12.
It was midnight the same evening. The four girls, all fully dressed, were discussing final plans in whispers.
"Remember, we've got an hour." Vivian said.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Harriet asked. No one replied; they all felt a sudden surge of nervousness.
"So me and Harriet go get the wand, then we pass it to Lorna through the window, and then she takes it to you and you curse Snape." Diana said, running through the plan. "I still don't see why we have to involve flying in this, it's going to be complicated enough already."
Lorna sighed impatiently.
"How else are we going to get the wand back when Snape raises the alarm? He might have people searching the corridors. We've no chance of getting past them and of getting back to bed in time."
"Does everyone know what they're doing?" Vivian asked. They all nodded.
"Let's go." Lorna said.
Vivian made her way stealthily to the third floor corridor, were she concealed herself in the doorway to one of the classrooms. She had deliberately put on her black school robes, and was confident that no one would easily see her. Nearby where she stood was a window, which she flung open. This was where Lorna would come to bring her the wand. As she opened the window a gust of icy air blew back her hair. She shivered, it was a cold night, and she regretted not bringing a coat. Now she had to wait for Snape to come. If he came directly from his office, he should go straight past her, so that he had his back to her. He'd never see who cursed him. Waiting was the hardest part. Nervously, she waited, hoping nothing would go wrong. A few ghosts passed her, occupied with business of their own, but she backed into the shadows was unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Lorna had climbed onto the windowsill, and mounted her broom. Harriet and Diana would find the wand and pass it through the window to her. Then she could take it to Vivian. She plunged into the icy night air, remembering her brief happiness when Marcus had asked her out. He'll be sorry, she thought, picturing his face when he realised what had happened. She circled the castle, waiting for Harriet and Diana to open the boys' dormitory window.
Harriet and Diana hurried to the boys' dormitory, trying not to make too much noise.
They were feeling rather elated. It seemed like an adventure, sneaking around the school at midnight. At last, inside the dormitory, they shut the door and began their search.
"Lumos!" Diana muttered. Her wand lit up, and she began examining the beds to see which one was Marcus'. She heard Harriet doing the same on the other side of the room. It had been her idea to sleep each of the boys a delayed-action sleeping potion at tea, so that their search wouldn't be disturbed.
After a few minutes they found Marcus' bed. Harriet stood over him, remembering Lorna's heartbreak, and all the insults Marcus had yelled at Lorna whenever they met. Then she reached and grabbed his wand from his bedside table where it lay. She hurried to the window, Diana behind her, and opened the window.
Lorna caught sight of the light from their wands, and flew over and hovered outside the window. Harriet passed her Marcus' wand.
"You took long enough!" she said, snatching the wand and flying off.
Harriet and Diana exchanged glances.
"Charming!" Diana exclaimed. Then one of the sleeping boys seemed to stir, and they fled.
*
Snape, of course, had his suspicions about the note. He had been an extremely successful spy, after all, and was far from stupid. He knew that anyone could have written it, it could be a trick from the heir of Slytherin, to get him on his own in order to attack him. But he would be on the third floor corridor regardless. The same overpowering curiosity, which had lead him into such danger when he had been a student at Hogwarts, drove him on.
He did not go unprepared however.
When he entered the corridor at five to one, he had his wand out and was carrying a small vial of dark indigo potion. If he were to throw the potion at someone, the fragile glass was designed to shatter, and the potion would produce instant paralysis, which would last for an hour or more.
Vivian flattened herself into the doorway as he passed, and was not seen. Lorna, who had already passed Vivian the wand and was now hovering near the window to transport Vivian and the wand to safety, held her breath. Vivian felt she was almost in a dream, Snape's movements seemed to slow down, all she could hear was her own heart beating and Snape's soft tread down the corridor. For a second she hesitated.
Then she raised Marcus Fowler's wand, and whispered "Metuas!".
A blast of orange light hit Snape in the back.
To Snape, it was as if he were suddenly transported to hell. Vivian saw him sink to the ground, clutching his head. He was shaking with terror; the chill fear took complete possession of him. The walls seemed to be spinning, and he saw the corridor lit up suddenly with flame. He was shrieking, and the sound of his voice was shrill and terrified.
Vivian watching with horrible fascination, felt suddenly guilty. She had never expected the effects of the curse to look so severe. She stepped hesitantly towards Snape, without knowing what she intended to do. Then Snape looked up and saw her.
