Author's Notes: This chapter moves a bit slower than the others. But the reactions and details in this chapter are needed to further the plot.
In another note, Audrina's last name, Malachite, was nicked from Nomad's Conspiracy of Silence series. If you haven't read it. GO READ IT!!
Don't forget that you CAN get AuthorAlerts from me, whether you pay for FFN or not. Because I pay for it. And I'd appreciate it if it went to good use!!!
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Lauralie Black and the Cloak of Destiny (YEAR 1)
Chapter 10: Whispers and Mysteries
Nothing more came to light about the mysterious cloak over the final week of the holidays. In fact it remained in Lauralie's trunk most of the time, only coming out so that she could show Narcissa, Lucius, Katia and Anastasia once they came back the day before the new term started again.
Lucius shook his head. "Strangest thing I've ever seen," he said, holding the cloak in his hands.
"Looks perfectly normal right now though," Narcissa noted. "Like a normal cloak. It's a bit flashier than your everyday cloak, but man, when you put that thing on…" She shook her head, baffled.
Since they had gotten back Lucius and Narcissa had read the letter at least a hundred times over. They had no more insight into the mystery than Severus or Lauralie.
"I've been researching a test that I can do on it," Severus said. "To make sure it isn't hexed, or cursed, or harboring any form of Dark magic."
Lucius nodded. "Probably a good idea," he agreed. "And in the mean time?"
"I'm wearing it tomorrow," Lauralie said. "It was given to me for a reason obviously. The only way to find out what that is would be to wear the damn thing."
Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Well I'll tell you one thing. You're going to make quite a splash."
* * *
The next morning, Severus and Lucius were waiting for her and Narcissa at the foot of the stairs that came down from the girls' dormitories. The reaction in the common room was almost instant. First there was silence, and then there were whispers. Severus glanced quickly at Lucas Avery, who didn't seem to be surprised in the least. Then again Avery was a Slytherin, and Slytherins were quite good at keeping their reactions hidden from their faces.
The four friends walked out of the common room as if it was a normal day. Lauralie was vaguely aware that they were not the only ones, and that their little group had grown. She walked silently through the dungeon corridors, followed by an ever-growing crowd of whispering Slytherins. She exchanged looks with Severus. She could see worry in his eyes, just a tiny flicker of doubt.
Lauralie paused in front of the closed doors to the Great Hall. It took only once glance over her shoulder to realize that nearly the entire Slytherin house was behind her. The whispering had ceased. She took a deep breath, and prepared to open the grand doors.
* * *
Sirius sat at the Gryffindor table, the words his mother had spoken to him far from his mind. Lily and Audrina Malachite were giggling over the Teen Witch magazine that had just been delivered. While he, James, and Remus talked about the upcoming Quidditch match against Slytherin.
None of them were paying any attention, as the doors to the Great Hall swung open.
"Sirius, check out your sister," Duncan McConaugha called down the table.
The entire hall had gone silent. Sirius turned himself around to see the entrance. There, framed in the doorway, stood his sister. To her right stood Severus and Lucius, and on her left Narcissa. And behind her stood the whole of Slytherin house. She walked into the hall, her head held high, seemingly oblivious to the whispers that were spreading like wildfire through out the house tables.
That cloak! Sirius eyed it dubiously. I can almost feel the power radiating from it!
"Sirius, where do you reckon she got that?" James asked.
"I'm not as concerned about where it came from, as I am concerned about what it is," Sirius hissed.
"I… I think I know what it is," Audrina spoke. "I've read about something like that before. But… blimey, none of them are supposed to exist anymore. Only the most powerful Witches and Wizards have ever been able to successfully make one. Supposedly only two ever existed."
"Well, what is it?" Lily prodded.
Audrina swallowed hard. "I… I think it may be a Cloak of Destiny."
* * *
Lauralie walked down the aisle between the Ravenclaw and Slytherin tables. At the head table she saw the Headmaster whisper something to Professor Lestrange, never taking his eyes of her. Lauralie was careful not to meet eyes with him as she slipped into a seat at the Slytherin table. She tried to block out the whispers of her classmates as she helped herself to some orange juice.
She did, however, chance a glance over at the Gryffindor table. She saw her brother and his friends hunched over whispering to one another. Remus glanced up for a moment, and their eyes met. In them gleamed curiosity and concern. But Lauralie did not allow her eyes to linger on his for long before averting her gaze elsewhere.
Lauralie was sick of the silence that hung over the table. "Pass me the jam, Sev," she asked. "Ready for the Quidditch match against Gryffindor Ludo?"
