Title : working title – Hogwarts under siege
Author : odyssey
Disclaimer : This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by J.K. Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Brothers Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Spoilers : to be safe – for all four books
Summary : When a mysterious disease attacks Hogwarts in Harry´s 7th year it is up to Prof. Snape and his band of merry Slytherins to find a cure in time.
Preliminary comments :
Dedication : To all the great fanfic-writers whose stories have brought me hours of pleasant entertainment. I hope that I can give some of it back with my little narration.
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By the next morning the whole school knew about `the incident´ in potions class. Breakfast took place in an unusual silence so that the tinkle of the dishes could be heard very clearly over the few whispered words. Teachers as well as Gryffindor and Slytherin seventh-years had small red eyes and ashen faces due to lack of sleep, since hardly someone had found peace last night lest of all the Slytherins who had been driven from their common-room and forced to sleep in abandoned classrooms in order to avoid the dungeons which might be contaminated.
Gregory Goyle grunted. `I´m not really hungry, you know. Food tastes like sleeping feet today.´ His spoon fell into his bowl of cornflakes and splashed milk all over the table.
His best friend, Vincent Crabbe, nodded his approval. `What did those stupid house-elves do to the food? Maybe they want to poison us with…´ He stopped in mid-sentence as several sharp looks shot daggers into his direction. `I was just saying. Didn´t mean anything by it.´
Next to him a sleepy, yet oddly restless Draco Malfoy gave a small snort. `Leave it to Crabbe to address matters in his own unique and sensible way. Poison us…that´s the big question, isn´t it?´
Pansy Parkinson, a pug-faced seventh-year girl, looked up from her bowl with wide eyes. `Has anyone spoken to Snape, yet? Draco?´
`Only a few words right after Pomfrey had finished with us. He has closed up, we won´t get any information out of him until he´s ready to tell us.´
`Hm.´ Pansy said and resumed impaling her cornflakes with her fork.
Deafening silence descended over the group while each of them dealt with his own thoughts and fears.
`Tell me again´ Draco suddenly spoke up, `What exactly happened after I left the room?´
Goyle shrugged. `She continued spitting green stuff, than she stopped spitting and Snape ran out of the room. That´s it, yes. Left us alone with those Gryffs and the stinking green stuff.´ He nodded contently, pleased with his long sentence.
`Hm.´ Draco dug his fingers into his silvery hair as is he hoped to massage a sudden realization from it. `I don´t get it. This wasn´t caused by any of us. I´d know by now…´ That was the problem, Malfoy thought, not knowing what had caused `the incident´. Being something like a Head Boy to the Slytherins (the real Head Boy was a sandy-haired young Ravenclaw named Dustin Baker who was currently on the verge of a nervous breakdown two tables to the left) he usually knew everything that happened within the house. Using his numerous contacts he even had a pretty precise idea about everything of importance that took place in the other houses. This however, was a mystery to him and Draco Malfoy hated mysteries. Mysteries meant that he didn´t have complete control, that he could not precisely steer everything into a certain direction. Mysteries cannot be controlled unless they are solved, Draco thought darkly and felt a grim determination take hold of him. He simply had to solve this mystery…
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The mood at the teacher´s table was at an all time low. Prof. Hooch stared numbly at her fruits, while Prof. Flitwick did his best to cheer up Prof. McGonagall who had spent the better part of the night next to Moira Donovan´s cold form.
`Such a horrible, horrible thing !´ Prof. Hicks, the newest DADA-teacher, addressed McGonagall. `She was such a nice, polite girl. A horrible thing to happen, indeed.´
`Moira is under a freezing charm. She´s not dead, yet.´ Severus Snape hissed through clenched teeth.
`But she will be soon, my dear Professor.´ Hicks nodded mournfully in Snape´s direction.
`There is no point in denying the facts. The poor girl collapsed at five o´clock in the afternoon and now it´s nine o´clock in the morning. That´s means about eighteen hours have already passed and we´re still no closer to a possible cure than we´ve been yesterday. Analyses of these matters show quite clearly that if there is no cure found during the first five hours the chances of dying increase by …´
A terrible sob interrupted Hicks´ monologue as Prof. McGonagall cried miserably into her handkerchief. Flitwick patted her back soothingly while Severus shot out of his seat and lunged for Hicks´ throat, but before he could reach his target a strong hand shot out and grabbed the back of Snape´s robes.
