A/N: None here.
Disclaimer: Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia and Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Parseltongue will be "~...~"
Chapter 9: To the Third Floor We Go
------------------------------------------
The months left in school blew by with few hitches, and to everyone's chagrin (except Harry's and Hermione's) it was time for exams. Study halls were packed as was the library, and common rooms were unpleasantly crowded. Harry complained about this to Draco as they sat in their usual spots near the fire which was letting off cool air instead of heat.
"I swear, Draco, if anyone so much as asks me for help or bumps me I'm cursing them," said Harry, looking over an Herbology diagram.
Draco drew up from his Defence Against the Dark Arts book and arched an eyebrow, "Don't you think you've already cursed enough people? I mean, you've filled up the entire Hospital Wing. You're just lucky they've never had evidence." Draco leaned in closer and asked, "How have you done that?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders and said, "Quite simple, if you know what to do. They haul you in to check your wand with Priori Incantatum. Before they do that, you put the spell on your own wand and delete the shadows and such with 'Omitto.'"
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
And off they went on their studying once more.
---
Dear Harry,
I thought I would just wish you luck on your exams. They still do start today, don't they? Severus says you're doing very well in your classes, which makes me proud I must say.
I know you're a smart child, Harry, and I know you've most likely already figured out what I want from Hogwarts. However, please don't go after me. There is always the risk of you getting injured, and I don't want you taking that chance, alright? I daresay I think of you as my own lost son, Harry.
I don't know what's making me write this letter; something just doesn't feel right. Are you also feeling it in your scar? Keep up your studies, both school and Dark Arts, and I'll see you at King's Cross.
Be careful
Tom
"Well, it's happening soon, now isn't it?" said Draco, looking over Harry's shoulder and reading the letter. Harry folded it up and put it in his bag.
"Yes, I suppose it is." He looked around the Great Hall wearily, eyes pausing at the staff table.
"Hey, where's Professor Lupin?"
Blaise looked up at Harry and asked, "Didn't you hear? Dumbledore's sending them off on some sort of study thing. He won't be here to teach anymore."
Harry jumped up and said, "What?!" and ran towards the doors to the Entrance Hall. Draco called after his friend.
"Hurry up, Harry! We've only got a half hour before our Charms exam!"
-
Remus looked up as his office door burst open and a flushed Harry stood in front of him. In the corner, Snuffles, aka Sirius, shifted in his basket but didn't wake.
"Is it true? You're leaving?"
Remus said slightly startled, "Yes, we are. What did you need, Harry?"
Harry, looking rather embarassed, pulled out two small packages and set them on the Professor's desk as he unwrapped them. Harry gave the first item to Lupin, his teacher's eyes getting slightly wider at the present. A small crystalline figure of a wolf was poised proudly in a small snow globe, amber eyes glinting as snow fell lightly on its back. Remus looked up.
"How did you know?"
Harry chuckled.
"With as much reading as I've done on varioius Dark subjects, I'd be an idiot not to recognize the signs. Don't worry; I won't tell."
Harry unwrapped the other present and walked over to the basket where Snuffles slept, eyes downcast and spoke barely above a whisper, although Lupin heard every word.
"I know this has been hardest on you, though I really don't know why I care. However, I do care. I care that you looked for me and that you held onto the hope of finding me so long. It's not much, but think of this as a parting present. I hope you'll be able to accept me for who I am one day."
Lupin walked over to the place where his friend lay sleeping after Harry left and felt himself smile in spite of his silent tears. Sprawled over the hulking body of the great black dog was a large blanket, covered with little pictures of black horses running over its surface.
----------------------------------------
Tests were finally done, and Harry was laying out next to the lake with Draco and Blaise, and a small sleeping Amelia lay basking on his stomach, her job of spying finally finished.
"So Lupin's left, hasn't he? Right after tests?" said Blaise, silver and black hair shining in the bright June sun. Harry just looked out across the lake.
"Yeah, he and Snuffles are gone."
"Sad thing. He was actually a good teacher," said Draco, pulling a bit of robe over his face to block out the sun and get in a quick nap.
" Oww!" exclaimed Harry, pressing at his scar, which felt like it was searing.
"Are you all right, Harry?" his friends asked. Harry sat straight up, looking around.
"It's tonight."
"What's tonight?"
Harry kneaded the scar with the heel of his right hand while saying, "It's tonight. The raid on the forbidden corridor; it's tonight."
"How do you know?" said Blaise, but Draco answered as his friend was currently dealing with an irritated Amelia who had been thrown to the ground when Harry sat up so quickly.
