"Come here Autumn," Zarif says the next morning, retrieving his owl with the promise of food.
Autumn hoots and puffs herself up as she stood on Merula's shoulder.
"I have bacon," Zarif offers showing it to her.
Autumn hoots and turns her head away at that.
Merula giggles a little. "I think she is saying she wants to live with me now."
Zarif smirks as he holds up something that smells and made Autumn turn her head towards him. In his hand were her favorite owl treats.
Autumn hoots timidly, flaring open her wings for a bit before going back to standing straight, trying to resist.
"Come on girl. I have many treats and I am going to be grooming you today," Zarif says.
Autumn opens an eye at him.
"Come on girl," Zarif says as he saw Autumn was just smirking now.
Merula smiles. "Come on Autumn. Time to go back with him," she says softly, picking her up and placing her onto Zarif's shoulder.
Zarif started feeding her as Merula got ready for the school day.
"You ready for Quidditch?" Zarif asks as everyone ate breakfast as they got themselves hyped up or, in some cases, working up the nerve to play.
"Ready here," Merula says, eating away what she could.
Soon it was time for the match and the entire school made their way down to the pitch and got ready for the match.
"Gryffindor stands now, huh?" Zarif observed, seeing Merula stand by him.
"I am watching for something and this has a better view," Merula says.
"Uh huh…and you are not just avoiding your house so you don't have to be caught in your happy expression when they boo loudly," Zarif summarizes.
"Many in Slytherin are also watching Malfoy closely after I spread that rumor," Merula says smirking.
"You're an evil girl…I like that," Zarif says chuckling.
Merula only smirked as the game started and, very early on, it was all too clear that someone had tampered with one of the bludgers as it only targeted Harry. "Seems someone has it out for Harry," Zarif says darkly.
"But who could have cursed the bludger when Madam Hooch always have them in her office?" Merula asks.
"Someone with a grudge and not wanting to lose to him as a seeker," Zarif says giving her his binoculars so she could see Malfoy just sitting there, laughing at Harry.
"That git…" Merula growls.
"Malfoy is scum," Zarif says as those next to him start to whisper to their neighbors and soon the word started to trickle through the crowd to other houses.
"Oh. Nice job," Merula praises to him.
"We probably can't prove it, but his actions give him away and if people know about what he does, then it's just as good," Zarif says.
"Let's hope Harry at least survives this," Merula states before they somehow heard a crack of something and look to see Harry holding his arm. "Ohhhhhh…ouch…"
"That's a broken arm or a fracture at least," Zarif says watching this and hisses, knowing how much that would hurt.
"Someone has to do something. That's a rogue bludger right there," Merula points out.
"They can't at the moment. If they get an inquiry, they would have to forfeit the match and the opening match is too important to them," Zarif growls.
"That's a stupid rule," Merula adds, almost trying to figure out why asking to check for fouls and problems be on the grounds for an immediate forfeit.
"It's to stop the inquiry from being abused for timeouts and stuff," Zarif says as he watched Harry go and, to his and Merula's delight, catching the snitch. "At least it's over and look," Zarif pointing to Malfoy who was being chewed out by his Quidditch captain.
"Yeah. For being stupid to not notice where his goal was. Fat load of good their brooms were," Merula sneered happily.
"Oh, yeah. He is also mad because he approved it as well," Zarif says getting up to go see Harry when he spotted Lockhart heading for Harry. "Oh no," Zarif says in horror.
Merula grabs his arm and quickly runs with him. "That idiot is going to hurt him more."
"We won't be able to make it," Zarif says as they head down and, by the time they had arrived, Harry's arm was boneless and being taken to the hospital wing.
"What…an…idiot…" Zarif sighs as he glares at the back of Lockhart's head.
"He should be sacked for that," Merula muttered as they head to the castle, passing Malfoy.
"So attempting murder now?" Zarif asks, walking past Malfoy with a glare. Something Malfoy was starting to see a lot of right now.
"What is going on?" Malfoy asks himself as some of the players were also giving him their own glares.
"Harry, do you want Lockhart sacked or fried?" Zarif asks, almost intentionally.
Harry looked up at Zarif, having just gotten out of the hospital wing. "Where are Ron and Hermione?" Was the only thing Harry asked.
"Not sure, knowing Hermione, she may be in the library as she has been there all week," Zarif says.
"And Ron?" Harry asks again.
"Most likely with her," Zarif says before following after him, feeling that there was going to be a group meeting. "So is it true? I heard Collin, that first year with the camera that follows you around, was attacked," Zarif inquires.
"Unfortunately. He was attacked still with his camera in his hands," Harry informs.
"He dead?" Zarif asks.
