SILVER LINING
CHAPTER NINE-MALFOY'S FLIGHT
We headed to our last classes that evening. Hallie went to hers.
She was cute and I knew Harry and Hermione were drawn to her as I was.
That afternoon, we all met in the common room for the 45 minute break before the next classes began.
Harry and I were still keeping a close eye on everyone as we went to classes. For the most part, everyone was acting normally...nothing unusual.
During dinner that night, Hallie sat with us. It was lonely now that Ron was gone. Hallie was sitting beside me. Harry and Hermione were sitting across from us.
We were eating roast beef when Harry's expression turned cold.
"Oh joy," he said sarcastically. "Guess who's deciding to grace us with his presence."
I turned around.
Malfoy was coming toward our table with Crabbe.
Hallie shrunk beside me.
"Potty, the Mudblood, the Wacko and the little mutt," Malfoy sneered at Hallie.
"Fuck off," Harry snarled his emerald green eyes flashing behind his glasses.
"Ooh, such harsh words," Malfoy taunted pretending to be insulted.
"What do you want?" Hermione demanded angrily.
Malfoy turned his eyes onto me.
"So you were the last to see Goyle alive huh?" he asked.
I couldn't tell if his tone was accusing, insulting or just plain cold and unemotional.
"Yeah," I said feeling my temper rising. "What's it to you?"
"Just seems odd that when you are around, people start to bite the dust," Malfoy grinned.
"That's not true," Hallie piped up, then seemed surprised at her sudden burst of guts. She shrank against me again.
"The Mutt speaks," Malfoy said as he bent over, putting his face close to hers. She shrank even further away from him, almost digging into my ribs. "You'll see. One moment you'll be alive and the next POOF!"
Malfoy practically yelled the word 'poof' so Hallie ended up jumping a mile from being startled.
"Bite my bag," Harry snarled as he began to rise to his feet. "Leave her alone."
Harry turned his eyes onto me and then his eyes widened.
"Stephanie," Hermione whispered. "Your eyes."
I quickly glanced into a nearby silver knife. My eyes had changed into their jaundice color as I felt the anger rising even more.
Malfoy was laughing behind me while Hallie was looking absolutely terrified.
I slowly got to my feet, my hair falling over my face, framing the jaundice colored eyes. I turned to Malfoy.
He stopped laughing.
"What's with the eyes, Freak?" he demanded.
"Leave me and my friends alone," I growled sounding like the wolf more.
"And what are you going to do about it?" Malfoy taunted challengingly.
"Please be careful," I heard Hermione whispered terrified.
"Just giving you a friendly warning," I snarled as a grin formed. I could already feel my canines starting to get longer.
I grabbed Malfoy by the throat and picked him up, tossing him a few feet in the air. He crash landed on the Slytherin table.
Crabbe scurried away after Malfoy. I began feeling my anger starting to diminish and my teeth began sliding back into their normal length again.
I turned and sat back down at the table. I checked my eyes. They were their normal honey brown color.
The Hall was in a buzz about what happened. They began whispering amongst themselves.
"Stephanie, that really wasn't a smart thing to do," Harry whispered leaning forward. "People will ask you how come you're so strong? No human could've done that."
I sighed. I realized of course that he was right.
"I could just say I used the Wilmat Charm," I said shrugging.
"That might work," Hermione said slowly.
Hallie turned to me.
"How'd you really do that if you didn't use a charm?" she asked looking from me, to Hermione to Harry.
I paused.
Now, I might have to explain to Hallie that I wasn't human and that I was an Advair. She might freak out and shy away from me, but I wouldn't blame her one bit.
"She eats her veggies," Hermione said thinking quickly.
I guess she could tell by my facial expression.
"Cool," Hallie said, satisfied with the answer and she began piling string beans, broccoli and cabbage onto her plate.
I gave Hermione a relieved look and mouthed "Thank You."
She winked at me before returning to her dinner.
At night, I changed into the wolf and decided to walk around the castle, making sure that no one was out of bounds when they shouldn't be.
I sniffed the air and then picked up two familiar scents...a girl and a boy.
My ears flicked around, listening for any sound.
I realized then that the scent was coming from outside. I carefully made my way out of the castle and onto the grounds. I stayed close to the shadows and slinked down, my eyes picking up every detail of the darkness.
I saw Malfoy and Hallie.
