Disclaimer: I do not own the characters. J.K. Rowling, Bloomsbury books, Scholastic books and Warner Brothers have that pleasure. I am merely borrowing them.
Chapter Eleven: Frantic
Lupin and Parkinson faced each other, wands drawn. Neither man moved. The silence in the room was fraught with tension.
Lupin spoke first. "Do not do something you may regret, Parkinson." His voice carried a note of urgency. He knew this man was close to the edge and he didn't want to hurt him.
"I'm not going to take advice from a werewolf." He was feeling cornered, stealing a glance to the left and then to the right. He teaches defense. How can I possibly beat him in a fair fight? Fair fight? A slow smile spread across his features. "I see you there, Pansy." He looked behind the professor's right shoulder. Parkinson then made a move to the side, momentarily lowering his wand, hoping Lupin would take the bait. He did so, gloriously.
As Lupin turned, lowering his wand, Parkinson rapidly directed his wand toward him, sending a curse zooming into Lupin --a white flash burning into his chest. He was catapulted off his feet and through the air, landing with a reverberating crash against the stone wall. The professor's body slid to the floor like a marionette with its strings cut, leaving a crimson trail of blood on the wall. His head lolled forward, eyes closed, as five fingers of scarlet trailed along his face, slowly dripping onto his threadbare robes. A faint smell of burnt flesh permeated the air.
*****
As Snape gingerly lowered the elder Malfoy's broken body onto the bunk, Pomfrey began her diagnostics.
"Is he going to be all right?" Draco said, as he hovered nearby, biting his fingernails.
"I'm sure he'll be fine, child." Pomfrey now began the task of mending his ribs to make his breathing easier, eliciting a small moan from her patient.
"Father?" Draco moved closer.
Mr. Malfoy slowly moved his head toward the sound of his son's voice, opening his good eye. "Draco?" His voice was gravelly.
"I'm here, Father." Draco's hand reached out to touch his father's but drew back as he saw how swollen and dark they looked. He settled for lightly touching his father's white-blond hair. The elder Malfoy began to cough, his body wracked with spasms. Draco put a hand over his mouth and a distressed look crossed his young face as he felt tears welling up.
"Draco, maybe we could talk some more in the room in back, while your father is being treated. He is in capable hands." Masters leaned in, gently touching Draco's arm. He nodded, eyes still intent on his father, and they went back.
*****
Pansy heard the fighting downstairs. Professor Lupin? Hearing the wand discharge, she left the trunk and went to the door trying to determine who was the victor. Surely it's the professor; he teaches defense, after all. She heard a familiar voice from downstairs.
"Look what you made me do! Pansy! It's all your fault!" Parkinson slashed a hand through his light brown hair, regretting his rash action.
Pansy covered her mouth with her hands, panic rising. She stood frozen for an instant before she made her decision. Soundlessly creeping to the trunk she began to rifle through its contents again. It's got to be here somewhere! I don't have much time. She carefully tipped the trunk onto the cream carpet, pulling things out. She saw something shiny and reached for it, but it was just a metal box. Taking a step back toward the trunk, she heard a crunch beneath her elegant black boot. Grimacing, she lifted her foot, seeing the shattered vial. The strength of the impact had forced the green liquid into the thick pile. Deflated, she sunk to the floor, numb. What now? The candlelight in the room flickered, causing her violet eyes to be drawn to the trunk again. It was still tipped forward and she looked at a piece of the deep green velvet lining that had been ripped from the back. She realized her eyes had been drawn there because of something glinting in the light. Pansy moved closer, noting the lining was not ripped, but had simply pulled away from a secret compartment. Tugging at it, Pansy saw what had caught the light. There was a knife strapped inside, which she removed, marveling at the workmanship. The hilt of the dagger was a platinum dragon's head with ruby eyes. The young Slytherin ran her finger along the blade and touched the tip, drawing blood. She could not allow her father to take her from here, no matter what. Desperate times call for desperate measures.
*****
"Would you like to get dressed first, Draco? I see the house-elf brought you some clothes from your dorm." She motioned to the pile Dobby had brought for Draco, Pansy's letter on top.
He sat on the bed, staring at the floor, "I guess."
