SLAP
"Snap
out of it boy!" Anna glared as Nick had just looked over his
shoulder for the ump-hundred time.
"Sorry, it's just that I keep feeling like eyes are boring right through the back of my head." He looked around the corridor again, only the normal faces busily walking about their business could be seen, nothing out of the ordinary. Sighing in defeat he gave an evil eye look backwards, for good measure, then went on forcing himself not to look back despite the still constant feeling they were being observed.
Out into the sunlight they walked, the sky was beautiful. A rainbow stretched like a gate of brilliant colors over the lake, and above that were dark billowing clouds of the upcoming storm. Anna smiled, a rainbow before the storm, how interesting.
"Hey Ron!" Nick waved at the passing redhead, who was covered in mud and carrying his broomstick. Ron waved back and kept walking back to the castle.
"Looks like he had a little fall."
"No! Really?" She would have slapped him for good measure, but she smiled instead.
He nudged her a big and pointed off in the direction of the castle. From the gates an enraged gang of Slytherins were marching down in the direction of the two gleeful watchers.
"Alright you mud blood, what did you do?"
"Isn't it obvious by now Draco?" Responded Nick, while trying to stifle the smile that was threatening to spread widely over his face; out came Draco's wand, and some cracking of knuckles from the two thugs behind him.
"I would have thought that you would know how to turn them back to their original colors by now, but apparently not." He said this while pointing to their heads, which if they had been Tonks they might have been proud of the changes their hair had undergone. All of them wore florescent pink hair, which stood out on end. Just as Draco lifted his wand to curse Nick, a voice yelled out, "Encíendere!". Immediately Draco burst into flames, and he was quick to notice this. He began to scream and yelp, then he ran in circles, finally tripping on a rock and falling over the ledge, and into the lake. From where he could be heard cursing whomever it was who'd enflamed him. Both Crabbe and Goyle had just stood stunned, not knowing what to do. But soon were running down to the nearest strip of shore to help their wet leader.
Still laughing, Nick and Anna didn't notice until they turned around that Bethany was standing over them with an eyebrow in the sky. She was sucking on a Dum Dum Pop, a round candy that turns your tongue numb so that when you try to talk, it sounds like your dumb.
"Tho… waths with aw zith?"
Another rain of laughter followed. Who could blame them? To hear someone as intelligent and evil as Bethany sounds so, dumb. But that's what Bethany liked about the Dum Dum Pops; they gave her a weapon against the un-expecting, deception to throw them off her schemes. She glowered at them; they of all people would know why she kept such a serious face. The shiny little pin on her chest made it even clearer. It was one of the few things Anna never could quite understand; her sister was the most evil, and plotting person she knew, and yet she was awarded the position of Prefect.
"We were just having a little fun watching the scenery when Draco and his little punks," more laughter, "came to make trouble. Then someone hit him with a fire ball." Anna looked around, she'd known the voice when she heard it, but no one was to be seen that could have conjured the ball of flames.
"Whath your thaing ith that thomeone came an' burtht Maufoy intho fwames?"
Nick nodded, trying not to laugh openly.
"I won'er who ith wath."
"Your guess is as good as mine. Anna what do you think?"
Anna had been staring at a spot in the dirt only about ten feet behind were Draco had been, there were some foot prints there.
"Huh?"
"Who do you think it might have been?"
"Any one in school basically."
"Bethany!" yelled a running Hermione, " I found it!"
She ran up, and stopped to catch her breath, then lifted the book she had in her hand and began to read.
"There is a theory which states that if ever anybody discovers exactly what the Universe is for and why it is here, it will instantly disappear and be replaced by something even more bizarre and inexplicable. There is another theory which states that this has already happened."
"Yeah, thankth Hermio'e."
"Ugh. Take that thing out of your mouth Bethany, you know the spell only works if it's in your mouth."
With a roll of her eyes, Bethany obliged.
"So there it is."
"Why would that be Medford Reason's most important discovery?"
"To keep the Universe from being replaced, again?"
Anna and Nick were beyond words now, they're red faces and tears streamed as they laughed without restraint.
