Chapter 5
Disclaimer on opening note
Potions Mastery was off in full force. Ruby had never made so many potions in her life, but the week following the conversation in the dungeon was complete chaos in Ruby's workload. She was glad that Oliver bought her treats from Hogsmeade to keep her going. Another thing that changed was that she really didn't see anyone anymore. She even missed the Quidditch match, but she heard all about it.
"Ruby," Ginny heaved. Ruby barely looked up.
"Yes, did we win?"
"Wait. Dementors came and Harry just fell out of the sky."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Come on." Ginny dragged Ruby from the common room. When they got to the infirmary, they found Harry being force fed chocolate.
"What happened," asked Ruby? Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't tell, just sit there and pity yourself. I was only concerned." Harry glared at her
"Ruby, I think you should stop," said Hermione as she glanced behind Ruby.
"No, why does he need to sulk! The Great Harry Potter has a weakness. Well live with it! Everyone else has to!" She turned to leave but was face to face with Professor Lupin.
"I think you need to go cool down, Miss Kennedy. I will meet you in my office shortly."
Ruby almost turned her rant on to Lupin, but wisely, decided against it. She stalked out of the infirmary and to Lupin's office.
She sat outside his office, not wanting to intrude, or get herself in anymore trouble then she had. She couldn't believe what had just happened, yet she was also having trouble silencing the anger in her.
Lupin slowly came up to the door. "Come on in, Miss Kennedy." Ruby went into the office and sat in a chair in front of Lupin's desk. She noticed many differences between this office and Snape's office. The biggest difference was the temperature. She started to feel suffocated by the heat.
"Now, Miss Kennedy," Lupin said in a kind voice, "what seems to be the matter."
"I don't really know. I just felt this wave of anger come over me when he rolled his eyes at me. I know that is no excuse for my behavior. It might just be stress."
"What stress are you going through?" He seemed genuinely concerned, as supposed to Snape, who may have only had moments of concern, then went back to his normal empathic ways.
"O.W.L.S"
"But you are only a third year. You have no need to worry for another two years."
"But I'm a fifth year in Potions."
He looked surprised. "You must be great at potions. So Professor Snape is having you take the O.W.L.S., huh? Well that can be stressful."
"And I'm taking Potions Mastery."
Lupin looked extremely surprised at this. "You mean you are taking mastery level potions already? That's even earlier then when Snape started. No one has taken that class since Snape."
Now Ruby was shocked. "No one?"
"Not a one. And for Snape to take on a Gryffindor, you must be something special."
"Ahh, thanks, I guess." She wasn't used to being praised for her potions work. The most she ever got out of Snape was 'satisfactory'.
"Something tells me that there is more then O.W.L.S. bothering you."
That was when Ruby noticed a small mirror on the wall. Could Voldermort be watching me now? No, why would he watch her? She has nothing to do with him anymore, she thought. Then she saw a brief flicker in the reflection told her otherwise.
"Ruby?" She suddenly came back from her thoughts.
"Emotional stress."
"Emotional stress?" He seemed perplexed. "What else is Snape doing to you."
She laughed alittle. "Not Snape." She became serious again and asked him, "What do you know on the topic of mirror communication?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Why do you want to know about that?"
"Well I heard that Vold... I mean the dark lord used it and well, I just felt that maybe someone else has learned to use it and is watching me or something." She was scared he didn't believe her. He studied her a moment. Why does everyone stare at me like that? "It's silly really; probably just paranoia."
"Who told you that the Dark Lord used this?"
"Ummm, Professor Snape, is there something wrong?"
"Well, no one calls he-who-shall-not-be-named the Dark Lord except followers."
Ruby's eyes widened, "Oh." There was silence for what seemed forever before Lupin cleared his throat.
"I apologize, I got off topic." He walked around his table and knelt to Ruby. "Please, be in better control of your emotions from now on."
"Most definitely."
"You may return to your common room."
They both left, Lupin heading straight to the dungeon.
