Note to Reader's, The Full Title is:
When It's Time to Change, You've Got to Re-Arrange, Who You Are and What You're Gonna Be
(The title also end's with a lot of Sha na na's, and if you understand this, you've must be as old as I am. LOL)
A/N: I profusely apologize for the extensive delay on getting this chapter out. I honestly didn't mean to take this long, but as I explained to goggler (and thanks again for the nudge), it's really difficult to type when your hands are permanently curled in the shape of a paintbrush handle. Yes, I stupidly offered to paint my parents' house for them – word to the wise, never offer to paint a house that hasn't been painted in over 20 years…you end up spending HOURS on the prep (washing, scraping and priming), and only a short time on the actual painting. And let's not even go into the leg/arm/back-aches. Needless to say, my verbal commentary is punctuated by many 'ows'. Anyway, this endless babbling is to generally say to all of you, Thank You for your patience.
Trust In Me
"I believe everybody in the world should have guns. Citizens should have bazookas and rocket launchers too. I believe that all citizens should have their weapons of choice. However, I also believe that only I should have the ammunition. Because frankly, I wouldn't trust the rest of the goobers with anything more dangerous than string."
~Scott Adams~
'Bright.'
.
.
.
'Pain.'
.
.
.
'Hurts. Cover eyes.'
*whimper*
SHHHHHHHHKKKKKKK!!
"AREYOUALRIGHT?!!!!"
'Loud.'
.
.
.
'Hurts. Cover ears.'
*whimper*
'Stench.'
.
.
.
'Wild Beast.'
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.
.
'Danger! Get Away!'
.
.
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'Coming Closer.'
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.
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'Get Away! Get Away!'
"IT'SOKWEWON'THURTYOU!!!"
*whimper*
'Get Away!!!'
"OOOF!"
"PETRIFICUSTOTALUS!"
'Duck! Run! Door!'
"STOP!"
'Won't open.'
.
.
.
'Hurts to touch.'
.
.
.
'Stench…Coming closer.'
.
.
.
"SHHH…CALMDOWN!!SHHH…SHHH"
"NODON'TSIRIUS!!"
GetAwayGetAwayGetAway!'
BOOM
'Stench gone. Door gone. Run! Run!'
.
.
.
.
.
"This way…follow…follow."
'Soft.'
"We will help you. We will protect you."
'No pain.'
"Follow…follow. We will hide you.
'Dark.'
.
.
.
'Quiet.'
.
.
.
'Follow.'
As a small figure turned into a corridor, the archway reconfigured itself, closing it off to whoever may have chosen to follow. The small figure, a young woman, continued to follow the soft musical voices deep into the bowels of the castle – not knowing who they were, unable to see them, but knowing they would protect her, take care of her, help the pain go away. It was their turn.
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*whimper*
Sirius popped his canine head up at the sound. Drawing his animagus form up, he looked at the young woman lying on the bed. She was awake! Quickly padding out of the curtained area to the bed next to it, he nudged his friend's hand.
Starting awake, Remus looked at his canine friend, who used his head to motion towards the curtained area. Nodding his head in understanding, the werewolf waved his friend to hide while he went to get the medi-witch.
Popping his head into Madam Pomfrey's office, he caught her attention and whispered, "She's awake."
Pomfrey jumped up from her seat and walked quickly around her desk. Exiting her office, she swiftly made her way to the curtain surrounding her patient's bed, and pulled it back with a sharp motion, the metal rings dragging across the steel frame.
The young woman was standing pressed against the wall next to the head of the bed, face scrunched in pain, with an arm covering her eyes.
The medi-witch hesitated. After the events of the previous evening, Pomfrey was unsure how welcome their presence was to the young woman, and her uncertainty showed in her face. Remus placed a calming hand on her shoulder.
"Are you alright?" Remus whispered softly to the young woman, trying not to frighten her.
The young woman whimpered, clapping her hands over her ears.
Edging around the medi-witch, the werewolf shuffled slowly forward, hand outstretched in an attempt to show the young woman that he meant no harm. She couldn't see it, though, as her eyes were squeezed tightly shut.
Remus gasped as he felt something roll over him, touching the beast deep within…and giving it a warning. Wrestling to calm his beast, he stepped forward again, drawing nearer to the young woman.
"It's OK, we won't hurt you." He softly whispered.
The werewolf reached out, almost touching her, but something forcefully shoved him away.
"Ooof!" Remus fell back against the medi-witch, causing both of them to fall to the floor.
Sirius edged out from the foot of the bed he was hiding under. Quickly transforming back to his human visage, he drew his wand, yelling out, "Petrificus Totalus!"
The young woman moved too quickly for words, ducking out of the way of the spell, which crashed into the wall where she had previously stood. Hurdling over the beds, she rushed to the door.
"Stop!" Sirius called out, rushing towards where the young woman was futilely grappling with the doorknob, whimpering.
Slowing as he neared her, Sirius made his own attempts at calming the now panic-stricken woman.
"Shhhh…calm down." The animagi reached out to the young woman, making shushing noises.
Remus, who had just drawn himself up from the floor, saw the woman become more terrified the closer his friend came to her. He could feel a pressure building around the woman, an indication that she was about to magically explode any second. She didn't need a wand to create a magical barrier. Her fear was so great, it was drawing the energy from pure adrenaline.
"No don't, Sirius!"
But it was too late, the young woman's barrier exploded outward, centering on what she perceived as the nearest danger…Sirius. The dark-haired man was thrown across the room, crashing into the opposite wall a good 30 feet from where the woman stood, knocking him unconscious. The backlash from the explosion blasted the infirmary door from its hinges to crash noisily into the wall of the hallway, splintering it into small pieces.
The woman ran out, leaving a destroyed door, an unconscious man, and two rattled adults in her wake.
Remus, picking himself up from the floor again, helped the medi-witch to stand.
"Take care of Sirius. I'll go after her." The werewolf instructed, before moving toward the destroyed door. Popping his head carefully out, he was just in time to see the young woman disappear around a corner.
Moving swiftly to where he last saw her, Remus was startled to find himself staring at a blank wall. Carefully opening up his werewolf senses, he sniffed. 'Yes. This is where she went. But, how…'
Remus meticulously explored the wall, but could find no way through. Defeated, he returned to the infirmary just as the Headmaster and Professor Snape arrived, followed by Ron, Harry and Hermione.
With a serious look on his face, the Headmaster observed the chaos that was the remains of the infirmary door, before turning to look at the frazzled werewolf.
"What happened, Remus?"
"She happened, Albus." Remus responded, running a hand through his hair.
Quickly summarizing what had just taken place, the werewolf paced, clearly agitated.
