Title: Harry Potter and the Staff of Merlin
Author: Legolas-gurl88
Disclaimer: J.K. Rowling owns it all.
Author Note: Please, no flames. Also, I made changes to chapter 1 for Harry's grades and a slight change in chapter 23 where I changed the name of Voldemort's snake from Sequina to Ophidia. Thanks, Ophidia-black for giving me the thumbs up on using the name! Also, I put some new notes up before chapter 1 starts. Please take the time to read them and no Legolas-gurl88-bashing afterwards, please! Right… I used 'please' twice in the same sentence! I must be tired!
Story time!
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26. The Late Madam Puddifoot
February 14th loomed closer and closer physically, as well as mentally, for Harry. He felt guilty at the fact that he wasn't looking forward to his date with Cho. She certainly had, the way she sounded so keen when asking him. But he felt that every time he and Cho gave another date a go, something always went wrong- why, Harry felt, would this date be any different?
Every day, Harry badgered Hermione about the coin. Soon, she lost her temper with him and he had to duck as she threw one of her books his way, hitting Neville in the back of the head, making him swallow his Droobles Best Blowing Gum. He began inflating and Harry and Ron had to float him to the Hospital Wing to be punctured, only to return finding Hermione pour over the coin, her hand on her forehead, quill in her hand scribbling furiously.
In the end, Harry decided to try and ask her if she needed help, but he didn't know exactly what he could do for her.
February 12th, Harry had a run in with Peeves, who was beginning to get over his shock a bit more and kicked Harry's nose, breaking his glasses at the bridge. Grumbling curse words, Harry repaired his glasses and rounded a corner to find himself face-to-face with Cho. They merely grinned at each other and walked in separate directions.
February 13th, Harry walked into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom after dinner, having forgotten his book there the previous day and saw Professor Frost at the desk they shared, dipping her quill into an ink well.
"Hi, Harry!" Frost said enthusiastically, looking up when she heard Harry enter.
"Erm… hi." Harry muttered back. "Was your dad's wand ever found?"
"Wha-" Frost asked, looking confused, but then her face brightened. "Oh! Yeah, we found it about a week ago. Nasty little gnome was using it to prop up some leaves as a shelter. Antonio brought it back to Dad."
"Great." said Harry, forcing a grin.
"Is something wrong, Harry?" Frost asked, frowning.
"No. Nothing's wrong. Just- never mind."
"No, what is it?" Frost said, putting her quill down on her parchment.
"I just- just left my book here yesterday."
"Oh, you mean this book?" Frost said, holding up Druid to English Translation Book for the Confused Wizard.
Harry felt as though he'd been hit in the head by Grawps' club.
"Where did you get that?" he asked, racing to the desk and snatching it out of Frosts' hands.
"Is that not the book?" she said.
"No- well… yes. This is my friends' book, but she had it with her when she left yesterday."
"I just found it on the desk. I've been reading it- and her notes. Where are these from?"
Frost held up Hermione's quick scribbles.
"Nothing." said Harry, taking the notes as well. He walked closer to her, opening the drawers on the desk as she watched. When he found his own book, he left without so much as a goodbye, racing to the Gryffindor Common Room to give Hermione's book back to her.
Soon, February 14th came and Harry woke up to Ron shaking him.
"Time to go, mate," Ron said as though Harry were going to the executioners' rather than to Hogsmede.
Harry entered the Great Hall with Ron a quarter of an hour later, looking around and spotting Cho among the mass of Ravenclaw students. She made eye contact and waved enthusiastically at Harry, who returned the wave apprehensively.
Harry sat in between Ron and Hermione, who was reading the Daily Prophet. Before he'd even eaten one bite of his porridge, Hermione turned the page of the newspaper and choked on her Pumpkin Juice, while spilling her goblet.
"What?"
"It- it-" sputtered Hermione, mopping up Pumpkin Juice from her lap. She shoved the Prophet under Harry's nose and he took it, reading the headline.