She picked up the pile, handing it to him. The letter on top slid off and skidded across the floor, out the door. "I'll get it." Masters walked out and picked up the note, smelling violets. She saw a flash before her eyes, her body going rigid. An intense wave of fear and desperation then overwhelmed her, dropping her to her knees with a groan, letter crumpled in her fist.
Draco was at her side in an instant. "Are you okay?" He bent beside her.
Snape heard Draco's inquiry and glanced toward the boy. Seeing Masters on her knees, he rushed over. "What happened?"
"She is desperate…can't go home…just can't…her father…she is so afraid…oh no…she can't allow it…" Masters body lunged forward, one hand now on the tile floor and the other clutching the letter. Her was face a mask of pain, teeth clenched, tears flowing down her cheeks.
Snape reached to Masters, grabbing her shoulders and lifting her to a chair at the table outside the door. He had heard that one of the skills of an alienist was an ability to glean emotions from inanimate objects that belong to another. Dropping to the seat beside her he barked, "Who is the girl?"
"I don't know…She is desperate…She wants to hurt herself…Can't live like this anymore…" She made a mewling sound in the back of her throat, her left hand fluttering nervously, right hand fisted around the letter.
Snape roughly grabbed her chin with a steely grip and leaned in. "Focus, Masters! Look at me and calm yourself. What do you see?" Snape's black eyes bored into hers.
She focused on those fathomless black eyes and opened her mind more fully, drawing strength from his intense gaze. "She is holding something…Yes, it reflects her face… She is blonde, pretty…older girl, maybe seventh-year, with violet eyes. Oh no…It's a knife she's holding…dragon's head with red eyes?"
Draco had an epiphany. "She's in my dorm room. That's Pansy. I've got to go to her!"
"NO! Stay here, Draco. I will go. Keep an eye on the healer." Snape released Masters' face and she slid against the back of the chair. He then whirled toward the hearth in a flurry of black robes.
Draco took the seat vacated by his godfather, warily eyeing the Healer.
*****
Heller and Stevens watched the DADA professor crumple to the floor, concern and fear etched in their faces. Stevens closed his eyes and leaned back against the back of the couch. Heller stared at nothing for a moment, then a look of steely determination crossed his young face.
"I'm going." Heller started to rise.
"You can't. He'll kill you too!" Stevens pulled Heller back to the floor.
"He'll kill us all if we do nothing. Draw his attention away from me." Heller stood again.
Stevens grabbed an abandoned textbook and threw it across the room towards the entrance. Mr. Parkinson took off towards the sound, wand raised.
Heller bounded toward the fireplace and threw in a handful of Floo powder, calling out, "Hospital wing!" as he leapt into the hearth.
"NO!" Parkinson whirled around, wand pointing at the figure in the hearth. A white flash caught Heller in the shoulder as he disappeared.
*****
Snape reached for the bowl of Floo powder as a body lunged from the fireplace. Reacting quickly, Snape caught the boy and called to the Headmaster. The Potions Master gently rolled the unconscious boy onto his back, the smell of burning flesh assaulting his nostrils. He then placed two fingers to the boy's throat, feeling a strong pulse. "He'll be okay."
Dumbledore had to know what happened. "Enervate!"
Heller's small face was pinched in pain as he brought a hand to his shoulder.
"You're going to be okay, son. Tell us what happened." Dumbledore placed his hand on the boy's head, sending a pulse of energy to him.
"Pansy's Dad, sir. He's killed Professor Lupin!"
Snape and Dumbledore exchanged an incredulous look. Dumbledore immediately rose. "Severus, stay here. I will take care of this." Casting a shielding charm over his body the Headmaster Flooed to the Slytherin common room.
*****
Next Chapter: Has Pansy's father killed Remus Lupin? Dumbledore takes him on and Pansy does something rash.
Author's Notes: Thanks as always to my beta, Catmint!
Catmint: Pansy's dad is really something, huh. Thanks for all your help!
CuriousDreamWeaver: Pear-shaped is how life is when you're a Slytherin, I suppose!
Black maze: Thanks so much!
Devil's-fire: A cure may be too much to hope for, but it can be controlled with potions!
SheWolfe7: Thanks so much!
Sinical-Sarcasm: Hamlet, eh? I'd love to see it! I can't wait to read more of your other story!
Phuketrix: Snape is my favorite character, so don't expect him to 'bite the big one' anytime soon! I love "Ron the Seer". It's too hilarious! Write more soon!