A/N Harry Potter and other characters do not belong to me, they belong to J.K. Rowling. I'm not making any money from this story. (Although I should be with all the nagging I get.) The only things I own are the plot and characters not seen in Rowlings stories. Allright another chapter done, no more pestering for me! ^-^ *does a little dance*
Harry Potter and the Staff of Time
Chapter 11
Halloween Disasters
A few weeks later, Harry and his friends were eating breakfast and still trying to understand the meaning of Harry's vision.
Chief Minnehaha had recently sent a note that the vision was a warning, but he didn't know enough yet, to say anything more. He needed to give the vision more thought and study.
"Cheer up, Harry. Chief Minnehaha always comes through. I'm sure he will this time too." Savana said and took a sip of her coffee.
Savana and Alex had spent a few days teaching Dobby how to make a proper cup of coffee. The result was more paletable than what they had been drinking, but it still had a way to go before anyone would consider it good. Alex had jokingly told Savana to "consider the source." Neither one of them were able to make a good cup of coffee either.
"Savana, when Alex visited me in the hospital wing he told me a little about the Raven in Native American legends. Could you tell me more about it?" Harry asked as he played with his french toast.
"There are a few legends about Raven. I think Alex was probably talking about the Clinquoet one, Raven the Trickster. It's his favorite." Savana smiled while she searched her memory for the story. "In a nutshell; Raven stole the sun from the sky people and gave it to the people of Earth, so they would have light."
"Alex gave me the impression that Raven was evil. That doesn't sound very wicked." Hermione said.
"It would be if you're one of the sky people. What does 'in a nutshell' mean?" Ron said as he examined the kipper on his fork, then popped it into his mouth. "Mmm..." He grinned at Savana as he ate it. He knew how disgusting she thought they were.
Savana wrinkled her nose in disgust and finished her coffee before attempting to explain the phrase.
"In a nutshell' means the basic facts...no elaborations." Savana spread some jam on a piece of toast and nodded a greeting to Ginny, who had just joined them.
"What do you guys do for Halloween here?"
"We normally have a feast, but I heard that this year there will also be a dance for the fifth year students and up." Ginny told them with excitment. "Professor Dumbledore will probably announce it sometime today."
"That sounds like more fun than what we've always done." Savana said while finishing her meal. "We've always had a big costume party. It gets a little old after the first couple of years."
"We'd better get going or we'll be late for potions class." Hermione urged them as she gathered her things.
The group got up and made their way toward class. Their thoughts, however, were focused on whom they might be accompanying to the dance, not potions.
...`~*~`...
Professor Dumbledore announced the dance at dinner that night.
Harry decided to ask Cho to go with him, as soon as dinner ended. He didn't want to risk having someone else ask her first. He spent most of the meal mentally rehersing how he would ask her.
"...what is he staring at?!" Ron muttered to Hermione. She glanced toward the Slytherin table.
"I don't think Malfoy's actually staring at us. He actually seems to be gazing over Savana's head. He's not focused on much of anything." Ginny said.
Savana started when she heard her name. "Huh!...Wha..?" She uttered. Savana had been completely absorbed in the book she was reading.
"Malfoy's staring at you. He's probably hatching some type of evil plot." Ron hissed.
"He's staring over her head." Ginny corrected him. "And now, he's noticed us and he's stopped."
Ron glanced in Malfoy's direction. He was leaving the table and walking toward the exit.
"Whatever punches his ticket." Savana shrugged and returned her attention to the book she was reading.
"What is so fascinating about that book?" Ron asked Savana. He reached over and picked it up so he could read the title. "Merlin the Magnificent." Ron quipped as he read the title and sniggered.
"It's "The Magic of Merlin" and you need a reading tutor!" Savana said hotly.
Ron was enjoying Savana's reaction and wanted to continue needling her, but Harry tried to stop him. Harry could see that Savana's temper was rapidly rising and he wanted to catch Cho before she disappeared for the evening. He didn't want to waste time playing peace negotiator between these two. Ron, however, chose that moment for one final push.
