Storyline (c) 2003 inTOtheSKY, all Chimeral characters are my own and should not be copied without permission. All other characters belong to JK Rowling ;D Feel free to e-mail me at spirit@eluding.org

Ch6

Dear Ron and Harry,

I received your letter and in reply I must say that I wish that I were at Hogwarts to help solve the problem. In any case, I've done some thinking over the dilemma that's at hand, and I've come to the following conclusion: Voldemort's plan has gone wrong and now he wants the birds for himself. I highly suspect that one or both of the people you ran into the hallway that night are working under assumed identities at Hogwarts, and could even possibly be a student…

Before I say anything else, I must let you both know that the reason you were unable to reach Dumbledore was because he'd gone to Chimeral to do a little investigation himself. When I received your letter this morning, it had just been announced that the Headmaster here had been discovered in a state of insanity and had been sent to a hospital for treatment. The Snidget of course, disappeared. Dumbledore wants everyone to stay calm and continue on with their studies as usual, and he must have received your note to him from McGonagall, because he will be going back to Hogwarts in a few days.

If you two ever run into some sort of difficulty while this Snidget business is going on, I suggest for you to put your best foot forward and use what you are best at to fight off you-know-who…I care too much about you both to see either of you get hurt.

Best Wishes, Hermione

"If Dumbledore is coming back soon, then we can tell him everything then." Ron nodded with approval.

Harry folded up the letter slowly. "I wonder how the Headmaster at Chimeral was driven to insanity."

Ron shrugged. "Well, you said before that you-know-who had the birds sing a song that caused the Imperius Curse to be placed upon the listener. Maybe after listening to it for a long time, the Headmaster was driven to insanity."

"That might be it." Harry nodded. "I think we should let McGonagall know what we've found out though, in case Dumbledore doesn't get back in time."

"Good idea." Ron stood from the table. "Anyhow, we'd better get started to class then. The earlier we let her know the better."

- -

"So what you're saying that along with all this business of someone at Hogwarts placing the Imperius Curse upon Draco and Jonathan, you suspect the person who attacked you in the Owlery is someone who is working under an assumed identity here and could even be a student?" Professor McGonagall asked, placing her book down. "And that some of the Snidgets have some sort of power to drive a person to insanity while others give the power of immortality?"

"Well, yes." Ron nodded.

"It all sounds a bit complicated I know…but its true, we're sure of it!" Harry exclaimed. "Professor, you've got to do something!"

Their instructor gave both of them a long, stern look before speaking. "I believe you, but I only have your words as evidence and nothing solid to really work upon. No one at Hogwarts has experienced anything out of the ordinary, and-"

"What about Hagrid? What about Draco and Jonathan? What about everyone at the last Quidditch match? The Headmaster at Chimeral? Hermione? Professor, everyone's been affected by what's happening!" Harry argued, breaking in. "Everyone's going to be in danger if we don't stop this now!"

"Potter, if you'd give me a chance to speak…" Professor McGonagall removed her spectacles. "I have made sure that security has been tightened at Hogwarts, particularly after the incident with Lucius Malfoy. The Snidget you retrieved the other day has been placed under special care and safety, and word has been sent to all major wizarding schools. I appreciate both of you coming forward with any information you have, but there is no need for panic, I assure you."

"…Right." Harry unclenched his fists slowly.

"We'll let you know if we find out anything else." Ron pursed his lips, looking to his feet.

"Would you pass on the word to Dumbledore, then?" Harry asked.

"Of course." Their professor gave them a smile. "I'll make sure he knows."

"…Thanks."

Harry and Ron seated themselves at their usual table and began unpacking the notes and textbooks they would need for Transfiguration that day. Since they'd arrived at class early, only they and their instructor were in the room. As Harry began to copy down the notes scrawled upon the board, he made a quick glance at his professor, who had returned to her book. The words from Hermione's letter flooded into his mind at that moment: "I highly suspect that one or both of the people you ran into the hallway that night are working under assumed identities at Hogwarts, and could even possibly be a student…"

Both of the people speaking that night had been male, but Harry began to wonder if it were possible that there was more than one spy at Hogwarts. Had Professor McGonagall been placed under the Imperius Curse as well? Usually, their professor was more enthusiastic to assist them. Nudging Ron in the arm, Harry scribbled out his thoughts upon his parchment. His friend looked up at him with a shocked expression upon his face.

"Have you gone mad?" Ron quickly scratched out what Harry had written. "That's impossible! McGonagall's our Head of House! She'd never be spying for you-know-who!"

