Chapter Five: Defence, but Against What?

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Disclaimer: I own nothing, but if I did, then guess whom I would have for a BF? LoL. Ann, Leah and I are real, so you can't steal us. Too bad.

Oh, and I would like to dedicate this chap to Chibi Planeteria, an authoress on FF.net. If you like anime, and if you like romance, I suggest that you go and read what she has to offer. She's my buddie, and if you don't go look, I will hold you down in the dirt and she will hit you repeatedly with a giant foam hammer.

Lol. JJ. Read on!

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Everything is so very warm in the morning, you know? As long as you stay in bed, you feel that you are safe and comfy and that there's nothing wrong…

"OMG, he's so HOT! It should be illegal!!"

Ah. That's just great. Boy obsessing in the middle of my happy sleep time. Ugh.

"I know…why does he have to be a teacher??"

There we go. Leah must be up… "Leah?" I muttered, rolling over and promptly getting tangled in the curtains. Blasted things… "Leeeaaaah…"

"FINALLY!" My boppity friend bounced into view, opening the curtains I was trying to crawl out of. "We were just about to leave for breakfast!"

"Leah."

"What?"

"You're obsessed."

"With what?"

"With Kale."

"But he's got wings!"

"He's a teacher."

"So?"

"So?? How old do you think he is?"

"Well…"

"Molester! Molester!"

Leah tossed me a mock glare. "Shut up!"

"Be careful, Leah!" Ann said dramatically, as I bumped into my dresser and knocked my specs to the floor. "He's gonna take you to his nest and—"

"Don't even finish that!" Leah cried. She paused. "Well…actually…" She shook her head as we all laughed. "No…never mind!"

I chortled, rummaging in my closet-wardrobe whatsit. We now had something to tease Leah about in Defence this morning…

~*~*~*~

"Today," Kale said, wings fluttering gently in the empty classroom, "We'll be looking at a creature that is of a great danger to both muggle and wizard children." The room had been cleared; the tables and chairs pushed to one side. Only a single, covered, crate sat in the middle of the floor. Everyone stood anxiously around it. "Considering you are all fifth years, I think that there should be no worry as to being captured by them."

Okay. Welcome to DATDA, again. I think that I've gotten over my little gawking problem, but Leah seems to be hit harder than ever. Poor girl. It's halfway through October, now and she still has a thing for him. But then, so do the rest of the girls around here. Maybe Ann and I are the only ones immune, or something…. Hmm…

"What is it, Professor?" Lavender asked curiously.

Kale smiled. "I'll give you a description, and we'll see if anyone can guess. They are elfish creatures, originating from the Black Forest, in Germany. They are larger than gnomes, with pointed faces, and their cackles are entrancing to children."

Hermione had her hand in the air before he was even finished his sentence. "Professor, are they erklings?"

"Why, that's correct, Hermione." He took hold of the sheet. "Ten points to Gryffindor."

Hermione blushed.

The sheet was torn away from the cage, revealing wicked-looking creatures, slanted eyes blinking at them. There were three, two males and a female; they wound long, narrow hands around the bars of the cage, rattling the metal at them. The male with the vivid violet eyes gave a high-pitched laugh, while the female beckoned to the students.

"Why are they so dangerous?" Leah asked, peering at them closely. "I think they're kind of cute…"

I shared a glance with Ann and Lavender. The three of us grinned. That wasn't all that Leah though was cute.

Kale ignored our snickering. "When they capture a child…they eat them."

Leah gave a yelp and pulled away quickly. Both Gryffindor and Slytherin alike laughed. The male with the electric blue eyes sneered at her. Kale threw the blanket back over the cage indicating the floor. "Will everyone take a seat? I'm afraid that bringing the desks back in here would take up too much of the class time; I apologise for that." Everyone shuffled to the ground, pulling out quills, ink and parchment. "Quickly, let us list possible reasons that the cackle of the Erklings are captivating to children—" The female Erkling screeched, as if on cue. "—And not to those who are older."

I fumbled with the cap of my inkbottle, swearing lowly as drops of multicoloured liquid dripped on my arm. "Dammit."

"I need to talk to you." A voice murmured in my ear. I was about to turn around, but cool fingers paused on my neck.

"What about?" I muttered back, picking up my quill nonchalantly. Who was it sitting behind me? The voice was familiar, but for some strange reason, I couldn't place it. Discreetly, I glanced at those in front of me. Who was missing?

