CHAPTER 8

Harry woke the next morning a bit tired, but very satisfied. They'd come back about two hours before dawn, leaving from the Shrieking Shack. His good feeling vanished, however, at breakfast when his scar began to burn. Harry couldn't tell if it was a good burn, or a bad burn; or if it was for or against Voldemort's plans. A lucky glance at the Headtable allowed Harry to see Snape grab his forearm and quickly talk to Dumbledore. Harry switched his eardrums to a werewolf's and listened in. "Somehow he has changed the Mark so that he may find us" Snape was saying, "I fear he may be able to tell that I am reporting to you right now."

"Very well Severus, please be careful," Dumbledore replied, "I do not want to loose-" An explosion at the front doors froze him in mid-sentence. "First to fifth years return to your dormitories immediately! Sixth, seventh, Prefects and Head Boy and Girl follow after." Dumbledore rumbled, his voice carrying over all the others. The explosion sounded at the door again and the students quickly got to work. All the professors had their wands out and were clearing the tables, then putting them against each other, forming a makeshift barrier against the doors. The younger students had finally exited the hall and fifty sixth and seventh years had as well, when the doors burst open, breaking the tables. Voldemort, thirty Death Eaters and eight dementors were standing in the doorway.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Ginny, along with Cho, Malfoy, Susan, Blaise and Luna were still in the entrance hall as it happened. Instinctively they paired up: Harry & Malfoy; Hermione & Blaise; Neville & Luna; Ron and Susan; and Ginny & Cho. The Death Eaters said nothing, only began to attack. His cover blown, Snape began to duel with one of them. Each professor faced off with a Death Eater, Dumbledore approached Voldemort, and the students attacked the dementors.

"Concentrate on a happy memory," Harry told Malfoy breathlessly, "Then say—expecto patronum!" His stag shot out and charged at two dementors.

Malfoy fired off a stunner at one of the nearby Death Eaters, then did as Harry said. To their surprise, a silvery hyppogriff emerged. "Nice one," Harry said.

"Save your breath for the battle Potter," Malfoy growled with a smirk.

"Harry!" someone shouted.

He turned and saw a dementor gliding towards Cho. Still struggling with his own attackers, he watched in horror as it got closer. Then, a dragon patronous tackled it; Alex followed right behind as she rushed out from the hallway.

She helped Cho up and Harry looked at how the others were doing. Hermione and Blaise were keeping a dementor in check, Ron and Susan were guarding them. Neville was squaring off with a mask-less Bellatrix, his face stony was he held his own. Ginny and Luna had another pair of dementors cornered, and Alex was keeping the last four dementors away from the professors.

Suddenly, the Death Eaters pulled back, forming a ring around Voldemort. The green shield Voldemort had used after attacking Alex shout up; protecting the intruders.

A Death Eater brought an unconcious Snape to Voldemort. "Here is the traitor," MacNair announced as three other Death Eaters dragged a furious, hand-tied and gagged Splikvin to watch.

"Excellent," Voldemort hissed and grabbed the Order spy by the neck. "Enervate." Snape's eyes opened to find a pair of red ones staring evilly at him. "Well, well, well. It seems Severus has decided to betray me."

"Yes," the potions master snarled.

Voldemort laughed, "Crucio!" Snape refused to let a sound escape his lips, but couldn't help writhing with pain in the Dark Lord's grip. The forty students and professors watched in horror, knowing that they could do nothing.

After five long minutes, Selena got the cloth in her mouth out. Still fighting the hold of the Death Eaters, she turned her wrath on Voldemort. "TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE, YOU UGLY SLUG!" she yelled, "GET YOUR FILTHY HALF-BLOOD HANDS OFF MY BROTHER!" The Death Eaters and Voldemort released their grips in shock.

