Chapter fifteen
The Unforgivable Duel
As the new term got underway, Harry found himself busier than ever. With O.W.L.s fast approaching, the teaching staff was loading the fifth years up with more homework than ever. Harry and Ron were especially busy with their practices for Quidditch, for Katie Bell was turning out to be more of a drill Sargent than Oliver Wood had been. But the busyness made the time fly and kept Harry's mind off of other things, like Ginny and Dean. He'd even stopped worrying much about Colin Creevy and decided that everyone was entitled to some out of character behavior now and then.
Their lessons in Defense Against the Dark Arts had indeed become more grueling as Mrs. Figg had promised. They tackled Vermisious Kinids, Gollums, and the Skeksis. But Mrs. Figg always saved Friday lessons for disguise techniques. This was Harry's favorite, because as they learned more about it, they could do all sorts of funny things with the rats. When they started practicing changing the eye color, Harry had found it humorous to watch the rats eyes flash from green, to purple, to red. It left him wondering if it bothered the rat's vision at all, since the rats grew more skittish with each disguise.
Today, seeing as how it was Friday, they were combining two disguises for the first time. Harry concentrated very hard on turning his rat blue with red eyes, but ended up turning it red with blue eyes. It was funny to see either way, but it frustrated him that he wasn't getting it.
Daphne was doing marvelously, as was Hermione. But then, they always seemed to be able to catch on to things faster than the others. Daphne turned to help Harry as Hermione helped Ron. Harry was able to manage it a few times, but it wasn't easy. After Daphne showed him for the third time, Harry decided that he needed to think about something else and asked, "Daphne, I have a question."
"I know, I'm trying to show you."
"No, not about the rats." He watched as she changed the rat to a brilliant turquoise with gray eyes. "I've been wondering, what was in that box?"
"What box?" She continued on with the rat.
"Before Hogsmeade I saw you talking to your aunt over a funny little box."
Daphne finally looked up. "Oh, that box. To be honest, Harry, it really was nothing." The rat was now purple with yellow eyes.
"But you saw inside it. It was open."
Daphne leaned back in her seat. "Yes, but it wasn't anything…special."
"So…" Harry was getting a bit fed up. "What was it then."
"Just a pair of glasses." She returned her focus on the rat. "I don't know what they were for, Aunt Arabella just asked me to fetch them."
Harry wrinkled his forehead. "Does she wear glasses?"
"Nope. I've never seen her in them." She pushed the rat to Harry. "Now you try."
Harry fiddled with his wand. "Funny, don't you think. Why would she have glasses?" The rat was now green. Harry hadn't changed the eyes.
"I don't know, but they sure were odd."
Harry looked up at her. "How so?"
"Well, the lenses were a funny orange red color. I certainly wouldn't want to wear glasses like that."
Hermione let out a squeal and Daphne and Harry turned to see what the cause was. Evidently, Ron had finally mastered the double disguise and Hermione was giving him a congratulatory hug. Harry laughed as Ron's ears went, coincidentally, the same color as his rat…pink!
After a very long Divination class and then lunch, the fifth year Gryffindor students found themselves doubled up in Dueling with a group they had never been with in class before…the fourth year Gryffindor's. Harry shot a puzzled look to Ron as they walked in and say Ginny waiting with some of her friends for class to start.
"What are you doing here?" Ron asked
"We're here for class." Ginny said.
"How can we be with the fourth years? It doesn't make any sense." Ron said.
"But it does, Mr. Weasley." Professor Lupin stood behind him and they all turned and quieted down to here his explanation. "Here at Hogwarts, you are all on the same 'team' as Gryffindors. All though you are not best friends with each and every member of Gryffindor house, you certainly would never think of turning against one of your own. You probably would prefer to save your arguments for someone in another house…perhaps a Slytherin." He was looking from face to face, walking around the room. "But as time has taught many people, myself included, your closest friend can become your worst enemy."
