A/N - JKR owns the idea and all the characters that are familiar.
A/N - Their wands' feathers can't come from Fawkes b/c Mr Ollivander has said that Fawkes only contributed to two wands - Tom and Harry's.
A/N - Old Fawkes, thanks for the interest and I'm happy to answer your questions in turn. 1) So that I'm consistent, I've worked out a very specific guideline fore when the serum is used (detainee freely gives testimony that is known or suspected to be lie or in cases of imminent danger like with Crouch last year when no one knew what was up). It was too boring to include but I had to work it out to be consistent. Only Lucius Malfoy met these guidelines. 2) No one asked him either specifically or generically. 3) I can't answer this one w/o giving away stuff.
A/N - Falkor - Harry didn't NEED a new broomstick per se, but Sirius knows how important the very top of the line broomstick is to a seeker. It's like kind of like muggles who buy a new computer every year. They don't necessarily NEED a new one but ---
Chapter 37
Mysterious Malady
"Draco???" Sirius was still shaking his best friend. "What about Draco?"
Hermione was getting nervous about Lupin's condition. "Sirius, maybe we should let him rest and just worry about getting him to Hogwarts. He's obviously hurt."
"Evervate" Sirius didn't take her advice.
"Moony, what about Draco?" Sirius asked shaking him even harder than before.
"Th --- they took him."
"Who took him?" Lupin didn't respond.
"Who took him?" Sirius asked again.
"Death Eaters."
"WHAT??!"
"They came and --- " Lupin passed out again. Sirius tossed the unconscious bundle that was his best friend over his shoulder and told everyone to grasp arms so that they could all apparate to Hogsmeade.
POP
Sirius magicked a stretcher and told Ron, Harry, Hermione and Viktor to run to the castle as fast as they could. For his part, Sirius charmed the stretcher and then transformed into a big black dog. Both he and the stretcher were making incredible time back to the school grounds.
By the time the four straggling teenagers got to the castle they were all heavily winded. They went straight up to the hospital ward and found Sirius, Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey watching over an unconscious Lupin.
"I see," was all the newcomers overheard the headmaster say as they ran up to the bed.
"Sir," Hermione tentatively addressed Dumbledore, "have you been able to find out what happened tonight?"
"No, not yet I'm afraid. After finding out how much Sirius has already pushed him, Madame Pomfrey doesn't want us to wake him again tonight. I've only heard what Sirius has told me."
Ron was going to be heard. "What's the big mystery? Malfoy has always been trouble. He must have attacked Lupin and then disappeared."
"Ronald Weasley!" Apparently Hermione was going to have a full time job trying to defend Draco from Ron for the next two and a half years until they all graduated and went their separate ways. "He did no such thing and you know it. What would he have to gain?"
"Well --- er --- well maybe he stole something from Lupin or maybe he just did it for kicks or maybe he did it because his master told him to. He could have done it for any number of reasons." Ron's voice was growing more confident with every new reason he thought of.
Even Harry thought that Ron was trying too hard to hate Draco. "Ron, after everything we heard tonight when he volunteered to go under the truth serum, you can't really believe that."
Ron gasped. "Oh no! Not you too! Don't tell me he's fooled you also; please don't tell me that. Please don't let it be true!"
"Ron," Harry said grabbing his friend by both shoulders, "we don't have to invite him over for the summer vacation but do you really believe that he's evil?"
"Listen to the two of you. I feel like I don't know either of you any more. Sirius talk some sense into them. How can one night change what we've known for years? I'm telling you that it's a fact that Draco Malfoy attacked Lupin tonight."
"No. I didn't."
Everyone in the hospital ward (except for the unconscious wizard lying in bed) turned to see with his or her own eyes who had said that.
"Draco!" Harry all but shouted. "What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
This was too much for Ron. "You know what he means! What happened tonight? Where did you go? What happened to Lupin? Why didn't you meet us? Who attacked who? --- You know, in other words, what happened?" Ron was seething with anger as he spat out the last few words. Even though there were undoubtedly more tactful ways to pose the questions, everyone was waiting for an answer.
"Nothing happened tonight you pauper! Lupin and I went to the apothecary together. While he was still in there I ducked out and went to the quidditch store. When I went to meet you all at the Leaky Cauldron what did I find? Nothing! You all had left without me. Of course, I guess I should have known better than to expect anything different."
