CHAPTER 19
Snape's Hungarian Horntail
The marauders had done it again. They had come up with yet another mastermind prank for Halloween, and this time they would not allow themselves to get caught. Ever since their first year, they had made a pact that they would never ever get caught again.
Last Halloween, they had been so involved with Remus's secret that they had forgotten to plot anything at all. This year, they decided to make up for lost time. And this year, they had an extra hand on board.
"The full moon doesn't come up until November the first," Remus had announced happily, looking in the back of their astronomy book. "I'm free to go."
"Good," James said, and he went back to the map of the school that he had bought from a seventh year.
Yet it seemed as if someone was on their trail. Good old Severus Snape was quite aware that the four of them were up to something, and he seemed to be everywhere they were. They knew he was just waiting to get them in trouble.
So they decided to incorporate him into their fun.
On Halloween, the students filed into the Great Hall as usual, and began feasting. Everyone was accounted for, except for Remus Lupin and Peter Pettigrew. No one thought much of it, since Sirius and James were happily gulping down goblets of pumpkin juice next to Dung and Davey at the Gryffindor table. Everyone knew that their two other accomplices wouldn't dare try anything without the two masterminds.
Oh, how they were wrong.
"Just grab it, Peter!" Remus hissed from the doorway.
"I can't reach it!"
"Cut the string!"
"I told you, I can't reach it!"
Remus sighed and crossed the room to where Peter was balancing on the top of a desk. They were in the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, and above them was a large skeleton of a Hungarian Horntail.
"Come on, now," Remus said, kneeling down. "Get on my back."
Peter stumbled over to Remus, who was now perched upon the desk as well, and hoisted himself up onto his shoulders.
"Oi! You should look into that diet!"
"Geroff!"
"Don't talk! Cut the stupid thing!"
"Whose idea was this anyway?"
Peter took his wand, and pointed at the small string that was keeping the skeleton aloft.
"Diffindo," he whispered, and the string became broken in the middle. The dragon fell to the ground, missing the two boys by inches.
"Wingardium Leviosa," Remus said, taking out his own wand and pointing it at the pile of bones. All of a sudden, the skeleton rose into the air and snapped alive.
"Animato!" he whispered, and the dragon thrust its bony skull towards the ceiling. Its wings began to beat, and its mouth opened.
"Animato les cafetorium," he said, and the dragon sped off out the door and down the corridor.
"It worked," Peter said in amazement. "I can't believe it worked."
"Just wait," Remus said, "it gets better."
"ACK! POTTER!"
There was a commotion outside the doorway, and Snivellus's voice could be heard echoing through the corridors.
"What's he doing here?" Peter squeaked.
"He's being Snivellus," Remus said, running to the exit, and then adding. "James reckoned he'd follow us. Try to get us into trouble ---"
"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""
"They're late," Sirius said, checking his watch. "It should have happened twenty minutes ago."
"Just watch the front door," James said. "They're coming."
And all of a sudden, the oak doors to the Great Hall burst open, and the High Table rose to their feet, staring at the sight charging towards them. Severus Snape, riding a twenty foot long Hungarian Horntail skeleton that was now parading through the Hall and circling the Slytherin table, snapping at Lucius Malfoy and his friends. Snape was screaming at the top of his lungs, and Dumbledore raised his wand to stop the dragon. But it was too late. The skeleton skidded to a halt in front of the High Table, bowed, and then made a crude gesture to the teachers. Professor McGonagall gasped. The skeleton then dropped into a pile on the floor, leaving Snape in a heap, robes flung over his head.
"SEVERUS SNAPE!" Professor McGonagall said, rising to her feet next to Dumbledore. "HOW DARE YOU-"
"What?" Snape said, trying to stand. The entire school was laughing.
"Severus, what did you mean to accomplish by this?" Dumbledore said, looking over his half-moon glasses at the flustered third year.
"I --- me?! It was James Potter! It wasn't me!" Snivellus defended himself.
Dumbledore's eyes fixed on him, as if sure that this boy had gone quite mad.
"Mr. Snape," Professor McGonagall stepped in, "Mr. Potter is sitting behind you, next to Mr. Black. He has been there all evening. I have been keeping a close eye on them."
"You didn't have to do that, Professor," Sirius called from his seat.
"Quiet, Mr. Black!" she snapped.
"You have just ridden a twenty foot dragon into the Great Hall," Dumbledore said, "and you say that you should not be accused?"
"It wasn't me! They-" Snape turned toward Sirius and James, who were trying not to laugh. "You." He glared at James. "You cocky little ---"
"We will discuss this in private," Dumbledore said. "Minerva, could you please escort Mr. Snape to-"
The doors flung open again, and the attention swerved towards the new guest to the feast. James was half expecting Peter or Remus to be standing there, laughing their heads off. But instead, it was Hagrid, wearing his raincoat and soaked.
"Headmaster Dumbledore, sir," Hagrid shouted across the Hall for all to hear.
"What is it, Hagrid?" Dumbledore looked slightly peeved, which wasn't like him. But who could blame him; this was the second interruption to his feast.
"An owl just arrived from the Ministry, sir," Hagrid said, walking down the aisle and to the High Table. He stepped over Snape and the skeleton, and handed a green letter to Dumbledore. "I think you should read it."
Dumbledore took the letter from Hagrid and opened it. James and Sirius looked at each other. Why were they doing this in front of the whole school? The other students were looking quite taken aback as well as they stared at the Headmaster and the Transfiguration professor reading the letter. Professor McGonagall's face turned very pale, and she put a hand to her mouth.
"Oh, Albus," she whispered.
Dumbledore, solemnly looking past the letter and into nothingness, said quietly, "He is the first of us to fall."
Then, very slowly, he turned to the student body, waiting to hear what all this was about. Professor McGonagall took his shoulder, and he shooed her away.
"They must know," Dumbledore said calmly, and then he set the letter on the table. "Ladies and gentlemen, sad news comes from the Ministry of Magic tonight. It is my regret to say that Professor Frederick Snorks was killed earlier this evening by Death Eaters."
The Hall fell silent. James felt time stop all around him. They all looked to Dumbledore for more to come. It took a few minutes for him to continue though, and when he did, it was in the gravest tone.
"Most of you have noticed the ongoing events of this last summer," Dumbledore said. "Some of you have been personally affected, and others have not felt the outcome yet. I stand here today, holding the letter that told of one man's fate. The world is a terrible place, children. I call you children because that is what you are. You have not fended for yourselves, you have not felt the terrible blows that life gives you. But as we speak, there is hatred and prejudice residing in our world's heart." He gave a look to all four of the House tables, so divided --- so separate. "Now a man can make a difference in the world, even if it is a small one. We all have fates, including myself. We can choose to make that fate one that will bring hope, or one that will bring destruction. Times are changing, and we must grow the wiser for it. So now I must encourage you --- I must beg you --- that when you leave these school walls and enter this world-" he pointed to the haunting green letter, "-to not be as idiotic and imbecilic as the generation before you. That is all. Prefects, please escort students back to the dormitories."
The tone was very silent as the prefects stood and quietly ushered everyone out of the Hall, up the marble staircase, and to their common rooms.