Notes: I can't believe it. Can you believe it? No … I didn't think
so. But it's true! I've made it to chapter nine! *sound of crickets
chirping ensues* … … *sighs* all right, all right, I get it. Er, anyway,
enjoy!
Oh, and please to note: I'm not going to upload the next chapter until I get at least 55-60 reviews. I think that's a fair number in exchange for nine/ten chapters, considering the work I've put into it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chapter Nine – Through the Wall
"What are we going to do? We can't hear anything they're saying because of those stupid Silencing spells -- "
"Lee Jordan!" cried Hermione, "You didn't!"
"We did," the twins confirmed. They did not look happy at all with themselves.
"There's no time for those sort of accusations," Seamus said, heatedly. "Ron and Jillian are in there, alone from what I can gather, and while I've not doubt normally they wouldn't mind being alone, there's still the Feast tonight, and they've nothing to eat or drink in there."
"And what do you propose?" asked Hermione, still annoyed at Lee and the twins.
"We've got to find Dumbledore, Flitwick, Snape, and McGonagall. They're the only professors who'd know how to get the entrance open in the least amount of time. Now listen, Neville and Hermione, go find McGonagall. Dennis, Collin and Hotaru, you find Flitwick. Lee, you, Dean and meself are off to find the dear Headmaster. -- "
"Oh, no. Oh, no!" Fred interrupted, "I know what you're going to do, and I tell you right now, I won't have it."
Seamus' eyes flashed angrily and he drew himself to his full height, which was nearly as tall as Fred considering a growth spurt from over the summer. Harry didn't really spend much time to speculate, but he was sure that Seamus must have looked rather frightening considering Fred shrank away from him.
"Now listen, Weasley," the Irish boy started, "Your brother is stuck in there, with little food and no water or any contraband, seeing as we used that up this morning. Their only chance would be to fly down, but who knows if they're going to think of that? Not only that, but if we don't figure out another way in, *we're* all going to be stuck out *here*. Do you want that? Do you not want access to your clothes, pranks, and hot showers after Quidditch practices? Now suck it up, princess, and go find Snape. Harry and George, go with him, because I know you don't want to be left out. Is that clear?"
Harry and George nodded dumbly, having never had seen this side of Seamus before. Their friend had even pulled out his wand and had been shaking the point at Fred like one of their teachers giving a lecture. Had it been any different situation, the entire group would have been rolling on the floor laughing. The Irish boy nodded smugly and pocketed his wand.
"Right then! Off to it."
They found Professor Snape having a staring contest with a big, black dog. Harry snickered quietly, which cause Fred and George to give him funny looks, which he waved off. Snape, apparently, didn't notice them, because he didn't turn to look at them until he lost his staring contest with the dog. That caused the twins to snicker, but they quickly swallowed it as they came face to face with one of their least favorite people.
"Mr. Potter," said Snape, coolly, "and Mssrs. Weasley. To what do I owe the ... pleasure of your sudden visit?"
Harry and the Weasley twins shifted uncomfortably and looked at each other before looking down at the dungeon floor. The Potions Master sneered down at the tops of their heads. Harry glanced at the dog, who wagged his tail, looking highly amused.
"Well?" he hissed.
"It's ... it's the Common Room, Professor," said Harry, "We can't find it."
The dog's ears perked up and he gave a half-whine, as in disappointment or anticipation. The Potions Master growled down at the dog before turning back to the Gryffindor boys in front of him.
"You can't *find* your own Common Room?" Snape asked. He settled back in his chair and gave them a chilling smile. "Oh my ... this will not be good for your reputation as being halfway intelligent, will it?"
"No, I don't suppose it will," Fred jumped in, "At the same time, however, it's not because we've forgotten where it is. The Fat Lady is gone."
"And why are you telling *me* this?" the black haired man sneered once again, "I have no interest in your problems."
"Well," said George, "we've made teams to find the other professors. They decided that we were going to have to ask you, whether it cost us our heads or not."
"Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley. Never speak to me like that again."