"She touched my beast, Albus. Somehow she knew what I was, and gave me a warning." Remus's hands were shaking as he drew his tattered robe around him, a small look of fear in his eyes. "I-I've never felt anything like it. It was like pure violence, restrained, and the only thing holding it back was her willpower. Merlin, it was so strong!"
"The violence or the willpower?" The Headmaster asked, a worried look in his eyes.
"Both."
Dumbledore and Professor Snape exchanged concerned looks.
"Then she just disappeared! Her scent ends just down the hallway, but the corridor is gone!"
"Show me." Dumbledore asked softly.
Taking the group back to where the werewolf had followed the young woman, Remus pointed to the blank wall.
"There has never been a corridor here, Lupin!" Snape said sharply. "I should know. I've traversed these hallways for years."
"But it was there! I swear!" Remus snapped.
"Perhaps. But it is gone now." Dumbledore looked thoughtful, turning his gaze to the brown-haired man. "If this is where she disappeared, then there was an opening for her and her alone. Do not fret Remus. We shall find her, even if we have to wait for when she chooses to be found."
Still trying to calm himself, the werewolf gave the Headmaster a thankful look. "If you don't need me, I'm going to see how Sirius is doing."
Dumbledore waived his hand in dismissal, "Of course, Remus. You should also have Poppy give you a calming potion, as you seem to be quite distressed."
The werewolf nodded, then swiftly walked back to the infirmary and entered.
Giving the wall a contemplative glance, Dumbledore gestured the remaining professor and three silent students to follow him back to the entrance to the medical wing.
Taking one last thoughtful look at the broken door, the Headmaster pulled his wand. Calling out a simple reparo, the door was fixed and hung back on its hinges.
"More questions, Albus?" Snape arched his eyebrow at the Headmaster.
"I'm beginning to believe that everything about the young woman is a question, Severus." Dumbledore gave him a small smile, eyes twinkling.
Turning his smile to the three students who stood silently a distance away, the Headmaster gestured to them. They hesitantly came forward, eyes still widened in shock over the previous condition of the infirmary door.
"I believe you wished to visit with our guests, before heading to Hogsmeade?"
Upon receiving nods of confirmation, the Headmaster said, "Very well, but I would ask that you meet with me after supper. And Harry, could you please bring a certain parchment with you?"
Harry's eyes shifted nervously to the potions master before reluctantly nodding. The three teens then silently entered the infirmary, shutting the door softly behind them.
"Do you always have them too scared to speak in your presence, Severus." Dumbledore teased, eyes twinkling.
"Only if I'm lucky." The potions master smirked.
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Harry, Ron and Hermione only stayed for a short while in the infirmary. They couldn't put up with the piteous moaning of Sirius for very long, and left as soon as Madam Pomfrey, irritated with the animagi's complaining, force-fed him a bottle of Dreamless Sleep…if only to shut him up.
Remus gave them an apologetic look, as he picked up a dog-eared book and settled into a chair next to his sleeping friend.
A trip to Hogsmeade was always fun, and this one was no different. Though the trio was worried about the young woman, there was really nothing they could do to help. So, pushing those thoughts to the back of their minds, they spent the day as they should – stocking up on candy, magazines and books, making sure they had enough joke stuff from Zonko's to get them through until the next visit, and finishing up with Butterbeers at The Three Broomsticks before heading back to Hogwarts.
After catching the tail end of dinner, Harry rushed up to the Gryffindor Tower to get the Marauder's Map, before rejoining his friends. The three then made their way to the Headmaster's office for their meeting.
"Ah…Harry, Mr. Weasley, Ms. Granger. So good of you to join us. Did you have a good time in Hogsmeade?" Dumbledore offered them lemon drops, which they refused politely, before taking their seats in front of the Headmaster's desk.
"Of course, sir. Hogsmeade is always fun." Ron said enthusiastically.
"And did Zonko's have anything new to…entertain your teachers with?" The Headmaster asked, blue eyes twinkling madly.
The three teenagers looked at each other and snickered.
"You could say that the next few days will be very…colorful." Harry grinned.
"And furry. Don't forget furry." Ron laughed.
"Or the variety of obnoxious sounds that will be music to no one's ears." Hermione chipped in.
"Ms. Granger, I'm shocked! I thought you were the epitome of the perfect student." Dumbledore teased.
Hermione blushed, but grinned. "That doesn't mean I can't have fun too, sir."
The Headmaster chuckled. "I see that these two have been teaching you that school is not just about learning, but about experiencing also."
"I think she learned that when she hexed my socks two years ago, sir. Every time I took a step, they sang some muggle song called 'I'm too sexy'. But she kinda changed the words to choose embarrassing items of clothing. I still get teased for being too sexy for my jock strap." Ron shook his head, a rueful smile on his lips.
Harry snorted, choking back a laugh at the memory. Hermione just grinned wider.
Dumbledore laughed, eyes twinkling madly. The three teens broke, and joined in the merriment.
It was just as their chuckles were tapering off that someone knocked on the Headmaster's door, then opened it without waiting for a response. Professor Snape entered, immediately followed by Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black, who was in his animagus form. All three looked tired.
"Ah, gentlemen. Please, join us." The Headmaster waived them to empty chairs.
The three gladly sat, Sirius transforming back to his human form, in order to do so.
"Did you find any trace of the young lady?" Dumbledore asked.
"I'm afraid not, Albus." Remus responded softly. "While we were able to find remnants of her scent, we were unable to follow it, as it either led in circles, or to dead ends."
"I, also, was unable to find anything. Every time I used a spell or charm, something went wrong, or it led to blank walls." Snape scowled irritably.
"Curious. I too was unable to use my resources to find her, including my connection to the castle. It is as if someone or something is protecting her, even though she has nothing to fear from us."
"But she doesn't know that, sir." Harry hesitantly offered.
"True. Which is why I asked you to bring your parchment. If all else failed, I was hoping it would help us to locate her." Dumbledore smiled at the young teen.
"I don't think the map will help, Albus." Remus said, an uncomfortable look on his face.
"Remus! We all vowed that we would never tell!" Sirius exclaimed.
The werewolf looked at his friend in sadness. "Our group is broken and disbanded, Sirius. The vows we took as children no longer hold us together, and haven't for a long time, old friend."
Sirius nodded glumly and hung his head, hiding his pain from the others.
"Why will it not help, Remus." Dumbledore asked softly.
"Back in our 4th year, James came across a spell in a book from the Restricted Section. It's the same one that each Headmaster uses to connect themselves to the castle's essence. The spell, as you know, allows the caster to see almost everything that goes on in the castle. We modified it to create the Marauder's Map. James and I felt that we should respect the privacy of others, so we changed it to just allow us to see the location of others, not what they were actually doing. That was all we needed anyway, though a certain someone argued differently." Remus gave his friend a small smile of amusement.
