Getting back to the castle proved to be much easier than they had
originally thought. Not having to worry about Snape anymore, they lit their
wands and started off. From the looks of it, Snape had been taking this
path for quite some time now. Little paths had been cleared, branches and
twigs neatly brushed out of the way. Soon enough, the path began to lighten
as the thickness of the trees started decreasing. Jessica was just
marveling at how beautiful the strange and exotic plants looked bathed in
the silver starlight, when they stepped out in to a treeless area of land.
Casting a glance around, she realized they were back on the grounds, clear
of the forest. She breathed a sigh of relief. They had made it.
Their footsteps echoed emptily off the walls as they made their way up to Gryffindor Tower. Jessica's head was spinning with questions that she knew she couldn't answer. Her eyelids were heavy, but her mind was buzzing. Amanda was swaying slightly as she walked, apparently exhausted.
When they reached the Common Room, they slowly slid off the cloak. The four of them stood there for a while, staring at eachother.
"Well, good night," Amanda said cautiously.
"Ya, 'night," Jessica said smiling.
"Right," Ron said, turning to go upstairs to the boy's dormitory. He was halfway up before he turned around. "G…Good night," he said finally.
Harry looked at Jessica and rolled his eyes.
"Good night," he said sounding exhausted.
Amanda smiled, and her and Jessica started back in to their room. Had Jessica been a little more alert, she would have noticed that she never heard Harry's footsteps going up the stairs.
Jessica lay awake that night, listening to Amanda's steady breathing, and feeling jealous that she couldn't fall as peacefully asleep. Turning over, she caught a glimpse of their door. It took her a moment to realize what was odd about it. Through the crack between the floor and the bottom of the door, light was flooding in.
She sat up, confused. Jessica was positive that they hadn't left any lights on in the Common Room. Intrigued, she climbed out of bed and pulled on her robe. She stopped just before opening the door, however, and turned around to grab her wand.
Holding it in front of her like a sword, she entered the Common Room.
The fire was nearly dead, tiny red embers still flickering in a vain attempt to rekindle themselves. A figure was curled up in one of the armchairs, a candle resting on the table next to it. Jessica approached it slowly, tightening her grip on her wand.
"Who's there?" she asked shakily.
The figure jumped. Jessica caught a glimpse of messy black hair.
"Who's that?" the person asked hurriedly.
Jessica squinted through the darkness. "Harry?"
He stood up and turned around.
"Hi."
"Hello," Jessica said slowly, lowering her wand. Not taking her eyes off him, she walked over slowly and sat in a chair across from his. She paused for a moment.
"What are you doing up?" he yawned, sitting back down.
"I should be asking you that question," she countered, tucking her wand away.
He hesitated for a moment. "Couldn't sleep," he said finally.
"Really," she said suspiciously, "That's interesting."
"Ya," he said offhandedly, "But what are you doing up this late?"
"Same reason, I suppose," she sighed, leaning back. Should she tell him the truth? Jessica paused a moment, recalling what she had always been told while growing up; Honesty is the best policy. She swallowed hard.
"No," she said abruptly, "That's not the reason."
Harry looked up, startled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Harry," she began slowly, "Do you remember when I had that…er…confrontation with Malfoy?"
"Ya, sure I do," he said, after thinking a moment.
"Didn't you ever wonder," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, "What I threatened him with?"
"Well, yes," he admitted, "But after all that's happened, I guess it kind of slipped my mind."
She nodded. "Well, I think it's time I showed you. Come on."
Jessica stood up and grabbed his arm, leading him toward her and Amanda's room.
"Be very quiet," Jessica whispered, "I don't want to wake Amanda."
Jessica and Harry slipped quietly in to the room. She, wasting no time, crept over to her dresser. Opening a lower drawer, Jessica lifted a small box from its depth. She beckoned to Harry and together, they slipped back out in to the Common Room.
"Here," she whispered.
Leaning close to the box, she murmured that word, "Draconis." Instantly, the lid flew off.
She reached inside and grabbed a small piece of paper.
"Do you remember the day you found me in the library researching curse scars?" she asked.
"Yes," Harry said slowly, wondering where this could be going.
"Well, before I came across the information I was looking for, I found…something else," she said cautiously.
"And it was…" Harry prodded.
"Just read it," she said, thrusting the paper at him.
Confused, but still intrigued, he lowered his eyes to the paper.
"SLOTUS MALFOY DISCOVERS NEW CURSE SCAR" proclaimed the title.
He looked at Jessica with raised eyebrows, and she nodded, urging him to keep reading.
