Title: Reflections in the Dark
Chapter: 4
Notes: Major kudos the two people who reviewed, it had me worried a bit
that I didn't see anyone reviewing for a while. I thought maybe the last
chapter may have sucked or something. And I know this fic is very
traditional so far, as HP fanfiction goes. I was thinking of the next
scenes of this fic and I almost got hit by a car walking home from class,
it was sort of scary. But it's a pretty common occurrence, no one seems to
know how to drive on this campus anyway, enough of my chatter, enjoy the
story. Feel free to put in your two cents about what should happen or
guesses about Sparrow, I enjoy reading them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Gryffindor common room was all abuzz about Hagrid's new assistant. Hermione frowned trying to concentrate on her book as people chattered around her.
"- the guy is an idiot, Hagrid had to tell him twice -"
"-Dumbledore's illegitimate son - "
"-Sirius Black's son come to avenge his father - "
" - raised by werewolves in the dark forest - "
" - Slytherins will never see it coming, portable swamp in their common room." She hadn't seen the common room like this since the girls found out that Lockheart would be their new Defense against the dark arts teacher during her second year. Hermione sighed, ok she had chattered just as much as any other girl. She had to admit, she was just as curious as the rest of them. But she had more important things to do, finding all the uses for Unicorn blood was one.
"It's nearly impossible," grunted Ron as he flipped through a stack of Hermione's books. "No actually it isn't. Unicorn blood is rarely used, since slaying one is such a crime," Hermione pointed out.
"Well I truly doubt we'll find any of the spells involving Unicorn blood, they're probably all in the restricted section" Harry said as he put down Famous Spells of the Century and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm not so sure it's a spell," Hermione murmured. That caught the boys attention.
"What do you mean, not a spell?" demanded Ron and Harry stated in unison. "Did you two practice that?" Hermione asked with a smile. Ron flushed.
"Well?" Harry asked. "Well, Hagrid said three unicorns had been wounded, two killed, right?" Both boys nodded. "Well, lets say Moonspinner was the latest almost victim, that would mean that they need more then one unicorns blood. I mean the blood of three fully grown unicorns is a lot. Most spells don't work with bulk like that," she stated.
"Unless whoever it is wants to make a lot of whatever potion he's brewing," Harry pointed out. Hermione opened her mouth then shut it again nodding.
"You may be right, back to looking I guess," she said and reopened her book.
Draco Malfoy was bored. More then bored, but he really wasn't sure there was a word that could describe the death by boredom feeling that plagued him at the moment. He let the girl on his right chatter for a moment.
"I'm breaking up with you, Desiree," she told the Slytherin girl and walked away, ignoring her tears.
"That was harsh," Marcus Flint told him oily as he leaned against the doorway leading out of the common room. Draco smirked. "You can have her now if you wish," he told the Captain with a shrug. Marcus snarled at him.
"I don't want your cast offs," he growled. Draco shrugged knowing full well that Desiree would be the best set of legs that Marcus would ever get.
"You think you're so smooth," Marcus snarled at him. Draco smirked knowing full well that Marcus Flint was just jealous.
"Are you finished stating the obvious or is this conversation actually going somewhere?" Draco asked coolly, in a tone that would have done his father proud. Flint's eyes darted over Malfoy as if he was sizing him up.
"Someone's going to knock from your bloody pedestal one day,"
"Like your man enough?" Draco mocked. Flint's rat face became distorted with another snarl.
"It's not like I flaunt myself around like some rich playboy," he challenged. Draco shoved his hands in his pockets and looked bored as if saying 'is that the best you can do?'
"It's not my fault every girl throws herself at me," he smiled knowing he had hit a sore spot when Flint winched. Then Marcus's eyes grew bright. "Not every girl," he said with a malicious grin.
"I see how you watch her," he said circling the blonde boy as a vulture circles a carcass. Draco watched him coldly.
"I watch many girls," Draco said icily. Marcus smiled became even more conniving.
"Maybe, but this one won't have you," he sneered. Draco stiffened.
"I haven't pursued her," he growled. "I bet with you turning on your full Malfoy charm that girls seem to love that you would never, in a million years, get Hermione Granger as a date," Marcus taunted.
"Like I'd want to date that Mudblood," Draco snarled, now aware of the many sets of Slytherin eyes focused on him. Marcus was making him look like a wuss and knew it.
