(7)Tricks, Treats & Spheres

Early the next morning found Dumbledore & Snape in the forest with a few other Order members.

"Are you sure there was a Death Eater in here?" Lupin asked.

"Yes, she was right here, somewhere!" Snape answered. "I know there's a Death Eater here!"

"Yeah," Lupin crossed his arms. "& HIS name is Severus Sna--!"

"Will you two stop it?!" Tonks yelped. "The point is, Death Eater or not, we have an unknown attacker in our forest & it's our job to find that person!" Snape & Lupin glared at each other but said no more.

"We will stay in pairs," said Dumbledore. "I don't want anyone left alone in case someone gets injured, like last year!" he glanced at Snape. "I've had Hagrid make out some maps for us so we won't get lost." Dumbledore handed them out & then he & Moody took off through the forest as Mcgonagall & Tonks headed in their own direction.

Snape glared at Lupin. "Don't cross me!" he warned the werewolf. "I'm in a bad mood!"

"Oh, you're always in a bad mood!" Lupin laughed as he hurried after Snape.

"20 points from Gryfindor!" Snape snapped as Lupin stared in disbelief! "You may be out of school," Snape explained. "but once a Gryfin always a Gryfin! Like I said: don't cross me!" He continued on his way through the forest with Lupin glowering behind him!

"Who ever it is," Lupin said. "she's probably long gone!"

"No Death Eater can get through that shield you & your little minions set up around the forest last night!" Snape muttered.

"Minions!" Lupin scowled. "So that mean I can trap you & you can't get out!" he laughed.

"Be quiet!" Snape ordered as he cast the Legillimus Charm on himself. "I can't sense her presence!" he muttered.

"All I see are cat prints & horseshoe marks!" Lupin retorted, looking down the trails. "Maybe your powers aren't working!"

Snape grabbed Lupin at the throat. "You dare to belittle my powers?!"

"Not your powers, exactly!" Lupin yelped! "I'm just saying that because you're a bit stressed out, you're probably not focusing right!"

"Perhaps you're right!" Snape tossed Lupin aside!

"You know I'm right!" Lupin barked softly as he picked himself up.

"Look, I've no intention of baby-sitting an over-grown puppy!" Snape snapped. "We're here to find & capture whoever attacked us during the game!"

Lupin scoffed at the phrase "over-grown puppy"! "You think I enjoy being stuck in here with you today?" Lupin finally snapped! "I only came in here because I care for Merida & Harry, unlike you! Otherwise, I'd have stayed at the castle!"

"I would DIE for Merida!" Snape was getting irate. "& yes, Mr. Potter too! I don't ever want to hear you say I don't care about them EVER again! Do we understand each other?!"

"You do care?" Lupin stared at Snape. "Well, it doesn't show, does it?"

"THAT does it!" Snape grabbed Lupin again. "Fine! Stay here & follow the animal trails! I'm going back to the castle to-----uh---WATCH over Merida!" He dropped Lupin in a heap onto the ground & began to leave.

"Albus said to stay together!" Lupin snarled through gritted fangs.

"You're a werewolf!" Snape shouted. "You come in here almost every full moon!"

"Yes!" Lupin roared back. "But as a mad wolf, not my human self!"

"WHY YOU-----!" Snape raised his wand.

"SEVERUS SNAPE!!!!" Dumbledore yelled over the racket the two were making. A few moments of dead silence followed as Tonks, Mcgonagall & Moody arrived on the scene.

"Merlin's sake!" Tonks yelped. "People in Canada could here you two fighting!"

"Headmaster!" Snape began. "Please remove THAT creature from my sight!" He pointed at Lupin.

"You sound like Umbridge!" Lupin snapped at Snape's pointing finger but missed, barely! "Prejudice against half-breeds!"

Snape exploded with rage. "MY OWN DAUGHTER IS HALF-BRED!! SO IS DRACO MALFOY!! I DON'T MIND THEM AT ALL!! IT's YOU, REMUS LUPIN, THAT I MIND!!"

"What's this about Malfoy?" Lupin half-laughed.

"I---oh, dear me!" Snape remembered that Draco hadn't wanted anyone else but him, Harry & Merida to know about his Veela heritage! "See what you've made me do? Break the Professor/student confidentiality code!"

