Disclaimer
All names, places and concepts related to
Buffy the Vampire Slayer are the property of Joss
Whedon.
All names, places and concepts related to
Harry Potter are the property of JK Rowling.
This applies to the entire work.
I own none of the songs that appear in this chapter:
"Better Man" belongs to Robbie Williams
I have given a rating of M due to a swear words,
adult themes and some violence.
This rating may be increased for later chapters.
AN: I could give you a thousand reasons why it has been so long since I updated last but then it would be twice as long again before I update. Thanks to all my readers and reviewers:
Anoron: Thanks for the review. The update wasn't exactly soon but it came in the end and I hope it is okay.
Speak Out: I am glad you like the story even though it has all the blasted songs :) The songs were the whole concept of this fic, that I would tell the story of the characters through songs. I thought it was origional and cool but I guess you can't make everyone happy :( Let me know what you think of the next chapter.
Neurotic Cat Goddess: Thanks for the review and kind words. All updated, although a little late
Amanda: Thankyou. I am going to keep going and I hope you keep reading. I like it that it is from the Slytherin side too :) See, there not as bad as everyone makes them out to be, well, not as bad to each other. Snape has always been nice. You just have to look for it :)
The two days before the weekend passed with little incident. Kennedy's wayward fire had become localised to Ron Weasley and was down to one inferno a class. Amanda's yak problem had disappeared and the worst thing that happened to her was that in transfiguration she turned her teapot into a tortes and not a turtle. The plant Rona was responsible for was gone after a full night of work from every teacher and prefect at Hogwarts; even Dumbledore wasn't looking his chipper self as he stumbled into his chair at breakfast on Friday morning. Dawn still got glares and whispers shot at her everywhere she went but a close at hand Slytherin was always quick to curse off a few noses or hex a mouth or two shut. Her classes however were going well. In three days of study Dawn was nearly at the top of every one of her classes, which all the teachers were quick to point out, much to Dawn's distaste. Professor Flitwick was in tears of joy when Dawn summoned her pillow all the way from Slytherin dungeon – she didn't tell the charms teacher she was aiming at the box of cushions in front of her.
Saturday morning had come bright and clear and cool. Dawn was not keen to go anywhere near the library, and considering the students could now get out of the castle, Dawn, Elsie and Beth decided to get to work on their mountain of homework by the crystal lake of Hogwarts. Besides the potions essay Snape had given them Dawn had two others for transfiguration and History of Magic; compared to the other two though she had it easy. By the first week in Elsie and Beth had an essay or project from every class and two for Arithmancy. Dawn was just glad she turned up late for the start of term.
With their combined brain power – well, mostly Elsie's – their work got done surprisingly fast. The sun was filtering down through the fir they were beneath, Elsie was blowing on the ink of her Arithmancy essay, Dawn had her nose buried in 'a standard book of spells grade four' and Beth's chin was bobbing on her chest as she tried to put off sleep.
"Done," sighed Elsie.
Dawn smiled and Beth snorted awake.
"I'm starving," grunted Beth and looking at her watch frowned "It's eleven forty-five, do you think lunch will be out yet?"
"We can check," said Elsie "If not we'll-,"
"Just a sec," said Dawn lifting up her hand.
One of the best things she had learnt at her short stay at Hogwarts was how to handle her wand without it making carrots sprout out of peoples ears. Her hand went to her bag and she pulled out her wand. With her finger she traced a few lines in 'a standard book of spells grade four' mouthing the words to herself silently.
"What?" asked Elsie.
"Try this," smiled Dawn.
She placed her book down and swished her wand about her head.
"Gormaymeus platarious."
Not only had a stylish yet affordable rug woven itself under the three girls but numerous plates of steaming food had melted into view with a four piece orchestra playing classical Bach.
"Excellent," giggled Dawn and she handed the two others a fine china plate and pewter cutlery.
"How did you do that?" gasped Elsie "This spell was for a corned beef sandwich."
Dawn had no idea but shrugged it off.
"Improvisation."
The girls ate their way through six courses. They would have stopped sooner but the bowls and plates of food kept replenishing themselves. The ninth apple pie had reappeared when Dawn went back to the spell book.
"All for the gluttony and sloth," she winced "but there are five others to get to."
Her wand pointed at the spread.
"Finite Incentartem."
The violin stopped, the rug disappeared with a small 'pop' and the three girls got to their feet with satisfaction.
"It's only three o'clock," sighed Beth, the waves of boredom threatening to wash over her.
"So what do three Slytherin girls, with all their homework done, do on a Saturday afternoon with a few hours to kill?" asked Elsie.
"Find some boys to make out with?" suggested Beth.
"Teach some flobberworms to sing 'Potter stinks' and float them into Gryffindor tower," added Elsie herself.
Dawn's face turned into a sly grin.
"I've got a better idea ladies."
"One, two… Community Chest."
A wealth of magical books had taught Dawn how to conjure more then just a mystical picnic. In twenty minutes they had rounded up Gilrean, Paige and Pansy and the six girls were now sprawled over their dorm room floor surrounded by a mountain of chocolate, assorted chips and enough soda to cause a hyperactive twister.
"You have won second prize in a beauty contest, collect ten sickles from each player."
Dawn returned the gold leaf card looking very pleased with herself.
"Pay up buckaroos."
They all grudgingly handed over the silver and Dawn sighed.
"It's so nice to be rich."
Her hand jingled and she made a big display of counting out her money into her sizable piles.
"Elsie it's your roll."
The blonde girl rolled the dice and got a seven. Her piece – a gold unicorn – trotted along the properties of its own accord and landed on Diagon Alley.
"Oh," said Dawn in mock surprise "That's mine."
"They're all yours," drawled Paige rubbing the two knuts she had lazily between her fingers.
"Let's see," chirped Dawn "Diagon Alley, with three castles, that will be… Fifty galleons."
Elsie locked onto Dawn with a steely glare.
"I don't have fifty galleons."
"I'll sell you my get out of Azkaban free card if it will help," said Gilrean "It's about all I own."
The lanterns flickered into life overhead.
"It must be nearly time for dinner," said Beth putting down her fourteenth packet of barbeque crisps.
Dawn's mouth opened in shock.
"You're still hungry after all of this?"
"Beth is always hungry," giggled Pansy "You could never conjure enough food to satisfy her."
Beth scowled.
"That's right," added Elsie "The only time any of us haven't seen her eat was when Draco slipped her a sour-shocker chew and her mouth shrivelled up for a few hours."