Everyone was staring dumbstruck at the tale they had just heard. Finally Dumbledore asked, "How did you get back here?"
"What's with the twenty questions tonight? They left me!" Draco hadn't answered the question yet. He and Dumbledore were staring at each other for a while before Draco finally told everyone how he got home. "I used the Floo Network to get to Hogsmeade and I walked from there."
Harry and Hermione weren't sure what to make of the story they had just heard but they were both glad that at least Ron had decided to keep his mouth shut for once. The headmaster proceeded to tell Draco about the condition that Lupin was in when he was found in the alley. Dumbledore also told him about the only intelligible things that Lupin had been able to say. No one knew for sure whether or not it was authentic but Draco at least looked surprised.
"I wasn't anywhere near that werewolf when he got attacked."
"Sure you weren't."
"I don't care what you think Weasley. I don't have to answer to you."
They didn't need Madame Trelawney's help to predict that Ron and Draco would soon trade blows if no one stepped in. Dumbledore spoke up. "Draco, I believe everything you're telling us, as does everyone else in this room." Ron caught the hint and remained silent. "Now that we're no longer pressed for time, I suggest we leave Remus to recover in peace."
"About time!" Madame Pomfrey retorted as she shooed everyone out of the hospital ward. "It's about time for you all to go back to your tower anyway." Dumbledore thought for a second as everyone turned to go to his or her quarters. "Oh and Draco," he paused until Draco turned around to look at him, "you may choose any room in the boy's dormitory but I want you to stay in Gryffindor Tower until the rest of the school returns. And no arguments from anyone on this point." He was wise to add that last statement because he would have gotten at least two arguments.
Lupin awoke the very next day. He said that four of five Death Eaters surrounded him and demanded to know where Draco was. Apparently they attacked as soon as they believed that he really didn't know. He hadn't been able to recognize any of the voices before he was knocked out cold.
The next couple of days passed without any incidents. There were more meetings to talk about the next few moves that they thought Voldemort and his Death Eaters would make. But most of the time was spent trying to agree on a place to put the new wizard's prison. Although Dumbledore asked anyone and everyone for suggestions, he didn't tell anyone except the Hogwarts' staff, Lupin and Sirius where he finally decided to put the new prison. Only the staff guarded the prisoners and transported them to their new home. Everyone, especially Draco, was hoping that these security measures were enough to stop Voldemort from regaining his supporters. Also Dumbledore seemed to be the only one who knew what exactly had happened to the dementors.
The giants had left. Although Harry already missed his four new friends, he secretly thought that it was a good thing that they left before Draco had a chance to start insulting them. Krum left at the same time that Tiny and the gang left. He said that he had already taken too much time away from his quidditch training.
The rest of the holidays were spent working. When Sirius or Lupin was around, one or both would go with Harry to the quidditch pitch and help him fine-tune his animagus self. Ron had been accompanying Harry to his animagus training. He was using Harry's "old" Firebolt to fly alongside his friend the sphinx. Occasionally Ron would try to strike up a conversation but they usually didn't get very far. More often than not they would just play an airborne version of tag. Hermione spent most of her time studying in the library. Harry didn't know that Draco was dividing his time almost evenly between the headmaster and the head of his house.
The only time the trio took a break from their productivity was to take Dobby some belated Christmas gifts. The house-elf promptly broke down and wept when he saw the three of them enter the kitchen carrying packages for him.
"Dobby does not de --- de --- deserve such kindness."
"Dobby. They're just Christmas presents. We did this last year."
"Dobby remembers sir. Dobby has presents for you all too but Dobby was not wanting to scare you again like last year sir. Misters and miss have been through too much this year to have Dobby bothering them."
Ron stepped in. "Dobby you don't bother us. You saved me on Christmas Eve from --- from I still don't know where. We're your friends."
"Dobby is too lucky," he said right before lapsing into total hysteria.
The trio waited for a couple of minutes to see if he would calm down. Harry and Ron passed the time by munching on various desserts that some of the other house-elves had offered to them. Ron tried to ask Dobby again where Dobby had found him that night but that just had the effect of making Dobby bang his head on the wall in between loud sobs. Finally he quit asking and they put Dobby's presents down on a table. As they turned to walk away, Dobby called out to them.
