Sorry it took so long, the other Chapters were saved a long time ago, I had to make this from scratch, anyway, some hints, maybe. Well… Anyway, Read!
Almost two weeks later, Hogsmeade trips were now every weekend, and Luna and I never missed a chance. The Three Broomsticks were the usual place we liked to go to, and Honeydukes was a favorite for restocking sweets. Luna and I happened to be in this particular store, looking for the newly shipped candy. There were La-La Ollie pops, pops that never got smaller even if you suck and sucked all day. There were also Chocolate Galleons, Sickles and Knuts. They were Gold, Silver, and Bronze Chocolate, and the risk was to bite in it to see if it really was. If it wasn't, it was real wizard Money, and that was good too, although you could be in for a rough time with broken teeth.
Now we were in The Three Broomsticks, taking a break from craning over sweets and tasting new Every-Flavour Beans.
"So, What's going on Luna?" I said as she took a swig of Butterbeer. Ever since the dance, I had asked what had happened with her brief conversation with Dumbledore, She would get short with me and say it was all taken care of, or that It was none of anyone's business. But it was mine, and I wanted to know exactly what had she had done. But when I was not being nosy, when I was done with questioning, Luna and I were always having a good time at Hogsmeade. It started to snow, and I took a look through the window. Flakes were swirling as if in a dance, the winds guiding them like a fast waltzing music. Across the street, just visible, was Zonko's and Honeydukes.
"Nothing really." She replied. "I'm just really busy with the tests and such…" She gazed out of the frosted, white window, looking into the cold.
"Tankard of Butterbeer, whip cream?" Cried Rosmerta. I raised my hand to get her attention, and faced Luna again. She was still staring through the window, the white snowflakes reflecting in her eyes. Rosmerta set down my beverage, smiled and walked back to her desk, her sparkly turquoise heels shining in the torchlight. I leaned back in my chair, looking absentmindedly at Lu. She seemed more preoccupied than usual, and heaved a big sigh now and then. She sipped her Butterbeer quietly, and looked up at me.
"I guess we should get going, Severus, it we want to see Zonko's in time." I gulped my drink down, put my money on the table, and Luna and I set off. After a few minutes, we got in our carriages for home.
Our Christmas Break was enjoyable. I got some very hard to find Potion ingredients from Luna, and had a great time with the feast, in which led to a very ruthless food fight, (I think it started with James throwing peas and Potatoes playfully at Sirius) and walked slowly to my dormitory that night with a macaroni/ mash potato blob dangling from my ear and head.
But the holidays would soon come to an end, and we got back into the horrible routine of classes. I awoke late one day in January, and hurried to get on my clothes and such.
All my quills lay on my bedside table along with some other items, and I swept them all in my pockets.
The classes themselves were always as they were, nothing had changed, except the new Defense against the Dark Arts teacher, whom was not very pleasant at all. In one particular class with Professor Cepht, (Pronounced Cleft) I tried to empty my pockets to get a quill, and out came my mother's locket. It bounced across the floor, and under Pettigrew's desk.
Cepht heard it at once and came to investigate. He picked it up, and said, "Whose is this?" The room went quiet, and I dared not raise my hand. He replied again, " I'm keeping it for now, until I see that you can keep control of your belongings, Pettigrew." he turned red, and I began on my work, once again. I had to get it back, it was too important to just let go. I had to come up with a plan…
I told Luna what had happened at my next class. She seemed shocked and worried. She had never really seen the Locket, but had heard many things about it from me. "Do you have any idea to get it back?" I asked.
"Hmm, I got a plan but it's…" She seemed reluctant to finish.
"What?"
"Well, James has got an Invisibility Cloak-" She started. This was not going to happen.
"Oh, no. Nothing with James-"
But before I could protest any further, Luna strolled to the Gryfinndor Common Room after the bell rang.
"No, ABSOLUTLY NOT! James said waving his hands in an X formation, walking quickly to the Great Hall, Luna walking just as fast, with me bringing up the rear. "Please, we won't do anything, just let us-" She grabbed his arm, and stopped him. "I'm sure there's something Severus and I can do for you!"
"Luna, What if 'Severus' doesn't want to do any thing!?" I said harshly, my arms crossed stubbornly. James, on the other hand, seemed to be pondering this.
"Wait, Maybe I can get something out of this… Snape," said James. "How good can you make a potion?" He finished with his thumb and finger to his chin, as if in deep thought. I kept silent, trying to pick the right words to say. It was extremely difficult, trying to convince, and enemy, for I knew deep down I needed the cloak of his.
"I could do a Deflating Draft in my sleep, if that's the kind of answer you want." He pondered a few seconds longer, but then said,
"Perfect. I want you to make a Potion for me, Snape. It's very complex, and I'll give you ingredients and such, you just have to make it."
"Fine," I said. "How much?"
"Three goblet fulls is enough. I'm working on a little project with Sirius, Peter, and me. I want it done in a day. That's how long it takes, anyway. You can borrow the cloak afterwards."
That night, I laid my caldron on the floor of my Dormitory. (It didn't require fire) I pulled out from the depths of my robes the ingredients James gave me at dinner. "Okay," I read from the list. "Dragon hide, Leafgreens… I went on down the list. It said: "KEY INGREDIENTS: PUT ONE DIFFERENT INGREDIENT IN TO EACH GOBLET: BLACK DOG HAIR, STAG FUR, RAT TAIL."
"What?" I thought. "That's weird." I didn't know yet to recognize potions, but I could definitely brew them. I put in the ingredients, and brewed it. Hours later, when everyone had gone to bed, it was finished. I laid the goblets on the table and settled for bed. As I laid my head on the pillow, I wondered, what was James using that potion for? And why was Remus not included? My eyes slowly closed, and sleep over took me. The next morning, however,was the start of a very strange day.
