Chapter 8
The blade sang as it passed, end over end, through the air. Until there was a squelching noise, and one of the Acromantulas screamed in pain with the knife sticking out of one of its many eyes.
And so, they danced.
As each creature fell to one of her blades, it was quickly replaced by another. So focused on what she was doing, that Ahsoka never realized that she never ran out of knives to throw.
Running, jumping, sliding under the larger animals.
As time went on, and as the red faded from her vision, the animals became smaller. Less threatening.
Until, after she had been in there a little over two hours, Ahsoka couldn't take another step, couldn't even lift her arms. And collapsed to the ground in exhaustion. As she lay there, a herd of bunny rabbits hopped over, cuddling around her. A fawn laid down next to her.
Ahsoka, feeling warm, safe, and most importantly tired, succumbed to the blissful peace that is sleep.
Professors Dumbledore and McGonagall, and Penelope stood in Dumbledore's office completely silent. Staring at the door that Ahsoka had only just walked out of. Fresh tears slowly ran down Penelope's cheeks, as guilt consumed her.
"I think it goes without saying," Dumbledore said, breaking the silence, "that what was said, should be kept between us."
The two women nodded. McGonagall solemnly, Penelope numbly.
"Minerva," Dumbledore turned to his deputy, "Would you ensure that Ms Zonko gets back home safely?"
"Of course, Albus." Minerva nodded, then gently guided Penelope over to the fireplace, and flooed with her back to her home. Before coming back.
"We need to keep this between us. Merlin knows what the students, or Severus, would do if they knew." Dumbledore sat heavily in his chair. Feeling every bit his age.
Unknown to them, however, while McGonagall was taking Penelope back home, one of the headmaster portraits now stood empty. By the next morning, the whole school knew about Ahsoka's relation to Sirius.
As Ahsoka slowly woke up, feeling more than a little confused as to why she had a pile of fluffy bunnies on top of her. As well as wondering where she was. Ahsoka thought back to the last thing she remembered, and then as if being hit by the Hogwarts Express, the events of yesterday, or earlier today, she didn't know what time it was, came rushing back to her. Squeezing her eyes shut, Ahsoka fought the burning behind her eyes, and in her nose. Saying to herself as a mantra, "Don't cry. Don't cry."
Once she didn't feel the urge to cry and sob any more, turned her head side to side, trying to see over her soft fuzzy blanket, without disturbing any of them. Her brows pinched together in confusion. Because it looked like she was lying on the floor of the Forbidden Forest. But Ahsoka knew that that was impossible, because she had entered a room on the seventh floor.
Taking a deep breath, she tried to think logically about it. "Okay, I was on the seventh floor. Found a door that wasn't there before. And then wound up in the forest. Surrounded by creatures that when one went down by one of my knives, were replaced by another one. This place seems to change, almost like the moving staircases. Obviously I'm still in the castle. But, how does this room work?"
A folded up piece of parchment landed on Ahsoka's face. Sitting up, and when she did so all of the bunnies that were on top of her went up in the air. Like when you blow on the puff balls on Dandy-Lions. On the front it read, "Room of Requirement: A Helpful Guide". With a raised eyebrow, Ahsoka unfolded the parchment, and began to read. As she read, a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth.
"Oh, I am so coming back here." Ahsoka said to the bunny sitting on her right leg. Only for all of the bunnies to be startled, when her stomach growled. "But first, food."
The first piece of parchment was joined by another. This one was titled, "Hogwarts Kitchens".
Reading through the pamphlet, Ahsoka gave herself a determined nod. Carefully removing the remaining bunnies off of her, made her way out of the room. Making sure to close the door securely behind herself, and went about going down to the kitchen. Along the way, looking out of the window and noticing that it was after curfew.
Silently cursing to herself, she used every trick up her sleeve, from the list of spells the tutors her mother hired taught her, to pulling on the Zonko's NoticeMeNot Hat prototype. But eventually, she made it to the kitchens, and back up to her common room without anyone noticing.
Over the next two weeks, things went from bad to worse. The whole school found out about her being the daughter of Sirius Black, and the rumors ranged from one of the spectrum to the other. The whole school turned on her. All of Gryffindor House ostracized her. Even Harry, Ron, and Hermione distanced themselves - though she might have done that one herself - not in a mean or malicious way. Just, cautious. The only people who stayed by her side, stayed her friend were Fred and George Weasley.