"No. Petrified as well," Harry corrects.
"That's two attacks now. Looks like that message was a serious one," Zarif says as they make it to the library and start searching.
"Though where to start?" Harry asks.
"Potion section is where I have run into her a lot," Zarif advises.
The two search the entire library until they met up with Percy. "Oh, hello, Harry," he said. "Excellent flying yesterday, really excellent. Gryffindor has just taken the lead for the House Cup. You earned fifty points! And Zarif, Madam Pince has been saying you have been falling asleep in the library studying into the night," Percy says a mix of scolding and approval in his tone.
Zarif shrugs "Busy."
"You haven't seen Ron or Hermione, have you?" Harry asks.
"No, I haven't," Percy says, his smile fading. "I hope Ron's not in another girls' toilet…"
"What are you talking about?" Zarif asks.
"He came out of the girl's bathroom one time. Had to dock ten points," Percy explains.
"…I have no words for that," Zarif says blankly, looking to Harry.
Harry forced a laugh, watched Percy walk out of sight, and then pulling Zarif with him straight for Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.
"It's me," Harry says, closing the door behind him and Zarif. There was a clunk, a splash, and a gasp from within the stall and he saw Hermione's eye peering through the keyhole.
"Harry!" she said. "You gave us such a fright…come in. How's your arm?"
"I am here too you know," Zarif says.
"And here I am acknowledging you," Merula spoke up smartly smirking as she peeks around her own stall door as well.
"So anyone wants to catch me up what is going on?" Zarif asks.
Merula proceeded to get him caught up on the plan and what they thought they knew, 'This is not the best plan I have ever heard, but when was it opened last exactly?' Zarif thinks.
"You okay?" Merula asks, seeing his look.
"The question being, are you okay with almost betraying your own house like this?" Zarif asks carefully.
"I'm not betraying my house. I am helping investigate for a murder to be," Merula informs.
'Well, that is true,' Zarif thought.
Merula sighs. "Besides, we might get blamed since…mudbloods…" she whispers to him, out of earshot for Hermione, "…are targeted."
"Well, a Gryffindor was now targeted," Zarif says, making Merula's face morph into an 'oh no' expression.
"Who?" Merula whispers.
"Collin. He was the first year that took the camera everywhere," Zarif informs.
"Oh. Poor kid," Merula compassionately laminates.
"Not dead at least," Zarif says.
"That's good…I guess," Merula tries to say hopefully.
"Petrified like Mrs. Norris though," Zarif says.
"Okay. That's strange," Medula now adds.
"That means the entire school will now highly suspect your house when word gets out and, right now, with everyone assuming Draco was behind the rogue bludger that this Dobby did, well I think the word social pariahs will be used," Zarif says.
Merula slowly frowns, looking towards the other schools and what their expressions look like.
"But you are one of us," Zarif says smiling at her.
Merula cracks one bit of smile before it fades into a frown again. "So what were you writing on during the history of magic?" Merula asks as the three were too engrossed in their plan making to register this.
"Here," Zarif says showing her the paper.
"What is Slytherin most famous for…Parseltongue and his pureblood supremacy views. Chamber monster most likely…snake of some kind? Spider's seeming to be fleeing the castle. Water at the scene of the crime. These are what?" Merula asks.
"Thoughts and observations of mine," Zarif informs.
"Of?" Merula asks, slightly curious.
"The monster and crime scene," Zarif says.
"How long have you been doing this?" Merula wonders.
"Since we heard about what the chamber is from our history of magic teacher," Zarif informs.
"Right…and this is all? This is all you got?" Merula asks.
"Basically, yes and it's more than Lockhart will ever figure out," Zarif says.
Merula snarks at that and how much of an idiot Lockhart is. "Yeah…he never will," she says pocketing it.
"Hey, hey. That also has my notes from other classes," Zarif says trying to get it back.
Merula smirks as she moves away. "Then you shouldn't have used it for notes."
"Neville, calm yourself," Zarif tried to reassure the boy on the way to potions.
"But I messed up last time…I think I made something living even," Neville almost realizes.
"I was talking about your fear of being the next target of the monster and it wasn't as bad as Crabbe and Goyle's," Zarif says as Merula shakes her head.
"Oh that…with the big potions test, I forgot about that bit," Neville realizes. "That's worse…no. Potions still worse."
"You'll do fine Neville," Merula says.
Neville takes a deep breath. "Thanks…"
"Now, time to get in there and do good today," Zarif says trying to hype him up.
"Right," Neville catches a breath and goes into the potions room.
"He's going to get an A," Merula says after the door closes.
"You really think so?" Neville asks.
