KittyWillow - Good description, huh? I try to describe Quidditch games to my best ability. Definitely more castle snooping and spying on teacher to do for Roxy. I sort of wrote this chapter with you in mind. Trust me, this one features Snape and probably not enough of him. There's just something I like about him. I just can't figure out what.
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Chapter 9
It was Halloween night and everyone was enjoying the large amount of candy given to them for the night. Justin looked at the empty seat behind him and then back at Elenor.
"Have you seen Roxy? She's missing all of this great food," said Justin.
"She said something about having to meet with Professor Snape. I'm sure she'll show up a little later," replied Elenor.
Little did the Hufflepuff's know that at that moment Roxy was following Professor Snape into the Dark Forest. She jumped over a large tree root, narrowly missing some rocks on the ground.
"It would do well for you to keep up, Miss Fudge," came Professor Snape's smart remarks.
Roxy jogged until she was walking beside her Potions professor. She still had no idea what she was doing out in the Dark Forest with Professor Snape during dinner. All Professor Snape had told her was to meet him in the entrance hall shortly before dinner.
"Professor, what are we doing out here?" asked Roxy.
Professor Snape shot her a look that made her look down at the ground. The man could scare anyone with just a small glare.
"Answer this, Miss Fudge. Do you know what the Gonaga flower is?"
Roxy had to think before nodding.
"Yes. It's a flower that's used to strengthen a potion to its fullest power and it's also the only cure for Kazandrin[1]. But it can only be found at night under the full moo.....Oh."
It was now that Roxy realized why they were out in the Dark Forest. Tonight was a full moon and it was certainly night time.
"Yes, Miss Fudge. We're out here to get the Gonaga flower. It seems that a wizard at St. Mungo's has suddenly contracted Kazandrin and the healers asked me to get it for them."
Boy, I'd hate to be that wizard, thought Roxy.
When they were well deep into the forest, they stopped in front of a small opening in a fallen tree. A bright light shined from the other side. Roxy gazed at it in confusion. This was obviously the only way to get to the flower. The opening was way too small and there was no way in hell she was going across that log. There was a deep cavern below and who knew what was in it.
"Take this backpack. It has the tools needed to get the Gonaga flower."
Roxy's eyes snapped to Professor Snape in shock as she put the backpack on. He wasn't suggesting she-, Nah! He wouldn't.
"You will be going across, Miss Fudge. I will wait here for you to return."
Roxy growled something under breath and decided right then that she had had enough.
"That's it! I have the younger students calling me Miss Roxy and all of the seventh year Slytherins calling me Minister Roxy. Not to mention Draco Malfoy calling me Ro and my father keeping to the name Roxanne. Calling me 'Miss Fudge' not only gets me angry to the point of blowing something up but it also reminds me of being the Minister's daughter which is one hell of a pain in the butt. With all due respect, I would very much appreciate it if you just called me Roxy like all my friends do. Especially if I'm going to be coming out in the middle of the night in the Dark Forest with you to get some bloody flower!"
Roxy slapped a hand over her mouth. She could not believe she had just yelled at her professor. Before Professor Snape could say something, Roxy was on the log and walking across it. She had her arms spread out to both sides of her, making sure to keep balanced. The backpack
was a little heavy but thankfully it didn't throw her off balance.
She looked down and then quickly looked back up. The tavern below was very dark, being the home to only Merlin knows what. She picked up her pace a little bit but slowed down as it became more darker around her. Roxy pulled her wand out of her pocket immediately. There was no way she was going to walk on an old, rickety tree in the darkness.
"Lumos."
The end of her wand lit up and the path in front of her was coated in light. Now that she was able to see, the Hufflepuff girl continued the rest of the way. When she got to the end of the tree, the whole area in front of her was lighted up.
"Nox."
Pocketing her wand, Roxy hopped down from the tree and walked closely towards the middle of the lighted area. She froze when she saw a unicorn laying down in the small meadow of Gonaga flowers. Its bright eyes gazed upon her with alertness.
"It's okay uh-," she paused to look.
"-girl. I just came to get a flower. I only came to get one. My professor is going to use it to help a wizard," explained Roxy.
Now if Professor Snape had been with her he probably would have scoffed at the way she spoke to the unicorn as though it was human. The unicorn stood up and slowly walked over to her. Roxy was too frozen to do anything as the unicorn grabbed the end of her pullover sleeve and pulled her forward. After taking a few steps, the unicorn released her and bowed it heads down.
