Anything that's not blatant is a riddle
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Author's penname: Elixa Amethyst
Voices of the Past Part III
Written May 2002 onwards, pre Order of the Phoenix.
All characters and things you recognise, are © JKRowling, no infringement intended.

All references to "mediwizard" mean healer.
Please read parts I and II first.

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Chapter One
Kerry and Peterson

"He's what?!" I exclaimed. Severus continued to stare into the cauldron.
"Completely cleared. I wouldn't be surprised if the investigation was rigged. It was supposedly an 'unfortunate and sinister mistake'. Warthog has resigned." Mr Warthog was the head of magical creatures at the ministry.
"What are we going to do to finally get him- surely we're not the only ones seeing the links?" I asked.
"Claude Peterson is a slimy bastard. It's common knowledge." Severus spoke his opinion with force.
"Surely they believe Dumbledore?" I asked adding shredded oak leaves to the mixture and stirring anti-clockwise.
"He's got nothing to back his claim up in the eyes of Fudge. The Minister of Magic isn't likely to admit there really are Dark wizards and witches in the ministry if he barely believes Voldermort has returned. He'd probably kill himself in shame." I nodded and sniffed gently.
"Another minute I think." Severus agreed. It was the week before Easter and the Professors were reminding us thoroughly of the approaching exams. We'd more or less finished our courses and were revising hard. I was being careful not to draw attention to myself but still revise hard.
"We need to lull him into a false sense of security." I said and two pieces of jigsaw in my mind fitted together.
"Kerry! It's perfect!" I exclaimed. Snape looked at me oddly. "She gets back with him over Easter and he'll think of using her to get at me."
"Too haphazard and risky."
"Have you got any better ideas?" I asked and sniffed again. "It's ready." I held up a jug and Severus ladled some of the potion into it. "If that doesn't solve Trelawney's sinus problem, nothing will." I said, blinking away the smell of eucalyptus. Severus didn't sniff. He could smell it at arm's length. Why did Trelawney have to be allergic to pepper? Pomfrey's peppercup potion would have sorted it immediately and all she'd have to suffer was the smoking ears for a few hours.
"This needs to be delivered to the hospital wing. Can I rely on you for that?" I nodded, bottled the potion and turned to leave. Severus spoke again.
"I'll talk to Dumbledore about your idea. Kerry might not appreciate being told that you have volunteered her, even if you tell her. If we decide to involve her, it will either me or Dumbledore who tells her. You do realise it could ruin your friendship?" I nodded.
"I understand. I better get this to Madame Pomfrey." I left the office and hurried up the corridor. I turned into the entrance hall and was almost run over by Susan.
"Watch out!" I exclaimed to her back.
"No you watch out!" She snapped, turning to look at me. I frowned. She looked slightly surprised. "Sorry. I thought you were someone else." She apologised and we went our separate ways.

Later that evening Professor Snape took both Kerry and me to Dumbledore. I was amazed to see Kerry accept the job straight away, and that she'd get her parents to agree too. I couldn't really see Mr and Mrs Alanis agreeing, but by return owl they had agreed. It didn't seem long until I was saying goodbye to Kerry and she was leaving the school for the Easter holidays. I feared for her safety, but I knew Kerry was one of the most quick-witted people I knew. I still worried for her though. Dumbledore was keeping in touch with regular owls and fireplace meetings, and I got to talk to her a couple of times. So far nothing was happening, Peterson seemed innocent, but when she didn't send an owl one day or arrive at the time arranged one evening in the fireplace we became worried.

"Elixa Amethyst! Come here now!" I froze mid step and turned at the voice of Robert Alanis. I swallowed. Kerry's parents had arrived at Hogwarts demanding explanations. I'd only met them once in their shop a couple of years ago.
"Mr and Mrs Alanis, hello. Are you here to see Headmaster Dumbledore?" I greeted politely.
"How could you do that to your own friend?" Kathryn Alanis sobbed, holding a handkerchief in one hand to her nose.
"Do what? I didn't-."
"I suppose Dumbledore put you up to this?" Kerry's father asked his voice booming.
"What- I don't understand Mr Alanis?"
"Kerry's been kidnapped by Claude Peterson. It's all your fault- our daughter could be dead for all we know." They left me in the corridor, a cold feeling of fear setting in. It was my fault. I was the one who suggested it, I should have taken Severus's advice in the first place… and kept my mouth shut.

