First, I wanna say………….I REACHED THE 300 REVIEWS!!!! YAY!!!! It's so great! I've reached them faster in this story than the other! ^___^ *I'm all excited now!* And I got 41 reviews for chapter 14! Jesus Christ! I'm breaking my record! Somebody pinch me! *Oww!* ^_^;
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Father Mine
Chapter 15: Dumbledore's interrogation
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A week later, the rabbit gave her homework to Professor Mc Gonagall. The teacher merely raised her eyebrows at her choice of animal and concluded she hadn't found any creature to connect herself with.
It was Hollow's Eve (Halloween) today. Though Dumbledore had declared there was not going to be a party, he had given the children permission to dress up. So, as a result, there were many vampires, angels, dragons and the like roaming in the halls, trying to play tricks to one another.
It was a day off from classes, and everyone was happy about it, well, except Hermione, of course. But she had loosened up and decided to follow Ron in his mischief making. After an interesting letter from the twins, Ron, Hermione and Harry were trying to put their new tricks to good use and get Seamus and Dean.
They were currently outside, where Hagrid had decorated his hut with all sorts of spooky stuff, like a scarecrow that would come to life and scream like hell if you touched it. Poor Colin had learned this the hard way.
Usagi was meditating in Divination class, training on her powers mentally, when she heard loud noises in the corridors. She was unable to concentrate anymore and glowered at the noisy students. She exited the class and was almost knocked over by a 4th year Ravenclaw girl.
"What's going on? What's with all the noise?" Surely, half the school was exiting the castle doors with excitement. Some of them looked nervous, while other curious or worried by something. She saw Dumbledore, Remus, Snape and Mc Gonagall hurrying outside and frowned.
The Ravenclaw girl looked eager to go outside but said, before resuming her running; "You should know! He's your boyfriend, not mine!"
Usagi gasped. "Did something happen to Harry?" She rushed outside and saw the crowd of kids halfway to Hagrid's hut. They were all huddled in a circle and the teachers were trying to keep them at bay. She ran up to the mass of students and made her way through forcefully.
She let out a strangled gasp when she saw him. His head was propped up on Remus' knees and the teacher was putting a wet cloth on his forehead to ease up a fever. The boy was breathing irregularly, and he was clutching his robes tightly. Ron and Hermione were on the side, near the headmaster, looking completely horrified.
"Oh god, Harry!" She walked up to him slowly, and even Snape didn't have the courage to tell her to stay away. She fell on her knees with a hollow thud and shared a worried gaze with Lupin, before starting to stroke her boyfriend's pale face gently.
Madam Pomfrey made her way through not so long afterwards. "Oh dear Merlin! What happened here?!" She rushed to Harry's side and made Remus and Usagi back away. Usagi gripped Remus' robes for reassurance and Remus wound one arm around her shoulder. Nobody commented on the inappropriateness of their position, instead focusing on the suffering boy.
"What happened? Can somebody tell me what happened to him?" Pomfrey asked urgently.
Hermione stepped in front of the headmaster shakily. "We were only playing tricks when Harry suddenly yelped. He said he was ok but after a couple of minutes, he fell on the ground and he started to breathe heavily. We didn't know what was going on until Harry unconsciously started to hiss something. That's when we understood that he had been bitten by a snake. We looked around and surely, there was a snake slithering away towards the forest. We got a glimpse of it. It had brown and grayish markings and was about 1 meter long, maybe a little longer."
Pomfrey's face became as white as snow. Dumbledore watched her worriedly. "Is there something wrong, Poppy?" The nurse sighed shakily. "I'm afraid so, Albus. By the description of the snake provided by Miss Granger, it looks like Harry was bitten by the Bothrops Atrox; the Spearhead, also called the American Pit Viper. It's one of the deadliest snakes in the world."