The five burst out in laughter as Beth pouted.
"Kidding honey, kidding," snorted Paige "You know we love you."
Dawn tidied the dorm with a swish of her wand but making sure to leave a few bars of Honeydukes best chocolate for each girl. The six were giggling for no apparent reason all the way down to the common room. Dawn saw that most of the Slytherins had already left for the great hall but three still remained seated around the end of a large oak table with piles of books and parchment scattered everywhere.
"Need any help Draco?" asked Pansy "I'm sure Dawn could show you what you're doing wrong."
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle were stuck on their transfiguration homework. They had to turn a pencil into a pineapple by Monday's class. The girls all had fantastically shaped and ripe fruit sitting back on their bedside tables. Draco ignored the obvious sarcastic insult and tried the spell again. His HB pencil quivered a little and opposite ends had a yellow and green tinge but that was all. Crabbe and Goyle tried next but their's didn't even move. The three sighed.
"If you just-," started Dawn.
"I don't need your help Summers," said Draco a little flushed "How about you go find Granger and start a show-off club."
Dawn glared but the other girls looked scandalised.
"Fine Malfoy," returned Dawn turning her back on him "I wouldn't want to deflate your ego any more then it is. I know how you like to have trouble walking through doors."
The five Slytherin girls were very impressed with her.
"Well done," said Elsie looking on Dawn with new pride "The only time he usually gets shot down is on the Quidditch pitch."
"Quidditch"? asked Dawn covering up the five strange looks with a 'we don't have that where I live'.
The explanation of Quidditch lasted the girls all the way down to the great hall and dinner. They had even stopped at a few windows and pointed out the high golden goal hoops to Dawn in the dying light. Dawn was also very discouraged to hear that Slytherin had come second to Gryffindor for the past three years.
"When does the season start?" asked Dawn.
She was excited for two reasons. The first being that it sounded like a great game, fast paced and wonderfully brutal, and the second that she would most likely see Draco Malfoy fall flat on his ass even though it would most likely signal a Slytherin loss.
"It won't," said Elsie sadly as they sat at their house table.
Dawn deflated.
"Why?"
"Triwizard Tournament," Elsie said simply.
Thankfully Dawn had heard enough whispered conversation about this even to piece together a general concept in her mind.
"Pity about Dumbledore's age restriction though," huffed Beth "I bet you'd be a shoe in for Hogwarts Dawn."
The four others heartily agreed and Dawn just smiled, too ingratiated with her new friends to be embarrassed.
Dinner was unusually sombre, mostly because everyone was so tired from all their homework and concentration. Dawn, Elsie, Beth, Gilrean, Pansy and Paige however didn't seem to worry about the huffy glares they got induced by their sugary hysteria. Their laughs and cheers were so loud that not even the deliberate clanking of cutlery from the other houses could muffle it. Dawn was quick to notice the stares she was getting from Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger but every time it happened she just smiled politely and waved then shared in the sniggers with the five other girls.
Despite their afternoon feast the girls went back for seconds of the mains and deserts. Dawn had a bowl of rich pumpkin soup, four baked potatoes, eight slivers of smoked ham, corn, carrot, and after initial apprehension two bowls of spotted dick, custard and ice-cream.
Draco, Crabbe and Goyle slank into seats near Paige halfway through dinner.
"Get it finished then?" grinned Dawn.
Draco didn't even look at her but slopped a large amount of mashed potato onto his plate which splattered all over the place. Dawn leaned in and whispered to the girls.
"I don't think he got it finished."
The six roared with laughter.
As the last cake disappeared Dawn looked at her watch. It was eight o'clock and she remembered that she had to see Professor Snape about her elective units. Seeing that they all had their homework done Dawn had company back to Slytherin common room to pick up her things while more then half the other fifth and seventh years went off to the library for even more homework and study.
"Evening Esmeralda," chirped Gilrean "Nice night."
"Hello girls," returned the Slytherin portrait "Got the new password?"
"Sure do," said Elsie very importantly "Salazar."
The portrait opened graciously and the six girls struggled to be the first through the doorway. The common room was empty and all the mess of the day had been cleared away. Dawn wasn't sure there were any Slytherins that liked to tidy up after themselves – her least of all – but didn't have any other explanation for the spotless room. She supposed Draco had managed it through his failed attempts at transfiguration.
Elsie opened the dorm room door and the five girls immediately flopped themselves onto the soft silver quilts of their beds. Beth's hand was just reaching for the pile of Honeydukes chocolate when Dawn grabbed her things and headed back out.
"I have to see Snape," she told them for the fifteenth time, like somehow they would have forgotten "I should be back in about twenty."
Paige who was frantically looking for something stopped and looked up.
"That should be plenty of time."
"What do you mea-,"
"You'll be late Dawn," said Pansy "I think Snape goes to bed at curfew."
Dawn didn't argue and left, closing the door behind her. She would have been suspicious, if she had more time, at the hurried scuffling sounds coming from the room from what she had thought looked like five very exhausted girls. Not thinking much more on it Dawn went back into the common room and headed for the portrait. Half way across the stone chamber Esmeralda's picture opened and three figures stepped in. Draco was leading the way with Crabbe and Goyle shuffling along behind snacking on chocolate and vanilla cupcakes from desert. Dawn glanced at the blonde haired teenager and saw that he was looking at her. When she caught his eye however he quickly looked away. Draco walked straight past her without a word while Crabbe and Goyle attempted a muffled hello over a mouthful of cake.
They go on and on about us being the complicated ones she thought to herself.
Dawn trotted through the hallway feeling very full and sleepy. She was excited about the fact she would in twenty minutes be relaxing in a steaming bath with lavender and orange candles burning all around her, stepping out into her pink bunny pyjamas and nodding off to the thought of the following day and its prospective twelve hours of self-indulgent shopping – if she had anything to say about it.
"Enter!"
Dawn pushed open the dungeon door and stepped into a room of shadow. Professor Snape was sitting at his desk marking papers by the light of a single candle.
"Sir?"
Snape looked up and showed one of his seldom smiles.
"Ah, Miss Summers, I am glad you came. I have just finished marking your preliminary invigorating draught."
Snape shuffled through some dark parchment and handed a sheath to Dawn as she sat at his desk. Her mouth fell open in shock. In the top left hand corner of the paper was a large, spidery, silver 'O'.