Roxy's gaze fell down to see that the majestic animal was pointing to a particular flower with her horn. It was surrounded by green grass instead of other Gonaga flowers.
"You want me to take this one?" asked Roxy.
The unicorn bobbed its head up and down before stepping away, lying back down where it had originally been. Roxy knelt down in the grass so as not to trample on any of the flowers and placed the backpack down in the grass. She opened it and took out a small shovel (it's a gardening tool one. just can't remember it's name). She began to carefully dig around the flower and eventually under it. The unicorn watched her as Roxy worked diligently.
Roxy rolled up her sleeves and picked up the flower. She held it carefully in her hand as she stood up the stuff back in the backpack and the backpack on her back.
"Thank you. You have been a big help. Good bye."
Roxy turned around and walked away. The unicorn laid its head down and closed her eyes. Roxy was almost to the tree when something suddenly launched at her and sent her sprawling across the flowers. Her back connected painfully with a tree. Thankfully, the flower hadn't been harmed as she held it closely in her hands.
She gazed up, gasping at what she saw. Standing in front of her was a vicious wolf, a common animal found in the Dark Forest. It leaped at her and she threw her arms around the flower, doing her best to protect it. The wolf scratched at her arms madly and managed to get her in the cheek too. Then it bit down harshly on her leg.
The young witch could feel the pain shooting through her leg as the wolf tore at it. It felt as though the wolf was trying to tear her whole leg off. All the sudden, the unicorn charged forward and knocked the wolf aside. The unicorn stood protectively in front of Roxy as it whinnied at the wolf who slinked off back into the forest. The unicorn bent its head down and licked Roxy's unscarred cheek.
"Thanks. But I don't think I can walk on my own," said Roxy.
The unicorn bent its back and took Roxy's hood into mouth. She pulled Roxy to her feet and set her down. Roxy attempted to walk but had a hard time staying up.
"I can't walk very good. I need to go back across that log. My professor is on the other side and he will be wondering where I am. But I'll surely fall if I walk on the log," whispered Roxy.
The unicorn whinnied and stepped next to Roxy so she could put half of her weight on the pure white animal. Suddenly, Roxy felt as though she could understand the unicorn.
"You want to help me. Do you know another way to the other side of the tavern?"
The unicorn nodded and began walking. Roxy walked beside in a strange sort of limp. Along the way, the unicorn offered to let her ride but Roxy polietely refused.
"You must have a name. Everyone has a name. How 'bout Lilith? It's Hebrew for 'spirit of the night'. Would it be all right for me to call you that?"
Once again, the unicorn nodded its head. They took a moment for Roxy to sit and take a break. She knew Professor Snape was probably about close to crossing the log to see what was taking her so long.
"I can just hear him now. 'Miss Fudge, I wasn't aware that it was that hard to get one measly flower. 25 points from Hufflepuff,'" mumbled Roxy.
She stood up and leaned on Lilith as they continued walking.
"I never told you my name. My name is Roxanne but my friends call me Roxy."
Soon they came to a clearing where she spotted Professor Snape reading a book. Roxy cursed in her mind, yelling at Merlin to send Snape to the bowls of hell. He didn't look the least bit worried that Roxy had been gone for two hours. Professor Snape looked up and put his book away when he saw her.
"Something go wrong?" inquired Professor Snape, looking at the scratch on her face, multiple scratches on her arm and her torn pants leg where she was bleeding.
"Yeah. Vicious wolf. You got to hate 'em," sarcastically remarked Roxy.
"Hmm. Give me the flower."
Roxy handed him the flower and the backpack. If he was curious about Lilith, he didn't show it.
"Can you walk?"
Usually Roxy would have spoken up with the truth, but she refused to show a moment of weakness to Professor Snape.
"Yes. Lilith just dragged me this way. I'm fine," lied Roxy.
"Very well. Come. We must return to the castle before your friends suspect me of killing you."
Roxy hugged Lilith around the neck and painfully walked away. Lilith watched her friend walk away in pain, concern shining in her bright eyes. Roxy made sure to walk closely behind Professor Snape so he wouldn't see her scrunched up face in pain. In truth, it hurt every time she moved her leg but she refused to speak up.
Of course, Professor Snape knew how much pain Roxy was going through but decided that she could tell him when she was ready. In reality, he had begun worrying about her when two hours had passed and she still had not appeared. Finally, the two came out of the forest and
walked along the dirt path towards the castle. Roxy didn't stop once to rest her leg however, she still stayed behind her professor. Even though her sleeves had fallen back down Roxy could see the fresh blood flowing down through her fingers.