"Wait mis --- mis --- misters and miss. You m --- m --- must take the gifts that Dobby has made for you." Dobby produced three paper sacks that were each stapled shut. They said their thanks and took their sacks back to the Gryffindor common room careful to walk around the puddle of tears that Dobby had created during their conversation. When they took their seats by the fireplace they each opened their paper sacks.
"Oy, look at this." Ron was holding up a tattered orange scarf that was obviously patched together from different material. The snitch that was flying around the scarf made it known that this article of clothing was meant to symbolize Ron's favorite quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. Ron was all smiles. "This will match that hat Harry gave me."
"Oh dear. Look at my gift." Hermione was holding up what looked like a tea cozy except meant for books. It too was made of different material but her gift had the added attraction of being different colors as well.
Ron smiled at her. "Great now your books will never get cold. Harry, what did you get?"
"Er --- I'm not really sure." Harry said holding up a long thin piece of extraordinarily ugly material that looked like the remnants of a cursed snake.
"Hmmm. Harry, do you reckon that Dobby accidentally threw away the actual gift and gave you the left over material instead?"
Although they had a good time coming up with various uses for Harry's new gift (a decoy for a snake during mating season, a belt in case he got more of Dudley's old clothes, a jump-rope for all the house elves, something to toss at Snape in class), they all eventually returned to more productive pastimes.
Even though this had been an extremely dangerous and dynamic vacation, Hogwarts' four remaining students were too busy to notice how quickly their holiday was ending. Before they knew it, all the other students were returning and classes were to resume on the following day.
At dinner that last night before classes were to start, Dumbledore addressed the entire school. He told them the condensed version of why they were sent home early and even talked about the attempted raid on Azkaban. (He didn't mention that the prisoners had stayed at Hogwarts or his temporary appointment as acting Minister of Magic.) He did however tell everyone about Tiny and his three friends that helped with the raid. At the mention of the giants' role, Hagrid could be seen beaming from ear to ear. Of course he also told everyone about Sirius being acquitted of all charges and being issued a formal apology (and a substantial amount of gold) by Minister Fudge.
"Also," he said nearing his conclusion, "there were some exceptionally brave acts from some people in this room that must not go unmentioned." As he told a little bit about what Snape did and the risks he faced everyone, even the Gryffindors, applauded for him. The headmaster continued, "Although most of the staff helped in many ways, the other people that I must mention are students." Everyone was looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione because everyone knew they were the only three students missing on the train when everyone was sent home.
"For sheer determination to thwart Voldemort and superlative bravery, I award fifty points each to Harry Potter," (the Gryffindor table exploded with cheers), "Ronald Weasley," (still more cheering from their table), "and Hermione Granger." The cheering only stopped when Dumbledore concluded with "And for demonstrating true moral fiber as well as outstanding bravery, I also award fifty points to Draco Malfoy."
Gryffindors and Slytherins alike were startled by this news. Harry was trying to catch a glimpse of Draco's expression but the young Slytherin had his back to him. Ron was almost beside himself.
"Moral fiber??? That git??? I don't think --- "
"That's right Ron, you don't think." Hermione interrupted him. "That still nets us a one hundred point advantage from where we were last term. Now for the last time, who knows how any of us would have faired being raised by Lucius Malfoy so give it a rest!" Ron scowled but didn't bring up the subject any more that night.
During dinner the topic turned to other things. Everyone was telling what he or she got for Christmas. Harry couldn't wait to tell everyone about his new broomstick but he wanted to wait until they got into the common room so that the other houses wouldn't hear about it.
Finally, when everyone had had enough to eat, the table cleared and everyone headed for their common rooms. Harry wanted to talk to Fred and George to see how Mr and Mrs Weasley were doing but as soon as they got to the common room, the twins both raced straight up to their room and magicked the door locked.
"George, you've always known that I had my doubts about this."
"Don't be a Percy."
"George, I'm just not sure we can do it."
"It was you're idea in the first place."
"I told you that I was only joking. I didn't really think we'd try to pull something like this off."
"We've spent the entire vacation working on it. If we do the spell together, like we've been practicing it will work --- it has to work. And then we'll graduate knowing we pulled the best prank in the history of Hogwarts." George watched his brother trying to gauge his reaction when Fred finally replied.