"Ignore them, they have no other purpose than each other." Snorted Bethany as she and Hermione walked away, talking about the philosophies of Medford Reason.
Nick looked at Anna, and they both wondered who it had been, the one who'd burned Draco. They were too used to Bethany and Hermione's strange discussion topics to give them much mind.
It got dark, and they went in to eat. When the meal was over, and they'd said goodnight, Nick walked slowly to the Gryffindor common room. The dark corridors and light candle glow made the whole place seem rather eerie.
"I wonder what's been nagging at the back of your mind today."
Nick closed his eyes, and turned around to look at what had appeared to be a normal piece of armor that regularly adorned the walls of the corridors.
"So it was you who was watching me all day?"
"Who else? I know what you're hiding."
Shivers ripped up and down Nick's spine.
"What do you want?"
"I only want what's best for those around you. Have you told her yet about the beast, hibernating in your gut?"
"No."
"Well then you should understand why I have to keep two eyes on
you."
"Yes and no. Yes because I know you and your friends never take chances, and no because you know not how well I control it. I am already trying to be rid of it. This… thing wasn't something I asked for!"
"We all have a role to play, and you never ask to be what you are."
"What I'm saying is if I could have avoided ever being burdened with this secret, I would have."
"That was not your choice to make. Besides it's too late. The wheels are in motion, and soon you will need to extract it. Certain things require it be cured."
"Yes, I know."
A chuckle emitted from within the dark mask.
"Good, get used to the feeling. I'll be watching!"
There was a poof of black smoke that burst from the mask and armor joints, and then only silence.
"Annoying jerks." He gave the armor a good kick, and stormed off to the dormitory. "A good and bad day," he thought, "something to remember for sure."
- ♦ - ♦ -
Bethany walked into a seemingly abandoned classroom, walked to the back and waited. Another person came in within five minutes of her arrival, and closed the door behind him.
"It's done."
"Good, that'll settle that matter for a little bit. Keep to your assignment, and I'll do the rest." He nodded his agreement, "Then we can truly test his worthiness…"
"It's all in speculation, and requires time."
"Yes… well the beast within him can be tamed for now. But for my purposes it must be completely cured. I've already made contact with a person… with a similar dilemma and he's willing to help."
"Hopefully someone well skilled in potions."
"Well, not exactly. It's better to say he's related to the beast."
"I see. Any way you will deal with that, and I will do my part. I have a life I wish to get on with you know, but this is quite a fun venture on the side."
"Yes it is, that and you're just as devious as I am, to a certain extent."
He laughed, completely amused at the thought.
"Oh I don't believe I could ever be in your league. I'm more… mischievous than I am evil." He winked, and disappeared out the door.
She watched the door for a few seconds, grinning before she got up and walked out the door herself.
It was a beautiful day; the storm had left green grass behind and a lovely smell of fresh forest. The tower roofs were her favorite places to climb up to, and sit with a pen and notebook. One of the few muggle inventions she preferred over wizard magic. She sat and wrote furiously in her book, writing every detail of her plan out. Making sure nothing escaped her sites. Every now and then she'd glance down the shingles, into the courtyard were there were many students doing anything from mini-Quidditch, to exploding snap, and even some practicing spells when the teachers weren't in sight. She contemplated sliding down and joining some of her friends, and pulling some mischief but now was not the time for petty entertainment. Fully enjoying the sunshine on her back, and deeply involved in her plan writing she didn't notice an orange blur streaking across the roof and stealthily crawling up behind her. She paused but a moment, looked around, but there was nothing in sight, so she began to write again. Out from behind the other side of the tower came a huge tiger, slowly creeping up on her. Just as it opened it's mouth to roar she softly said, "Hello Hobbes." Instead of a roar, the tiger emitted a groan then walked around, to finally rest at her feet.
"You really need to learn to take a breath before you're in earshot."
Hobbes looked up at her with his big green eyes, with an unmistakable expression of pouting.
"But it was better than last time." She smiled, and he purred, being slightly happier at some progress.
"By the way, why are you up here? Don't you have a job you need to be doing right about now?"