Ex-Daily Prophet Reporter Reported Conjuring Illegal Magic
Until 1903, being an Unregistered Animagus was legal. But when unfortunate Ugtra Pullsov, who could turn into a duck at will, was killed by Muggle hunters during duck season, the Ministry of Magic made it a law that to be an Animagus, the witch or wizard must be registered first.
However, despite the various laws, a letter was sent to the Ministry of Magic giving information about an unregistered Animagus in the midst. The letter was simply signed 'A Hogwarts Student'.
Rita Skeeter, forty-five, was accused of being this unregistered Animagus. Last Friday, several Ministry Committee members arrived at Skeeters' house around six o'clock. As soon as she answered the door, they began asking her questions. She turned herself into a beetle and flew off. Having no means of flying, the Committee wasn't able to follow her.
If you see a beetle with white spots around its eyes, please alert the Ministry of Magic, for the crime of being an unregistered Animagus can earn one up to seven years in Azkaban and running from the Ministry may add another three years.
"I don't believe it!" Ron said, who had been reading the story from over Harry's shoulder. "That cow! She just… ran?"
"And she knows it was me." Hermione said, biting her lip. "Even if it just says 'A Hogwarts Student' she'll know it was me. I'm the only one who knew."
Harry said nothing. He didn't know the price for that particular crime was seven years. If his father or Sirius had been caught… Harry didn't even want to think about it. Instead, he turned to his breakfast and finished it as best as he could, his date with Cho now taking up his mind.
After the remains of breakfast vanished from the tables in what seemed like no time to Harry, he stood up and walked to Cho, who was walking in his direction with another friend.
"Hello, Harry." Cho said, blushing madly and Harry wondered what all the fuss was about. He waited patiently as Cho said goodbye to her friend, who walked off.
"We'll see you, Harry." whispered Hermione, pushing Ron out the door.
"You- erm- look nice." said Harry to Cho, who beamed and waved her shiny black hair behind her proudly. She walked closer to him and took his hand in hers. Harry did not protest, but it made him feel uncomfortable to hear the sniggers of the Slytherins behind him. Cho and Harry walked on like this, past the Whomping Willow, past Hagrid's hut and the Quidditch Stadium and out of the gates.
Before Harry knew it, they were walking along the cobblestone pathways of Hogsmede, hand in hand, going into various stores, looking at the owls in the post office, laughing at pranks in Zonko's and admiring a quill in a window that wrote your essays for you.
Once, Harry saw Ron and Hermione walking in the opposite direction, bags in their hands. Harry nodded to them, but Cho looked coldly at Hermione and nodded stiffly to Ron.
"Erm-" said Harry, attempting to strike up a conversation. "So, I've never really asked…"
"Yes?" Cho persisted, looking hopeful.
"Er- what's your favorite class?"
"Oh," said Cho, looking down, but then back up to Harry, smiling again. "I'm really good at Charms- I got an O in my O.W.L.s and Professor Flitwick recommended me to the Accidental Magic Committee, because I'm good at fixing things with magic and I'll need a job once I'm out of Hogwarts- I'm in my Seventh Year, remember?"
Harry's brain froze. No, he hadn't remembered. He had never really considered what Hogwarts would be like without Cho. The dread he'd been feeling as this date had grown closer melted and was replaced with a slight worry that he didn't know he felt anymore.
What if Cho met someone else?
Cho seemed to be thinking along the same lines and gave his hand a slight squeeze.
"Don't worry- I'll still write you. And you'll have Hermione Granger as company."
Harry was jolted back to his senses.
"Do you know that I don't like Hermione- as in romantically- right? She's just my friend." he blurted. Cho looked at their moving feet.
"I suppose." she said awkwardly. "Still- you know. I like you and I suppose I feel jealous when you spend more time with her and all."
Harry stopped himself from saying 'that was obvious, wasn't it?' just in time. Instead, he checked his watch and received another shock. It was already past noon.
"We should stop some place for lunch." he said. Cho leaned over and checked his watch as she wasn't wearing one herself.
"Where do you want to go?" Harry asked Cho. She looked around the surrounding shops thoughtfully. Harry knew that she had come to an answer but was wondering if he, Harry, would agree to it.