"Come in," Snape answered the knock on the door.
"Severus, we need to talk," Lupin said as he sat in the chair a cross from Snape.
"The potion will be ready in time, don't worry," Snape sneered.
"You said the Dark Lord."
Snape was suspicious. "What are you talking about?"
"Ruby Kennedy was just in my office on account that she yelled at another student. I asked her what the problem was and we got on the topic of mirror communtication." Lupin became very serious, "You said the Dark Lord. Why on earth couldn't you have said He-who-must-not-be-named, or even his real name."
"Force of habit, I guess."
"That's not funny, Severus. Now Dumbledore trusts you, so I trust you. Don't do anything stupid. Anything."
"And who says I've been doing anything stupid, Remus? I suppose the only stupid thing done is take that Gryffindor on."
"Stop that! That's not fair to her. For some reason she looks up to you. Why, I have no idea. You seem to be running her through the ringer, making her that Potions O.W."
"I wouldn't make her if I didn't believe her ready." They were silent in the heat of the argument.
"I'm telling you, Severus, watch yourself. Watch what you say and do. People are watching."
"Thanks for the news, but I've already read it."
With that Lupin turned and left.
Ruby stepped out of the shower, robe tucked around her She looked at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her hair. Who was that who yelled at Harry? She still could not believe how mean she had been. "There is a demon inside me." She thought of Ashitaka from Mononoke Hime. Is there a demon tearing me apart? "A darkness inside you," said the mirror. "A darkness you started." He laughed, "I am the darkness." "So what am I?" "You," he stopped and thought , "You are mine." "I beg to differ." "Others have too. You'll see, or you'll die." "Choices, choices," she said sarcastically and walked out.
*Can we say fear is the path to the dark side? "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." Also I noticed I haven't put in anything about the fat lady's portrait being slashed. I'm not sure how to add that in. If anyone has any suggestions for that it would be great.
Potions Mastery was off in full force. Ruby had never made so many potions in her life, but the week following the conversation in the dungeon was complete chaos in Ruby's workload. She was glad that Oliver bought her treats from Hogsmeade to keep her going. Another thing that changed was that she really didn't see anyone anymore. She even missed the Quidditch match, but she heard all about it.
"Ruby," Ginny heaved. Ruby barely looked up.
"Yes, did we win?"
"Wait. Dementors came and Harry just fell out of the sky."
"What? What do you mean?"
"Come on." Ginny dragged Ruby from the common room. When they got to the infirmary, they found Harry being force fed chocolate.
"What happened," asked Ruby? Harry rolled his eyes. "Fine, don't tell, just sit there and pity yourself. I was only concerned." Harry glared at her
"Ruby, I think you should stop," said Hermione as she glanced behind Ruby.
"No, why does he need to sulk! The Great Harry Potter has a weakness. Well live with it! Everyone else has to!" She turned to leave but was face to face with Professor Lupin.
"I think you need to go cool down, Miss Kennedy. I will meet you in my office shortly."
Ruby almost turned her rant on to Lupin, but wisely, decided against it. She stalked out of the infirmary and to Lupin's office.
She sat outside his office, not wanting to intrude, or get herself in anymore trouble then she had. She couldn't believe what had just happened, yet she was also having trouble silencing the anger in her.
Lupin slowly came up to the door. "Come on in, Miss Kennedy." Ruby went into the office and sat in a chair in front of Lupin's desk. She noticed many differences between this office and Snape's office. The biggest difference was the temperature. She started to feel suffocated by the heat.
"Now, Miss Kennedy," Lupin said in a kind voice, "what seems to be the matter."
"I don't really know. I just felt this wave of anger come over me when he rolled his eyes at me. I know that is no excuse for my behavior. It might just be stress."
"What stress are you going through?" He seemed genuinely concerned, as supposed to Snape, who may have only had moments of concern, then went back to his normal empathic ways.
"O.W.L.S"
"But you are only a third year. You have no need to worry for another two years."
