Evil Still Blooms: Slytherin's Story
Chapter 6: Cloak on the Spy
Friday nights in the Gryffindor common room tended to be very quiet and still. Tired from a week of writing essays and practicing spells and potions, most Gryffindor students went almost straight to bed. However, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were always an exception. Tonight, Harry and Ron were playing wizard's chess while Hermione sat in an armchair, looking through the flower book that she had checked out from the library. But Hermione kept looking back at the page about pansies. Sometimes, if she looked hard enough, she could almost see Pansy's face within the flower. Other times, there were strange noises in the back of her head as she gazed at the drawing. Laughter. more often, crying.
Hermione slammed the book shut and said, "Harry, could I borrow your invisibility cloak for a bit?"
Harry frowned. "What for?"
Ron snickered. "I've seen her glancing at that Ravenclaw prefect. probably planning to meet him at the baths-"
"Oh, shut up," grumbled Hermione. "Of course that's not the reason. I can't tell you what it actually is, but it's very important."
"Alright, then, but make sure that you take good care of it, and don't get caught!"
Hermione beamed and got up from her chair. "Thank you so much, Harry! I promise you that it's for something good, something very, very, serious; I won't fool around with it at all."
Harry shrugged, and then went to fetch the invisibility cloak.
An hour later, Hermione was under Harry's cloak in the Great Hall, thinking about where to begin her search for clues. She truly had no idea how to start. She hadn't spoken with Pansy since her visit in the hospital wing; why, she did not really know. Pansy could possibly be avoiding her, yet on the other hand, Hermione herself was surely at fault as well. Since Hermione's realization that Pansy could be The Bloomist, Hermione felt almost fearful whenever she was present. To think that Pansy could have so much power was frightening.
What was that noise? There were voices nearby. Hermione tiptoed behind the staircase, so that she would be less likely to be bumped into.
".Voldemort. castle. early. save time. told Dumbledore. no need to worry. carriage is out front, it will take us directly there."
The words became easier to hear as Pansy and Snape came down from the upper level. Hermione watched and listened with amazement, letting her jaw drop. Why hadn't she guessed that Snape was involved in this whole thing before?!
Snape headed for the door leading outside, but Pansy grabbed the back of his robe to hold him back. "Wait," she gasped. When Snape faced her, Pansy looked away. ".I don't think I can do this," she whispered.
"You can," Snape encouraged her. "I know you can do this. Remember all I have told you. and remember that I will always be there for you." He held Pansy tightly and kissed her hard.
Hermione was so shocked that she nearly lost her balance. She became even more astonished when she saw Pansy reach to untie Snape's robes.
But to Hermione's temporary relief, Snape pushed her away and shook his head. "Not now. later." and with a sly smile, he linked arms with her, and together they walked to the Great Hall doors.
Hermione quickly ducked her head inside the cloak. She had everything she needed, right? Her wand, the flower book, and another book called "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts." That would have to be it. There was no time to go back to get anything else.
She hurried after Pansy and Snape, barely managing to slip through the door before Snape closed it. She followed them until they reached a fancy silver carriage. Hermione had never seen anything quite like it. Intricate designs of snakes and vines had been carved into the metal, and the inside of the carriage was furnished with luxurious scarlet cushions fit for royalty. As much as she would have liked to sneak inside, Hermione decided that it would be much safer to ride outside on the top. She made sure that the invisibility cloak completely covered her, and climbed up to the roof of the carriage. Moments later, the carriage sped away from Hogwarts and into the forest.
Hermione didn't look back.
~*~
Many hours had passed before the carriage finally stopped. Hermione, who had felt extremely fatigued due to all the anticipation she had experienced, had fallen asleep shortly after the ride began. But she was now quickly returning to her senses. She knew that she would need to be extremely alert now that they had arrived, at a.
Castle? It certainly looked like one. Hermione gaped at the enormous building of cold stone standing before the carriage. It seemed to her as though hundreds of towers sprung from the one castle, many reaching further than Hermione could even see. There were very few windows, and the ones that were there had bars or chains on them, or they had spells cast around them to prevent any chance of escape. The edges of the walls looked jagged and sharp. The castle by no means appeared welcoming.
