Part Thirteen:
***********************************
"Actually," Draco said casually, resting his head on his elbow, "I feel like I could stay up all night."
"Really. It's one 'o clock all ready. You'll never be able to get up in the morning."
"I'll miss Charms, no big deal."
"Well, if we're going to stay up all night, let's go some place more interesting."
"I think I can arrange that." He said, grabbing Claudette's hand and leading her through the picture frame.
"We have to be quiet. We'll be in shit if someone catches us."
"How dangerous," Claudette said with a giggle, as she followed Draco's lead through the black dungeons.
"Watch the stairs."
Claudette felt the cold brick stairs escalating up to the main level. The doorway up above was emitting a dull light around the frame.
Draco pushed open the door cautiously. Every scratch from the heavy Oak door seemed to be magnified one hundred times over. They hurried, hugging the wall, to the bend in the corridor. The sconces along the wall flickered as they blew by them.
"Draco, do you hear something?" Claudette asked, pausing behind him.
"No."
"I could swear I heard footsteps."
"No, I don't think so. But maybe we'll duck in here if your serious."
"Why would I say it if I wasn't serious?"
But here voice was muffled by the door squeaking as Draco pulled it opened and lead her inside. He leaned up against the wall and sat down, back leaning on the cold brick. Claudette sat down beside him.
"Can't you hear them?"
"Hear what? I think your just nervous."
"I am not!" Claudette said, offended. Who was he to tell her what she was feeling. He didn't know the first thing about who she was.
"Yeah, you are!" he said, touching her neck, "Your pulse is going crazy."
His hand lingered there. Her neck was so soft, and fragile. She was so delicate and beautiful. He leaned in to kiss her, but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was a pearly, transparent face staring at him.
"Oooooooooo, No. Aren't we in a mess!," the ghost squealed.
"Peeves. Dammit."
"Watch your mouth, young slug, or I'll have to mention it to Filch! Ohhhhhhhhhh, Filch!"
"Peeves, No, C'mon!"
Claudette was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smiling like she had never been more amused.
"Who's nervous now, Draco?" she smiled, flashing her dazzling white teeth.
"Out of bed! Second day back! OOOOOOOOOO, how much trouble you'll be in!! HEHEHEHEHE! FILCH!"
Draco quit trying to stop Peeves, it was hopeless. He sat back down on the floor and resigned himself to the fact that he'd be in a lot of trouble, but maybe, he'd get to serve his detention with Claudette.
Filch crashed through the classroom door, yellow eyes alight.
"Look at this!" he yelled, staring Draco down, "I've finally caught you! After all the midnight raids you've done at this school, I've finally caught you in the act! This is going to be some punishment, Malfoy!"
He grabbed Draco from the hood of his robe and yanked him out the door, Mrs. Norris circling around his legs. He only noticed Claudette's black silhouette leaning against the cold, castle wall.
"So you have an accomplice this time, Mr. Malfoy! Come out here!"
Claudette stepped into the dim light of the hallway, looking unscathed. Filch took a step back, and Claudette noticed his pupils dilate for a split second, before he grabbed her, too, by the hood and led them down the hall.
"Professor Snallger will be quite interested to hear about this! Have you ever got something to look forward to!"
*********
Claudine bolted upright in bed, a cold sweat dripping down her white skin. She fumbled around her headboard for her glasses, knocking down a bottle of water in the process.
"Oh crap," she said, more loudly than she would've liked, fumbling for something to mop the water up with.
She had had a strange dream. She didn't know who was in it, or where it had taken place, but it seemed familiar somehow, like a faint memory. A beautiful woman, and a man she'd seen before were sitting together in a small, dark room, lit only by two candles with red flames. She shook it off. What did a dream matter? She turned around and glanced at her clock. 5 am. She rolled over, pulled the fluffy blanket to her nose, and surrendered herself to a peaceful state of subconscious.
***************
"KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK!" Filch's white knuckles banged against a heavy wooden door, just down the hall from Slytherin common room.
"KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK!" Filch banged again. His eyes were alight with impatience and frustration.
"New on the job, thinks he doesn't have to get up for misbehaving pupils. Wasn't in the job description, was it," Filch muttered to himself, his yellow finger nails scraping at the door knob.
Draco and Claudette could hear footsteps from inside the door. Just then, it swung open, nearly catching Filch's bubble-like nose.
"Yes, Yes, what is it?" said the man who opened the door. He was rather small, and had a night cap on over top of his squinting eyes and scraggly grey hair. Claudette was struggling to with hold her laughter. This was the Professor Snallger that was going to punish her.
"These two," Filch said with disgust, "have been caught doing something I'm sure the head master would not approve of in the Wizard and Witch Anatomy class. If you do not wish to punish them, I have a few distasteful chores that may be of good use to you, one which includes…."