He glared, which would normally have been quite scary getting a glare from a tiger, but Bethany merely shrugged it off. Slowly he began to walk away, but he looked back once, and Bethany raised her eyebrow in response. That was all he needed to see. He disappeared over the edge of the rooftop and went back to his assignment.
Bethany mused over what she'd written, and also grinned at Hobbes way of being. He never realized it, but every time he came to surprise her, he endangered his assignment. Sometimes she wondered about their reasons for doing what they do, but then again the person they were doing it for was the trust worthiest person in the world that she knew of. She rested her head back against the stone and closed her eyes. Soon enough she'd be able to complete it all, soon enough her double life would be over. No longer would she have to dream of a simple life, but for now, it was all she could do.
- ♦ - ♦ -
Nick's annoyance of knowing that the feeling of someone watching him constantly wouldn't go away, and even worse that there really was someone constantly there, set his skin rippling. He hated his secret, and he hated how he got it to begin with. Though for the time being it never showed on the outside, something he was thankful for, he couldn't always be sure it would be slumbering inside. His greatest fear was of it breaking loose, and consuming him. Leaning forward with his back against the wall, he sighed in sorrow. Would it ever be over?
"Hey Nick."
Caleb walked up, his green eyes sparkling with some hidden amusement or mischievous understanding.
"Hi." Not even looking up, Nick was too involved in his self-pity to socialize.
"Having a bad day? Need some space?"
"Yeah, but you can stay."
"Okay."
Out came the usual quill and paper, Caleb always used no matter where he was. Drawing assorted images that appeared in his mind, he was the perfect kind of company for a sad day. He'll listen to all your problems, let you vent, and give advice, and still go away unscathed or burdened by anything he hears.
"You know those days, when you just don't want to be yourself at all, you're just tired of everything that makes you… different?"
"All too well." Caleb responded, without looking up from his drawing. It was a good sign if he kept his quill moving, it meant he was listening intently and thinking deeply about things. It had taken Nick a good part of two years to comprehend this. Before he used to almost get offended when Caleb didn't look at him when he was being talked to. Now he was just used to it.
"I had another one of those moments."
"We all have our mountains and valleys."
"Yeah well, mine seems to have a river of lava in the valley."
"No worries about getting cold then."
Nick looked up, just to let Caleb see his slight grin.
"You wouldn't happen to have a dragon skin suit I could borrow to keep from getting burnt, do you?"
They both laughed.
"So sad things aside; how goes everything with Anna?"
"More than excellent, except for the reason I'm sad."
"Would it have to do with the secret you've been keeping?"
Caleb was one of the few people who Nick had not been afraid to tell that he had a secret. However, he never told anyone what the secret was.
"It has everything to do with it."
"Well, that's what secrets do to your life. They make you think twice about what you do, and how. If your secret is carved on an oak tree, you're bound to know it's there and what it means, but because it's there you'll never go near it; always around instead. Avoiding what you know and can't tell is the only way that we can cope with it."
"Doesn't stop you from hating it though."
"Nothing can do that, but you."
They sat in silence; only the scratching of the quill on the paper and a small whisper of wind could be heard. Everyone else was inside eating.
"So what do you think?"
Holding up his drawing so Nick could see, Caleb watched Nick's expression for any reaction.
"Extremely detailed for a twenty minute drawing."
"Thanks. I've been practicing to get better and faster."
The expression on Nick's face could only slightly be read. At first it had turned slightly white, then he recovered to put on his normal melancholy face. Caleb read the expressions and marked them well. He tore off the paper, and handed it to Nick.
"Keep it."
And then walked off in the direction of dinner. Nick wasn't feeling too hungry at the moment, as he sat and stared at the drawing in his hand. A solitary figure in the woods, kneeling and looking up into the sky, where the stars and the full moon hovered were elegantly shaded in black ink. He looked up at the disappearing back of his friend just as he turned the corner, and realized. He knew.