"I don't know. Hogwarts has a lot of powerful magic built into it. I'm not worried about the professors all that much. I'm only worried that somehow the school itself will retaliate against us."
"Don't be daft. It won't mind. It'll just think that it's another little secret to keep to itself for the rest of eternity. Come on Fred --- we have to do this."
Fred just stood there for a second thinking. "All right. Let's go."
Harry couldn't even get the twins' attention before they dashed through the common room going the other way and out the portrait hole. "I wonder what they're up to?" Harry mused out loud.
Ron just shrugged and went back to polishing his new wand with Harry's kit. Hermione didn't even look up from the book she was studying.
Fred and George meanwhile were making their way carefully to the dungeon. They had considered borrowing the Marauder's Map back from Harry but in the end they decided that they wanted to pull this off without any help from anyone else. It took them almost twice as long as usual to get down to the potions classroom because of how carefully they were treading listening for footsteps or voices.
"Finally, we're here."
"Fred, have you got the enchantment?"
"Yeah, here it is. We start on three. Ready?"
George nodded and unrolled the parchment he was carrying. When it was completely unraveled, Fred started counting. On the count of three they both read a rather lengthy enchantment that they had been practicing for weeks. When they finally finished with both the enchantment and the rather intricate wand movements they stood deadly still waiting for something to happen.
"Fred, do you reckon --- " George stopped speaking suddenly because as he spoke those four words, an owl, a hippogriff, a unicorn and a snake appeared.
The twins weren't sure what to make of the scene unfolding before their eyes but they knew enough to start backing up slowly towards the exit. This was definitely not supposed to be happening.
"RUN!" Fred shouted. A rather large toad had also appeared.
The Gryffindors who were still in the common room were barely able to identify the two redheaded streaks that flew past them.
Ron looked mildly surprised. "I wonder what that was about?"
Harry just shrugged.
A/N - still just plodding along; tell me what you're hoping will or won't happen. I know that soon I'm going to have to speed up time or this thing will be 60 chapters and 150,000 words.
A/N - Their wands' feathers can't come from Fawkes b/c Mr Ollivander has said that Fawkes only contributed to two wands - Tom and Harry's.
A/N - Old Fawkes, thanks for the interest and I'm happy to answer your questions in turn. 1) So that I'm consistent, I've worked out a very specific guideline fore when the serum is used (detainee freely gives testimony that is known or suspected to be lie or in cases of imminent danger like with Crouch last year when no one knew what was up). It was too boring to include but I had to work it out to be consistent. Only Lucius Malfoy met these guidelines. 2) No one asked him either specifically or generically. 3) I can't answer this one w/o giving away stuff.
A/N - Falkor - Harry didn't NEED a new broomstick per se, but Sirius knows how important the very top of the line broomstick is to a seeker. It's like kind of like muggles who buy a new computer every year. They don't necessarily NEED a new one but ---
Chapter 37
Mysterious Malady
"Draco???" Sirius was still shaking his best friend. "What about Draco?"
Hermione was getting nervous about Lupin's condition. "Sirius, maybe we should let him rest and just worry about getting him to Hogwarts. He's obviously hurt."
"Evervate" Sirius didn't take her advice.
"Moony, what about Draco?" Sirius asked shaking him even harder than before.
"Th --- they took him."
"Who took him?" Lupin didn't respond.
"Who took him?" Sirius asked again.
"Death Eaters."
"WHAT??!"
"They came and --- " Lupin passed out again. Sirius tossed the unconscious bundle that was his best friend over his shoulder and told everyone to grasp arms so that they could all apparate to Hogsmeade.
POP
Sirius magicked a stretcher and told Ron, Harry, Hermione and Viktor to run to the castle as fast as they could. For his part, Sirius charmed the stretcher and then transformed into a big black dog. Both he and the stretcher were making incredible time back to the school grounds.
By the time the four straggling teenagers got to the castle they were all heavily winded. They went straight up to the hospital ward and found Sirius, Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey watching over an unconscious Lupin.
"I see," was all the newcomers overheard the headmaster say as they ran up to the bed.
"Sir," Hermione tentatively addressed Dumbledore, "have you been able to find out what happened tonight?"