"Madam Puddifoot's?" asked Cho.
"Erm- al-alright." said Harry. He would have rather preferred some place like the Three Broomsticks, but decided against mentioning it in hopes that he and Cho would finally have a peaceful date. They walked for a while and soon Madam Puddifoot's Tea Shop was in view.
"Shall we go in, then?" Cho asked and Harry nodded. He pushed the door open for her and the familiar tinkle of the bells on the door went off. After she walked by, Harry began to walk in himself. Then all of a sudden, he stopped in the threshold, gawking at what he was seeing at the other side of the shop.
Snape. Snape and Frost.
They were sitting in the corner, heads low, murmuring to each other. Snape was frowning and shaking his head.
"Harry?" Cho's voice said, "Why are you standing there? I've found us a table, come on."
It wasn't until she took his arm that Harry realized that she was talking to him.
"What?"
"I've found us a table." she repeated patiently. "Come on."
They weaved their way around kissing couples until Cho led him to a table in the middle of the room. Sitting down to face Snape and Frost, Harry watched them apprehensively, straining his ears to see if he could hear what they were muttering about. Unfortunately, the couple at the table next to his and Cho's were extremely loud kissers that he couldn't hear a thing.
"So," Cho started and Harry directed his attention back to her, "what are you planning to do after Hogwarts?"
"Er- I don't know." said Harry, trying to get his mind back on the date, "I was thinking of becoming an Auror."
"Well, I think you'd be a very good one. You're really good at the Dark Arts."
Despite his nervousness, Harry's heart lifted a bit.
"Thanks." he said. "What about you?"
"Oh, I've been thinking of a career in Quidditch. Though my parents would rather I go through with the Accidental Committee, nothing can replace Quidditch. I already wrote a letter to the Captain of the Tutshill Tornados, asking if there might be a spot open in the next year. I'd heard rumors that Roderick Plumpton was going to resign."
"Cool," said Harry. "You'll have to send me tickets to your games."
Cho blushed, looking pleased with herself.
A witch came by and took their orders. Harry and Cho both ordered a coffee and a tray of biscuits to share. Within a few seconds, the witch had returned with their orders. Harry and Cho were quiet for a bit, sipping absent-mindedly at their steaming mugs.
Harry brought up a conversation about Rita Skeeter's escape and they talked about that for a bit, but went back to staring into the abyss quietly. Harry redirected his attention to Snape and Frost to see that Frost was holding up what looked like pictures and scrolls. Harry wondered what they were doing. It was extremely odd to see Snape, with his billowing black robes in a tea shop decorated with red and pink. But Harry had to remind himself that he, too, was sitting among these ridiculous adornment.
"Harry," Cho said suddenly and Harry jerked his attention back to her. "I feel a little stupid asking you this, but…"
"What?" Harry asked.
"Well… I've been wondering for a while and… well…"
She bought herself some time by drinking more of her coffee, but when the mug ran out, she no longer had an excuse to prolong her question.
"Do you… well… like me? I mean, in the way I thought you liked Hermione?"
"Romantically?" Harry helped, feeling a little stunned at the question.
"Yeah." Cho said, blushing furiously and looking down at a biscuit in her hand.
"Cho-" Harry began, but something caught his attention behind Cho's back. Snape shook his head again at Frost, stood up and began walking to the door. Frost stood up too, her eyes blazing. She let out an yell that brought her the attention of several people in the vicinity and pulled out her wand, pointing it at Snape's back as he proceeded to the door.
"Watch out, Snape!" Harry yelled and before he knew it, he was running in Snape's direction.
"Crucio!" yelled Frost and Harry knew he didn't have much time to reach Snape, so he took a jump over another couple and hit Snape full force and the two of them went toppling into another couple, who screamed.
"Potter-" Snape hissed angrily, but Harry was watching as Frost's curse hit the tuneful bells at the door and caused them to explode. The rest of the couples watching all screamed as pieces of the bell went flying everywhere and everyone ducked under their tables, a few of the girls sobbing in the arms of their dates.
