1 Chapter 4
"Pick up the book, dust the book, put the book on the 'Dusted' table. How could this get any more repetitive?" Nitrotic groaned.
"And if that wasn't bad enough! Peeves keeps coming in and kicking up that damned dust!" Aurora moaned. Peeves came in that second and knocked some dust onto the 'Dusted' table.
"DAMNIT PEEVES!!!!" The pair of them yelled. Peeves was taken aback by this, then grinned and said.
"Heh heh heh! You two are JUST like some other students who used to come to Hogwarts! Who were they.? Ah yes, Ronald and Hermione! LOVEBIRDS!!!" Peeves cackled and kicked up all the dust he could before vanishing through a wall.
"If I knew a good Petrify spell." Nitrotic patted his wand threateningly.
"Maybe we should look through these books for one, I noticed some come from the Restricted Section." Aurora suggested.
"I'd go with that if we didn't have to dust these cursed books!" Nitrotic nevertheless opened the book, and inside were pictures depicting a scene of great pain.
"Hmmm, I'm not too keen on this book." He said, and shut it. Aurora opened the book, gasped. "Told you, disgusting stuff!"
"This is beautiful." Aurora trailed off. Nitrotic made a startled noise and looked at the book. Instead of the pictures that he had seen, a picture of a large ruby was in there. And the picture was glowing, spinning.
"This wasn't here when I looked at it!" Nitrotic protested.
"Uh huh." Aurora said, sounding as though she was just humoring him, and she continued anyway. "Perhaps we could check with somebody else, in case it's one of those magical books. But who, this is from the Restricted Section."
"I know somebody. He'd be fine with it. He's a great guy, brave, loyal, and really big!" Nitrotic grinned.
"Who is it?" Aurora asked.
"Well, it's Hagrid. I help him with his creatures, and he's my best friend. We have Care for Magical Creatures tomorrow, we'll ask him then."
"Yeah. Now, we'll get back to this damned dusting. And if you happen to 'accidentally' find a Petrify spell, don't hold out on me!" Aurora's smile grew to look almost evil.
"You know Aurora, you really do scare me sometimes." Nitrotic told her.
The next day, the two houses of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was showing off the latest Wizarding animal mutation, the Ceix. It was a four legged, two-armed creature with crocodile skin and head, but with teeth sharp enough to slice through titanium steel (A Muggle metal), and nails to match. It was originally a desert dweller, but they do adapt quickly. They also didn't attack unless you got too close to them.
"Now, now, be careful Griffith, stay out of range of 'is claws and you'll be fine." Then Hagrid raised his voice to include the whole class. "What you've gotta realize is that the Ceix is a civilized bunch, and they'll 'old a nice conversation 'til you get within attackin' distance. It ain't their fault, jus reflexes." Hagrid then proceeded to demonstrate, by tossing a rock past the Ceix. Once it reached a close enough distance it shattered the rock with one quick swipe of his paw.
"Hagrid, I do wish you wouldn't do that, it's quite undignified." The Ceix pleaded.
"Sorry, Nessoc. It's necessary to demonstrate to the young 'uns what happens, for their own safety." Hagrid apologized.
"Indeed." Nessoc huffed. And it was a fairly eventful class after that, the students were able to ask Nessoc the Ceix about himself, and Hagrid chimed in here and there. After Nessoc started explaining about how he could mate with that reflex, Nitrotic and Aurora slipped over to him.
"'Ullo young 'Urora, and Nitrotic. Why do you insist on going by that name anyway?" Hagrid asked Nitrotic. He blushed.
"Uh, Hagrid, there's a more important question at hand, we want some help with a book we found on detention. I saw a guy in pain, and then Aurora saw a spinning, glowing ruby." Nitrotic withdrew the book in question. "What do you see Hagrid?" Hagrid opened the book, and within it.
"Sweet Mother of Titans." Hagrid marveled. "I've never seen so many new animals! I don't recognize any of them! And there's a tall fellow there who looks as though he's carin' for them! I honestly don't know what to think o this book!" Hagrid shut the book and gave it back to Nitrotic. "Best you put that back where you found it, these sorts of books can be dangerous."
"You got is Hagrid. It kind of gave me the willies anyway" Nitrotic gave the book to Aurora to hold. "Books should stay with the same writing, or pictures. That is my firm belief, and books that don't stay the same freak me out. You hold the blasted thing." Then the book was promptly forgotten when a scream came up from the area around the Ceix, then the cry came from Nessoc. "HAGRID QUICKLY!!! A CHILD HAS BEEN INJURED!" Hagrid got up off his chair and charged towards Nessoc. A boy was on the ground, moaning in pain.
