The Fifth House
Disclaimer: I waste so much time saying I don't own Harry Potter or Hogwarts or all that jazz. Really, I do, and it's crazy. But since it keeps Them happy…
Author's Note: Hello people! I just posted a few days ago, but I got the inspiration to write again. So here I am. I think fanfiction is plotting against me, because last time I updated, the fic didn't even come up on the Harry Potter page. I was very sad.
Anyway! It's a new chapter now. I'm moving on. And, it's the birthday/one-year anniversary of this story today! *Throws confetti in the air*
Read.
Review.
Reimburse! {I'm not sure what that means, though}
Curtains Up!
Chapter Thirty-Two
"It was a small matter of time," Sammen explained to four very confused sodalises.
Enna was sitting a few feet away, her head in her hands.
Plikttro and Reelle looked very solemn.
An emergency meeting of Terces had been called on the first of January. It was due to the fact that they had made a mistake during the ceremonies the previous might.
"So, we didn't give it enough time?" asked a confused Ren.
"Sort of, we didn't have enough time to make sure everything was correct. We rushed it, and now we've got to face the consequences," Sammen explained, looking very serious.
"But what are the consequences?" Brann asked.
"And what part did we rush?" Strella asked.
"Will anything really bad happen to us?" asked Skully.
"We can only answer one question at a time!" Sammen said. "And it looks like I'm going to be the one answering," he added as an afterthought, looking around at Reelle, Plikttro, and Enna's glum expressions.
"First of all, we rushed the Concealment Charm. As you know, that's the charm that keeps anyone else from knowing that the particular incantations and spells we used were, indeed, used on school grounds. There are several ways of finding out any magic that has been performed within a certain area. They are immensely difficult; however still possible. We have used them on several occasions," Sammen started.
"So about the consequences…" Brann hinted.
"Patience, Bortkommen. That will be explained in good time," said Plikttro, sounding rather irritated.
"To answer your question, Skully, we cannot be certain whether or not anything bad will come of this. Only time will tell. And Brann, to answer your question, there are several possible consequences," Sammen said.
"First, because of the poor Concealment Charm, information about us could leak to the school. This in itself could have added penalties. Second, we know for a fact that there are forces working against us. They could get hold of information about our plans and what our attempts were," Sammen explained.
"And our work? Will it have any effect at all?" Strella asked.
"Yes, but it's more risky because of our mistake," Reelle said, looking slightly worried.
For a few moments the eight members of Terces looked at each other, not saying a word.
* * * *
"It's the oddest thing," Ron said to Harry at breakfast.
"What is?" Harry asked.
"Didn't you notice, mate? The fireplace in the common room wasn't being used," Ron said. "There was no fire in it."
"So?" Harry asked. 'It was cold, and…?"
Ron looked at Harry very strangely. "It means that a House Elf didn't light it."
"It's possible, Ron, that it's because they want better working conditions, and are trying to make a point,' Hermione said pointedly.
"Hermione, really. Dumbledore is plenty good to them," Ron said.
Hermione gave Ron a look of annoyance. "That doesn't mean they don't want better.'
"You know, Hermione," Harry said. "I have to agree with him, because Dumbledore would give them better conditions of they wanted them. And how many times have we been to the kitchens? The House Elves seemed quite pleased to me."
"Well, then you try to explain the lack of fire," Hermione said.
"Er, well…" Harry started. Hermione gave him a look that said, 'I told you so.'
"Is this bad timing?" Kylie asked as she walked up to the Gryffindor table.
"No, we were just finishing a discussion about House Elves," Hermione explained, smiling smugly.
"Yeah, it's quite odd, isn't it? They seem to be rebelling, don't they, not lighting fires," Kylie mused.
"Slytherin, too?" Hermione asked, looking surprised.
"Every house," Kylie said, motioning to the different tables, "hasn't had a fire in their common rooms since yesterday afternoon. None of the other fireplaces have, either," Kylie explained.
"Really?" asked Hermione, her eyebrows considerably arched.
'Yep,' Kylie said, nodding.
"But they've been cooking,' Ron said, looking at all of the food on the table.
There was toast, pancakes, oatmeal, muffins, other assorted baked goods and breakfast pastries, and large bowls of fruit.
"You didn't notice? All of this is the same thing we had yesterday morning. I expect lunch and dinner will be the same, too. Not like many people will notice, since there are only about thirty people here over the holidays,' Kylie said.
"So something must have happened overnight, then,' Harry said to himself. His voice, however, had been loud enough for Kylie to hear.
"That's the rumor. What a way to ring in a new year, with a rebellion. That's different," Kylie said, looking retrospective.
"Hey, Harry, have you read anything in that book yet?' Kylie asked.
Harry was wondering what book she was talking about for a moment before he remembered Hogwarts, a History: Eighth Edition.
"Oh, er, no, I haven't really got the chance."
Kylie nodded. "There's some interesting stuff in there. Even if you don't like reading too much, it's still interesting."
Harry remembered her note that had been enclosed telling him to read several pages alone. He felt badly about not getting to it sooner.
"I'll probably start it today," Harry said, not sure if it was true.
Kylie shrugged, "All right. Just remember to read that section I told you about, you know?" she said.
Harry nodded. "I probably should have read it sooner…" he started.
"No worries. I've gotta go now. I don't know about you guys, but Professor McGonagall assigned the Slytherins this massive essay on transfiguring humans into inanimate objects," Kylie said.
"No, she didn't give us any homework, actually," said Hermione.
"Maybe your class behaved then. Honestly, I think we only got it because Draco tried to turn Pansy Parkinson into a picture frame," Kylie said, wondering out loud.
"Did it work?" Ron asked amusedly.
"Ron! That's against the rules; you shouldn't sound happy at all. Still, she is a Slytherin…" Hermione said, weighing both sides of the situation out loud.
"And a very mean, conceited Slytherin as well," Ron added.
"Well, she was a frame, but her face was in the picture," Kylie answered.
Harry laughed.
"I've got to go work on that essay now, though, because it'll take me hours. Six pages of parchment," Kylie said before running off.
"But about the House Elves, that's really very, very strange of them, I wonder what Dumbledore thinks…" Hermione said.
"Hermione," Ron said. "I thought you told Kylie we were ending our conversation about House Elves."
* * * *
"Hey, Kylie, come here for a minute," Draco called across the library.
"This better be quick, Draco, I've only got one and a half pages done for McGonagall," Kylie said while she was walking over.
"It will be,' Draco assured her.
"Yeah?" Kylie asked once she got to the table he was sitting at.
"I was just doing my Astronomy homework, you know how I take the advanced class, and I was looking at some of the constellation names, when I found this,' Draco said, sliding a book around and pointing to name of the names.
"Yes, it says Draco is the name of the dragon-shaped constellation, and then it gives a brief history, which from the looks of it doesn't appear to be all that brief," Kylie said.
"No, I meant the one there. Not my name, your name," Draco said, pointing to a name several spots above where he had originally pointed.
"That's kind of far off, Draco. Okay, lets see. Oh,' Kylie said, looking at the name he was pointing to. She looked quickly at Draco, then looked back at where the book said:
Cassiopeia.
Curtains Close!
Author's Note: So, who can figure that out? It shouldn't be that hard. If it is, I'm really sorry. It seems freakishly easy to me because I'm writing the story.
Words of Wisdom: "For all that has been, thanks. For all that will be, yes,"
~Dag Hammarskiold
Please Review!
I love you all! *Blows kisses to reviewers*
Ciao!
~Starry