"It's his scar," said Draco. "Somehow he has a kind of link with Tom through it. It was forged when the Killing Curse ricocheted off of Harry's abnormally thick head."
"Hey, I heard that, you prat!" growled Harry. "Stop laughing Blaise! Come on, we've got to prepare for tonight!"
"What do you mean? We're not going down there, are we?" asked Draco, already knowing the answer.
"Of course we are! I'm confronting whoever's down there about why Tom wants the stone!"
"Harry, are you turning toward the Light?" said Blaise, in a mock awed voice. "Are you going to become the Gryffindor Golden Boy and run around spouting off morals and such?"
"Blaise, if you are wanting to help me tonight, you better not push me into cursing you all the way to the Hospital Wing."
"Of course I'm going to help! And so's Draco!"
Draco sat up, straightening his hair which was currently not gelled, and said with a smirk, "Of course! I'm definitely helping tonight!"
Harry smiled.
"Tonight, we three face whatever comes our way!"
--------------------------------------------
They spent the better part of the afternoon practicing spells and getting ready. Blaise pulled her hair back with a silver bandana very Muggle-style along her forehead, and dressed in what apparently was a "commado" army style complete with big commando boots.
Harry, quite amused with the look, pulled out his wand and pointed it at himself while saying, "Vestio!" His clothes almost instantly were transformed into a style like Blaise's, and both turned evil looks on Draco while the blonde backed away.
"No! Please, no!" Unfortunately the boys' dormitory, which was empty except for the three, offered him no help, and his clothes soon resembled the others, this time thanks to Blaise's own "Vestio". He ran his hands along the outfit and glowered at the girl.
"Somehow I doubt the pants are supposed to be this tight!"
Blaise winked and went back to painting her face in camoflauge.
"You may as well show off what you have!"
Harry looked sympathetically at Draco and said blandly, "Don't feel so bad, Draco. Look what she did to Amelia, and Amelia's not even going!"
The poor little snake had to be refrained from attacking Blaise. Its scales now made a camoflauge pattern and a tiny black bandana was on the hissing snake's head. Harry calmed her down and sent her to hide in the dungeons until one of the three came to get her.
"Well, are we ready?" said Draco.
Harry grabbed his harp and strapped it to his back in a sling he had made for it and pulled the Invisibility Cloak over the three.
"Let's go."
-
The three slipped quietly up to the door of the third floor corridor. Harry quickly unlocked the door, and they stepped inside.
Now, anyone else in this situation might have been completely terrified by the fact that there was a monstrous, three- headed dog between them and a trapdoor on the floor. They might have been petrified by the long fangs that were quite apparent as the three heads growled at the invisible trio. Certainly Blaise and Draco were; Blaise had even stopped her "stealth background music" she'd been making all the way up there. Harry, however, pulled the harp from his back and stepped out of the cloak, playing a slow ballad. The two under the cloak watched as the dog, obviously under the command of the harp, opened the trapdoor with its center head and held it open.
"You two go first," said Harry, still playing. "Remember, keep up your guard; all the teachers have likely put up enchantments if we can trust the information Hermione extracted from Hagrid."
Draco tucked the cloak into a special compartment on his outfit's belt, and the two slipped down into the hole. Once Harry heard them calling him, he quickly jumped down the hole himself, harp cradled in his arms.
The first thing he noticed about his landing was that it was very soft and squishy. He looked around at the other two.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," he heard Draco say from somewhere behind him and quite plainly Blaise yelling, "You idiot! We're being slowly covered in Devil's Snare, and you're HAPPY?!"
"Blaise, how do we get rid of it?" said Harry, as he scrambled to the side of the room not covered in the stuff, putting his harp down on the floor and pulling out his wand.
"You have to use fire, but there's no wood!" she yelled back.
"You idiot!" exclaimed Draco. "Is Harry a wizard or not?!"
"Good point, Draco. Aduro!"
The two caught were quickly released as the plant shrunk back from the fire Harry had produced, and the three rushed out of the room, Harry leaving the harp for fear of it getting damaged further ahead.
-
The next room was filled with the noises of fluttering wings, and the three looked up to see dozens and dozens of things flying around the ceiling. Harry fearlessly crossed the room, ready to blast the little buggers if they should attack and tried opening the door. It was locked, and even his more powerful unlocking charms didn't work. But Draco was watching the things with interest.
"Harry, Blaise, they're keys!"
"What?"
"Those things up there! They're winged keys! I bet you have to catch one to open the door!"