Splikvin took that moment to kick two of her captors in the groin, and the third in the head with a seemingly-impossible high kick. In a rage, Selena began to knock down the other Death Eaters who got in her way. Pulling her still-bound hands over her head, she undid her belt and slipped it from around her waist. Splikvin whipped it across the faces of the Death Eaters; their masks did little to protect them.

The shield around the dark wizards vanished and the other professors and students began to fight once more; even Sprout looked formidable.

Finally, Selena reached Voldemort. "Wait here," Harry told Malfoy, then slipped in and grabbed Snape, dragging the barely-breathing professor out of the fray. He crouched behind Malfoy, checked Snape's pulse, and re-cast his patronous, keeping an eye on Splikvin.

"Come on Tom," she hissed in Parsletongue, "let's see who's the real heir of Slytherin!"

"Gladly!" he hissed back. Voldemort shot curses but Splikvin quickly developed a green, bubble-like shield around herself that Harry recogonized as more Parsloz magic. Harry watched as she roared and her body began to change into that of a snake's.

About six feet from nose to tail, the snake sprouted two legs and two arms, both equipped with wickedly sharp claws. The head began to shift next; it shrunk to human size, and slowly shifted into human shape too. A scaled face with Splikvin's black eyes grinned menacingly at Voldemort as two, three-inch fangs slid out from her upper jaw.

With a hiss, she lunged at Voldemort, his curses bouncing off her shield. Harry stunned Lucius as he tried to stab her with a knife. Selena punched Voldemort in the jaw, then pounced, shoving him to the ground. Death Eaters began to flee from the attacking professors and students and the dementors followed, fleeing from the onslaught of patroni. (patronouses)

Splikvin continued to pummle the Dark Lord until he shrieked a fireball spell. The curse shattered her shield and launched Selena off him and he ran, bleeding profuesly from his wounds. The dark wizards fled from Hogwarts and dissapeared, leaving a hall of tired wizards and witches.

Lupin ran over to the kneeling figure of Splikvin, and put on hand on her scaled shoulder. She looked up at him, tongue flickering out with a concerned hiss. "Harry?" he asked, not sure what she'd said.

"She asked if anyone got hurt," Harry said, checking to make sure Malfoy was alright.

"Ah, thank you. Only Death Eaters," Lupin told her.

With a shudder, Splikvin melted back into human form, much like a snake shedding its skin. "A Parslemouth trick," she explained wearily while she knelt on all fours, having looked at McGonagall's astonished face.

The students who'd stayed were exaughsted; they'd never fended off real dementors or Death Eaters before, but they'd done well. Harry conjured up some chocolate and gave a piece to as many as he could. "So, Professor Snape was the spy?" Malfoy asked quietly.

Harry nodded. "For our side."

Malfoy looked at him, a tiny smile on his face. "Yes, our side."

Harry gave him a similar smile and brought Snape back to conciousness. "You alright Professor?" he asked as Snape struggled to sit up.

"Yes Potter," he replied tartly, "Where is Professor Splikvin?"

"Right here Sev," she called, and got up with Remus' help.

There was a mix of annoyance and relief in Snape's expression at the nickname. "Please tell me you did not call the Dark Lord a—what I think I heard you say."

She grinned sheepishly, a blush tinting her cheeks. "If you mean an ugly slug and a half-blood, then I won't tell you."

He propped himself up on his elbows, "Since when have you cared about blood?"

She winced. "I still don't, but it was the only thing I could think of to make him stop the curse." Selena held out a hand and pulled her twin up. "Is there a problem?" Splikvin asked dryly, looking at the student gawkers.

"You're his sister?!" Cho exclaimed, then covered her mouth with her hands.

Snape looked annoyed, and Selena let a small sigh escape. "Does it matter?" she growled. The students shook their heads furiously. "I didn't think it would." She looked at Snape. "I garuntee this will spread throughout the school by tonight."

"What makes you think that?" he asked.

"Because Miss Chang is already gone," Selena answered with a smirk. Everyone looked around and, sure enough, Cho had already left the hall; no doubt to spread the word.