"So you refuse?"
"How much?"
"If you do get the Mudblood to go out with you for 2 dates, I'll help you deal with that thorn in your side," Flint told him. Draco paused. The Flint family was well known for causing 'accidents' of their clients enemies. It paid well. And if Draco could bring Harry Potter to the Dark Lord, then Voldermort would make Draco a Death Eater and join his father.
"And if I lose?"
"You pay me 200 gallons," Flint said with a smirk. Draco eyed him carefully.
"Done," he said extending his hand. Flint took it with a handshake the deal was completed.
By the next morning, fog had settled over the school grounds like a thick blanket. The leaves were turning glorious shades of brown, orange and red in shades which no painter can capture. Hermione, usually observant by nature, ignored all of this as she jogged across the grounds to Hagrid's hut. She spotted Sparrow's thin form leaning against the coral watching the prancing unicorn as it galloped around the fenced in area. It had an indigent look about it, as if saying it was too good to be locked in such a small space. As she grew closer, she noticed he was still barefoot despite the chill that hung in the air. He turned his head and watched her come closer. She smiled and waved. A foolish grin spread on Sparrow's face.
"How are you this morning, Sparrow?" she asked him as she approached. He leaned his head back and looked up into the heavens as if he was checking to see if it indeed was morning. "Good," he said slowly. His voice was soft and warm. Hermione hadn't expected him to say anything but was for some reason extremely glad that he had.
"That's good, is Hagrid inside?" she asked pointing to the hut. Sparrow thought for a minute as if translating her words then nodded slowly. "Ok, thanks," she said before bounding up the stairs. She had figured Hagrid was in his hut all along but she had been hoping for maybe another word from Sparrow.
"Good morning, Hermione," Hagrid greeted from an overstuffed chair. His broken foot was leaning against a pillowed footrest and Fang was snoring peacefully at his side.
"Hi, Hagrid. I have a question," she said as she sat down across from him. Hagrid nodded telling her to go on.
"Well about the dead unicorns, was all the blood taken?" she asked. Hagrid thought for a moment.
"Most of it, I'd say," he said with a nod.
"Could it be vampires?" she asked with curiosity. Hagrid shook his head.
"Not even they'd touch a unicorn, their kind has few rules but killing a unicorn is one of them," he told her.
"Were there any clues? Any foot prints?" Hermione asked as she got up and started pacing with her hands behind her back.
"Well, yes, two sets, both belong to men by the length of it," Hagrid answered then stroked his beard as he leaned back in the chair. Hermione pondered the new piece of information and tucked it away for future use. Two men. it made sense..there would have to be more then one to transport all that blood.
"Could you find it again?" she asked Hagrid. Hagrid thought for a moment then nodded.
"Maybe if we mixed up some plaster, we can get a shoe print and discover who it is by that," she told him. Hagrid smiled.
"Hermione, that's a bloody good idea," Hagrid praised her. Hermione grinned.
"Can't take all the credit. I saw something like that on a muggle TV show, but it just might work," she said as her mind raced over the possibilities. She walked over towards the door then turned,
"When you do go, can I come with you?" Hermione asked hopefully. Hagrid shook his head. "It's too dangerous," he told her seriously.
"PLEASSEE Hagrid, I'll do anything," she begged. It was her idea and she desperately wanted to go to make sure things went smoothly. Hagrid sighed and caved in. He was fond of the girl, he had always consider Harry, Hermione and Ron to be nieces and nephews he would never had.
"Thanks Hagrid," she said smiling sweetly. "Before you go, Hermione," Hagrid stopped her before she left. She turned to see him holding up a gold ribbon and a small medical box.
"Haven't been able to catch Moonspinner since I busted me foot," he said and gave her the items.
"Unicorns are more fond of girls, anyhow," he told her. Hermione nodded and went outside to tend the unicorn.
Hermione found Sparrow sitting on the wet grass as still as a statue. Moonspinner had stopped galloping around the fenced in area to sniff him. Both stared at each other as their noses almost touched. The boy almost looked like he wasn't breathing, he was so still. Hermione took a step forward and a twig snapped under her boot. The unicorn jerked its head up and galloped away to the opposite end of the fence. Sparrow spun around with an expression of a wild thing ready to run at the first hint of danger. At the sight of the Gryffindor student, Sparrow calmed tremendously and the vapid expression fell over his features once more like he had slipped on a mask that had fallen away for just a second.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she apologized. He shrugged slowly.