Harry looked back and forth between the ceiling and the door.
"Yes! We have to find a big silver one! Just like the lock!"
Blaise ran to the two, handing them each a broom.
"I think these will help! Be careful, guys!"
"Don't worry, this will be just like old times, won't it, Harry?" Draco grinned.
"Yeah, catching fairies out in the gardens! Let's go, Draco!" And off they went, looking for the elusive silver key. However, Harry had always been good at spotting things others missed.
"It's over here, Draco! Let's try Fairy Catcher #4!"
"Gotcha!" said Draco and flew upward as Harry chased the key toward his ascending friend.
"I've got it!" crowed Draco, flying back towards the ground as Harry touched down.
"Well," said Harry, "we'll have to tell Tom that we weren't wasting our time, now won't we?"
And with the help of the battered key, they walked in to the next room.
---------------------------------------
Omitto- to omit
Vestio- to clothe, to dress
Aduro- to set fire
A/N: Oh, aren't I the mean one? Truthfully, it's late, and I'm posting this tomorrow, which will be today by the time you most likely read this. First year is getting near its end, and something big is going to happen! Bum bum bum!!! Sorry if the chapter seems a bit odd, but I like just ate an entire
pumpkin pie by myself along with other high sugar things. Blaise is just too much fun to not have psychotic.
Review responses:
hermionegreen- Yes, I think of the Slytherins as being sore about having to show loyalty to this boy.
I'm glad you enjoy this.
Elssha- Thanks for the advice; yeah, I need to do that stuff. Hehehe, I still can't wait to be a senior,
however.
ReflectionsOfReality- Yes, we are quite far apart! No, I'll never have Harry kill of Tom (At least the
real Tom.)
Lord Serpent- I'm glad you enjoy the story.
Nicoletta- But will he get the chance to? Ah, major hintage! I know the feeling about ideas. It's
always so tempting...
ER- Hehehe.
Rogue Enchantress- Glad you enjoyed the chappie!
SilverKnight7- Oh, I have plans for third year pretty well thought out.
(November 28, 2003)
Disclaimer: Harry doesn't belong to me, blah, blah, blah. I only own Amelia and Ebony-Crested Dragon snakes. Oh, and I do use some of the same techniques Rowling uses with some fun lines I always enjoyed, so please don't sue me! I need all the money I can get for my student ambassador trip!
Parseltongue will be "~...~"
Chapter 9: To the Third Floor We Go
------------------------------------------
The months left in school blew by with few hitches, and to everyone's chagrin (except Harry's and Hermione's) it was time for exams. Study halls were packed as was the library, and common rooms were unpleasantly crowded. Harry complained about this to Draco as they sat in their usual spots near the fire which was letting off cool air instead of heat.
"I swear, Draco, if anyone so much as asks me for help or bumps me I'm cursing them," said Harry, looking over an Herbology diagram.
Draco drew up from his Defence Against the Dark Arts book and arched an eyebrow, "Don't you think you've already cursed enough people? I mean, you've filled up the entire Hospital Wing. You're just lucky they've never had evidence." Draco leaned in closer and asked, "How have you done that?"
Harry shrugged his shoulders and said, "Quite simple, if you know what to do. They haul you in to check your wand with Priori Incantatum. Before they do that, you put the spell on your own wand and delete the shadows and such with 'Omitto.'"
"Harry?"
"Yeah?"
"Shut up."
"Okay."
And off they went on their studying once more.
---
Dear Harry,
I thought I would just wish you luck on your exams. They still do start today, don't they? Severus says you're doing very well in your classes, which makes me proud I must say.
I know you're a smart child, Harry, and I know you've most likely already figured out what I want from Hogwarts. However, please don't go after me. There is always the risk of you getting injured, and I don't want you taking that chance, alright? I daresay I think of you as my own lost son, Harry.
I don't know what's making me write this letter; something just doesn't feel right. Are you also feeling it in your scar? Keep up your studies, both school and Dark Arts, and I'll see you at King's Cross.
Be careful
Tom
"Well, it's happening soon, now isn't it?" said Draco, looking over Harry's shoulder and reading the letter. Harry folded it up and put it in his bag.
"Yes, I suppose it is." He looked around the Great Hall wearily, eyes pausing at the staff table.
"Hey, where's Professor Lupin?"
Blaise looked up at Harry and asked, "Didn't you hear? Dumbledore's sending them off on some sort of study thing. He won't be here to teach anymore."
