Chapter Nine

Unexpected Happenings

Corey Willowby was having a splendid year so far. In fact, he had somehow survived an entire month without getting detention. Not only that, Corey was beginning to discover that being the adopted son of one of the most popular teachers (as well as one of the most notorious) had some advantages in the popularity department, and many students, especially the first years, regarded him with great interest.

He had been under strict orders by McGonagall to try and play it down, making sure to call them Professors Craw and Snape in public, and not talking about his home life. But the fact that he was their adopted son was known to everyone, so it was small wonder that he still had to fight off the curiosity that came with it.

Not that this also had some drawbacks; Corey's list of enemies had grown somewhat, and those that he had acquired from last year, especially Amadeus Longbottom, a fourth year Slytherin, seemed to have responded to his new-found family with even stronger hatred. The third year Slytherin students weren't too fond of him either; nor was Casper Wyatt from second year.

But at least Corey gained one friend among the ambitious house, and that was Danny Nelson. Perhaps she was bossy, and too much of a know-it-all sometimes. The fact that she could best him in most sports involving a broom didn't thrill him either. Still, she had also gone out of her way over the summer to try and help Taylor not to embarrass himself, and that would not be forgotten.

Of course, that was also before something happened that had completely shaken up his school life. That Monday at the beginning of Potions, Professor Craw laid their test results from last week on their desks, smiling softly at each of them as they took their seats. They knew better than to turn them over yet, waiting for her normal commentary.

"As you can see, your test papers have been marked, and I want to say beforehand that I realize that these were unusually rigorous, but I had to make sure you completely understood all of the basic formulas for catalyst effectiveness before we move on to temperature sensitivity. One of those questions seemed to pose some difficulty for most of you…in fact, only one person in this and the other second year class got it right," she informed them. Most of the class turned to glare at Corey. It was no secret that he had been head of his class since the beginning of first year, and had never missed a problem. "That person was Danyelle Nelson. And that's worth five points for Slytherin, well done!"

The Gryffindors all gasped with surprise, staring at Corey, while many of the Slytherin, especially Casper and Danny looked smug. Slowly Corey turned over his paper to see his marks. It was the only one he had missed, but still it was quite a blow to get one wrong in the only subject he had always had perfect scores in.

"Let's go over that today, shall we, and discuss some of the more common mistakes. First, Danny, why don't you explain what you did," Professor Craw said with a smile.

If that hadn't been enough, Corey soon realized that Danny was also taking top marks in the rest of the classes as well, including Herbology (another of his strong topics) and Defense. But perhaps the most startling of events was Wednesday afternoon when she showed up for Dabbler's class, which before Corey had been the youngest member of, and then had the nerve to stay for Item Creation Class, which Corey hadn't even been invited to.

Corey picked at his food broodingly at dinner as Doug watched him thoughtfully. It had been a long time since he had seen Corey this preoccupied.

"You're not still going on about missing that test question, are you? Why, I'd have been tickled to have a score like that. I missed six," Doug told him. "You can't get a perfect score all the time."

"Danny got accepted into Item Creation class," Corey said, stabbing his chicken.

"Well, you shouldn't be surprised, you know what a whiz she is in charms. Actually, she's a whiz in practically everything… total overachiever that one. She's not a bad sort though, you have to admit that. She promised to give me some tips on broom maneuvers before practice Saturday."

"Like we're ever going to get to play. Doug, there hasn't been a Quidditch game over six hours in years," Corey said.

"Well, you're not the optimistic type, are you? Besides, who says I'm doing it just for the broom maneuvers?" he whispered with a wink.

"I thought you said you were going after you-know-who this year?" Corey said with slight irritation, glancing at Doug. Doug leaned close over to him so no one else could hear.

"Who says I'm not? In fact, Gayle and I are going to the library later to study History. We do have a test tomorrow, you know," he pointed out. "And if you actually read the material once in a while, you'd totally ace it. History is nearly all memorization, so you should be at the top of the class."