Harry immediately thought of Peter Pettigrew and the Marauders. Harry's own parents had believed Pettigrew to be a friend, when in fact he had been working for Voldemort. Ron elbowed Harry, snapping him out of his thoughts. "Remember when you and I were fighting last year? That's what he's talking about." Harry did indeed remember. He even remembered wanting to punch Ron, but he had never considered Ron his worst enemy.
Lupin continued. "I've brought your classes together so that you can face others in your own House. So that you can learn not to be afraid of the possibility that one-day you may have to face a friend in battle. You need to prepare yourselves in every way. I don't think I'm wrong in saying that." He looked at Harry with a small smile.
He went about the room matching up partners with caution. He was careful to match up the more knowledgeable fourth years with the stringer fifth years, trying to balance out the talent in the room. Harry was matched up with a boy he had seen only a few times, but knew his name to be Kyle Startkin. They shook hands and Harry watched Kyle's eyes do the familiar flash upward to his scar. "Don't worry…it doesn't bite." Harry joked, referring to his scar.
Lupin signaled for everyone to take out their wands and begin with disarming spells. Once they had all done so, they were allowed to try more difficult and dangerous spells. "Tarantallegra" Harry said and Kyle began dancing all around, unwillingly. Harry started laughing.
"Rictusempra!" Kyle had gotten just enough control of his wand to send a tickling right at Harry, who was now squirming with laughter.
"Finite Incantatem!" Lupin shouted over the students and Harry stopped laughing.
"That was a good one, Potter." Kyle said.
Harry scratched his head. "I never thought I'd say this, but I learned it from Malfoy."
"Really?" Kyle said.
"Incidentally, I came right back at him with the same one you hit me with!" The boys chuckled at this until Lupin told the class to have another go at it.
The class went on causing mild harm to each other while Lupin walked around giving suggestions for new and better charms. Harry wondered what would happen if he pulled out his amulet right now and used it, but decided that using the amulet for a joke would be no laughing matter.
The bell rang signaling the end of the classes for the day and Harry, Ron, Hermione, Daphne, and Ginny sat for a while discussing all the happenings of the dueling lesson. They were enjoying a good laugh over it when they noticed Colin over in the corner sitting alone.
"Wonder what's up with him now?" Ron said.
Colin looked up at the five of them looking back at him. "Go on! Stare!"
They all glanced around at each other, confused, and then back to Colin. "I know what you're all thinking!" He shouted at them. "You're all thinking I don't belong here!" He stood up and Harry could see that he was still holding his wand. "I do belong. I can be a good wizard." He was walking towards them. Harry and Ron stood up and the girls followed suit. "I can prove it!"
Colin held out his wand and pointed it right at Harry. Harry reached inside his robes and pulled out his own wand just as Colin shouted, "CRUCIO!" Harry jumped out of the way of the blast. Colin's eyes were wild and Harry couldn't believe what was happening. "You can't dodge me forever. CRUCIO!" He shouted again, and again Harry jumped out of the way.
"Harry! The amulet!" Hermione shouted.
Harry pulled it out, touched his wand to it and said, "Impedimenta!" It hit Colin right in the stomach and he instantly froze. "Expelliarmus!" The wand dropped from Colin's clutched hand and fell to the floor.
Lupin came around the corner. "What happened?"
"Colin just tried to use an Unforgivable curse on Harry." Hermione explained.
Lupin walked over to the frozen Colin and woke him up. Colin's eyes grew wide as he looked into Lupin's face. "Colin, what just happened?"
Colin started to pant. "I don't know…I just…I felt…I don't know!" Tears were forming in his eyes.
"It's all right. We'll figure it out." Lupin patted him on his back and watched as Colin placed his hand on his chest. He seemed to be feeling for something under his cloak. "What is that?" Lupin pointed to the object under Colin's robe.
"It's…it's nothing…" Colin stammered.