"If you won't be with me," Frost thundered, "then you won't be with them!"
She shot several spells, one hitting a waitress in the back and she fell to the ground. Another hit a boy straight in the face and he fell over, landing on his girlfriend who he was shielding. She screamed and jumped up, causing the table to fall over, bashing into another. Glasses, mugs, plates and wall decorations were exploding around the shop and everyone was screaming, trying to reach the door.
Harry and Snape watched in horror from the floor, neither unable to get up from the shock of what was happening in front of their eyes.
Frost pointed her wand at the doorknob and said a spell that melted it completely.
Madam Puddifoot tottered out from the back of the teashop and gasped at the scene before her.
"I say!" she said, "What in the world is-" but didn't finish her sentence as Frost pointed her wand at the aged witch.
"Avada Kedavra!" Frost yelled and the old woman fell to the ground in a blaze of green light.
Harry yelled as the green light blocked his vision- the same sort of green light that had taken his parents from him. As the light receded, Harry could see that Frost was smirking wickedly.
"You will regret your decision, Snape." she said. "I will kill everyone in here unless you come with me- to my side."
"Philberta," Snape said, his usual sneering voice returning, he and Harry still crouched on the floor and Harry turned to his enemy who's sanity he'd just saved, "Killing these innocent people will do nothing to sway my decision to no join you, so I ask you not to hurt anyone in here."
For the first time in six years, Harry saw fear in the Potions-master's coal-black eyes.
"So be your decision." Frost said cruelly. She pointed her wand into a corner, right at someone who was sitting stupidly at a chair. Harry felt as though his heart had stopped when he realized that she was pointing her wand at Cho.
"Cho!" Harry yelled. "Get down!"
"Crucio!" Frost screamed and a jet of light flew at Cho, hitting her in the chest and she fell from the chair, screaming in agony. Sweat began forming on her brow as Harry watched in horror.
"NO!" Harry yelled. He began to stand up, but Snape grabbed his sleeve.
"Stay down, Potter, if you care for your life at all."
Harry watched Snape for a moment, then shook his head in disbelief.
"You started this. I'm going to finish it." Harry said quietly. He stood up fully.
"Potter!" Snape hissed at him. "Get back here!"
Harry heard none of this. All he could hear was his heartbeat in his ears, Cho's screaming and his own footsteps, running in Cho's direction.
Frost's head jerked from watching Cho with a satisfied grin, to seeing Harry running in Cho's direction. Harry was five feet away from Cho when a forceful wind blew at him, pushing him away from her. His feet left the ground and he did several summersaults as he flew through the air and hit the wall, causing a shelf of fragile teacups to topple to the ground along with himself. The people closest to him screamed.
Hitting the floor, Harry let out a painful grunt, but then looked up as Frost walked toward him, her wand still pointing at Cho.
"Well, if it isn't my colleague!" she said, repeating the words she'd said to him that night when her brother Antonio was in the fire. Panting heavily, Harry stood up, feeling that his left arm was bruised.
"Let her go, Frost!" he yelled, though they were only three feet away from each other.
Frost smirked.
"And what if I don't want to?" With that, she began walking towards the crumpled form of Cho.
"Are you mad?" Harry asked her. Though he couldn't see her face, since her back was turned to him, he knew she was smiling to herself. The entire place was quiet except for Cho's screams.
"Maybe I am. But then again, so were your parents. But they were also fools. I may not have known them, but I do know that they made many wrong decisions, which is why they ended up dead and you a lowly orphan dragged up by Muggles."
This insult was too much for Harry. He pulled his wand out of his pocket.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted and a scarlet jet of light shot from his wand and raced towards Frost, getting closer and closer- and then bounced off her. Harry barely registered what happened when the spell rebounded and raced towards him and sent him into the wall again, this time hitting a second shelf of teacups and a teapot.
