In an instant, all four of them had their wands pointed directly at her.
"Where's Amanda?" Jessica demanded.
Faith laughed a horrible, cruel laugh.
"And how should I know?" she replied, glaring at Jessica. The she jerked, her eyes rolling back slightly.
"What's happening?" Ron asked glancing at Hermione.
"The Veritaserum must be kicking in," she replied, looking at Faith with great curiosity.
"She is with my master," Faith aid quietly, her head hanging at a strange angle and her eyes closed.
"Where is your master?" Harry asked, tightening his grip on his wand.
"He is in the forest…keeping watch," she said, her quiet voice starting to take on a malicious edge.
"Who is your master?" Jessica asked, her hand beginning to shake from anger.
There was a silence, broken only by the distant wind creaking the windows. The fire was starting to die, giving a faint eerie glow to Faith's blank face.
"I said," Jessica hissed, "Who is your master?"
Faith's lips parted slightly, and a soft noise came from the back of her throat.
"What was that?" Ron asked.
Faith opened her mouth again, but at that precise moment, the portrait hole was flung open. The dying fire extinguished itself completely, Hermione dropped her wand in surprise, Faith's head jerked up off her shoulder. Jessica turned her head slowly toward the hole, burning fear rising in the back of her throat. Standing in the entrance way was a shocked Professor McGonagall, followed closely by a livid Professor Snape.
"Never…in all my years at Hogwarts…," Professor McGonagall seethed, baring down on them like a ravenous beast.
Hermione whimpered, bring her hands slowly up to cover her face. Ron stood, struck dumb, letting his wand dangle from his limp fingers. Jessica was shaking her head furiously, refusing to believe the sight that met her eyes. Harry, however, was staring past McGonagall and in to Snape's withering glare.
"My Veritaserum," he hissed.
Harry said nothing. There was no way they were going to be able to talk their way out of this one, but he still didn't want to give Snape the upper hand.
"Come with me," Professor McGonagall said in a quiet, dangerous voice.
There was a loud thud. Faith had collapsed to the floor, and was unconscious.
It took a moment for them to regain the feeling in their limbs, but before they knew it, they were heading off down the bleak corridor. Professor McGonagall was leading the way, followed by Hermione who was looking down at the floor, her face a bright pink. Ron followed her, still pale and stunned. Jessica was walking behind Ron, not really feeling her feet hit the floor. She never would know how she got all the way to Professor McGonagall's office when she half expected her legs to give out. Harry was walking behind Jessica, one hopeless excuse chasing another around inside his head. Snape was bringing up the rear, his wand out and pointed at the stretcher floating alongside him that was carrying Faith.
As they approached McGonagall's office, Jessica felt a lump rise to the top of her throat. Harry walked up beside her, ashen faced, and shook his head. It was hopeless and they both knew it. They couldn't tell them what they had been doing…Professor Dumbledore had forbade them to tell anyone…
Professor McGonagall reached her office, and opened the door for them.
"In," she ordered, her voice full of quiet fury.
Snape was looking like his birthday had come early. Harry could hear his malicious laughter ringing in his ears, even as Snape made no sound.
"Sit," McGonagall commanded, conjuring four chairs.
Meekly, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jessica sat down. Jessica stared down at her hands, waiting for the blow to fall.
Professor McGonagall went behind her desk and sat down, never taking her eyes off the four of them. Snape stood in the shadows, watching from behind a thick curtain of greasy hair.
"You have just been caught doing something that no student in my teaching career…no…in the history of Hogwarts has ever been accused of…"
"Professor, please," Hermione began. There was a definite note of panic in her voice, and she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said loudly, her eyes flashing at Hermione, "You are in enough trouble already. I advise you not to add to your punishment by interrupting me."
She turned back to address all of them.
"You are all looking at a very serious punishment. I do not…Potter…what is that in your hand?"
Harry gulped.
"Nothing, Professor," he said quickly.
"I suggest that you do not lie to me," Professor McGonagall said, "Now what is in your hand?"
He took a trembling hand out of his robe pocket, and slowly opened his fist. In it was the small, clear bottle that held the Veritaserum.
Snape stepped out from the shadows.
"Veritaserum," he hissed, "From my private stores."
Professor McGonagall spun on them, her face a beet red.
"As you are all in my house, the decision rests with me. As of the end of this school year, you are all expelled from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
* * *
"Where's Amanda?" Jessica demanded.