"Would you care for some blood pudding, Savana? It's particularly tastey today!" He waved his fork, which contained a piece of the dark, spongy, stuff, under her nose.
"Yeech!" Savana exclaimed. She knocked Ron's hand, and the offending forkfull of pudding, out of her way. Then she grabbed her book and stood up. "You've taken the art of being obnoxious to a new low!" She hissed at Ron. Then she stalked away.
"Why did you do that, Ron? She wasn't doing anything to you. Now she's angry and you know what happens when she's like that!" Ginny sternly admonished her brother.
"Oops!" Ron muttered. He looked sheepish. "I guess I'd better apologise."
"I'll say you should." Ginny faced her brother with a hard gaze. "I'm going after Savana to see if I can calm her down." Then Ginny also left.
Harry saw Cho leaving the Great Hall, so he excused himself and hurried after her. He caught up to her in the entrance way and was relieved to see there was no one else around.
"Cho, may I talk to you for a moment?" Harry called as he approached her.
His stomach felt tight with apprehension. He was terrified that Cho might say 'no', or laugh at him for thinking she'd accompany him...He calmed his fears before his courage could fail him.
"I was hopeing...um...would you go to the dance with me?" Harry unconsciously held his breath as he waited for Cho's response.
"I'd enjoy that, Harry." Cho answered with a smile.
"Smashing!" Harry thought. He grinned at Cho and said, "I've got to go and finnish some work. I'll see you later about any details." He had to stop himself from skipping down the hall on his way to the Gryffindor common room.
...`~*~`...
Ginny caught up to Savana by the protrait which guarded the Gryffindor House entrance.
"Savana, wait a moment!" Ginny puffed. She had run the entire way there and was a little winded. "I just wanted to make sure you're all right."
Savana shrugged her shoulders and sighed. "I just wish Ron would get off of my back. He's been teasing me for weeks."
"If it's any help, he knows he went too far this time. And, he only treats people he likes that way. We've all been putting up with it for years." Ginny searched Savana's face for clues of forgiveness.
"I guess, I've been a little prickly lately." Savana admitted.
"Snape's got smelly socks." She said to the portrait, which popped open at once. "Who thinks up these ridiculous passwords?!" She added.
Ginny shrugged, then greeted Neville, who had just appeared in the hallway.
"Hello Ginny and Savana." Neville greeted them. "Savana, may I talk to you, alone?"
"I was just going to feed Stellaluna." Ginny smiled knowingly and disappeared through the opening.
Neville was blushing furiously. "I just wanted to ask you if you would consider going to the Halloween dance with me? I'll understand if you don't..."
"I'd be happy to go with you, Neville." Savana interrupted him.
"You would? Really?!" He asked in disbelief and smiled shyly.
"Yes, really." Savana laughed.
"Oh...wow...thank you!" Neville bounded through the portal, across the common room and disappeared up the stairs.
Savana heard a happy 'whoop' echo down the stairs as she entered the common room.
"Did he ask you to the dance?" Ginny asked in a conspirital tone.
"Did who ask you to the dance?" Asked Hermione as she entered the room.
"Neville just asked me to the Halloween dance, and I told him I'd be happy to go with him." Savana told them as she flopped into a chair.
Hermione's jaw dropped and her eyes widened in suprise. "You...and Neville...?!"
"What's the problem? He's a little shy, but he seems like a nice enough guy. I think he's kind of cute, in a teddy bear sort of way." Savana laughed at them.
"It's just that I've always thought of Neville as such a clutz." Hermione looked a little uncomfortable.
"Hermione, he's matured since we've met him. Savana probably sees Neville much differently than we do." Ginny said.
"That's true. You wouldn't have any preconcieved ideas about him, since you've only been here since September." Hermione admitted. "So, Ginny, has anyone asked you to the dance yet?"
"No, but the dance was just announced at dinner. I've got time." Ginny replied aimiably. "How about you?"
Hermione began to blush. "Ron just asked me, and I said 'yes."
"I knew it!" Ginny crowed. "It took him months just to build up the courage to ask you. I overheard him at home. He's been rehersing all summer!"