"I got a zero?" coughed Dawn "But, in class, you said-,"
Snape lifted his hand to silence her.
"It's an 'O' Dawn, you got an outstanding, the highest mark possible at Hogwarts."
Dawn's fearful tears soon turned to droplets of joy. She attempted to say thankyou but all that would come out was small incoherent squeaks.
When Dawn finally looked up from the paper she was sure that the candle on Professor Snape's desk had burnt down by more then half. Snape however was happily marking some Gryffindor papers, most of which were sporting 'A's', 'D's', and to Dawn's horror one had a large thick 'T' in its corner. Dawn was very thankful that the potions master had let her have her fifteen seconds and she had only one thought of what to do after she left his office.
Snape marked the last piece of parchment with a distasteful 'E' and looked up at Dawn.
"Now Miss Summers," he said as he placed his handsome black eagle feather quill back in its inkpot "I believe you have some subject selections for me."
Dawn reached into her robes and took out her choices. She handed them excitedly to Snape who smiled back as he took the parchment from her. His eyes scanned the paper but as they fell his brow furrowed. He looked up with his dark grey eyes and stared at Dawn. Dawn's stomach leapt; she was sure she must have done something wrong.
"You wish to study Occlumency?"
""Yes," said Dawn shortly, her hands tightening on the rests of the chair.
"May I ask why?"
Dawn's breath was caught in her throat. She regretted now not choosing a hard to pronounce subject.
"I just do," said Dawn "It, it looked interesting."
Snape's intrigue deepened and his eyes became even darker.
"It's not an easy subject Dawn," Snape said warily.
Dawn even thought she caught the Professor lowering his voice, like the walls could listen.
"But," stammered Dawn "I thought you could teach me."
Snape's eyes lightened and a few creases in his face disappeared. The potions master sat back with a sigh and folded his arms.
"I am one of only two Professors at this school with sufficient ability to teach this subject. I however don't fell I should be teaching you-,"
"Please," choked Dawn.
As Snape was talking she had lost all feeling in her body. Her arms had become like lead and the daggers in her throat were threatening to tear her voice to shreds. Occlumency was a small light for her, something that would make her feel safer then she did now.
"Please," she pleaded again, small tears beginning to leak down her face.
Snape's eyes narrowed again but Dawn didn't see questions looking back at her. In the inky depths she saw sorrow and understanding.
"Calm yourself Dawn," he whispered.
Snape took out his wand and tapped it on the desk. A single mug of some steaming liquid spun to a halt in front of Dawn.
"Sip this and tell me what's wrong Miss Summers."
With a big wet sniff Dawn took hold of the glass and looked into its frothy depths. Below a glistening white head was a pale amber liquid. She pushed it to her lips and drank a little. Immediately she felt better. She couldn't describe the taste, like ginger-beer only creamy or caramel milk only fizzy. All Dawn knew was that is was delicious. She took three big gulps, but more because she didn't want to explain herself to Snape then being thirsty.
The room was in silence except for the occasional gulping of some maturing magical fungi in its purple brine but Dawn's heart was pounding in her ears. How did she tell a teacher at her new school she wants to learn Occlumency to stop the headmaster of said school from reading her mind?
She placed the drink down and sighed, not looking up at Professor Snape.
"There are some things in my life I don't want people to see or to know, and on two occasions now I have felt like someone was trying to read my thoughts."
To stop herself babbling on Dawn took another sip of warm liquid. She still didn't look up but went on reluctantly. She however wasn't about to accuse Dumbledore of anything.
"I have a right to my own thoughts. People shouldn't be able to take a look whenever is pleases them."
The pain in Dawn's throat was nearly unbearable. She didn't know what was keeping her from bursting into unstoppable sobs. She felt violated. Dawn looked up directly into Snape's cool eyes.
"Can Occlumency help?"
"It can," said Snape simply.
Dawn couldn't tell if what she saw now was pity, but she did not think that a man like this could show such a condescending trait. Dawn felt kinship and compassion.
"Will you teach me?" asked Dawn, her hands shaking around the pewter goblet.
Snape sat forward so he was completely in the light.
"I will."
Dawn's heart raced and she felt like the weight of a thousand years had been lifted off her. She even managed a smile. Snape returned it then tidied his pile of parchment and stood up.
"You best dry your eyes and head back to the common room Miss Summers. I see no trouble with you studying both Occlumency and care of magical creatures as your electives. Goodnight to you."
Dawn left the dungeon room feeling a lot lighter and knew she would enjoy the bath and following activities with much more relish. Before she went back to Slytherin dungeon however she had one more stop.
The castle was cold and quiet and Dawn put into practice the years of stealth she had learnt while watching Buffy. She was nearly caught twice by Filtch and once by his ragged old cat Mrs Norris, but after hiding in a suit of armour and enchanting a broom to sweep past the caretaker yelling "Over here you drunken whelp," she managed to give him the slip.
Dawn pushed open a heavy oak door and immediately stepped into a sizeable pile of owl stool.
"Great!" she spat scraping her shoe in some straw.
Dawn walked into the owlery and looked up at the countless birds in the room. There were huge ones and tiny ones and most she saw were busy feeding or just waking up from a long day of sleep. Looking for a spot with the least bird poo Dawn sat down and crossed her legs taking out her potions marking sheet. To her dismay she had forgotten a-
"Pen."
Dawn had spoken the word out loud and one had magically appeared in her hand. She was just glad Rona had given her one with a quick conjuring charm that would summon the implement to its owner any where any time. She had put its effects to best use so far by conjuring it while in the girls bathroom on the third floor to write 'Malfoy was here' in her stall – He had only minutes before told Crabbe and Goyle Dawn had the hots for them.
She rested against the cool grey stone and turned the parchment over in her hands. The night air blew in her white face and seemed to clear out all superfluous thoughts to let her pen write what she needed.
"Lumos."
Dear Buffy,
How is the gang? Well, I have only been gone four days so don't care… Can you believe this mark??!! Professor Snape – this really cool teacher who says I am smart (HA! Told you I was) – gave me this 'O'. Apparently it stands for outstanding and is the best mark they give here. I officially give you permission to remove my kitty picture from the fridge I did in the third grade and replace it with this. I think it is more deserving.
She stopped for a minute to think of what else she needed to write. Anya had told her more then once she was a whinger and selfish so Dawn didn't want to prove her right on her first note home.