`What the…´ Snape growled and spun around just to find himself for the second time on two days only millimetres apart from Albus Dumbledore. `Headmaster!´
`Be peaceful, Severus. We all want Miss Donovan to survive and we´re all under tremendous stress this morning. That reminds me, in fact, I still have some announcements to make!´ With that he pushed Snape back into his seat and ignoring the disappointed looks from everyone but the ever-oblivious Prof. Hicks, advanced towards his small purple podium.
`Ahem´ he said but the students were more distracted than usual and gave him no attention.
`A-HEM!´ Dumbledore tried once again, this time more successfully. Sleepy Gryffindors, depressed Hufflepuffs, worried Ravenclaws and nervous Slytherins raised their heads and looked expectantly up at Dumbledore who was tugging his beard into place.
`Hm…my dear students and teachers´ Dumbledore smiled reassuringly at the crowd. `Apparently we all suffer from some lack of appetite even though I know for a fact that our diligent house-elves outdid themselves this morning. Worked the whole night, they did.´
Prof. McGonagall cleared her throat loudly at the teacher´s table.
`Anyway, I´m sure that by now you have all heard about yesterdays sad events and probably have made up your own versions of it. In contrast to – let´s say other people – I have the opinion that you should be properly informed about the whole incident. So, what we know for a fact is that yesterday a seventh-year Gryffindor by the name of Moira Donovan collapsed during her afternoon-potions-lesson. Her fellow seventh-year Gryffindors and Slytherins who were present as well as Prof. Snape have been examined by Madam Pomfrey and show no signs of any malady. Moira herself is not dead…´
A murmur rose through the great hall as the first round of rumours was proven to be wrong. If she wasn´t dead, then what was she? Was she dying, perhaps?
Dumbledore raised his hands slightly and waited for the noise to die down. Once more he gave Hogwarts one of his most reassuring smiles and several people tried a weak smile in response.
`As I said before´ he continued, `Moira Donovan is not dead, but is currently under a freezing charm which means that…´
Again murmurs could be heard throughout the hall but were quickly suppressed since everyone was just dying to find out more.
`…that she is currently suspended in a block of ice which slows down her body functions and gives us more time to repair the damage and find a cure. Which leads over to our second point: it is true, that at the present time we do not know what exactly has happened to her and so, naturally, we don´t have any idea how to treat it. After I have spoken with Minister Fudge yesterday we both came to the conclusion that it – whatever `it´ may be - might be contagious and that the visit to Hogsmeade next weekend is cancelled.´
Protesting moans ran through the crowd but were stifled when it became apparent that Dumbledore wasn´t finished.
`I´m afraid that you won´t like the next bits of information any more that the previous ones but it can´t be helped. In addition to cancelling the Hogsmeade visits for at least two weeks, Fudge and I decided that as a measure of security Hogwarts will be put under quarantine for the time being. No contact to the outside of the school-grounds is allowed. No owls will be sent and no sneaking out will be tolerated. I trust all of you to recognize the direness of the situation and cooperate. Meanwhile lessons will be continued in the ordinary way. Potions will not take place until the dungeons have been thoroughly checked and the Slytherins will be distributed into the other Houses.´
This time the protests – from Slytherins as well as the other Houses – were louder and more determined but Dumbledore shook his head.
`The Slytherins cannot go back into the dungeons. They´re off limits until it´s absolutely sure that they´re safe.´
An indignant gasp escaped Snape but the headmaster ignored his enraged potions master.
`In order to help us all dealing with this uncomfortable situation the ministry has agreed to sent a couple of specialists. They´re expected to arrive this afternoon and of course they will have our full cooperation. In the meantime you can all rest assured – nothing indicates dangers for you as long as you follow the guidelines I have just explained. Don´t worry, in two weeks this whole incident will hopefully be nothing but an unpleasant memory.´
With that he turned his back on the chattering crowd and discreetly gestured Prof. McGonagall, Sprout, Flitwick and Snape to follow him into his office.
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Fawkes, the phoenix, hung miserably in his cage. His feathers were matted and of a sick grey colour and his eyes had a feverish lustre. There were still a few weeks to go until he would renew himself but the bird already looked as bad as on his worst days. With a weak chirp he threw out the last sherbet lemon – a sweet he normally cherished above anything else – unable to stand the sight of food without feeling sick again. If the teachers would only stop making so much noise…
Dumbledore sat behind his great desk, half-moon spectacles hanging low on his long nose as he faced the Heads of Hogwarts four houses.
`I take it that using Fawkes´ tears to cure Moira is out of the question then´ Prof. Flitwick, Head of Ravenclaw, spoke up from the pile of cushions which crowned his chair in order to enable the tiny wizard to speak on eyelevel with his colleagues.