"Hagrid asked me to tend her," she said motioning to the Unicorn. He tilted his head slightly as a bird might do when studying something. Hermione wondered if that was why he had gotten the name Sparrow or was it because of his dull brown hair? She climbed over the fence and stood beside Sparrow as they both watched the unicorn prance gracefully around. From his seat position, he looked up at her as if saying, well? Hermione took a deep breath and started to walk towards the unicorn.
"Slow," Sparrow told her. Her steps became slower as she inched closer the unicorn. It had a wild look in its eye as if it would bolt any second. With painstaking slowness she lifted the golden lasso and put it over the unicorn's head. The beast snorted and lifted on its hind legs slightly before coming down hard, inches from Hermione's foot. Hermione gulped. It was a big horse, if one could really a unicorn such. Her heart hammered in her breast as the unicorn watched her as if it was expecting to see HER turn and run. Without her realizing it, Sparrow was standing beside her watching the beast snort with indigence.
"Talk to it," he told her and retrieved the box out of her hands before she could protest.
"Hello girl," she said and reached out a slight trembling hand to stroke its muzzle. At the sound of her voice, the beast calmed. It's fur felt like nothing else Hermione had ever touched, almost like each hair was as smooth as silk.
"Don't worry, we'll have you fixed up soon, so you can go back to your mate. Is that's what's worrying you?" she talked to Moonspinner gently. In the corner of her eye, she watched Sparrow removed the soiled bandages, clean the wound, and put a fresh new herb compact over the silver gash on it's flank. He did all this quickly with nimble fingers.
"Boys can't live by themselves, they need us to take care of them, you know. Harry and Ron need me all the time, they just don't show it, a lot. Boys are like that," she told the unicorn. Sparrow paused and looked up from his work. His eyes held a look of amusement as the mask fell away yet again. He caught her gaze and lowered his eyes as he fumbled with the bandages. The idiot had returned.
"Easy girl," she soothed the unicorn which had flinched.
"Let her go," he told Hermione quietly as he put the rest of the bandages and ointment in the box. She did as she was told and the unicorn pranced regally away as if telling her that the whole ordeal hadn't happened. It was a like a queen trying to cover up an embarrassing affair. She had a feeling that the unicorn wasn't the only one pretending.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Gryffindor common room was all abuzz about Hagrid's new assistant. Hermione frowned trying to concentrate on her book as people chattered around her.
"- the guy is an idiot, Hagrid had to tell him twice -"
"-Dumbledore's illegitimate son - "
"-Sirius Black's son come to avenge his father - "
" - raised by werewolves in the dark forest - "
" - Slytherins will never see it coming, portable swamp in their common room." She hadn't seen the common room like this since the girls found out that Lockheart would be their new Defense against the dark arts teacher during her second year. Hermione sighed, ok she had chattered just as much as any other girl. She had to admit, she was just as curious as the rest of them. But she had more important things to do, finding all the uses for Unicorn blood was one.
"It's nearly impossible," grunted Ron as he flipped through a stack of Hermione's books. "No actually it isn't. Unicorn blood is rarely used, since slaying one is such a crime," Hermione pointed out.
"Well I truly doubt we'll find any of the spells involving Unicorn blood, they're probably all in the restricted section" Harry said as he put down Famous Spells of the Century and rubbed his eyes.
"I'm not so sure it's a spell," Hermione murmured. That caught the boys attention.
"What do you mean, not a spell?" demanded Ron and Harry stated in unison. "Did you two practice that?" Hermione asked with a smile. Ron flushed.
"Well?" Harry asked. "Well, Hagrid said three unicorns had been wounded, two killed, right?" Both boys nodded. "Well, lets say Moonspinner was the latest almost victim, that would mean that they need more then one unicorns blood. I mean the blood of three fully grown unicorns is a lot. Most spells don't work with bulk like that," she stated.
"Unless whoever it is wants to make a lot of whatever potion he's brewing," Harry pointed out. Hermione opened her mouth then shut it again nodding.
"You may be right, back to looking I guess," she said and reopened her book.