Harry jumped up and said, "What?!" and ran towards the doors to the Entrance Hall. Draco called after his friend.
"Hurry up, Harry! We've only got a half hour before our Charms exam!"
-
Remus looked up as his office door burst open and a flushed Harry stood in front of him. In the corner, Snuffles, aka Sirius, shifted in his basket but didn't wake.
"Is it true? You're leaving?"
Remus said slightly startled, "Yes, we are. What did you need, Harry?"
Harry, looking rather embarassed, pulled out two small packages and set them on the Professor's desk as he unwrapped them. Harry gave the first item to Lupin, his teacher's eyes getting slightly wider at the present. A small crystalline figure of a wolf was poised proudly in a small snow globe, amber eyes glinting as snow fell lightly on its back. Remus looked up.
"How did you know?"
Harry chuckled.
"With as much reading as I've done on varioius Dark subjects, I'd be an idiot not to recognize the signs. Don't worry; I won't tell."
Harry unwrapped the other present and walked over to the basket where Snuffles slept, eyes downcast and spoke barely above a whisper, although Lupin heard every word.
"I know this has been hardest on you, though I really don't know why I care. However, I do care. I care that you looked for me and that you held onto the hope of finding me so long. It's not much, but think of this as a parting present. I hope you'll be able to accept me for who I am one day."
Lupin walked over to the place where his friend lay sleeping after Harry left and felt himself smile in spite of his silent tears. Sprawled over the hulking body of the great black dog was a large blanket, covered with little pictures of black horses running over its surface.
----------------------------------------
Tests were finally done, and Harry was laying out next to the lake with Draco and Blaise, and a small sleeping Amelia lay basking on his stomach, her job of spying finally finished.
"So Lupin's left, hasn't he? Right after tests?" said Blaise, silver and black hair shining in the bright June sun. Harry just looked out across the lake.
"Yeah, he and Snuffles are gone."
"Sad thing. He was actually a good teacher," said Draco, pulling a bit of robe over his face to block out the sun and get in a quick nap.
" Oww!" exclaimed Harry, pressing at his scar, which felt like it was searing.
"Are you all right, Harry?" his friends asked. Harry sat straight up, looking around.
"It's tonight."
"What's tonight?"
Harry kneaded the scar with the heel of his right hand while saying, "It's tonight. The raid on the forbidden corridor; it's tonight."
"How do you know?" said Blaise, but Draco answered as his friend was currently dealing with an irritated Amelia who had been thrown to the ground when Harry sat up so quickly.
"It's his scar," said Draco. "Somehow he has a kind of link with Tom through it. It was forged when the Killing Curse ricocheted off of Harry's abnormally thick head."
"Hey, I heard that, you prat!" growled Harry. "Stop laughing Blaise! Come on, we've got to prepare for tonight!"
"What do you mean? We're not going down there, are we?" asked Draco, already knowing the answer.
"Of course we are! I'm confronting whoever's down there about why Tom wants the stone!"
"Harry, are you turning toward the Light?" said Blaise, in a mock awed voice. "Are you going to become the Gryffindor Golden Boy and run around spouting off morals and such?"
"Blaise, if you are wanting to help me tonight, you better not push me into cursing you all the way to the Hospital Wing."
"Of course I'm going to help! And so's Draco!"
Draco sat up, straightening his hair which was currently not gelled, and said with a smirk, "Of course! I'm definitely helping tonight!"
Harry smiled.
"Tonight, we three face whatever comes our way!"
--------------------------------------------
They spent the better part of the afternoon practicing spells and getting ready. Blaise pulled her hair back with a silver bandana very Muggle-style along her forehead, and dressed in what apparently was a "commado" army style complete with big commando boots.
Harry, quite amused with the look, pulled out his wand and pointed it at himself while saying, "Vestio!" His clothes almost instantly were transformed into a style like Blaise's, and both turned evil looks on Draco while the blonde backed away.
"No! Please, no!" Unfortunately the boys' dormitory, which was empty except for the three, offered him no help, and his clothes soon resembled the others, this time thanks to Blaise's own "Vestio". He ran his hands along the outfit and glowered at the girl.
"Somehow I doubt the pants are supposed to be this tight!"
Blaise winked and went back to painting her face in camoflauge.
"You may as well show off what you have!"
Harry looked sympathetically at Draco and said blandly, "Don't feel so bad, Draco. Look what she did to Amelia, and Amelia's not even going!"
The poor little snake had to be refrained from attacking Blaise. Its scales now made a camoflauge pattern and a tiny black bandana was on the hissing snake's head. Harry calmed her down and sent her to hide in the dungeons until one of the three came to get her.
