that make you itch like you had chickenpox. Turning to Adrian with a repelled expression, I said; "We're not sitting down on that".
Adrian wrinkled his forehead as if to suggest he couldn't understand why I was so opposed. "You're pale and shaking. You look like you really need to sit down".
I was pale? The shaking I understood. But I didn't feel faint or cold or anything else that would cause a change in complexion. "We don't know where that sofa has been", I argued.
Adrian didn't see my point. "It's just a sofa".
"Nor do we know what he's been doing on it", I continued; making a gesture in Lockhart's direction. "I refuse to touch anything in this room". With the diary assumingly retrieved, there was nothing here worth touching.
Rolling his eyes, Adrian gave me the impression that he found my no-touching resolve to be meaningless. "Holly, go wait outside", he said. As if telling me that for the third time was actually going to make me listen.
"I'm not waiting outside", I refused with a shake of my head.
Adrian let out an exasperated noise. "I can handle this on my own. You're clearly uncomfortable. So, just wait for me outside".
"I'm not leaving you alone with this loon". Lockhart's eyes were bouncing back and forth from Adrian and me like a ping-pong ball. If it wasn't for the silencing spell he was currently under, I wonder what would say. Or if he would say anything at all.
Grinding his teeth together; Adrian forced out, "I won't do anything; just stand guard. I promise". It sounded like it hurt him to make that promise.
"No", I answered without pause. "I'm not leaving you". And then we were off. Bickering like a couple that nothing else to do in their free time.
When help finally arrived in the form of Harry, McGonagall, and Snape they walked in on Adrian angrily asking, "Why are you so bloody difficult?"
I raised an eyebrow; aware that our audience had grown, but I didn't care at the moment. "I'm difficult?" I asked rhetorically. "Mr. stiff-neck is calling me difficult".
Adrian opened his mouth, but McGonagall interjected before we could continue this lovefest. "What is going on here?"
Adrian and I killed a moment before answering McGonagall. It passed with us staring each other down. Merlin, help me. If we were just a few years older, we would have different means to work out our tension.
Squaring his shoulders Adrian turned his eyes to McGonagall; all the while with his wand trailed on Lockhart. "That needs to be taken to Azkaban". He gestured rudely to Lockhart's immobilized form. "Holly is a self-destructive idiot, and I need to reflect on my life choices".
Well… that was one way to bring everyone up to speed. I thought as I glared at my boyfriend. None of those life choices he wants to reflect on better include our relationship. McGonagall turned towards me as Snape and Harry stared at Adrian with different expressions of emotion. Snape's was more irate. While Harry's was more curious. But both were targeted at Adrian's strange and sudden need to share. "Potter said Professor Lockhart forced you into his rooms", McGonagall said.
I swallowed a lump that had formed in my throat. Yeah, that had happened. But did I really want to admit to that? I'm not sure how I could answer the questions that followed. This wasn't a part of Fred and George's plan, after all. But how do I explain my presence here if I denied McGonagall's statement? "Um". My voice came out quiet; sounding meek compared to how I had been talking to Adrian just seconds ago. "Yes". It became hard to look McGonagall in the eyes. Were my shoes always this dark brown color? I thought they were more black than brown. "But I'm okay". I spoke quicker. "Adrian got here before anything could happen". Please let that be enough to put off any questions that I couldn't answer.
"How were you able to get into these rooms?" McGonagall asked. I assume it wasn't me she was speaking to.
"I got the password from Potter", Adrian answered. "He saw what Lockhart was doing and overheard the password. When he going for help, he ran into me and told me what he saw and heard. I told him to get a teacher before going ahead to help Holly". His answers were straightforward and concise; having no need to think before he spoke. "When I got here, he had Holly pinned to a wall. She was scared and it looked painful. I made him stop and I made sure he couldn't fight back". Whenever Adrian referred to Lockhart his tone adopted a nauseated quality.
More time passed in silence. But it was the short reprieve I needed to work up the courage to look away from my shoes. McGonagall wasn't looking at either of us anymore. Her gaze was focused on the detained man on the floor; lips pressed together so harshly that they lost all color. Harry stood next to her. He was looking at Lockhart too; except his expression contained a mixture of uneasy and pity. Because, like me, Harry knew that Lockhart wasn't entirely responsible for his actions. Not that there wasn't a fair amount of karma in this outcome. After all, even without Riddle, Lockhart is still a narcissist guilty of stealing the credit for others' adventures.
While Snape was staring at the framed articles hanging from Lockhart's walls with disdain. I wondered what that meant. Had he already make his decision about the man laying on the floor? What did he get out of glaring that Lockhart's wall décor?
