Disclaimer: I only own Hex, Maeve, Peter and the Hufflepuff quidditch team. JK Rowling owns Hogwarts, and everyone else who lives in it. I also own the Tirelessness Potion, but I do not own Gatorade or the name 7-Eleven. Unfogging the Future belongs to Cassandra Vablatsky, while Bathilda Bagshot claims authorship of A History of Magic.
Technical Notes: I'm not much of a pet person, so I don't know how cats behave. I based Norman's behavior on what our dachshund Poopee (I didn't name her!) does when she wants to be let out of the house. So I suppose this chapter is dedicated to Poopee :D
The Agony of Defeat
Maeve grimaced as a few madly screaming Gryffindors helped her back onto her broomstick.
Hex reached her side as the rest of the Gryffindor team raced toward Harry. He kissed her forehead and gave her a hug. "Are you OK?" he asked her quietly.
She looked down at the Snitch in her small palm and nodded.
"Damn. I was hoping you would throw a tantrum again."
Maeve managed a shaky laugh. "Maybe later."
They joined the rest of the Hufflepuff team on the ground and applauded the winners. Up in the stands, Lee was announcing the results of the championship match. "Gryffindor wins the match, 220-110, and the championship; but Hufflepuff Seeker Maeve Moondaughter ends the game with a daring catch in the Gryffindor stands. This has been a marvelous season for everyone, especially for Angelina Johnson, Katie Bell, Fred and George Weasley, Margaret Abbott, and yours truly, as we will all be bidding Hogwarts goodbye at the end of term. It's been a real pleasure, everyone. This is Lee Jordan, signing off."
Hex watched Angelina and Katie cling to each other and sob. The seventh year Gryffindors were all choked up. As he fell in line with the rest of the Hufflepuffs to shake hands with their opponents, he realized he wasn't jealous, angry or frustrated. He was just tired, relieved it was over, and…something else.
He turned to the rest of his teammates. "Is it just me or do you feel kind of satisfied?"
Peggy smiled despite her brimming eyes. All around them, yellow flowers and canary feathers began to fall as the Hufflepuffs showed their appreciation for their house team. "As strange as it sounds, Hex, I do feel satisfied."
"You did wonderfully, Peggy," Samira told the other girl, giving her a hug. "We all did."
They shook hands with the Gryffindor players. "Good game," Hex murmured to each one in turn. When he came to Ron, the two boys grinned at each other. "Great game, Red. You were unbelievable."
"Thanks," Ron said, his face flushed as red as his hair. "You Hufflepuffs put up quite a fight."
"We're going to get you guys next year."
"We'll see about that."
"I'm glad it's over, though."
"I'm not. Now I'll have to concentrate on studying for the O.W.L.s!"
After the handshakes and congratulations, Gryffindor went on to claim the quidditch cup from Dumbledore. Peter and Susan, followed by the rest of the Hufflepuffs, came down from the bleachers to console their house team. "All right, Maeve?" Peter asked as they approached. "That was quite a tumble."
"I'm all right," she said, smiling faintly.
Susan gave Maeve her Golden Horn and a hug. "I'm sorry we didn't win."
"There's nothing to be sorry about," Hex told her. "We gave it our best shot. It was a job well done."
Peter grinned. "And Hufflepuff will be coming back next year."
"Damn right we are."
With the quidditch hype finally all over, it was time to get back to work. The fifth and seventh years were especially pressured as they studied for their upcoming examinations.
The Gryffindors were, understandably, on a high all through the study sessions. Winning the quidditch championship had put them ahead of Slytherin in the race for the House Cup. The Hufflepuffs were disappointed at the loss, but were proud of just to have made it all the way to the finals. With most of the Gryffindor team leaving Hogwarts at the end of term, they were looking forward to the next season. But of course, Hex, Maeve and Robert had to pass their O.W.L.s first.
"I can't think anymore," a Ravenclaw girl complained during another O.W.L. study session, held after classes in the Great Hall.
"The O.W.L.s are in ten days!" Hermione said, opening a very big, very thick book. "We can't stop studying now!"
Hex groaned, leaned his forehead on Intermediate Arithmancy and closed his eyes. "Herm, you are already the O.W.L. Queen, OK? Everyone in this room concedes the title to you."
"Not everyone," Peter chuckled, cocking his head toward where Maeve was nearly invisible behind a book rivaling Hermione's. "Look over there."
"Look over where?" Hex mumbled against his book.
"Open your eyes."
"I don't want to."
"What are you doing, anyway?" Neville asked.
"I'm hoping that if I put my head on the book, the answers will just seep into my brain." Hex heard someone snigger behind him. "Don't knock it 'til you've tried it, bro."
