I'm not sure if you're going to like this chapter since I seem to be out of sorts after the operation but I hope you will.
To those who haven't given up on this story, thank you. I'll try to make the story more interesting (and hopefully update faster) for you. Happy reading ;-)
Chapter 21 - Hogwarts Has Fallen
"I suppose we must..." agreed Harry half-heartedly. No, it was not that he didn't want to return. It was just that he was really confused at the moment. He was certain that the confirmation of his being Slytherin's heir from the man himself would not bode well with certain people in the school. The thought was a little disconcerting to say the least.
Salazar merely raised an eyebrow at the display of passive compliance on Harry's part but he chose to ignore it. He had to admit that his revelation was overwhelming enough for the younger boy and that it should not bother him that much. After all, history was against him and it takes more than a few incredulous outbursts to erase all those doubts. Instead, he clasped both of his hands and chanted until a shimmering silver and green rope materialized in front of him. He then beckoned the boys to take hold of any part of the rope and in a flash, all of them was immediately transported to the Great Hall of Hogwarts.
The band members almost sighed with relief until they noticed that the hall was much too quiet to be normal. As expected, there were lots of people dining at the Hall. Nothing seemed out of place except for the different attire of the people. The sinister anticipation that hung into the air was so thick that the group was almost suffocated with it.
"We're too late." muttered Slytherin before the first batch of curses were sent their way and the metallic clang of swords warned them of danger beyond their wildest imaginations.
The following minutes were a bit hazy as the four tried to dodge all the curses and send numerous attacks of their own. They were not yet aware of what's happening and how it came about but receiving curses and sword cuts on their return were not their idea of a warm welcome.
"BLOODY HELL!" cried Chuck as a razor sharp sword grazed through his wand arm, the pain causing him to drop his wand.
Harry swore when he saw this and immediately sent two fireballs to the offenders before rushing to his side. He hastily handed back Chuck's wand and checked the wound. "Is it poisoned?" he asked warily.
Chuck grimaced as he stared at the greenish-black liquid oozing from the sword cut. "I'm afraid it is. SSPEW trademark, you know. Part of our training." he replied wryly.
Harry nodded sympathetically. "CHUCK'S HURT! WE NEED TO GET TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!" he yelled to his friends as he hastily stunned two unknown figures who were coming too close for comfort. "WHERE THE HELL IS SLYTHERIN?" He knew that they couldn't possibly escape unscathed without the founder. They needed him to portkey them out as soon as possible. There were just too many guards to make a hasty and harmless getaway.
"Gathering intelligence. I bet he's really furious." replied Matt as he successfully escaped an attack from behind but hissed in pain as a cutting hex made its way to his chest. Fortunately, the cut was not too deep to cause severe internal injuries.
"No need to bet. I heard him muttering something like 'not this school too' before he floated away. Unfortunately, there's only so much --- " commented Chuck then stopped abruptly as he identified one of their assailants. "KARL?"
The man called Karl bowed before them with a flourish before raising his left hand to signal his cohorts to return to whatever they were doing before their arrival. He then swished his robes gallantly to flaunt the sinfully expensive dark green leather etched with silver snakes on the edges but this time, a huge black skull was affixed at the back as if to reiterate the fact that they were Voldemort's subordinates now.
"How foolish of you to return." said the man dryly, intimidating with the variety of scars littered on his once handsome face. He had seen too much evil far too soon. His aristocratic features were now filled with cynicism that no one would have guessed that underneath the cold surface used to lay a cheerful adolescent.
Matt chuckled derisively though a bit forced. "I thought you'd be stronger that the others, Karl. I guess I was wrong."
Karl Martin was one of the rare trainers at SSPEW whom they got along with. Although he did not openly support them, he was always willing to secretly help them whenever necessary. He was one of those who helped them escape SSPEW's assasination plot after they were expelled. He was one of the good ones. He may have killed someone at school but still, he was one of the good ones. After all, killing to preserve one's self was not considered a crime but an act of self-defense.
For a split second, Karl's steel blue eyes wavered a bit, showing the part of him that was still fighting the curse, but resisting seemed to drain him of energy and the mask quickly returned. "By submitting myself to the greater power, I've made myself stronger." he declared arrogantly.
Harry stared hard at the one called Karl. "What happened to Hogwarts? Where are the professors and students?" he asked calmly but an observant one would see it for what it was -- the lull before the storm -- and Karl was a very observant person indeed.
Another flicker of doubt clouded Karl's eyes before it was once again replaced with the ugly mask. "The Dark Lord wishes to take over the Hogwarts and his wish is our command. All the Hogwarts' staff are being kept prisoners --- "
"Even Dumbledore?" exclaimed Harry in surprise.
"Yes, even that old fool. As I've mentioned earlier, all the Hogwart's staff are being kept prisoners except for the seer called Madame Trelawney while the students are undergoing what we call an academic revolution. I reckon the new curriculum would be much easier to handle than their previous ones. The master expects them to be happy and contented with the changes." replied Karl with the same undercurrent as Harry's.