And to top it all off, everyday for the past two weeks, since that fateful day and conversation - if you can call it that - Ahsoka's mother has been sending a letter. Ahsoka has no idea what's inside, or what the letter says. She refuses to open them. At first she would just send them back unopened. But as each day passed, and another letter came, Ahsoka's mood got worse. Got darker. So she got…creative.
She wanted to see how many different ways she could destroy the letters her mother was sending her. She started with a classic. Fire. Then moved on to ripping it up with her hands. Another day she straight up threw it into the lake.
As the days progressed, and Ahsoka's mood declined, the whole school looked at her like she was a bomb that was going to go off. She no longer smiled. The halls no longer rang with her laughter. In fact she hardly talked at all. When Ahsoka did, it was in a quiet, almost monotone voice. And while her grades didn't suffer, everyone who knew her was worried. She seemed almost lifeless.
Fred and George have tried to pull pranks on others, trying to cheer her up, but to no avail. So they decided to simply be there for her, be her friends.
Which brings us to today. The third year Gryffindors and Slytherins had double Potions. Ahsoka sat at her cauldron by herself, no one wanted to partner up with her. Blocking out all of the noise, and everything around her, and focusing solely on the potion in front of her. So focused was she, that she didn't realize that Snape had walked over to her table.
A noise like Charlie Brown's teacher invaded Ahsoka's ear drums. At first she could ignore it like everything else, but as it grew in volume she couldn't take it anymore. Looking up to see what was making that Merlin forsaken noise. Only to come face to face with the Potion's Master himself.
"Did you say something, Snape?" Ahsoka quietly asked, as was her new norm.
The vein above Snape's left eyebrow pulsed and twitched. "It's Professor Snape to you." Snape growled, glaring down at Ahsoka. "And how dare you not pay attention to your betters."
"That's assuming that you're better than me." Ahsoka shrugged. "And we all know what happens when you assume."
By this point the whole class was deadly silent. No one dared to make a sound, everyone wanting to hear every syllable of the ongoing conversation.
Snape's nostrils flared, "How extraordinary like your father you are. He was lazy, arrogant too. I wouldn't be too surprised if you ended up in a cell right next to his someday."
Ahsoka's face hardened, darkening as she stared up at Snape. The rest of the class had lost control of their jaws, they were just hanging open.
Finally Ahsoka broke the silence, speaking loud enough for the whole class to hear for the first time in two weeks. "Piss. Off."
The class gasped. They all knew that Ahsoka could be savage, they didn't know that she apparently had a death wish.
Snape's eyes widened, and his lips pulled back in a snarl as he whirled around on the class, "SILENCE!" Spinning on his heel, he turned to face Ahsoka again. "You just lost Gryffindor all of its points Miss Zonko. And detention for the rest of the year. For your lip."
Ahsoka discreetly palmed her wand. With a flick of her wrist, her entire cauldron and potion was up-ended on top of Snape's head. Snape fell to the floor, unconscious, the cauldron covering his whole head.
"How's that for lip." Ahsoka said. She then promptly stuffed all of her school supplies into her bag, and left the classroom. Leaving chaos in her wake.
Ahsoka sat in McGonagall's office later that day. McGonagall observed her in silence, as Ahsoka slowly became more and more uncomfortable. Finally after several minutes of silence, McGonagall spoke.
"You implied that Professor Snape was an ass?"
"Yes." Ahsoka said quietly.
"You told Professor Snape to and I quote, 'piss off.' after he said that you were going to end up in Azkaban?"
"...Yes."
"And then you threw your potion filled cauldron at Professor Snape? Rendering him unconscious and in the infirmary?"
"Yes ma'am." Ahsoka slid down in her seat just a tad. To make herself look smaller. Her eyes never looked away from her feet.
"...Have a biscuit Miss Zonko."
"Have…what?" For the first time, Ahsoka looked up from her shoes.
"A biscuit."
While still confused, Ahsoka nonetheless, took one of the "biscuits", (AN:It's a cookie, a wafer. But one thing it is NOT, is a biscuit. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise.) Slowly munching on it, Ahsoka waited for McGonagall to continue.
"As you are aware, you are in serious trouble. Your actions cannot go unpunished."
"Yes ma'am. I understand. I'll start packing." Ahsoka said glumly.
"Nonsense." McGonagall said.
Causing Ahsoka to look at her in mild surprise. "I'm not being expelled?"
"No. However, you will be punished for your actions."