Maeve looked up from her big, thick book. "What's the formula for the Tirelessness Potion?"
"A few drops infusion of aloes," Hex replied before anyone else could say anything, "an ounce of powdered gingerroot for clarity of mind. A few horse hairs, drop of hippogriff blood for stamina. Pinch of ground poppy seeds to feel no pain. Mix until everything is dissolved, add water, boil until opaque silver in color. Drink as necessary." He chuckled. "Or you could just buy a Gatorade at the 7-Eleven."
"Your head is on your Arithmancy book," Terry told him as a wide-eyed Neville plonked facedown onto his Potions textbook.
"So? It doesn't mean I don't know what's in a Tirelessness Potion."
The fifth years went through the next few days with the O.W.L.s hanging over their heads like a twenty-ton anvil. "I don't think I can take much more of this," Ernie said one evening, looking green. He had developed nervous stomachaches from the tension over the O.W.L.s.
"Try to relax your mind," Lavender advised him. "Think about next week, when it'll all be over."
"Next week, we'll all be worrying about whether or not we passed," Seamus said.
"Shut up, Seamus."
Ron snorted impatiently and shut his copy of Unfogging the Future with a final-sounding snap. "Well, I'm done for tonight. If I try to study any more, my head will explode."
"Me, too," Harry said.
Hermione managed to tear herself from her books and looked at her friend with some alarm. "Your scar isn't hurting, is it, Harry?"
The other boy smiled reassuringly. "No. I'm really just tired. I think I'll go to bed."
There was a chorus of good nights as the two Gryffindors left for their dormitory. Seamus, Parvati and Lavender soon followed and little by little, the study group began to break up.
Peter rubbed his forehead. "I think I should be going on up, myself."
"Wait for me," Hex told him, beginning to get his things together. "You coming, Maeve?" he asked her. She, too, had stood and begun to put her books away.
She shook her head. "I need to look up something in the library." Maeve was almost as tense as Hermione over the upcoming O.W.L.s. It looked as if she did want to challenge the other girl for the title of O.W.L. Queen after all.
"Can't it wait? It's almost time for lights-out."
"I have to find it out tonight," she said, "or I won't be able to sleep."
Hex looked at his friend, noting the dark circles under her eyes. "Well, better make it quick. You're starting to look like a zombie."
Maeve made a face at him. "I promise I'll be back before lights-out."
Peter and Hex said their goodbyes before making their way to the Hufflepuff dormitory. As usual, the suit of armor blocked the door by assuming a battle stance and brandishing his ax. "Wirtleweed," Hex said. Given the correct password, the suit of armor put up his ax and let them through.
Almost everyone was already upstairs and the common room was deserted. Hex threw his books and himself onto one of the slouchy couches. "You use the bathroom first, Pete," he told the other boy. "I'll wait and make sure Maeve comes back."
His friend grinned crookedly at him. "Are you hoping for a good night kiss?"
Hex blushed and waved Peter off. "Get lost, Pete."
The big boy chuckled and went on upstairs. He opened his copy of A History of Magic and settled down to study and wait for Maeve to return.
History had never been his best subject, but Hex forced himself to read up on elf treaties and goblin rebellions. A few minutes in, however, the words began to run together. "I'll just rest my eyes a bit," he muttered, leaning his head on a fat velvet cushion.
When he opened his eyes again, the common room was dark save for the dying fire in the grate. Lights-out had come and gone while he slept.
Was Maeve back already? Hex rose to his feet, stretching his cramped muscles and drawing his wand. "Lumos," he whispered, and his wand tip lit up, casting a faint blue light.
With ages of experience from living with Hank, he picked his way silently over to the staircase leading to the girls' dormitory, but stopped at the first step. Checking out the girls' dorm was the easiest way to find out if Maeve had indeed come back, but he didn't want anyone waking up all of a sudden and thinking he was leading a one-man panty raid. (A/N: He's fifteen. I'm sure he knows what a panty raid is.)
Hex chuckled quietly and congratulated himself on being awake enough to think of that. Instead, he pulled the door open and stuck his head in the castle corridor.
Hogwarts late at night was something out of a horror movie, with flickering torches casting eerie shadows on the walls and floors. Standing at attention to one side, gleaming in the torchlight, was the suit of armor that guarded the dormitory entrance. "Uh, excuse me," he said to the armor, feeling stupid for talking to an inanimate object.
The suit of armor, however, turned its helmeted head toward him.
"Uh, did you see Maeve Moondaughter come in here?" Hex asked the armor. "You know, small, pretty girl…long brown hair…?"
The helmet shook from side to side, and Hex's insides went cold.