Sirius grinned at him. "Hey, I was just your ordinary horny teenager. We had the perfect chance to view any of the girl's showers, can you blame me if I wanted to jump on it?"
The three teenagers blushed beet red at the canine's words. Snape just rolled his eyes.
Dumbledore chuckled. "I'm afraid your hopes would have been in vain, Sirius. The essence of the castle contains an understanding of human privacy, and would not have allowed what you wished."
Remus and Sirius exchanged looks, and both said, "Dammit."
"Think of what else we could have done, if we had performed the full spell!" Remus said.
"We could have spooked the hell out of the Slytherins, knowing everything about them." Sirius bemoaned.
Dumbledore chuckled at their antics. And, remembering some of their more impressive tricks, made a mental note to have the spell moved deeper into the Restricted Section. It wouldn't be smart to have it too readily available to students, or all hell could break loose some day.
"As I was unable to locate the young woman from my connection to the castle, I would assume that, since it was created from the basis of the same spell, the map will not work either. Am I correct in thinking that this is your reasoning, Remus?" The Headmaster asked.
"Yes, Albus."
"We should still try. The modifications you made may have changed the spell enough to allow us to pinpoint her location in the castle." Dumbledore said. "Harry, if you would."
Harry unrolled the parchment, but hesitated, glancing nervously at the potions master who sat forward in anticipation. He gave the Headmaster a pleading look.
The Headmaster smiled at him, eyes twinkling. "Ah, yes. Secrets must be kept, mustn't they, Harry? Why don't you step out into the hallway to activate the map."
"Albus! I've waited nearly twenty years to find out how that damn map works! Don't deny me this." Snape snarled.
"Severus, you already have an advantage over the students, with your uncanny ability to find them after hours. This map would make that advantage even more unfair, should you also have the key to activate it. No, my dear boy, I'm afraid you will have to live without that knowledge for a while longer." Dumbledore responded, eyes twinkling madly. "And, you are also not allowed to confiscate it for longer than 48 hours."
Snape huffed, crossing his arms across his chest. Remus and Sirius smirked.
Harry rushed out to the hall, activated the map, and quickly returned to the office, laying the parchment on the Headmaster's desk.
"Severus, if you would help? You know just as many, if not more, of the children's names than I do."
The potions master grudgingly stood and moved closer to the desk, leaning over the Headmaster's shoulder to view the multi-colored dots roving across the parchment. Between the two of them, they were able to quickly account for most of the Hogwarts students by narrowing their search to each House's common and dorm rooms, and the library. The other professors were either in the teacher's lounge, or their private quarters.
Just as they were beginning to search the classrooms, hallways and lesser used portions of the castle, Professor McGonagall burst into the office.
"Albus! Someone stole the silk curtains from the staff lounge! And other things have gone missing from each common room – pillows, cushions, scarves! I don't have the whole list, as the students are just noticing now. The perpetrators must have taken them while most of the students were in Hogsmeade." McGonagall drew an agitated breath, her hat askew from her rush to the Headmaster's office. "Oh, hello Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger, Mr. Weasley, Severus."
Dumbledore looked intrigued. "Interesting."
"How so, Albus?"
"Considering that all houses were affected, I would assume it is our mysterious guest that has commandeered these items. I just wonder how she was able to get into the common rooms without a password."
"More questions!" Ron, Harry, and Hermione intoned together, then snickered.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled as he chuckled. "So there are, but we should resume our task of seeing if this map will be of any help. The only students we have not accounted for are four of your Slytherins, Severus, and two students from Hufflepuff, brother and sister if I recall."
"If you are speaking of Mr. and Ms. Barsters, they are currently at their home, attending a family funeral." Professor McGonagall offered.
"Thank you for reminding me, Minerva. Severus, how about the students from your house?"
"I believe the four you speak of will be in the Astronomy tower, serving a detention with Professor Sinistra." Snape responded, face expressionless.
"Ah, yes…there they are! Thank you, Severus. Now that we have accounted for the children, the rest of the map should be relatively easier to view."
So saying, Dumbledore began to swiftly maneuver the map coordinates, looking for any stray, different colored dots that could account for the young woman's location. Unfortunately, the only stray dot was Argus Filch, making his rounds in a remote portion of the castle. Rolling up the map in defeat, the Headmaster handed it back to Harry.
"Well, there was no harm in trying. I do not believe that she has left the castle, but cannot understand why I am unable to find her. The young woman must have done something to hide her presence from the castle itself, but I am unaware of any spell that is able to counteract the anti-concealment charms which are part of the castle's defenses."
"Maybe the castle is protecting her." Ron voiced off-handedly from a table full of interesting objects, where he had moved due to boredom.
Silence met his comment, and stretched out to a point where Ron looked up in concern. Seven sets of eyes were locked on him with varying levels of surprise.
Ron flushed, dropping his eyes. "Or maybe not."
"No, no, Mr. Weasley. You have made an excellent observation – one that is fairly obvious, if you take into account the methods we have used in our attempts to find the young woman. Both the map and my connection rely on the essence of the castle, and the spells Professor Snape used can be countered by the castle's defenses. Also, the more mundane attempts by Remus and Sirius are easily confounded when the castle itself is able to reconfigure its corridors and rooms."
"At least that would answer the question of why the corridor disappeared after the young woman ran away, and how she could enter the common rooms without a password." Remus mused.
"What about Professor Moody?" Harry asked. "I know that we were told not to say anything to anyone else, but you had to tell some of the other Professors, so you could do the spell. Would he be able to help?"
"While the other professors were called on to help with the spell, they were told nothing about our guest, Harry. Professor Moody would not be as trusting, and would require more detail, before offering his assistance. Details I should not provide, according to the entities you encountered." Dumbledore explained. "As for Professor Moody's…accessories…I'm afraid they would have the same problems as Professor Snape had, as almost all of them are magic based. In any case, he has been called away for a few days, and is unavailable at the moment."
"So, what now? And what do I tell the children about their missing items?" Professor McGonagall queried.
"I think this would be a good opportunity for the children to practice their transfiguration skills. Wouldn't you think so, Minerva?" The Headmaster's eyes were twinkling in amusement.
"Considering the number of cushions missing, I think they will be practicing very hard. The Deputy Headmistress chuckled. "And the girl, Abus? What will we do now?"
"We wait. That is all we can do." Dumbledore responded, sighing heavily.
Sirius scowled. "I hate waiting."
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Deep in the dungeons, there was much soft scurrying in a certain large semi-dark room. Scents of various herbs floated in the air, and around the many desks scattered across the area.
Eyes closed, a slender blonde woman stood shivering next to one of these desks, nude, after having removed the painfully scratchy clothing that had once clad her body.
