Chapter V: The Arrest

The plan worked smoothly. A very confused Ron and a handful of other students brought their rats to Snape, who cast a diagnostic spell on them and declared five in need of a restorative potion in order to "boost their immune systems, rejuvenate their energy levels, and elevate their quality of life." While in the midst of making the potion four Aurors arrived, two of them headed to where Snape was and performed the counter-spell on the sleeping animagus. Pettigrew woke up, but was too groggy and confused to react before the Aurors had him in magical irons to prevent him from changing back. They broke him within the first hour of custody, he confessed to everything. Meanwhile Ron was having a hard time believing that Scabbers wasn't just a normal rat. I wasn't present for any of this, I would learn of it later.

I had forgotten what affect I had on people who were seeing me for the first time. When the Aurors arrived, I was standing behind Dumbledore and the first Auror who spotted me got the most alarmed look on his face as he raised his wand. Uh oh. I jumped back, and collided with a chair, falling backwards as a spell raced over my head.

Dumbledore yelled "Stop! That's Minerva! I mean Esmira! That's Esmira Thorncrow!" He continued in a more normal tone of voice as I picked myself up off the floor. "Surely you've heard of her? From her parents' murder. She's the orphan the school adopted."

As two of the Aurors left the one who had nearly jinxed me said coolly, "That is most fortunate that we do not have to go looking for her too. Lucius Malfoy sent us a letter asking us to investigate as to whether or not there really was a vampire student at the school. I'm afraid she'll have to come with us. Was she a vampire already when the school adopted her?"

"Yes, but-"

"The Ministry is going to be very interested to learn that you failed to include the fact that she is a vampire when you applied for her adoption."

"Surely you aren't going to arrest her!"

The Auror shot him a withering glance, "No, we aren't arresting her. Merely…taking her into custody for a little while, while we get everything sorted out."

"That's the same thing!" I burst out in horror. "You have no right to arrest me or take me into custody. I haven't done anything wrong!"

"Really?" He shot back "You haven't ever attacked anyone have you?"

I froze, but before I could admit my guilt a smooth voice said from behind me "No, she hasn't." I turned, disbelieving, to see Severus striding forward with the two other Aurors and Peter Pettigrew in toe. "We've been monitoring her most carefully since we found her and if it weren't for her we would never have found out about Pettigrew here. I suggest you use your time wisely interrogating those who actually... need it." He sneered the last two words and gave a pointed look at Peter.

The Auror drew himself up to his full height and said, "This won't be the last you hear about this. C'mon, let's go."

So, they left, just like that. I collapsed into a chair, shaking.

Dumbledore came and said to me "He was fishing for a legitimate reason to take you, or if he could have he would have taken you and then found a reason for it. I imagine that Lucius bribed that one along with the letter. Aurors are supposed to be above such things of course, but when an owl unexpectedly arrives with gold galleons it is harder to send money back than to not accept it in the first place. I doubt there will be much more trouble about it my dear, don't you worry. Peter Pettigrew will be a fine enough feather in that Auror's cap." I nodded and breathed deeply, trying to calm myself.

I turned to Severus, "Why-"

"Best not to discuss it." He interrupted. "Let's go. I came to get you to help me convince Ron I haven't murdered his rat and hidden the body."

A laugh escaped me. "Gladly, Professor." On the way we passed Draco in the hall.

I stopped and glared, "Don't think I'm going to tell you about the experiment I was in now after what your father did." Then Snape and I swept passed him.

000

Draco had been having a very nice Saturday until a certain vampire's glowing red eyes stopped him in his tracks. Draco paled, he hadn't received a response to his letter. He wondered what his father had done. He had been expecting advice from his father, not action! Before he could say a word though she had moved on. He wasn't about to ask his father what he had done though. Lucius Malfoy expected him to just know things, whenever he'd had questions growing up they had often been met with "Don't you know this already? Oh, very well…" or "You should learn how to find things out without asking questions. Since you've asked though…." He had quickly developed a preference for asking his mother things, but she didn't know everything. Now what was he going to do? Everyone else in his class was so dull and boring and already more than willing to practically worship him, Esmira was the only interesting one who didn't just follow him around. He liked that, but it was also infuriating. How was he going to get her to pay attention to him now?