"No, not yet I'm afraid. After finding out how much Sirius has already pushed him, Madame Pomfrey doesn't want us to wake him again tonight. I've only heard what Sirius has told me."
Ron was going to be heard. "What's the big mystery? Malfoy has always been trouble. He must have attacked Lupin and then disappeared."
"Ronald Weasley!" Apparently Hermione was going to have a full time job trying to defend Draco from Ron for the next two and a half years until they all graduated and went their separate ways. "He did no such thing and you know it. What would he have to gain?"
"Well --- er --- well maybe he stole something from Lupin or maybe he just did it for kicks or maybe he did it because his master told him to. He could have done it for any number of reasons." Ron's voice was growing more confident with every new reason he thought of.
Even Harry thought that Ron was trying too hard to hate Draco. "Ron, after everything we heard tonight when he volunteered to go under the truth serum, you can't really believe that."
Ron gasped. "Oh no! Not you too! Don't tell me he's fooled you also; please don't tell me that. Please don't let it be true!"
"Ron," Harry said grabbing his friend by both shoulders, "we don't have to invite him over for the summer vacation but do you really believe that he's evil?"
"Listen to the two of you. I feel like I don't know either of you any more. Sirius talk some sense into them. How can one night change what we've known for years? I'm telling you that it's a fact that Draco Malfoy attacked Lupin tonight."
"No. I didn't."
Everyone in the hospital ward (except for the unconscious wizard lying in bed) turned to see with his or her own eyes who had said that.
"Draco!" Harry all but shouted. "What happened?"
"What do you mean?"
This was too much for Ron. "You know what he means! What happened tonight? Where did you go? What happened to Lupin? Why didn't you meet us? Who attacked who? --- You know, in other words, what happened?" Ron was seething with anger as he spat out the last few words. Even though there were undoubtedly more tactful ways to pose the questions, everyone was waiting for an answer.
"Nothing happened tonight you pauper! Lupin and I went to the apothecary together. While he was still in there I ducked out and went to the quidditch store. When I went to meet you all at the Leaky Cauldron what did I find? Nothing! You all had left without me. Of course, I guess I should have known better than to expect anything different."
Everyone was staring dumbstruck at the tale they had just heard. Finally Dumbledore asked, "How did you get back here?"
"What's with the twenty questions tonight? They left me!" Draco hadn't answered the question yet. He and Dumbledore were staring at each other for a while before Draco finally told everyone how he got home. "I used the Floo Network to get to Hogsmeade and I walked from there."
Harry and Hermione weren't sure what to make of the story they had just heard but they were both glad that at least Ron had decided to keep his mouth shut for once. The headmaster proceeded to tell Draco about the condition that Lupin was in when he was found in the alley. Dumbledore also told him about the only intelligible things that Lupin had been able to say. No one knew for sure whether or not it was authentic but Draco at least looked surprised.
"I wasn't anywhere near that werewolf when he got attacked."
"Sure you weren't."
"I don't care what you think Weasley. I don't have to answer to you."
They didn't need Madame Trelawney's help to predict that Ron and Draco would soon trade blows if no one stepped in. Dumbledore spoke up. "Draco, I believe everything you're telling us, as does everyone else in this room." Ron caught the hint and remained silent. "Now that we're no longer pressed for time, I suggest we leave Remus to recover in peace."
"About time!" Madame Pomfrey retorted as she shooed everyone out of the hospital ward. "It's about time for you all to go back to your tower anyway." Dumbledore thought for a second as everyone turned to go to his or her quarters. "Oh and Draco," he paused until Draco turned around to look at him, "you may choose any room in the boy's dormitory but I want you to stay in Gryffindor Tower until the rest of the school returns. And no arguments from anyone on this point." He was wise to add that last statement because he would have gotten at least two arguments.
Lupin awoke the very next day. He said that four of five Death Eaters surrounded him and demanded to know where Draco was. Apparently they attacked as soon as they believed that he really didn't know. He hadn't been able to recognize any of the voices before he was knocked out cold.