- ♦ - ♦ -
Anna was walking around the castle looking for her dearest. It had been two days since she last saw him, and even though he did this about once a month she still couldn't help and wonder what he was up to. Aching in her calves made her sit down for a while on the stone rim of the fountain, in the courtyard. Looking up at the light gray ski she spotted an orange streak fly across the roof. She gasped. How could they allow such an animal to run about in Hogwarts? She kept watching the tiger crawl and climb the roofs. She chanced a look around at the few people that were around her, no one seemed to notice what was crawling on the Hogwarts roofs. Her eyes grew wider as the tiger crawled, in a praying manner. There was a figure on the rooftops she could swear she recognized. The tiger was coming up behind the person, but before it could pounce the person turned around. Anna gasped, and stared entranced. Her sister had been known to do many strange things, even more so at home, but talking to tigers was something new.
"So that's where you hide." She whispered.
There were always times when she could look and never find her sister.
"That explains a lot. But it doesn't explain what that Tiger is doing on the roofs of Hogwarts."
Her mind geared into thought, as she forgot about her concerns for her love, and turned to think about the interesting event she was witnessing. Before she could come any where near a good plausible conclusion, the tiger turned around and ran the length of the roof, and jumped over. Surprised and bewildered she stared breathlessly as it flew over the edge, and disappeared into a burst of smoke before it could fall more than a couple meters.
"There's going to be some explaining going on real soon." She glared up at her sister's silhouette.
"Hey there Anna!"
She jumped; rather surprised anyone would be calling her name.
"Oh, Caleb you scared me."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Really now, is saying hello a reason to be frightened nowadays?"
"Sorry, I was just… thinking."
He sat down beside her and looked up in the direction she had been staring in.
"So… who's the roof dweller?"
"Bethany."
"Aha… that would explain a lot."
"That's exactly what I said!"
Out came the quill and piece of paper.
"So what do you think she's doing?" The constant scratch of the quill began, with an occasional pause as he looked up to where the silhouette of a devious sister could be seen.
"She does like her periods of privacy, but I didn't know she wanted to be that far from social activity."
Anna looked over her friends shoulder, and watched him sketch the scene of the roof dweller.
"Can I keep that when you're done?"
A slight grin appeared on his face.
"Of course."
"Thanks."
She turned her head to continue watching her sister's silhouette, dark and unmoving against the darkening sky.
"Here you go."
He handed her the paper. It was an incredibly detailed sketch, and the shading even resembled the time of day.
"Thank you, I really needed this."
"I know you did."
The pen disappeared into his sleeve.
"When you get the chance," he said as he got up to leave, "let her explain before you make any assumptions. But until the time is right, and she's willing to tell you, forgive her secrecy. Everyone has a secret they need to keep."
Anna thought about his words, while watching her sister finally get up and climb back into a nearby tower window. There were too many things to think about. Right now she just wondered why her sister of all people would want to keep a secret from her. The more she thought about what Caleb said, the more she realized it was true. Everyone she knew seemed to have a secret in some way. Nick would disappear for three days once a month. Bethany escaped to the roof, and talked to a prowling tiger. Harry seemed more serious and melancholy, ever since the event at the Ministry of Magic. And in her head she just kept listing everything that hinted to a secret. She finally came to think about herself. What was her secret? She stared into darkness thinking hard for a few minutes, just trying to think of something she kept hidden from everyone else. Then it dawned on her. She knew what it was.
"But I don't really hide it." She said to herself, "… but then again… I don't really declare it to anyone either."
Her mind back on Nick, she contemplated many different blank fillings for his secret; each new one worse than the previous one, as she tried to find the answer.
"Thoughts weighing you down?"
"Bethany, what do you want?"
"Nothing, just wondering why you're outside and looking gloom."
A sever McGonagall impression was nothing short of Bethany's face as she looked down at her sister.
"I just had a hard knock with reality, worse than a Weasley gets hit with red hair."
"Wow that's quite the blow."
"I just need some time to work through some thoughts."
"Okay, well if you need anything..."
Bethany turned to go, her face clearly showing some concern despite her generally cold expression.
"Just time, I need some time. I'll tell you later." Anna called back as Bethany was about to turn into the corridor. Bethany stopped gave her a slight smile, nodded, and disappeared around the corner.
"Just time." Anna whispered to herself, as she looked up to the now quite visible stars, completely submerged in thought.