*
The walls shook, and the ceiling seemed to be coming lower and lower, as Claudia Slane stepped towards him. Snape, shaking uncontrollably, saw her move towards him, lit by the fire, which seemed to have engulfed the corridor. She was dressed in black; all he could really make out were her eyes, which shone in the light of the flames.
"It's forever, Snape." He heard her say mockingly, "Remember? Eternal ills? She's cursed forever, just like you are, my love! How funny that you didn't guess." Then he heard her laughter, which had become suddenly hoarse and grating. "You didn't know! You're of all people! You've seen so much and you still didn't know!" she exclaimed through her dreadful laughter, and then Snape saw that where her eyes had been there was only darkness. Then she reached out to touch him with fingers, which suddenly seemed like fungus. He recoiled, tried desperately to flee, but still she advanced.
Then desperately he flung at her the small vial of potion he had brought with him. She shrieked, and was gone in a whirling cloud of smoke. Snape sank to the floor, breathing heavily. Through his fear he heard a faint whisper close to his ear: "Malus infinitas". Then he passed out.
Vivian cried out as the potion splashed over her legs and feet. She was lucky: had Snape's aim been surer, she might have been completely paralysed. As it was, she could just about summon enough strength to crawl over to the windowsill.
"What happened?" Lorna hissed anxiously from outside, seeing her strange movements.
"Never mind," Vivian whispered urgently, "help me on."
With Lorna's help, Vivian managed to get onto the broom, after nearly falling out of the window a couple of times. Lorna flew Vivian straight back to their dormitory, where Harriet and Diana were waiting, before departing again to put Marcus' wand back.
Vivian tumbled onto the dormitory floor, and heaved herself into bed using her arms.
Harriet and Diana were looking at her in fear.
"What happened?" Diana said.
"It worked." Vivian said dully. "I cursed Snape. But he threw something at me. It splashed me, and now I can't walk."
"Do you think it's permanent?" Harriet said in a horrified voice.
"Was it a potion?" Diana asked. Vivian nodded. Diana gave a relieved laugh.
"My mum works at the Ministry, she uses them all the time," she said, "they only paralyse you for about an hour. All you have to do is wait."
Vivian sighed with relief. She hadn't been looking forward to life as a cripple. All the same, she was feeling rather deflated, and if Harriet and Diana's expressions were anything to go by, they were feeling the same.
"Do you think it was worth it?" Vivian asked.
Harriet shrugged. There was a pause.
"I though it would feel better." Diana said at last.
*
The girls had expected that Snape would immediately give the alarm when he recovered from the curse, but he didn't. He was too proud to want anyone to see him in such a state. Instead, he walked unsteadily to his office, pausing from time to time to re gather his strength. Once there, he went to the basin and was sick until his stomach was empty. Then he magicked himself a glass of brandy, and lit a fire in the usually empty grate. He was still shaking uncontrollably, and was even paler than usual. His brain felt numb.
He sat there for at least fifteen minutes, recovering his wits. At last, when his brain seemed less paralysed, he began to think. Someone had cursed him. Snape knew enough to realise that it must have been the metuas curse. Someone knew how to perform a practically obsolete curse, and had a motive for using it. Who? Was it Slytherin's heir? Why not just kill him outright?
He knew he was distracting himself, because he didn't want to think about what had happened. He didn't want to picture Claudia as he had seen her. Still less did he want to think about what she had said. But it was important. He forced himself to recall what she had spoken about.
Malus Infinitas.
His brain shied away from it. But slowly, like a cold fog, the memories returned. Such an elegant curse, he thought bitterly, so sophisticated, so warped. It took lengthy preparation, he knew that much, although he hadn't the smallest idea how to perform it.
It was Claudia's own curse. Not even the death eaters were happy to speak its name, even the few that knew how to perform it.
Snape slumped in his chair, as he remembered what the curse did: it destroyed you for eternity. There were killing curses, things anyone might learn, but this was different. This curse was upon you and your descendents for all time. Anything connected with you would wither and die. People cursed directly were straight off, but it would take longer for their friends and family to die. The last thing you experienced before you died was the knowledge that everyone you cared for was doomed to share your pain and your death. You would die in wretchedness and be forgotten and leave no trace.
Snape took another sip of brandy, his hands shaking.
Vivian should be dead. She should have been obliterated.
Was the curse only just beginning to work?