"It's just so boring," Corey protested. "Give me some credit. I am turning in my homework this year."

"Only because you want a broom," Doug grinned teasingly. Corey nudged him in the shoulder in annoyance. But he was right; with Corey's memory, he should have been doing well. He had been getting by with just skimming the charts, and the essays had always slowed him down. What did his opinion matter on whether or not wizards should have gotten involved in the War of the Roses? It was over and the decision was already made. Still, Corey didn't like to be bested, and he knew that the only way he'd feel better if he were able to prove that the imperfect mark was just a fluke. So with unusual determination, Corey went up to the common room to study.

Jennifer listened quietly to Severus, Minerva, Filius, and Pomona as they plotted in the staff room about Halloween plans. She fussily picked apart and nibbled at her sandwich, far from hungry although she hadn't eaten all day. She had too much on her mind to eat, and the stress of knowing that Malfoy's appeal as well as Audi's ethics inquiry was less than a week away was giving her a headache. She was glancing at Taylor's article about the grim defeat of Hufflepuff's Quidditch team at the mercy of Slytherin when Alvin came in with a folder in hand, giving her a warm smile. He handed her a test paper and she blinked at it, sitting up straight as she read through it.

"I don't believe it."

"Pretty dramatic difference, no?" he agreed, sitting down across from her. "Not bad for someone who just told me three weeks ago that there was no point learning History because it had no place in modern magic," he said with amusement.

"He even answered the essay questions in complete sentences. I should go make sure someone didn't switch kids on us," Jennifer said. Severus peered over curiously, glancing at the paper.

"That's more like it. I was about ready to shackle him to his History book if he had gotten one more average mark," Severus said.

"So, you'd talked to him about it?" Jennifer asked.

"No, but it is nice to see him actually doing what he is capable of," Severus said.

"You mean Corey Willowby?" Pomona said, sitting beside Alvin. "You know, he has always done well with me, but lately even his homework has been coming back to me unsmudged and letter perfect. I had thought perhaps you two had said something to him."

"I had a lot of trouble with him earlier this year not wanting to use his wand again," Filius admitted. "But I've been getting little of that lately. He's actually been attempting to use it. Whatever has gotten into him, it's certainly working."

"He's not been the terror he was last year, either. Oh, he warrants some stiff point deductions now and then for that mouth of his, but nothing worth detention yet," Minerva said.

"Yet," Jennifer chuckled, handing the test back to Alvin. "He can't keep this up forever, it's just too un-Corey of him. In either case, I think he's earned his Christmas present."

"Well, you two have worked miracles with the boy, and no one can doubt that," Minerva smiled, turning back to scheduling.

"Yes, we have to some extent, although we can't take credit for this last stint he's on. I believe we have a pair of long dark braids and violet eyes to thank for that," Severus mused.

"Danny Nelson," Jennifer said at once, nodding to him. "Ever since he flubbed that question on catalysts, he has been working overtime not to make another mistake. His pride's getting the better of him. He doesn't want a Slytherin showing him up, let alone a girl."

"It's nice to see the rivalry between those two houses is alive and well," Alvin said with amusement.

"It got a tad out of hand last year," Minerva said, "but so far things have been fairly friendly. Of course, the year is still young," she admitted reluctantly. There was a pecking sound at the door and she got up, while Severus and Filius peered curiously at the schedule that she had been writing.

"Looks like you have hall duty with Hermione this Halloween, Jennifer." Severus said.

"Wonderful. At least I don't have an early class the next day," Jennifer said. "So what's on the agenda, then, just the normal house parties?"

"It's always been good enough before. No reason to go overboard now," Severus said.

"I still think a scavenger hunt would be more fun," Filius said.

"Yes, so do I, and it could also be quite educational, depending on what we have them looking for," Pomona said.

"And have the students traipsing and poking about in every corner of the castle and getting into who knows what sort of trouble," Severus said.

