Harry Potter and the Curse of V'Ardian
Chapter 18
Of Contests and Capture
Standard Disclaimers Apply
oOoOo
Slap.
The stinging sensation across his cheek made Harry wince.
"How dare you?" hissed Katherine, a look of outrage splashed across her face. She had finally caught Harry with no one else around.
"What?" asked Harry, stepping out of the range of her arms.
"What did you do that to my father for? I can't believe you hit him!"
Harry glared at Katherine coldly.
"Tell me, Katherine, what do you think of your father?"
"You're avoiding the topic," she spat.
"No, Katherine, this is exactly what it's about. What do you think of him?"
"He's my father, what do you think I think of him?"
"I wouldn't know," said Harry, crossing his arms over his chest. "I've never had one."
His blunt answer stopped her tirade and she replied to his question.
"My father is…" she hesitated slightly. "He's a good man. He's bitter, and angry, but I know him better than anyone and he's intelligent and deep down he's really very, very caring."
"Well I'm glad one of us can see the good in him," said Harry coldly.
Katherine glared at him.
"What has he ever done to you to deserve what you did to him, Harry?"
Harry laughed.
"Don't you hear him in class, the way he treats me? Don't you hear him whispering insults about my parents as he passes me?"
Katherine looked at him calmly.
"Of course, everyone hears him, but he has to appear to hate you, doesn't he?"
Harry rolled his eyes and shook his head.
"Look, if you were smart you would end this conversation right now," he said. As much as he hated Snape, he liked Katherine and he wasn't about to disillusion her with the truth of what Snape had done. He didn't want her to see her father in the same way that Harry had seen his in the Pensieve- in a cruel, bullying and arrogant light. But it seemed that Katherine didn't want to listen to Harry. She stood there glaring at him, her composure as proud, superior and arrogant as the first day he had met her, and he admired her determination.
"Harry, I'm not stupid. Something made you snap that day and I want to know what it was."
"I know you aren't stupid, Katherine, but you don't want to hear this, okay? Please, just drop it."
He turned to go, praying that she would forget it, but she didn't.
"If you don't tell me why you assaulted my father, I will tell him about you."
Harry spun around again to face her, suddenly angry. How dare she?
"I can't believe you would stoop that low," he spat. It was a sneaky tactic- crude, deceitful, childish, and completely below what he would have expected of her. "And before you even think of doing that I should tell you that he already knows, anyway."
Katherine had the grace took look slightly ashamed at the truth of his statement and her cheeks blushed a pale red, but she didn't back down from Harry's furious glare.
"Don't insult me, Harry. What you did was pretty low as well."
Harry couldn't believe he was having this conversation with her.
"Well he deserved it," spat Harry, remembering the sense of utter satisfaction he had gotten from hitting Snape.
"I can't believe you, Harry. I thought you were better than that. Obviously I was wrong," she sniffed.
Harry found himself getting increasingly angry and he knew his eyes were changing.
"Fine," he ground out in a deadly whisper. "Fine. You want to know what your precious father did? Why don't you go and ask him? I know why you don't. It's because you're afraid that it will be something really bad and he won't tell you because he won't want you to think badly of him. Isn't that right?"
Katherine looked at him furiously without replying, and he saw her looking apprehensively into his dilating eyes.
"And just in case he doesn't tell you," Harry went on, "I'll let you know that if it weren't for your saint of a father, I wouldn't be standing here without parents."
And before Katherine could reply, or Harry could put his foot in it any more, he turned and stormed off to his dormitory, leaving Katherine standing silently in the dark corridor.
oOoOo
"Three, two, one, go!" Madam Hooch shouted, and fourteen broomsticks rose into the air around her. Harry rushed straight to the top, leaving the other players behind. The match against Hufflepuff was in full swing, and Gryffindor were in control of the ball.
Harry's eyes strayed briefly towards the forest but he pulled his concentration beck to the game. Up here, it seemed, he could think more clearly then he had done in days, but now he wasn't sure if that was such a good thing. He found himself thinking about the elves, about V'Ardian, and about Mr Weasley and his bid for Minister.
That very morning the front page of the Daily Prophet had proclaimed that Mr Weasley had Dumbledore's backing, and he had grown even more popular. It seemed he had everything going for him. Of course, there were other contenders. Amos Diggory was another favourite, as was Falconio Parkinson. Harry wondered if Parkinson was a Death Eater, but realised that the Order would probably know if he was.
Harry had to admit that there was a clear difference between this game and the last. He was much more clear headed and happier. He would have to see Katherine again, or Snape even, before he started getting sick again.