The jagged edges of the teacups cut Harry's arms, face and back, but as soon as he landed on the floor, he jumped to his feet and sent another disarming spell at her. Again, it bounced off, but Harry ducked when it was sent back his way, hitting a frame on the wall (whose occupants screamed and ran from the frame) to come crashing down on a table that shielded five people. They, too, screamed and Frost laughed.
Cho started to jerk and scream louder. Finally, Frost lifted the spell and Cho's screams stopped. Harry tried the stunning spell on Frost, but it, too, merely bounced off and was sent at Harry, who ducked again.
"Crucio!" Frost yelled, hitting Harry's head full on with the spell and he crumpled to the ground, screaming, his hands clenching shut and tears running down his face.
He wanted to die… to die right there, on the floor. He wanted it to end, to feel no more pain… the pain Frost brought on him… the very pain that Voldemort had used on him two years earlier…
The pain lifted and Harry lay on the floor, shaking. Cho could be heard, sobbing in the corner.
"That aught to teach you." said Frost. He could hear her footsteps drawing closer to him as he lay, panting on the floor. Every footstep rang in his ears. She kicked Harry's wand out of his hand and it went skidding across the wooden floor, then knelt down beside him and whispered in his ear.
"Stay down, if you know what's good for you."
She stood back up and shouted in Snape's direction.
"You see what you've caused, Snape? Just by not joining me?"
Harry opened his eyes to see that several people under the tables closest to him were staring at him in horror. He stood up shakily and leaned against the wall to clear his head of the dizziness that took place.
Frost was facing Snape, who was standing, his wand held in front of him.
"Don't try anything on me, Snape." whispered Frost dangerously. "As Potter has already found out, I have a Body Shield Charm that blocks any and all curses."
Harry gathered his remaining strength and courage and ran at Frost, who turned around as Harry jumped and sailed through the air at her.
"What the-" she said, but could not finish her sentence as Harry knocked her over just as he had done with Snape earlier on. The two of them wrestled on the ground for several minutes, Harry making sure that his hand held tightly onto her wand arm, directing her wand tip away from himself.
She shouted curses at him- both magic and non-magic. Harry could feel his strength ebbing away. He looked up to see Snape rushing to several couples who were lying on the floor from injuries. Frost took this moment to jerk her hand out of his grasp and pointed her wand at his neck. She uttered an unfamiliar curse at him.
Suddenly, Harry felt as though his lungs had collapsed and his throat blocked off all air from reaching his lungs in order to refill them. He let Frost go and staggered back, trying as hard as he could to draw a breath- even a tiny breath. But he couldn't.
His head spun and he felt dizzy and nauseous. This, however, did not stop him from hearing Frost shout one last thing at Snape.
"If you survive today, you will join me in the end, whether by will or by force- you will join me!"
She pointed her wand at the ceiling and screamed a spell at the top of her lungs no one could understand what she was saying. Then, she Dissaparated.
Harry wondered what the last spell was, but when he heard the walls creaking and rocking back and forth, he knew that she had used one that would cause the entire shop to fall to the ground. Everyone in the shop realized this at once and began screaming, running for the door, pounding at the windows, trying to get anyone's attention from the outside, but no one could hear them. Girls sobbed, boys yelled for help, but Harry knew long before that it was pointless. They were all going to die- including him, Cho and Snape.
His breath still caught in his chest, Harry rushed to Cho as fast as he could and fell to his knees at her side. He could feel his consciousness fading as his eyesight grew dark. Finally, the walls began to break. The wood splintered. The remaining portraits screamed and ran from their frames. The couples hugged and cried and pleaded for help that wasn't coming.
The ceiling broke in parts and crushed several people below. The walls began rocking over and Harry flung himself over Cho's head, protecting her in the only way he could think of. His last thought before the wall hit him and Cho and he lost conciousness-maybe more- was why all these innocent people had to die- die right here, in this innocent teashop, whose owner lay dead only a few feet away.
-L-
Oooooooooh! Major cliffie! Not too mellow-dramatic, I hope. I think it is, a bit. And sort of different from the rest of the chapters, but when I'm a bit depressed, my writing is depressing. Sorry about that! I was really excited for this chapter, you know! And now it's finally up!
