Page 6 of 6
Part Twelve
It was a bright sunny Sunday morning. Erin had gone to get breakfast for everyone while Ron and Hermione went to the girls' bathroom to start on the Polyjuice Potion. She turned the corner and ran headlong into a wizard she had never seen before. "Oh, I'm sorry!" He said. Erin was on her knees picking up the toast that had spilled from the napkin.
"It's ok." Erin said.
He used his wand and the toast was all neatly back in the napkin. He helped her stand up. She got a good look at him now. He was tall with long black hair tied back into a ponytail. There was something so familiar about him…he blinked as he looked at her. Their hair was the same color, their eyes were the same shape and their faces were also… "Hey, I'm Donovan."
"Erin."
"I don't mean to pry…" He said carefully. "But are you adopted?"
"No." She said shaking her head. "I spent the first 11 years of my life in an orphanage."
"Yeah, I did too…you just seem so familiar to me…" A soft sound erupted from the pocket of his scarlet robes. "Sorry." He said pulling a lizard from his pocket. "What do you want?" He asked it. The lizard hissed at him and then leapt from his hand onto Erin's shoulder. Erin looked surprised. "I'm sorry. He does this sometimes. He won't hurt you."
"Oh, I'm not afraid." The black-haired girl said. "He's cute."
The lizard nuzzled her cheek and hissed at Donovan again. The wizard rolled his handsome brown eyes. "That's not funny, Archimedes."
"Do you know what he's saying?" Erin asked.
"Unfortunately. When I was about your age there was an accident is Care of Magical Creatures Class and the two of us were hit by a spell. We've been able to understand each other ever since."
"What's he saying?"
"Well, that's the funny part…he isn't making much sense at the moment. He keeps talking about your hair and eyes…" Donovan was as perplexed as she was.
The lizard was making strange sounds now. "And now?"
"And now he is yelling at me because he says I'm not bright enough to know what's right before my eyes. I don't know what's wrong with him." He said sighing. "Come on, Archimedes, we have to go see Mum."
"Who's your Mum?" Erin asked attempting to untangle the lizard from her hair.
"I am." They both looked up to see McGonagall coming towards him. "Hello, Don, what are you doing here?"
"I had the day off so I thought I'd come and see my favorite gal." He said smiling.
She smiled back. "It will be nice to catch up. I see you've met, Miss Lyancomp."
"Lyancomp?" Donovan's head whipped toward his mother.
"Is something wrong?" Erin asked pulling the hissing lizard from her, although he had sunk his hands into her hair and was putting up quite a fight.
"Uh, no." Don said shaking his head. "It's nothing. Archimedes, now."
The lizard went limp in defeat and Erin looked at him. "Don't worry, I'll see you later." She told him and hugged the little thing close to her cheek. The lizard grabbed on with his arms nuzzling her. She handed him back to Donovan.
"Thank you." He said still staring a little at her. "It was nice to meet you, Erin."
"You too, Donovan." She turned and watched them walk down the hall together. Donovan turned back once or twice with a puzzled expression on his face.
Erin hurried off to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom and found Ron, Hermione and Erin in there. "Sorry, I'm late, I ran into a wizard with long black hair…he's McGonagall's son."
"Oh?" Hermione asked. "What's he like?"
"He's very nice and he can talk to a lizard because of an accident he had at school. Archimedes, the lizard, likes me." She sat down next to Harry and leaned against his leg. He was sitting against the wall with his legs bent up and his arms on them. Harry moved his arm as she leaned against him, but he didn't mind her there. She handed him some toast.
"Thanks." He said. Erin then handed some to Ron and Hermione.
Erin took a bite from her own pile, this one she had lathered with strawberry jam. "Oh, Erin!" Hermione said. "Harry told us about some stuff, tell it again, Harry."
The boy sighed. "Well, during the night, Dobby came and he told me the 'history was about to repeat itself', so that told me you were right and the Chamber was opened before. He also told me some cryptic stuff about Voldemort and it not being exactly him, but obviously connected somehow and then they brought Colin in. Dumbledore said that the Chamber had been opened again, so double the clarifying, you know."
"So, Lucius opened it while he was at school here and now he's taught Draco how to do it." Ron said as he leaned against the other wall, having already finished his toast.