The three continued teasing each other for awhile longer. Then Harry and Ron came in and the girls decided to engage in other pursuits.
...`~*~`...
The next day, after lunch, Savana was waiting by the side door for the rest of the group to join her. She was shocked when Draco Malfoy walked out the door, alone, and began to make small talk with her.
"This is really weird!" Savana thought.
"Come on Draco! Just ask her!" Draco thought.
"I wonder if you would do me the honor of accompanying me to the Halloween dance?" Draco requested stiffly.
Savana was temporarily shocked into silence. "He's SO formal!" She thought. "I'm sorry, I can't," she stammered. "I'm going with Neville. He already asked me. But, thank you for thinking of me." She almost felt bad for him.
He excused himself, because the rest of her friends were approaching them, and went back inside of the building.
"I can't believe she turned down a date with me for that squib, Neville." Draco thought darkly as he strutted down the hall.
...`~*~`...
It was the day before Halloween and Harry was sitting alone in the common room, studying. He heard a tapping on the window and when he investigated the noise, he found an owl with a note tied to its leg. He opened the window and let the bird inside. Then he removed the letter from the owl's leg, opened it and read it. The letter read:
"Meet me in Hogsmead, at the Shrieking Shack, tomorrow
afternoon at 4:30 P.M. Come alone and don't tell anyone
about the meeting or this note. This meeting is very
important as I must see you to tell you something."
Harry wasn't able to figure out who had sent the message because the signature was quite smudged. He tried to decipher the signature while he guessed at who might have sent the message. He thought about it for a short time and decided the note must be from Sirius. He shoved the scrape of paper into his pocket and went back to his studies.
...`~*~`...
After his last class on Halloween, Harry laid out his dress robes and checked to make sure everything he needed for the banquet and dance was ready for him when he returned from his meeting with Sirius. Then he dug down to the bottom of his trunk and pulled out his invisibility cloak.
Harry draped it over himself and checked to make sure nothing showed from underneath it. Then he quietly went down the stairs, out of Gryffindor House and outside of the building to the whomping willow.
No one else was outside, so he quickly slithered along the ground, throught the branches, reached in, and hit the switch that prevented the willow from beating him to a pulp. Then Harry crept down into the tunnel under the willow, which led to the Shrieking Shack.
Harry took the cloak off and hesitated for a moment while he tried to decide whether to leave the cloak there, or take it with him. He decided to leave it there and pick it up on his way back to the feast and dance.
He pulled out his wand and held it out in front of him like a torch. "Lumos," he commanded. Harry then used it for light as he made his way along the tunnel. He moved along the tunnel in a semi-crouched position for what seemed like miles. Finally, he felt the floor of the tunnel begin to ascend and he followed it around a final twist. He looked through a hole into a dilapidated, abandoned, ruin of a room.
"Snuffles...?" Harry called softly, as he stuck his wand, and head, up through the hole.
There was no response to his call and he saw no one, so he climbed the rest of the way through the hole and looked more carefully around the room. He heard a muffled footfall in the hallway and moved toward it.
"Snuffles, why did you...," was all Harry managed to say before he was roughly grabbed from behind. Something soft was pressed over his mouth and nose. It was saturated with a substance which smelled cloyingly sweet and familiar...a sleeping potion...Harry realised as everything around him faded into the oblivion of unconsciousness.
...`~*~`...
The Great Hall had been transformed for the evening's festivities. Savana gapped in awe as she stood in the entryway with Neville, Hermione and Ron.
"Wow! This makes Aurora Borealis look like a kiddie party in comparison!" She told her companions.
Glowing Jack 'O Lanterns lined the walls and tables, while bioluminescent bats soared through the sky. (Which was actually the enchanted ceiling.) A large, orange, harvest moon bathed everything in a soft glow and a ghostly orchestra provided various types of music.
The hall was crowded with students, staff, and faculty; dressed in their finest robes; laughing, talking, and dancing.
