Hi all! Here's chapter seven! Sorry it's been forever! ^_^; And lots and lots of apologies go out to Anne. I'm sorry the explanation sounded so rude, I truly am! I really appreciate your comments and your help! Please continue helping me, if you would! ^^
Chapter 7: Lemon Drops and the Unforgivable
The next week passed with business as usual. Severus and Aeowyn exchanged courteous glances at dinner and staff meetings, but nothing more. Aeowyn had practically locked herself in her room, preparing lesson plans. She wanted everything to be perfect when the students arrived and she wanted them to like her. She sat to her desk the Saturday before the students were to arrive, chewing on the edge of her feather quill, which was actually made of sugar. "Hmmm… What do you think, Sanguis? Should I teach them how to summon up fireballs or do you think that's a little too dangerous, considering the rivalry between Houses?" Aeowyn looked up from her work to find Sanguis sleeping on the back of the sofa, his little tummy rising and falling steadily. She laughed and said, "You're no help, you Cornish ram's bladder!" She looked at the crate, which lay beside the sofa and grinned. It was her brand new copies of Elemental Charms that Mr. Camboly had sent her from Diagon Alley. With another smile, Aeowyn continued chewing on her quill. "Maybe I should teach them something more useful? Like mending bones. Merlin knows, they need that spell after Quidditch matches!"
"Attention, all faculty!"
Aeowyn raised an eyebrow and glanced up at the ceiling. "Since when does this school have an all-call?" Aeowyn stopped writing to listen to what Minerva had to say.
"All teachers need to report to the Conference Room for a brief meeting. I repeat, all teachers need to report to the Conference Room for a brief meeting," she said firmer.
Aeowyn sighed and closed her copies of Basic Latin Spells and Charms For Survival. She put her olive wand in her pocket and threw a cloak around her shoulders to cover her short-sleeved shirt. Aeowyn kissed Sanguis on the head before leaving the room and as she exited, she received a surprising, "Good Morning" from the Musketeer. Aeowyn laughed at his error and bid him a good afternoon before heading for the Conference Room. She met up with Professor Sprout and they had a chat about Mandrakes until they reached their destination.
Aeowyn loved the conference room. Dumbledore had given it a bit of his touch: there were colorful pictures on the walls, soft, velvety purple seats that grunted when you sat on them, and lemon drops (a favorite of Aeowyn's) in little glass dishes on the tables. She took her place next to Professor Binns (who had difficulty sitting in his seat, as he was a ghost) and Madame Hooch, whom Aeowyn had come to appreciate as the sister she never had. She grabbed one of the glass dishes and pulled it closer to her, popping a lemon drop in her mouth. She laughed and sucked on it gleefully, her eyes closed in gratification. A grunt from the opposite side of the table made Aeowyn open her eyes. Aeowyn leered at Severus and stuck her tongue out at him. Doesn't like candy! Indeed! What a fruit head!
Dumbledore and McGonagall were the last to enter the room and Minerva shut the door behind her. Albus took his place at the head of the table and Minerva sat at his right side. Dumbledore had an unusually worried look on his face, as did McGonagall. Aeowyn looked at them both questioningly, a troubled look crossing her face. After a few moments, Dumbledore finally asked, "Is everyone here?"
Aeowyn looked up and down the table, noticing that Farus' seat was empty. She looked back at Dumbledore, wondering whether missing Farus would be a loss or not. "Kaven isn't here," she spoke up quietly.
"We will wait for Farus, then," Dumbledore stated, irritated and eager to speak to the staff.
Aeowyn peered urgently into Dumbledore's eyes. "If you want me to, I'll go and see if I can find him."
"I shall go with her," Severus offered as he stood up.
Aeowyn pushed her chair back roughly, glaring at Severus. "I can go by myself! I'm not some maiden you have to rescue from a dragon!"
Dumbledore quietly said, "Calm, Aeowyn. You may go search for Farus, Severus, stay here." Before the Potions Master could protest, Dumbledore added, "She can take care of herself. I believe she did send you spiraling into your cabinet of potions once, am I right?"
Aeowyn smirked as Severus' pale face tinged pink. She looked at Dumbledore and said, "Thanks, Albus!" As soon as she cleared her chair, she raced out of the room and down the hall, trying to remember where Farus' room was. Aeowyn ran past the Great Hall, past her classroom, and even beyond Professor Binns' dusty room, but she couldn't recall where she had seen Farus' room on the map Dumbledore had given her. (She had gotten lost and found herself in a secret room that nobody had ever heard of before, so Dumbledore suggested a map until she got used to everything.) She bolted up and down stairs, dodging holes and cursing the staircases when they moved, leaving her isolated with no where to go on some occasions. Aeowyn kept running, but suddenly stopped when she heard voices. She followed the voices until she came to what she recognized as Farus' room. She peeked through the door and nearly choked on the air she had breathed in.