Susan came to talk to me in my dormitory, and tried to console me. We sat for what seemed like ages talking. I was thoroughly miserable about the whole thing and I didn't know whom to turn to.
"It isn't your fault Elixa. Kerry was the one who decided to do it. She didn't have to."
"If you'd been asked- you would have done it- wouldn't you? The opportunity to help in the fight against Voldermort, help your friend and trap the man who caused so much harm." Susan paused and gave a nod.
"Yes, I suppose I would be tempted. Peterson can't be all bad, I mean he's head of the potions department and he must have had a part in creating that potion to turn you back from a cat. I'm sure they've just lost contact for a bit. The owls could have been blown off course. It happens often."
"There are too many pieces of evidence to make me think she's in trouble. If she doesn't return to school tomorrow, the Alanis will try to remove Dumbledore and get him charged with something. We'll be without a headmaster." Susan put her arm around me.

Quirrell had been regularly patrolling the corridors at night with Filch patrolling once before he turned in for the night, and then once when he woke at about six. Quirrell patrolled each corridor in the same pattern every night around five times a night. It made him very predictable. Tonight he changed his route slightly, alerted to some noise coming from the direction of the fifth floor. He thought it was Peeves. Slatero had just about managed to make Peeves respect him, but occasionally there were the rhymes about him, ones he cared not to remember about his turban, his death and his consistency compared to the other ghosts. As he approached silently, flying about a foot above the corridor floor, he became aware to the fact that it wasn't a ghost or Peeves making the noise. He stopped and peered round the corner to the corridor with the gargoyle before the entrance to Dumbledore's chambers was. There was a figure standing before the gargoyle. At first he thought it was a dementor because there was a hood over its head. But it was much more solid. He listened carefully, seeing the figure had its hands up as if feeling something invisible.
"The charms are complicated Susan, it's going to take a lot to break through them." I said in a whisper, my hands feeling carefully. For several nights I'd been walking the corridors at Susan's command her controlling me practising for now. Using the imperius curse meant I never had any recollection of the outings. I had tried to fight it a couple of times and Susan had used a mild version of the cruciatus curse to control me.
"It won't- if you had the necklace it would take no time at all." The voice hissed in my ear.
"But Dumbledore's got the necklace." I replied feeling round the back of the gargoyle's head, sensing the charms with my hands, concentrating hard.
"You're being watched, Quirrell, at seven o'clock." I stopped and shut my eyes, Susan making me.
"Turn ninety degrees to your left." Susan commanded, making me through the curse. "Start walking, I'll tell you when to stop." I started to walk my head down slightly.
"Stop." Susan said, and my feet stopped, I felt them try to break away but Susan held them back. Quirrell was to my left. Susan released me and I fell to the floor, hitting it with a thud that echoed around the castle due to all my muscles straining to get away. When Quirrell woke me, I had no recollection of anything apart from going to bed that night.

Quirrell took me to Severus. I sat in his office bleary eyed, listening to Slatero describe what I was supposedly doing.
"You have no recollection of this Elixa?" Severus asked. He was wearing a long grey nightshirt and was crouched before me, one of my feet in his hands. He pulled my foot in an odd direction and I grimaced with pain. I'd managed to fall awkwardly on release from the curse and I'd limped all the way down to the office. I had insisted I was fine, but Severus had been so suspicious I had no choice.
"No. I can't remember anything after going to bed until I hit the floor near to Dumbledore's office."
"She was talking to someone Severus. There was someone else in that corridor, but I couldn't see them." Snape looked into my eyes for a long time.
"She's telling the truth Slatero." He said confidently. Quirrell folded his translucent arms.
"I'd appreciate a second opinion."
"Will you be quiet!" Snape snapped angrily, and gave my foot a jerk. My eyes widened with pain in the sudden silence and then realised he'd healed it.
"That's done, so now the living will return to bed and the dead will return to something constructive." My uncle pointed from Slatero to the door. The ghost promptly left through the thick wood. I heard Severus's knees creak as he stood up and walked across the room. I flexed my ankle and put my shoe back on, feeling the warmth return to it in the cold of the room. I heard a chink of glass against glass and looked over my shoulder. Severus had his back to me, one of the cupboard doors open. He replaced a bottle and shut the door.
"You've probably become immune to sleeping solution and whatever Madame Pomfrey gives you. Dreamless sleep potion is addictive, so you'll have to settle for drowsy draught. It should send you to sleep." He handed me a glass. Once I'd taken a couple of sips, I drooped and he took the glass from me. My head flopped onto my shoulder and I fell asleep. Severus gave a slight smile and lay a blanket on top of me before settling in the chair opposite me. As far as he was concerned, I wasn't going anywhere tonight.