"The potions, " I said to James at breakfast, handing the goblets to him. "They need to be heated up."
"Yeah, Whatever. Here's the Cloak." He said, rather miffed. Maybe he thought I couldn't do it after all. I smirked. "I must warn you, do not spill pumpkin Juice on it. It does not come off. And just because they can't see you doesn't mean they can't hear you. If my Cloak gets confiscated…." He finished waving a clutched fist to get the point straight. After reassururing I wouldn't led it get taken, I headed for my table.
I hid the Cloak under my robes, and kept it like that all day. At dinner, Luna went to my table, and whispered in my ear.
"Meet me in my Common room."
"What? No way, you're not coming!"
"Cepht thinks the locket is Peter's. Without a doubt he gave it to Professor McGonagall. I know where her office is, you don't." Luna was right. I wouldn't stand a chance if I didn't know where it was.
"Alright. What's the password and where is the entrance?"
She told me, whispering lower than ever, and strolling back to her table.
"What was that all about?" Cried Malfoy.
CHAPTER 8
That night, I made my way to the Gryfinndor common room. The corridors were very dark, and it seemed as if they were hiding something around every corner. At last I found it, the picture of the Fat lady in a pink dress, and I whispered the password. She sung open, and I made my way to the large chairs and tables of the room. I was hasty, and made a lot of noise. Suddenly I heard a noise.
"Who's there? Is that you, Severus?" A figure stepped out, and I saw Luna in a periwinkle blue dressing gown.
"Yeah, it's me."
"Are-are you sure we can do this? I mean, it's just a locket-" She wasn't to brave now I noticed. But I snapped.
"Just a locket!? No Way, That was Mum's, there's no way I'm backing out of it! And besides, I need you to tell me where the office is."
"Well fine!" she grunted.
"Fine! Now, get under!" ("Grrrrrr!")
We snaked our way carefully to McGonagall's office. Soon we reached a wooden door with a sign that proved that Professor McGonagall indeed own the room. Luna unlocked the door, and we crept inside.
"Search all the nooks and crannies if you have to, we've got to find it!" we started on. All around her desk, and one of her drawers we looked. We found many other things, such as her grade books, ("ooh, I got an A!") And went through her test papers, but nothing that resembled a locket turned up.
While Luna was looking through some old tests, I found an interesting book. It was as large as an Encyclopedia, but very torn and dry with age. I opened the cover, but the book flipped its pages al the way to the middle of the book. Silver and Gold sparks flew out of it as it did this, and I backed away. When the sparks stopped, I looked forward. On the yellow, crackling sheets, was a list of names. I started to look down it, in awe and curiosity. It was the list of all the third years. Their names were on one side, while their birth dates on the other. I started to read: "Albert, Black, Brooks, Cancer, Davis, Evans, Lupin, Pettigrew, and so on. I went down to the S's, and found my name and birthdate. "November 16th, 1960." I said, my voice trembling violently.
"November what? Cried Luna. She was looking in a box full of maps, which proved unsuccessful.
"My birthday is November 16th ."
"Er, yes didn't you know?"
I didn't. Somnus had never told me anything about thing like this, in fact, he never really talked about anything except Potions, and the Dark Arts.
"No." I said flatly. Luna fell silent, and said, "Seve, Why? I mean, Necator didn't tell-"
"No." I repeated in the same flat, harsh tone. "He didn't care. Birthdays are for the weak…"
Luna sat down in McGonagall's chair, but sat back up, holding the silver locket. I reached for it, and put it in my pocket. I held my head down. "Let's go, before we get caught." I left the book, and hurried my face in anger, past Luna. Silver tears were running down my pale cheeks. I hated things like this. I strive to be a normal wizard boy, but I'll never be. My life was full of Dark Art lessons, Potions, and I knew it was for a reason. But what…?
Luna stayed in her place. Her eyes were misty, but her cheeks were red with anger.
"Luna, Now, before we get caught…" I pleaded. I wanted to end this. I got what I wanted, and a bit more.
"To Late." Hissed an icy voice. It was Filch. His eyes were glinting malevolently, leaning against the frame of the door, Mrs. Norris on his shoulder.
Luna gasped, I forgot about my tears, and thought of the best way to get out. He made a move, but I was faster. I grabbed the cloak and pulled it over Luna and me. Filch couldn't see us, (That was obvious) but he knew where we were. I made a run, and we managed to get out of the door, and down the left corridor. I totally forgot about the book, and everything else. With Filch on your tail, you forget everything except how to get away.
"What- do we do- know?" I said between breaths. "We managed to escape, but Filch will eventually find out who we are."
"Not if I can help it." Luna said. "He can't prove it. We need to be in the common rooms by the time he tips off a teacher. We need to hurry. The teachers usually don't believe him, but if he's got proof, we're in big trouble." I gulped.
"We went down one corridor, then down another. Finally we reached the Fat Lady's portrait. "Take the cloak to James." I said. I'll go to the Slytherin Common room. Act as if nothing happened. Like you said, he can't prove it." She did as I said, and I went down a staircase, and down to the dungeon.
I slowly crept to my Common room. Without the cloak, everything was much more risky. I slinked behind the shadows, praying no one would see or hear me. Finally made it, and went to my dormitory, the locket now in hand. I wondered what was going to happen. Would Filch find us? It was dark, He probably didn't see us. But, I thought as is pulled my self into bed, He can have ways of knowing.
Well, that's a wrap for now, come back soon, It'll be the last chapter of third year, and well skip over to Sixth. Things will get more involved, more hinty, so read the next part. Chapters 9-10, Coming soon! -Bunz