`He´s too ill himself.´ Dumbledore sighed. `It started about at the same time that the girl collapsed yesterday. He gets worse by the minute.´
`Can´t you just kill him?´ Severus suggested with his usual sensitivity.
Enraged looks were directed at him and Prof. Sprout puffed indignantly, ready to protect the helpless bird from the mad potions master. Snape sighed heavily.
`It´s a phoenix, for Merlin´s sake! As soon as he dies he will be reborn. Hopefully in a better condition than his current one.´
Dumbledore shook his white head sadly. `The time has not come, yet.´
`Not?´ Severus raised his eyebrows, `He looks pretty miserable to me.´
`That he does, my friend, but he is in too pitiful a state to regenerate after he is killed prematurely. If we kill him now, he will stay dead for sure. He will die when he´s ready.´
`And when will that be?´ Snape asked in an icy tone.
`Hmmm…in three maybe four weeks. He´s not very punctual with these things, you know.´
`Three or four weeks?´ Minerva McGonagall spoke up, `Moira doesn´t have three or four weeks! She barely has another day!´
Flitwick nodded mournfully and patted Minerva´s hand soothingly. `She has a point´ the small charms-teacher said with his calm compassionate voice, `It´s useless to make plans which we will only be able to use in a month when we have to ensure that we´re still here in a month.´
`You´re right of course.´ Dumbledore nodded thoughtfully. `So let´s get back to more pressing matters. Poppy says that Moira´s condition hasn´t changed.´
Snape snorted. `Is that supposed to be something good or bad?´
`It can be either, Severus.´ the headmaster replied thoughtfully, `Right now the best way of action is waiting for the ministry specialists. We will speak afterwards and discuss the matters with them. Maybe their results will shed some light onto this mystery. Prometheus knows we could use some!´
A teapot in a shelf behind Dumbledore started whistling Maurice Ravel´s `Bolero´ until the headmaster touched it gently with the end of his wand. `It´s time to start your classes.´
The teachers stood up and excused themselves leaving Dumbledore alone with Snape whose classes had been cancelled.
`So…´ the potions master mumbled as he turned to leave, `I´ll just go and research this whole incident a little more. There are some healing potions which I want to try.´
`Severus.´
`Yes, headmaster?´
`You can´t go back into the dungeons.´
Snape scowled. `With all due respect, but a student of mine has been hurt and I won´t sit around and do nothing.´
Dumbledore smiled wryly. `I don´t ask you to do nothing. I´m just forbidding you to go into the dungeons. It´s not safe and you know it. You can do some research in the library.´
`Hmpf.´
`Promise me you won´t go there, Severus.´
`What are you going to do? Give me detention?´ Snape whispered under his breath.
`Severus! Promise…´
`All right, all right. I promise.´
`That´s a good boy.´ Dumbledore chuckled silently as Prof. Snape turned around and fled out of his office looking remarkably like a little boy who has just agreed to give up his favourite teddy bear.
Comments :
· Rosmerta : Thanks for the review as well as the Butterbeer – that´s real good stuff you have there. Very inspiring : ) Truly, that stuff drives me into a writing frenzy. I wonder what you´ve put in it. Thank you again for the review and look out for a dominant Hermione in chapter 4.
· May : May! I´m glad that you continued to read and review! What has caused Moira´s collapse will be revealed eventually but in this story it´s more important how the people involved in this situation deal with it. You know, put people under tremendous stress and they´ll react in most interesting and not necessarily rational ways. Still I can assure all of you that no Hogwarts student or teacher has been harmed while this story is written. They may be challenged, but not harmed!
· WG : Ooooh! A new reviewer! Thank you for your interest. If you like Malfoy, then you must have liked this chapter (I hope) since we catch a glimpse of the mysterious thing that is Draco Malfoy´s mind. Don´t worry, he´ll continue being his charming self.
· PurpleSailorSaturn7 : Thank you for your review. I´m glad that you liked the last chapter and hope that you also like the Snape-scene at the end of this one. I´ll be sure to check out your `Fifth Marauder´ story since personally, I can´t withstand a good `Softy-Snape´ from time to time. He´s simply such a fascinating and complex character!
· RebelR : I´m very sorry for putting you into this horrible situation – having to check for updates. I´m a cruel person. But honestly, thanks a lot for your nice review; I´m very glad that you like the story. A long as I have time I´ll try to update on a daily basis (you should be able to read the new chapters in the late afternoon or early evening). Your reviews are very motivating and it´s a lot of fun to write when you know that someone´s reading your story.
Next chapter : Picture this – seventh-years Gryffindors and Slytherins sharing quarters. Scary, huh? Oh, and the ministry specialists arrive.