There were three men surrounding Farus' desk and they were obviously engrossed in something. She recognized the one on the left as Farus, sweating and stuttering with every sentence. The one on the right, too, could not keep from shaking, but he looked slightly more confident than Farus. This man had an arm that almost looked metallic and like it could crush anything he wanted. The third man had his back to Aeowyn and she couldn't recognize him in anyway. His hood was up, as well.
"But, sir, she's a brat, she couldn't possibly be-" Farus started.
"She is!" the man on the right shouted at Farus.
"Calm, calm, friends," the middle one warned. Aeowyn could not place the voice to an owner, but she swore she could recognize it.
Who is that?! What is Farus doing and who are those with him?! Aeowyn quietly drew her wand from her pocket. Maybe I should get the others… No! It's likely they'll be gone by then! I have to take care of this myself! She stepped into the room, her wand pointed at the middleman's back.
Farus was the first to notice her and he shouted, "Sir!"
The man in the middle (who Farus had referred to) turned around quickly, stuffing a parchment in his robe. His hood completely covered his face, preventing Aeowyn from recognizing him. He halted when he saw Aeowyn with the wand. "Ah, Miss Aeowyn… What a pleasant surprise…"
"I suspect you're lying sir," she responded as a taunt. "Now what would three suspicious characters, such as yourselves, be doing in the middle of broad daylight?" She smiled, knowing the odds were against her. "I thought the activity of scum took place at night…"
"Be careful, Miss Aeowyn," the man rolled off his tongue in a grating voice. "You are outnumbered three to one."
"Ah, yes," she repeated. "But it seems all you have on your side is a piece of tinfoil and an ass!"
"I do not need them to take care of you!" The leader pulled out his wand and before Aeowyn could cast her spell, he shouted "Crucio!"
In flash of white light, Aeowyn was on the ground, her eyes clenched tight in pain. She curled up, feeling as if all of the nerves in her body were on fire. She wanted to scream, but bit her lip to stop herself. Her wand had fallen from her hand and she searched for it frantically, all the while choking down sobs in her throat.
"Get her wand!" she heard Farus shout.
Before anyone could move, she found her wand and held it up, screaming, "Conjunctiva!" She heard a hissing sound, then the howls of the three men. Her pain eased off and she stood up, opening her eyes against the agony. Two of the three men were clutching their eyes; the leader had fallen behind the desk. Farus lay fainted against the desk and the third man was attempting to help the second off the ground.
The leader shouted, "One, two, three! " A flash of blue-white light erupted from his wand, blinding Aeowyn temporarily. When her vision returned, she saw a praying mantis fly away from Farus' window. She glanced down at the floor and saw a rat tail disappear through a mouse hole.
Aeowyn dropped to her knees and held her forehead in her hands. The Cruciatus Curse was still burning her body. She felt dizzy and nauseated, her blood boiling in torment. Aeowyn slowly allowed herself to lie on the cool stones of the floor, her eyelids drooping lazily. Just as her eyes were about to shut, they sprang back open and she sat up. "I can't just lie here! I have to tell Dumbledore!" She grabbed her wand and stood up, looking at Farus. She pointed her wand at Farus and said, "Mobilicorpus." Farus' motionless body levitated itself into mid air, his head lolling unpleasantly to a side. Aeowyn motioned it to follow her as she made her way back to the Conference Room. With every step, her legs threatened to buckle beneath her, begging her to lie down and sleep.
After what seemed like forever, Aeowyn sighted the doors to the Conference Room. She let out a tiny laugh and drudged on, Farus still floating behind her. Aeowyn straightened herself up and walked into the room, as if she had never been hit by one of the unforgivable curses. All attention shifted to her and the levitating Farus as she entered the room. "Hi," was the only word her brain allowed her to say.
The Professors bolted out of their chairs, all chattering at once. It took a green firespark from Dumbledore's wand to silence them. He looked at Aeowyn. "Aeowyn… I trust you have a good explanation."
"I do indeed," Aeowyn sighed out as she collapsed to the floor.
There ya go! I hope you enjoyed! Please review, if you would and tell me what you think! ^_^