Unconcerned with her state of undress, she waited patiently for the soft-spoken creatures that had led her to the dark room. Her patience was rewarded as she heard one of the creatures step up onto the desk, and through gentle touches, indicated for the woman to lift her arms. A soft whisper of fabric was heard, as a length of soft cloth was loosely wrapped around her body a couple of times, then knotted on one shoulder.
Light touches whispered like wind across the skin of the woman's hands, softly directing her to another area of the room. As the woman gingerly stepped forward, she was slowly guided to a large arrangement of cushions and pillows.
"Sit."
The word whispered across her mind, and she carefully arranged herself among the soft objects. A word came unbidden to her mind, 'silk', before sighing away again. She delicately knelt among the cushions, making herself as comfortable as possible, leaning against a mound of pillows, with her legs folded to the side. Her hands were in her lap, an uncomfortable pressure against her thighs.
Many of the creatures stepped softly around the young woman, being careful not to jostle her or touch her with too much pressure. Each of them took up a position, and began to perform their tasks. Two wrapped more of the soft fabric around each of her hands, twining them about each individual finger, one used soft whispering magic to untangle her hair, and, after gentle assurances, two place some substance in her ears and nostrils, effectively reducing the overwhelming sounds and smells around her.
Once completed, a pillow was placed in her lap, and her hands laid upon it, alleviating the pressure against her legs. With a calming whisper, a folded cloth was loosely tied around her head, covering the woman's eyes, and another length of fabric draped across her shoulders.
A few candles were lit around the room, their normally bright lights softened by a quietly spoken spell.
Finished, the creatures settled around her in a protective circle, sending gentle waves of affection to the woman.
The young woman sat there, her thoughts jumbled, unable to grasp the words she sought. Her confusion was palpable to the small creatures surrounding her, and they began to teach her – mind to mind, heart to heart.
Pictures of a castle flashed in her mind, followed by corridors, rooms, tapestries…
"Hogwarts."
Then people…
"Master Dumbledore, Mistress McGonagall, Master Snape, Harry Potter…"
And so it went. Not a sound was made, but much was learned by the young woman.
But she was only able to return the favor with one piece of information…her name.
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Sunday morning dawned bright and beautiful, though there was still a chill in the winter air. Several of Hogwarts' students rose early to take advantage of the new snow that had fallen during the night, and yells of laughter could be heard outside the castle.
The Gryffindor Trio were not part of these festivities. Having stayed up to the wee hours of the morning, they had come up with their own plan to search for the woman, based on information Remus had unknowingly provided. None of the three stirred from their beds until mid-morning.
Since they missed breakfast, the three friends snuck down to the kitchens, to see if they could wheedle some brunch from the helpful house-elves. Even Hermione joined the two boys, having given up her S.P.E.W. efforts for the moment – it was hard to persuade so-called "oppressed creatures" to rebel, when they actually love what they're doing and don't believe they're oppressed.
Tickling the pear in a painting, which opened the door to the kitchens, the three teenagers entered the archway.
As usual, there were many house-elves scurrying about, though there was an odd mixture of excitement and panic peppering the air.
Catching the attention of the nearest elf, Harry asked if Dobby was around.
"Dobby is not here, sir. Dobby is busy on very important errand. Is Harry Potter needing something, sir? Tizzy would be happy help Harry Potter, sir."
"Uh, sure. Me and my friends missed breakfast, and we were wondering if…"
"Food! Harry Potter wants food! Tizzy would be happy to help Harry Potter, sir! It would be a great honor, sir!" The small elf beamed at the young teen, ecstatic that he could be of help to THE Harry Potter.
"Er…yes, that would be great. Thank you." Harry responded, his cheeks a little pink.
Ron and Hermione snickered at their friend, as the three sat at the table in the middle of the kitchen. Plates piled with food were placed before them, and they all dug in.
It was as they were finishing their meal that Dobby popped back into the kitchen, looking tired. Several of the other house-elves quickly surrounded him, and began to chatter in another language – a few of them casting nervous looks at the three teenagers. Dobby responded in the same language, expressively waving his arms, but sounding a little defeated.
After the other elves ended their lengthy chattering at Dobby, and he finished responding, Dobby said, "Why are you not talking in Wizard-speak?"
A few of the elves pointed to the table where Ron, Harry, and Hermione sat. Seeing the three teenagers, a happy smile appeared on Dobby's face, and he bounded over to where they were sitting.
"Harry Potter! Harry Potter's Wheezy! And Harry Potter's Hermoninny! Harry Potter come to see Dobby, sir?" Dobby exclaimed happily, but then his expression changed to one of dismay. "And Dobby was not here to help you. Dobby is bad. Dobby must punish himself!"
As Dobby drew back his head to bash it on the table, Harry quickly caught him by the shoulders.
"Stop, Dobby! It's OK. We know you have a lot of other things to do, and Tizzy was able to help. You're not a bad elf. You can't always be here. I'm sure you had something more important that you had to do, right?" Harry tried to soothe the distressed elf.
"Harry Potter is too kind. Dobby did have something important to do. But Dobby should always be here for Harry Potter, sir. Harry Potter freed Dobby, and Dobby must repay Harry Potter's kindness."
"Er…about that, Dobby. I think you repaid any debt you owed me, when you saved me from your previous master's attempt at hexing me. How about we call it even, and just be friends. OK?"
"Harry Potter wants to be Dobby's friend?! Dobby has never had a wizard friend before! Yes! Yes! Dobby is Harry Potter's friend, and Harry Potter is Dobby's friend!"
With that, Dobby burst into tears and clutched the young teen in an exuberant hug. Harry awkwardly patted his small friend on the shoulder, blushing to match Ron's hair.
Gently disentangling himself from the small elf, Harry awkwardly said, "Uh, we have to go now, Dobby. I'll see you soon, though, OK?"
"Yes. Yes. Dobby will see Harry Potter soon."
Dobby bounced off to join the other house-elves in preparing for the noon meal.
Harry turned to his red-headed friend, and said, "Don't say it, Ron…not one word."
"Of course I won't say anything…Harry Potter, sir."
Ron and Hermione laughed as Harry groaned and dropped his head into his hands.
Patting his shoulder in amused sympathy, Hermione stood.
"Well, we best be off before everyone comes back inside the castle. Harry, can I see the map again?"
Harry pulled the parchment from his robes, and handed it to Hermione.
Reviewing the map once more, Hermione murmured, "So, are we still in agreement that we should check the most remote sections first, then make our way towards the more commonly used corridors?"
"I still think she would try to find something closer to the kitchens, Hermione." Ron said, reiterating his argument from the previous evening.
