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CLAWS
OF A RAVEN
by Tyde
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Chapter Twelve
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Professor Palgetti was still with the Headmaster when Harry and the others came up the moving staircase. Her hair was mussed and tears stained her cheeks. She wasn't looking all that stable and kept rocking herself back and forth, while hugging her knees. A sheaf of parchment lay on the floor in front of her and she seemed to be alternatively reading it and then looking away. She pushed a hand through her hair shakily and turned to face the door when it creaked open.
"I thought I told you three to go back to bed!" Her sharp tone was mixed with anxiety. Dumbledore placed a hand on her arm to calm her and she buried her face in her hands.
"Professor Dumbledore sir, Dobby has something to tell you" Harry gestured at the house elf that was clinging to Hermione. He let out a wail of pain and it was made clear that he would not be able to speak.
Ron wondered why Sorora also seemed distraught. Had she found out about Jippy already? He stepped forward and said rather gravely. "There's been a murder. Down near the dungeons. Jippy the house elf. Dobby was coming to tell you sir and we ran into him on the way back to our dormitories". That caused the DADA professor's head to rise from her hands and look at Ron.
"Jippy?"
"Yes sir. Dobby found him outside of the Potions classroom. He thinks it was the Killing Curse" And at this Dobby removed his face from the shoulder of Hermione's robes and looked at Dumbledore, nodding vigorously.
"It was sir! Dobby was coming down the hall and Dobby saw a flash and heard those terrible words and then Jippy was...he was..." Sobs starting making their way out of Dobby's mouth again and he slipped from Hermione's arms and slumped to the floor.
"It's alright Dobby. Come sit here" and Dumbledore patted a cushiony elf sized chair that he'd conjured up beside himself. "I know it is hard but I need you to tell me all that you can about what you saw. Mister Potter and Mister Weasley would you go down to the kitchen's please and inform the house elves. Ask Jonky, Senny and Rilly if they would go to the dungeons to retrieve poor Jippy and have him brought up to my office please. Then I must ask that you go straight back to your dormitory and do not speak a word to anyone of what has transpired tonight" he looked over at Sorora whose face was a complete mixture of emotions. He thought he could sense dread as one of them. "Miss Granger would you take Professor Palgetti back to her quarters please. And may I suggest a dash of this" he handed Hermione a vial filled with Madam Pomfrey's Dreamless Sleep potion.
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The beat up old wand Julian Palgetti had been clutching in his right hand was ripped out of it by a furious looking Voldemort. A cup was thrust into Julian's hand by Wormtail and he was forced to drink it's contents. He opened his mouth to protest at the awful taste but the Imperio Potion had already washed over him and the words lay dead on his tongue.
"Why did you fail?"
"Master I was attracting too much attention"
"Did she see you?"
"Yes...and others. I was on my way to the dungeons to fetch him as you asked but I was interrupted"
"Was it her?"
"No. It was a house elf. He fought with me – refused me entry to Snape's quarters. He tried to blast me with his magicks so I killed him. But someone saw. There was a loud squeal from the shadows and I couldn't risk completing the mission and getting caught"
"You can be easily replaced" Voldemort growled. "Did I not tell you to kill all that would try to interfere?"
"There would have been too many. They cried out for Dumbledore and went tearing up the stairs"
"And you were afraid of that old fool?"
A flicker in the eyes of the captive told of something. Julian spat out a small volume of the potion he's been holding in his cheek and looked straight into the red snake-like eyes of the Dark Lord. "You're afraid of him". The Auror knew what punishment that statement would wield but he said it regardless. In a split second he was writhing on the dirt floor of the forest – nerve endings searing in pain, his voice hoarse from all the screaming. Finally Voldemort took away the curse.
"I am no longer afraid – as you put it - of Dumbledore. Nor his pet, Harry Potter. I will conquer them both soon enough...and you will help me" He snapped the man's mouth open and poured another measure of the potion straight down. "Try that again and I'll break more than your foot"
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Hermione and Sorora walked quietly back to the professor's quarters. She didn't utter a sound and looked down at the cold stone floor, her hair hanging in her face. The Prefect guided her gently by the elbow and finally they came to the entrance to the DADAs quarters.
"Ah, Professor?"
"Yes" It was said almost as if a sigh.
"I need the password"
Sorora shook her head as if a fly was buzzing around her. "Oh right, sorry. Uh...Julian" The stone slid aside and allowed them entrance. Hermione led the woman to the soft-feathered bed and made her sit down.
"I'll fix you a cup of tea" she said as a tea cup spun in the air in front of her. A dash of the dreamless sleep potion was added and the student sat with her while she sipped from the cup. A flurry of feathers almost disrupted the cup as an owl came in through the window.
"ULULA!" cried Sorora as the owl landed in her lap. She snatched up the owl and held her, rubbing her cheek lovingly along the feathers. "Where have you been? I've missed you" The owl hooted softly and that's when Hermione noticed it had a note tied to it's leg.
"Look Professor, she has a note for you" Hermione unwound the string that held the parchment tight and handed it over. Sorora's fingers shook as she unfolded it. Her face turned deathly pale as the words swam before her eyes. I am coming home my love. Soon we will be together. All my love, you're husband Julian.
Hermione couldn't help but read the note over her shoulder. She became more intrigued about what it was that could be affecting the woman. It was a note from her husband saying that he was returning to her. Shouldn't this be a moment of joy? Not shaky hands and pale looks. The Prefect wrapped a blanket around her teacher's shoulders and gave her a reassuring pat. "If you wan-" but she was cut off mid-sentence.
"Thank you Miss Granger for seeing me back to my room. I am awfully tired, as no doubt you are too" she lay down on the bed. "I trust you can see yourself out?"
"Sure" the bushy-haired girl was confused but left nonetheless. Sorora's eyes trained on the letter which had definitely been written by her husband.
When he had first become an Auror they had worked out a code for correspondence if he should ever be in danger. It was the word you're. It was a common enough mistake to make in English grammar, although Julian himself never made it. It was their code. As she drifted off to a dreamless but sorrowful sleep her heart felt crushed. Her husband was in terrible danger and she didn't know the first place to start to try and help him.
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Author's note: Extremely busy at work at the moment (where I seem to get inspiration from, don't know why – I work in real estate) so I've got three or four almost finished chapters sitting on my computer and no lunch hour to play with them. Now that I've moved back home to Mum and Dad's I might have time to work on their computer and bash out a few good scenes. We'll see.
Mavidian – thanks for being hooked on it! I know I was definitely hooked on your story That Certain Urge and now Of Secret Vices also has me hooked.
Labrisa – Of course he's not. He's even more evil than I've made out so far! Hehee.
Colleen – you're good, very good. You know the way my brain works, of course it was him! :o) I haven't seen Silence of the Lambs – it looks too damn scary!
SnapeJuice – be thankful it was Jippy and not Dobby or Winky! I was considering death duties for those instead, but I just couldn't do it.