Dumbledore buried his face in his hands for a moment. "The way you two fight is almost amusing!" he looked up at them. "Remus, the Malfoy males are ALL Veela, some are complete Veelas & some, like Draco, are half-Veelas! Yes, Severus," Dumbledore noticed that Snape was staring at him in disbelief! "I know all about the Malfoy men! Draco, however, doesn't want anyone else to know right now, so this matter is not to be talked of again, understand?" Dumbledore glanced around as everyone agreed the secret would remain with them. "Good! We must let Draco tell all when he's ready but for now, he' still upset about his father being a true Death Eater & being in Azkaban. Now," Dumbledore glared at Lupin & Snape. "You two had better forgive each other! Severus, this fight is more personal then Remus just being part of James Potter's gang! Remus, same to you! Remus will stay with me! Allastor can go with Severus if only to stop you two from fighting!"

The pairs set out again. Snape & Lupin eyed each other for a moment & then went their separate ways. Though the whole forest was searched, no one was found. Dumbledore decided on a new plan. The aurors went to full alert to guard the castle & one was posted at each of the four Towers & Merida & Harry would have an escort until the unknown intruder was caught, something to which Merida protested!

"Don't start, Merida!" Snape ordered. "It's for your own good!"

"But----!"

"Enough!" Snape warned. "before I take points from Gryfindor!" he glared at her. "Don't we have a detention to do?" Snape had for the Duel Chamber.

"And we're back to the point-taking demon!" Merida muttered. She promptly lost 50 points on the spot! Merida hung her head, glowering, as she reluctantly followed him to her detention!

"We won!" Harry laughed. "& without incidents this time!" It was a week later, & Gryfindor had just played against Ravenclaw. Harry flung himself onto the sofa in the common room & gazed at the ceiling.

"I was worried we'd get attacked again!" Ron half-laughed.

"So was I!" Harry agreed. "Well, time for the DA in an hour! I'd better get ready!"

Harry was on his way to the library to do some reading after the DA class, when Snape marched past him, looking none to pleased! Harry shrank against the wall until he passed! Snape took no notice as he headed to the Gryfindor Tower & came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs leading to the girls' dorm.

"Merida?" Snape called up the stairs. "Merida, if you're up there, get down here right now!"

She appeared at the top of the stairs. "What are you upset about now?"

"Your detention?" Snape glowered. "You didn't show up for it! I thought you said I could trust you?"

"Does detention take the place of a class?" Merida asked, somewhat confused.

"NO---er--what class?" Snape tried to think of the schedule & what he had missed.

"The DA?" Merida reminded him.

"Merida," Snape rolled his eyes. "That is just something fun that Potter & his friends are doing & not a real class!"

"Well, if the Headmaster excepts it," Merida began. "I should think it would be a real class?"

"Don't make me come up there!" Snape threatened.

"The stairs are gender-sensitive!" Merida laughed.

"NOT for Professors!" Snape marched upstairs to prove himself!

"Ladies, there's a guy up here!" Merida yelped. "A Professor!"

Snape tried to ignore the shrieks & embarrassed giggles coming from the various rooms & kept his eyes firmly on Merida! "As it is, I had to come up here!" he smiled his usual half-smile. "10 points from Gryfindor!"

"Is THAT your answer to EVERYTHING?!" Merida half-laughed. "Taking points?"

"We'll have a double detention tomorrow!" Snape declared through gritted teeth as he headed back downstairs!

Merida glowered, staring at his retreating back! "Well," she sighed to herself as she turned into her room. "at least Hallowe'en is in a few days & then this month will be finished!"

Harry & Ron stood outside on the front steps, waiting for the Aurors to led them all to Hogsmeade for the Hallowe'en weekend.

"Seen Merida anywhere?" Ron asked.

"Not yet!" answered Harry. "Hey Nev'!" he called out as Neville ran by. "Have you seen Merida?"

"She's still in the Tower, I think!" Neville walked up to them. "But she'd better hurry & get out here if she wants to go to Hogsmeade!"

"It's probably Snape's fault!" Harry muttered.

"Yeah," Ron agreed. "If it's not one thing, it's your father!"

"Good afternoon!" came an icy voice. Harry, Ron & Neville all gulped as they turned to face Snape. "Where, may I ask, would I find Merida?"

"Er---uh!" Harry stuttered.

"We were just discussing that &..." Ron trailed off.

"At Gryfindor Tower, I think!" Neville grinned nervously.

Snape glanced around. "Mr. Longbottom! Your fangs!" Neville lost his smile! "Still in the Tower you say? Very well then & 10--20," he glanced at the three of them. "actually 30 points from Gryfindor for talking against me!" Snape walked away.