"I'll say it again, Ron. She doesn't know the castle, so it's unlikely that she would know where the kitchen is." Hermione said, exasperated. "From what Professor Lupin said about the lights and sounds bothering her, she would be more concerned with finding somewhere that was dark and quiet – and the kitchens are far from being quiet, what with all the house-elves chattering and banging pots together."
"I have to agree with Hermione, Ron. She's always right anyway." Harry said, smiling at his friend, to take the sting out of siding with someone else.
"Oh, all right! Blimey! Let's just get moving already!"
As the three teenagers moved to exit the kitchens, they were stopped by Dobby's voice calling out to them.
"Good luck, Harry Potter. Harry Potter should have Dobby called when Dobby is needed today."
"Uh, OK Dobby." Harry answered, confused by the small elf's statement.
It wouldn't be until later that he wondered why the small elf used the word 'when' instead of 'if'.
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"We need to check all the rooms, Ron." Hermione bit out, aggravated by the red-head's complaining.
"No one's been down these halls in ages, 'Mione! Look at all the dust!"
So saying, Ron stomped his foot, sending a cloud of dust swirling around them, making the three teenagers choke.
"Stop it, Ron, you're going to kill us!" Harry coughed out, holding his sleeve over his nose and mouth.
"But *cough* no one *cough* has gone through here in a long time, *sneeze* *sneeze* or we would have seen footprints."
"You may be right, but if the castle is protecting her, it may have given her a back door into one of the rooms. That's why we have to check them all." Hermione responded in her usual logic, her voice muffled by the handkerchief covering her face.
"Oh. I never thought about that."
Harry and Hermione rolled their eyes, but didn't say anything. The three continued with their search.
After a several hours, which included both a lunch and dinner break, they were beginning to wonder if their theories were incorrect. They hadn't found anything in the less traversed corridors (except the entrance to Professor Snape's private quarters, whose portrait swore at them in five languages, and oddly reminded Harry of the Black Knight, especially when it threatened to bite their kneecaps off), and were beginning to think about calling it quits before they accidentally ended up in the Slytherin's area of the dungeons.
"Uh, guys."
Ron and Hermione were bickering over where they should search next.
"Hello…Ron, Hermione?"
No response, only more bickering.
"HEY!"
"What!" Ron and Hermione turned their glares onto Harry, who took a step back, startled.
"Isn't the door to the potions classroom supposed to be there?" Harry said, pointing at a blank wall.
The two blinked, then looked.
After looking around to get her bearings, Hermione nodded her head excitedly.
"This must be it! She has to be in there!" Hermione jumped up and down, ecstatic.
The three approached the wall, checking to see if there was some way to get in.
"I think we should get the Headmaster," Harry said, a serious look on his face. "I don't think we should try to get in without him here. Remember what she did to Sirius?"
Ron and Hermione paused in their search. With cautious looks on their face, they stepped back from the wall.
"You're right, Harry. I didn't think about that." Hermione replied a little nervously.
It was decided that Ron should be the one to go retrieve the Headmaster while the other two stayed, just in case anything changed.
While they waited, Harry and Hermione continued to cautiously search for a way in, being careful not to touch anything.
****************************************************************************************************
Time had too much meaning to someone who couldn't see, hear, smell, touch, or feel. The darkness drowned out any sense of the passage of time. Five minutes seemed like hours, and hours seemed like days.
And so the young woman sat in darkness, confused – thinking of nothing and everything. The small creatures…house-elves…gave her the words for where she was now, but not where she came from. They gave her the names of many people who were also here, but would tell her nothing of herself. They said she would remember, in time.
The words themselves were a problem. It was as if she was learning another language that was both familiar, yet just beyond her grasp. She could hear the house-elves whispering in this language, but she couldn't understand them very well. The only way she could truly hear them was when they spoke in her mind. Their words, in her mind, were primitive, but somewhat understandable.
She had flashes of memories that had nothing to do with where she was now, but they carried no specific meaning. And the only thing she knew for sure was her name…Buffy. Yet, it too, seemed wrong somehow. As if that was who she was before, not who she was now, but will be, again, in the future.
Buffy…the name rolled across her mind, carrying a hint of warning…but a warning for what? Buffy…no, it isn't right. Yes, that was her name, but one that she couldn't use… at least, for now. Buffy…no, no…Elizabeth…yes. Elizabeth…Buffy was a name taken from Elizabeth, so Elizabeth she would be, for now. She would be Buffy later, when it was safe.
Safe. She wasn't safe. The house-elves would protect her as best they could, but she still wasn't safe. She used to be strong, but now she was weak. She wouldn't be safe until she was strong again. And she couldn't stay where she was.
She could smell the fresh scent of humans, even with the substance in her nose defusing her sense of smell. They would return at some point, and she must not be here when they did. Not only was she was too vulnerable, but she wouldn't be able to communicate with them, if her inability to understand the house-elves' verbal chatter was any indication.
And while the house-elves were powerful in their own way, the humans far out-numbered them. Deep-down, somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew that needed a human to protect her from humans. 'You have to fight fire with fire.'
Mentally, using pictures, Elizabeth conveyed her worries to the small creatures. While the house-elves insisted that they would be able to protect her, they reluctantly admitted that, while they could help with her physical needs and healing, they were at a loss as to how they could help her understand and speak the Wizard language. It was well known, even by the house-elves, that their speaking skills of the Wizard language were generally disjointed and lacking.
Elizabeth sat deep in thought for a moment, then asked the house-elves to release her into the care of one of the humans that inhabited the castle.
The house-elves protested. They would find a way. They could take care of her.
Elizabeth conceded that the house-elves were capable of helping her and protecting her in some ways, but was adamant about needing a human to help with those they couldn't.
The house-elves continued to protest, at which the castle awoke from its normally semi-conscious state, and sharply admonished the house-elves for arguing with their Mistress.
The castle, knowing its inhabitants well, offered its suggestion as to the best candidate.
When Elizabeth approved of the castle's choice, the house-elves reluctantly agreed.
****************************************************************************************************
Professor Snape stalked down the corridor to his classroom, in a foul mood.
Dumbledore had interrupted his afternoon tea to inform the potions master that Harry Potter and his friends found themselves unable to enter the potions room, and requested his presence there immediately.
'What the hell are Potter and his lackeys doing in the dungeons? And why were they trying to get into my classroom? If there are any signs that they are mischief-making, I'll hex them into oblivion.'
Upon nearing the area where the potions classroom was supposed to be, Snape was displeased to see that the Golden Trio were still there, along with the Headmaster. He was hoping they would be dismissed once a teacher was notified. His scowl deepened.
At least they didn't look to be causing trouble, but appearances could be deceiving. The Potter brat had the map in his hands, and that was trouble enough.
"Well?" Snape snarled.