"Sorry. Look, Professor, it's not for us that we're worried. ... Ron and Jillian are *inside* the Common Room, and now they can't get out. I know you may not care -- "
"Shut up. Now you're wasting time," Snape called over his shoulder. He was already moving from his desk to the door of the classroom. He rummaged through some of the various bottles on a shelf before finding one and turning back to the young Gryffindors. "Well?" he snapped. "Don't just stand there. Have you told the Headmaster? How long have they been in there for and is there anything for them to eat and drink in there?"
Harry and the Twins looked at each other, surprised. The withering look that the Potions Master was giving them helped them back into action by not allowing them time to really wonder why he was remotely concerned, but they couldn't help it. Finally their brains focused back on the problem at hand, and they resolved to make theories about the "worried" Snape later. The dog came up to Harry, rubbing against his leg.
"Hey, Snuffles," Harry said, quietly. Then louder and not without a hint of annoyance he said, "Yes, of course we've sent people to find Headmaster Dumbledore."
"There're Chocolate Frogs and Sugar Quills, that sort of thing," said George, trying to remember all the presents. "I'm fairly certain that there's nothing to drink though."
"They've been in there for two hours now. At least Jillie has." Harry added, now absently petting Snuffles.
"Good. No chance of them being dead yet. I presume at least Miss Potter is at least smart enough not to eat anything with sugar in it?"
Harry nodded confidant that his sister was that street smart and Snuffles growled at the insinuation. Snape simply sneered at the dog and turned, his robes billowing behind him as he headed down the corridor.
"Well then? Catch up."
Ami and Rei were bored. Very bored. There was really nothing to do in a castle if you had no Invisibility Cloak or a map that showed every single secret passage in the said castle like Makoto did. Especially not during the winter. The two had even resorted to studying for exams, despite the fact that Ami already knew every answer thanks to her photographic memory and high I.Q.. That was after Rei had done several fire readings about Makoto's bracelet and had come up with nothing but the image of a lion every time.
"Ne ne, Ami-chan?" Rei asked.
Ami picked her head up from her large book, where her nose had been buried for about twenty minutes.
"Hai, Rei-chan?"
"Do you think that Mako-chan will change?"
"Nani?" Ami raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What do you mean? Of course she won't change, she's our Mako-chan."
"But she's also Jillian," Rei rejoined, standing up to pace, "She's Harry's Jillian, Ron's Jillian, Hermione's Jillian ... this whole stupid school's damned Jillian Potter."
Now Ami looked mildly scandalized by Rei's language, and genuinely surprised at her friend's vehemence. The miko laughed shortly and flopped back into her position on the lush carpet of the first year Ravenclaw dorm. Nearly all of the students in their year had gone home for the holidays, and those who hadn't were either in the Common Room or were with friends elsewhere. It didn't really matter to them because neither had made wonderful friends with the others yet anyway. Rei sighed moodily and stared out the window, chin propped in her palm.
"I know that this is Jillian's first chance to get to know what's left of her family ... but I don't want to lose Mako-chan to them. Do you know what I mean?"
"Un," Ami nodded affirmative and closed her book. "Yes, I know what you mean. She's always been something of an older sister to us, and I don't want to lose that either. But somehow ... I don't think we have to worry about that. Mako-chan isn't the kind of person who will just turn her back on us because she's found someone new."
Rei sighed heavily. "Wakatta yo! But I can't help but worry about her anyway. Something's not right. And I don't mean that bracelet of hers, either."
Ami's face darkened slightly at the mention of the bracelet that Makoto refused to take off. Every time the bracelet became "cold", something always happened. The last time they'd nearly been squashed by a suit of armor that decided to jump off its perch, and they had nearly gotten a detention for it, too. The time that she'd seen the bracelet glow red Makoto had fallen off her broomstick.
"Ami-chan? ... Ami-chan!" Rei called, waving her hand in front of Ami's face.
The blue haired girl snapped out of her trance, blinking, and smiled sheepishly. She caught hold of Rei's hand to stop it and picked up her book again.
"Gomen, Rei-chan. I was just thinking."
"You're going to give yourself a headache!" the miko grinned, "Come on! Let's do some exploring! We've never done anything against the rules, so there's no reason for any teacher to stop us."