Hermione was startled by the sound of the carriage door being opened. She watched as Pansy and Snape stepped out, and couldn't help but wonder what they had been up to inside the carriage. Stifling her giggles, she climbed down from the carriage and began to walk behind Pansy and Snape as they were led inside the castle.
They walked up nearly a dozen staircases, and at least twice as many hallways, each one more spine chilling than the previous. Skulls, armor, trophies, tapestries, and ancient heirlooms cover the walls and ceilings. Many of the things created a sensation in Hermione that she was being watched, and suddenly she began to wonder if even the invisibility cloak would keep her unseen in a place such as this. Choosing not to think about it, she refocused on the interesting things surrounding her as she continued to walk.
Finally, they stopped in front of the entrance of a grand looking room. Trying to stay as far from the guards as possible, Hermione stepped swiftly into the room and off to the side. Then she observed the scene awaiting her.
At the far end of the room sat a man upon a silver throne. His hair was long and jet-black, falling nearly to his waist. His face was pale, but his eyes were dark and cruel, glinting with red every few moments. He was clothed completely in black, and his fingers were adorned with rings of every shape and size.
Kneeling before him was a small, limp figure. apparently shaking with either fear or excitement.
Next to the throne, there were two smaller chairs: one on the right and one on the left. In the left chair sat a woman with dirty blonde hair who was wearing a long, light pink gown. Her eyes were green, yet they still possessed the evil glimmer of the man sitting beside her. Around her neck were diamonds and pearls, symbols of her wealth.
The chair on the right was empty.
Upon the arrival of Pansy and Snape, the man arose to greet them. "Ah, Severus," cried the man, "how good to see you." Snape and him shook hands, and then the man turned to Pansy. "Miss Pansy Parkinson. I have waited so long for this moment. I am afraid we have not been properly introduced. I am Voldemort."
And Hermione collapsed against the wall.
Friday nights in the Gryffindor common room tended to be very quiet and still. Tired from a week of writing essays and practicing spells and potions, most Gryffindor students went almost straight to bed. However, Harry, Ron, and Hermione were always an exception. Tonight, Harry and Ron were playing wizard's chess while Hermione sat in an armchair, looking through the flower book that she had checked out from the library. But Hermione kept looking back at the page about pansies. Sometimes, if she looked hard enough, she could almost see Pansy's face within the flower. Other times, there were strange noises in the back of her head as she gazed at the drawing. Laughter. more often, crying.
Hermione slammed the book shut and said, "Harry, could I borrow your invisibility cloak for a bit?"
Harry frowned. "What for?"
Ron snickered. "I've seen her glancing at that Ravenclaw prefect. probably planning to meet him at the baths-"
"Oh, shut up," grumbled Hermione. "Of course that's not the reason. I can't tell you what it actually is, but it's very important."
"Alright, then, but make sure that you take good care of it, and don't get caught!"
Hermione beamed and got up from her chair. "Thank you so much, Harry! I promise you that it's for something good, something very, very, serious; I won't fool around with it at all."
Harry shrugged, and then went to fetch the invisibility cloak.
An hour later, Hermione was under Harry's cloak in the Great Hall, thinking about where to begin her search for clues. She truly had no idea how to start. She hadn't spoken with Pansy since her visit in the hospital wing; why, she did not really know. Pansy could possibly be avoiding her, yet on the other hand, Hermione herself was surely at fault as well. Since Hermione's realization that Pansy could be The Bloomist, Hermione felt almost fearful whenever she was present. To think that Pansy could have so much power was frightening.
What was that noise? There were voices nearby. Hermione tiptoed behind the staircase, so that she would be less likely to be bumped into.
".Voldemort. castle. early. save time. told Dumbledore. no need to worry. carriage is out front, it will take us directly there."
