Chapter 17
Outside the night air was rather cool. The three students drew their cloaks about them rather tightly to try and keep out the chill. They stood in confusion when Meredith stopped, she was standing in front of them looking up at the sky, where dark clouds passed over a brightly lit moon. She put two fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle. There was a screech from overhead and a small shadow swooped down and took perch on her arm. It was a hawk, a rather neutral colored bird. It's back was dark brown, while its underside was tan. Its tail feathers were the color of freshly spread blood, dark red, maroon with little black stripes. Meredith gave a gesture for the three to follow after as she started towards Hagrid's hut.
Harry could not stop himself from staring at the hawk as it preened itself on Meredith's arm. It seemed so familiar. He paused in thought and had to be nudged by Ron to realize that he had truly in fact stopped. Harry trotted to catch up. He still couldn't figure out what was so familiar about the bird.
Meredith knocked on the hut and the half giant opened the door. "Why hello there Meri!" He looked beyond the girl and hawk to see the three 6th years huddled up behind her. "Harry, Ron Hermione? What're you doin out o' bed?"
"They're serving detention Hagrid. Now I need to borrow a lantern, we're going out into the Dark Forest." Meredith coolly explained.
Hagrid nodded, turning and going back into the hut to fetch a lantern. As he handed the light to Meredith he frowned, "Take care this evening. Don't stray off." Hagrid paused a bit, "Yuh want Fang tuh come along?"
Meredith shook her head, stroking the hawk underneath its beak, "No, we've got Marron for company this evening."
Hagrid frowned in thought, "Guess so. G'night then. and be careful, all o' yuhs." As he slowly closed the door, the 6th years wanted to scream out 'No! Hagrid why don't you come with us?' But it was too late. Meredith turned around and shone the light over their eyes.
"Stay close unless you'd like to get eaten this evening. Plenty of creatures out there willing for a quick snack." Meredith said smirking. The hawk let out a small shrill call and nipped at Meredith's ear, she glared at the bird. "You'll be the first to go."
And with that they started off into the forest. Harry pulled out his wand, calling out "Lumos" and the tip of his wand popped out an orb of light, casting a glow in a small radius around them.
Meredith lifted her arm where the hawk was perched, "Marron, gnome shrrooms, eastward." The hawk stretched its wings and hopped off flapping and climbing upwards into the air. Reaching the treetops and gliding over the wind drafts in an eastern direction. Meredith started to walk off in the direction that the hawk had taken, snapping back at the three, "Hurry up now, we haven't got all night!"
After a while, the three came to an open moonlit clearing where Marron was circling overhead screeching. Meredith whistled and the bird landed in a nearby tree, surveying the students as they prepared to search for the gnome schrooms in the area. Meredith looked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "You know what gnome schrooms are, don't you?" The boys shook their heads, giving an answer, 'no', but Hermione lifted her hand. Meredith rolled her eyes, "This is not a classroom Granger."
Hermione let her hand fall, looking a bit embarrassed; "Well. a gnome schroom is a type of fungi that is used in various potions. The fungus resembles a gnome with a rather large hat on. It is the color of chalk, pure white."
Meredith nodded speaking nastily, "Not like I care for smarts much, but bravo. Now go start picking them." She pulled out some sacks from her cloak and tossed them at the younger students. The sacks fell to the ground in front of them. Hermione picked up her bag and went to work, not saying another word. Ron shrugged and started as well. But Harry stood defiant, his green eyes looking rather serious behind his glasses.
"What is your problem?!" Harry demanded.
Meredith looked down her nose at the boy, "Pardon?"
"You act so horrible and nasty to everyone, like you're better than them!" Harry accused, a bit of a challenge to his voice.
Meredith stormed foreword, standing a bit taller than Harry, her eyes were flashing furiously. "Get to work."
Harry kicked the back at Meredith, "Pick your own schrooms, because I refuse to do so until you explain yourself!"
Meredith looked taken aback a moment before she lunged in again, grabbing Harry by the collar of his shirt, jerking his face close. "Do you think I have too much pride, little Gryffindor?" She asked looking rather menacing. Harry hid whatever fear he had coursing through his body and gave a quick nod. Meredith dropped Harry, muttering, "How wrong you are." She grabbed the bag and pushed it into his hands. Harry stood mute, not saying anything, but his eyes still showed his defiance. "I should not have to explain myself to you." Meredith snapped. Harry crossed his arms, and she snorted.
"Typical Slytherin. Let me guess you've got problems with Mudbloods too? With Muggles?" Harry challenged.
Meredith got a look of pain to her eyes before she snarled. "BLOOD MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!"
Harry stepped back, that look of pain that passed through her eyes unsettled him. There was so much about the girl he had yet to understand. He gave a nod, "Then you're not like them I guess."
Meredith turned and started back to her post by the tree, "Do not assume that you know me, or Slytherins in general." She said coldly. She leaned back against the tree, but before she could look away, Harry could see shining tears brimming at her eyes.