"Thank you, Mr. Filch," Snallger interrupted, "but rest assured, they will be punished. Now if you'll excuse us, I will have a chat with them in my office."
Filch's eyes were filled with hatred as Snallger summoned Draco and Claudette through the door, into the narrow corridor. The cramped space had a heavy cinnamon scent to it. Drowsiness swept over them as it faded into their throats.
Professor Snallger pulled out to chairs, scraping them against the cold stone floor.
"Sit down, please." He said, sweeping his hand to the chairs. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Flamel. I'm not going to ask you what you were doing out of your rooms this hour of the night. You are two mature and responsible adults."
Draco inched to the edge of his chair, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but Snallger silenced him with quick glance from his emotionless pale eyes.
"There are things going on in the world, that either of you are not ready to stumble in on. When the time is right."
Claudette sat, still in the chair, her ankles crossed. She wondered how he knew her last name.
"Now, if you'll leave me and, Claudette, is it? I'd like to speak with her for a second."
Draco looked shocked, but quickly shook it off, and walked through the narrow space, door thudding behind him.
Claudette stayed still in her chair, fixing her cold stare upon the man, who at second glance, looked powerful through his soulless eyes.
"Oh, Claudette."
He reached out and brushed her cheek. She flinched slightly, but did not remove her eyes from his.
"How you look like your mother."
Claudette turned her head so his hand no longer touched her.
"How do you know my mother?" she asked, looking at the for.
The professor retracted his hand from her face and walked away from her.
"Your mother and I,"
He paused, sitting himself on the edge of his luxurious four-poster bed.
"We go way back."
Claudette stayed still, staring at the stones patterns in the mortar. She could hear the rustling of the blankets and his steps as he walked towards her.
"I first met her,"
He placed two fingers under her chin, until her icy stare was fixed on his.
"I'd say it was almost twenty years ago."
Claudette looked away from him. His stare was piercing. He saw too much.
"Claudette. I think your ready to hear this. You always knew something was up."
His voice was cold, but it drew her too him.
"Your mother is a wonderful woman. I think your a lot like her, in many ways. You know why you ended up in Slytherin, I suppose the hat told you so. It sees everything; every thought you've ever had, every vision you've ever beheld. You knew you were different, Claudette, and I'm here to show you why. Isn't that what you always wanted to know, why?"
sorry it's a bit cut off but I figured you'd be getting impatient. So, here it is. Enjoy, and review!
***********************************
"Actually," Draco said casually, resting his head on his elbow, "I feel like I could stay up all night."
"Really. It's one 'o clock all ready. You'll never be able to get up in the morning."
"I'll miss Charms, no big deal."
"Well, if we're going to stay up all night, let's go some place more interesting."
"I think I can arrange that." He said, grabbing Claudette's hand and leading her through the picture frame.
"We have to be quiet. We'll be in shit if someone catches us."
"How dangerous," Claudette said with a giggle, as she followed Draco's lead through the black dungeons.
"Watch the stairs."
Claudette felt the cold brick stairs escalating up to the main level. The doorway up above was emitting a dull light around the frame.
Draco pushed open the door cautiously. Every scratch from the heavy Oak door seemed to be magnified one hundred times over. They hurried, hugging the wall, to the bend in the corridor. The sconces along the wall flickered as they blew by them.
"Draco, do you hear something?" Claudette asked, pausing behind him.
"No."
"I could swear I heard footsteps."
"No, I don't think so. But maybe we'll duck in here if your serious."
"Why would I say it if I wasn't serious?"
But here voice was muffled by the door squeaking as Draco pulled it opened and lead her inside. He leaned up against the wall and sat down, back leaning on the cold brick. Claudette sat down beside him.
"Can't you hear them?"
"Hear what? I think your just nervous."
"I am not!" Claudette said, offended. Who was he to tell her what she was feeling. He didn't know the first thing about who she was.
"Yeah, you are!" he said, touching her neck, "Your pulse is going crazy."
His hand lingered there. Her neck was so soft, and fragile. She was so delicate and beautiful. He leaned in to kiss her, but when he opened his eyes, all he saw was a pearly, transparent face staring at him.
"Oooooooooo, No. Aren't we in a mess!," the ghost squealed.
"Peeves. Dammit."
"Watch your mouth, young slug, or I'll have to mention it to Filch! Ohhhhhhhhhh, Filch!"
"Peeves, No, C'mon!"
Claudette was leaning against the wall, arms crossed, smiling like she had never been more amused.
"Who's nervous now, Draco?" she smiled, flashing her dazzling white teeth.
"Out of bed! Second day back! OOOOOOOOOO, how much trouble you'll be in!! HEHEHEHEHE! FILCH!"
Draco quit trying to stop Peeves, it was hopeless. He sat back down on the floor and resigned himself to the fact that he'd be in a lot of trouble, but maybe, he'd get to serve his detention with Claudette.