"Demo ... "
"Iie! Ikuyo! You're bored, I'm bored, it's a match made in heaven ... besides ... I'll bet you we see that cutie you've been eyeing."
"I haven't been eyeing anyone!" Ami protested, blushing.
"Oh?" Rei teased, "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I've seen you look his way. And he's looked back."
"His name is Access Silverlake, and I have not been eyeing him!"
Unknowingly, Ami was following Rei into the halls of their Common Room and right out into the corridors of the castle in order to keep protesting her case.
"Then why do you know his name?"
"Because ... "
Rei laughed and was about to tease her friend some more, but she saw something that made her stop short, Ami jerking to a stop roughly behind her.
"Nande k'so?!" she cried.
"Nani? ... Kamisama!" Ami gasped and nearly panicked before her logical side took over. "Rei, go find someone, the first professor you find. I'll make sure he's all right. Find Madam Pomfrey!"
The miko stared at the prone and pale form of the boy on the floor in horror a second more, then turned and ran as fast as she could in her robes. Ami watched her go for just a second more and quickly moved to help the boy, whom she soon identified to be Jacob Brhamson. After a very rough check-up, she breathed a sigh of semi-relief because he was just unconscious.
"Miss Mizuno!"
Ami looked up to see Professor Sinistra running down the corridor, Rei in tow. She stood up gratefully and waved to them, trying to convey her urgency. When the professor and Rei reached her, Sinistra immediately bent down over Brhamson, frowning. Ami and Rei moved out of the way.
"This is the second one ... " Sinistra muttered.
"Eto ... sumimasen ... sensei?" Ami asked. The professor nodded absently to her and she plowed on. "What do you mean by the second one?"
"Hmm? Oh! ... Madam Pomfrey is in the Hospital Wing with one of the Martin children. I believe it's Troy. I'll bring Jacob upstairs now, you should go and get something to eat, all right?"
The two girls nodded, not knowing what else to do. Sinistra smiled at them as gently as possible and stood muttering, "Mobilicorpus". Brhamson's body levitated itself upwards and remained on his back as if sleeping. Ami and Rei stared in a sort of morbid fascination as the professor gently "floated" Brhamson down the corridors that led to the Hospital Wing until they turned a corner. Then they shook themselves out of their shock and wandered down to the Great Hall.
"Mizuno-san? Hino-san? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen something terrible." asked a kindly voice.
They looked up to see Professor Lupin smiling down at them, and a very impatient black dog right next to him. The dog almost seemed to be pushing Lupin out the door as if he was trying to impress a sense of urgency into the man. That Lupin already seemed distracted was apparently not of any excuse to the dog.
"No, no ... it's nothing. We just saw Jacob Brhamson in the hall and he ... he was unconscious. We don't know what happened to him but Sinistra- sensei took him up to see Madam Pomfrey," Rei explained.
"Ah," said Lupin, once again being nudged by the dog, "I do hope he's all right ... yes, yes, Snuffles. Calm yourself, please. We're going for a walk right now. I'm sorry, but you'll have to excuse me."
Ami giggled and nodded. She and Rei quickly moved out of his way and allowed them to rush past, watching them as they disappeared down the long corridor. Suddenly Rei looked to where they were going and down the other way.
"Hey ... isn't the exit the other way?"
"Has anyone had any contact with them?" asked Lupin as he joined the group of students and teachers.
"You talk as if they've been in there for hours on end," Snape hissed.
The dog became a man in a flash. McGonagall gave a gasp and stumbled back, her hand over her heart. Quickly composing herself, she adopted a stern stance and glared at the young man who stood before her.
"Sirius Black!" she admonished, sounding very motherly, "Now really, I expect better behavior from you while you're in this school! I'll have none of your old tricks!"
Fred, George, and Lee looked at each other in amazement, than at Harry, who was snickering slightly. They looked back at each other and made mental notes to pry all the information out of him later. They did not need to do this however, because McGonagall turned to them, still chiding, but with a small smile on her face.