000

Ron had been having a very miserable Saturday ever since everyone else's rats had been returned to them except for his. "I bet Snape murdered Scabbers and has just hidden his body away somewhere." He said to Harry as they sat in the Gryffindor Common Room.

"Don't be ridiculous Ron." Hermione said primly. "Snape might be a Slytherin and a horrible Professor but I don't think he'd go quite that far."

"Thank you for that astounding vote of confidence Miss Granger." All three of the children jumped as they noticed that Snape, and Esmira had entered the room.

Ron leapt to his feet, his hands curled into fists "Slytherins! In the Gryffindor Common Room, why I'll-"

"Do absolutely nothing Mister Weasley" McGonagall had come in right after Snape and Esmira. "I invited them here. Now, you'll hear what they have to say." Harry moved to stand by Ron and nodded at him in support.

Snape began, "Your rat is actually an animagus and-"

"That's absolute rot!" Ron yelled, his face turning crimson. "You just want to take him away from me!"

"Ron, Ron." Harry shook his friend in the shoulder. "What's an animagus?" Ron turned to Harry, calming down a little at having to answer a perfectly easy question, "A person who can turn into an animal. I don't believe it, there's just no way that Scabber is one."

Esmira spoke up. "How long has your family had Scabbers, Ron?"

Ron looked a little surprised at the question but said "About ten years, why?"

"Don't you think it's more than a little odd that he has lived for so long? I think rats generally only live for about three years. If he was just a rat and not an animagus, he'd have died a long time ago."

"You're just saying things." Ron said feebly, deflated.

McGonagall said, "Mister Weasley, your rat is someone named Peter Pettigrew, you've likely heard of him." Ron nodded glumly. "Well then. I'm certain you'll want to owl your parents. You can use one of the school owls for free for this, if you so desire." Ron just nodded again.

"Who's Peter Pettigrew?" Harry asked.

"A friend of your parents." McGonagall answered. "Along with Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. We can talk more about them later. Right now, I need to go and alert the owlery that Ron will be needing an owl."

000

As soon as Professor McGonagall said "Remus Lupin" I mentally facepalmed, remembering that I had thought his last name was Lupus. Ah well. We left soon after that.

Just before exiting, I turned back and said, "Sorry about your rat Ron." Then I continued out the door. I didn't run into them for the next few days. On Thursday we had flying lessons together. I wasn't looking forward to it, since I'm afraid of heights. Also, being outside, in the direct sunlight. No, I wasn't looking forward to it at all. I thought I had best try the class at least once, but even before we all stepped outside I wondered hopefully if I might be excluded from these lessons in the future. I had on my witch's hat and my dragonhide gloves, which helped, but I still felt instantly tired as we walked across the lawn.

There were about twenty broomsticks laid out, the Gryffindors and Madam Hooch were nowhere in sight, so I sat down and began plucking a few blades of grass. As I yawned and tried to keep my eyes open the Gryffindors and Madam Hooch arrived at nearly the same moment.

I stood and quickly followed her instructions, to my glee, my broomstick didn't so much as twitch when I commanded "Up!" Even after Neville had finally gotten his off the ground mine hadn't so much as rolled over. Finally, Madam Hooch had me step aside to keep trying as she instructed the others how to get on properly. Draco was not happy to learn that he had been doing it wrong for years. Then, as Madam Hooch got out her whistle, I remembered about Neville falling. Even though we wouldn't learn it until next year, I already knew the spell Arresto Momentum thanks to being unable to sleep and spending my nights studying. Unfortunately, even though I knew it was going to happen, it all happened so fast. Before Madam Hooch had a chance to blow her whistle, Neville was already in the air, and before I had a chance to extricate my wand from the cavernous pockets of my robe he had already hit the ground with a crash. I winced, the sunlight had slowed me down even further, but maybe if my wand hadn't been in my pockets I could have made it in time. I resolved to myself that I really needed to make myself some sort of wand holder, maybe on my wrist. I wondered if a watch would do for the time being, but I didn't own one, and I doubted it would work to keep it in place anyway. Madam Hooch commanded everyone not to move and threatened us with expulsion if we did get on our brooms as she took Neville to the hospital wing.

Draco started to laugh as soon as they were out of sight. "Did you see the look on his face?" I lost my temper, I was already irritated at not having been fast enough to save Neville. I darted behind Draco, grabbed one of his arms and pulled it behind his back, then I laid my fangs on his neck for a moment before lifting them.