Filch crashed through the classroom door, yellow eyes alight.
"Look at this!" he yelled, staring Draco down, "I've finally caught you! After all the midnight raids you've done at this school, I've finally caught you in the act! This is going to be some punishment, Malfoy!"
He grabbed Draco from the hood of his robe and yanked him out the door, Mrs. Norris circling around his legs. He only noticed Claudette's black silhouette leaning against the cold, castle wall.
"So you have an accomplice this time, Mr. Malfoy! Come out here!"
Claudette stepped into the dim light of the hallway, looking unscathed. Filch took a step back, and Claudette noticed his pupils dilate for a split second, before he grabbed her, too, by the hood and led them down the hall.
"Professor Snallger will be quite interested to hear about this! Have you ever got something to look forward to!"
*********
Claudine bolted upright in bed, a cold sweat dripping down her white skin. She fumbled around her headboard for her glasses, knocking down a bottle of water in the process.
"Oh crap," she said, more loudly than she would've liked, fumbling for something to mop the water up with.
She had had a strange dream. She didn't know who was in it, or where it had taken place, but it seemed familiar somehow, like a faint memory. A beautiful woman, and a man she'd seen before were sitting together in a small, dark room, lit only by two candles with red flames. She shook it off. What did a dream matter? She turned around and glanced at her clock. 5 am. She rolled over, pulled the fluffy blanket to her nose, and surrendered herself to a peaceful state of subconscious.
***************
"KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK!" Filch's white knuckles banged against a heavy wooden door, just down the hall from Slytherin common room.
"KNOCK,KNOCK,KNOCK!" Filch banged again. His eyes were alight with impatience and frustration.
"New on the job, thinks he doesn't have to get up for misbehaving pupils. Wasn't in the job description, was it," Filch muttered to himself, his yellow finger nails scraping at the door knob.
Draco and Claudette could hear footsteps from inside the door. Just then, it swung open, nearly catching Filch's bubble-like nose.
"Yes, Yes, what is it?" said the man who opened the door. He was rather small, and had a night cap on over top of his squinting eyes and scraggly grey hair. Claudette was struggling to with hold her laughter. This was the Professor Snallger that was going to punish her.
"These two," Filch said with disgust, "have been caught doing something I'm sure the head master would not approve of in the Wizard and Witch Anatomy class. If you do not wish to punish them, I have a few distasteful chores that may be of good use to you, one which includes…."
"Thank you, Mr. Filch," Snallger interrupted, "but rest assured, they will be punished. Now if you'll excuse us, I will have a chat with them in my office."
Filch's eyes were filled with hatred as Snallger summoned Draco and Claudette through the door, into the narrow corridor. The cramped space had a heavy cinnamon scent to it. Drowsiness swept over them as it faded into their throats.
Professor Snallger pulled out to chairs, scraping them against the cold stone floor.
"Sit down, please." He said, sweeping his hand to the chairs. "Now, Mr. Malfoy, Ms. Flamel. I'm not going to ask you what you were doing out of your rooms this hour of the night. You are two mature and responsible adults."
Draco inched to the edge of his chair, and opened his mouth as if to say something, but Snallger silenced him with quick glance from his emotionless pale eyes.
"There are things going on in the world, that either of you are not ready to stumble in on. When the time is right."
Claudette sat, still in the chair, her ankles crossed. She wondered how he knew her last name.
"Now, if you'll leave me and, Claudette, is it? I'd like to speak with her for a second."
Draco looked shocked, but quickly shook it off, and walked through the narrow space, door thudding behind him.
Claudette stayed still in her chair, fixing her cold stare upon the man, who at second glance, looked powerful through his soulless eyes.
"Oh, Claudette."
He reached out and brushed her cheek. She flinched slightly, but did not remove her eyes from his.
"How you look like your mother."
Claudette turned her head so his hand no longer touched her.
"How do you know my mother?" she asked, looking at the for.
The professor retracted his hand from her face and walked away from her.
"Your mother and I,"
He paused, sitting himself on the edge of his luxurious four-poster bed.
"We go way back."
Claudette stayed still, staring at the stones patterns in the mortar. She could hear the rustling of the blankets and his steps as he walked towards her.
"I first met her,"
He placed two fingers under her chin, until her icy stare was fixed on his.
"I'd say it was almost twenty years ago."
Claudette looked away from him. His stare was piercing. He saw too much.
"Claudette. I think your ready to hear this. You always knew something was up."
His voice was cold, but it drew her too him.
"Your mother is a wonderful woman. I think your a lot like her, in many ways. You know why you ended up in Slytherin, I suppose the hat told you so. It sees everything; every thought you've ever had, every vision you've ever beheld. You knew you were different, Claudette, and I'm here to show you why. Isn't that what you always wanted to know, why?"
sorry it's a bit cut off but I figured you'd be getting impatient. So, here it is. Enjoy, and review!