"We'll need to get Professor Dumbledore and the aurors will have to be notified", McGonagall said; taking charge. Her line of vision swung to me. "They will ask for you to give a statement, Miss Weasley. I'm sorry. I know you weren't ready earlier. And this time, we will have to inform your parents".
Biting my lip, I nodded slowly. McGonagall was right. I wasn't ready to come up with a believable story that my parents and law enforcement would accept. But as soon as McGonagall and Snape had become involved, I figured that it was unavoidable.
Folding his arms, Snape spoke up. "I'll wait here if you would inform Professor Dumbledore". He spoke only to McGonagall.
McGonagall appeared to find that agreeable because she turned towards us students. "You three may wait in my office. We will join you shortly".
That sounded like a plan. Or at least the start of one. Harry turned around to obey McGonagall's order. And I was ready to follow, but a hand grabbing my wrist prevented me from doing so. "I'm taking Holly to the hospital wing". Adrian announced; only addressing Snape and McGonagall.
I blew hot air out of my mouth. Oh, good grief. "I don't need to go to the hospital wing", I said; pronouncing each word slowly and clearly.
Acting like he hadn't heard me, Adrian repeated himself. "I'm taking Holly to the hospital wing".
I looked towards McGonagall for help, but she was focused on the fourth-year Slytherin; calculating some invisible equation that she could see on his face. "Yes. Perhaps that would be wise. Thank you, Mr. Pucey".
And then the grip on my wrist that had stopped me from moving forward was leading me towards the door. Harry walked in front of us, leaving me to assume that he would be accompanying us to the hospital wing. I couldn't blame him. I wouldn't want to wait by myself in McGonagall's office after what had just occurred. But before Adrian and I could step out of Lockhart's rooms, Snape halted us by placing a heavy hand on Adrian's shoulder. Hunched over, the potions master murmured something in Adrian's ear. It was too low for me to catch, and all Adrian did was respond with a deep nod of agreement before continuing. Leaving me to wonder what that had been about.
We never made it to the hospital wing. About halfway there we got ambushed by Fred and George and herded into an empty classroom. Adrian huffed indignantly as he adjusted his robes after being manhandled. But Fred and George chose not to notice the heavily annoyed Slytherin. Or the awkwardly shy Harry standing in the corner. Instead, they were standing close to me with their shoulders pressed together. "Jolly Holly", Fred said in a scolding voice. "No were in the plan did it involve you going home with Lockhart". He was clutching his right hand in his left like it was painful to move.
"What plan?" Adrian asked, having overheard.
"What's wrong with your hand?" I asked my brother. Did he burn it? Like how Riddle/ Lockhart had said; about cursing the diary for anyone who touched it.
Neither Adrian nor I get an answer. "You're not a Ravenclaw. There was no need for you to take initiative", George exclaimed. "All you had to do was distract Lockhart and then run away".
"What plan?" Adrian asked again. His voice becoming a bit darker.
"It wasn't her fault", Harry spoke up. "Lockhart wouldn't let go of her. He grabbed her in the room of requirement and didn't let go until they were in his rooms".
I blinked multiple times. How did Harry know about the room of requirement? How did he know what Lockhart/ Riddle had done? Those questions combined with the ones I already had started to paint a picture. Harry had known the password the Lockhart's rooms. He had been the one to send Adrian to my aid. And he was the one who had gotten McGonagall and Snape…. "Were you there the whole time?" I asked Harry. But Fred and George were making it difficult to look away from them.
"What plan?" Adrian yelled; making his voice so loud that it drowned out everyone else.
Fred and George whirled around to glare at Adrian. "And what is he doing here?" Fred and George asked in sync; acting like Adrian wasn't in the room at all. So… it wasn't a part of their plan for Adrian to help me. It made sense. I couldn't envision Fred and George including Adrian. But it was another piece of information that was helping me fill in the blanks.
"I ran into him", Harry answered quickly. As if speedy answers would help defuse strain in the room. "Holly needed help, so I thought…" He trailed off; not needing to express that he had made the right call at that moment.
"And you just happened to be in the right place at the right time?" Fred asked Adrian; narrowing his eyes in suspicion.
Adrian narrowed his right back with his hands rolled into fists. "Yes, I was". His response left no wiggle room for further questioning. "What plan?" He asked again.
Fred and George sighed. A look passed between them as they weighed their options. Impatient, Adrian turned towards me; his expectation clear on his face. But I just shrugged. It seemed like I was only informed about my part of the plan.
When Fred and George didn't offer anything, Harry stepped up to the plate. Did he see what we couldn't? Or was he just too young to understand the importance of secrets? "Lockhart got his hands on a diary filled with dark magic. It possessed him and he is the one that opened the chamber of secrets". The vein above Adrian's right eye started to twitch and the color drained from his face. "The triplets having been trying to get the diary and destroy it".