I crouched down behind a bush and watched, my ears flicked forward.
"I told you you'd better make sure I get a decent grade for Professor Binns," Malfoy was snarling at Hallie.
Hallie was sitting on the grass, frantically writing on parchment.
I cocked my head a little.
Then, he kicked her in the stomach. She cried out in pain and was doubled over.
I laid my ears back and pulled back the top lip exposing my teeth.
My eyes were fille with anger.
"Make it seem like I actually wrote it," Malfoy snapped.
Still in pain, Hallie began writing.
She crumpled the parchment up and began writing again.
"You really are a waste of humanity," Malfoy snarled as he kicked her again.
This time, Hallie screamed in pain and ended up having to stop writing.
I couldn't take it anymore. I sprung out from behind the bushes and charged at Malfoy full speed.
"NOT AGAIN!" Malfoy yelled.
I saw him pull out a camera and snap it right in my face. The flash went off momentarily blinding me. I howled and shook my head from side to side, hoping to stop the spots from forming in front of my eyes.
Once I regained my clear eyesight, I lunged for Malfoy again, snarling.
Hallie was frozen on the grass and she wasn't moving.
I growled at Malfoy. A deep, warning growl as I stood in front of Hallie.
My bushy tail swung back and forth menacingly as I growled.
Then, I picked up another scent...the Silver Lining. I raised my head toward the sky. I saw the dark shape of the Silver Lining approaching.
Immediately, I stood protectively over Hallie and watched the Silver Lining warily. The Silver Lining was right on top of Malfoy and just plucked him right from the ground. I could hear him screaming and writhing in the Silver Lining's grasp. Hallie was trembling beneath me.
I dropped to all fours and bared my teeth at the Silver Lining.
I swung my tail back and forth.
The Silver Lining snarled back at me before it turned, still carrying Malfoy and disappeared into the darkened sky...Malfoy's cried faint now.
I felt a hand on my rear leg. I turned my head around. Hallie to my surprise, showed no fear toward me. She was stroking the soft fur on my leg. I studied her for a moment before I turned around and put my nose to her face.
She reached up and scratched an ear. I closed my eyes blissfully and panted.
"Silly wolf," she giggled.
When she was done, I stood upright again and waited for her to head back into the castle before I turned around, looking in the direction that the Silver Lining had taken flight, carrying Malfoy's body.
The next morning, I awoke in human form in the girls' dorm. I smiled, remembering how unafraid Hallie had been of me.
I quickly spied Hermione and told her what happened.
"Oh my God," she breathed, her dark brown eyes were wide. "The Silver Lining just plucked Malfoy right off the ground?"
I nodded.
She and I began getting dressed and we pulled on our robes and headed down to the Great Hall.
Harry and Hallie were already sitting at the table eating.
Hallie looked up and beamed as we entered the Great Hall.
"Morning," I said cheerfully.
"Morning," Harry said smiling at me.
Hermione smiled at Harry too, but Harry's eyes were locked on mine.
"Hi Stephanie!" Hallie said happily.
"Why are you so happy?" Harry asked grinning. "Did you eat too much sugar last night?"
Hallie grinned and giggled.
"No," Hallie said her eyes twinkling. "I met a wolf last night...a pretty wolf too. She protected me from this mean one."
Immediately, Harry's eyes moved onto me. I nodded slowly.
"What did the mean one look like?" Hermione asked.
"It was gray...no, silver," Hallie said nodding. "And it had wings."
"It picked Malfoy right off the ground," I said seriously. "I was watching it from the Gryffindor window in the girls' dorm."
"Geeze," Harry said looking pale.
"But what I want to know," I said turning to Hallie. "Is why you and Malfoy were outside on the grounds after curfew?"
Hallie looked at her plate. I saw tears forming in her eyes.
"He was threatening me after you tossed him like a ragdoll. He was forcing me to do his homework for yesterday because you tossed him. He told me that if I didn't do it, he would hurt you or Harry or Hermione,"
"Prick," Harry hissed angrily slamming his fist down on the table, causing the silverware to rattle.
"Unfortunately, I don't think you have to worry about that anymore," Hermione said grimly.
I put an arm around Hallie.
"Either way," I said to her firmly. "He would've never hurt any of us because we would've went and told Professor Dumbledore. He would've gotten into deep shit."