"But I'm a fifth year in Potions."
He looked surprised. "You must be great at potions. So Professor Snape is having you take the O.W.L.S., huh? Well that can be stressful."
"And I'm taking Potions Mastery."
Lupin looked extremely surprised at this. "You mean you are taking mastery level potions already? That's even earlier then when Snape started. No one has taken that class since Snape."
Now Ruby was shocked. "No one?"
"Not a one. And for Snape to take on a Gryffindor, you must be something special."
"Ahh, thanks, I guess." She wasn't used to being praised for her potions work. The most she ever got out of Snape was 'satisfactory'.
"Something tells me that there is more then O.W.L.S. bothering you."
That was when Ruby noticed a small mirror on the wall. Could Voldermort be watching me now? No, why would he watch her? She has nothing to do with him anymore, she thought. Then she saw a brief flicker in the reflection told her otherwise.
"Ruby?" She suddenly came back from her thoughts.
"Emotional stress."
"Emotional stress?" He seemed perplexed. "What else is Snape doing to you."
She laughed alittle. "Not Snape." She became serious again and asked him, "What do you know on the topic of mirror communication?"
He raised his eyebrow. "Why do you want to know about that?"
"Well I heard that Vold... I mean the dark lord used it and well, I just felt that maybe someone else has learned to use it and is watching me or something." She was scared he didn't believe her. He studied her a moment. Why does everyone stare at me like that? "It's silly really; probably just paranoia."
"Who told you that the Dark Lord used this?"
"Ummm, Professor Snape, is there something wrong?"
"Well, no one calls he-who-shall-not-be-named the Dark Lord except followers."
Ruby's eyes widened, "Oh." There was silence for what seemed forever before Lupin cleared his throat.
"I apologize, I got off topic." He walked around his table and knelt to Ruby. "Please, be in better control of your emotions from now on."
"Most definitely."
"You may return to your common room."
They both left, Lupin heading straight to the dungeon.
"Come in," Snape answered the knock on the door.
"Severus, we need to talk," Lupin said as he sat in the chair a cross from Snape.
"The potion will be ready in time, don't worry," Snape sneered.
"You said the Dark Lord."
Snape was suspicious. "What are you talking about?"
"Ruby Kennedy was just in my office on account that she yelled at another student. I asked her what the problem was and we got on the topic of mirror communtication." Lupin became very serious, "You said the Dark Lord. Why on earth couldn't you have said He-who-must-not-be-named, or even his real name."
"Force of habit, I guess."
"That's not funny, Severus. Now Dumbledore trusts you, so I trust you. Don't do anything stupid. Anything."
"And who says I've been doing anything stupid, Remus? I suppose the only stupid thing done is take that Gryffindor on."
"Stop that! That's not fair to her. For some reason she looks up to you. Why, I have no idea. You seem to be running her through the ringer, making her that Potions O.W."
"I wouldn't make her if I didn't believe her ready." They were silent in the heat of the argument.
"I'm telling you, Severus, watch yourself. Watch what you say and do. People are watching."
"Thanks for the news, but I've already read it."
With that Lupin turned and left.
Ruby stepped out of the shower, robe tucked around her She looked at her reflection in the mirror as she brushed her hair. Who was that who yelled at Harry? She still could not believe how mean she had been. "There is a demon inside me." She thought of Ashitaka from Mononoke Hime. Is there a demon tearing me apart? "A darkness inside you," said the mirror. "A darkness you started." He laughed, "I am the darkness." "So what am I?" "You," he stopped and thought , "You are mine." "I beg to differ." "Others have too. You'll see, or you'll die." "Choices, choices," she said sarcastically and walked out.
*Can we say fear is the path to the dark side? "Fear leads to anger, anger leads to hate, hate leads to suffering." Also I noticed I haven't put in anything about the fat lady's portrait being slashed. I'm not sure how to add that in. If anyone has any suggestions for that it would be great.