"Don't you get any ideas from this, young men, because I'll have none of *his* old tricks being performed by you, either. You're going to graduate, and know that you've never reached his level of intolerance, and so help me I'll have a few years of peace before I retire."
"So I *am* still the master!" Sirius grinned, all but crowing.
Professor McGonagall sighed, "Yes. Thank Merlin for small miracles, but you are still unmatched in your pranks. You see, *they* don't have James to help."
"James?" asked Fred, speaking for the first time. "You mean, "James" as in "James Potter"? As in Harry's father!"
Sirius grinned down at them and shrugged. Lupin snickered behind his hand and tried to look innocent, but McGonagall swiftly turned to him.
"Don't play innocent with me, young man. You had your share of detentions as well."
George, Fred, and Lee turned to their professor with awe in their eyes. Lupin sighed and Sirius cackled with glee. Snape, who had been turning red while working with Professor Dumbledore, finally lost all semblance of patience and whirled on Sirius. Professor Lupin and McGonagall quietly moved to Dumbledore to help him, cheery moods swapped completely for serious ones, while the Gryffindor students watched the confrontation between the old rivals.
"I will not stand for you standing about here while I do all the work to solve your problem," he hissed, very lowly so the other professors wouldn't hear him. "Now do something."
"And what do you propose I do?" the younger man hissed back. "I have no wand and *you* wouldn't let me near any of your precious potions even if I tried to help. I know I'm not much use, but it isn't entirely my fault, now, is it?"
Instead of replying Snape settled for sneering at Sirius and turned back to his work with the other professors. Sirius sighed and moved back against the opposite wall, so as not to get in their way, and Harry went immediately to sit by him. Sirius placed a comforting hand on the boy's head but kept looking at the wall in front of him.
"They'll be fine," he said tiredly.
Harry nodded absently and shot a concerned glance at his godfather. Yes, I know they will. Jillie and Ron are smart. It's the paintings I'm worried about.
"Can anything be done in the immediate time frame?" asked Dumbledore lowly, looking at McGonagall.
"I can't transfigure the wall into a door," she said with a shake of her head. "The walls are protected against that sort of thing."
"The potion won't work unless we have the exact place of the Fat Lady's portrait. I can't imagine how the bastard got a wall in its place."
"Severus!" McGonagall hissed. "Language!"
Harry chuckled softly, and by the shaking of shoulders all around, he knew the others were to. He imagined Ron would be rolling on the floor if he had heard Professor Snape being told off by Professor McGonagall. He thought Jillian would, too, but he realized there was a lot he didn't know about his sister.
"Who could have done this?" McGonagall asked, watching Dumbledore and Snape try some different spells and potions.
"Vol- " started Lupin, but stopped quickly by her pained look. "Well, you-know-who is our prime suspect. We'll have to talk to Fudge about getting some better protection around here. And I *don't* mean Dementors."
"Thank Merlin for small mercies," McGonagall sighed, sounding as close to sarcasim as she ever would.
"Maybe we could get Percy to come in place of Mr. Fudge," said George. "He's more open to reason ... when he's not acting like a love- sick puppy."
Harry grinned and the others laughed loudly. Snape made an irritated noise that sounded suspiciously like covered-up laughter. Even Dumbledore was smiling.
"Your idea has merit. Perhaps if we could get him here alone he would see reason, and then help us, ah, bully Mr. Fudge into seeing ... er ... shall we call it, reality?" the headmaster said cheerfully. "Oh, I've an idea!"
He pointed his wand at the wall and muttered something that the others couldn't hear. The entire wall lit up with a brilliant reddish-gold between the cracks of the stones. The light soon congregated into a rectangle shaped, and became a door, which Dumbledore seized the handle of and flung open. There was no one inside that they could see, and the passage soon became crowded with people trying to get in. Only Snape walked hurriedly away.
~Owari, chapter nine~
And so things start to heat up! … All right, so maybe they don't. But still, I can always pretend! I know the chapter title is lame, and the chapter doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it will all be made better and explained in time. Ja matta ne!
Oh yes, and now for Japanese!: There is none that I haven't used before. Except perhaps "Nande k'so", which basically means, "What the %&*#". Aren't you so proud of me?