Harry snorted at hearing Trelawney's name and idly wondered why she was spared and why Dumbledore did not put up a fight. It was so unlike the headmaster to just hand the school to Voldemort just like that. Well, whatever the reason was, he hoped it was reasonable and not just a wild gamble on the headmaster's part. But he did not voice out his concerns. Instead he inclined his head and laughed mockingly at the man. "How predictable! Your 'esteemed' master lied once again. The one-week deadline has not passed. You have no right to attack Hogwarts." he said matter-of-factly.
Karl grinned maliciously. "Oh, but we haven't attacked yet. No one has died ... as of yet. This is merely a warning."
"Semantics." commented Matt while his eyes roamed around to check out the castle's interior. 'No blood. No broken furnitures. The walls are intact. Good. He's telling the truth. So how the hell did they manage to take over the school?'
Karl only smirked knowingly at them. "Whatever. It's actually irrelevant to the grand scheme of things but it must be done. You have exactly five days before the deadline. Leave now and make sure you choose the 'right' decision. The master shall wait for you."
"Why wait till then? Why don't you just kill us all right now?" challenged Billy while attempting to tend to Chuck's wound which was rapidly taking effect. He was curious as to why they were being let off easily. It was not the typical way that SSPEW or death-eaters handles things. There was something weird going on.
"Much as that idea thrills us all, we have no right to disobey or question our master's plans and decisions. Consider yourselves lucky that you still get to live for a few more days. Enjoy it while it lasts..." replied Karl with a frown that was so difficult to decipher.
The four simultaneously raised their eyebrows and curled their lips in derision but the arrival of a livid founder saved them from making any rash comment.
"So, this is how you had ended up... SSPEW have bred strong wizards before... strong enough to counter the Imperius. But now I see that Tom Riddle has managed to destroy not only the school but also its integrity and internal strength. Why have you allowed that to happen?" Salazer Slytherin uttered with barely controlled anger.
Instantly, Karl dropped to his knees and bowed down before Slytherin. "But Lord Slytherin, our master is your heir. Aren't you pleased with his plans?"
Slytherin stared intently at the man to convey a message of great significance. "Tom Riddle is and never was my heir. That pathetic excuse of a human being is nothing but an imposter." He then waved his hand in Harry's direction. "This boy is my last true heir and your self-styled lord is doing his best to destroy him so that his deepest secret shall remain as such." Slytherin produced the same shimmering silver and green rope and muttered a few words. Then he turned once more to challenge the man. "I know he's controlling you but you're a trainer... an SSPEW trainer. Show me your pride."
And with that, he threw the other end of the rope to his four companions and they all disappeared with a silent pop.
Meanwhile, at the Gryffindor Common Room, blissfully unaware of what's happening outside their little safety zone...
"I wonder what they're playing at..." muttered Hermione as she stared at the schedule of classes on the bulletin board.
"What do you mean?" asked Ron, too tired to analyze things at the moment.
Hermione turned to him and ordered him to read the class schedules. "I mean, aside from locking up all the staff, we seem to be perfectly fine. No one has harmed us or anything. The only different things now are the subjects we're going to take and those who are going to teach them. I wonder how our classes would be like with Death-Eaters teaching them..."
Ron tried to ignore her rantings as he perused the notice on the board.
ATTENTION: NEW HOUSE SCHEDULES
SLYTHERIN
9am - 12 pm : Dark Arts and Its Practical Uses
1pm - 4pm: The Subtle Art of Potion Making
RAVENCLAW
9am - 12 pm : The Emergence of Dark Lords and their Noble Mission
1pm - 4pm: Algebra / Geometry
HUFFLEPUFF
9am - 12 pm : House Management
1pm - 4 pm : The Emergence of Dark Lords and their Noble Mission
GRYFFINDOR
9am - 12 pm : Recreational Arts
1pm - 4pm: House Management
His eyes suddenly bulged as comprehension finally sunk in. "BLOODY HELL! THEY CHANGED OUR CLASSES TO 'HOUSE MANAGEMENT' AND 'RECREATIONAL ARTS'? WHAT KIND OF STUPID CLASSES ARE THAT?"
"Shh! Not so loud. Remember, there are guards outside." hushed Neville who was silently observing the exchange from one corner. "As for your question, 'harmless' ones, I think."
Hermione nodded carefully. "That's what I'm saying, Ron. They've changed our curriculum to those who posed the least danger to them. And if you look closely, all houses have different schedules, thus, effectively reducing the risk of inter-house unity. Why didn't they just kill us or something? It would be less stressful on their part if we're out of the way."
Ron's eyes bulged some more. "You've got a point there, 'Mione."
"Not to mention the fact that their choice of subjects were a little unnerving too. I really wish we have a way to communicate with Harry. They might have an idea on what to do here." Neville stated matter-of-factly.