"Wonderful," Snape grumbled. Selena looked equally unhappy about it. Remus began to laugh and the other professors smiled. Shaking her head, Splikvin picked her wand up off the floor and began to repair the tables.

Cho is gonna get it, Harry thought with a bit of amusement. He then counted up the heads of his friends and breathed a sigh of relief. Everyone was there.

Lessons were cancelled that day due to the attack. Instead, it was spent catching up on homework, and having Mme. Pomfrey do a check up on all the students and teachers.

Splikvin took the opportunity to give Harry another elemental lesson. He managed to contact the second to last element: the shadow. It sounded much like the shadow sprite had, and so far it was the one Harry felt the most comfortable with.

Upon returning to the castle for lunch, Splikvin was bombarded by a ground of third years asking about her relation to Snape. She snapped at them to go away or risk detentions, they left right away though her behavior only convinced them further. She bid Harry good-bye and headed for the staff room while Harry left for Remus' office.

There were a few Hufflepuffs getting help on their Transfiguration homework, which made it impossible for Harry to talk to Remus so he worked on his potions essay.

A quidditch practice came after lunch, then homework, a talk with Remus then Hagrid, and finally dinner.

Selena and Snape were indeed the topic of many conversations, and by the similar scowls on their faces, they knew it. Harry hid a smile and continued to eat.

Around the end of the meal, Dumbledore stood up. "Now, with only four days until the masquerade, Professor Flitwick has agreed to host mask-making sessions for all of you. There will be a sign-up sheet on your common room notice board, and I encourage all of you to take advantage of it, it will be a very interesting experience. Thank you."

"Great, more lessons," Ron grumbled while the girls chatted excitedly.

Harry laughed, "Can't be as bad as Umbridge's class."

Ron gulped, and nodded his agreement. "I never want to see pink again."

"Who's Umbridge?" Alex asked and Harry told her about their last DADA 'teacher.'

The next two days passed without any major events, and nearly everyone had signed up for a mask-making session with Flitwick. "We're in fifteen minutes," Harry said to his friends when he checked the list the morning before the day of the dance.

"Who's we?" Ginny asked.

"Me, you, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Alex." Harry replied.

"Does it tell you where to meet? And who else will be there?" Hermione asked.

"Flitwick's room, and it doesn't say who else." Harry answered.

"Well, let's go now." Ron said, " It'll take us a little bit to get there."

"I'll get Neville," Harry said while Ginny volunteered to go get Alex. "Hey Neville" Harry called as he entered the boys' dormitory, "Our mask-making session's in ten minutes, do you want to come with us now?"

Neville put his book aside. "Sure." So they went back downstairs and together the six Gryffindors headed for the charms room.

When they arrived, Luna, Cho, Michael, Malfoy, Pansy, and Blaise were also there. "Ah, now we may begin." Flitwick announced from his desk. "You won't be needing your wands, only your fingers. You see, it is not you who will make your masks, but another person—someone who knows you better than others, along with other things." He pointed at the line of instruments against the wall. "See those? They are what will make the masks. Someone of your choice will play whatever instrument calls to them, and when they think of you, they will begin to play a song. Now, in order to push the mask into shape you will also need to add something personally. It could be a song, or a tune, something in the musical area. Now, because of your age, you only have to add something for about a minute or two. Does everyone understand?"

"Yes professor." The chorused.

He smiled. "Now, you are the first group and I want to do something special. I know two people who flat out refused to go to the masquerade, but if I can get them to make their masks, they'll be bound to come. I'm going to ask them to demonstrate, but only if you promise not to tell them of my little plan, agreed?"

"Who're the two people?" Alex asked.

Flitwick gave them a mischevious grin. "Professors Snape and Splikvin." They all burst out laughing, even the Slytherins—it was hard to imagine the two at a masquerade. "Promise not to spoil it?" Flitwick asked. At their nods, the tiny man went over to his fireplace and called the two professors' names; they soon walked into the room via the fire.