Oh, and please to note: I'm not going to upload the next chapter until I get at least 55-60 reviews. I think that's a fair number in exchange for nine/ten chapters, considering the work I've put into it.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Chapter Nine – Through the Wall
"What are we going to do? We can't hear anything they're saying because of those stupid Silencing spells -- "
"Lee Jordan!" cried Hermione, "You didn't!"
"We did," the twins confirmed. They did not look happy at all with themselves.
"There's no time for those sort of accusations," Seamus said, heatedly. "Ron and Jillian are in there, alone from what I can gather, and while I've not doubt normally they wouldn't mind being alone, there's still the Feast tonight, and they've nothing to eat or drink in there."
"And what do you propose?" asked Hermione, still annoyed at Lee and the twins.
"We've got to find Dumbledore, Flitwick, Snape, and McGonagall. They're the only professors who'd know how to get the entrance open in the least amount of time. Now listen, Neville and Hermione, go find McGonagall. Dennis, Collin and Hotaru, you find Flitwick. Lee, you, Dean and meself are off to find the dear Headmaster. -- "
"Oh, no. Oh, no!" Fred interrupted, "I know what you're going to do, and I tell you right now, I won't have it."
Seamus' eyes flashed angrily and he drew himself to his full height, which was nearly as tall as Fred considering a growth spurt from over the summer. Harry didn't really spend much time to speculate, but he was sure that Seamus must have looked rather frightening considering Fred shrank away from him.
"Now listen, Weasley," the Irish boy started, "Your brother is stuck in there, with little food and no water or any contraband, seeing as we used that up this morning. Their only chance would be to fly down, but who knows if they're going to think of that? Not only that, but if we don't figure out another way in, *we're* all going to be stuck out *here*. Do you want that? Do you not want access to your clothes, pranks, and hot showers after Quidditch practices? Now suck it up, princess, and go find Snape. Harry and George, go with him, because I know you don't want to be left out. Is that clear?"
Harry and George nodded dumbly, having never had seen this side of Seamus before. Their friend had even pulled out his wand and had been shaking the point at Fred like one of their teachers giving a lecture. Had it been any different situation, the entire group would have been rolling on the floor laughing. The Irish boy nodded smugly and pocketed his wand.
"Right then! Off to it."
They found Professor Snape having a staring contest with a big, black dog. Harry snickered quietly, which cause Fred and George to give him funny looks, which he waved off. Snape, apparently, didn't notice them, because he didn't turn to look at them until he lost his staring contest with the dog. That caused the twins to snicker, but they quickly swallowed it as they came face to face with one of their least favorite people.
"Mr. Potter," said Snape, coolly, "and Mssrs. Weasley. To what do I owe the ... pleasure of your sudden visit?"
Harry and the Weasley twins shifted uncomfortably and looked at each other before looking down at the dungeon floor. The Potions Master sneered down at the tops of their heads. Harry glanced at the dog, who wagged his tail, looking highly amused.
"Well?" he hissed.
"It's ... it's the Common Room, Professor," said Harry, "We can't find it."
The dog's ears perked up and he gave a half-whine, as in disappointment or anticipation. The Potions Master growled down at the dog before turning back to the Gryffindor boys in front of him.
"You can't *find* your own Common Room?" Snape asked. He settled back in his chair and gave them a chilling smile. "Oh my ... this will not be good for your reputation as being halfway intelligent, will it?"
"No, I don't suppose it will," Fred jumped in, "At the same time, however, it's not because we've forgotten where it is. The Fat Lady is gone."
"And why are you telling *me* this?" the black haired man sneered once again, "I have no interest in your problems."
"Well," said George, "we've made teams to find the other professors. They decided that we were going to have to ask you, whether it cost us our heads or not."
"Five points from Gryffindor, Weasley. Never speak to me like that again."
"Sorry. Look, Professor, it's not for us that we're worried. ... Ron and Jillian are *inside* the Common Room, and now they can't get out. I know you may not care -- "
"Shut up. Now you're wasting time," Snape called over his shoulder. He was already moving from his desk to the door of the classroom. He rummaged through some of the various bottles on a shelf before finding one and turning back to the young Gryffindors. "Well?" he snapped. "Don't just stand there. Have you told the Headmaster? How long have they been in there for and is there anything for them to eat and drink in there?"