We are all good and are being good as per your request. There were some plant, fire and yak issues but they were sorted – kinda. Anya and Andrew say hi even if Andrew's was a little muffled from behind all the bandages. There was an incident in defence against the dark arts. Going shopping tomorrow – yay by the way – for some extra school stuff. Better get going. Lots of hugs to Joan and Randy and the other Scoobies
Love Dawn
Dawn giggled at her last line and folded the parchment over, sealing it with a tap from her lit wand.
"Nox."
She stood up and looked around the chamber. Several owls of varying sizes and colours zoomed around her head and in and out of windows but none seemed to pay her any terrible amount of attention.
"Hey beaky!" she called to one fat silver barn owl that did little more the snap its beak at her and ruffle its feathers.
After five minutes of frantic calls she had had enough.
"Bugger this, accio!"
A tawney screech owl rocketed from its perch with many shrill squawks straight into Dawn's outstretched hands. She tied the letter to the objective bird's leg and was so frustrated with its scandalised inpatients that she practically threw it out the tower window. Sliding on more of the dung as she walked out Dawn turned and saw the owl's black shape disappear under the silver of the half moon.
Back in the castle she hurried down towards the Slytherin common room. She could still hear the faint calls of her enchanted broom several floors above and the hurried scuffles of feet speeding to catch the wayward brush.
As Dawn turned into the common room hallway she saw that all the portraits were asleep except for a bunch of young looking friars. Dawn only hoped that Esmeralda would be awake.
"Salaz-,"
But before Dawn could finish the password her mouth fell open in shock. Esmeralda's portrait was empty. Dawn bit her lip and looked at her watch. If she was caught out of the common room now she would be in serious trouble. She could nearly sense Mrs Norris' skeletal form slinking up behind her and biting her on the leg. Dawn was more of a dog person. To her relief though, Esmeralda stepped back into frame not six minutes later, placing something into her pocket. The woman in the portrait sat down and looked up.
"Where were you?!" both of them demanded.
"What's it to you?!" they retaliated.
Dawn smiled.
"I won't tell if you don't."
Esmeralda's tight face relaxed.
"That's the way Dawn, good girl."
Dawn said the password and walked into Slytherin common room. No one was there, not that she noticed, all she wanted to do was have a bath and get to bed.
As Dawn entered the dorm she looked in with confusion. All five girls were fully dressed in casual clothes and huffily jumped off their beds.
"Where were you?" asked Beth tying a scarf around her neck.
"Owlery," said Dawn pointing at them airily and quite dumbfounded.
"Why are you-,"
"We thought you were only going to be five minutes," bit Paige pulling on some gloves and a beanie.
"Why are you all dressed like that?" asked Dawn as Gilrean and Pansy pulled a sweater over her robes.
"It's cold out," said Beth as though this was the most obvious thing in the world.
Elsie pulled out her wand and strode over to Dawn.
"It doesn't matter now, chameleous!"
"Ow, you bit-,"
But Dawn stopped mid sentence. Elsie had hit her hard over the head with her wand and the strangest feeling was happening to her. It felt like warm water was flowing down her body and as she looked at herself she didn't see Dawn, but the floor and the beds before her.
"What did you do to me?"
"Cloaking, chameleous, charm, chameleous," explained Elsie as she rapped Beth and Pansy on the head also – although Dawn noticed not quite as hard.
She watched as the two girls melted from view and were replaced by visions of the rooms furnishings. Dawn could only see dim shadows of them and only if they moved.
"It only works on site not sound," continued Elsie "So shh."
"But what are we doing?" asked Dawn desperately as a cloaked girl grabbed her hand and led her towards the door.
Gilrean answered from a fuzzy space beside her.
"You showed us how Americans have fun this afternoon," she said slyly "Now it's time to show you how Slytherins do it."
Dawn could do nothing more then be led down the stairs, leaving the warm confines of the dorm behind to a soft clunk of its door closing.
The six shadows climbed into the entrance hall sneaking past the four house hourglasses. Dawn was more then sure that about a thousand of the emeralds would be flying back into the upper stores, or perhaps the Slytherin keeper would implode for what they were doing now.
"Call me a drunken whelp will you!"
A collective gasp ran through the group followed by many silent yet painful stampings on feet.
"It's Filtch," gulped Dawn "Hide."
"We are hidden," coughed Pansy.
"Shh!"
The six Slytherin girls froze as the limp and strained figure of the Hogwarts caretaker hobbles into view.
"I don't know how you managed to talk but I bet those Weasley menaces are behind it."
"Drunken whelp, drunken whelp! DRUNKEN WHELP!"
Dawn bit back a stream of laughter as Filtch struggled to throw the raucous broom into a store cupboard. Mrs Norris wasn't helping the matter by trying to attack the straw bristles after they took furious swipes at her.
"Get in there!"
Filtch managed to close the cupboard door on the sweeping menace but wasn't grateful for its imprisonment as the muffled sounds of falling boxes and spilled cans of Mrs Scower's All Purpose Magical Mess-Remover wisped under the door. Filtch shuffled off with many grunts and groans and threats about whips and manacles and the six girls could breathe again.
"That was close," sniffed Paige, though Dawn caught every speck of sarcasm and lack of real concern.
They sprang across the flagstone floor in one mad dash. Elsie – or so Dawn assumed it to be – opened the entrance doors and they flowed out into the night. As the lock clasped too a wave of shrill laughter filled the grounds.
"What a moron," jeered Gilrean "Wait till I tell Millicent."
"You know," said Elsie reflectively "I can't stand the weasel twins but now I might actually start calling them by their real names instead of Hansel and Gretel."
Dawn cleared her throat awkwardly.
"It, it wasn't them that enchanted the broom."
Dawn felt the five girls stop even though she couldn't see them.
"How do you know?" squeaked Beth "Who was it?"
"Me," huffed Dawn guiltily.
The shower of delighted laughter broke out again. Several arms linked into hers and Dawn was led down the main path.
"You'll make a Slytherin prefect yet," hyped Elsie and all the others enthusiastically agreed.
For the first month of Autumn it was surprisingly cold. The wind was streaking out of the East and bringing with it the crisp white airs of the ever snow topped purple mountains that surrounded the school.
Dawn was quite content walking along the gravely path taking in the stars and moon and catching the distant sparkle of lights and silver veil of smoke that was coming from the gamekeepers cabin. Elsie had told Dawn that's where the Hagrid lived although Dawn hadn't had the chance to meet it face to face yet. She was surprised at herself however for not questioning the girls more on where they were going. All she knew was that it wasn't towards the forest and the lights of the castle were soon sinking into the dark night.