The next couple of days passed without any incidents. There were more meetings to talk about the next few moves that they thought Voldemort and his Death Eaters would make. But most of the time was spent trying to agree on a place to put the new wizard's prison. Although Dumbledore asked anyone and everyone for suggestions, he didn't tell anyone except the Hogwarts' staff, Lupin and Sirius where he finally decided to put the new prison. Only the staff guarded the prisoners and transported them to their new home. Everyone, especially Draco, was hoping that these security measures were enough to stop Voldemort from regaining his supporters. Also Dumbledore seemed to be the only one who knew what exactly had happened to the dementors.
The giants had left. Although Harry already missed his four new friends, he secretly thought that it was a good thing that they left before Draco had a chance to start insulting them. Krum left at the same time that Tiny and the gang left. He said that he had already taken too much time away from his quidditch training.
The rest of the holidays were spent working. When Sirius or Lupin was around, one or both would go with Harry to the quidditch pitch and help him fine-tune his animagus self. Ron had been accompanying Harry to his animagus training. He was using Harry's "old" Firebolt to fly alongside his friend the sphinx. Occasionally Ron would try to strike up a conversation but they usually didn't get very far. More often than not they would just play an airborne version of tag. Hermione spent most of her time studying in the library. Harry didn't know that Draco was dividing his time almost evenly between the headmaster and the head of his house.
The only time the trio took a break from their productivity was to take Dobby some belated Christmas gifts. The house-elf promptly broke down and wept when he saw the three of them enter the kitchen carrying packages for him.
"Dobby does not de --- de --- deserve such kindness."
"Dobby. They're just Christmas presents. We did this last year."
"Dobby remembers sir. Dobby has presents for you all too but Dobby was not wanting to scare you again like last year sir. Misters and miss have been through too much this year to have Dobby bothering them."
Ron stepped in. "Dobby you don't bother us. You saved me on Christmas Eve from --- from I still don't know where. We're your friends."
"Dobby is too lucky," he said right before lapsing into total hysteria.
The trio waited for a couple of minutes to see if he would calm down. Harry and Ron passed the time by munching on various desserts that some of the other house-elves had offered to them. Ron tried to ask Dobby again where Dobby had found him that night but that just had the effect of making Dobby bang his head on the wall in between loud sobs. Finally he quit asking and they put Dobby's presents down on a table. As they turned to walk away, Dobby called out to them.
"Wait mis --- mis --- misters and miss. You m --- m --- must take the gifts that Dobby has made for you." Dobby produced three paper sacks that were each stapled shut. They said their thanks and took their sacks back to the Gryffindor common room careful to walk around the puddle of tears that Dobby had created during their conversation. When they took their seats by the fireplace they each opened their paper sacks.
"Oy, look at this." Ron was holding up a tattered orange scarf that was obviously patched together from different material. The snitch that was flying around the scarf made it known that this article of clothing was meant to symbolize Ron's favorite quidditch team, the Chudley Cannons. Ron was all smiles. "This will match that hat Harry gave me."
"Oh dear. Look at my gift." Hermione was holding up what looked like a tea cozy except meant for books. It too was made of different material but her gift had the added attraction of being different colors as well.
Ron smiled at her. "Great now your books will never get cold. Harry, what did you get?"
"Er --- I'm not really sure." Harry said holding up a long thin piece of extraordinarily ugly material that looked like the remnants of a cursed snake.
"Hmmm. Harry, do you reckon that Dobby accidentally threw away the actual gift and gave you the left over material instead?"
Although they had a good time coming up with various uses for Harry's new gift (a decoy for a snake during mating season, a belt in case he got more of Dudley's old clothes, a jump-rope for all the house elves, something to toss at Snape in class), they all eventually returned to more productive pastimes.
Even though this had been an extremely dangerous and dynamic vacation, Hogwarts' four remaining students were too busy to notice how quickly their holiday was ending. Before they knew it, all the other students were returning and classes were to resume on the following day.
At dinner that last night before classes were to start, Dumbledore addressed the entire school. He told them the condensed version of why they were sent home early and even talked about the attempted raid on Azkaban. (He didn't mention that the prisoners had stayed at Hogwarts or his temporary appointment as acting Minister of Magic.) He did however tell everyone about Tiny and his three friends that helped with the raid. At the mention of the giants' role, Hagrid could be seen beaming from ear to ear. Of course he also told everyone about Sirius being acquitted of all charges and being issued a formal apology (and a substantial amount of gold) by Minister Fudge.