Horrified gasps echoed through the air. Their attention turned to Harry, who started to mumble incoherently and gripped Pomfrey's robes, surprising her. His head began trashing from left to right and spasms started to grip his body. "Nagini…Nagi…ni!" He wheezed out.
Snape and Dumbledore's eyes opened wide, while Usagi's narrowed into slits. The nurse turned swiftly to the potions master. "The venom is starting to take effect! Severus! I will need the strongest anti-venom you can brew me! NOW!"
Snape almost reeled back by the force of her voice but managed to regain his composure. His eyes, however, showed distress and almost panic. "I don't have any kind of anti-venom potions in my lab! And it will take me 2 days to brew the anti-venom! It takes time!"
"BUT IT'S TIME WE DON'T HAVE!" Cried a very anxious werewolf, saying out loud what the nurse was thinking herself. Usagi had long ago let go of him and she seemed completely frozen in place. Her head was in turmoil.
'Harry! It's all Voldemort's fault, I know it! How dare he attack my love on Hogwarts ground! I'll make him pay! But what to do for now?! Harry will most likely die if I don't do something, but I can't use my healing power in front of the whole school! I have to keep this a secret! I could transform into my animagus form, but the advantage I have over Pettigrew will be revealed! A flying Unicorn is not a common form! I'll catch everybody's attention! Oh! What to do?'
They started to place Harry on a magic stretcher and they made the students back away to let them pass. "We'll have to communicate with St-Mungos! They might have the antidote!" Said a troubled Mc Gonagall. Pomfrey shook her head frantically. "There's no time! He'll most likely be dead by the time they arrive!" Minerva gasped in shock.
"WAIT!" They turned to the distressed rabbit, whose arm was extended towards them. She seemed to hesitate about something and Pomfrey couldn't wait anymore. "We have to bring him to the infirmary, Miss Tsukino! And NOW! We can't wait anymore!"
Usagi shook her head to clear her thoughts. 'Fuck Pettigrew! I'll find another way to get him! Right now, Harry's my main concern, and I'll be damned if I let him die like this! Unregistered animagus or not, I don't give a damn anymore!'
Pomfrey was loosing patience. The girl was holding her head in her hands and shaking her head frenetically. She was about to turn around again when Usagi dropped on her knees and let out a cry.
"Miss Tsukino!" Lupin ran to her but he stopped dead in his track when she slowly began to change shape. She bent her back and something forced its way through her clothes. Giant wings sprouted from her back and enveloped her. When they retracted, the animal let out a powerful neigh, up on its rear legs.
It made its way to Harry calmly and Mc Gonagall could only gape as the majestic creature passed beside her. "Miss Tsukino…She's…She did it?! She's an unregistered animagus?!"
"Not only an animagus, but a one of a kind. She exceeded all my wildest expectations. This girl is a walking mystery." Said a serious Dumbledore. They stared as the creature put its glowing horn on Harry's forehead.
"She's trying to heal him!" Pomfrey said, stunned by the turn of events. When the magical horse backed away, they heard Harry groan and everyone let out the breath they seemed to have held. "He'll be ok! Harry's cured!"
They all started to crowd around her and the green eyed boy, making her panic. Her senses were overloading and she thumped her hoofs on the ground nervously, head held up high in uneasiness. She was too pure in this form and her instincts told her to run away. That's exactly what she did.
She whinnied harshly and almost trampled on the excited students who were trying to pet her all at once, and galloped full speed towards the forest, until she disappeared from their view.
"MISS TSUKINO!!!" Minerva was too late, she was already gone. "Oh dear! She couldn't control her instincts! What will happen if she transforms back in the forest?" She asked worriedly. Albus spoke up; "First, we have to bring Harry to the infirmary to see if he's completely healed. Second," He turned to the half-giant, "Hagrid will go search for her in the forest. I want everybody inside. Play time is over for today."
The seriousness in his voice made the students obey immediately. "I'll help Hagrid, Albus!" The headmaster nodded at Remus. His eyes had lost their usual sparkles and he followed Poppy inside. Soon, there were only 3 people left on the ground.