"So where are we going?" Dawn finally asked, interrupting a conversation about the best charm to remove lipstick from school robes.
"You'll find out in about twenty minutes," said Beth slyly.
"Patients luv," added Gilrean "It's not a Slytherin virtue but it's nice to practice it once in a while."
All of a sudden the entrance gate to Hogwarts – or so Dawn assumed it was (she had never been this far in the ground before) – loomed into view. The bronze winged boars atop the grey stone shimmered in the silver light and Dawn's stomach rolled over.
"We're leaving the grounds?"
"Uh-ha," said Paige.
"You bet," added Beth.
Dawn bit her lip.
"But won't we get in trouble?"
"Uh-ha," said Paige.
"You bet," added Beth, but each not without a snigger.
An arm went around Dawn's shoulders.
"Ignore them," said Elsie "We have done this every week since second year and we have never been caught. Well, except that one time by Professor Trelawney but she just thought she was sensing some omen of imminent doom."
Dawn thought she was sensing some omen of imminent doom too as the six of them crossed over the threshold of the school. She knew this would be encroaching on Buffy's rule of stay out of trouble. She only wished she had been smart enough to invite Amanda, Rona and Kennedy. That way the Slayer wrath could have been easily divided.
After five minutes of gossiping canter another thought came to Dawn.
"If you've been here every week for two years, why aren't you bored with it?"
Dawn was put back a little at the clicking of tongues and repeated sighs.
"Honey," said Beth "When we're done you'll wish you were a Slytherin a long time ago."
Before long the girls came to a road sign. Looking at the sign pointing ahead of them Dawn saw they were heading towards the town of Hogsmead. A light went on in her head as she realised this was where she would be coming tomorrow.
The beech trees thinned out and gave way to a few thatched roofed houses. Their windows were draped in dark fabric and Dawn thought the occupants must have been in bed.
After crossing a rickety train line by a crossing the six were officially in Hogsmead. Even though it was late and dark and they were all cloaked Elsie was sure to lead the others on the most secret way.
Most of the shopfronts were brightly lit and Dawn saw businesses much like that back in Morgan Market, though seemingly more rustic.
After another ten minutes she started to groan.
"Are we there yet?"
They had just passed a pub called the 'Hog's Head' and her feet were getting sore and cold. She hated clunky new shoes and thought a nice pair of heals were more worthy of being worn in.
"OW!!!"
Something had hit Dawn hard in the head. At first she thought it might have been an impatient Elsie but then realised it was a rushed Elsie removing the cloaking charm.
Dawn, Beth, Pansy, Paige, Gilrean and the mad, wand toting psycho witch dripped back into view. Dawn's head had not stopped hurting when they were all being ushered to the door. Before she was swept through though, Dawn saw a sign on the window reading 'Ramsey's Rest and Relaxation'.
Dawn nearly tripped over her jaw as she walked into the shop. By some magic the inside was nearly six times the size of the outside, but that wasn't the half of it. Where she had expected to see a few chairs were massage tables and large comfy recliners; where she had expected a small kitchen was a huge confectionary bar with more goodies then Dawn could even count; and last and best where she had expected a glass of complementary water were two huge spas; one filled with thick grey mud and the other with champagne-like water.
"Welcome to the three R's ladies," shrieked a tall beautiful witch with long sleek burgundy hair and lots of different coloured rings on her fingers "What's it been? A week?"
She shrieked with laughter again and toddled off to a cupboard returning with six robes and large comfortable towels.
"Here now, she's a new one. Pretty too," said the witch "Glad my eighth husband isn't around now."
She extended a hand to Dawn.
"I'm Mrs Ramsey dear, but you can call me Elizabeth, Liz for short."
"I'm Dawn Summers," Dawn smiled back, not sure what to make of the husband remark.
"Sorry Dawn," said Elsie absentmindedly in the wake of anticipation "Liz is my aunty, one of mum's sisters. She lets us come here for free as a bit of a treat."
"Right good their families have been to me, especially the Cowan's, not to mention my favourite niece. Nothing like my forth husband; Left me with nothing but my wand and a knight bus ticket to my mothers down in Kent."
Liz shook her head.
"But here now, the chimera fixed him up and they say thirteen is lucky for some."
"Thirteen?" questioned Dawn.
"Husband thirteen Dawnie; though I have learnt better then to change my name each time and just go by my maiden name now. It's better then Elizabeth Ramsey-Everet-Banks-Rose-Gordon-Smart-Marks-Bellomy-Patters-Smith-Donnely-Dove-Chudley-Bay now isn't it?"
"I guess," said Dawn blankly, thoroughly amazed.
Elsie was in the midst of giving Liz a big hug and the others were heading for the change rooms. Dawn carried off her things and changed and was back out with the others in under three minutes. Liz was looking at each of them lovingly.
"Now my dear girls," she said placing her hands together "Will it be the works, the works or the works?"
Six grins spread over six faces. Liz waved her wand which started the radio blaring.
"Take your seats and prepare to be indulged."
Dawn sat in a recliner and all apprehension soon melted away. The emery boards, tweezers, nail scissors and lotion zoomed about them and Dawn thought to herself that this was better then a bath and a few candles.
After the manicure, pedicure, and facial the girls had their nails done. About seventy polish bottles swam in front of them and all they need do was point. While some of the others got green and silver bled together, Dawn went for the more traditional French tips. Her toes she left plain not opting for sun-red like Beth - which would blind you if you stared at it for too long and actually gave off heat. Her hair she had trimmed and styled like always. Dawn had nearly fallen asleep when Liz came back.
"My sixth husband just went to Azkaban which entitles you all to an extra twenty minutes in the spa."
This made the girls all extremely pleased.
"Ready for the next session?" asked Liz raising an eyebrow and wearing a strange grin.
The witch waved her wand and the chairs receded and gave way to the massage tables.
"Mmm," agreed the girls.
"Boys?" called Liz.
A door at the rear of the shop opened and six half naked twenty-something's stepped in. Each was blonde-haired and blue-eyed with arms, abs and chests till Tuesday.
"Mmm," ran around the girls again.
"This is Aiden, Seth, Mark, Sebastian, Jordan and Jeremy," informed Liz "Have fun."
Elizabeth left again and the girls lay down on the massage tables. Within two minutes each girl was so relaxed they were nearly asleep. Beth actually was and only the continued gossip drowned out her snores.