"Also," he said nearing his conclusion, "there were some exceptionally brave acts from some people in this room that must not go unmentioned." As he told a little bit about what Snape did and the risks he faced everyone, even the Gryffindors, applauded for him. The headmaster continued, "Although most of the staff helped in many ways, the other people that I must mention are students." Everyone was looking at Harry, Ron and Hermione because everyone knew they were the only three students missing on the train when everyone was sent home.
"For sheer determination to thwart Voldemort and superlative bravery, I award fifty points each to Harry Potter," (the Gryffindor table exploded with cheers), "Ronald Weasley," (still more cheering from their table), "and Hermione Granger." The cheering only stopped when Dumbledore concluded with "And for demonstrating true moral fiber as well as outstanding bravery, I also award fifty points to Draco Malfoy."
Gryffindors and Slytherins alike were startled by this news. Harry was trying to catch a glimpse of Draco's expression but the young Slytherin had his back to him. Ron was almost beside himself.
"Moral fiber??? That git??? I don't think --- "
"That's right Ron, you don't think." Hermione interrupted him. "That still nets us a one hundred point advantage from where we were last term. Now for the last time, who knows how any of us would have faired being raised by Lucius Malfoy so give it a rest!" Ron scowled but didn't bring up the subject any more that night.
During dinner the topic turned to other things. Everyone was telling what he or she got for Christmas. Harry couldn't wait to tell everyone about his new broomstick but he wanted to wait until they got into the common room so that the other houses wouldn't hear about it.
Finally, when everyone had had enough to eat, the table cleared and everyone headed for their common rooms. Harry wanted to talk to Fred and George to see how Mr and Mrs Weasley were doing but as soon as they got to the common room, the twins both raced straight up to their room and magicked the door locked.
"George, you've always known that I had my doubts about this."
"Don't be a Percy."
"George, I'm just not sure we can do it."
"It was you're idea in the first place."
"I told you that I was only joking. I didn't really think we'd try to pull something like this off."
"We've spent the entire vacation working on it. If we do the spell together, like we've been practicing it will work --- it has to work. And then we'll graduate knowing we pulled the best prank in the history of Hogwarts." George watched his brother trying to gauge his reaction when Fred finally replied.
"I don't know. Hogwarts has a lot of powerful magic built into it. I'm not worried about the professors all that much. I'm only worried that somehow the school itself will retaliate against us."
"Don't be daft. It won't mind. It'll just think that it's another little secret to keep to itself for the rest of eternity. Come on Fred --- we have to do this."
Fred just stood there for a second thinking. "All right. Let's go."
Harry couldn't even get the twins' attention before they dashed through the common room going the other way and out the portrait hole. "I wonder what they're up to?" Harry mused out loud.
Ron just shrugged and went back to polishing his new wand with Harry's kit. Hermione didn't even look up from the book she was studying.
Fred and George meanwhile were making their way carefully to the dungeon. They had considered borrowing the Marauder's Map back from Harry but in the end they decided that they wanted to pull this off without any help from anyone else. It took them almost twice as long as usual to get down to the potions classroom because of how carefully they were treading listening for footsteps or voices.
"Finally, we're here."
"Fred, have you got the enchantment?"
"Yeah, here it is. We start on three. Ready?"
George nodded and unrolled the parchment he was carrying. When it was completely unraveled, Fred started counting. On the count of three they both read a rather lengthy enchantment that they had been practicing for weeks. When they finally finished with both the enchantment and the rather intricate wand movements they stood deadly still waiting for something to happen.
"Fred, do you reckon --- " George stopped speaking suddenly because as he spoke those four words, an owl, a hippogriff, a unicorn and a snake appeared.
The twins weren't sure what to make of the scene unfolding before their eyes but they knew enough to start backing up slowly towards the exit. This was definitely not supposed to be happening.
"RUN!" Fred shouted. A rather large toad had also appeared.
The Gryffindors who were still in the common room were barely able to identify the two redheaded streaks that flew past them.
Ron looked mildly surprised. "I wonder what that was about?"
Harry just shrugged.
A/N - still just plodding along; tell me what you're hoping will or won't happen. I know that soon I'm going to have to speed up time or this thing will be 60 chapters and 150,000 words.