Roxy stared up at the full moon as it came out of hiding behind some clouds. There was something about the full moon that fascinated her to no end. Before she knew it, they were in the entrance hall and heading into the dungeons. Roxy followed Professor Snape into his classroom but stopped near the door. Professor Snape walked into his office with the flower and backpack.
Sitting on a perch nearby was Snape's black owl who stared at her with curious eyes. Roxy sent it a small smile and turned around to leave.
"Don't leave this room."
Roxy groaned. The torture obviously was not over. She turned around to see Professor Snape walk out of his office with some potions and a cloth.
"Sit down in this chair," ordered Professor Snape as he pulled out a chair.
Roxy walked over to the chair and plopped down. The Potions professor set the vials and cloth down on the desk beside him before kneeling down. He turned Roxy's head to one side to get a better look at the scratch on her face. She barely felt his fingers brush across the scratch although she did feel the burning shocks of pain shoot through her cheek by this action.
"There's nothing to do about your cheek. It should heal by itself. Give it a day or two."
Professor Snape picked up a vial holding a pink-purple mixture and the cloth.
"Roll up your sleeves and put your arms out straight."
Roxy did as she was told. Professor Snape dumped some of the potion on the cloth and dabbed at the scratches on her arms. Roxy turned her head away to concentrate on something other than the stinging pain that came from the potion being rubbed on her open cuts. She found herself staring at her professor's owl who stared back at her.
"His name is Krad."
"Oh."
She didn't know she had been that obvious in her staring. She thought about the name for a minute before she realized something.
Krad is dark spelled backwards. Makes you wonder why he named it that, thought Roxy.
"Most of the scars should be gone by morning. Roll up your pants leg so I can have a look at your leg."
Roxy reached down and gritted her teeth as she rolled her jeans leg up to reveal a bloody mess. She sat back up as Professor Snape began cleaning up her leg. Krad flew off the perch and landed on Roxy's arm, nuzzling her neck softly as if to soothe her pain away. She petted him, eventually being able to ignore the pain.
That was until she felt him pull something out of her leg. She couldn't stop the yelp of pain from coming out.
"What in bloody hell?!" gasped Roxy.
"Just a pebble. Probably got embedded somehow in your leg when you were walking," answered Professor Snape.
It took a few more minutes for Professor Snape to finish cleaning up her leg but when he was done all that was left was scars from where the wolf had ripped at her leg. She rolled her jeans leg down and carefully stood up. Roxy could tell she was going to be limping for a while.
"The leg shall fully heal by the end of the week. Do you sleep on your back?"
She looked at him like he was loony but answered the question anyway.
"No."
"Then I recommend you do so until your leg heals. Any other position may open the scars again. You may go back to your dormitory now."
Professor Snape turned around and walked over to his desk. Roxy petted Krad before letting him fly back over to his perch. The Potions professor was already sitting down, writing something down on a piece of parchment. Roxy turned around and limped for the door.
"Thank for your assistance tonight.....Roxy."
Roxy stopped but didn't turn around. All she did was smile before leaving.
"Good night, professor."
"Tempus." 10:30AM.
Roxy sighed as she climbed out of bed. It was finally Saturday and the scars on her leg were almost completely gone. After that night in the Dark Forest, she had told her friends what she had been doing and why she had such scratches on her face and leg. She got dressed and walked out of the dorm, not noticing that Megan was missing from her bed. She found it unbelievably pitch black in the common room.
"What the he-," she was cut off by the lights suddenly turning on.
"SURPRISE!"
Roxy nearly jumped to the ceiling. The whole Hufflepuff Quidditch team including the Gryffindor trio, Mike, and Caleb was standing in the Hufflepuff Common Room with presents in hand.
"Happy Birthday, Roxy!" chorused the group.
"How did you-? When did you-?" Roxy could not finish any of her questions.
"While you were introducing your dad to Kevin, I asked your mom when your birthday was. She said November 5th," replied Justin.
"I wrote your mom to ask her what type of stuff you like and Megan sent an owl to Salem to ask your old friends too," added Ernie.
Roxy blushed and managed to crack a smile.
"I could kill you two but since it's my birthday I'll wait until after lunch," murmured Roxy.
"Gladly. Now come on! We all got you a present," urged Ernie.
Roxy sat down on the couch and was handed a present one at a time. From Ernie she received a package of dungbombs and chocolate frogs.
"I figured you could have a snack while launching these at the other prefects."
"ERNIE!"
"Sorry Hermione. I meant the Slytherin and Ravenclaw prefects."
