Empire and Exigency
Chapter 1 : Nightwalkers
by Annie B
Rated PG-13
Pairing: Undecided just yet
JKR is the genius who owns all the Hogwart's characters. I just borrow them a little to have fun with. No one gives me money. Please don't sue me.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Midnight.
Quiet time in of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even the paintings snoozed, making it easy for one lithe figure to slip silently down the twisting halls. Every so often the heavy curtains would be brushed back by a probing hand, letting in a thin ray of moonlight to reflect off of ice-silver hair, but for the most part the shadows were deep enough.
Not that one could afford to be careless. The school ghosts may have slept, but one or two all too human spirits still haunted the corridors.
Just last night Argus Flitch had been coming out the garden door just as our silent prowler had been about to step in.
Fortunately, a passing mouse in the cheese-wort had distracted Mrs.Norris, and by the time her owner had returned to his rounds the risk of discovery ( and the trespasser ) was past.
Even so, the delay had necessitated a change of plans. With no time left - not to mention an adult on watch - it had been impossible to reach the Owlery that night. The heavily shielded vulture would not have waited. Trying to smuggle the Artifact past the dormitory wards would have been suicidal. Instead, it had seemed wisest to hide the ... item. A borrowed napkin to wrap it in, a muttered 'See-Me-Not' spell, and the cursed thing could rest unperceived tucked under the ruffled marble skirts of a statue of Helga Hufflepuff.
After all - who would suspect dear sweet Happy Helga?
Sitting though the day's classes had been nerve wracking. Dinner was worse. As if - at any minute - Dumbledore was going to announce that *it* had been found - and point out the student responsible.
Not that there would be any proof. Any evidence. Even a rank amateur knew about gloves and shift-identity amulets. But even the *suspicion* would be enough to... Not just the cold draft swirling off the stone was responsible for goosebumps.
Better for everyone - well, for ONE everyone - that the thing was gone.
Waiting until the rest of the dorm was asleep had been painful. Eternal. Couldn't there have been a nice long Quidditch practice to tire everyone out? Instead, two third years had apparently settled into an all-night chess game. It had taken a flash of badge to get them into their beds - and out of sight.
Now? A quick check of a Wizard's watch. The single hand was on 'better get moving'. Retrieve the blade. Head up to the Owlery. Catch the messenger bird as it came in, preferably before it even landed. (Supposedly post-owls couldn't - at least didn't - talk - but when dealing with Dumbledore? Better suspicious then sorry. ) Hand over the package. Get back to bed. Forget any part of this ever happened.
All good ideas. All dependent on *finding* the bloody thing. Granted, old Helga had been on the plump side. Plus she had a lot of skirt. And it hadn't exactly seemed smart to leave any part hanging out to say 'here it is'. Even so? It had to be here somewhere.
Maybe on the other side?
Surely last night there had been deep shadows, but as all those crevices had been searched? The moonlight made stepping out risky, but to delay another night would be...
At the first swish of silk, the figure froze. Too late.
Professor Snape stepped out from behind the statute. "Looking for something, Mr. Malfoy?"
End Chapter One
Chapter 1 : Nightwalkers
by Annie B
Rated PG-13
Pairing: Undecided just yet
JKR is the genius who owns all the Hogwart's characters. I just borrow them a little to have fun with. No one gives me money. Please don't sue me.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Midnight.
Quiet time in of Hogwart's School for Witchcraft and Wizardry. Even the paintings snoozed, making it easy for one lithe figure to slip silently down the twisting halls. Every so often the heavy curtains would be brushed back by a probing hand, letting in a thin ray of moonlight to reflect off of ice-silver hair, but for the most part the shadows were deep enough.
Not that one could afford to be careless. The school ghosts may have slept, but one or two all too human spirits still haunted the corridors.
Just last night Argus Flitch had been coming out the garden door just as our silent prowler had been about to step in.
Fortunately, a passing mouse in the cheese-wort had distracted Mrs.Norris, and by the time her owner had returned to his rounds the risk of discovery ( and the trespasser ) was past.
Even so, the delay had necessitated a change of plans. With no time left - not to mention an adult on watch - it had been impossible to reach the Owlery that night. The heavily shielded vulture would not have waited. Trying to smuggle the Artifact past the dormitory wards would have been suicidal. Instead, it had seemed wisest to hide the ... item. A borrowed napkin to wrap it in, a muttered 'See-Me-Not' spell, and the cursed thing could rest unperceived tucked under the ruffled marble skirts of a statue of Helga Hufflepuff.
After all - who would suspect dear sweet Happy Helga?
Sitting though the day's classes had been nerve wracking. Dinner was worse. As if - at any minute - Dumbledore was going to announce that *it* had been found - and point out the student responsible.
Not that there would be any proof. Any evidence. Even a rank amateur knew about gloves and shift-identity amulets. But even the *suspicion* would be enough to... Not just the cold draft swirling off the stone was responsible for goosebumps.
Better for everyone - well, for ONE everyone - that the thing was gone.
Waiting until the rest of the dorm was asleep had been painful. Eternal. Couldn't there have been a nice long Quidditch practice to tire everyone out? Instead, two third years had apparently settled into an all-night chess game. It had taken a flash of badge to get them into their beds - and out of sight.
Now? A quick check of a Wizard's watch. The single hand was on 'better get moving'. Retrieve the blade. Head up to the Owlery. Catch the messenger bird as it came in, preferably before it even landed. (Supposedly post-owls couldn't - at least didn't - talk - but when dealing with Dumbledore? Better suspicious then sorry. ) Hand over the package. Get back to bed. Forget any part of this ever happened.
All good ideas. All dependent on *finding* the bloody thing. Granted, old Helga had been on the plump side. Plus she had a lot of skirt. And it hadn't exactly seemed smart to leave any part hanging out to say 'here it is'. Even so? It had to be here somewhere.
Maybe on the other side?
Surely last night there had been deep shadows, but as all those crevices had been searched? The moonlight made stepping out risky, but to delay another night would be...
At the first swish of silk, the figure froze. Too late.
Professor Snape stepped out from behind the statute. "Looking for something, Mr. Malfoy?"
End Chapter One