Harry and the Twins looked at each other, surprised. The withering look that the Potions Master was giving them helped them back into action by not allowing them time to really wonder why he was remotely concerned, but they couldn't help it. Finally their brains focused back on the problem at hand, and they resolved to make theories about the "worried" Snape later. The dog came up to Harry, rubbing against his leg.
"Hey, Snuffles," Harry said, quietly. Then louder and not without a hint of annoyance he said, "Yes, of course we've sent people to find Headmaster Dumbledore."
"There're Chocolate Frogs and Sugar Quills, that sort of thing," said George, trying to remember all the presents. "I'm fairly certain that there's nothing to drink though."
"They've been in there for two hours now. At least Jillie has." Harry added, now absently petting Snuffles.
"Good. No chance of them being dead yet. I presume at least Miss Potter is at least smart enough not to eat anything with sugar in it?"
Harry nodded confidant that his sister was that street smart and Snuffles growled at the insinuation. Snape simply sneered at the dog and turned, his robes billowing behind him as he headed down the corridor.
"Well then? Catch up."
Ami and Rei were bored. Very bored. There was really nothing to do in a castle if you had no Invisibility Cloak or a map that showed every single secret passage in the said castle like Makoto did. Especially not during the winter. The two had even resorted to studying for exams, despite the fact that Ami already knew every answer thanks to her photographic memory and high I.Q.. That was after Rei had done several fire readings about Makoto's bracelet and had come up with nothing but the image of a lion every time.
"Ne ne, Ami-chan?" Rei asked.
Ami picked her head up from her large book, where her nose had been buried for about twenty minutes.
"Hai, Rei-chan?"
"Do you think that Mako-chan will change?"
"Nani?" Ami raised an eyebrow in surprise, "What do you mean? Of course she won't change, she's our Mako-chan."
"But she's also Jillian," Rei rejoined, standing up to pace, "She's Harry's Jillian, Ron's Jillian, Hermione's Jillian ... this whole stupid school's damned Jillian Potter."
Now Ami looked mildly scandalized by Rei's language, and genuinely surprised at her friend's vehemence. The miko laughed shortly and flopped back into her position on the lush carpet of the first year Ravenclaw dorm. Nearly all of the students in their year had gone home for the holidays, and those who hadn't were either in the Common Room or were with friends elsewhere. It didn't really matter to them because neither had made wonderful friends with the others yet anyway. Rei sighed moodily and stared out the window, chin propped in her palm.
"I know that this is Jillian's first chance to get to know what's left of her family ... but I don't want to lose Mako-chan to them. Do you know what I mean?"
"Un," Ami nodded affirmative and closed her book. "Yes, I know what you mean. She's always been something of an older sister to us, and I don't want to lose that either. But somehow ... I don't think we have to worry about that. Mako-chan isn't the kind of person who will just turn her back on us because she's found someone new."
Rei sighed heavily. "Wakatta yo! But I can't help but worry about her anyway. Something's not right. And I don't mean that bracelet of hers, either."
Ami's face darkened slightly at the mention of the bracelet that Makoto refused to take off. Every time the bracelet became "cold", something always happened. The last time they'd nearly been squashed by a suit of armor that decided to jump off its perch, and they had nearly gotten a detention for it, too. The time that she'd seen the bracelet glow red Makoto had fallen off her broomstick.
"Ami-chan? ... Ami-chan!" Rei called, waving her hand in front of Ami's face.
The blue haired girl snapped out of her trance, blinking, and smiled sheepishly. She caught hold of Rei's hand to stop it and picked up her book again.
"Gomen, Rei-chan. I was just thinking."
"You're going to give yourself a headache!" the miko grinned, "Come on! Let's do some exploring! We've never done anything against the rules, so there's no reason for any teacher to stop us."
"Demo ... "
"Iie! Ikuyo! You're bored, I'm bored, it's a match made in heaven ... besides ... I'll bet you we see that cutie you've been eyeing."