"Meet me near the entrance to the dungeons at lunch." The voice whispered back.

Dungeons. "Draco?"

"Come alone. Make sure you aren't followed." The light touch on my neck left, and I set to work pretending to scribble on my parchment.

The bell rang, not five minutes later. Kale took in our guesses, and informed us that we would be looking at the history of Erkings next class. As I left, I noticed that Ann was giving me a strange look, though I wasn't sure if it was there. When I blinked, it was gone.

~*~*~*~

I moved at a casual pace, leaving the Great Hall after snagging a grilled-cheese sandwich. There was soup, too, but that's a little hard to eat on the go. I had made some sort of excuse about the library, and the group had shrugged it off. Meh. Suits me fine.

I moved across the entry hall quickly and through one of the darkened corridors. I had been at the school for, what, almost two months now, and I have a pretty fair idea of where everything is. Well, as much as one can, with Hogwarts… I still haven't found anything new about Morgan's Staff, though… It's sad, really. And Ann hasn't said a thing about it. I wasn't about to ask her either. If she was keeping it all secretive with Draco, then that was her business. Goodness knows that in the next few moments, I was going to be doing the same thing…

"Draco?" I called into the hall. There was nothing but an eerie silence. Was this just a prank? "Hellooo?"

"Are you alone?" The light tenor drifted to me, and I looked around. Where the hell was he?

"Yes…where are you?"

I vaguely saw a slender hand appear out of the shadow. "Over here."

I walked over to him, stepping under the cover of the stairs' shadow. "Okay, then. What's this all about, then?"

"You'll have to swear that you won't tell anyone…"

"Anyone what?" I asked irritably.

Draco hesitated, drawing me further into the shadows. "Something's going to happen soon."

"That is so vague that it isn't even worth mentioning."

The blond glanced about the hall before explaining. Digging into the pocket of his robe, he extracted a thin vial. "This is an antidote." He pressed it into the palm of my hand. "Tell no one that you have it. I mean no one."

I held it up, peering at the clear liquid inside. "What is it an antidote for?" Draco smoothed his hair and I realized that he was nervous. The kid must be serious… "Draco?

"Around Halloween, a strange flu will go around the school. It will start with a fever, then mild delusions, then it will seem to get better before plunging into a stomach flu."

"Is it fatal?" I said, alarmed.

"No, but after it goes away, it starts to drain the person of their magic reserves." Draco stared at me for a moment. "Depending on the person, this draining may be temporary, or it may be permanent…"

"Gods above, Draco." I said. Then I was suddenly suspicious. "Why are you telling me this?"

He shrugged into his school robe. "This illness isn't contagious. It's only picked up if taken in a drink. Specifically pumpkin juice."

"I don't drink pumpkin juice."

"I know." Draco stopped, blushing. "I mean, your friends do, and I know that many of them are going to be victims of this."

"How, exactly?"

"I can't say, really…" He scanned the hall again. "Look, I've already said too much. If you give the antidote to someone showing the symptoms before they have the stomach flu, then you will be able to disable the draining after effect. Use only a drop; no more no less."

I nodded, tucking the potion into a pocket. "Why help me?" I inquired. "I though that you hated the Gryffindors. Especially the 'Golden child.'"

Draco smiled, amused. "Golden child? How appropriate." His eyes drifted for a moment. "Pretty necklace."

I glanced down, touching the dark opal on a silver chain. "Thank you." I looked back to him, but he was gone. "What-- Draco?" My voice echoed in the empty hall. Dammit. He didn't answer my question.

"Get away from me, already!"

The Slytherin reappeared, running past me as a blond and black blur, with Leah hot on his tail.

"Come back here, you!" She swung her bat menencingly.

"Geeya!"

I shook my head, going after my violent friend. I don't know what her vendetta with him was, but it allowed her to pop up and bop him with her bat. "Leah!"

"Busy!"

Oy.

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                Holy randomness, Batman! There seems to be an actual plot! With actual seriousness! WOW!

                Lol. I needed this fic to go somewhere. Morgan's staff seemed a good direction to head, considering I put it there for that reason. Meh.

                Dra-co, Dra-co, Dra-co! Lalalalalala!

                Ann/Leah: Oh vey.

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