"What about the DA?" asked Ron suddenly.
"Since we can only go out of the common room during classes and meal times, I'm not sure we can manage that. We can continue here with the Gryffindor members but even then, we can only do so much." replied Neville then added in a soft tone. "You know I've been thinking...The only 'free' students here are the Slytherins...and to some extent, the Ravenclaws..."
Hermione sat up straighter, intrigued at what Neville had to say. "What do you have in mind?"
The following day...
In an abandoned classroom farthest from the hall sat a certain blond-haired Slytherin who was deep in thought once more. He, of course, had noticed the commotion at the Great Hall the previous day but decided to pay it no mind. There were times when ignorance was bliss. He didn't care who those damn fools had tortured the day before. He couldn't stop them anyway. He just hoped that it was not one of those bloody Gryffindor friends of Harry who still lack the ability to discern the appropriate time to display their famed Gryffindor stupidity err... bravery.
He had more important things to ponder upon... like Harry's request. He had already burnt Harry's and Lucius' last letter but he had committed Harry's missive to memory. And it was giving him terrible headache as of late.
Draco,
We're leaving tonight right after the feast.
Please help Neville with the DA. You know what I mean
but be discreet about it. We don't need complications right now.
Be careful.
Harry
P.S. In case you need to contact me immediately,
talk to Hermione. She'll know what to do.
Draco rubbed his throbbing temple hard to ease the pain but several minutes later, the headache was still there. He sighed. Two days ago, Harry's request seemed difficult but manageable but now, it appeared to be downright impossible. Heck! He couldn't even see Longbottom anymore except during mealtimes and even then, he couldn't just walk up to him and talk about strategies or something. They didn't have classes together. They were not friends... He was in Slytherin... therefore there was no valid reason for him to talk to Neville.
Unfortunately, this was also a time when he couldn't just give up easily. Things were more dangerous and he needed to help Neville pull his act together before pressure kills him first. But how?
i'What to do... What to do...'/i He paced back and forth until even the wooden floor of the ancient classroom squeaked in irritation but he ignored it. Some matters were too important to even think about anything else. 'Damn it! Where's the class know-it-all when you need her?' he growled in frustration. Wracking his brain for two straight days did not provide him with any brilliant idea at all... or perhaps he must look at it from a different perspective.
Such was the extent of his pre-occupation that he failed to notice someone enter the room. That certain someone was currently watching him with amusement rather than curiosity. It was not until that person voiced her opinion that Draco became aware of her presence.
"Where's the icy calmness, Draco? Was it confiscated by the intruders?" she asked lazily as if the answer was of no consequence to her. Maybe it was...maybe it wasn't. It was really hard to tell with Luna Lovegood.
Draco glared at the girl but bit back a scathing reply. Perhaps another head would make things clearer for him. Besides, the girl was in Ravenclaw. There had to be a reason why the hat placed her there. With that in mind, he explained his dilemma to her and tried hard to ignore the smug expression on the girl's face as he finished his tale.
"Well?" he inquired impatiently when the girl apparenty lost interest in him and was now avidly staring into space, unmoving. It was like conversing with a mannequin... beautiful but inanimate. But of course Luna was not a classic beauty. He had to erase that thought immediately. She was not even pretty in the strictest sense of the word. She just had an intriguing face that's all... nothing to be excited about. He snapped out of his thoughts in time to see Luna looking quizzically at him.
"Well?" he repeated nonplussed as if he hasn't just been caught staring at the strangest girl in school.
Luna blinked wildly at him, her puzzlement still evident on her face. "You haven't figured it out?" At Draco's incredulous but annoyed expression, she continued. "It's obvious. The DA must continue under the guise of a Music Club or something equally 'harmless'. You just need to convince the higher-ups that it must be done to make the residents happy and avoid rebellion."
It took Draco a few seconds to absorb her words and then he smiled genuinely. The girl was brilliant! Yes, convincing their captors would be tricky but with a few well-chosen words, he could do it. And like the perfect aristocrat that he was raised to be, he bent down and kissed the back of her left hand in gratitude.
"You're really a Ravenclaw." he stated simply.
If Luna was surprised by his actions, she did not show it. Instead she said. "Of course, I am..." Then she added nonchalantly before she went out the door. "...but the benefit goes to Neville...He thought it through and I'm just the messenger."
Draco was dumbfounded at that.
'Neville?'
'Neville?'
'NEVILLE!'
'Merlin! I'm losing my touch...'/i he groaned before deciding that maybe, Longbottom was not a lost cause after all.
Author's Note: If anyone's wondering how Luna got the message, then here's the explanation for that. Hermione pretended to return a book to Luna in which she enclosed a letter she charmed so only Luna could read it. Then she requested an innocent, charming first year to return it for her. The guards allowed it because the freshman seemed harmless enough and returning a book seemed safe. Unfortunately, it has to be a one-time thing because the guards would get suspicious if they do it often.
Anyway, please review. Thanks ;-)