The words became easier to hear as Pansy and Snape came down from the upper level. Hermione watched and listened with amazement, letting her jaw drop. Why hadn't she guessed that Snape was involved in this whole thing before?!
Snape headed for the door leading outside, but Pansy grabbed the back of his robe to hold him back. "Wait," she gasped. When Snape faced her, Pansy looked away. ".I don't think I can do this," she whispered.
"You can," Snape encouraged her. "I know you can do this. Remember all I have told you. and remember that I will always be there for you." He held Pansy tightly and kissed her hard.
Hermione was so shocked that she nearly lost her balance. She became even more astonished when she saw Pansy reach to untie Snape's robes.
But to Hermione's temporary relief, Snape pushed her away and shook his head. "Not now. later." and with a sly smile, he linked arms with her, and together they walked to the Great Hall doors.
Hermione quickly ducked her head inside the cloak. She had everything she needed, right? Her wand, the flower book, and another book called "The Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts." That would have to be it. There was no time to go back to get anything else.
She hurried after Pansy and Snape, barely managing to slip through the door before Snape closed it. She followed them until they reached a fancy silver carriage. Hermione had never seen anything quite like it. Intricate designs of snakes and vines had been carved into the metal, and the inside of the carriage was furnished with luxurious scarlet cushions fit for royalty. As much as she would have liked to sneak inside, Hermione decided that it would be much safer to ride outside on the top. She made sure that the invisibility cloak completely covered her, and climbed up to the roof of the carriage. Moments later, the carriage sped away from Hogwarts and into the forest.
Hermione didn't look back.
~*~
Many hours had passed before the carriage finally stopped. Hermione, who had felt extremely fatigued due to all the anticipation she had experienced, had fallen asleep shortly after the ride began. But she was now quickly returning to her senses. She knew that she would need to be extremely alert now that they had arrived, at a.
Castle? It certainly looked like one. Hermione gaped at the enormous building of cold stone standing before the carriage. It seemed to her as though hundreds of towers sprung from the one castle, many reaching further than Hermione could even see. There were very few windows, and the ones that were there had bars or chains on them, or they had spells cast around them to prevent any chance of escape. The edges of the walls looked jagged and sharp. The castle by no means appeared welcoming.
Hermione was startled by the sound of the carriage door being opened. She watched as Pansy and Snape stepped out, and couldn't help but wonder what they had been up to inside the carriage. Stifling her giggles, she climbed down from the carriage and began to walk behind Pansy and Snape as they were led inside the castle.
They walked up nearly a dozen staircases, and at least twice as many hallways, each one more spine chilling than the previous. Skulls, armor, trophies, tapestries, and ancient heirlooms cover the walls and ceilings. Many of the things created a sensation in Hermione that she was being watched, and suddenly she began to wonder if even the invisibility cloak would keep her unseen in a place such as this. Choosing not to think about it, she refocused on the interesting things surrounding her as she continued to walk.
Finally, they stopped in front of the entrance of a grand looking room. Trying to stay as far from the guards as possible, Hermione stepped swiftly into the room and off to the side. Then she observed the scene awaiting her.
At the far end of the room sat a man upon a silver throne. His hair was long and jet-black, falling nearly to his waist. His face was pale, but his eyes were dark and cruel, glinting with red every few moments. He was clothed completely in black, and his fingers were adorned with rings of every shape and size.
Kneeling before him was a small, limp figure. apparently shaking with either fear or excitement.
Next to the throne, there were two smaller chairs: one on the right and one on the left. In the left chair sat a woman with dirty blonde hair who was wearing a long, light pink gown. Her eyes were green, yet they still possessed the evil glimmer of the man sitting beside her. Around her neck were diamonds and pearls, symbols of her wealth.
The chair on the right was empty.
Upon the arrival of Pansy and Snape, the man arose to greet them. "Ah, Severus," cried the man, "how good to see you." Snape and him shook hands, and then the man turned to Pansy. "Miss Pansy Parkinson. I have waited so long for this moment. I am afraid we have not been properly introduced. I am Voldemort."
And Hermione collapsed against the wall.