"Yes, just go over there and pay close attention and focus. Then you will succeed," Zarif says.
"Alright, I will do it," Neville says with enthusiasm.
Seeing this, Zarif and Merula head to their table, giving Draco a death glare as they pass him.
Potions class went as usual except Snape had fewer bad things to say about Neville this time. All throughout it, Zarif and Merula were nervous, knowing what Harry was planning to do so Hermione could slip into Snape's supply.
"The standard I have come to expect from you both," Snape says looking at their Swelling solution before getting a vial of it. Then there was the sound of an explosion behind them. Whipping around, all three see Goyle's potion had exploded. Showering the whole class. People shrieked as splashes of the Swelling Solution hit them. Malfoy got a faceful and his nose began to swell like a balloon; Goyle blundered around, his hands over his eyes, which had expanded to the size of a dinner plate, Snape was trying to restore calm and find out what had happened.
Thinking fast, Merula whipped out her wand and called, "Protego!" Forming a magic shield around the three, protecting them from the flying potion.
"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft. When I find out who did this. Ms. Snyde, five points for your quick thinking," Snape says before heading to his desk at the front.
Zarif sighs in relief as the spell fades away and leaves the potion on the ground. "Nice job."
Merula nods as Malfoy ran past their station, his head drooping with the weight of a nose like a small melon. As half the class lumbered up to Snape's desk, some weighted down with arms like clubs, others unable to talk through gigantic puffed-up lips. Then Merula caught sight of Hermione slipping back into the class with her robes concealing something.
"Idiot," Merula whispers, lowering their cauldron fire.
When everyone had taken a swig of antidote and the various swellings had subsided, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the twisted black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush. "If I ever find out who threw this," Snape whispered, "I shall make sure that person is expelled," Snape says as he looked to Harry whom, the bell ringing ten minutes later, was the most welcoming thing.
"He knew it was me," Harry told the group as they hurried back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."
"Yeah, but he can't prove it. That is what is making him mad I think," Zarif says as he worked with Hermione and Merula on the potion.
"Ok. It will be ready in a few weeks," Hermione announces.
"Keyword, the potion will be ready, but the situation to use it may not be there," Zarif adds.
Next week after lunch, the group came out of the great hall to see a group of students gathered around the notice board, reading a piece of parchment that had been pinned on it. Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas beckoned them over, looking excited.
"They're starting a Dueling Club!" said Seamus. "First meeting tonight! I wouldn't mind dueling lessons; they might come in handy one of these days…"
Zarif smiles a little, remembering some play duels he had with Merlin to teach him to be quick on his feet.
"What, you reckon Slytherin's monster can duel?" Ron says, but he, too, read the sign with interest. "Could be useful," he said to the group as they went into dinner. "Shall we go?"
"I say yes, maybe professor Flitwick would be teaching as he is a champion duelist," Zarif says excitedly.
Later that night, the group met up at the Great Hall. The long dining tables had vanished and a golden stage had appeared along one wall, lit by thousands of candles floating overhead. The ceiling was velvety black once more and most of the school seemed to be packed beneath it, all carrying their wands and looking excited.
"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione as they edged into the chattering crowd. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young. Maybe it'll be him."
"As long as it's not…" Harry began, but he ended on a groan. Gilderoy Lockhart was walking onto the stage, resplendent in robes of deep plum and accompanied by none other than Snape, wearing his usual black.
"No," Zarif moans facepalming.
"Perfect," Merula sighs in despair.
Lockhart waved an arm for silence and called, "Gather round. Gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent! Now, Professor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you all in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions, for full details, see my published works. Let me introduce my assistant, Professor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and has sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you, youngsters, to worry. You'll still have your Potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"
"We will get something out of this lesson at least," Zarif says a bit happier now, knowing Snape was the one who usually put Lockhart in his place.
Merula giggles behind her hand, trying to hide it.
Snape's upper lip was curling. Merula and Zarif were now smirking, knowing what was about to go down. Lockhart and Snape turned to face each other and bowed; at least, Lockhart did, with much twirling of his hands, whereas Snape jerked his head irritably. Then they raised their wands like swords in front of them. "As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured, watching Snape baring his teeth.
"One…two…three!" Both of them swung their wands above their heads and pointed them at their opponent.
Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!" There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart was blasted off his feet. He flew backward off the stage, smashed into the wall, and slid down it to sprawl on the floor.
"Humiliation," Zarif whispered to the Slytherin to his right who chuckled at that.
Malfoy and some of the other Slytherins cheered. Hermione was dancing on tiptoes. "Do you think he's all right?" she squealed through her fingers.
"Who cares?" Harry and Ron said together.