Raising a hand, Adrian pinched the bridge of his nose and closed his eyes. "Hopeless. Every single one of you. Hopeless", he muttered.
"The plan was for Holly to distract Lockhart so they could get the diary. My job was to make sure Lockhart didn't kill Holly", Harry finished. Well… that explained Harry's involvement. I wonder how long he had been following me. And I hadn't gotten any sense that I was being watched. He must have been using the invisibility cloak.
Without removing his hand or opening his eyes, Adrian continued. "And where is this diary?"
"You don't need to know that", said George.
Fred took a step towards Adrian; as if he was trying to get Adrian to move. "Thanks for helping out our sister. But we can take it from here".
George copied Fred. "So, you're free to go".
"Don't close the door too loudly on your way out", they said together.
But Adrian remained unmoved. "McGonagall and Snape are informing Professor Dumbledore and they will have to involve aurors. We're expected to be in the hospital wing and they will want to take our statements", Adrian said in reference to himself, Harry, and me. "And it's clear that you have no idea what you are dealing with". Adrian's words were harsh. Or maybe they sound harsh because of the truth they contained.
Fred snorted unattractively. "And you do?"
Adrian's confidence was absolute. "Yes".
Sitting on a bed in the hospital wing with my legs hanging off one side, I watched as Adrian cast the same spell over and over again. It was the disillusionment charm that the fourth-years had been working on in Flitwick's classes. Every flick of his wand resulted in a white light as a tin cup sitting on a bedside table flickered in and out of sight. "Why are you doing that?" I asked, but I didn't really care to know. Asking just brought me a distraction from everything that was playing out. Adrian knew about Horcruxes. Which, I already knew. But in that classroom with Fred, George, and Harry he had blurted it out. Which meant that Harry now knew about them too. And now we had more help than we wanted when it came to figuring out how to destroy the damn diary.
"They'll get around to questioning Lockhart eventually", Adrian answered without interrupting his casting. The they he was referring to were the aurors that we knew had been summoned. "He'll tell them that I used an unforgivable on him". We weren't worried about being overheard. After Madam Pomfrey had done a quick scan to make sure I was telling the truth about my physical state, she had retreated to her office to report her findings to Dumbledore and my head of house. Giving Adrian and me a few moments to ourselves. "I can lie and say I don't know any of the unforgivables and they'll believe me because I'm a student", Adrian continued. "But in case they cast prior incantato on my wand, I need to make sure it doesn't show up in my recent spell history".
I nodded to show that I had heard him, but I didn't have anything to add to the conversation. When we had finally made it to the hospital wind with Fred and George tagging along, McGonagall had already been waiting for us. After lecturing us about getting sidetracked, McGonagall setting Harry with Fred and George to Gryffindor Tower; promising they would be called for if they were needed. And that left Adrian and me to wait. McGonagall refused to tell us what was happening to Lockhart or what the next steps were. So, what were we waiting for?
The hospital doors flung open; letting in an enraged redhead. "Mum!" I said a bit startled. Although I knew she would have been notified.
Resembling a tornado of homespun fabric and ginger hairs, Mum charged the bed I was sitting on. And I was in her arms before I could get another word out. She smelled like gravy and potatoes; giving me a good guess what she and Dad must have had for dinner. Her arms were like steel around me, but I didn't mind. In this instance, it didn't feel like a restraint. It reminded me more of a life vest.
"I'm okay, Mum", I tried to assure her. But I'm not sure if my words reached her. "Adrian got there before anything could happen".
Mum pulled back to stare at my face. Questions swam in her eyes like koi in a pond. She opened her mouth to release to the flood gates of words. However, there must be a drought because not a single sound escaped her.
This was one situation no parent was prepared for. "I'm okay, Mum", I repeated. It felt funny to be the one offering comfort when I was the one freaking out earlier this evening. But it wasn't what Mum thought. It wasn't what anyone thought. So, I had to limit their grief as much as possible. The blame for this deceit falls solely on me. "Nothing happened".
With a legal guardian present, things started to pick up the pace again. Adrian was asked to wait in Madam Pomfrey's office for his parents while the adults filled my mum in about everything that happened. First, it was Madam Pomfrey ensuring Mum that I was physically unharmed. Then it was McGonagall explaining everything that had happened up to this point. Starting with the detention I had spent in Snape's classroom. McGonagall even felt moved enough to apologize that things had progressed this far.
After that, the conversation turned to the next steps. Primarily my right as a minor to have a parent with me when the aurors came to collect my statement. And I knew that this night was far from over.