Ch. 4 – Death of a Student
After a few months had passed in the great Hogwarts castle, the Dark Arts class was at least one week ahead of everyone else. During which time, they had reviewed, life, death, ancient incantations, history, and just now started on Elves. The usual first class, with Gryffindor and Slytherin started just as usually, and calmly.
"Good day class." Iceus said, trotted down the elaborate staircase, like he did on their first day. The Gryffindor side replied dully as they had the entire month, the Slytherins mostly rested their heads in their hands attempting or acting to stay awake.
"Today, we learn about the Elven ways. Now I know I'm supposed to teach you the dark arts, and all this flimflam on protecting yourselves, but it seems to me that if you are to meet a new creature, a hostile one, you'll know exactly what to do. Now, tell me, why are the elven race a danger to the wizarding world?"
Three hands went up, the usual Hermione's went up as soon as he had ended the question. Like usual, Iceus ignored the other two and went for Hermione's hand. "Yes, Ms. Granger?"
Hermione lowered her hand and answered as if it were a page from her book. "The elven race is so dangerous because of their unique abilities to hear much farther and clearer than humans. Also they are skilled assassins at birth, being able to move silently among their prey. It is said that a normal Elf is capable of slaying ten wizards in a single breath. They are also incredibly intelligent and can sprint at twenty miles per hour. That is nearly equal to that of a Centaur." Hermione finished, leaving a few children gasping at the unknown horrors standing before them as their teacher.
"Very good, I couldn't have done better. Two points to Gryffindor." Iceus said, stepping back a little, beginning to explain the lesson.
"Now, I know my race is a danger to society, as is the Ministry of Magic," A few students laughed, "but know that I would not kill any human unless provoked. That is the pact that was made quite a long time ago by your wizarding kind and my kind. Which states clearly in your books in page two seventy-three, if I recall correctly. Who can read the rules of the truce?" A few more hands shot up, but Hermione's didn't this time. Her book was clearly open, and judging from her bookmark she had nearly finished the book. Iceus supposed that she would let the other classmates answer.
"Yes Mr. Longbottom." Iceus called and pointed.
Neville stood and held his book before him beginning to read. "The-The truce was that…. The Council of the Elders would give the Elves their land if- if they would agree to not slay any more Wizards. Basically that's what it says."
Professor Iceus nodded, "yes, hmm. Longbottom, you are reading the summary I want you to read the truce itself just below it. It's rather short."
Neville nodded shakily then began to read again.
"We the Council of Elders hereby grant all elves the lands of any forest inhabited in this world. We surrender our forces and lower our wands to you. However to ensure the standing of this truce to keep your homelands safe forever and always, we ask you to lower your blades and not slay any Wizard traveling through your lands. Unless he or she invokes hostility, thereby, ending the pact for that wizard and only that wizard or witch. Signed by R-Richard Fandora, Veronica Steward, and Albus Dumbledore. Dumbledore is on here sir?" Neville asked looking up from his shaking book.
"Yes, I will explain later. Now read the last bit to me." Iceus declared, sitting on his desk.
"Uh-yes, well that was the wizard's who signed it. And –uh- the Elven people who signed it were: Lako Yisteri, Delka of the Oak, Iceus Demarkus." At reading the last name, everyone looked in surprise at Professor Iceus. He merely sat there on his desk, watching the wide eyes of most of the students watching him.
Iceus took a breath, then stood from his desk. "Yes it is true. I did sign it myself, and so did Dumbledore. Because as you all should know well, that Dumbledore is extremely old, and ages much more elderly than most Wizards should. We elves though, age very slowly as you see. I may only look to be somewhere in my twenties when I am truly somewhere in the thousand ages. We signed that treaty because they, the wizards had the power to-" Suddenly Iceus stopped, and looked at a Slytherin whispering to her friend to her left: "Iceus is a girl's name."
"Taylor." Iceus said, this was indeed a rare occasion to hear Professor Iceus use a student's first name. Most of the students looked back at Taylor, a Slytherin, whose appearance at any place would make the faces of stone turn away.
"Yeah, professor? What do you want?"
"Why don't you recite the code of Wizard's and Elves for us? I'm a little daft at hearing today."
"Longbottom just told you!"
"Pardon what was that?" Iceus was acting very well now, making Taylor extremely frustrated. She picked up the book and read it quickly, almost too fast for anyone to understand.
"Very good Taylor, I'm very well impressed. However, can you tell me what the fourth sentence down means?"
"Hostility?" Taylor showed a few signs of fear, yet she still didn't understand.
"I've done nothing to you, Taylor. Tell me, why that comment was made?"
"Because I'm right!"
Iceus smiled, then began walking toward her, very slowly. "Tell me, can you define right and wrong, Taylor?" She slowly shook her head. She knew, but preferred to not know than to give a wrong answer.