"Yes Flitwick?" Splikvin said.

"I was wondering if you could demonstrate mask-making to the students, seeing as how you two are sib—well, since you know each other quite well." Flitwick explained.

The two Slytherin professors looked at each other, then at the carefully silent students. "Do we have to do it for every session?" Splikvin asked.

"No, no; just this one. Unless you'd be willing to do more," he added after they looked suspiciously at him.

"No thank you," Snape answered immediately, "one only." Selena nodded her agreement.

"Thank you Professors," Flitwick said. With slight nods, the two walked past the students—ironically both of them were in black robes—and observed the instruments. Both of them chose pianos. "Same song?" she asked.

Snape nodded, "I don't have the time to think of another." Selena nodded in return, then began to play.

The tune started out dark, deep and 'downright creepy' (as Ron told Harry later) as Selena played. Then, the pace speeded up and it was higher pitched, but just as eerie. Snape jumped in, playing a somewhat deeper part. His was only a bit less creepy, but the pace was the same. The two switched off and on; one played long notes the other played short, then they switched. After a minute, Snape broke off into a new melody; it reminded Harry of someone running quickly, or a chase climbing steadily upward. Selena added her own melody, a deeper version of Snape's, and it climbed downward as Snape faded back to the original melody.

Then the air around their fingers began to shimmer when they repeated the song. Snape's fingers started to glow a dark, cerulean blue; Splikvin's glowed a silvery grey. They drew the song to a close and a flash of light lit up the room. When the light cleared, two masks lay on the pianos, shimmering faintly. "Yours changed," Splikvin commented, picking up the mask on her piano.

Snape raised an eyebrow, "How so?"

She held it up. The mask was grey, with two streaks of black sliding back from the eyeholes. It had a curved, yellow beak and was feathery. "It's a hawk now."

Snape showed Splikvin the mask he picked up, "Same as always, just a different type."

She let out a laugh. It was the same dark cerulean that had illuminated Snape's fingers, but it had a slicker, smoother texture than the other mask. It pointed into a blunt nose and a sharp fin swept back from the top. "What's that?" Pansy asked.

Splikvin smirked, "It's a shark, my last mask was a hammerhead. A very odd mask in my opinion."

The students looked at Flitwick, who nodded, biting his lip to keep in a grin. Right after he acknowledged them, they started to laugh at the unsuspecting professors' fates. Selena raised an eyebrow, "You didn't happen to go overboard on the cheering charms did you?" Flitwick shook his head, grinning openly.

Snape murmured something to Splikvin as they stood up. She frowned in reply and got out her wand, "If that's the case, silencio." they continued to laugh silently. "What's this about Flitwick?" she demanded.

"You have to go to the dance now!" Flitwick squealed with laughter, "There's an even-marker on all of the instruments!"

"WHAT!" the two yelled. Flitwick toppled off his books in a mix of laughter and shock. Now both of them had scowls on their faces and wands out. "Erehoc stupendum." They growled, and the students were stuck on their feet or, in Flitwick's case, on their back. "We'll get you back for this later," Splikvin growled, clearly annoyed, and stalked out of the room, her shark mask in hand. Snape sneered at all of them, and exited via the fireplace.

(A/N: Yes, I do find it amusing to pick on Snape and Splikvin. Now, on with the story!)

After they'd stopped laughing, Flitwick gave them back their voices and they turned to the task of un-sticking themselves. Naturally, Hermione was the first one to do it. "It's an advanced sticking charm," she explained, "As strong as the permanent sticking charm, but it can be removed; highly useful for-"

"Could you just tell us how to get the dang charm off?" Malfoy growled, somewhat politely.

"Oh, alright," she sighed, and pointed her wand at her own feet. "Mudneputs." She said, and was able to move. They soon had their feet free, and Flitwick was able to stand. "Alright, so who wants to get their masks first?" he asked.