Remus and Severus eyed each other for a moment, and Snape's expression seemed to say; 'Bring her back safe and sound'. Remus nodded silently and the potions master muttered; "I'll go back to my dungeon." He left without any more word. Hagrid rasped his throat. "Follow me, professor, I'll go fetch my bow and we'll be ready to go."
*~*
A couple of hours later, it was 2 very disheveled and tired looking teachers who made their way out of the Forbidden Forest. Hagrid went back to his hut and Remus joined the headmaster, who was waiting in front of the castle's main entrance.
Remus gazed at the headmaster sadly and shook his head negatively. The hope in Albus' eyes dimmed. "Hagrid and I will continue the search tomorrow. The creatures in the forest were beginning to be restless with out presence." Albus nodded at the werewolf.
"You be careful, Remus my boy. The full moon is in 3 days, you have to rest." Remus didn't reply and entered the castle. In the dark forest, it's exhaustion more than anything else that made the winged unicorn finally stop. It made its way under an elm and lay down to rest. The horse changed shape and Usagi leaned more on the tree, huddled in a ball.
That's how Bane found her about 30 minutes later. It was way too late to go back to Hogwarts, he deducted, and decided to lay down himself, protecting her from the forest's dangerous creatures at the same time.
*~*
"I hope you will find her, Lupin. Miss Tsukino is very important to Mr. Potter." Said Firenze worriedly. Remus nodded confidently as Hagrid adjusted the bow on his back. They were in Hogwarts' main hall and preparing to go in the forest again.
Some students were bidding them good luck when the trio descended the stairs hurriedly. "Harry! You should be in bed!" Said an anxious werewolf. The green eyed boy shook his head. "Madam Pomfrey said I was 100% healthy again. I wanted to ask if I could help."
Snape gripped his arm and sneered. "Absolutely not! There is no way you're setting foot out of this school!" Harry frowned at him but didn't dare answer back.
Then, they heard the main doors creak open and Lupin already had his wand out, ready to attack. This new intruder shocked everybody, and Firenze more so than others. "Bane?! What are you doing out of the forest?!" He stepped back and the sound of hoofs echoed through the corridor.
The centaur didn't respond immediately. He entered the castle and closed the doors behind him. He lifted an eyebrow and gave a somewhat disgusted glare at the children and other persons. "Although I love her company, I thought it would be better for her to be with her own kind."
Her? Harry frowned and suddenly noticed he was holding someone in his arms. "Serena!" He ran to the dangerous centaur and motioned Bane to give Serena to him. Bane grudgingly let go of her and stepped back, watching the Boy-Who-Lived take care of his sleeping girlfriend.
"I found her in the forest yesterday night." He explained. "It was too late to bring her to the castle, so I slept beside her to keep her safe. I should go back to the forest. Tell her Bane says hello." And he was gone, as fast as that, leaving a gaping Firenze. "He…He hates humans! What made her so special?! So special, that he even took the initiative to go out of the forest and bring her himself INSIDE Hogwarts?!" His questions were left unanswered.
*~*
A couple of days later, Filch came in potions class to retrieve Usagi, by order of the headmaster. She followed the care-taker out of the class and they headed to the headmaster's office. "Do you know what Professor Dumbledore wants with me, Mr. Filch?" Usagi asked the old janitor.
Filch only grunted. "How should I know? Sweet tarts!" He called the password and the statue moved, revealing a staircase. "Go, he's waiting." And then, Filch went back to his job of finding pestering students out of class at this hour with Mrs. Norris.
When she arrived in Dumbledore's office, she scowled. The meddling headmaster wasn't there. She heard a faint melody and petted Fawkes, who was on his perch.