"I imagine it looked something like yours does right now Draco." I said silkily, "Would you like me to break your wrist so that you can find out how Neville feels?"

Harry said alarmed, "No need to do that!"

I looked up at him, "Shut up, Potter." Harry looked like he'd been slapped. "Now," I said to Draco "Slytherins are certainly superior to others in a lot of ways…" I twisted his arm a little and he whimpered, "but pain is something that you should never take lightly, even when the person experiencing it isn't you, even when the person experiencing the pain is someone that you view as beneath you." I let go of his arm.

He turned around and punched me in the face. I fell to the ground while thinking maybe I did deserve that. I landed on something. I pulled it out from under me, Neville's remembrall. The smoke turned bright red.

"I see you've forgotten something Esmira." Draco practically spat. "I'll tell you what it is. Nobody crosses a Malfoy and gets away with it." He hauled me up by the front of my robes and before I or anybody knew what he was doing I was seated in front of him in midair hanging on for dear life. My hat flew off as we climbed higher and higher, much higher than Neville.

I frantically shouted "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I shouldn't have done that!" We immediately slowed down. I think that was all Draco had been looking for, to scare me like I'd scared him, but then Harry had to come and ruin it.

"Stop!" I heard Harry shouting. Then Malfoy swerved to face him…and I fell off. The remembrall flew from my fingers as I thought This is it. I don't think even a vampire could survive falling from this height. Draco dived after me. I didn't know if he would make it in time, or what he would do even if he did reach me. I shut my eyes, I didn't want to see the horrified look on Draco's face any longer. I wanted to block everything out. Then I hit something solid, my fall slowed considerably, but I fell a few seconds longer before I was bouncing and tumbling along, before finally coming to a stop. It was very confusing, I opened my eyes to see Draco on his back beside me, breathing heavily.

"Draco! Are you alright? You saved me!" I don't know what came over me but I kissed him on the forehead. Then I started to cry. Draco's stunned look turned to one of disgust at seeing the tears of blood, but then he got the stunned look on his face again as he sat up gingerly.

"Yeah, I did. I did save you. I'm a hero!" By now Slytherins and Gryffindors alike had come running up to us.

Pansy Parkinson cheered "The Hero of Slytherin!" which set the other Slytherins to chanting "The Hero of Slytherin!"

"DRACO MALFOY!" Professor McGonagall was running toward them. "Never in all my time-" McGonagall was almost speechless with shock. "Malfoy, you are coming with me. You too Thorncrow." We both shakily got to our feet and followed McGonagall, as Harry touched down, clutching the remembrall in his hand, nobody paid him much attention except Hermione, Parvati, and Ron. McGonagall marched speedily to the castle as Draco and I struggled to keep up. I was still crying from the shock and I noticed Draco quickly swiping a hand across his eyes too. We could still hear the others chanting behind us "The Hero of Slytherin!" as we entered the castle.

Minerva led us to the dungeons and pounded on the Potions classroom door.

The door opened a crack and we could hear Snape's annoyed voice say "What is it? You better have a good reason for interrupting my class." Then the door opened wider and Snape caught sight of us. I'm certain we both looked wretched. "Oh." Snape said, "One moment." We could hear his muffled voice giving instructions and then he stepped out into the hallway. "What happened?" He snapped.

"Well," McGonagall said breathlessly "Your students nearly went and got themselves killed is what happened. I have never in all my life seen such a flagrant disregard for the rules. Madam Hooch caught me in the hallway and told me she had instructed the students not to use their brooms while she was gone and could I check up on them? I stepped outside to see Esmira fall off of Malfoy's broomstick, while Potter was hit in the chest by something and he nearly fell off himself, but luckily he didn't. Then Draco performed the most outrageous dive to break Esmira's fall, which….worked…." McGonagall trailed off before finishing "…they could have died! They must be punished. In fact, 10 house points from the both of you." That was, perhaps, a bit much, since Snape was standing right there.

"Why were you flying when Madam Hooch told you not to?" Snape asked.

"I'm terrified of heights." I blurted out, before burying my face in my hands.

"The remembrall…" was all Draco said before trailing off.

I uncovered my face, "Draco saved me. He saved me from falling. If he hadn't acted quickly… his dive, so spectacular." A note of awe crept into my voice. Snape saw that he wouldn't be getting anything coherent out of us for a while.