"Ow'd this happen Nessoc?!" Hagrid demanded.
"The boy stumbled!" Nessoc was wringing his hands in concern. He picked up the boy and tossed him to Hagrid. Hagrid quickly dashed to the Hospital Ward, but not before leaving Nitrotic and Aurora in charge. Aurora had an idea.
"Nessoc. Can you help us?" Aurora asked timidly, for a change.
"Certainly, I can try." The Ceix responded.
"Well, we found this book. We were wondering what you saw in it." Aurora opened the book to Nessoc.
"Ah, I see many other Ceix. Gathered around a dead Ceix. Hmm, I don't like this book. It depicts rather nasty things. Take it away." Nessoc ordered. Suddenly Aurora realized that she was within Nessoc's attacking range and quickly jumped out of it. Nessoc laughed a relieved laugh, and his arms, which they just noticed he'd been holding rigid, relaxed again.
"I can hold my reflexes, but it is by no means easy. Any longer and I would have had to push you away, else you'd join your friend in the Hospital Ward." At that moment, Hagrid returned, sweaty and panting.
"He'll be fine, but a little wiser. Says he was pushed." Hagrid told them. "Take the rest of the period off. Aurora, Nitrotic, you two will have to go and see Dumbledore. I told him about the book, and he wants to see the pair of you."
"Aw man, I hope we don't get another detention. We only BORROWED the book, we were going to give it back!" Nitrotic complained.
"Dumbledore's pretty cool, we should be fine." Aurora assured him. Nitrotic didn't look a great deal too reassured. Aurora was clutching the book tightly, while Nitrotic wouldn't even look at it of his own free will.
"Despite Dumbledore's 'Coolness', I somehow doubt we will get out of this one without a bit of trouble." Nitrotic said, his pessimistic streak showing. "One, we borrowed a book we weren't meant to. Two, we distracted Hagrid and got a kid hurt, and Three, I woke up with a pain in my back. And that ALWAYS seems to mean I have a one-day Bad Luck curse cast upon me. This really bites." Nitrotic quit complaining when they reached the gargoyle.
"Dumbledore is expecting you." The gargoyle said, and leapt aside, allowing them access. Inside, Fawkes the phoenix was in full plumage, and was intently peering at a piece of paper Dumbledore was also examining. Then Dumbledore looked up and smiled at the two.
"May I please have that book? It is a very important artifact, and no I will not tell you what it does. It is far too dangerous. It will be hidden where you cannot find it again." Dumbledore took the book when Aurora gave it to him wordlessly, however Nitrotic spoke up.
"Just a sec Dumbledore. I want to know more about that damned book. It scared the bejesus out of me!" Nitrotic demanded.
"This book, is called the Book of Time. With it, one can see the past, the present, or the future, but nobody can distinguish between which it is showing. Nor, if showing the future, is the future shown guaranteed. It is a confusing relic, which is better left hidden. Have I satisfied your Ravenclaw curiosity yet?" Dumbledore sounded almost angry. Nitrotic picked up on it at once.
"Yes sir, sorry sir. I was just a wee bit curious. My does Fawkes look brilliant today!" Nitrotic changed the subject. While the pair of them bantered on, Aurora couldn't stop looking at the Sorting Hat. Finally unable to resist, she picked it up and put it on.
"A problem, Aurora?" The Hat whispered.
"No. Just curious what happens when I put this on after the Ceremony." Aurora whispered.
"Curiosity killed the Cat, Aurora. Take this as a reward for your honesty. There are a lot of people try and get Re-sorted. Pft, like I would be wrong the first time!" A clunk, and something smacked Aurora in the head.
"Ouch!" She complained, and reached under the hat. In it was a ruby, much like the one she had seen in the book.
"Hey." But Aurora was cut off as Dumbledore spoke.
"Have a lemon sherbet from the tray, then would you please leave? I have some work to do." Dumbledore sounded like his normal self.
"Ok, Aurora, we're leaving." Nitrotic grabbed a handful of sherbets from the tray, grabbed Aurora by the arm, and dragged her out.
"Ow, watch it! What's the big deal anyway!!" Aurora demanded.
"Something isn't right with Dumbledore. I read that message he had during the slight confusion." Nitrotic looked angry with nobody.
"What IS it?" Aurora asked.
"Dumbledore is sick!"