Lockhart was getting unsteadily to his feet. His hat had fallen off and his wavy hair was standing on end. "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm, as you see, I've lost my wand. Ah, thank you, Miss Brown. Yes, an excellent idea to show them that, Professor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you, it would have been only too easy…however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see…"
Snape was looking murderous. Possibly Lockhart had noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Professor Snape, if you'd like to help me…" They moved through the crowd, matching up partners. Lockhart teamed Neville with Justin Finch-Fletchley, but Snape reached Harry's group first.
"Time to split up the dream team, I think," he sneered. "Weasley, you can partner Finnigan. Potter…" Harry moved automatically toward Hermione. "I don't think so," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger, you can partner Miss Bulstrode."
Malfoy strutted over, smirking. Behind him walked a Slytherin girl who reminded Harry of a picture he'd seen in Holidays with Hags. She was large and square and her heavy jaw jutted aggressively. Hermione gave her a weak smile that she did not return.
"Maybe this time you will actually work up the courage to cast spells at someone who actually has his wand out Malfoy," Zarif says mockingly.
Millicent Bulstrode, hearing that, started to advance on Zarif, but catching sight of Merula glaring at her besides Zarif made her backpedal hard.
Zarif kept smiling before turning to Merula. "You're a good friend," he whispers.
"I know," Merula says as Snape watched them as he thought about who to pair them with.
"Hum…Mr. Trazax, you can be paired with Mr. Frost and Ms. Snyde, you can be with Ms. Rose," Snape informs.
"Great," Merula notes before smiling a little. Wanting to show off her style.
Snape calls for the two he named for their partners and out of the crowd, out stepped Eranior Frost and Avae Rose. Both friends of Zarif and Merula after she introduced them to Zarif.
"Let's get this match started," Zarif says smiling. "Ready, Eranior?" Zarif asks the boy with thick straight blond hair that goes to his neck in an artistic style.
Eranior grins. "Always," he says, happily taking out his wand and getting ready.
"Come on Avae," Merula instructs the tall girl with thick, wavy, rose-red hair that is very short and is worn in a bizarre, artistic style.
"Ready anytime," Avae says chuckling.
"Begin," Lockhart calls.
"Flipendo!" Zarif calls and sends it right into Eranior, making him fly back onto the table. "Sorry," Zarif calls to him, slightly chuckling.
"It's fine. Let me try," Eranior says smiling back as he gets up before aiming his wand at him. "Immobulus," he says and a wave of magic was sent by Zarif.
"Protego," Zarif says simply, waving his wand in front of him before the spell hits the shield, lightning it up and dissipating the attack. "Expelliarmus," he calls and sends a red blast back at him, Eranior waving his wand like Zarif did.
"Protego," he calls and the jinx bounces off the shield, coming back at Zarif. Zarif, thinking quickly, does the same spell and the jinx bounces off his shield as well. This went on for some time as the spell kept bouncing, both of them using the shield. While the table beside them was having a flurry of attacks and dodges.
"Flipendo!" Merula calls, Avae quickly ducking and dodging to the side, holding her own wand up as best as possible. "Rictusempra," Avae calls back and the spell barely misses Merula as she moves to the side, Zarif noticing that she is almost acting like a muggle cheerleader with her ways of standing and dodging on a small area with the size of the table.
Zarif and Eranior look over, hearing the yells and see a snake in between Harry and Draco. Draco even looked very pleased with himself.
"Don't move, Potter," Snape says lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye to eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it…"
"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight toward Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself again, fangs exposed, poised to strike.
"My lord, what aren't you a failure at?" Zarif asks himself facepalming. Then there was the sound of someone hissing and Zarif looked up to see it was Harry doing that and the snake was looking at him as if he was talking to him. "No…he can't…" Zarif says in disbelief as he watches this with everyone else in the same expression.
"Is that…?" Merula tries to ask, almost recognizing the style.
"He is a parseltongue?" Avae asks.
"Wow…I…did not see that coming," Eranior says.
"You and everyone else," Zarif notes as he sees all the shocked faces, including the two professors as Snape slowly approaches the snake. He waved his wand, and the snake vanished in a small puff of black smoke. Snape, too, was looking at Harry in an unexpected way. It was a shrewd and calculating look, and Harry didn't like it. He was also dimly aware of an ominous muttering all around the walls. Then he felt a tugging on the back of his robes.
Ron steered Harry hurriedly out of the hall, Hermione hurrying alongside them.
"…Merula…to the library," Zarif says in deep thought now.
Merula was already grabbing his hood and dragging him away as well, opposite of the way Harry and his friends went. Their Slytherin friends soon follow after him.