Draco Malfoy was bored. More then bored, but he really wasn't sure there was a word that could describe the death by boredom feeling that plagued him at the moment. He let the girl on his right chatter for a moment.
"I'm breaking up with you, Desiree," she told the Slytherin girl and walked away, ignoring her tears.
"That was harsh," Marcus Flint told him oily as he leaned against the doorway leading out of the common room. Draco smirked. "You can have her now if you wish," he told the Captain with a shrug. Marcus snarled at him.
"I don't want your cast offs," he growled. Draco shrugged knowing full well that Desiree would be the best set of legs that Marcus would ever get.
"You think you're so smooth," Marcus snarled at him. Draco smirked knowing full well that Marcus Flint was just jealous.
"Are you finished stating the obvious or is this conversation actually going somewhere?" Draco asked coolly, in a tone that would have done his father proud. Flint's eyes darted over Malfoy as if he was sizing him up.
"Someone's going to knock from your bloody pedestal one day,"
"Like your man enough?" Draco mocked. Flint's rat face became distorted with another snarl.
"It's not like I flaunt myself around like some rich playboy," he challenged. Draco shoved his hands in his pockets and looked bored as if saying 'is that the best you can do?'
"It's not my fault every girl throws herself at me," he smiled knowing he had hit a sore spot when Flint winched. Then Marcus's eyes grew bright. "Not every girl," he said with a malicious grin.
"I see how you watch her," he said circling the blonde boy as a vulture circles a carcass. Draco watched him coldly.
"I watch many girls," Draco said icily. Marcus smiled became even more conniving.
"Maybe, but this one won't have you," he sneered. Draco stiffened.
"I haven't pursued her," he growled. "I bet with you turning on your full Malfoy charm that girls seem to love that you would never, in a million years, get Hermione Granger as a date," Marcus taunted.
"Like I'd want to date that Mudblood," Draco snarled, now aware of the many sets of Slytherin eyes focused on him. Marcus was making him look like a wuss and knew it.
"So you refuse?"
"How much?"
"If you do get the Mudblood to go out with you for 2 dates, I'll help you deal with that thorn in your side," Flint told him. Draco paused. The Flint family was well known for causing 'accidents' of their clients enemies. It paid well. And if Draco could bring Harry Potter to the Dark Lord, then Voldermort would make Draco a Death Eater and join his father.
"And if I lose?"
"You pay me 200 gallons," Flint said with a smirk. Draco eyed him carefully.
"Done," he said extending his hand. Flint took it with a handshake the deal was completed.
By the next morning, fog had settled over the school grounds like a thick blanket. The leaves were turning glorious shades of brown, orange and red in shades which no painter can capture. Hermione, usually observant by nature, ignored all of this as she jogged across the grounds to Hagrid's hut. She spotted Sparrow's thin form leaning against the coral watching the prancing unicorn as it galloped around the fenced in area. It had an indigent look about it, as if saying it was too good to be locked in such a small space. As she grew closer, she noticed he was still barefoot despite the chill that hung in the air. He turned his head and watched her come closer. She smiled and waved. A foolish grin spread on Sparrow's face.
"How are you this morning, Sparrow?" she asked him as she approached. He leaned his head back and looked up into the heavens as if he was checking to see if it indeed was morning. "Good," he said slowly. His voice was soft and warm. Hermione hadn't expected him to say anything but was for some reason extremely glad that he had.
"That's good, is Hagrid inside?" she asked pointing to the hut. Sparrow thought for a minute as if translating her words then nodded slowly. "Ok, thanks," she said before bounding up the stairs. She had figured Hagrid was in his hut all along but she had been hoping for maybe another word from Sparrow.
"Good morning, Hermione," Hagrid greeted from an overstuffed chair. His broken foot was leaning against a pillowed footrest and Fang was snoring peacefully at his side.
"Hi, Hagrid. I have a question," she said as she sat down across from him. Hagrid nodded telling her to go on.
"Well about the dead unicorns, was all the blood taken?" she asked. Hagrid thought for a moment.
"Most of it, I'd say," he said with a nod.
"Could it be vampires?" she asked with curiosity. Hagrid shook his head.
"Not even they'd touch a unicorn, their kind has few rules but killing a unicorn is one of them," he told her.
"Were there any clues? Any foot prints?" Hermione asked as she got up and started pacing with her hands behind her back.