"You had better!"
Justin gave her a golden snitch alarm clock that would fly around the room, loudly fluttering its wings, until Roxy turned it off.
"You better turn that thing off before it makes such a racket that I turn it off. Permanently," warned Megan.
"Will do," laughed Roxy.
She received a joint present from Megan and Elenor. They gave her a special potions kit that Roxy was sure cost a fortune.
"You guys!" exclaimed Roxy.
"Don't even start, Fudge. We matched our money together and bought it at a good, cheap price," explained Elenor.
Roxy couldn't believe what Wayne gave her. He had gotten her a dark blue cloak with a silver claw print on the front.
"You heard me saying that my old cloak was getting really ratty, didn't you?" asked Roxy.
Wayne blushed and nodded. Next came Owen's gift which turned out to be the most interesting thus far. He had given her a special brush that could get out any tangle made and style her hair anyway she wanted.
"Hallelujah! Finally something made by a wizard that isn't crap!" cheered Roxy.
"HEY!" hollered all the boys.
"You know it's true!" defended the girls.
Kevin shyly handed her his present. Roxy smiled as she opened it up. Inside it was a painting of Roxy flying on a broom. She recognized the scene as the first Quidditch match of the season.
"I painted it myself," whispered Kevin.
"I love it, Kev. It's great," said Roxy.
Kevin blushed a deep shade of red and moved away. The next gift, from Ron, sent everyone into hysterical laughing. It turned out to be a tea leaf reading set. Everyone knew that Roxy had always despised Divination. Ron was smart enough to hide behind Hermione before Roxy could show her "appreciation."
"Here, Roxy. I saw this and thought you would like it," said Hermione.
Roxy carefully ripped it open to reveal a book on rare and ancient old potions. Apparently, it was only one of five copies of the book and was rumored to have a very large price tag.
"How ever did you pay for it? It costs at least well over 100 galleons (translation: over $733 US dollars)," said Roxy.
"Easy. Found it in a muggle book store near the Leaky Cauldron. Turns out the book store owner is a Squib and was choosing to sell it real cheap. He was actually quite a nice guy," remarked Hermione.
Harry's gift was cute and made all of the girls go "Ah. That's so sweet."; his present was a white teddy bear with a cute light blue scarf around its neck. Harry smiled and turned his own shade of Gryffindor red when Roxy gave him a hug and peck on the cheek. Mike ended up getting her a book on glamourie. She gave him such a look that everyone else thought she was mad.
"You know I was saving up my money to get this myself," reported Roxy.
"Save it for something else, Minister Roxy," came his reply.
Caleb was the last one to give her a gift. It turned out to be a special quill that would write down whatever she thought up.
"This is great! I can use it when I'm writing my stories."
After talking for a little bit and putting her stuff in her room, the group left for lunch where many Hufflepuff's wished Roxy a happy birthday. The others went off to join their tables as Roxy and her fellow Hufflepuff's joined their house mates. Soon the mail came in and Satan came flying straight for Roxy. Unfortunately, he only had a letter with him from her parents.
Dear Roxanne,
You have finally turned the big 1-6. You have accomplished many things in and out of school. We are very proud of you. What your father is trying to say is that we wish you a
Happy Birthday and don't feel down. We got you a new pair of roller blades. They are here in your room when you come on Christmas holiday. We love you and we wish the best of luck to you on your birthday.
Love,
Dad & Mom
Roxy laughed. Whenever her parents wrote a letter together, it was always humorous. Just then Krad swooped down and landed beside Satan. In his claw was a small bow and around his leg was a letter. She opened the box before opening the letter. In the box was a creature's tooth with a hole in it to hang around the silver chain. Then she read the letter.
Roxy,
This is what I pulled out of your leg. It is a vicious wolf's tooth and I felt that you should keep it. It is cleansed of your blood and the rotten odor around it is gone as well. Happy Birthday.
Professor Snape
Roxy looked up at the staff table where Professor Snape was sitting. He looked at her over his goblet. 'How', she mouthed. He smirked and motioned to her parchment with his goblet. She gazed down to see more writing appear at the bottom of the parchment.
I have my ways. As I am sure you do.
Roxy smirked as she put the necklace around her neck. The silver chain felt cool on her neck when she put it on. Roxy looked to the right of Professor Snape to the empty chair beside him. She frowned.
Where's Professor Mercer? He never misses a meal. I think I had better go investigate this, thought Roxy.
"I'll see you guys a little later. I have something I need to go do."
End of Chapter 9