"Where do you think she could have gone?" Peter whispered, tying the belt of his dressing gown. After consulting the suit of armor, Hex wasted no time in waking him. The big boy had roused immediately.
"She said she was going to the library," Hex whispered back.
"Maybe she fell asleep in there."
"Yeah, maybe."
They ventured out into the corridor and set off for the library, keeping to the shadows to avoid being seen. Hex hoped neither Filch nor Mrs. Norris would see them; or if Mrs. Norris did, that Norman would be nearby to work his magic on the mean, dust-colored she-cat.
Halfway to the library, they saw an eerie silver glow and skidded to a stop. The two boys hid themselves in a small side corridor, trying not to make a sound.
However, as the glow drew nearer, they heard singing. The silvery form of the Fat Friar was gliding down the quiet hallway toward them, singing his usual hymn. Hex jumped out from the small passageway, startling the ghost. "Holy shit!" the jolly specter exclaimed, his eyes going as round as the rest of him.
"Sorry, Friar," Hex said as Peter emerged from their hiding place.
"What are you doing out of bed?" the ghost demanded, putting his hands where his hips used to be.
"We're going to the library," Peter told him. "Maeve didn't come back after lights-out and we're going to take her back to the dormitory before Filch catches her."
"Well, bless you for your loyalty, my sons, but why don't I just go to her myself and you boys go on back to bed? We can't afford to lose any house points, you know."
"Yeah, we know," Hex said, "but what if she needs to be carried or something?"
"Oh, well, I wouldn't be able to do that," the Fat Friar admitted, looking through his misty hands at the two boys. "All right, come along, then."
They advanced stealthily to the library, shushing the Friar once because he started to sing again, and entered the dark room. Hex and Peter lit their wands and began to search the tables and between the shelves.
No Maeve.
"She's not in here!" Hex hissed. His forehead was breaking out into cold sweat and his heart was beginning to pound.
The Fat Friar's round face was filled with concern. "The poor lost lamb. Where could she be?"
"I don't know!"
"Sssshhhh!" Peter whispered. "Don't start yelling or we'll have Filch on our necks. Where else could she have gone?"
"She said she was only going to check something out in the library before going to bed." Hex frowned. "Maybe Malfoy kidnapped her."
"Why would Malfoy kidnap Maeve?"
"God knows — sorry, Friar." The two boys traded worried looks. "This is getting scary."
"I shall check the Slytherin dormitory," the Fat Friar told them. "You return to your dormitory and alert Professor Sprout."
Peter nodded and grabbed Hex's arm. "Yes, Friar. Thank you. Let's go, Hex."
They went back out to the corridor, running now. A few yards from the entrance to the Hufflepuff dormitory, a tiny meow brought them skidding to another stop. Mrs. Norris!
It wasn't Mrs. Norris, however, but Norman. The one-eared cat ran to them and dug his claws into Hex's leg. "What the hell—" he tried to pull the cat off but Norman refused to budge. "Let go, Norman!"
Norman mewed loudly, released Hex and walked a few feet away, his tail high. The cat paused, looked over his shoulder, and mewed again.
"I think he wants us to follow him," Peter said. "Maybe he knows where Maeve is."
Hex watched his friend follow the cat. "Well, you're the animal expert," he said, going after them.
Norman ran toward the western side of the castle. He led them to the side entrances the led to the courtyards, practice fields, and the Forbidden Forest. Hex sickened at the memory of the place. "You don't think the Lestranges found her, did you?"
Peter turned toward him. "They couldn't have. McGonagall said they were caught, remember?"
"She said the woman got caught. No one said anything about the husband."
Norman mewled and scratched at a heavy oaken door.
"Don't do that, Norman. I'll get you a scratching post."
Apparently angry and frustrated, the cat purred so loudly that the sound echoed off the massive stone walls. The two boys froze.
Hex's nerves, already fraught with tension, tightened even more at what Norman had called. He and Peter stood there like lumps as Peeves the poltergeist came floating down the corridor, wearing his wide, annoying grin. "Oooh, ickle kiddies out of bed!" the poltergeist sneered. "Professorhead won't like this."
Peter tried to reason with the ghost. "Peeves, our friend may be in danger and we're going to try to save her, so maybe you could just let us go quietly and—"
"Quiiiietly?" Peeves asked in a sickly sweet voice. "But Peeves doesn't like quiiiietly."
"Well, we need to save our friend! Don't you have even just one ounce of compas—"
"PEEVES DON'T LIKE QUIETLY!" he bellowed. The poltergeist cackled evilly as his voice echoed off the walls as Norman's had earlier. "PEEVES DON'T LIKE NAUGHTY KIDDIES OUT OF BED!"