"Maybe," Hermione said. "Erin, add the boomslang skin, please. We'll have to wait for the Polyjuice potion to be sure."
"Enlighten me." Ron said. "Why are we making the potion in broad daylight in the middle of a girls' bathroom? Don't you think we'll be caught?"
"No." Hermione said chuckling.
"No one ever come in here." Erin said as she added the skin slowly.
"Why?" Ron asked.
"Moaning Myrtle." Hermione said.
"Who?"
"Moaning Myrtle." Erin said just as they saw the ghost girl come out of the stall beside Ron and look at him.
"Who's that?" Ron asked again.
"I'm Moaning Myrtle." The girl said.
Ron turned surprised. "Oh…"
"I wouldn't expect you to know me." She said "Who would ever talk about miserable, moping, moaning Myrtle?" She gave a shriek and then flew back into her stall and down a toilet creating a splash.
"She's a little sensitive." Erin said and leaned back against Harry. "Well, I've got detention." She sighed.
"What did you do?" Harry asked.
Hermione didn't look at her best friend and she was looking a little pink. Ron snorted. "Oh, you two." Erin said exasperatedly. "Well, Harry…after Lockhart sort of took your bones, I threatened him with my wand. Nothing big, but I lost 50 points and got a detention."
"Have they told you what you're going to do?" Harry asked.
"Yes." Erin sighed and then grinned. "Dumbledore needed someone to spend an evening helping him go through some old boxes and stuff, so I was given that. I got off easy, but McGonagall told me she had wanted to do the same thing and Dumbledore said I had to learn self-control. I exhibit a lot of self-control."
"We know." Ron said snorting loudly. "We see you right now."
"Shut up, Ronald!" Erin said throwing him a death glare.
Harry looked between the two not sure what was going on and Hermione just smirked. "Stop fighting, you two." She said. "Ron, you promised you wouldn't say anything."
"I lied." He got out between the laughter.
Erin spotted a notice on the Gryffindor post-board. "Hey, guys, they're starting a Dueling Club…think we should go?"
The other three crowded around her. "Why not?" Harry said. "Sounds like it could be useful."
"Who do you think will lead it?" Ron asked reading the notice.
"Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young." Hermione said. "Maybe he will."
"I'll guess we'll see when we get there." Erin mused. "Ok, boys, you have to finish your Potions essay if you want to go."
"You're not our mother, Erin." Ron complained.
"No, but I am standing right here and telling you that you need to have your Potions essay done to go." She said.
Ron and Harry looked at each other. "Ok." They sighed and went over to their favorite spots to start on the essay.
The four of them arrived early and got spots near the front. The chairs and tables had been removed and a long stage set up. Erin groaned when she saw Lockhart striding toward the stage. "Can you all see me? Can you all hear me?"
"Unfortunately." Erin groaned.
"Good." He said. "Now, Dumbledore has given us permission to start this little dueling club. Professor Snape has kindly agreed to assist me in this little endeavor. So, straight into a little demonstration." The two men faced each other, drawing their wands and then turned from each other counting off paces, they turned back towards each other.
"Oh, maybe they will finish each other off." Erin said. Harry and Ron were quick to wish these same things.
"Expelliarmus!" Snape yelled. The wand flew from Lockhart's grasp and he himself fell back on the stage.
"Excellent, Professor, wonderful thing to show them that." Lockhart said getting up. "Although, if you don't mind me saying so it was pretty obvious what you were about to do." Snape gave him a look that would have caused any sane person to run for the hills.
"Why don't we first teach the students to block unfriendly spells?" Snape suggested.
"Yes, right you are! Break into pairs! Or we will put you into pairs." The men hopped off the stage at different ends and began breaking everyone into pairs.
Snape reached the four of them before Lockhart and Harry stepped towards Ron. "I think not, it's time to break up the dream team." Harry stepped to his other side towards Hermione. "Think again." Harry stepped back next to Erin. "No, Potter, I'm afraid that won't do. Malfoy! Bulstrode! Zabini!" He looked at Ron. "You can partner Finnigan." Ron looked relieved and hurried over to the sandy-haired boy. "Malfoy and Potter…Granger and Bulstrode…Lyancomp and Zabini."
When they had finished partnering everyone they said. "Now, I want you to face your opponent and cast spells to disarm only."