The three students raised their shaking hands, and pointed the area where the door to the potions room was supposed to be…it was now a blank wall.
Snape arched his eyebrow at the Headmaster.
"It wasn't my doing, Severus. And the castle is being very uncommunicative, with regards to this room. I would have to assume that the young woman is located within your potions room, and that Mr. Weasley surmised correctly in saying that the castle is protecting her."
Ron flushed at the subtle compliment. His two friends beamed at him, pleased that, for once, the redhead was the one garnering the attention for doing something right.
"Have you tried forcing the issue?" Snape asked.
"There is no forcing the castle against its wishes, Severus, though this is the first time I've heard of the castle going against the wishes of a Headmaster." Dumbledore responded, as much at a loss as the potions master.
The dark-haired man sighed in frustration. "Very well. If you are unable to get the castle to respond, the only other option available is to create our own opening."
"Dark Magic, Severus? You know I can't allow that, even for this." Dumbledore said, troubled.
"No, not Dark Magic, Albus, just…insistent." Snape smirked. "I'd stand back a ways, as I don't know how the castle will respond."
The three teenagers and the Headmaster backed away several paces down the corridor, and pressed themselves up against the wall.
As the others moved away, Snape removed his wand from the folds of his robe, and raised it to point at the wall. Just as he opened his mouth to chant a spell, the stones of the wall twisted themselves about, revealing the original door. Snape dropped his arm in surprise, mouth snapping shut.
Turning his head to the group standing several feet away, he gave the Headmaster a confused look.
"The door is…back."
The Headmaster detached himself from the group, and made to move where the potions master stood.
Snape turned his attention back to the door, and noticed that, as the Headmaster came closer, the stones began to shift back over the door. He raised his hand to stop the Headmaster's approach.
"It's disappearing again, Albus. With every step you take closer, the stones are covering the door again."
The Headmaster began to move back to where the three students stood waiting.
"I'm going to individually send the children towards you, Severus. Let us see if I am the only person the castle will not allow into the room."
With that, the Headmaster indicated Ron to step forward. Each of the students were given their turn, but with the same results…the door disappearing behind stones.
"It would seem that you are the only one the castle will allow to enter, Severus. As I don't know what is waiting behind the door, I will leave it up to you to decide if you wish to enter the room." Dumbledore gave the dark-haired man a concerned look.
Snape sighed in resignation. "There are too many questions that need to be answered, Albus, but I'm being distinctly reminded of the muggle saying 'curiosity killed the cat'."
"But satisfaction brought it back." Harry quipped, then paled as the potions master gave him a glare.
"I'm going to hold you to that, Mr. Potter. If I don't survive, I'll blame you, then haunt you until you die."
Harry paled even more. Dumbledore chuckled.
"Albus, I don't know that you'll be able to hear me once I enter, but there is a fireplace in both this room, and the one next door. It's possible that the castle may allow us this means of communication. I will attempt to contact you once I enter and assess the situation, unless you wish to stay out in the corridors." Snape's tone became serious as he stressed the point that he may be unreachable once he entered the potions room.
Nodding his understanding, Dumbledore frowned. "I don't like it, but we have few choices available to us. Very well, Severus. I don't believe anything will change once you enter, so the children and I will wait for you to contact us in the next room."
Snape gave him a sharp nod, then waited for them to enter the other classroom before returning his attention to the door, which had appeared as soon as the others moved away far enough.
The dark-haired man reached out to grasp the doorknob, turned it, and firmly pushed against the door, which opened silently. Taking a deep breath, he stepped forward and peered in.
The room was in almost complete darkness, broken only by a few subdued lit candles.
As the potions master scanned the room, nothing out of the ordinary met his gaze. He hesitantly took a step into the room, leaving the door open. Nothing evil befell him, so he slowly took a few more steps into the room, his gaze continually searching for the young woman, or anything else that would account for the disappearing door.
Hearing a quiet 'snick' behind him, he swiftly turned around, only to see that the door he had purposely left open had closed on its own volition. Quickly moving back to the door, he re-opened it, and was relieved to see that the opening was still there, giving him the option to leave if he so chose.
Closing the door, he turned back towards the room, and began to slowly walk towards the front where his potions table was located, pausing now and again, to peer into the shadows.
It was as he passed the row of tables in the front of the room that he saw her.
Tucked away in a dark corner opposite his teaching table, a plethora of cushions were scattered, and it was in the midst of these cushions that she sat – a diminutive figure swathed in dark material.
She made no move to indicate that she knew he was there, but he knew that she knew.
Her unusual stillness allowed him to observe her closely. He first noticed that she was blindfolded, which was quickly followed by his curious observations of the material wrapped around her limbs. She looked relatively unharmed.
Snape was so caught up in his examination of the young woman, that he didn't notice the large eyes that cautiously watched him, until he stepped closer.
Startled, he froze. Although he recognized the large eyes as belonging to house-elves, he was wary after noting that there seemed to be about twenty of them surrounding the young woman – most were on the same cushions where the woman silently sat, but a few sat on the shelves above the area, and some peered from behind the heavy curtains of the windows to the left. They all seemed tense, their postures indicative of their protecting the young woman.
Snape backed away, slowly, so as not to startle them, and made his way to the fireplace as short distance away. Lighting a small blaze, he grabbed the can of powder that would allow him to make contact with the Headmaster in the next room.
Tossing a small handful of powder into the blaze, he waited until it turned the customary green color before calling out the Headmaster's name. It took only a short moment for Dumbledore's head to appear within the flames.
"Severus! We were beginning to worry – you took so long to contact us." Dumbledore said, looking concerned. "Is everything all right there?"
"Reasonably so, if you don't count twenty house-elves who look as though they will attack if I take so much as a tiny step in the young woman's direction." Snape's lips thinned.
"House-elves?! How are they connected to all this? Have any of them spoken to you?"
"Not as of yet, Headmaster. As soon as I ascertained that the young woman was here, I contacted you for further instruction."
"How does she look? Is she well?"
"I…believe so." Snape's lips quirked. "At least I found out where the silk curtains and cushions went."
Dumbledore chuckled. Noticing the hesitation on his potions master's face, the Headmaster's look sobered. "What is it, Severus?"
"For some reason, she is blindfolded. Her hands and arms are also wrapped, and, if I'm not mistaken, the elves have put something into her nasal passages. When we last saw her, she was unharmed, which leads me to wonder why she is bandaged in such a fashion."
"The only way to find out is to ask one of them, I suppose…" The Headmaster's voice trailed off as his head turned away for a moment, distracted by something.
Turning back to face the potions master once again, Dumbledore said, "Mr. Potter says to ask for Dobby, Severus. If he's not there, call for him. Apparently, Dobby gave Harry a cryptic message that must have something to do with this very situation, and he didn't understand until now."