"Oh, screw you," Hex said, pulling the door open. Norman darted out into the night. "Let's go, Pete."
"What about Peeves?"
"All that yelling is bound to bring someone. Maybe it'll wake Dumbledore or McGonagall. If Maeve's in danger, we'll need their help. She's more important than house points right now."
They lit their wands again and followed Norman out onto the castle grounds. "Any sign of her yet?" Hex panted. The open field was empty.
"Nothing," Peter said, "but Norman looks like he knows where she went."
"I sure hope he does."
They ran past the quidditch pitch and past Hagrid's cabin. There was no time to bang on the door and try to wake the huge man. Hex fought against the cold fear that gripped him as he set foot in the Forbidden Forest once again, forcing himself instead to try and remember every curse he had ever learned.
The close-growing forest made it nearly impossible to see anything. Hex made sure he was close enough to Norman to keep his tail in sight at all times. He was doing a good job of it, too, until he stumbled over a tree root. Peter plowed right into his back and they went sprawling. "Ow! Damn—are you OK?" Hex asked his friend.
"Just fine," the big boy replied, picking himself up. "Sorry about that. Where's Norman?"
"Uh, I think we lost him. What do we—" Just then, Norman's angry meow tore through the night. They flattened themselves against a tree. "What was that?"
"Sssshhh," Peter hissed. They put out their wands and listened, barely breathing, as a rustling in the bushes, coupled with Norman's angry hisses, grew louder and louder. Whoever — or whatever — had him was coming closer.
"What are you doing here, little pussycat?" Argus Filch's voice asked. He sounded like he was high.
Hex frowned. Little pussycat? Since when did Filch sweet-talk any animal besides Mrs. Norris?
Filch emerged from some nearby bushes with Norman in one hand and a torch in the other. "Oh, damn, of all the people to find us," Hex grumbled. Peter poked him in the ribs to shut him up. They were still hidden in the shadows…there was still a chance that Filch wouldn't see them.
But then Norman mewled, causing Filch to stop. The unkempt caretaker turned with agonizing slowness in their direction, gradually covering them in torchlight. "What's this?" he asked in the same vacant voice. "People?"
Hex and Peter looked at each other. For some reason, he didn't seem to recognize them as Hogwarts students even though Hex was still in his school robes. They both tightened their grips on their wands.
Filch continued to look at them blankly for a moment, then a grimace of pure hatred flooded his features. "Kill them."
What the…?
Filch raised his voice. "Intruders! To me, comrades! Intruders!"
"Shit," Hex spat. He pointed his wand at the caretaker. "Fermio mandibula!"
The caretaker's jaws clamped shut, muffling his yells. He clawed at his face, trying to part his lips, but the Lockjaw Curse was too strong.
Nevertheless, the damage had been done. All around them, the forest was alive with rustling sounds as Filch's "comrades" ran to his aid. "Where did all these people come from?" Hex asked as he and Peter stood back to back, waiting for their would-be killers to arrive.
The bushes parted again and, without even stopping to look, Hex zapped the newcomer with a Full Body-bind. He fell over and did much to slow down the ones behind him, but they were coming faster than the two boys could deal with them. Soon they found themselves surrounded.
"Luckily none of them seem to have wands," Hex said as he put the Jelly-legs Curse on two at a time. "Or they're just too out of it to use them."
"They're still slowing us down!" Peter's back and voice were tense with fear. "We have to get Maeve. Do you see her anywhere?"
"No. How are we going to get past all these people?"
The big boy did not reply. Instead, Hex heard a blood-curdling roar and he found himself leaning against something huge, warm and definitely not Peter. It was a bear and it was flinging their attackers around like old socks. Peter was gone.
"Holy crap!" he yelled, backing away from it and almost stumbling into the arms of one of Filch's cronies. "Pete, where are you?"
"Go!" Peter was back. "Find Norman and follow him!" And he turned himself back into a bear.
Hex gaped at his friend for a moment and began cursing their attackers again, bellowing for Norman. The cat jumped on his head, almost scalping him, and then glommed onto the face of an oncoming attacker, disabling him long enough to let Hex past.
Over Peter's terrible roars, Hex could hear Norman purring urgently. He took one last look at his other furry friend, wading in zoned-out attackers, and began to run after his cat.
Concluding Remarks: Oooh! Suspense! I've only got a couple more chapters after this one; so yes, the showdown is coming.
And yes, Peter Brandegoris is an Animagus. He told me didn't want to be one, but I thought he deserved some distinction for being such a good friend. :D I admit that it's really sudden but I wanted him to be special in some way, so I hope you'll bear with me.