Dawn had never had a massage this good, or could in fact ever remember having one. Seth knew without her telling him where every sore spot was.
"Can I keep you?"
Dawn shot up at what she said. The other girls laughed and Beth hiccoughed.
"They don't speak honey."
Liz was back again with a tray of sliced cucumber.
"They're not very smart but their shaped like gods."
The shopkeeper gave a pensive look then shrieked with laughter.
"Maybe that's my problem."
The girls stood up with smiles and stretches.
"Off you go boys, back to the storeroom; girls, last stop."
Each of them took two slices and sunk into the mud bath.
"Won't our nails be ruined"" gasped Dawn.
"Its magic sweetie," yawned Paige "They'll be fine."
Twenty minutes in the mud and they were out and in the spa. Dawn could only just see each of her friend's heads over the low shimmer of steam resting above the bubbles. Liz brought over a tray of warm Butterbeer and a self levitating tray of imported chocolates.
"Try these Dawn," encouraged Elsie biting into some white fudge and drinking the flavoured milk inside.
"Better then that Honeydukes stuff," added Liz "My seventh husband has shares in it."
She walked away mumbling to herself.
"If it didn't have protective charms on it I would have blown it up a long time ago."
Three glasses of self replenishing Butterbeer later and Dawn decided she was quite content. Beth sucked her fingers free of chocolate and spoke to the group at large.
"Ladies, ladies, hem, hem."
All fell silent.
"On behalf of all of us here I would like to officially welcome Miss Dawn Summers into our exclusive Slytherin three 'R' Club.
Dawn smiled and a round of cheers and applause went around the circle.
"May her time with us be everything it deserves to be and may she continue to embody everything that is Slytherin."
There were more cheers and Beth took the opportunity for a long drink.
"Now!" she called "Time for a game of our own."
"What's it called?" asked Dawn over a mouthful of marshmallow.
"Which wizard?" Beth answered.
"Oooooooo," chorused the other girls.
"How do we play?"
"Simple," said Pansy with an eight year old giggle "Someone asks you which wizard you'd rather pash and you have to choose."
Dawn snorted.
"We're such girls."
"I'll go first," said Beth "Pansy, Crabbe or Goyle?"
The group sounded a tremendous 'EWW' and Pansy resolved that she would rather kiss Mrs Norris.
"Elsie," said Gilrean "Cedric Diggory or Oliver Wood."
"Mmm," Elsie deliberated "Tough choice. I prefer a good beater but I would have to say Wood 'cause I like a guy who can handle his balls."
A wave of shrill laughter filled the shop.
"What?" said Elsie innocently "He was good at catching Quaffels."
"Okay," chirped Paige "Dawn.'
Dawn froze. She hadn't expected to be asked to play seeing she hadn't been at the school very long.
"Harry Potter,"
"EWW!"
"Or Draco Malfoy."
There was no group response to this name. Even Beth stopped eating to listen to the answer.
Dawn froze again. How was she meant to choose? Harry Potter was dorkey, stupid, goofy, pale and weird; while Draco was arrogant, self indulged, egotistical, nasty, but Dawn had to admit, cute.
"I don't know, ask Gilrean," Dawn answered doggedly.
"Oh no, no, no," grinned Paige "You have to answer."
Dawn sighed.
"Fine," she spat "Draco!"
The room erupted in laughs and cheers and a wave of water.
"I knew it," jeered Beth "I knew you liked him."
"What!" said Dawn scandalised "Given a choice I'd choose a Hippogriff over Potter."
They all quietened.
"She's got a point there," said Elsie and the six sunk back into the water and another hail of giggles.
After another hour, by which time it was one in the morning, the group grudgingly agreed to get back to school. They all hugged Liz goodbye and assured her they would be here same time same place the next week.
"Goodbye dearies," she called from the door "Nice to meet you Dawn."
Elizabeth closed the shop door and the street turned inkpot-black. The girls immediately huddled together. Elsie was looking for her wand when a large metallic snap sounded followed by a papery crunching.
"What was that?"
This was followed by five calls of 'Lumos'.
"Put them out," hissed Elsie urgently "Someone will see us."
They went out; all except one.
"Beth, Beth! Beth did you hear me?"
Beth however wasn't moving. She was still as stone and looking very grey in the wand light.
"Beth," reprimanded Elsie putting a hand on her shoulder "Put… It… Out."
Beth simply lifted her other hand and pointed into the distance. The five girls gathered around her. The Slytherin's wand beam landed on some slow breathing shaggy creature. One thing that couldn't be mistaken was its size; it was HUGE.
"What is it?" asked Dawn silently.
Elsie squinted but then her mouth fell open, as did the other girls'. The creature had turned and looked into the light. It was a huge wolf or massive dog with dagger-like fangs and fiery eyes. It leapt from the beam and sped off. Beth choked.
"G-G-GRIM!!!"
"It wasn't a grim," assured Amanda at breakfast on Sunday morning as she bit into her peanut butter toast.
Dawn and the other Slytherin girls hadn't gotten much sleep the night before. They were all too petrified envisioning their own deaths. After seeing the Grim the six had in fact charged back to Hogwarts forgetting to replace the chameleous charm. Elsie, who was the only one of the six to keep the faintest shred of realisation managed to close the great hall doors and administer the colloportus hex before Filtch and Mrs Norris could escape and catch them. Luckily no other prefect or teacher had been near the Slytherin common room to find them out of bed. As a result Dawn was looking very red eyed and shabby despite her pampering from the night before.
"But how do you know," pleaded Dawn.
"Because," sighed Amanda who had quickly become a visionary of all things magical "One, all of you saw it and a Grim only appears to individuals."
"But-,"
Dawn tried to protest but Amanda cut her off.
"Two! Grims are spectres i.e. incorporeal, but you said this was scavenging in a bin."
"Yes but-,"
"And THREE, only stupid people who are mad about Divination believe that nonsense."
"Hey!"
"Oh, Sorry Kennedy."
The three potentials and Dawn were at the Ravenclaw table. All four of them were completely over the house segregation thing after only four days of it.
"It looked like a Grim," mumbled Dawn into her Weet-Bix.
"It was a dog Dawn, that's all, a dog. Not a ghost, not some fanciful shape changing apparition, a dog."
Dawn nodded sadly in spite of the fact this meant she probably wasn't going to die some horrible painful death before her time.