Ludo Bagman nearly drowned himself in the goblet of orange juice he had been drinking. He had been so preoccupied with staring at Lauralie's cloak in awe that to hear her address him was quite startling. "Oh, I… um, YES," he said, triumphantly finding the correct answer. "I mean, we'll be practicing everyday this week of course. But I think we have what it takes to, um, win."
Through out this entire statement, Ludo had managed to look everywhere but at Lauralie. His eyes had darted from his plate, to his goblet, to Severus' goblet, to the ceiling, and so on. Lauralie managed to contain her amusement at this blatant show of awkwardness, but Lucius could not. He broke into hearty laughter.
Ludo glared at him. "What do you think is so funny?" he hissed.
"Well at least you can look at me when you are speaking to me," Lucius joked.
"Ten extra laps for you at practice tonight," Ludo snapped.
Lucius jaw fell open. He mouthed soundlessly at the team captain, before finally resigning himself to eating his breakfast silently. Fortunately after that the Slytherin table went pretty much back to normal. Lauralie caught a few of the other Slytherins watching her when they thought she wouldn't notice, but over all it seemed to have gone back to business as usual. The other houses were a completely different story.
Most of the students were huddled close to one another whispering. A few of the younger, shorter Hufflepuffs were standing on their chairs to get a better view.
"Geez, it's like a circus!" Lily exclaimed. "And poor Lauralie is in the center ring."
"Who's the one holding the whip though?" Remus asked.
Sirius had not taken his eyes off of the Slytherin table, where things had seemed to be back to normal. Lauralie was chatting animatedly with Ludo Bagman. Severus Snape appeared to be listening as he picked at his scrambled eggs. He looked up and met eyes with Sirius. Severus' face was unreadable as usual, and he looked away rather quickly.
"If you want to know where the cloak came from, why don't you try asking Lauralie?" Audrina hissed.
"She wouldn't tell me. She won't tell me," Sirius snapped. "No, I'll ask Snape."
"You are going to trust Severus Snake over your own sister?" Audrina asked incredulously.
"Maybe you can't see it, but my sister is changing. I don't know what she's becoming, but I don't really like it."
James sighed. James knew that Sirius was just like his father in the respect that once he had made up his mind, it was damn near impossible to change it.
"Plus," James interjected on a more reasonable note, "we have Herbology with the Slytherins just after breakfast, and it'd be quite simple to ask Snape then."
"Tell me more about this 'Cloak of Destiny' thing," Sirius demanded.
Audrina gave him an affronted look. "I've told you all I know," she snapped. "I read it sometime last year and I don't really remember it."
"Well some help you are…"
Audrina rolled her eyes.
It was strange. No one in the hall had risen to leave breakfast until Lauralie left, taking nearly the whole of Slytherin with her. And once they had dispersed the quiet whispers rose to loud chatter. Questions were hurled at Sirius at a surprising rate. He pushed his chair quickly away from the table and rose, flinging his bag over his shoulder. He shoved his chair roughly back under the table before marching out of the Great Hall.
With a brief exchange of looks the other Gryffindor second years followed suit. Lily waved a silent goodbye to Lindsay and Duncan McConaugha who were now looking slightly stunned at their sudden exit.
* * *
"That was… interesting," Lucius commented in an undertone as they arrived at the greenhouse.
Severus shook his head. "As you said, it made quite a splash."
"Indeed" Lucius said, nodding back towards the castle. Severus glanced that way to see Sirius Black marching down the hill in a huff. His gang of Gryffindors were trailing behind him
"Oh goody," Severus commented. "Time for the interrogation."
"Where… did… how?" Sirius panted, trying to catch his breath. Lucius seemed mildly amused by this. "Where'd she get that thing?"
Severus rolled his eyes and continued to walk.
"Don't just ignore me," Sirius hissed, falling in to step next to Severus. "Just, tell me where that dratted cloak came from."
"It was a gift."
"FROM?!?"
"Not as to that, your guess is probably as good as mine," Severus answered in practically a whisper.
"You don't know?" Sirius snapped.
"It was an anonymous gift. We know very little about its origins. We are investigating it. There is nothing more I have to say on the subject."
"NOTHING MORE TO SAY?" Sirius shouted. "Did you see that thing? The power radiating from it? Could be full of dark magic. Did you even think of that Snape?"
It was then that Lucius broke his silence. "Playing the concerned brother now are you?" he spat. "Afraid Lauralie will tarnish your nice pristine reputation? I'm sure it was nicer when she was laying low, keeping out of any sort of spotlight."
Sirius went for his wand, but his gang had caught up and James and Remus restrained him. Lucius seemed pleased with this reaction. It had struck a nerve.