"Oh, pish-posh, Severus, if you had it your way, they'd be caged like criminals all school year," Pomona scolded. Minerva walked back to the table.

"Ermengarde dropped this off, international post looks like," Minerva said, offering Severus a letter and sitting down. "I think we'll save a scavenger hunt for another occasion, perhaps in the spring when they're all driving us batty with their fidgeting anyhow. We'll stick to the normal house parties… but NO séances this year," she said sternly.

"I wholeheartedly agree," Jennifer said emphatically. She remembered all too well what happened when a student séance awoke the ghost of Mallus Craw last year. She turned to Severus, expecting him to add something to that, but saw that he was engulfed in the letter, his face pale and troubled. Jennifer watched him carefully. "Anna's in some sort of trouble, isn't she?"

"Yes, and Vallid wants me to come out there," he said, looking up. "Is Dumbledore here?"

"Yes, he's in the study," Minerva said. "Is it that serious? What happened?"

"Maybe we should try to get a hold of Sirius?" Jennifer asked.

"Vallid asked for me specifically to come, and I'm quite sure she has her reasons. She didn't give many details, Minerva, but it isn't like Vallid to request something like this if it wasn't urgent. I had better go on up to see Dumbledore," he said, standing.

"I'll go with you," Minerva said quickly.

"Severus?" Jennifer asked.

"It'll be all right, Jennifer, stay here and relax, you look a bit pale. I'll come find you in a little while," Severus said before striding out the door, Minerva close behind. Jennifer looked after them with a curious feeling. Was this the unexpected trip that cards had foreseen?

Left alone, Jennifer poured herself into her work, starting with the sparring class that evening. Filius, who had been a champion duelist in his own right, volunteered to sit in with her, watching over the older classes doing their forms as Jennifer instructed first years and new students in starting forms and the Hogwarts conduct rules. It was not long after she had begun to work with them that she realized that Danny Nelson already new the basics perfectly and allowed her to join the other students, earning a grimace from Corey. He was playing catch-up; they were doing several new form movements they learned after Christmas last year he had never learned because of getting kicked out for sparring outside of class. He was determined not to mess up this year, especially now that Danny was in sparring as well. But Jennifer noticed right off the bat that her main concern from last year; his ability to cast without a wand, was already starting to cause problems. Although he did all of his forms and maneuvers perfectly, the moment he got into the ring and into a tough situation, his left hand would open up to cast a spell. She benched him so quickly in fact that Corey's eyes flashed in protest, but a firm look from her let him know that that wasn't going to work. Disgruntled, he walked over to the side, sitting by Taylor, Doug and Danny.

"What, done already?" Doug said with surprise. Corey frowned at him in annoyance.

"I can't help it. You don't know what it's like, knowing I could cast circles around most of these idiots and not being allowed to do it because all of them need a wand and I don't. I wouldn't use a wand in a real battle. If only I could learn sparring without all of these blasted rules," Corey sighed, sitting down.

"The rules are there to protect us, Corey," Taylor said.

"No, the wand rule is there to protect them against the likes of me," Corey said. "If being a Focus Caster is such a great thing, how come I'm always being held back from using it?"

"I tell you what. I had a private dueling instructor all of last year, how about we get together and we can work on sparring together on the weekends? And you won't have to use a wand if you don't want to," Danny suggested.

"Don't do it Corey, your parents will kill you," Taylor warned him. "Besides, you know the rules. You can get kicked out of sparring again, and detention, and everything."

"Wait a minute, Taylor. Last year we all came up and practiced forms on Saturdays," Doug pointed out. He was nodding and gesturing behind Danny's back for Corey to go for it.

"Professor Craw was there most the time, and it was just forms, not real fighting," Taylor said.

"Well, it's not like this would be like real fighting either, we'd be just practicing," Corey reasoned. "I suppose it'd be all right, somewhere quiet and out of the way."

"If you're so sure it'd be all right, why don't you ask Professor Craw?" Taylor challenged him.