Erin looked at the handsome black boy across from her with slanting brown eyes. He was looking at her too. "A pureblood, Lyancomp, right?"
Erin raised an eyebrow at him. "I am, so what?"
"So, how about a date Friday night?"
Erin was surprised and a little taken aback by this. At first she had no idea what to say and then she heard Harry near her. "I doubt she'd be interested in you, Zabini." He said. "She doesn't associate with Slytherins."
Zabini sneered. "Oh, so she's your property? You've got the prettiest girl at Hogwarts fawning over you?"
"Erin is her own free person."
"That's right, I am." Erin said. "I can answer for myself, Harry." The boy nodded. "The answer is no, Zabini."
"All right, on the ready!" They faced each other. "Turn." They did. "Three steps, turn, and disarm!"
Erin never spoke a word, her wand sliced through the air and Zabini flew through the air, his wand lost, and he landed a good 20 feet away. Snape glared at her. "What did you do?"
"I disarmed him." She said calmly.
"You didn't say anything!" He accused.
"I know, Professor, it's called not having to speak to cast a spell."
His eyes narrowed, that was very advanced magic, they didn't even attempt that at Hogwarts until the sixth year…Her mind was more powerful…as a Legilimens she would have that sort of control. "I said disarm only!" Lockhart was frantic.
"Finite Incantatem!" Snape yelled and everything was over, except Hermione struggling in a headlock from Millicent Bulstrode. This was soon sorted out and Snape suggested a volunteer pair. "Potter, Malfoy!" Harry didn't look so sure, but he went up on the stage with Malfoy anyway.
They faced one another, turned, paced and turned back. Lockhart counted. "1…2…--" He never finished because Malfoy attacked before the proper time. Harry was throne back. "I said disarm only!"
Harry scrambled up. "Rictusempra!"
Malfoy flew back landing hard on his backside. Snape picked him up and roughly pushed him back in. "Serpensortia!"
A snake issued from his wand and slithered towards Harry. It stopped and stared at a Hufflepuff student, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Harry stepped forward and hissed at the snake. It looked at him and hissed back and then went to strike Justin. Harry hissed again and the snake turned its attention back to Harry. Erin watched all of this and she wasn't the only one that knew…Harry was a Parselmouth!
Snape got rid of the snake and everyone just stared at him. Harry had never seen Snape look so surprised. Erin was the first to react. She got onto the stage and grabbed Harry's arm. "Come on." She whispered urgently.
Harry couldn't believe the shocked faces and he did let himself be pulled by the black-haired girl right out of the Great Hall followed by Ron and Hermione.
No one had spoken until they got back to the common room. "You're a Parselmouth! Why didn't you tell us?" Ron demanded.
"I'm a what?" Harry asked.
"Parselmouth." Hermione said.
"You can talk to snakes." Erin elaborated and she was beginning to put things together…
"Oh, I know." Harry said. "I set a boa constrictor on my cousin once at the zoo… Once!" He said. "But so what? I bet loads of people here can do it." He looked so sure of himself.
"No…" Hermione said. "They can't, it's not a very common gift."
"This is bad." Ron said.
"What's bad?" Harry asked. "If I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin—"
"Oh, that's what you said to it." Ron said.
"What?" Harry asked. "You were there, you heard me!"
"I heard you speaking Parseltongue. Snake language." Ron argued.
"I spoke another language?" Harry asked. "But, how could I without realizing it?"
"I don't know." Hermione said. "But it sounded like you were egging the snake on or something."
"But I wasn't." Harry said.
"Harry, listen to me." Erin said. Harry looked at her. "There's a reason the symbol of Slytherin house is a serpent. Salazar Slytherin was a Parselmouth…he could talk to snakes too."
"Exactly." Ron said. "Now everyone is going to think you're his great-great-great-great-great grandson or something."
"But, I'm not!" Harry argued. "Am I?"
"He lived a thousand years ago." Hermione said. "For all we know you could be."
"But…" Erin said interrupting them. "That doesn't mean anything, Harry. You aren't the Heir of Slytherin. You didn't attack Mrs. Norris or Colin. But people will talk and they will assume things that aren't true. We'll be here, Harry, just like we always are." She promised him.
"Thanks." He said. She always knew what to say to make him stop worrying so much.