"Typical Gryffindor." Snape muttered, before calling Dobby's name. Seeing no response from the crowd of house-elves within the room, he pulled out his wand. Calling Dobby's name louder, the potions master waved his wand in the gesture generally used to call up a house-elf.
With a crack, another small elf appeared in the previously empty space to the side of the pile of cushions where the young woman sat.
"Master Snape wishes to see Dobby, sir?"
The small house-elf stood there, tense with apparent worry, as its hands twisted the gathered material of the garment it wore. His eyes darted to the young woman, and his expression softened into a smile.
Snape's eyebrow rose at the unusual ensemble the small elf wore – brightly colored socks, a wide tie with a big fish printed on it, a green vest with yellow polka-dots, and a knitted tea-cozy on its head.
"Yes, Dobby. You told Mr. Potter to have you called for when you were needed. I presume this is when you meant?" Snape gave the elf a hard look.
"Y-yes, sir." Dobby stuttered.
"If you knew he was looking for the young woman, why didn't you tell him where she was? For that matter, why didn't you tell the Headmaster?" Snape said sharply.
"She did not wish to be found yet. She wished to rest, sir." Dobby said softly, shuffling his feet.
"Who is she, Dobby?"
Dobby hesitated, looking over at the woman for a moment before returning his attention to the scowling potions master.
"Elizabeth, sir."
"Elizabeth who?"
"Dobby cannot say, sir."
"Why not?"
"She has not given permission, sir."
The potions master looked startled, then narrowed his eyes at the small elf standing before him.
"Who is she that you must have her permission to answer?"
"Dobby cannot say, sir."
"Where is she from?"
"Dobby cannot say, sir."
"Is she a muggle?"
Dobby hesitated, looking again at the young woman. He cocked his head, as if listening.
Turning back to the dark-haired man, the elf slowly responded, "No…and yes."
"What kind of answer is that? Either she is, or she isn't." Snape snapped.
"She was born a muggle, but became something more. She died, and when you brought her back, she became something more than what she became."
Snape had to take a moment to figure out that confusing statement.
"What is she now?"
"Dobby cannot say, sir."
"Why is she here?"
"Dobby cannot say, sir."
The scowling potions master continued to fire off questions, causing the house-elf to become more and more agitated, as the dark-haired man became angrier with each unhelpful response.
With each question, Snape stepped closer to the small elf, who edged closer to the young woman. It wasn't until Dobby gave another 'Dobby cannot say, sir' and tripped and fell backwards onto the cushions, that the potions master noticed the young woman holding up a hand in the universal gesture of 'stop'.
Dobby crawled up towards the young woman, and sat at her feet, shaking like a leaf, before grasping at the material she was wrapped in with both hands, burying his face in the cloth.
Snapping out of his anger, Snape realized what he was doing. Covering his eyes with one hand, he shook his head before swiping his hand down over the rest of his face.
Knowing that he had over-reacted with the timid house-elf, Snape softened his voice as he called Dobby's name.
The elf didn't raise his face from the cloth until Elizabeth softly brushed her fingers over his head. He cautiously turned to look at the potions master.
"I…regret taking my anger out on you, Dobby. It's not your fault that you cannot answer my questions." Snape said.
Though not exactly an 'I'm sorry', it was close enough to it for the house-elf to nod his acceptance of the gesture.
Taking a moment to calm himself, Snape scrutinized the young woman once more, wondering, yet again, why she was blindfolded, why her arms were wrapped, and why her nasal passages were blocked. It only took a moment for him to make the connection, confirming it when he took a step to the side and peered closely at her ears, which were also blocked with some substance.
"Dobby, can you tell me why all aspects of her sense perception has been blocked?" Snape asked quietly.
"Sir?" Dobby queried, confused at the large words.
"Why is she blindfolded? Why are her arms wrapped? Why are her ears and nose blocked? Why can't she speak for herself?"
"Everything hurts her, sir, very much." Dobby said, finally comprehending what was being asked.
"How can everything hurt? She was incapacitated for less than a week! That shouldn't affect someone to that degree." Snape exclaimed.
"She was gone longer, sir."
"Longer?! How can that be, unless she…" Snape trailed off, remembering the events of the spell. Pausing a moment at that thought, he continued softly, "How much longer, Dobby?"
Dobby hesitated, glancing with a sorrowful look at the young woman before turning his large sad eyes back to the potions master.
"Forever, sir."
"Forever." Snape repeated, looking ill as he began to get an idea of what the young woman was snatched from. "And what is forever like, Dobby?"
"Forever is soft. Forever is warm. Forever is quiet. Forever is…home." Dobby replied in a hushed voice.
Snape blanched at Dobby's response. As much as the wizarding world had turned their backs on religion, most wizards and witches, including himself, had still wondered what was on the other side of death. To know that it is a wondrous place, and that they had taken this young woman from it, made their actions all the more worse.
"She does not blame you for it, sir." Dobby said to the man standing silently before them, seeming to know exactly what he was thinking. "She knows now that she had to come back…that it wasn't time for her to be in Forever yet. They said so, or you wouldn't have been allowed to bring her back."
"Who says so, Dobby? Who has the right to take her from that peace?" Snape said harshly.
"D-Dobby c-cannot say, s-sir." Dobby cringed back, expecting the dark-haired man to get angry again.
Snape sighed. Knowing it was futile to ask any more questions, he turned and made his way back to the fireplace. The Headmaster was still there, thought he was beginning to fade away at the edges. Snape tossed more powder into the fireplace, and waited for the image to sharpen.
Seeing the disturbed expression on the Headmaster's face, Snape said tiredly, "I assume you heard everything, Albus."
"I did, my dear boy, but it is what is left unsaid that disturbs me. Could you please ask Dobby to come closer – I wish to question him…differently."
Snape turned back to the cushions, and its inhabitants, and gestured to the small elf. After a quick look at the young woman, the house-elf scurried over to the fireplace.
As soon as he saw the timid house-elf's face, the Headmaster gentle said, "Dobby, I know there are many things you cannot say, so do not be worried if you are unable to answer my questions."
Dobby nodded, relieved at not having to go against his Master's wishes.
"Dobby, what can you tell us about the young woman, Elizabeth, I believe you said her name is?"
"Yes, sir. She asks for you to call her Elizabeth, sir." Dobby said, happy he could finally give an answer. The elf continued (now that the right question was asked), "She was strong, but now she is weak. She is here to heal. She is here for us to help her. She is here for us to protect her until she is strong again. She is here to help when she is strong again."
"How can she help us Dobby? And help us with what?" Dumbledore asked.
Dobby's ears drooped with the knowledge that he couldn't answer those questions.