Neville and Savana moved toward the dance floor while Hermione and Ron mingled with the crowd. They eventually ended up by the refreshment table, where Alex stood with his date, Fleur Delacour-Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and a group of star struck girls. A group of boys, presumably the erstwhile 'dates' of Alex's fan club, grumbled nearby.
Ginny and her date, Parker, joined Hermione and Ron there, but Ron and Parker soon tired of listening to the girls' fawning questions about Alex's life in the States. They drifted over to the rest of the boys and joined in with their discussion about quidditch.
Savana and Neville moved around the dance floor greeting people they knew as they danced past.
Savana was pleasantly suprised at Neville's dancing skill and grace. He was also proving to be both a good conversationalist and quite humorous, once he felt comfortable with her.
Savana nodded a greeting to Malfoy as he danced by with Pansy Parkinson. She appeared to be talking his ear off while he stared over her head. Malfoy's eyes were glazed and he looked like he was a million miles away.
Pansy began to notice her date's inattentiveness after a little while. She got his attention and asked him what the problem was, though she already knew the answer.
Pansy had seen Draco mooning over Savana and suspected that Draco might have asked Savana to the dance, before asking her.
Draco made some excuse about his listening to the music, but Pansy wasn't buying it. So, when Draco and she happened to move next to Neville and Savana, Pansy artfully stuck-out her foot and tripped Savana. That caused Savana to fall against Neville, who gallently caught her.
"That little tramp!" Savana hissed.
"Clumsey Yank!" Pansy said loudly enough for Savana to hear, as she left the dance floor draped over Malfoy's arm.
"What was that all about?" Neville asked Savana as he led her to a chair.
Savana gratefully sat down and began to massage her sore ankle. "Who knows what was going through that gnat sized brain of hers?!"
"I'll go and get something cool for us to drink." Neville volunteered and disappeared into the crowd.
When he returned, he brought Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Parker and Cho with him. They all greeted each other.
"Cho, where is Harry?" Hermione asked. She looked around the hall, searching for Harry.
"I don't know." Cho responded, sounding a bit hurt and confused. "I waited for a half an hour after Harry said he'd pick me up, then I came down by myself. I thought, maybe, he'd turn up here, or that one of you might know where he'd be."
They all felt badly for Cho, but their over-riding concern was for Harry. Where could he be?
Ron felt especially alarmed. He knew how much Harry had been looking forward to going to this dance with Cho. It was unlikely Harry would have voluntarily been late for, or missed, this.
Ron leaned over and whispered something to Neville. Then they excused themselves and left the hall.
"What are they up to?" Ginny asked.
"We'll probably find out soon." Savana responded.
...`~*~`...
Neville and Ron raced up to Gryffindor House, through the common room and up to their room. They found Harry's dress robes laid out on his bed, ready for Harry to don for the dance. There was a clear box, which contained a lovely corsage made of gardinas and carnations, on Harry's pillow. A pantleg poked out from under the lid of Harry's trunk, otherwise nothing appeared to be amiss.
Ron began moving things and looking under them for any possible clue while Neville opened drawers, etc. and searched them. Then Ron thought of Harry's invisibility cloak, so he opened the trunk and dug through it. The cloak wasn't there and he knew that was where Harry kept it.
Ron went through the trunk a second time, just to be sure he hadn't missed anything. NO CLOAK!
Ron's stomach twisted into a knot of anxiety as he closed the trunk. Then he noticed a pair of pants had fallen onto the floor during his rummaging. Ron sighed in frusteration, snatched the offending garment from the floor and threw it back into the trunk.
Neville saw a scrap of paper flutter from the pants to the floor while Ron was tidying up his mess. He picked it up and read it.
"Umm...Ron..." He studdered as Ron continued to mutter to himself. "Ron!"
Ron turned to Neville. "What! Harry's invisibility cloak is missing! I've got to figure out where he went in it!"
"Read this, it fell out of Harry's pants..." Neville attempted to explain, but Ron had snatched the note and read it.
"Neville, I think Harry's in trouble. He went into Hogsmead to meet someone, I can't tell who...he should be back by now. We'd better get some help."
Ron and Neville ran back down to the rest of the group as fast as their legs could carry them.