"Slotus Malfoy, head of the Department of Magical Injuries at the Ministry of Magic, has developed a substantial theory of a new, not yet acquired, curse scar. After being a trained Auror for thirty years, he retired to research the curses he had seen used so many times. It became his instant challenge to find a countercurse for the Avada Kedavra curse, arguably the worst in existence. Mr. Malfoy has stumbled upon a certain chemical imbalance, which may make it possible for the Avada Kedavra curse to leave a raindrop shaped scar. This, however, is very difficult to prove, as no one has yet survived this curse. Skeptics the world over say that should anyone survive this curse, their scar would take the form of the lightning bolt, which would mean great strength and power, while others say that it is impossible for anyone to survive it. Yet, despite the controversy, Slotus spends countless hours trying to prove his research. When he isn't at work, he resides in his Eastern Scotland residence, Poluta, with his wife, Maria Zurk. Their son, Lucius Malfoy, is expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become an Auror. He is a recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and is currently living in London with his wife Narcissa, and his son, Draco. Slotus Malfoy is pictured here with his grandson, Draco."
Below the article was a picture of a very old man, who had a little baby boy in his arms. Harry knew in an instant that this was Draco. Even back then he was pale, blonde, and had a pointed nose. The only thing missing, in Harry's opinion, was the smirk he usually wore.
He lowered the paper and looked at Jessica, puzzled.
He didn't want to admit that he had no idea how this related to anything else, but he had to say something. "Er…" he began slowly, "What does this all mean?"
"Here," Jessica said leaning over. "Read this." She pointed at a sentence in the article.
He looked back at it.
"When he isn't at work, he resides in his Easter Scotland residence, Poluta, with his wife, Maria Zurk," he read aloud.
"Exactly," she said, her eyes widening.
"Exactly what?" Harry asked, feeling stupid.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, exasperated, "Don't you remember anything?!" She reached in to her box and pulled out another piece of paper. As she handed it to Harry, he noticed it was in Ron's untidy handwriting. "The Aurors," she whispered.
That's when it hit him. As he lowered his eyes down the list of names, she leaned over and pointed to one: Kila Zurk. Zurk? That can't mean…
"You're not saying," he said slowly, "That you think Malfoy is a descendant?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" she said hurriedly, "I mean, it makes sense! No wonder our side took them back after Voldemort fell from power! Someone knew! Someone knew that they were descended from one of the ten Aurors!" Her eyes were bright and she was talking very fast. Harry's first impression was that she had gone insane, but then a more important problem hit him like a rock.
"Jess, do you realize what you're saying? Amanda said that if the three of us combined our power, we might be able to replace the three Aurors…but they killed four didn't they? You don't think we're going to have to…"
Jessica waved a hand, cutting him off.
"Don't worry about that," she snapped, "But don't you see? Malfoy is afraid of his past. In his opinion, his grandfather was a disgrace to the name of wizard…working alongside Muggles to try and get rid of the Dark Lord," she smiled, "Which gives us the upper hand."
(A/N) does this make sense?! Yes? No? I thought I had to clear up that little situation w/Malfoy before I forgot :D
ok, well, please review!!! I love you guys!!!
Their footsteps echoed emptily off the walls as they made their way up to Gryffindor Tower. Jessica's head was spinning with questions that she knew she couldn't answer. Her eyelids were heavy, but her mind was buzzing. Amanda was swaying slightly as she walked, apparently exhausted.
When they reached the Common Room, they slowly slid off the cloak. The four of them stood there for a while, staring at eachother.
"Well, good night," Amanda said cautiously.
"Ya, 'night," Jessica said smiling.
"Right," Ron said, turning to go upstairs to the boy's dormitory. He was halfway up before he turned around. "G…Good night," he said finally.
Harry looked at Jessica and rolled his eyes.
"Good night," he said sounding exhausted.
Amanda smiled, and her and Jessica started back in to their room. Had Jessica been a little more alert, she would have noticed that she never heard Harry's footsteps going up the stairs.
Jessica lay awake that night, listening to Amanda's steady breathing, and feeling jealous that she couldn't fall as peacefully asleep. Turning over, she caught a glimpse of their door. It took her a moment to realize what was odd about it. Through the crack between the floor and the bottom of the door, light was flooding in.
She sat up, confused. Jessica was positive that they hadn't left any lights on in the Common Room. Intrigued, she climbed out of bed and pulled on her robe. She stopped just before opening the door, however, and turned around to grab her wand.
Holding it in front of her like a sword, she entered the Common Room.
The fire was nearly dead, tiny red embers still flickering in a vain attempt to rekindle themselves. A figure was curled up in one of the armchairs, a candle resting on the table next to it. Jessica approached it slowly, tightening her grip on her wand.
"Who's there?" she asked shakily.
The figure jumped. Jessica caught a glimpse of messy black hair.
"Who's that?" the person asked hurriedly.
Jessica squinted through the darkness. "Harry?"
He stood up and turned around.
"Hi."
"Hello," Jessica said slowly, lowering her wand. Not taking her eyes off him, she walked over slowly and sat in a chair across from his. She paused for a moment.
"What are you doing up?" he yawned, sitting back down.
"I should be asking you that question," she countered, tucking her wand away.
He hesitated for a moment. "Couldn't sleep," he said finally.
"Really," she said suspiciously, "That's interesting."
"Ya," he said offhandedly, "But what are you doing up this late?"