"No need to go that far, she's got enough on her mind with Snape being gone. We just have to find a good spot," Corey said.

"We can come too, right?" Doug said. "Taylor, you're in, aren't you? I know you'd never rat on us in any case, would you?" Taylor sighed.

"I'll go, but only to make sure you all have a spotter. And let's not get caught? I could do without all the Howlers from my father this year," he said.

"Don't worry, we won't. I think I even know of a place we shan't be bothered," Danny smiled enigmatically. Doug and Taylor glanced at each other nervously.

It was with some apprehension that Doug and Taylor followed the two into the Dark Forest on Saturday as Danny and Corey calmly stepped off the path and walked away from the clearing.

"We are going to be in so much trouble if we get caught," Taylor said for the tenth time. Doug elbowed him hard. "Students aren't allowed in the forest for any reason without a professor. We could have detentions the rest of the year. Or maybe expelled. I bet your parents would really like that."

"Can it, Taylor, you didn't have to come," Corey said. "It's midday, so we're not likely to run into anything nasty. Just sit back and relax, will you?"

"Not only that, the fact there aren't any students allowed means the likelihood of us getting found is not as great," Danny said, taking out her wand. "I suppose this area will do. We got a bit of room here, and it's far enough from the trails to be out of the way. So what do you think, Corey? How about we spar a few rounds so we can see if you're as good without a wand as you boast you are?" she grinned. "Rules are, we spar until someone goes flat on the ground, and no casting anything we don't know the counter for."

"I get the winner," Doug said. He had high hopes in being able to duel Danny and try out some spells he learned from the Impractical spells book that Corey had gave him over the summer. "Begin when ready."

Corey wasted no time, hitting her with petrificus totalus with a wave of his hand. But Danny had been ready, blocking it with ease before jumping into the air, whipping off a spell with speed and precision.

"Cockatrix videre!" she intoned, a piercing ray coming from her wand and directly at Corey who dove behind a tree in surprise. The trunk of the tree suddenly took on a grey tone as it turned to stone.

"Hey! That was a Dark spell! Bad form!" Doug said, shaking his head.

"I didn't say anything about not using Dark magic, only that you had to know how to counter it," Danny said, her eyes intent on the tree Corey was hiding behind, trying to circle around it.

"Caputaovum!" Corey called. Danny looked up realizing he had climbed into the tree, looking up just as several raw chicken eggs crashed onto her face. Doug and Corey laughed, and Taylor couldn't help but to grin himself.

"You see? I knew that practical jokes spell book would come in handy," Taylor said, starting to get interested in the battle. Danny wiped egg off her face, glaring up at where Corey sat in the tree, swinging his legs.

"Simianpus!" Danny said as Corey tried to hop down. Corey's face suddenly changed dramatically, and his other two friends choked back laughter as his ears grew and upper lip until he looked like a chimpanzee. "Now stop monkeying around and try to ground me," she demanded. "Chersus movere!" Corey jumped down before the slow spell could reach him, raising both of his hands towards her.

"Timere atar!" he cast. Suddenly darkness spread around them so black that Danny couldn't see a thing. In fact, she couldn't hear anything, besides her own breading and the rustle of the wind.

"Corey?" Danny said unsurely. "Doug, Taylor?" Just then she felt something cross her skin and slapped at it, then suddenly felt herself by surround by slimy, cold hands and tiny, furry creatures, coming at her from every direction.

Screaming, she dove for the ground covering her head, when she heard Corey's calm voice casting a light spell. He was grinning from ear to ear as she looked up, and she also saw that Doug and Taylor seemed completely unconcerned about what just happened.

"It had just occurred to me Danny didn't go through Craw's fear training class," Corey grinned triumphantly. "Looks as if I have a few tricks to teach you as well, Miss Nelson." Danny squinted at him with a flash in her eyes. It was apparent to the boys that the competition wasn't going to be one-sided anymore.