Today, February 8th, is a very special day for me, which is why I chose to wait for today to post. Today, a year ago, I started writing on I can hardly believe it's been a whole year! My first story was 'The Old, the New and the Unexpected' for 'Pirates of the Caribbean.' While the plot was okay, my writing stunk, which makes me proud that it's improved so much!
What did you Americans think of the Super Bowl? I was rooting for the Eagles since my Dad's family comes from Philadelphia. I was sad when they lost.
Congrats to J.K. Rowling! She is now a mother to not only Jessica Rowling and David Rowling-Murray, but Mackenzie Jean Rowling-Murray! Hooray for J.K. Rowling!
I'm not sure when the next chapter will be up.
Review time!
Kiara32- Yeah. I was planning on them to win, but the story just rolled this way. Very observant! Excalibur! Congrats on making it to 200 reviews! I'm nearing 700, and I can hardly believe it!
Ellen- I'm glad your better! Didn't see you at the basketball game……….. Erm………. Nothing else to say! SORRY!
Wwwendy- Thanks! Sorry about that! A lot of people have been giving me a hard time about that, but it was honestly an accident, so I'm changing it now. You can go back to check what the actual grades that I meant for him to have are. Thanks! The reason he was teaching 6th year was to keep up with his own grades. If he was teaching 1st or 2nd year, he'd have to drop a class every day except for one.
Fornax- Did I say Neville's parents were dead? Where? However, Mr. Weasley is dead and Frost is cool, but evil!
Bahzad- Well, if you see an English to Druid Dictionary, let me know! Thanks!
Michael A.C.- Sorry about the grammatical errors! I suppose it happens to everyone, right?
Bujiana- Wow! Thanks! It took a long time to develop the writing skills… a VERY long time!
Kensai1- It hates me too, but it won't let me do search for some authors! EVIL! LOL! By the way, the grades I put weren't correct. I apologize for that, and I have fixed it. He actually does have an O.
MCross- Thanks!
I Am In Sirius Denial- Actually, most of my chapters, with the exception of a few, are all ten pages or over. Those that aren't (I think there are three) are 9 ½ pages long. Thanks!
wolf awaken- Harry's just forgetful! Sorry. Meant 6th years.
Necroblade- Thanks!
Trinityelf- We won! Hooooooray. Evil guy-who-bugs-us-and-follows-us-everywhere-and-constantly-looks-at-you-and-annoys-both-of-us! I think you know who I'm talking about :wink:.
Ophidia-black- Check out the very end of chapter 23. I changed the snakes' name to Ophidia, just for you! I'll have to check it out… your story, I mean. I think I've read a few chapters and left a few reviews, but I've been so busy, I barely have time to post this!
Forrest- Yeah… sorry.
Silenttiger43- Did you like this one? My flute is still getting it's gold plating on! I MISS IT SO MUCH!
JeanieBeanie- Was this more tragic than Cho kissing him? Sorry, but I am pairing them together.
TankerMDK- Eh… whatever floats your boat, I suppose… :stomps ground:
Madde- I'm certainly not anti-Harry Potter. I find it insulting that you call me so. If you don't like my story, read the 'Author Note on Criticism' at the beginning of Chapter One and mull it over.
Larna Mandrea- Thanks! I honestly like Cho. She might not be the nicest person, but her character is so fun to write! Thanks a bunch for the review!
Mistopurr- Sorry I haven't replied any e-mails lately. My computer is being a F.R.E.D. and hasn't let me on e-mail for four days! Thanks for the review! Hopefully, I'll talk to you later… not later… SOON!
Mei1105- Poor Gryffindor!
Thanks, guys, for the reviews.
Next Chapter- Stuff happens… just kidding! Actually, so much stuff happens that I can't put it all in… Hints! Sarff is acting odd… Harry asks about Cho (you guys didn't think I'd actually KILL him, did you?) when he wakes up in the hospital wing. He gets a strange letter. D.A.D.A. is cancelled for obvious reasons. Hermione delves farther into the notes from the coin.