"What do you mean something's happened to him? What happened? What's wrong, Ron?" Hermione was in a panic. First Niger practically attacks her and now Ron was so agitated he could hardly speak.
"I use the word 'something' because I'm not exactly sure what happened. No one is!"
"Well, you're bound to know more than we do, so give more details!" Hermione's arms were flapping about as though she were about to take off. Niger sat down stiffly on the floor and tried to breathe evenly. This was far too coincidental.
"Okay, okay. Calm down. I heard that Dumbledore was found not long ago in his office. He's totally unconscious and nothing will revive him." Hermione gasped. "That's not the worst of it though. They say he's been thrashing around and almost every time he moves he acquires a new cut or bruise. The thing is, he's not hitting anything! I don't really know what it means."
"That doesn't make any sense!" Hermione whispered through the hand clasped to her mouth.
Ron shrugged. "Anyway, they think it was Snape. He's been escorted to a room in one of the higher floors to await confirmation."
"Snape?" Niger hissed from his spot on the floor. "It wasn't Snape."
Niger now had their full and complete attention. "Niger, please. What do you know?" Hermione sat down nervously beside him, though not close enough that he could easily reach her. Niger almost laughed at her timidity.
"If you think I know who did it, you're wrong. I do know who planned it, though." Niger bared his teeth as Hermione and Ron passed a concerned look between them.
"Can you tell us?" Hermione asked fearfully.
Niger snorted a laugh. "Of course I can tell you. But you should be asking if I will."
"Oh, Niger please! I know we've said something to make you mad, but this is very important."
"So is the reason for which I am mad," he growled.
"If you'd only explain, maybe we could help?" Ron added, trying to be useful.
"You can't. Not unless you can change the past." As Niger said this, Hermione's face took on a new look.
"That's it, isn't it? That's why you asked about Harry Potter."
Ron stilled look confused. "What's it? What are you talking about?"
Niger opened his mouth to deny but was never given the chance as, at that moment, Neville opened the door and poked his head in. "They've called a meeting in the Great Hall. We have to get there at once." Hermione took one look at Niger, shied away and ran from the room. Niger thought she looked like she was about to cry
Ron stood there for a second looking between Niger and Neville, who was still standing at the door, bouncing on the balls of his feet in a mixture of impatience and anxiety. "What was she talking about? Bugger! I wish she'd just say something clearly for once." He also gave Niger a look before he followed Hermione out the door. Neville beckoned Niger who stood slowly from his spot on the floor and wove his way over to the door. Neville hardly waited for him to walk out before letting the door swing shut and jogging down the hall.
Niger followed slowly, not really wanting to know what was to be discussed presently. His feet dragged, making shuffling noises against the ground that annoyed him, despite the fact that he was causing his own annoyance. He reached the door to the great hall and was surprised that he didn't hear several voices, but instead only one. He walked in, calling absolutely no attention to himself, and sat quickly at the first available seat he found at his own table.
The speaker, Professor McGonagall, continued speaking as Niger arrived, listening half-heartedly. "I'm sure most have you have heard rumors about what has happened today and this meeting is to set straight the facts so that those outrageous rumors may be quashed and the truth be known." Not a sound was made by those in the hall, but it seemed to Niger that the Slytherin table wasn't half so tense as the rest of the student body.
She continued: "Today, about two hours ago, Professor Dumbledore was found in his office unconscious. We assume he has been put under some sort of spell or under the influence of some sort of potion, but those of us with experience in the matter have yet to discover what it is. The Headmaster is unconscious, it is true, but in a way totally abnormal. Though we have reason to believe that he has moved very little since the incident, we have found several marks on his person resembling those of burns and cuts, but no reason for them to be there." There were gasps at this comment, but Niger found himself unsurprised, having heard that part of the rumor already.
"We don't know who is responsible." Several barely hushed voices started muttering at this, apparently thinking they knew exactly who was responsible. Professor McGonagall cleared her throat briskly to reestablish order. "We have one suspect, as many of you have obviously heard, but no proof has been found. The suspect will remain under supervision during classes, and will be otherwise watched over between classes. We have found no need for alarm, and –" but she was cut off by the voice of a nameless student from the crowd.
"One of the most powerful wizards of our time has been attacked inside a school that is supposed to be safe and yet there is no reason for alarm?" Another voice joined in along the same thread. "There is no proof that your suspect is the guilty party, so the real attacker could still be roaming free and we aren't supposed to be scared?" Other voices joined in, drowning out any reply the deputy Headmistress may have made.
Disgusted by the cacophony, Niger stood and made to leave. As he turned, his eyes locked with another's; a pair of eyes that mirrored not the rest. Draco Malfoy sat grinning stupidly at Niger as though sharing a private joke. Niger raised an eyebrow and continued walking out. Hopefully someone else had seen Malfoy's face and was made suspicious by the ironic emotion. Not likely. Everyone was probably too busy stringing out pointless questions to which they didn't give enough space to be answered.
Niger had a more important agenda. He had to do something, but he wasn't sure what he could do and he didn't know how to find out where. He had one thought, however, that there was one person that may be able to help, though how, Niger again wasn't sure.
Firming his resolve before he could find something wrong with the plan, Niger headed toward the Towers. He had to speak to Snape.
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Emmy: I hope you liked this chapter just as much! H'mmmm…now, if only I can finished chapter 13 in time grins sheepishly
Chips challenge: I don't think Hogwarts; a History would have mentioned anything about Harry Potter, and there aren't as many books about him in this AU because he isn't the Boy Who Lived; he's more the uh…Boy Who Disappeared, ya know? Besides, if there were stories about him somewhere, do you think Voldemort would give him access to them? A trust…such a complicated sub-plot, no? hehehe
Tarawen: You think Niger will choose evil. Interesting. I, of course, won't divulge my take on this because you are bound to find out in a few chapters.
Adenara Yatman: See? See? I didn't kill Dumbledore. It's all good, right? grins hesitantly Right…? Hehehe
Diamond004: Yes, emotion is something this story will have a lot of. Especially in the next couple of chapters. Yay! This story is going so well…I forgot how good it was…lol
SwordStalker121: hehehe Suspense, eh? Do you see that as a good thing or a bad thing? Thanks for the review!
PippinsMyHobbit: Ah, it confuses you when Niger talks about Harry. That's funny. Though, when I'm working on my other stories you'd think I'd always accidentally type 'Niger' but really, the character is so different that I don't have trouble differentiating, you know what I mean?
Hermione HP: Well, here you go then! Hehehe Thanks for reviewing!
M.E.: Sorry you don't like cliffies…you definitely shouldn't read my story Reality when I put up chapter six then. grins This one shouldn't have too many cliffies but I do put them in when I can. Makes people want to read it more, ya know?
Sami1010220: Thickening even more, eh? "Now we bring the stew to a simmer, and…" giggles Hope you liked the thickness in this one :)
Spaced Out Space Cadet: Well, you kind of know what happened to Dumbledore, right? Hehehe Yeah, the spy won't be revealed until one of the last chapters probably. Sorry grins I loved the emotions in the last chapter. shivers They were fun to write, let me tell you!
Well, chapter 12th will be up on the 16th, but you'll have to wait a bit longer than usual for chapter 13 because I'm going to a family reunion from the 17th until the 24th. The first family reunion in at least 10 years…wow. So, leave me reviews and I'll try to finish writing chapter 13 before I leave so that I can post it as soon as I get back!