"I haven't been eyeing anyone!" Ami protested, blushing.
"Oh?" Rei teased, "Are you sure? Because I'm pretty sure I've seen you look his way. And he's looked back."
"His name is Access Silverlake, and I have not been eyeing him!"
Unknowingly, Ami was following Rei into the halls of their Common Room and right out into the corridors of the castle in order to keep protesting her case.
"Then why do you know his name?"
"Because ... "
Rei laughed and was about to tease her friend some more, but she saw something that made her stop short, Ami jerking to a stop roughly behind her.
"Nande k'so?!" she cried.
"Nani? ... Kamisama!" Ami gasped and nearly panicked before her logical side took over. "Rei, go find someone, the first professor you find. I'll make sure he's all right. Find Madam Pomfrey!"
The miko stared at the prone and pale form of the boy on the floor in horror a second more, then turned and ran as fast as she could in her robes. Ami watched her go for just a second more and quickly moved to help the boy, whom she soon identified to be Jacob Brhamson. After a very rough check-up, she breathed a sigh of semi-relief because he was just unconscious.
"Miss Mizuno!"
Ami looked up to see Professor Sinistra running down the corridor, Rei in tow. She stood up gratefully and waved to them, trying to convey her urgency. When the professor and Rei reached her, Sinistra immediately bent down over Brhamson, frowning. Ami and Rei moved out of the way.
"This is the second one ... " Sinistra muttered.
"Eto ... sumimasen ... sensei?" Ami asked. The professor nodded absently to her and she plowed on. "What do you mean by the second one?"
"Hmm? Oh! ... Madam Pomfrey is in the Hospital Wing with one of the Martin children. I believe it's Troy. I'll bring Jacob upstairs now, you should go and get something to eat, all right?"
The two girls nodded, not knowing what else to do. Sinistra smiled at them as gently as possible and stood muttering, "Mobilicorpus". Brhamson's body levitated itself upwards and remained on his back as if sleeping. Ami and Rei stared in a sort of morbid fascination as the professor gently "floated" Brhamson down the corridors that led to the Hospital Wing until they turned a corner. Then they shook themselves out of their shock and wandered down to the Great Hall.
"Mizuno-san? Hino-san? Is something wrong? You look like you've seen something terrible." asked a kindly voice.
They looked up to see Professor Lupin smiling down at them, and a very impatient black dog right next to him. The dog almost seemed to be pushing Lupin out the door as if he was trying to impress a sense of urgency into the man. That Lupin already seemed distracted was apparently not of any excuse to the dog.
"No, no ... it's nothing. We just saw Jacob Brhamson in the hall and he ... he was unconscious. We don't know what happened to him but Sinistra- sensei took him up to see Madam Pomfrey," Rei explained.
"Ah," said Lupin, once again being nudged by the dog, "I do hope he's all right ... yes, yes, Snuffles. Calm yourself, please. We're going for a walk right now. I'm sorry, but you'll have to excuse me."
Ami giggled and nodded. She and Rei quickly moved out of his way and allowed them to rush past, watching them as they disappeared down the long corridor. Suddenly Rei looked to where they were going and down the other way.
"Hey ... isn't the exit the other way?"
"Has anyone had any contact with them?" asked Lupin as he joined the group of students and teachers.
"You talk as if they've been in there for hours on end," Snape hissed.
The dog became a man in a flash. McGonagall gave a gasp and stumbled back, her hand over her heart. Quickly composing herself, she adopted a stern stance and glared at the young man who stood before her.
"Sirius Black!" she admonished, sounding very motherly, "Now really, I expect better behavior from you while you're in this school! I'll have none of your old tricks!"
Fred, George, and Lee looked at each other in amazement, than at Harry, who was snickering slightly. They looked back at each other and made mental notes to pry all the information out of him later. They did not need to do this however, because McGonagall turned to them, still chiding, but with a small smile on her face.
"Don't you get any ideas from this, young men, because I'll have none of *his* old tricks being performed by you, either. You're going to graduate, and know that you've never reached his level of intolerance, and so help me I'll have a few years of peace before I retire."