Harry let out a cheer as Gryffindor scored their second goal and scanned the pitch. Still no sign of the Snitch.
As Harry flew he couldn't help the niggling feeling that something was going very wrong, or was going to. Malfoy's warning had been much too dangerous to be ignored, yet what could he do? The teachers were convinced that Voldemort couldn't get into Hogwarts. And there was also the fact that Malfoy's last warning, no matter how vague it had been, had also been right.
Hufflepuff scored their first goal of the game and the stands roared in triumph. Harry smiled and searched the Gryffindor stands for Neville, whom he knew would be there somewhere. He would never forget what Neville had done for him in the Department of Mysteries.
Unable to find him, Harry returned his eyes to the ground. The Hufflepuff Seeker was tailing him and Harry rolled his eyes. It was a useless tactic, especially when Harry had a Firebolt.
Gryffindor scored again and Harry smiled in triumph. They were invincible, and it seemed all the training had paid off. And yet, there was still no sign of the Snitch. Oh well, the more points the better, Harry mused.
oOoOo
Half an hour later, Harry caught the Snitch. There had been no competition. He grinned in triumph as his team mates surrounded him and for the first time in a long while he felt truly happy.
oOoOo
If Harry was hoping for the euphoria of winning the game to last for long, Harry was sorely disappointed. It lasted until just after dinner when Ron hurried up to him.
"Harry, have you seen Ginny?"
"No," replied Harry cautiously. "Why?"
"I need to speak to her, but no one's seen her since before the Quidditch game."
Harry paled and the niggling feeling returned full force. He stood up abruptly.
"Were going to see McGonagall," he said.
"What- Harry, where are you going?"
"I'll explain on the way, Ron," Harry said.
Ron ran to catch up with him and they clambered out of the portrait hole and into the corridor, taking off for Professor McGonagall's office. As it turned out, harry didn't explain to Ron what he was suddenly rushing of madly for; he was too busy thinking. He hadn't seen Neville all day either. Come to think of it, he had missed him at the game as well. Neville always came down to congratulate Harry when they won.
He knocked sharply on Professor McGonagall's door but didn't wait for a reply. Bursting in he came face to face with a severe looking teacher, currently glaring at him for interrupting her so rudely.
"Yes, Potter?" she asked sternly, her mouth a thin line.
"Professor- I think something has happened to Ginny Weasley and Neville Longbottom."
Ron cast him a strange look, but Professor McGonagall's scowl became even more pronounced.
"What do you mean, Potter?" she sighed, laying down her quill.
"They're missing. We haven't seen either of them all day."
Surprisingly, Professor McGonagall seemed to believe them.
"Are you sure?" she asked urgently, standing up and taking a pinch of powder from a pot on her shelf.
Harry nodded.
"Very well. I will check into it," she said, in what was clearly a dismissal.
"Hang on a minute," cut in Ron, moving to Harry's side. "What's going on?"
Professor McGonagall fixed him with a piercing stare, though her expression softened slightly.
"Another student has also gone missing, Mr Weasley."
"Who?" Harry asked, but Professor McGonagall stepped into the fire and was gone.
oOoOo
"Wonder who the other person is?" Ron mumbled as they trudged resignedly up to Gryffindor tower. "Hope it's a Slytherin."
Harry tended to agree, though he had a horrible feeling that it was not. After all, it was too much of a coincidence. The disaster at the Ministry, Malfoy telling him that Voldemort was planning something at Hogwarts, and then two of the people who were also present at the Ministry were kidnapped. It was almost certain that the third person would be another of those that had followed him to rescue Sirius. Maybe Luna, he thought, because he had seen Hermione in the common room only a few hours ago.
He knew, deep down, that this was his fault. It was a trap, designed purely to lure Harry in to the snake's lair. Again, he knew he should have been more careful and paid more attention to Malfoy's warning, but how could he have predicted this? For Merlin's sake, Hogwarts was supposed to be safe. There had to have been someone on the inside… who?
oOoOo
At their Defence lesson that day, Snape was missing. This in itself was a small miracle, to exaggerate a little, but Katherine was also absent. Harry had to wonder if something had happened. Instead, their class was cancelled and they spent the free time catching up on homework. And in his mind, Harry was busily planning the little trip he was planning to take…
oOoOo
A/N: Aaaggh! I hate short chapters! I apologise, but I felt I couldn't draw this out any longer. Well, maybe I just got bored and didn't want to. But I promise the next chapter is exciting! Thanks for reviewing- Wujjawoo.
Chapter 19: Of Visions and V'Ardian