"Really now, that's a shame, then I guess you shouldn't belong in this class now then should you. I'll send you back to the fourth years, how's that sound."
The other children were shocked to hear this. It was an old tradition, yet rarely ever used on students, yet Professor Iceus used it very quickly. Taylor replied in defiance. "YOU CAN'T DO THAT? I KNOW WHAT IT MEANS! AND I KNOW THAT YOU WHAT YOU TRULY ARE, A FREAK!"
Taylor moved from her seat and roared at Professor Iceus moving ever closer to each word being said. "A FREAK, YOU ARE A FREAK DAMMIT! A BLOODY FREAK!"
Iceus smiled as she reached his chest, she looked up to him, a glare in her eyes. "Students, now you will know what it means to oppose an elf." Iceus said to the class, each student moved aside and, stared directly at both of the figures staring at one another.
Iceus spoke first. "Now, Taylor I think you would like to, SIT DOWN!" Iceus raised a hand, and held out his palm to her outstretched before her nose. With a small jolt from his hand, it seemed that a force sent her back into her seat, with incredible speed.
Just as she was about to land back into her chair, the students suddenly saw a glimpse of Iceus suddenly appear before Taylor as she flew through the air, screaming as she flipped around. Iceus leapt up, at least ten feet, and twirled about a sidekick with his right foot into her stomach. The force again sent her far off, now in the direction of his desk. She could not scream now, she had the air taken from her lungs. As she nearly hit Iceus's desk, and possibly smashed it to bits, Iceus returned, and caught her.
Taylor began to catch her breath, when Iceus threw her aside, and onto the floor with a thud. She coughed, and spat on the floor, she looked up at him. "YOU…BASTARD…" Iceus looked down at her, reached out a hand, aimed for her, and pulled it toward him. A very long wand, at least twenty inches in length came from her robes and into his hand. "I know I am." Iceus said.
Iceus then threw the wand on the ground in her reach. "Let us see if you can defeat your Dark arts teacher with what you know? Or will you surrender and return to your seat and never speak of my name again."
She stood, and took her wand. It would be foolish and stupid to attack him. She narrowed her eyes at him, then turned away, as if it were the greatest insult this world had ever seen. "Oh and by the way, Taylor," Iceus started, "Taylor seems like a male name to me, don't you think?"
Taylor turned, "THAT IS IT!" She pointed her wand directly at him. Iceus smiled, happily that she was about to kill out of defense and not for attack, the glory of it all to kill off a higher ranking wizard.
"You sure you want to do this?" Iceus asked, smirking at her, standing straight and tall.
"Taylor," Harry started, "Don't do this! Quit now, ignore him!" Harry attempted to talk her out of her death wish, but she wouldn't listen. "I will kill him. I will kill him." She whispered to herself.
"DIE!" she roared at him, before calling the incantation. "Avada Kedavra." She called forth, sending the unforgivable curses to Iceus. "Ha!" she said as the curse ended, seeing no trace of Iceus anywhere. "I GOT HIM! I GOT HIM! OH YEAH, YEAH, YEAH!" She celebrated, and played a fake little song with it to. Hermione gasped, and held her hands to her mouth. Tears began to form from her eyes, she couldn't believe it. Ron bit his lower lip while Harry merely stared. Avada Kedavra was indeed the killing curse, harry thought, but didn't incinerate anyone in its path.
A laugh came from behind Taylor, a very familiar laugh. She turned quickly, and found that it was her worst fears reunited now. Professor Iceus stood before her now, holding his ice staff with both his hands clenched tightly around it. "The time for valuing your life has come to an end." Iceus said, gently. His eyes turned completely blue, his muscles tightened as he pulled back the staff and slammed the side of it into her abdomen. Blood sprayed from Taylor's mouth at the intensity of the hit. She doubled over, and fell to the ground, hurling blood and the material of breakfast onto the stone floor. "Everyone stand back, this may get a little messy." Each student hid behind one another, keeping an eye out for what was going to happen next. Professor Iceus pointed his staff at Taylor's chest. "No formal good byes? Alright then…Quasso Seorsum." A thin tan lazer like beam shot from his staff, and entered her chest. Apparently she didn't feel anything, she was still standing doubled over, hurling. Her face began to become like stone, it began to become more solid by the second. "NOOO!" she shrieked as the stone covered her mouth, and the rest of her. Then a small crack appeared at the base of her neck. It grew rapidly, faster and faster. It then separated her head from her shoulders, then her legs from her torso and the joints to every point in her body. Without much warning, and as the statue of her began to fall, she exploded all over the room, parts and pieces of her everywhere.
"Hmm…seems to be all the time in this class, ladies and gentlemen. I will see you another day." Iceus said, his eyes back to their normal color, and his staff nowhere to be seen.
Each student, left very solemnly and quietly, they did have a class session. They witnessed an execution. Hermione stared at the floor, wide eyed, and did not look up for the longest time afterward, no one did after that class.