"Ah! Miss Tsukino! I'm sorry I've kept you waiting! Lemon drop?" She sat on a chair in front of Dumbledore's desk and politely refused the treat. The headmaster plopped it in his mouth with a smile. "Your loss, but surely, you will have something to drink. Pumpkin juice?"
He made a glass of juice appear and she took it with a sigh. 'Maybe he'll leave me be if I accept." She gulped the drink and her eyes widened a fraction, but she quickly covered it up. 'So, Dumbledore wants to know the truth about me, doesn't he? Naughty, naughty, Albus! To put a truth serum into the juice and think I can't taste it! I'll play your game, headmaster!' She thought with a grin.
Albus never saw the grin because he was eating another lemon drop. "How are you, Miss Tsukino?" He asked nonchalantly.
"I'm fine, a little tired, but fine, headmaster." The answer came out automatically out of her mouth. She would have to formulate her answers carefully. The good side of truth serum is that even if you couldn't lie, you could still answer without telling the complete truth by formulating a close enough answer. The headmaster nodded and plopped another candy in his mouth.
"I must tell you, Miss Tsukino, that I've been a little dishonest with you. I admit I've put a little bit of truth serum in the juice. Usagi fought the urge to roll her eyes. You see, many incidents have been centered around you since you've arrived and I wanted to make sure you weren't an enemy. I would only like to ask you a few questions. Do you understand?"
"Yes." She snorted mentally. Cunning old bastard. If Voldemort is the biggest egomaniac in this world, Albus Dumbledore sure wins the award for being the most manipulative person on this planet.
"Here's the first question; since when were you able to become an animagus and when did you have the intention on telling us you were one?" That was a rather easy one.
"I first transformed a couple of weeks ago, and I planned on telling everyone before the end of this school year." Ha. Accurate enough.
The headmaster only nodded. "What's your name, how old are you and where are you from?"
"My name is Usagi Tsukino, I'm 17 and I'm from Japan." Well, it was true. She was known under the name Usagi Tsukino all her life, she was 17 human years old and even though she was born in England, she lived in Japan the last 17 years, being stolen at birth and all.
"How did you get those scars?"
Usagi winced. 'Whoa! A tough one!' She thought her answer carefully. "I've learned how to defend myself the hard way, that's all." She could see that the headmaster wanted to ask her more on the subject but he kept silent about it.
"Why did you save Harry?" He asked silently.
"Because I love him. And I swear on my father's courage I will protect him until the end!" It came out of her mouth before she had the time to think over the answer and the headmaster's eyes showed understanding. He pushed another glass of juice in front of her and she drank it. She felt the potion in the juice counter the effects of the truth serum and sighed.
"I apologize for mistrusting you, Miss Tsukino. For now on, I will believe in you. You may go back to your classes."
Usagi exited the office with a neutral expression, but when she got down the staircase, she grinned slyly. "He thinks he knows all, let's see how he reacts later when the real truth comes out! He didn't even notice my slip of tongue!" She was ready to kill herself when she had said; 'I swear on my father's courage'. She had unconsciously sworn an oath on something, like the members of the Order of Phoenix do when they meet. She had gotten chills over this one!
"I just wish I could go home with father, though. I miss him so much!" She whined.
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Well, there you have it. Since I got so many reviews, I decided to update 1 day faster. Jeez, I really made Dumbledore distrustful in this one. But he'll leave her alone for now…
Some of you found out what Harry's animagus form will be! That's great! But I'm not saying it out loud! With all the clues I've given you last chapter…You shouldn't even know it! *Me and my big mouth -_-;;;*
BUT!!! One thing is for sure; I'M NOT TELLING WHEN SIRIUS WILL FINALLY ARRIVE!!! *Bwahahahahahaha!* Cough! Cough! *Bwahahahahahahhahaha!*
Yep, I'm mean. *grins widely*
To read more……………………………………………….REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I LOVE to read your reviews!!! WILL I REACH THE 400s????? Big question….
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Love ya all
Eternal Cosmos ^_~