"What are you playing at Malfoy?" Lily Evans had marched right in front of Sirius and placed her hands defiantly on her hips.
"I meant what I said," Lucius hissed. "And the mere fact that this upsets him merely proves that there is truth beneath my words." Lucius turned to leave and Severus made to do the same.
It was Audrina who made to stop him. Grabbing the sleeve of his robe. He jerked it away from her slightly more violently than he had intended.
"Look," he snapped, "I have no more information for you people. If you really want answers, you are welcome to ask Lauralie herself."
As he stalked off after Lucius he vaguely heard Audrina say "That's the same thing I said."
* * *
Walking through the halls of Hogwarts that day was quite amusing if you were traveling with Lauralie Black. Suddenly everyone in school seemed to know her name. First there was History of Magic. Where old, tired Professor Binns did not notice the fact that the eyes of most of the students were not trained on him as he rattled on about the Goblins Rebellion of 1321 lead by Phernblat the Smarmy.
The never-ending attention to her was making Lauralie feel very self-conscious. She held in her stomach as far as she could as she rose to head to Potions. The second year Gryffindors were filing in as the first year Slytherins were filing out. Lauralie walked past her brother without paying him any mind. As she passed by Audrina, she winked.
Audrina couldn't help but smile as she took her seat.
* * *
Lauralie tried to read the look on Professor Lestrange's face as she took her seat. What had Professor Dumbledore been telling her? But she was distracted from this thought as Wes Mason, one of the first year Gryffindors, managed to trip over himself sending his books and school supplies flying everywhere. His bottle of ink shattered at her feet.
He began to scramble to pick it all up and shove it into his bag. Lindsay McConaugha made to help clean up the ink when Lauralie pointed her wand down at it. "Reparo!" The bottle slowly righted itself and flew silently into Lauralie's hands. "There you go Wes," she said, handing him the newly repaired bottle. Wes looked up at her speechless.
"Miss Black, I'd like to speak to you after class," Professor Lestrange announced. Wes took this opportunity to flee to his seat. Lauralie nodded silently as she took her seat. She spent most of the potions period wondering what her teacher could possibly wish to speak to her about.
"Don't be silly," Narcissa whispered, dumping her chopped newt's tails into the cauldron. "It's about the cloak of course."
"Wonder what she has to say on the subject," Lauralie commented.
"Take a picture, it'll last longer," Narcissa hissed at Duncan McConaugha, who was sitting behind them staring endlessly at Lauralie's cloak. He shifted his eyes away and spent the whole time looking everywhere but at her until the magical tone rang signifying the end of class.
Lauralie took her time packing up her things. As soon as the classroom was abandoned she slowly approached Professor Lestrange's desk.
"You wanted to see me Professor?"
"Ah, yes," she said amiably. "Have a seat Miss Black. I wanted to ask you about that cloak. I'm sure you have noticed it has attracted a lot of attention. And I am curious as to how you cam across such a phenomenal object."
"It was a gift Professor."
"From?"
"I… I don't know," Lauralie admitted. "The note was not signed."
"Have you tried to think of the motive for this being given to you?"
"No, not really," she answered. "Severus wants to check it for curses."
"I know, I helped him brew the potion he will be using to test it this evening," Lestrange answered. "But I don't believe the motive was to harm you. I believe the motive was to lead you to your destiny."
Lauralie's face was a mask of blankness. But the cogs of her brain had been whirred into motion.
"I must ask you Lauralie, to use the power you have been given responsibly. And to explore everything that this gift brings to light."
"I will Professor," Lauralie said, rising from her seat. "See you later."
* * *
"Think she knows something we don't?" Narcissa asked.
"Wouldn't be surprised," Severus whispered. They were huddled in a far corner of the Slytherin common room. He reached into his robes and pulled out a small phial of deep purple liquid. "To test it I only need a thread of the material." He had a pair of scissors in his hand.
Lauralie nodded and found a loose thread in the hem. She held it taught and he made to cut it…
The scissors broke apart the instant they came in contact with the cloak thread.
ROLL OF HONORSkipper
Reemaski
Sweet Audrina
Sara Black (Can't be a Mary Sue, Lauralie is NOTHING like me. Plus, she's far from perfect!)
Leevee of Team Socket
Mackie
Erinism
Katameran
Serena Snape
Nomad (Told you you'd get your shout out!)
Arwen/Ginny (Money? Oh, if only it wasn't illegal)
Rose Flame (You are the only one who picked up on the Rookwood reference! Good job!)
Hawk
Tamara K.
Heather Long
Tanya (Hmmm…. Who knows, you'll have to keep reading)
Shegiles (Don't jump out the window!!!)
Powerleca
Amber