Outside the night air was rather cool. The three students drew their cloaks about them rather tightly to try and keep out the chill. They stood in confusion when Meredith stopped, she was standing in front of them looking up at the sky, where dark clouds passed over a brightly lit moon. She put two fingers to her lips and let out a shrill whistle. There was a screech from overhead and a small shadow swooped down and took perch on her arm. It was a hawk, a rather neutral colored bird. It's back was dark brown, while its underside was tan. Its tail feathers were the color of freshly spread blood, dark red, maroon with little black stripes. Meredith gave a gesture for the three to follow after as she started towards Hagrid's hut.
Harry could not stop himself from staring at the hawk as it preened itself on Meredith's arm. It seemed so familiar. He paused in thought and had to be nudged by Ron to realize that he had truly in fact stopped. Harry trotted to catch up. He still couldn't figure out what was so familiar about the bird.
Meredith knocked on the hut and the half giant opened the door. "Why hello there Meri!" He looked beyond the girl and hawk to see the three 6th years huddled up behind her. "Harry, Ron Hermione? What're you doin out o' bed?"
"They're serving detention Hagrid. Now I need to borrow a lantern, we're going out into the Dark Forest." Meredith coolly explained.
Hagrid nodded, turning and going back into the hut to fetch a lantern. As he handed the light to Meredith he frowned, "Take care this evening. Don't stray off." Hagrid paused a bit, "Yuh want Fang tuh come along?"
Meredith shook her head, stroking the hawk underneath its beak, "No, we've got Marron for company this evening."
Hagrid frowned in thought, "Guess so. G'night then. and be careful, all o' yuhs." As he slowly closed the door, the 6th years wanted to scream out 'No! Hagrid why don't you come with us?' But it was too late. Meredith turned around and shone the light over their eyes.
"Stay close unless you'd like to get eaten this evening. Plenty of creatures out there willing for a quick snack." Meredith said smirking. The hawk let out a small shrill call and nipped at Meredith's ear, she glared at the bird. "You'll be the first to go."
And with that they started off into the forest. Harry pulled out his wand, calling out "Lumos" and the tip of his wand popped out an orb of light, casting a glow in a small radius around them.
Meredith lifted her arm where the hawk was perched, "Marron, gnome shrrooms, eastward." The hawk stretched its wings and hopped off flapping and climbing upwards into the air. Reaching the treetops and gliding over the wind drafts in an eastern direction. Meredith started to walk off in the direction that the hawk had taken, snapping back at the three, "Hurry up now, we haven't got all night!"
After a while, the three came to an open moonlit clearing where Marron was circling overhead screeching. Meredith whistled and the bird landed in a nearby tree, surveying the students as they prepared to search for the gnome schrooms in the area. Meredith looked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione, "You know what gnome schrooms are, don't you?" The boys shook their heads, giving an answer, 'no', but Hermione lifted her hand. Meredith rolled her eyes, "This is not a classroom Granger."
Hermione let her hand fall, looking a bit embarrassed; "Well. a gnome schroom is a type of fungi that is used in various potions. The fungus resembles a gnome with a rather large hat on. It is the color of chalk, pure white."
Meredith nodded speaking nastily, "Not like I care for smarts much, but bravo. Now go start picking them." She pulled out some sacks from her cloak and tossed them at the younger students. The sacks fell to the ground in front of them. Hermione picked up her bag and went to work, not saying another word. Ron shrugged and started as well. But Harry stood defiant, his green eyes looking rather serious behind his glasses.
"What is your problem?!" Harry demanded.
Meredith looked down her nose at the boy, "Pardon?"
"You act so horrible and nasty to everyone, like you're better than them!" Harry accused, a bit of a challenge to his voice.
Meredith stormed foreword, standing a bit taller than Harry, her eyes were flashing furiously. "Get to work."
Harry kicked the back at Meredith, "Pick your own schrooms, because I refuse to do so until you explain yourself!"
Meredith looked taken aback a moment before she lunged in again, grabbing Harry by the collar of his shirt, jerking his face close. "Do you think I have too much pride, little Gryffindor?" She asked looking rather menacing. Harry hid whatever fear he had coursing through his body and gave a quick nod. Meredith dropped Harry, muttering, "How wrong you are." She grabbed the bag and pushed it into his hands. Harry stood mute, not saying anything, but his eyes still showed his defiance. "I should not have to explain myself to you." Meredith snapped. Harry crossed his arms, and she snorted.
"Typical Slytherin. Let me guess you've got problems with Mudbloods too? With Muggles?" Harry challenged.
Meredith got a look of pain to her eyes before she snarled. "BLOOD MAKES NO DIFFERENCE!"
Harry stepped back, that look of pain that passed through her eyes unsettled him. There was so much about the girl he had yet to understand. He gave a nod, "Then you're not like them I guess."
Meredith turned and started back to her post by the tree, "Do not assume that you know me, or Slytherins in general." She said coldly. She leaned back against the tree, but before she could look away, Harry could see shining tears brimming at her eyes.