"Pick up the book, dust the book, put the book on the 'Dusted' table. How could this get any more repetitive?" Nitrotic groaned.
"And if that wasn't bad enough! Peeves keeps coming in and kicking up that damned dust!" Aurora moaned. Peeves came in that second and knocked some dust onto the 'Dusted' table.
"DAMNIT PEEVES!!!!" The pair of them yelled. Peeves was taken aback by this, then grinned and said.
"Heh heh heh! You two are JUST like some other students who used to come to Hogwarts! Who were they.? Ah yes, Ronald and Hermione! LOVEBIRDS!!!" Peeves cackled and kicked up all the dust he could before vanishing through a wall.
"If I knew a good Petrify spell." Nitrotic patted his wand threateningly.
"Maybe we should look through these books for one, I noticed some come from the Restricted Section." Aurora suggested.
"I'd go with that if we didn't have to dust these cursed books!" Nitrotic nevertheless opened the book, and inside were pictures depicting a scene of great pain.
"Hmmm, I'm not too keen on this book." He said, and shut it. Aurora opened the book, gasped. "Told you, disgusting stuff!"
"This is beautiful." Aurora trailed off. Nitrotic made a startled noise and looked at the book. Instead of the pictures that he had seen, a picture of a large ruby was in there. And the picture was glowing, spinning.
"This wasn't here when I looked at it!" Nitrotic protested.
"Uh huh." Aurora said, sounding as though she was just humoring him, and she continued anyway. "Perhaps we could check with somebody else, in case it's one of those magical books. But who, this is from the Restricted Section."
"I know somebody. He'd be fine with it. He's a great guy, brave, loyal, and really big!" Nitrotic grinned.
"Who is it?" Aurora asked.
"Well, it's Hagrid. I help him with his creatures, and he's my best friend. We have Care for Magical Creatures tomorrow, we'll ask him then."
"Yeah. Now, we'll get back to this damned dusting. And if you happen to 'accidentally' find a Petrify spell, don't hold out on me!" Aurora's smile grew to look almost evil.
"You know Aurora, you really do scare me sometimes." Nitrotic told her.
The next day, the two houses of Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw had Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was showing off the latest Wizarding animal mutation, the Ceix. It was a four legged, two-armed creature with crocodile skin and head, but with teeth sharp enough to slice through titanium steel (A Muggle metal), and nails to match. It was originally a desert dweller, but they do adapt quickly. They also didn't attack unless you got too close to them.
"Now, now, be careful Griffith, stay out of range of 'is claws and you'll be fine." Then Hagrid raised his voice to include the whole class. "What you've gotta realize is that the Ceix is a civilized bunch, and they'll 'old a nice conversation 'til you get within attackin' distance. It ain't their fault, jus reflexes." Hagrid then proceeded to demonstrate, by tossing a rock past the Ceix. Once it reached a close enough distance it shattered the rock with one quick swipe of his paw.
"Hagrid, I do wish you wouldn't do that, it's quite undignified." The Ceix pleaded.
"Sorry, Nessoc. It's necessary to demonstrate to the young 'uns what happens, for their own safety." Hagrid apologized.
"Indeed." Nessoc huffed. And it was a fairly eventful class after that, the students were able to ask Nessoc the Ceix about himself, and Hagrid chimed in here and there. After Nessoc started explaining about how he could mate with that reflex, Nitrotic and Aurora slipped over to him.
"'Ullo young 'Urora, and Nitrotic. Why do you insist on going by that name anyway?" Hagrid asked Nitrotic. He blushed.
"Uh, Hagrid, there's a more important question at hand, we want some help with a book we found on detention. I saw a guy in pain, and then Aurora saw a spinning, glowing ruby." Nitrotic withdrew the book in question. "What do you see Hagrid?" Hagrid opened the book, and within it.
"Sweet Mother of Titans." Hagrid marveled. "I've never seen so many new animals! I don't recognize any of them! And there's a tall fellow there who looks as though he's carin' for them! I honestly don't know what to think o this book!" Hagrid shut the book and gave it back to Nitrotic. "Best you put that back where you found it, these sorts of books can be dangerous."
"You got is Hagrid. It kind of gave me the willies anyway" Nitrotic gave the book to Aurora to hold. "Books should stay with the same writing, or pictures. That is my firm belief, and books that don't stay the same freak me out. You hold the blasted thing." Then the book was promptly forgotten when a scream came up from the area around the Ceix, then the cry came from Nessoc. "HAGRID QUICKLY!!! A CHILD HAS BEEN INJURED!" Hagrid got up off his chair and charged towards Nessoc. A boy was on the ground, moaning in pain.