"Would you lower your voice just a little bit?" Harry hissed. "Now look. McGonagall could have fallen under the Imperius Curse…it's happened to people at Hogwarts already, hasn't it?"

"I'll admit she's acting a bit funny…but would someone under the Imperius Curse be acting so suspiciously that it'd be obvious that they'd be cursed?" Ron replied, scratching his head.

"Well, no." Harry admitted. "But I'm not going to rule her out as a suspect. I'm going to talk to Dumbledore myself."

"Suit yourself. But I think you're getting to be a bit too suspicious of everyone, Harry." Ron said, returning to his notes.

- -

"Did you get what the teacher was saying about Repelling Spells?" Roger asked, thumbing through his textbook. "It was getting hard to understand after all the stuff about flicking your wand around…"

"Don't worry about it." Eric shook his head. "No one understood what she was saying."

"Tell me about it." Wei laughed. "Defense against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts is a bit too confusing, if you ask me."

"I'd gladly sit through a lesson at Chimeral instead." Alex yawned. Looking around, he noticed that one of their classmates was missing. "Hey, where's Paige?"

"She's getting her stuff together." Roger replied, looking behind them. "Hey Paige! You want us to wait for you?"

His classmate looked up, brushing loose hair out of her eyes. "Oh, no, its alright…I'll catch up in a second; I've got to clean up and ask the teacher a question."

"Oh. Okay…see you later then." Roger nodded and turned, walking out with the rest of his friends.

Paige rolled up her parchment and placed it in her book bag, along with her quills and bottles of ink. After heading up to the teacher to turn in her paper and ask about the Repelling Spell, Paige threw the strap of her bag over her shoulder and began to read through her notes for that day softly to herself.

Making her way out of the classroom, she was in the middle of mumbling, "Flick your wand up once and then swiftly to the left" when someone called out her name. Paige nearly tripped over her own feet, recognizing the voice, and a wave of annoyance and fear swept through her at the same moment. Ignoring the person however, she cleared her throat, returned to her notes, and strode off in the direction of her next class.

"Hey! Where d'you think you're going?" A hand clamped down over her arm, and she wrenched herself painfully away.

"Leave me alone, Draco." She snapped, unable to look him in the face.

"I need to talk to you." The Slytherin growled. "And I'm letting you go until I get an answer."

"Look, if you don't want my brother to hex you again, you'd better leave me and all the other Chimeral students alone!" Paige warned, though her voice shook a little. She continued to walk, but Draco strode ahead of her and blocked her way.

"Hey. Your brother isn't the only one who knows how to use a wand, and unfortunately for you, he doesn't happen to be around here at the moment." Draco sneered. "Now. I want to know…what you did to me that day in the hallway when I had that little row with Potter?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Paige replied. When it appeared obvious that Draco was not going to be satisfied with that answer, she sighed. "Look, I don't remember anything like that. Truthfully. Now…I'm sure we both have places to go and things to do, so…I'll just be leaving." She tried to push past Draco, yet he continued to stand defiantly in her way. As Paige moistened her lips slowly, trying to think of what to do, Draco raised a silver eyebrow.

"You're thinking of putting another hex on me, aren't you? Well its not going to happen." He took a step forward. "Now hurry up and answer my question…I don't have all day."

"Stop making things up, Draco." Paige muttered. "And stop making stupid threats." She raised her head to face him, and the minute she did so he felt a prickling sensation all over. Draco was surprised to find that it didn't hurt, and was in fact, somewhat satisfying. Yet he was uncomfortable not knowing why he had experienced the feeling, and he backed away slightly.

"Stop it!" He ordered, pulling out his wand. "What're you doing to me?"

"Stop what?" Paige retorted, impatient to get to class.

When Draco did not reply and only stood there, she took the chance to pass him, and brushed past to continue down the hallway. However, she was forced to stop, feeling the hard point of a wand tip dig between her shoulder blades.

"Draco. I'm going to be late for class." Paige said through gritted teeth. "And besides…isn't your little girlfriend waiting for you?"

Draco prodded his wand deeper into his classmate's flesh. "…What girlfriend?"

"You're so disgusting, Draco. Just like Terry…" Paige shook her head slightly. "Oblivious to the people who care about you."

"Quit changing the subject!" Draco growled, clutching his wand tightly. "Now look…you said that day that I'd regret hurting you…and then you looked at me in a funny way that made me feel unusual…not even Pomfrey knew what happened to me! Just what kind of power do you have?"

There were a few moments of silence after Draco's voice had stopped echoing about the hallways. Paige looked down to her feet where she stood.