"I'll do it," Ginny offered.

"Very good, now you need to choose a person who knows you." Flitwick said.

Ginny observed them all carefully, "Luna." The Ravenclaw girl smiled and walked over to the instruments, picking up a small, oval flute.

"An ocarina," Flitwick told her.

"Like the ones used to call Knarkles," she said, though no one knew what she was talking about. Luna put it to her lips, covered the holes with her fingertips and began to play a cheerful tune that made Harry think of flying. It was quick and catchy, going up the musical scale bit by bit. Luna's fingers began to glow orange and Ginny hummed a snatch of music that went well with what Luna was playing. The mask then appeared. It had flame-colored feathers, and an elegant beak; it was a perfect match of Ginny's phoenix form. Smiling, Ginny pulled it over her head, the mask was like the ones people sometimes wore on Halloween to go trick-or-treating, and it also made her look like a person with a human body and a phoenix head.

"Well done," Flitwick said, "next!" Hermione volunteered and Ron ended up playing the violin. His song was smooth and rippled like a stream. It was steady and sometimes had a few bursts of speed, reminding Harry of the times Hermione got an idea. Hermione herself hummed a few notes, a few high and a few low; the result was creme-colored unicorn mask. Harry kept in a grin as he realized that so far their masks had been one of their animagus forms.

The Slytherin trio went after Hermione. Malfoy's turned out to be a dark green basilisk, that wasn't as menacing as most; Blaise had played the piano to get it to appear. Pansy's mask was a dark purple cobra, she'd chosen Malfoy and he played the trombone. Malfoy also played the clarinet for Blaise, who's mask turned out to be a fox.

Harry was chosen by Neville, and was called to the snare drum in the corner. He began to think of Neville and his hands started to move. A little unnerved at first, Harry quickly drifted off into the beat of the magic although he couldn't tell what the music sounded like, only what it felt like. He played until a mask of a dark red Hungarian Horntail appeared before Neville. "Nice mask Neville," Harry complimented and then Ron picked Harry once more to play for him. This time it was the trumpet, and a blue-black light shimmered around his fingers; a thestral mask popped up, visible of course, and the markings were like the ones Ron had in his animagus form: blue-black skin and a black mane. Luna's mask was made by Neville on the saxophone and she rang a bell for her part of the song; it was an akward mix. A forest sprite mask was created and Luna seemed very happy.

Harry finally decided to go and chose Ron. He ended up picking the guitar for Harry, and then began to play. The song was quick moving, brining the sound and thoughts of swirling winds and sands. It continued to swirl, up and down, up and down. The base melody of the song started low, and took a sharp turn to higher notes. Ron's fingers moved skillfully up and down the strings, plucking them at some points, and strumming them at others. Harry picked up the trumpet again, and added his own bit which, miraculously, he didn't mess up. Ron's fingers shone black and a panther mask appeared. It had silver whiskers and the two canines that were visible were silver as well. The eyeholes were rimmed by black sequence, but the sparkle lit them well. Grinning, Harry slipped it over his head. Surprisingly, he had no trouble breathing or seeing. "How do I look?" he joked and his friends laughed. After taking it back off, Harry watched as Alex and Ginny went up.

Ginny selected the harp and began to elegantly pluck the strings. Harry found himself moving slowly with the music; it sounded like rain and ocean waves hitting gently on the ground as the wind blew softly. Alex was also rocking gently and began to sing to the music. There weren't any words, but Harry found himself entranced all the same. Ginny's fingers glowed pearly blue-white and the mask finally appeared. "You don't get to see until tomorrow night," Alex teased, hiding the mask behind her. The Slytherins chuckled at their dissapointed looks, but Harry couldn't help smiling.

Coming Up:

The Halloween Masquerade

Friends?

Then:

Bad Happenings

Rescue Mission