It was midnight the same evening. The four girls, all fully dressed, were discussing final plans in whispers.
"Remember, we've got an hour." Vivian said.
"Are you sure this is going to work?" Harriet asked. No one replied; they all felt a sudden surge of nervousness.
"So me and Harriet go get the wand, then we pass it to Lorna through the window, and then she takes it to you and you curse Snape." Diana said, running through the plan. "I still don't see why we have to involve flying in this, it's going to be complicated enough already."
Lorna sighed impatiently.
"How else are we going to get the wand back when Snape raises the alarm? He might have people searching the corridors. We've no chance of getting past them and of getting back to bed in time."
"Does everyone know what they're doing?" Vivian asked. They all nodded.
"Let's go." Lorna said.
Vivian made her way stealthily to the third floor corridor, were she concealed herself in the doorway to one of the classrooms. She had deliberately put on her black school robes, and was confident that no one would easily see her. Nearby where she stood was a window, which she flung open. This was where Lorna would come to bring her the wand. As she opened the window a gust of icy air blew back her hair. She shivered, it was a cold night, and she regretted not bringing a coat. Now she had to wait for Snape to come. If he came directly from his office, he should go straight past her, so that he had his back to her. He'd never see who cursed him. Waiting was the hardest part. Nervously, she waited, hoping nothing would go wrong. A few ghosts passed her, occupied with business of their own, but she backed into the shadows was unnoticed.
Meanwhile, Lorna had climbed onto the windowsill, and mounted her broom. Harriet and Diana would find the wand and pass it through the window to her. Then she could take it to Vivian. She plunged into the icy night air, remembering her brief happiness when Marcus had asked her out. He'll be sorry, she thought, picturing his face when he realised what had happened. She circled the castle, waiting for Harriet and Diana to open the boys' dormitory window.
Harriet and Diana hurried to the boys' dormitory, trying not to make too much noise.
They were feeling rather elated. It seemed like an adventure, sneaking around the school at midnight. At last, inside the dormitory, they shut the door and began their search.
"Lumos!" Diana muttered. Her wand lit up, and she began examining the beds to see which one was Marcus'. She heard Harriet doing the same on the other side of the room. It had been her idea to sleep each of the boys a delayed-action sleeping potion at tea, so that their search wouldn't be disturbed.
After a few minutes they found Marcus' bed. Harriet stood over him, remembering Lorna's heartbreak, and all the insults Marcus had yelled at Lorna whenever they met. Then she reached and grabbed his wand from his bedside table where it lay. She hurried to the window, Diana behind her, and opened the window.
Lorna caught sight of the light from their wands, and flew over and hovered outside the window. Harriet passed her Marcus' wand.
"You took long enough!" she said, snatching the wand and flying off.
Harriet and Diana exchanged glances.
"Charming!" Diana exclaimed. Then one of the sleeping boys seemed to stir, and they fled.
*
Snape, of course, had his suspicions about the note. He had been an extremely successful spy, after all, and was far from stupid. He knew that anyone could have written it, it could be a trick from the heir of Slytherin, to get him on his own in order to attack him. But he would be on the third floor corridor regardless. The same overpowering curiosity, which had lead him into such danger when he had been a student at Hogwarts, drove him on.
He did not go unprepared however.
When he entered the corridor at five to one, he had his wand out and was carrying a small vial of dark indigo potion. If he were to throw the potion at someone, the fragile glass was designed to shatter, and the potion would produce instant paralysis, which would last for an hour or more.
Vivian flattened herself into the doorway as he passed, and was not seen. Lorna, who had already passed Vivian the wand and was now hovering near the window to transport Vivian and the wand to safety, held her breath. Vivian felt she was almost in a dream, Snape's movements seemed to slow down, all she could hear was her own heart beating and Snape's soft tread down the corridor. For a second she hesitated.
Then she raised Marcus Fowler's wand, and whispered "Metuas!".
A blast of orange light hit Snape in the back.
To Snape, it was as if he were suddenly transported to hell. Vivian saw him sink to the ground, clutching his head. He was shaking with terror; the chill fear took complete possession of him. The walls seemed to be spinning, and he saw the corridor lit up suddenly with flame. He was shrieking, and the sound of his voice was shrill and terrified.
Vivian watching with horrible fascination, felt suddenly guilty. She had never expected the effects of the curse to look so severe. She stepped hesitantly towards Snape, without knowing what she intended to do. Then Snape looked up and saw her.