"You know, Draco…I'm telling you the truth when I said I didn't do anything. I only told you you'd regret doing what you did because I knew my brother would come and get you." She paused, and then turned. "The only explanation I can think of is that…you're feeling guilt. Guilt that you broke the spirit of every student you ever talked down to in scorn, and when you finally saw how hurt I was…well…it's a possibility, but maybe you finally felt badly about hurting someone." Paige's voice continued to tremble slightly. "I'll tell you the truth, Draco. I'm scared of you. Scared that you'll hurt me, like you hurt me the day I discovered the truth about Terry. Scared that you'll hurt my friends. Even if my brother taught you a lesson, so what? You'd leave me alone maybe, but not the other students.

I went through enough of the bullying and taunting at Chimeral, where Jonathan would do just as you're doing to me right now." Paige stepped forward, and the tip of Draco's wand slid down her neck. "But you know what? I'm tired of running…crying." She raised her own wand with a trembling hand. "I never acted against Jonathan…because we were together once, and I knew he had a side to him that could be gentle and kind…I tried to bring that out in him, but I failed. Along with that…I always feared him…he was capable of wielding such pain in his words…pain that you inflict on students here as well. But I've had enough, Draco."

Clearing her throat softly, she came right up to the Slytherin, so that he could feel her breath against his neck and feel her eyelashes brush against his skin, though she did not meet his eyes. He saw her lips move and heard the spell she said. He could easily have stopped her with a counter spell, but something in her eyes stopped him.

In that brief moment, Draco's thoughts began to piece themselves together one by one. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Pansy, who had been waiting for him outside of class. She was crouched in a corner, weeping softly, unable to do anything to help. He knew that she didn't have the courage to cast a spell upon another student, yet the tears she shed were meant for him.

So that's what Paige meant by "girlfriend", Draco realized. He'd never realized that Pansy had cared, or that it had been so obvious to everyone. Yet something still didn't quite make sense, and he averted his gaze from Pansy to stare ahead for a moment. Paige had accounted his strange feelings as Guilt. Draco knew this was wrong, for he had experienced what Guilt felt like and what he had been feeling the past few months wasn't it.

Sometimes, when he was around Pansy and in high spirits, he'd feel a rush of gratification whenever the girl would give him adoring smiles and say words of praise. He'd feel pleased and appreciated, though it was different compared to the pleased and appreciated feelings he felt when among his fellow Slytherins. Draco inhaled softly, and looked down to meet Paige's gaze.

The feeling he felt when around Paige after what had happened in the hallway was very much how he felt when Pansy contented him, but intensified to a degree where it made him uncomfortable. He couldn't explain it - perhaps it was the way she laughed, or the silly things she did absentmindedly in class, like twist a lock of hair around her finger or twirl her pencil. Maybe it was the way she'd call him by his name. Or perhaps it was only the way she had looked at him when he'd held her against him with his wand pressed up against her face. The hatred and fear pulsating throughout her had captivated him in a way he had never thought possible.

He'd take a few moments in class sometimes; while he was wondering why he felt the way he did, to glare in her direction, only to see that she'd been watching him as well. She'd look away in frustration, seeing that he'd caught her staring, and the strange feeling inside would intensify and cause him to squirm a little in his seat.

Yet as Draco was beginning to understand and decipher his feelings, the girl whom he no longer despised now stood before him, hatred etched in every angle of her face. He found her name forming upon the edge of his tongue, and just as he said it, the spell that she uttered found its mark in his chest, and he collapsed, everything dark and black.

- -

"Hogwarts students get to go to Hogsmeade for some fun every once in a while." Ron explained to Roger and the others, who walked alongside him. "It's great; we get to go through all the shops and eat great food…"

"Sounds fun." Tess commented cheerfully, her plump cheeks shaking slightly as she laughed. "Actually, students at Chimeral go somewhere fun too…but we're only allowed to go once every semester."

"Once a semester?" Ron looked horrified. "How do you manage?"

"I know, it's amazing…" Eric shrugged. "That's why all the students look forward to those two days in a year."

"Anyway, I suggest we go to the Three Broomsticks first. They've got the best butterbeer around…" Ron began speaking in the tone of a tour guide. "Then we can go wherever you'd like to…how about that new joke shop that opened…"

As Harry walked along with the rest of his friends, he had a nagging feeling inside of him that wouldn't go away. A month had passed since Hermione's last letter and Dumbledore still had not returned, and unable to trust McGonagall, Harry had no one to turn to. When the trip to Hogsmeade had been announced, he'd been happy to finally have the chance to relax and get away from the stress he felt whenever he turned a corner in the hallways. Yet here he was, at Hogsmeade and feeling tense all over.