Faith laughed a horrible, cruel laugh.
"And how should I know?" she replied, glaring at Jessica. The she jerked, her eyes rolling back slightly.
"What's happening?" Ron asked glancing at Hermione.
"The Veritaserum must be kicking in," she replied, looking at Faith with great curiosity.
"She is with my master," Faith aid quietly, her head hanging at a strange angle and her eyes closed.
"Where is your master?" Harry asked, tightening his grip on his wand.
"He is in the forest…keeping watch," she said, her quiet voice starting to take on a malicious edge.
"Who is your master?" Jessica asked, her hand beginning to shake from anger.
There was a silence, broken only by the distant wind creaking the windows. The fire was starting to die, giving a faint eerie glow to Faith's blank face.
"I said," Jessica hissed, "Who is your master?"
Faith's lips parted slightly, and a soft noise came from the back of her throat.
"What was that?" Ron asked.
Faith opened her mouth again, but at that precise moment, the portrait hole was flung open. The dying fire extinguished itself completely, Hermione dropped her wand in surprise, Faith's head jerked up off her shoulder. Jessica turned her head slowly toward the hole, burning fear rising in the back of her throat. Standing in the entrance way was a shocked Professor McGonagall, followed closely by a livid Professor Snape.
"Never…in all my years at Hogwarts…," Professor McGonagall seethed, baring down on them like a ravenous beast.
Hermione whimpered, bring her hands slowly up to cover her face. Ron stood, struck dumb, letting his wand dangle from his limp fingers. Jessica was shaking her head furiously, refusing to believe the sight that met her eyes. Harry, however, was staring past McGonagall and in to Snape's withering glare.
"My Veritaserum," he hissed.
Harry said nothing. There was no way they were going to be able to talk their way out of this one, but he still didn't want to give Snape the upper hand.
"Come with me," Professor McGonagall said in a quiet, dangerous voice.
There was a loud thud. Faith had collapsed to the floor, and was unconscious.
It took a moment for them to regain the feeling in their limbs, but before they knew it, they were heading off down the bleak corridor. Professor McGonagall was leading the way, followed by Hermione who was looking down at the floor, her face a bright pink. Ron followed her, still pale and stunned. Jessica was walking behind Ron, not really feeling her feet hit the floor. She never would know how she got all the way to Professor McGonagall's office when she half expected her legs to give out. Harry was walking behind Jessica, one hopeless excuse chasing another around inside his head. Snape was bringing up the rear, his wand out and pointed at the stretcher floating alongside him that was carrying Faith.
As they approached McGonagall's office, Jessica felt a lump rise to the top of her throat. Harry walked up beside her, ashen faced, and shook his head. It was hopeless and they both knew it. They couldn't tell them what they had been doing…Professor Dumbledore had forbade them to tell anyone…
Professor McGonagall reached her office, and opened the door for them.
"In," she ordered, her voice full of quiet fury.
Snape was looking like his birthday had come early. Harry could hear his malicious laughter ringing in his ears, even as Snape made no sound.
"Sit," McGonagall commanded, conjuring four chairs.
Meekly, Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Jessica sat down. Jessica stared down at her hands, waiting for the blow to fall.
Professor McGonagall went behind her desk and sat down, never taking her eyes off the four of them. Snape stood in the shadows, watching from behind a thick curtain of greasy hair.
"You have just been caught doing something that no student in my teaching career…no…in the history of Hogwarts has ever been accused of…"
"Professor, please," Hermione began. There was a definite note of panic in her voice, and she had tears rolling down her cheeks.
"Miss Granger," Professor McGonagall said loudly, her eyes flashing at Hermione, "You are in enough trouble already. I advise you not to add to your punishment by interrupting me."
She turned back to address all of them.
"You are all looking at a very serious punishment. I do not…Potter…what is that in your hand?"
Harry gulped.
"Nothing, Professor," he said quickly.
"I suggest that you do not lie to me," Professor McGonagall said, "Now what is in your hand?"
He took a trembling hand out of his robe pocket, and slowly opened his fist. In it was the small, clear bottle that held the Veritaserum.
Snape stepped out from the shadows.
"Veritaserum," he hissed, "From my private stores."
Professor McGonagall spun on them, her face a beet red.
"As you are all in my house, the decision rests with me. As of the end of this school year, you are all expelled from Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry."
* * *