"What is it?" Lupin asked slowly and Colin, rather reluctantly, pulled on a chain around his neck and revealed an amulet, very similar to the one Harry was wearing. Harry's jaw dropped.
"Where did you get that, Colin?" Professor Lupin asked with concern.
"I bought it…in Hogsmeade." He looked over at Harry. "I'd seen Harry with one…and I wanted one, too."
"Who sold it to you?" Lupin asked, not taking his eyes off of Colin.
Colin paused. His mouth moved but he wasn't making any sound. "Who sold it to you?" Lupin repeated.
"I…don't…know." He said softly.
"What do you mean you don't know?"
"I…can't remember." He was crying now. "I just remember having it."
Lupin looked to the group on the far side of the room. "Hermione, Ron, go and find Professor Dumbledore." They nodded and darted out of the room.
When they returned with Dumbledore, Colin was seated next to Lupin at a table drinking a glass of water and trying to calm his nerves. Harry, Ginny, and Daphne sat across from them quietly. Colin's amulet lay in the middle of the table.
"I've heard all about it." Dumbledore said. "Is this the amulet?" He picked it up and examined it.
"Yes, and I'm sure it's the cause for Colin's strange behavior." Lupin said.
"Enchanted, like Harry's, but for a different purpose." Dumbledore place a hand on Colin's shoulder. "You really don't remember where you got it?"
He shook his head. "All I know…is that I saw it in Diagon Alley and…I wanted it. But I didn't get it until after I saw Harry with his."
"I thought you said you got it in Hogsmeade?" Lupin asked.
Colin looked at him and then to Dumbledore. "I don't know…I just assumed…I remember going to Hogsmeade with the others…and then I remember waking up the next day."
"You don't remember anything about the trip?" Dumbledore said.
"No…nothing. But I had the amulet the next day…so I assumed that I had purchased it then." His eyes were watering.
Dumbledore looked at him over his spectacles. "Who were you with in Hogsmeade?"
"Me." Ginny spoke up. "He was with me."
"Can you account for him the whole time, Miss Weasley?"
"No, I went into the dress shop with Hermione and Daphne. I don't know where Colin was at that time."
"But he did act funny that night." Ron pointed out.
"How so, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked.
They continued to explain all of the odd behavior they had witnessed from Colin and Lupin apologized for brushing it off that day on the Quidditch field. Dumbledore looked with concern from student to student as they added details to the story.
"Colin, I want you to go and see Madam Pomfry. She will make up a potion that will calm your nerves and help you get some rest. Daphne, once Colin has slept a bit, I want you to join us in the hospital wing." Daphne nodded. "I expect the rest of you to keep this incident to yourselves. I'll take the amulet and have it destroyed, so you need not worry about that." The rest of them nodded.
Professor Lupin helped Colin stand up and guided him out towards the hospital wing. Dumbledore turned to Daphne and said in a peculiar tone, "We'll need to know as soon as possible where he got that amulet."
"Yes, I understand." She said as if she knew just how to find out.
"I'll send for you when we're ready." Dumbledore looked over the others and gave a small smile and followed Colin and Lupin out the door.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny turned and stared at Daphne. But she didn't notice. Daphne watched as Lupin, Colin, and Dumbledore exited the room. She ran her fingers through her hair and then rubbed her eyes, bringing her hands to her chin where she paused with them in a prayerful position. She looked as if she was gathering up determination to do the unthinkable. And without even looking at the others, she left the room, leaving Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny to wonder what was going on.
****I apologize for any mistakes. This is my third chapter today and I'm a bit tired, but I've had several e-mails about this series and I wanted to get it out to you a quickly as I could. I also have requested a beta reader but have gotten no response. If you know of one, or are one, please let me know! I think I have a good story, but I need some help fixing it!
****Again, thanks to all of you who have been coming back for more! Have you figured out Daphne's secret? Did you catch the references to other great fantasy stories? Let me know what you think!
****Daphne Affigo is an Alphie creation. Harry Potter and all other characters are property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers.
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