Hallie grinned at this and wiped away a tear that slid down her cheek.
She began happily eating her breakfast now.
Hermione looked at Harry and I with a serious expression before she too, began eating.
During the day, everyone was talking about how Malfoy was missing, mainly the Slytherin students.
Some were talking about how the 'monster' got him and ate him, while others were suggesting a more reasonable explanation, even though the first scenario was practically right. They said maybe Malfoy drowned in the lake and the lake should be combed for his body.
Some were really irrational stating that Malfoy was the 'monster' himself and decided to fly away with several students as snacks, even though no more students were missing except Malfoy himself.
Even the teachers were a bit edgy. Professor Snape snapped at me for not adding the right ingredients to the Logrum Potion we were working on and deducted ten points from Gryffindor, even though Crabbe's potion was just as wrong as mine was.
Needless to say, Professor Snape didn't deduct ten points from Slytherin or any points.
I rolled my eyes irritably as we left the dungeon.
"The only way he'd care about someone other than the Slytherins is if something bit him on the ass," I muttered as we began heading for History of Magic.
"Meaning he'd care about himself," Hermione said.
I nodded.
"Don't pay attention to him," Harry muttered darkly. "He's just miffed because his prize student is missing."
"And probably dead," I added grimly.
Hermione and Harry fell silent.
We entered the History of Magic classroom, only to find Hallie sitting there.
"Hey," Harry said affectionately. "What are you doing here? This is 6th year lessons."
"I asked Professor Dumbledore if I could sit with you. It's just temporary," Hallie replied.
We took our seats and Professor Binns began the lesson.
After the lesson, we headed to Care of Magical Creatures. Hagrid was standing by a paddock.
Harry opened his mouth, but I beat him to it.
"I know...you're terrified of the Blast Ended Skrewts," I said grinning.
He blushed.
"Blast Ended Skrewts?" Hallie asked looking confused.
"We'll tell you later," Hermione whispered to her.
Hallie beamed.
As we approached the paddock, something threw its head over the top railing. Hallie jumped a mile from being started and clung to Hermione.
It was a Larybinx. It was a combination of a horse, wolf and eagle.
It had the body of a horse, wings like an eagle and dark black fur like a wolf. The eyes were a haunting blue color. They were friendly, but also talked like a Mekol. Already the Gryffindors were talking with the Larybinx's.
"Hello," the nearest Larybinx said cheerfully. It was the one that put her head over the top railing.
"Hi," I said as Hermione, Harry, Hallie and I approached the paddock.
"You're pretty," Hallie said as awe set in.
"Thank you," the Larybinx said as she lowered her head and gently nipped at Hallie's robe.
Hallie giggled.
We began stroking the Larybinx's forehead. The wings were folded gracefully against its body. Sort of like a Pegasus.
"I'm sensing that you three are troubled," the Larybinx said as her haunting blue eyes never left me, Harry or Hermione.
"Yeah," Harry said rubbing the graceful neck. "There's something attacking students here."
"A Silver Lining I guess?" the Larybinx asked as she shifted her weight and rested one of her hind hooves on its toe. The mane and tail blew in the wind.
"Yeah," Hermione said startled. "How'd you guess?"
"Because one of your friends is resting on top of the castle," the Larybinx replied.
We looked up. A dark shape was impaled on one of the swords.
"Can you take me up there?" I asked.
"Sure," the Larybinx replied.
We told Hagrid that we needed to borrow one of the Larybinx's and I mounted it. I grabbed a handful of mane as the Larybinx unfurled her wings and extended them. It reared up and then began flapping her wings. We took flight.
The wind blew my hair back as we soared up to the roof. All that was heard was the gentle flapping and rustling of the wings' feathers.
As we approached the statue holding the sword, I caught site of the Slytherin robes. I felt my stomach flip.
"Are you okay, Miss?" the Larybinx asked flicking an ear back.
"Yeah," I said swallowing.
As we approached, I saw that it was Malfoy. The tip of the sword impaled him right in the chest.
The Larybinx made a small circle and we began descending.
Once we landed and I dismounted, I gave the Larybinx an extra pat and stroke of her neck before turning to Hermione and Harry.
"It's Malfoy," I said gravely.
All the color drained from their faces.
"We really have to figure out who the Silver Lining is now and put an end to it," I said firmly.
They nodded solemnly.