"Same reason, I suppose," she sighed, leaning back. Should she tell him the truth? Jessica paused a moment, recalling what she had always been told while growing up; Honesty is the best policy. She swallowed hard.
"No," she said abruptly, "That's not the reason."
Harry looked up, startled. "What do you mean?" he asked.
"Harry," she began slowly, "Do you remember when I had that…er…confrontation with Malfoy?"
"Ya, sure I do," he said, after thinking a moment.
"Didn't you ever wonder," she said, lowering her voice to a whisper, "What I threatened him with?"
"Well, yes," he admitted, "But after all that's happened, I guess it kind of slipped my mind."
She nodded. "Well, I think it's time I showed you. Come on."
Jessica stood up and grabbed his arm, leading him toward her and Amanda's room.
"Be very quiet," Jessica whispered, "I don't want to wake Amanda."
Jessica and Harry slipped quietly in to the room. She, wasting no time, crept over to her dresser. Opening a lower drawer, Jessica lifted a small box from its depth. She beckoned to Harry and together, they slipped back out in to the Common Room.
"Here," she whispered.
Leaning close to the box, she murmured that word, "Draconis." Instantly, the lid flew off.
She reached inside and grabbed a small piece of paper.
"Do you remember the day you found me in the library researching curse scars?" she asked.
"Yes," Harry said slowly, wondering where this could be going.
"Well, before I came across the information I was looking for, I found…something else," she said cautiously.
"And it was…" Harry prodded.
"Just read it," she said, thrusting the paper at him.
Confused, but still intrigued, he lowered his eyes to the paper.
"SLOTUS MALFOY DISCOVERS NEW CURSE SCAR" proclaimed the title.
He looked at Jessica with raised eyebrows, and she nodded, urging him to keep reading.
"Slotus Malfoy, head of the Department of Magical Injuries at the Ministry of Magic, has developed a substantial theory of a new, not yet acquired, curse scar. After being a trained Auror for thirty years, he retired to research the curses he had seen used so many times. It became his instant challenge to find a countercurse for the Avada Kedavra curse, arguably the worst in existence. Mr. Malfoy has stumbled upon a certain chemical imbalance, which may make it possible for the Avada Kedavra curse to leave a raindrop shaped scar. This, however, is very difficult to prove, as no one has yet survived this curse. Skeptics the world over say that should anyone survive this curse, their scar would take the form of the lightning bolt, which would mean great strength and power, while others say that it is impossible for anyone to survive it. Yet, despite the controversy, Slotus spends countless hours trying to prove his research. When he isn't at work, he resides in his Eastern Scotland residence, Poluta, with his wife, Maria Zurk. Their son, Lucius Malfoy, is expected to follow in his father's footsteps and become an Auror. He is a recent graduate of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and is currently living in London with his wife Narcissa, and his son, Draco. Slotus Malfoy is pictured here with his grandson, Draco."
Below the article was a picture of a very old man, who had a little baby boy in his arms. Harry knew in an instant that this was Draco. Even back then he was pale, blonde, and had a pointed nose. The only thing missing, in Harry's opinion, was the smirk he usually wore.
He lowered the paper and looked at Jessica, puzzled.
He didn't want to admit that he had no idea how this related to anything else, but he had to say something. "Er…" he began slowly, "What does this all mean?"
"Here," Jessica said leaning over. "Read this." She pointed at a sentence in the article.
He looked back at it.
"When he isn't at work, he resides in his Easter Scotland residence, Poluta, with his wife, Maria Zurk," he read aloud.
"Exactly," she said, her eyes widening.
"Exactly what?" Harry asked, feeling stupid.
"Harry!" she exclaimed, exasperated, "Don't you remember anything?!" She reached in to her box and pulled out another piece of paper. As she handed it to Harry, he noticed it was in Ron's untidy handwriting. "The Aurors," she whispered.
That's when it hit him. As he lowered his eyes down the list of names, she leaned over and pointed to one: Kila Zurk. Zurk? That can't mean…
"You're not saying," he said slowly, "That you think Malfoy is a descendant?"
"That's exactly what I'm saying!" she said hurriedly, "I mean, it makes sense! No wonder our side took them back after Voldemort fell from power! Someone knew! Someone knew that they were descended from one of the ten Aurors!" Her eyes were bright and she was talking very fast. Harry's first impression was that she had gone insane, but then a more important problem hit him like a rock.
"Jess, do you realize what you're saying? Amanda said that if the three of us combined our power, we might be able to replace the three Aurors…but they killed four didn't they? You don't think we're going to have to…"
Jessica waved a hand, cutting him off.
"Don't worry about that," she snapped, "But don't you see? Malfoy is afraid of his past. In his opinion, his grandfather was a disgrace to the name of wizard…working alongside Muggles to try and get rid of the Dark Lord," she smiled, "Which gives us the upper hand."
(A/N) does this make sense?! Yes? No? I thought I had to clear up that little situation w/Malfoy before I forgot :D
ok, well, please review!!! I love you guys!!!