"Well, are we ready?" said Draco.
Harry grabbed his harp and strapped it to his back in a sling he had made for it and pulled the Invisibility Cloak over the three.
"Let's go."
-
The three slipped quietly up to the door of the third floor corridor. Harry quickly unlocked the door, and they stepped inside.
Now, anyone else in this situation might have been completely terrified by the fact that there was a monstrous, three- headed dog between them and a trapdoor on the floor. They might have been petrified by the long fangs that were quite apparent as the three heads growled at the invisible trio. Certainly Blaise and Draco were; Blaise had even stopped her "stealth background music" she'd been making all the way up there. Harry, however, pulled the harp from his back and stepped out of the cloak, playing a slow ballad. The two under the cloak watched as the dog, obviously under the command of the harp, opened the trapdoor with its center head and held it open.
"You two go first," said Harry, still playing. "Remember, keep up your guard; all the teachers have likely put up enchantments if we can trust the information Hermione extracted from Hagrid."
Draco tucked the cloak into a special compartment on his outfit's belt, and the two slipped down into the hole. Once Harry heard them calling him, he quickly jumped down the hole himself, harp cradled in his arms.
The first thing he noticed about his landing was that it was very soft and squishy. He looked around at the other two.
"Well, that wasn't so bad," he heard Draco say from somewhere behind him and quite plainly Blaise yelling, "You idiot! We're being slowly covered in Devil's Snare, and you're HAPPY?!"
"Blaise, how do we get rid of it?" said Harry, as he scrambled to the side of the room not covered in the stuff, putting his harp down on the floor and pulling out his wand.
"You have to use fire, but there's no wood!" she yelled back.
"You idiot!" exclaimed Draco. "Is Harry a wizard or not?!"
"Good point, Draco. Aduro!"
The two caught were quickly released as the plant shrunk back from the fire Harry had produced, and the three rushed out of the room, Harry leaving the harp for fear of it getting damaged further ahead.
-
The next room was filled with the noises of fluttering wings, and the three looked up to see dozens and dozens of things flying around the ceiling. Harry fearlessly crossed the room, ready to blast the little buggers if they should attack and tried opening the door. It was locked, and even his more powerful unlocking charms didn't work. But Draco was watching the things with interest.
"Harry, Blaise, they're keys!"
"What?"
"Those things up there! They're winged keys! I bet you have to catch one to open the door!"
Harry looked back and forth between the ceiling and the door.
"Yes! We have to find a big silver one! Just like the lock!"
Blaise ran to the two, handing them each a broom.
"I think these will help! Be careful, guys!"
"Don't worry, this will be just like old times, won't it, Harry?" Draco grinned.
"Yeah, catching fairies out in the gardens! Let's go, Draco!" And off they went, looking for the elusive silver key. However, Harry had always been good at spotting things others missed.
"It's over here, Draco! Let's try Fairy Catcher #4!"
"Gotcha!" said Draco and flew upward as Harry chased the key toward his ascending friend.
"I've got it!" crowed Draco, flying back towards the ground as Harry touched down.
"Well," said Harry, "we'll have to tell Tom that we weren't wasting our time, now won't we?"
And with the help of the battered key, they walked in to the next room.
---------------------------------------
Omitto- to omit
Vestio- to clothe, to dress
Aduro- to set fire
A/N: Oh, aren't I the mean one? Truthfully, it's late, and I'm posting this tomorrow, which will be today by the time you most likely read this. First year is getting near its end, and something big is going to happen! Bum bum bum!!! Sorry if the chapter seems a bit odd, but I like just ate an entire
pumpkin pie by myself along with other high sugar things. Blaise is just too much fun to not have psychotic.
Review responses:
hermionegreen- Yes, I think of the Slytherins as being sore about having to show loyalty to this boy.
I'm glad you enjoy this.
Elssha- Thanks for the advice; yeah, I need to do that stuff. Hehehe, I still can't wait to be a senior,
however.
ReflectionsOfReality- Yes, we are quite far apart! No, I'll never have Harry kill of Tom (At least the
real Tom.)
Lord Serpent- I'm glad you enjoy the story.
Nicoletta- But will he get the chance to? Ah, major hintage! I know the feeling about ideas. It's
always so tempting...
ER- Hehehe.
Rogue Enchantress- Glad you enjoyed the chappie!
SilverKnight7- Oh, I have plans for third year pretty well thought out.
(November 28, 2003)