"Of course."
"After reviewing Professor Snape's assigned punishment, and the points he took away, I am going to amend them." McGonagall said, "Only twenty points will be taken for disrespecting a teacher. I will also be taking one hundred points for attacking a teacher. You will still be serving detention, but it will not be for the rest of the school year. But, only for two months. And it will be served with me."
"Yes ma'am." Ahsoka breathed a small quiet sigh of relief, that she wasn't being expelled.
"On the other hand," Ahsoka tensed up, ready and waiting for the blow to come. "I think you deserve twenty points for an excellent and well executed Flipendo jinx." (AN:Flipendo is Latin for "By Flipping" so it doesn't make any sense that it would be the knockback jinx.)
"Thank you Professor." Ahsoka said. It was the only thing she could say, she was so shocked.
"Now, Miss Zonko," McGonagall said seriously, "Understand that I am going easy on you this one time because I know that you are going through a very troubling time at the moment. And you are not in the proper state of mind to think clearly. This is the only time that I will go easy on you. If something like this happens again, I will have to expel you. Understand?"
"Yes ma'am." Ashoka nodded.
"Now, if you ever need someone to talk to, no matter what it is, my office door is always open." McGonagall said kindly.
"Thank you ma'am." Ashoka said.
"You are dismissed."
Ahsoka stood to leave, but stopped halfway across the room. Turning back to McGonagall, she said, "Professor, you wouldn't happen to be able to get a message to my father for me, would you?"
McGonagall sighed. She was honestly waiting for this question, "I'm sorry Miss Zonko. But, I'm afraid that I can't."
"Oh." Ahsoka said slowly, quietly. "I'm sorry for asking."
McGonagall watched as the dejected thirteen year old turned and began to leave. Calling out to her, McGonagall said, "Miss Zonko!" Ahsoka stopped, turning to look at her professor. "If you want, you might write a letter to Mr Black, and then send that to Madam Bones. Asking her to send that letter to Sirius. There's no guarantee that she'll do it, but it's better than nothing."
"Thank you Professor." Ahsoka said, a small smile flitting across her face.
She left McGonagall's office, and headed straight for the great hall for dinner. The whispers of the students, ghosts, and portraits dogged her every footstep. The great hall fell into a hushed silence as she entered.
Sitting down at her usual seat, Ahsoka began to serve herself some food, only to pause. Looking up, she saw that the entire school was staring at her.
"What?" Ahsoka said, one eyebrow raised. The students turned away, back to their food and conversations.
Fred and George join her, like they do for every meal. Sitting down on either side of her, they helped themselves to food. Talking about random inconsequential things as they ate. It wasn't until after, when they were somewhere private that the two turned to her.
"Okay we have to ask." George said.
"Did you really attack Snape?" Fred said.
"People are saying that you put him in the hospital wind."
"What exactly are they saying?" Ahsoka asked, a twinge of nerves coming up in her voice. She knew full well what the rumor mill at any school was like. But at Hogwarts? It's like the rumor mill on steroids.
"Well, the school at large is saying something along the lines that you threw your scorching hot cauldron at Snape, and then laughed over his unconscious body." Fred shrugged.
"I heard someone say that your hands were on fire from the cauldron while you did this." George added.
"But then we talked to Harry, Ron, and Hermione. And they straightened it all out for us." Fred said, face forming a most unusual expression. Fred scowled. "Any chance we can sneak into the hospital wing, and kick Snape in the nuts?"
"Don't think so." George shook his head sadly. "You know how tightly Madam Pomfrey runs the infirmary."
Fred's shoulders slump a little.
Ahsoka's jaw dropped open, "Fred, George… You two wouldn't really do that, would you?"
They looked at her, "Yes."
"Please don't." Ahsoka said, worried that they'd get in trouble for her.
She's used to getting in trouble herself, but what she's not used to, is someone risking their own neck simply for her. Ahsoka has never felt more…she didn't have a word for what she was feeling, it was a good feeling, she just didn't know what it was. Oh, and horrified. She was feeling horrified and an unidentifiable feeling. All she knew was that she was feeling both warm and cold…yeah she was confused too.
Giving herself a shake, Ahsoka said, "Just don't do anything that you're going to regret later. Okay?"
"Yeah, okay." Fred and George said.
Ahsoka nodded and turned to leave, thinking to herself, "Not that I have much leg to stand on."