"So I *am* still the master!" Sirius grinned, all but crowing.
Professor McGonagall sighed, "Yes. Thank Merlin for small miracles, but you are still unmatched in your pranks. You see, *they* don't have James to help."
"James?" asked Fred, speaking for the first time. "You mean, "James" as in "James Potter"? As in Harry's father!"
Sirius grinned down at them and shrugged. Lupin snickered behind his hand and tried to look innocent, but McGonagall swiftly turned to him.
"Don't play innocent with me, young man. You had your share of detentions as well."
George, Fred, and Lee turned to their professor with awe in their eyes. Lupin sighed and Sirius cackled with glee. Snape, who had been turning red while working with Professor Dumbledore, finally lost all semblance of patience and whirled on Sirius. Professor Lupin and McGonagall quietly moved to Dumbledore to help him, cheery moods swapped completely for serious ones, while the Gryffindor students watched the confrontation between the old rivals.
"I will not stand for you standing about here while I do all the work to solve your problem," he hissed, very lowly so the other professors wouldn't hear him. "Now do something."
"And what do you propose I do?" the younger man hissed back. "I have no wand and *you* wouldn't let me near any of your precious potions even if I tried to help. I know I'm not much use, but it isn't entirely my fault, now, is it?"
Instead of replying Snape settled for sneering at Sirius and turned back to his work with the other professors. Sirius sighed and moved back against the opposite wall, so as not to get in their way, and Harry went immediately to sit by him. Sirius placed a comforting hand on the boy's head but kept looking at the wall in front of him.
"They'll be fine," he said tiredly.
Harry nodded absently and shot a concerned glance at his godfather. Yes, I know they will. Jillie and Ron are smart. It's the paintings I'm worried about.
"Can anything be done in the immediate time frame?" asked Dumbledore lowly, looking at McGonagall.
"I can't transfigure the wall into a door," she said with a shake of her head. "The walls are protected against that sort of thing."
"The potion won't work unless we have the exact place of the Fat Lady's portrait. I can't imagine how the bastard got a wall in its place."
"Severus!" McGonagall hissed. "Language!"
Harry chuckled softly, and by the shaking of shoulders all around, he knew the others were to. He imagined Ron would be rolling on the floor if he had heard Professor Snape being told off by Professor McGonagall. He thought Jillian would, too, but he realized there was a lot he didn't know about his sister.
"Who could have done this?" McGonagall asked, watching Dumbledore and Snape try some different spells and potions.
"Vol- " started Lupin, but stopped quickly by her pained look. "Well, you-know-who is our prime suspect. We'll have to talk to Fudge about getting some better protection around here. And I *don't* mean Dementors."
"Thank Merlin for small mercies," McGonagall sighed, sounding as close to sarcasim as she ever would.
"Maybe we could get Percy to come in place of Mr. Fudge," said George. "He's more open to reason ... when he's not acting like a love- sick puppy."
Harry grinned and the others laughed loudly. Snape made an irritated noise that sounded suspiciously like covered-up laughter. Even Dumbledore was smiling.
"Your idea has merit. Perhaps if we could get him here alone he would see reason, and then help us, ah, bully Mr. Fudge into seeing ... er ... shall we call it, reality?" the headmaster said cheerfully. "Oh, I've an idea!"
He pointed his wand at the wall and muttered something that the others couldn't hear. The entire wall lit up with a brilliant reddish-gold between the cracks of the stones. The light soon congregated into a rectangle shaped, and became a door, which Dumbledore seized the handle of and flung open. There was no one inside that they could see, and the passage soon became crowded with people trying to get in. Only Snape walked hurriedly away.
~Owari, chapter nine~
And so things start to heat up! … All right, so maybe they don't. But still, I can always pretend! I know the chapter title is lame, and the chapter doesn't make a whole lot of sense, but it will all be made better and explained in time. Ja matta ne!
Oh yes, and now for Japanese!: There is none that I haven't used before. Except perhaps "Nande k'so", which basically means, "What the %&*#". Aren't you so proud of me?