"Hey Harry…you all right?" Ron asked, placing a hand upon his friend's shoulder.

Harry looked up. "Oh…yeah, I am…"

Ron gave his friend an encouraging smile. "Look, I know you're probably stressed out from all this business with the Snidgets…but that's no reason for you to think you have to take the burden of everything on your shoulders. We're all here to help you if anything happens."

Harry smiled. "Thanks."

"Now just try to relax." Ron said, looking around them. "Hogsmeade's supposed to be fun for all of us."

Walking into the Three Broomsticks, Roger and the others seated themselves while Ron placed their orders. While they waited, Harry conversed with his friends about their next Quidditch match.

"So what's going to happen now that the match with Ravenclaw got cancelled?" Roger asked. "There was a great deal of action going on until Jonathan started screaming his head off."

"Oh...well, we're not quite sure what's going to happen." Ron admitted. "But I suppose that we'll have a rematch with them."

"Hopefully we'll be able to beat them so we can have a go against Slytherin." Harry said. "I haven't gotten the chance to play against them for a long time."

At that moment, their butterbeers were slapped down upon their table, and there was a bit of silence as everyone helped themselves to the sweet, savory liquid. After paying for their share, everyone headed outside. After Ron had pointed out some shops that were popular among students, everyone split up for an hour, promising to meet back where they'd separated.

Sixty minutes later, Harry greeted Roger, who had bought himself a few Quidditch supplies and waved his arm the moment he saw Harry.

"Hey Harry! The shops here are awesome! Better than back at Chimeral!"

Harry grinned. "What'd you get?"

"Oh, just some stuff that'll help my broom fly better…a twig trimmer…polish…nothing much. Did you get anything?"

"Oh, no. I just browsed around a bit." Harry replied. "Glad to see you had fun though."

Wei came striding up with Henry, and Melody appeared with Eric. Alex and Paige came shortly afterwards, with Ron in the lead. Everyone's faces were beaming and Harry could tell that they'd all had a good time.

"Where shall we go next, then?" Ron asked. "I'm pretty sure we've covered all the shops here…"

"How about we just find a place to sit down?" Wei replied, brushing dust off her robes. "My legs are feeling a bit tired and I'm sure we could all go for some rest."

"Tired already?" Alex shook his head. "You must be kidding me."

"It's all right." Roger said quickly, seeing the disgusted look upon Wei's face. "I'm sure we can reach some sort of agreement. How about we go and sit down for a little…we have the whole afternoon after all."

"All right." Ron looked about. "Harry, where d'you reckon we could find a good place to sit?"

"What kind of question is that?" Harry retorted in amusement. He looked over his shoulder, and spotted a few benches and tables atop a small hill. "Let's go over there."

Once everyone had seated themselves, they admired the view that they had from where they sat. While Ron discussed Quidditch with Roger, Alex and Eric, Harry was faced with the girls.

"Its really lovely up here Harry. Have you come here before?" Tess asked from across the table.

"Well…no." Harry replied. "I just saw the benches…"

"Oh. Then you were lucky then." Wei sighed loudly. "I was about to say that you could have brought Cho here last year…it is really pretty up here…maybe then she would have chosen to stay with you instead of gone out with that Michael Corner…"

Harry pursed his lips, and forced a smile upon his face. "Wei…must you always bring up the subject of your sister?"

Wei looked blankly at Harry. "Why not?"

"Because…its annoying. And it'd help if you weren't so bitter all the time, either."

"Well I can't help being the way I am, Harry." Wei replied coolly. "You had an awfully hard time accepting my sister for being the way she was too, if I remember." Standing, she turned and walked off.

Harry was left in a state of awkward silence. The girls looked to each other for a moment, and Tess smiled a little.

"It's all right, Harry. That's just Wei being herself…and even if she is, in your words, a bit bitter all the time, she's only watching out for her sister. I suppose if you listen to Cho's side of the story, you were probably a bit insensitive during your relationship with her. But everyone's point of view is different, so don't stress."

Harry nodded slowly, still a bit angry. Looking up, he gave a quick smile to the remaining people who sat before him before looking off towards the street behind them. A brisk moving figure caught his eye and taking a better look, Harry saw a young man dressed in dark robes heading off towards the path that led to the woods. His suspicions raised, Harry continued to watch the young man, whose features could not be made out clearly because of the distance between them. The young man paused a little, looking behind him to ensure that no one was following him, placed his hood over his head, and disappeared into the trees.