He looked at McGonagall "You said that Potter was on his broom too?" She nodded. Snape said, "Detention. For all three of them. You'll serve it in my office after classes today." McGonagall started to protest, but Snape interrupted "Speaking of class, I really need to get back to teaching mine. I trust you'll inform Potter." Then he was gone. McGonagall glared at the closed door for a bit before she led us to Madam Pomfrey. She left us to be checked over for any injuries and by the time we were done we figured there wasn't much time left in class. I didn't want to go back because of the sunlight and I don't know why Draco didn't want to go back but I could tell just by looking at him that he'd rather skip out on the rest of class too.

Right outside the infirmary I said to him, "Why don't we walk slooowly to class? That way if anyone asked what we're doing we can truthfully say that we are headed back to class."

"Good plan." He said. So we did, by the time we got out of the castle we saw the other students headed toward us, signaling the end of class. Perfect. We had even shared one shy smile on our way out, well, I couldn't stop grinning at not having to try to get on a broomstick again today and Draco had given me a small smile one of the times he looked my way.

Then Madam Hooch saw us, "One moment please! I've already been told that you have detention by Professor McGonagall otherwise I would assign it myself. However, Esmira, I want you to take this note to Professor Snape, I want you to serve detention with me to see if we can try to get any of the brooms to work with you. I've already set aside the one you tried today so you won't repeat it." If I could have paled any more than I was then I would have.

"Yes Madam Hooch." I said. I took the note and left. I didn't want to interrupt Snape's class again but I also didn't want to be late to my next class. I dithered about in the hallway outside the Potions classroom for an agonizing ten minutes before I remembered. My next class was with Professor Binns so he probably wouldn't even notice if I came in late. I relaxed and settled against the wall to wait. It wasn't too much longer before students began filing out of the classroom. As the last one left I slipped in, Severus was at his desk cleaning up.

"Excuse me Professor Snape." He looked up. "I have a note for you" I said, while walking forward. I handed him the note and scrunched my shoulders up while he read, hoping he'd insist I have detention with him.

"Alright then." He said, signing the note. I looked at him and sighed, obviously he wasn't going to get me out of this one. Then he said, "First you were immune to that potion, then the castle treats you like an enemy, and now potentially you can't fly. You are a walking research project Esmira."

"I'm glad you find me so interesting." I muttered sarcastically, not in the mood to be pleased.

"I'm offering you a suggestion. You might want to consider writing all this down and publishing it. It might earn you a bit of income."

"Oh." I said, mollified. "I think I'd want to wait a bit longer though," I continued thoughtfully, "three interesting things isn't much of a paper." He handed me the note and I left for my next class.

When classes ended I tried all twenty brooms over the course of an hour using varying degrees of forcefulness in the command "Up," just like Hermione had done in the movie. None of them worked. At the end of the hour Madam Hooch admitted defeat and wrote a rather long note for me to take to Professor Dumbledore. I went to dinner and marched up to the head table. I wasn't certain about protocol so I didn't go behind the table but stopped across from Dumbledore and somewhat awkwardly stretched my arm across the table to give him the note. I couldn't reach very far so he had to stand up to take it from me, his eyes twinkling.

His brow furrowed as he read the note "Ah, I see. I shall have to think on this. Come see me in my office tomorrow after dinner. Your Head of House will come with you, to let you in to my office and to discuss this over."

"Yes sir." I said and left the hall. My time in the sun had drained my strength considerably. I just wanted to find a dark corner somewhere and curl up. There would be a fire in the Slytherin Common Room and I didn't want to face even that. So I went to the potions classroom, the darkest classroom I could think of. The door was locked, but an Alohamora opened it. I shut the door behind me and crawled underneath Snape's desk, finding relief. I must have entered a state of near sleep, because I didn't realize how much time had passed when I became aware of someone shaking me. I became alert to the horribly grinning face of Filch.

"So you're one of the students who is out of bed at midnight. Up you get. Professor Snape will hear about this in the morning. Where are the others?" I looked at him confused.

"I'm alone." I mumbled.

"Well, nevermind. I'll get it out of you tomorrow." I didn't even bother responding to that, so I just followed him as he escorted me to the Slytherin Common Room and then went inside to my room.