After marmalade toast, bacon and poached eggs the four were considerably full.
"Kennedy?" asked Rona "Did you get that herbology stuff done for Sprout?"
"Not quite," said Kennedy as she finished off her glass of orange juice "Ron Weasley is my partner for the project but when I set him on fire in defence against the dark arts I also set his bag on fire and kind of destroyed the work."
Kennedy didn't seem too perturbed however and wiped her mouth on a close at hand napkin.
"Ere now, you four ready then?"
Dawn turned around very slowly at the sound of this heavy English voice. She had only heard it in short bursts from the teacher's table.
"C'mon now, lots to buy."
Dawn smiled weakly but the others looked fine, even happy to see the Professor. This reassured her even though Paige and Pansy were giving her warning looks as she left the hall.
In the entrance chamber they passed three students.
"Hagrid?"
"Oh hi 'arry didn' see ye' there."
"We just came down to see you but you weren't there," said Ron looking at the Potentials and Dawn with contempt and mingled awkwardness.
Dawn looked very stuffily back at him.
"Well Dumbledore asked me if I wouldn' mind taken these ladies ere in ter Hogsmead. Maybe anotha' day eh?"
He smiled shortly at them then walked out into the daylight. Harry, Ron and Hermione scowled at Dawn and the others but they simply turned and followed Hagrid out into the Sunday sun.
"Know the way do yeh Dawnie?"
Dawn stopped in her tracks and turned with a flattened smile. She had unconsciously walked ahead of the group and was heading in a perfect line for Hogsmead. Hagrid was chuckling however behind his grizzled hair and waved a hand at Dawn.
"Must be ye sense o' direction. Mines pretty good too. Always manage to find me way to a pub or two I do."
He chuckled again and walked off down towards the school gates.
Dawn didn't need any supplies for Occlumency and so just needed to visit 'Sow What' to get her care of magical creatures things. Kennedy, Rona and Amanda had to go there too so Hagrid made a suggestion.
"If you four have gotter go in ere together I might just nip away for a bit. Won' be long."
Hagrid stalked off without confirmation though the girls didn't seem to mind.
'Sow what' looked like the gardening section in any supermarket back home. It also served as a library for every book you could think of on the subject of flora and fauna. Getting four books and remembering to stroke the spines the girls managed to pay for the monster book of monsters and leave 'sow what' without losing a hand. Besides care of magical creatures Amanda had taken Arithmancy, Rona had taken Ancient Runes and Kennedy had taken Divination. Dawn had to smile to herself. The Potentials and her had managed to unwittingly spread themselves over the subjects the tragic trio were doing.
That'll learn em she thought to herself.
After shopping at the book store for their last purchases the four left the shop to a dusty street with no Hagrid. He didn't mention where he was going so the girls decided to go for a wander.
They went to Zonko's joke shop but didn't buy anything, reserved that their past wayward magic was better then any magical item there. In Honeydukes candy store Amanda, Rona and Kennedy bought sugar-quills but after two days of stuffing her face with confectionary Dawn didn't feel much like lollies.
Dawn also took the potentials to meet Liz Ramsey who assured the girls that any friend of Dawn's was a friend of hers. Dawn had noticed a woman in the three R's that looked vaguely familiar. She had long sleek white-blonde hair with a pretty face and cool blue eyes. She seemed well-to-do as well which settled it in Dawn's mind she must not have known her.
They headed towards the back of Hogsmead where the mountains and forest began to close in. A big sign read 'The shrieking shack' near a decrepit old house but living through six apocalyptic battles decided for them that a supposed haunted house wasn't worth much of a look. They strayed off the path and wandered through a grove of tall ash trees. The blue-grey leaves rustled hypnotically under the darkening sky. Dawn conjured some salad rolls and a sponge cake and Amanda added with four juice boxes of coco.
On her last mouthful Dawn thought she sensed something watching her but when she turned there was nothing but a thicket of grass and tall weeds. When she looked back towards town however, in the corner of her eye she caught the spray of dark fur. She grabbed Amanda's arm and vanished the food with a flick of her wand. Rona had taken a big bite of her sandwich but instead of crisp salad, bit down on her tongue.
"What are you doing?"
"Grim… There… Look."
When the three turned they saw nothing.
Amanda attempted to protest but Dawn was already up and on the chase.
"If it's the Grim," asked Kennedy "Why are we following it?"
"It's not the Grim."
"My tongue hurts."
"Shh!"
Dawn was at the edge of the trees looking towards some turnstiles on the very border of town.
"There it is, look."
She pointed and the others followed her finger. There, pushing its way through the barrier was the huge shape of no more then a cloak of grey in the distance.
"Told you it's the Grim," said Dawn triumphantly.
Amanda growled.
"Its NOT!"
"Prove it!" spat Dawn defiantly in regular Summers manner.
"Fine!"
Amanda pulled out her wand and aimed it away towards the creature. She didn't however take her eyes off Dawn's.
"Trackarious!"
A small sphere of yellow radiance erupted from her wand and sped into the distance, lost in the stormy light. Amanda laid her hand flat and placed her wand on her palm.
"Point Me."
Her redwood wand spun around once then seemed to lock onto one direction, moving slightly as to correct some hidden course or find some secret end. Amanda walked off towards the stiles. Not looking back.
"Coming?"
Dawn, Kennedy and Rona caught up and questioned her.
"I modified the four-point spell to make it so an object could be tracked or you can find your way back to something. It's quite simple really; I don't know why anyone else hasn't thought of something like it."
The skies opened on the four and as they neared the foot of a tall cliff light rain was spattering their faces. There was no sign of the creature anywhere.
"You missed," said Dawn.
"I never miss," retorted Amanda "Flitwick said my wand work is one hundred percent."
"Flitwick said my wand work is one hundred percent," mumbled Dawn.
Amanda only smiled. She looked up the hill.
"It must have climbed."
The potential lifted her hand but the wand didn't waver.
"It's definitely up there."
A streak of lightening tore across the sky followed by a loud boom of thunder.
"Can we go now?" asked Rona who was shivering from the cold drops of rain.
"No," said Dawn "Not till I'm proven right."
"So you want us to die?" asked Kennedy.
"If that's what it takes."
"Now I know why she's in Slytherin," joked Amanda.
The four began to climb with the Ravenclaw in the lead. There seemed to be a path and before long it opened onto a small shelf. In the sheer wall was a deep crack that went into the mountain that was hidden from view on all but the west side. The wand was pointing them in and the girls didn't think they had anything to fear. Dawn knew by now that it wasn't a Grim but didn't want to tell the others.