"Ow'd this happen Nessoc?!" Hagrid demanded.
"The boy stumbled!" Nessoc was wringing his hands in concern. He picked up the boy and tossed him to Hagrid. Hagrid quickly dashed to the Hospital Ward, but not before leaving Nitrotic and Aurora in charge. Aurora had an idea.
"Nessoc. Can you help us?" Aurora asked timidly, for a change.
"Certainly, I can try." The Ceix responded.
"Well, we found this book. We were wondering what you saw in it." Aurora opened the book to Nessoc.
"Ah, I see many other Ceix. Gathered around a dead Ceix. Hmm, I don't like this book. It depicts rather nasty things. Take it away." Nessoc ordered. Suddenly Aurora realized that she was within Nessoc's attacking range and quickly jumped out of it. Nessoc laughed a relieved laugh, and his arms, which they just noticed he'd been holding rigid, relaxed again.
"I can hold my reflexes, but it is by no means easy. Any longer and I would have had to push you away, else you'd join your friend in the Hospital Ward." At that moment, Hagrid returned, sweaty and panting.
"He'll be fine, but a little wiser. Says he was pushed." Hagrid told them. "Take the rest of the period off. Aurora, Nitrotic, you two will have to go and see Dumbledore. I told him about the book, and he wants to see the pair of you."
"Aw man, I hope we don't get another detention. We only BORROWED the book, we were going to give it back!" Nitrotic complained.
"Dumbledore's pretty cool, we should be fine." Aurora assured him. Nitrotic didn't look a great deal too reassured. Aurora was clutching the book tightly, while Nitrotic wouldn't even look at it of his own free will.
"Despite Dumbledore's 'Coolness', I somehow doubt we will get out of this one without a bit of trouble." Nitrotic said, his pessimistic streak showing. "One, we borrowed a book we weren't meant to. Two, we distracted Hagrid and got a kid hurt, and Three, I woke up with a pain in my back. And that ALWAYS seems to mean I have a one-day Bad Luck curse cast upon me. This really bites." Nitrotic quit complaining when they reached the gargoyle.
"Dumbledore is expecting you." The gargoyle said, and leapt aside, allowing them access. Inside, Fawkes the phoenix was in full plumage, and was intently peering at a piece of paper Dumbledore was also examining. Then Dumbledore looked up and smiled at the two.
"May I please have that book? It is a very important artifact, and no I will not tell you what it does. It is far too dangerous. It will be hidden where you cannot find it again." Dumbledore took the book when Aurora gave it to him wordlessly, however Nitrotic spoke up.
"Just a sec Dumbledore. I want to know more about that damned book. It scared the bejesus out of me!" Nitrotic demanded.
"This book, is called the Book of Time. With it, one can see the past, the present, or the future, but nobody can distinguish between which it is showing. Nor, if showing the future, is the future shown guaranteed. It is a confusing relic, which is better left hidden. Have I satisfied your Ravenclaw curiosity yet?" Dumbledore sounded almost angry. Nitrotic picked up on it at once.
"Yes sir, sorry sir. I was just a wee bit curious. My does Fawkes look brilliant today!" Nitrotic changed the subject. While the pair of them bantered on, Aurora couldn't stop looking at the Sorting Hat. Finally unable to resist, she picked it up and put it on.
"A problem, Aurora?" The Hat whispered.
"No. Just curious what happens when I put this on after the Ceremony." Aurora whispered.
"Curiosity killed the Cat, Aurora. Take this as a reward for your honesty. There are a lot of people try and get Re-sorted. Pft, like I would be wrong the first time!" A clunk, and something smacked Aurora in the head.
"Ouch!" She complained, and reached under the hat. In it was a ruby, much like the one she had seen in the book.
"Hey." But Aurora was cut off as Dumbledore spoke.
"Have a lemon sherbet from the tray, then would you please leave? I have some work to do." Dumbledore sounded like his normal self.
"Ok, Aurora, we're leaving." Nitrotic grabbed a handful of sherbets from the tray, grabbed Aurora by the arm, and dragged her out.
"Ow, watch it! What's the big deal anyway!!" Aurora demanded.
"Something isn't right with Dumbledore. I read that message he had during the slight confusion." Nitrotic looked angry with nobody.
"What IS it?" Aurora asked.
"Dumbledore is sick!"