"Don't worry about it Dobby – I can see that you cannot answer." Dumbledore gave a gentle smile to the small elf, whose ears lifted again.
"Can you tell us why she ran away from the infirmary?"
"The light hurt her eyes. The sounds hurt her ears. The stinky mans scared her."
"Stinky mans, Dobby? Are you talking about Sirius and Remus?"
"Yes! Yes! The stinky mans! They stinks of the darker magics!"
Dumbledore quickly made the connection. "Is that why the castle will not allow me to enter the room, Dobby? Because I also 'stink of the darker magics'?"
"Yes, sir." Dobby nodded his head emphatically. "The darker magic smells hurt her."
"I'm sure it will fade away at some point, Dobby."
"Yes, sir, in many many days." Dobby nodded enthusiastically.
"Dobby, you mentioned that…Elizabeth…used to be a muggle, became more than a muggle, and is now something more than that. Can you tell us more? Is she a witch?"
"A witch?" Dobby seemed to hesitate, as if unsure of how to answer that question. Looking back at the woman, he cocked his head again. His eyes widened, and with a small 'Oh', he turned his attention back to the Headmaster. "Yes…and no."
"I don't think I understand your answer Dobby, can you explain?"
Struggling to find the right words, Dobby slowly spoke, "She will be able to do…magic, like you, Master Dumbalee-door, but…but, she will also be able to do…other magic-type things…sometimes."
"As far as I know, Dobby, our magic is the only type of magic for humans, whether it be with or without a wand. What other type of magic is there?"
"D-Dobby cannot say, sir."
"It's all right Dobby. You're doing well, little one."
At the Headmaster's words, the small house-elf beamed.
"Dobby, when you said 'she will be able to do magic', do you mean to say that she was never able to before? Is that one of the things that we need to help her with?"
"Yes, sir."
"Is there anything else we can help her with?"
"Yes, sir. She needs help 'membering the words. She needs help 'membering how to speak." The house elf stopped speaking, dropping his gaze and shuffling his feet, reluctant to continue asking for the one thing the house-elves tried to talk her out of.
"And what else, Dobby?" Dumbledore asked softly, seeing that the elf was troubled by his yet unspoken request.
"Elizabeth wishes to…to…stay with a human. To be protected by him, to be helped by him." Dobby reluctantly said, peeking at the dark-haired man standing silently beside him, before quickly looking away.
Dumbledore's eyes danced with amusement as he asked, "And who has she chosen to be her protector, Dobby."
Dobby mumbled his answer.
"I'm sorry, Dobby, I didn't catch that." Dumbledore said, his voice thick with laughter. Having caught Dobby's side-ways glance, he had an idea of who Elizabeth had chosen.
"Professor Snape, sir." Dobby squeaked out.
There was a moment of silence, before…
"Absolutely not!" Snape spat out. "I refuse to have some strange woman invading my private quarters, Albus!"
Dumbledore coughed, desperately trying to contain his amusement.
Hearing muffled sounds in the fireplace, Snape snapped, "Ten points each from Gryffindor, for laughing at a teacher!"
The sounds stopped.
Snape began to pace in front of the fireplace, almost tripping over the small house-elf, who had recoiled from his explosion.
"You can't do this to me, Albus! My private quarters are just that, private! It's the only place I can get any peace and quiet from those obnoxious brats I have to teach!"
"Severus…" Dumbledore tried to interrupt his colleague's tirade.
"And I don't want a flat mate! Especially a FEMALE one!"
"Severus…"
"Before you know it, that goop they put on their face is all over the place…"
"Severus…"
"…stockings are hanging everywhere…"
"Severus…"
"…not to mention their unmentionables…"
"Severus…"
"…and let's not even go into their inane chatter…"
"SEVERUS!!"
The potions master lurched to a halt, glaring at the man in the flames.
"Severus…If she dies, we die." Dumbledore said softly. "She has asked for your protection. Will you deny her that?"
Snape's shoulders drooped in defeat.
"Very well, Albus. But you owe me for this." Snape ground out.
"If she is as important as Harry's vision indicates, I think we will end up owing her." Dumbledore said soberly.
The two men fell silent.
Shaking himself out of his revere, the Headmaster addressed the morose looking man. "If you give me a moment, I will have the castle…Oh…uh…never mind. Apparently the castle has already taken…liberties…to attach another room to your quarters and expand your living area to accommodate another person."
Snape scowled. "I hope it expanded it enough so I'm not tripping over her all the time."
"I'm sure the castle has taken that into consideration, Severus." Dumbldore chuckled.
Shooting a glare at the Headmaster, the potions master turned to instruct the house-elves to take the young woman…Elizabeth…to her new quarters, only to find that they had all disappeared, taking the extensive collection of pillows with them.
Turning his scowl back to the man in the flames, Snape bit out, "It seems as though our guest and her entourage have already made themselves at home in my quarters."
Dumbledore chuckled. "Then I'll leave you to get your new…uh…flat mate settled, Severus."
Snape glared at him.
"Well…*cough*…uh, come see me if you need to, Severus. Goodbye."
The flame went out with a quick *poof*, letting the older man make his escape.
Snape scowled at the now empty fireplace before whirling around and swiftly stalking towards the door.
Pausing his stride half-way there, Snape looked up at the ceiling and glared, before shouting out, "And I refuse to share a bathroom!!"
A/N: All who think 'filler', Say Aye! Sorry if you think that, but I hope it was at least interesting. Cross your fingers that the next chapter will flow more quickly out my brain. For the next chapter, I have a few scenes bubbling in the back of my brain that are tickling me pink, SO pink that you can just call me Barbie. LOL Seriously though, I really want to get it out quickly, so you can be Barbies too. ;)
NEED ADVICE…(Please use the review section, or email me directly) I think part of "taking so long to update" problem stems from wondering if the story sounds like it's going from having a fairly decent literary distinction to a "Dick and Jane" book.
OK, maybe that's a little excessive, but I'm not sure if Ch. 4 & 5 are flowing as well as the first three chapters. It could be that I'm being impatient, wanting to get to the good parts (that I think about over, and over, and over again…), and that's why Ch. 4 & 5 don't feel like they flow well. Or maybe I'm just being paranoid, since this is my first fanfiction.
Let me know what you think. Is it still OK? Is it becoming less descriptive? Disjointed? Am I forgetting characters? Am I just being paranoid? Am I being a poophead about updating in a timely manner? Wait a sec…I already know the answer to that one. LOL
Your input would be greatly appreciated…especially if it's honest. Don't worry about hurting feelings…be blunt – I tend to be "Oblivious Girl" unless it's staring me in the face.
Oh, and feel free to chase me around on your bicycle, saying "I want my two dollars", or in this case, "I want my next chapter".
Ta! And Thanks!!