"I hate him!" Harry groaned.

"I loathe him!" Ron agreed.

"I detest him!" Neville snarled.

Snape entered the Portrait & stopped at the bottom of the stairs. He wouldn't go up there unless he had too! "Merida, if you're thinking of going to Hogsmeade you can ju--!"

"She doesn't want to go!" said Merida's friend Brean, as she appeared at the top of the stairs.

"What?" Snape glared at her. "& why not?"

"She says that it reminds her of her phobia," said Brean. "& she just wants to wait it out until the spidery decorations come down! Shes reading right now! Some sort of muggle story about something to do with space flight! st--st--star something like that!"

"Star Trek!" Snape snapped. "Whatever!" He glanced up at Brean. "So you mean to tell me, Miss Lee Voth, that my plan for her last day of detention failed? I was going to ground her from going to Hogsmeade this weekend!"

"Guess so!" Brean laughed as she skipped downstairs & out the portrait!

"Should have known!" Harry laughed after Brean told them about Merida on her way by. "I'm surprised you came, Ron!"

Ron smiled sheepishly. "So long as I'm with someone, I don't mind!"

"Well," sighed Neville. "We'll just have to save a butterbeer for her!" The three of them laughed as they walked down the road. Several aurors could be seen along the way, guarding the students. Neville waved to Lupin who returned the greeting.

"Come on!" said Harry. "Let's head to the old Shrieking Shack! We won't have so many eyes watching us & yet we would still be close to the aurors!"

"Let's get our butterbeers filled up first!" said Ron.

After they got fresh butterbeers, the three of them headed down the road & into the evening.

"I wonder if whoever they're looking out for is even here still?" Ron suddenly asked.

"With that shielding charm up," Neville said. "It's possible! Lupin said that no evil could pass through & leave the forest. He helped to set it up!" Neville smiled.

"I know," Harry laughed. "Do you hear that?"

"What?" asked Neville.

"I don't here anything!" said Ron.

"Shush!" Harry ordered as he moved closer to a rarely used back alley, leading behind the Shack.

"Harry, don't you think we've gone a little far from the aurors?" Ron asked in his squeaky whisper.

"They're over there down the road!" Harry pointed & then hid behind a large boulder to listen. He didn't want to admit it, but the aurors were a little farther than he thought!

"I got it, finally!" came a lady's voice. "Minerva Mcgonagalll showed up just seconds later & I had to knock out a student in Gryfindor Tower to get it, but I got it!"

"Good!" came a very familiar voice. "Hand it over!"

"Scabbers, please don't!" Ron squeaked again. Harry glanced over Neville to him. It was amazing how Ron was still attached to his pet, even though now the truth was known that Scabbers was actually Peter Pettigrew under Animagic, posing as a rat & pet of Ron Weasley!

"At last! The Dementor Sphere!" Peter exclaimed.

"Yes," said the lady. "Now we can free my husband & everyone else from Azkaban! The Dementors will obey us with this!"

"How does it work?" Peter asked.

"Just pet it!" said the lady. "& to turn it off, just pet it again!" Peter did so as Harry peered over the rock. It was to dark to see who the lady was but he could see a small, round semi-transparent glowing red ball in Peter's hand.

"It's so beautiful!" Harry began to climb over the rock. Ron & Neville yanked him back! Neville covered Harry's mouth to stop him from making a sound.

"What are you doing?!" Ron squeaked.

"I think that Sphere works on more than just Dememtors!" Neville said as Harry shook himself out of his trance.

Peter turned off the Sphere. "Why wasn't I affected by it?"

The lady came out of her own trance. "You're the one holding it!"

"Let's get back to the main part of Hogsmeade!" Harry said. The three of them snuck away & began to run as soon as they were close to the road. Harry suddenly stopped running & poor Ron & Neville went crashing to the ground, dragging Harry under them! "Sorry!" Harry smiled nervously at their dark looks! "But look over there! Let's get closer to listen!"

Harry, Ron & Neville got as close as they dared to the side of the Three Broomsticks. Snape was leaning on the wall as if looking for support & Dumbledore was with him.

"I don't know how it could have happened," Dumbledore was saying. "Allastor was there to guard the Tower but still someone seemed to have gotten in! Dumbledore was eying Snape closely. "Merida has been attacked after all! She's in the hospital wing but in critical condition!"