Leaving her boys to their scheming, Ahsoka made her way up to the Gryffindor common room. Like at dinner, all talk ceased when she walked in. Ignoring them all, Ahsoka made her way up to her dormitory. Pulling out her notebook, she wrote a quick letter to Madam Bones. Stuffing that letter and the letter she wrote of Sirius, that she had been working on for over a week, into one envelope.
Ahsoka made the trek to the owlery to send off her letters before curfew. Standing there, watching as her Blakiston fish owl flew away with the letters.
Amelia Bones sat pouring over the Sirius Black case in her home office. The more she looked into it, the more furious she became. The previous case - Case? HA! What case? - was laughable at best. She swore to herself that if she ever got her hands on the idiots who were responsible for this mess, she'd flog them all.
Amelia was pulled, rather harshly, from her concentration by several loud, hard taps on her window. Turning, Amelia was brought up short for the briefest of moments, by the biggest owl she had ever seen peering into her window. Glaring at her with its large yellow eyes.
Using her wand, she opened the window, allowing the owl into her home. Amelia was vaguely reminded of Bald Eagles, just by how big it is. She remembers them from when she chased a suspect to a muggle museum four years ago.
Long story…anyway.
The owl hopped through her window and onto her desk. It dropped an envelope onto the desk, then perched on the back of the chair across from her. Seemingly waiting for something, as it stared at her. Amelia looked away, and at the envelope. Slowly opening it, making sure there weren't any boobytraps in it. Once satisfied, she pulled the contents out.
Setting aside the rather thick, sealed letter, she picked up the one with her name written on the outside. Unfolding it she began to read.
Dear Mrs Monopoly,
Tis I! The Dog Wrangler! I am writing to you because I need you to pass on a letter to said Dog. What I have to say to him is important, but not time sensitive. So I will completely understand if you decide to wait. Say…another couple weeks, or so?
If you must know what the gist of the letter contains, the said Dog boned the Bitch. And now he has a pup he needs to take responsibility for.
Warm Regards,
The Dog Wrangler
Amelia read the letter two more times, just to make sure that she read what she thinks she read. Finally she looks up. Up at the owl still in her office, and still staring at her.
"Shit."
Lionel Zonko, the founder of Zonko's Joke Shop, walked down the hall of his London home, toward where he knew his daughter Penelope would be. The home office. Ever since her old boyfriend escaped from Azkaban, Lionel has noticed that Penelope hasn't been the same. She's been jumpier, and moodier…if that were possible.
Looking into the office, Lionel saw Penelope writing yet another letter. Sighing, he stepped into the room and up to the desk. Pulling the half finished letter away when she went to dip her quill into the inkpot again, Lionel began to read.
"Hey! Dad! Give that back! It's not finished!" Penelope said as she tried to snatch the parchment from her father's hands. Only for the old man to dodge her grasping hands. "Dad! Please give it back."
Lionel sighed and shook his head after he finished. Handing the letter back he said, "P, you need to stop doing this."
"What do you mean?"
Lionel sighed again. This time in disappointment. "Penelope this," he picked up the letter, "this is not how you are going to get Ahsoka to forgive you. Let alone, talk to you."
"Well, what do you suggest I do?" Penelope said, her voice rising in desperation.
"If you want Ahsoka to talk to you again, to forgive you on any level, you need to stop sending her letters begging her to talk to you. You need to give her space."
"I can't just do nothing! I have to do something! I need to fix this!" Penelope's shoulders slumped as the fight slowly drained from her. "I need to fix what I broke."
Lionel walked around the desk, and gave his daughter a hug. Saying into her hair, "Sometimes, doing nothing is the best thing you can do. Right now, Ahsoka needs you to give her space to calm down. To clear her head."
"How do you know?" Penelope said, looking up at her father's face, tears in her eyes.
"I've had to do the same thing for you over the years, ever since you were a child."
"I messed up dad." Penelope said, tears rolling down her face. "Now I'm afraid that it's too late. That I've lost her. That I've lost my baby for good. And it'll be all my fault."
"You don't know that." Lionel comforted her. "It's not going to be fixed overnight. And it may take a long time to fix your relationship with her, months or years even. But if you're willing to fix it, then you can do it. But you have to give her some space first."
Penelope stared at the half completed letter for a long moment. Finally, she picked it up, walked over to the fireplace. And tossed it in.
Turning around, Penelope welcomed the hug that her dad offered. Sobbing into his chest.
"I just want my baby back."