"Well, yes, two sets, both belong to men by the length of it," Hagrid answered then stroked his beard as he leaned back in the chair. Hermione pondered the new piece of information and tucked it away for future use. Two men. it made sense..there would have to be more then one to transport all that blood.
"Could you find it again?" she asked Hagrid. Hagrid thought for a moment then nodded.
"Maybe if we mixed up some plaster, we can get a shoe print and discover who it is by that," she told him. Hagrid smiled.
"Hermione, that's a bloody good idea," Hagrid praised her. Hermione grinned.
"Can't take all the credit. I saw something like that on a muggle TV show, but it just might work," she said as her mind raced over the possibilities. She walked over towards the door then turned,
"When you do go, can I come with you?" Hermione asked hopefully. Hagrid shook his head. "It's too dangerous," he told her seriously.
"PLEASSEE Hagrid, I'll do anything," she begged. It was her idea and she desperately wanted to go to make sure things went smoothly. Hagrid sighed and caved in. He was fond of the girl, he had always consider Harry, Hermione and Ron to be nieces and nephews he would never had.
"Thanks Hagrid," she said smiling sweetly. "Before you go, Hermione," Hagrid stopped her before she left. She turned to see him holding up a gold ribbon and a small medical box.
"Haven't been able to catch Moonspinner since I busted me foot," he said and gave her the items.
"Unicorns are more fond of girls, anyhow," he told her. Hermione nodded and went outside to tend the unicorn.
Hermione found Sparrow sitting on the wet grass as still as a statue. Moonspinner had stopped galloping around the fenced in area to sniff him. Both stared at each other as their noses almost touched. The boy almost looked like he wasn't breathing, he was so still. Hermione took a step forward and a twig snapped under her boot. The unicorn jerked its head up and galloped away to the opposite end of the fence. Sparrow spun around with an expression of a wild thing ready to run at the first hint of danger. At the sight of the Gryffindor student, Sparrow calmed tremendously and the vapid expression fell over his features once more like he had slipped on a mask that had fallen away for just a second.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to startle you," she apologized. He shrugged slowly.
"Hagrid asked me to tend her," she said motioning to the Unicorn. He tilted his head slightly as a bird might do when studying something. Hermione wondered if that was why he had gotten the name Sparrow or was it because of his dull brown hair? She climbed over the fence and stood beside Sparrow as they both watched the unicorn prance gracefully around. From his seat position, he looked up at her as if saying, well? Hermione took a deep breath and started to walk towards the unicorn.
"Slow," Sparrow told her. Her steps became slower as she inched closer the unicorn. It had a wild look in its eye as if it would bolt any second. With painstaking slowness she lifted the golden lasso and put it over the unicorn's head. The beast snorted and lifted on its hind legs slightly before coming down hard, inches from Hermione's foot. Hermione gulped. It was a big horse, if one could really a unicorn such. Her heart hammered in her breast as the unicorn watched her as if it was expecting to see HER turn and run. Without her realizing it, Sparrow was standing beside her watching the beast snort with indigence.
"Talk to it," he told her and retrieved the box out of her hands before she could protest.
"Hello girl," she said and reached out a slight trembling hand to stroke its muzzle. At the sound of her voice, the beast calmed. It's fur felt like nothing else Hermione had ever touched, almost like each hair was as smooth as silk.
"Don't worry, we'll have you fixed up soon, so you can go back to your mate. Is that's what's worrying you?" she talked to Moonspinner gently. In the corner of her eye, she watched Sparrow removed the soiled bandages, clean the wound, and put a fresh new herb compact over the silver gash on it's flank. He did all this quickly with nimble fingers.
"Boys can't live by themselves, they need us to take care of them, you know. Harry and Ron need me all the time, they just don't show it, a lot. Boys are like that," she told the unicorn. Sparrow paused and looked up from his work. His eyes held a look of amusement as the mask fell away yet again. He caught her gaze and lowered his eyes as he fumbled with the bandages. The idiot had returned.
"Easy girl," she soothed the unicorn which had flinched.
"Let her go," he told Hermione quietly as he put the rest of the bandages and ointment in the box. She did as she was told and the unicorn pranced regally away as if telling her that the whole ordeal hadn't happened. It was a like a queen trying to cover up an embarrassing affair. She had a feeling that the unicorn wasn't the only one pretending.