*
The walls shook, and the ceiling seemed to be coming lower and lower, as Claudia Slane stepped towards him. Snape, shaking uncontrollably, saw her move towards him, lit by the fire, which seemed to have engulfed the corridor. She was dressed in black; all he could really make out were her eyes, which shone in the light of the flames.
"It's forever, Snape." He heard her say mockingly, "Remember? Eternal ills? She's cursed forever, just like you are, my love! How funny that you didn't guess." Then he heard her laughter, which had become suddenly hoarse and grating. "You didn't know! You're of all people! You've seen so much and you still didn't know!" she exclaimed through her dreadful laughter, and then Snape saw that where her eyes had been there was only darkness. Then she reached out to touch him with fingers, which suddenly seemed like fungus. He recoiled, tried desperately to flee, but still she advanced.
Then desperately he flung at her the small vial of potion he had brought with him. She shrieked, and was gone in a whirling cloud of smoke. Snape sank to the floor, breathing heavily. Through his fear he heard a faint whisper close to his ear: "Malus infinitas". Then he passed out.
Vivian cried out as the potion splashed over her legs and feet. She was lucky: had Snape's aim been surer, she might have been completely paralysed. As it was, she could just about summon enough strength to crawl over to the windowsill.
"What happened?" Lorna hissed anxiously from outside, seeing her strange movements.
"Never mind," Vivian whispered urgently, "help me on."
With Lorna's help, Vivian managed to get onto the broom, after nearly falling out of the window a couple of times. Lorna flew Vivian straight back to their dormitory, where Harriet and Diana were waiting, before departing again to put Marcus' wand back.
Vivian tumbled onto the dormitory floor, and heaved herself into bed using her arms.
Harriet and Diana were looking at her in fear.
"What happened?" Diana said.
"It worked." Vivian said dully. "I cursed Snape. But he threw something at me. It splashed me, and now I can't walk."
"Do you think it's permanent?" Harriet said in a horrified voice.
"Was it a potion?" Diana asked. Vivian nodded. Diana gave a relieved laugh.
"My mum works at the Ministry, she uses them all the time," she said, "they only paralyse you for about an hour. All you have to do is wait."
Vivian sighed with relief. She hadn't been looking forward to life as a cripple. All the same, she was feeling rather deflated, and if Harriet and Diana's expressions were anything to go by, they were feeling the same.
"Do you think it was worth it?" Vivian asked.
Harriet shrugged. There was a pause.
"I though it would feel better." Diana said at last.
*
The girls had expected that Snape would immediately give the alarm when he recovered from the curse, but he didn't. He was too proud to want anyone to see him in such a state. Instead, he walked unsteadily to his office, pausing from time to time to re gather his strength. Once there, he went to the basin and was sick until his stomach was empty. Then he magicked himself a glass of brandy, and lit a fire in the usually empty grate. He was still shaking uncontrollably, and was even paler than usual. His brain felt numb.
He sat there for at least fifteen minutes, recovering his wits. At last, when his brain seemed less paralysed, he began to think. Someone had cursed him. Snape knew enough to realise that it must have been the metuas curse. Someone knew how to perform a practically obsolete curse, and had a motive for using it. Who? Was it Slytherin's heir? Why not just kill him outright?
He knew he was distracting himself, because he didn't want to think about what had happened. He didn't want to picture Claudia as he had seen her. Still less did he want to think about what she had said. But it was important. He forced himself to recall what she had spoken about.
Malus Infinitas.
His brain shied away from it. But slowly, like a cold fog, the memories returned. Such an elegant curse, he thought bitterly, so sophisticated, so warped. It took lengthy preparation, he knew that much, although he hadn't the smallest idea how to perform it.
It was Claudia's own curse. Not even the death eaters were happy to speak its name, even the few that knew how to perform it.
Snape slumped in his chair, as he remembered what the curse did: it destroyed you for eternity. There were killing curses, things anyone might learn, but this was different. This curse was upon you and your descendents for all time. Anything connected with you would wither and die. People cursed directly were straight off, but it would take longer for their friends and family to die. The last thing you experienced before you died was the knowledge that everyone you cared for was doomed to share your pain and your death. You would die in wretchedness and be forgotten and leave no trace.
Snape took another sip of brandy, his hands shaking.
Vivian should be dead. She should have been obliterated.
Was the curse only just beginning to work?