Not far in there was the strong smell of burning wood and a stale animal smell. When they got to the end they froze. The creature was pawing at a Hippogriff and both were oblivious to the girls being there. The room was littered in paper and dead animal bones and Dawn thought someone human must be living there because she was sure animals couldn't make fire.
The bear-dog-wolf-like thingy however was arching its back and before their eyes it began to change. Its limbs lengthened and the fur fell from its body. Its paws grew to hands and feet and it stood on its hind legs.
"Not a fanciful shape changing apparition hey?" hissed Dawn in Amanda's ear.
"Shh!" spat Amanda but it had heard them.
"AAAHHH!!!"
"Pants, pants-,"
"Pants-,"
"Pants, pants, pants, pants-,"
"Pants, pants, pants."
The girls stood and half covered their eyes as the naked man spun round in shock. He snatched at filthy rags on the ground and covered himself.
"Who are you?" he demanded.
"Sirius Black!"
There were too many signs around the shops of every wizarding civilisation not to know what this outlaw looked like. The girls lifted their wands in defence. The Hippogriff reared up and gnashed its beak and stamped the ground.
"Down Buckbeak," said the man raising his hands "Down, it's okay."
"Does he have his pants on yet?" asked Rona sickly.
"I don't know," said Amanda who still covered her eyes.
"Yes he does," said Kennedy who wasn't terribly interested or perturbed by that kind of thing.
Amanda lowered her hands.
"You're Sirius Black."
"I am," said Sirius.
"The mad Sirius Black."
"Well that's a matter of opinion," he returned.
"Give us one reason why we shouldn't castrate you right now," growled Kennedy who was pointing her wand at a very nasty spot.
"The reward money might be less," Sirius joked.
He gave a harsh bark of forced laughter but Dawn was the only other one who seemed to find it funny but quickly coughed and straightened her face to reflect the other steely glares.
"You're an animagus," gasped Amanda "That's how you've been getting around without being seen or caught."
"True," nodded Sirius "But let's just keep that between us shall we."
He took a step forward and the four girls took a step back, the Hippogriff was lazily chewing on some rat bones.
"D-don't move," stuttered Rona tightening her grip on her wand.
Sirius gave a wolfish smile.
"Now I feel safer knowing you won't use those things on me."
"STUPEFY!"
A jet of red light rocketed out of Kennedy's wand hitting Sirius straight in the chest. He flew ten feet backwards and crashed into the stone wall before falling in a heap on the ground. The girls stepped forward and gathered around his unconscious form.
"Why did you do that for?" asked Amanda.
"He was being condescending," defended Kennedy "I had to prove him wrong."
"With a stunning spell?" enquired Dawn with a raised eyebrow.
"Well Rona weren't gonna do it."
"I might have," assured the potential.
Twenty minutes later a loud groan filled the cavern.
"Feeling better?"
Sirius attempted to answer but his mouth was gagged.
"Wro oo ooin?" he choked.
Dawn stepped up to him with a terrible look on her face.
"We've alerted the Ministry of Magic and dementors are on their way here right now. Fudge himself has given us permission to use unforgivable curses on you if you even breathe."
Sirius' face drained of all colour and it looked like he was going to pass out again.
"HAHAHAHAHA!!!"
The four girls couldn't hold it in any longer. Each of them doubled over in laughter and Rona assured each of them if she had been drinking something now it would have been sure to be coming out of her nose.
"Got you!" screamed Amanda who actually fell over "You should see your face!"
"Heh," squeaked Sirius.
That was all he could muster.
"Freetaria," gulped Kennedy over her laughter hiccoughs.
Sirius' bindings were gone but he still wouldn't move.
"Are you on medication?"
This sobered the girls a little and Dawn answered him.
"No, of course not. Look, we decided that if you were as dangerous as everyone says you were-,"
Sirius sniffed at the word 'were'.
"We would probably be dead. And anyway, we figured that even you couldn't be stupid enough to be this close to London without a good reason and if that's to try and kill Harry Potter again we're all for it. Hey, we might even help."
"Harry's my godson," frowned Sirius.
This stopped all laughter.
"Oh you poor thing," aggrieved Kennedy and the others nodded.
Sirius stood up gingerly and looked over to his half-horse half-eagle who had not come to help him and was indeed now asleep.
"So the ministry isn't coming for me?"
"No," said Amanda "But that's not to say we wont call them."
"That's right," said Dawn "Exposing yourself to teenagers isn't legal."
Sirius flushed and pulled his robes tighter around himself. Kennedy and Dawn sunk into giggles again.
"How did you girls find me? Are you from Hogwarts? You sound American."
"You say that like it is a bad thing," said Kennedy fingering her wand again.
"We're on exchange," interjected Amanda "We're at Hogwarts until the end of the year."
"What are you doing here?" asked Kennedy.
"I'm on holiday," said Sirius with another grin "I got homesick for Azkaban so decided to come to another small, dark, dank hole."
"Pfft, men," grumbled Kennedy who pocketed her wand and walked towards the stirring Hippogriff.
"DON'T!!!" yelled Sirius.
But it was too late. Sirius froze waiting for the creature to attack, though it didn't. Without bow or protocol it rolled onto its back allowing the Potential to scratch its flanks and beak.
"Who's a pretty boy then? You are. Yes you are, yes you are!"
The Hippogriff was actually tapping its hind leg like some oversized grotesque dog.
"So," said Rona calling back the fugitive's attention "You still haven't given us a reason why we shouldn't be calling the feds on you. You smell bad enough to get you for air pollution."
"Thankyou," grimaced Sirius "You're so sweet, for a complete stranger."
Through all this Dawn had kept her thoughts to herself. There was something in this man's eyes that told her she was safe with him. They were hollow and full of sorrow and loneliness. Something evil could never look like that. Evil fed on these emotions growing stronger with each new stroke of hate and misfortune; this man was not evil.
"Do you want something to eat?" whispered Dawn awkwardly "I can conjure caviar now."
"Don't offer him food," frowned Rona.
"Its fine," answered Sirius sarcastically "The rats were plentiful down in Hogsmead today."
"A thousand times eww," added Kennedy who was now riding the Hippogriff around the cavern.
Dawn took out her wand and pointed to a pile of damp wood.
"Incendio."
She then summoned five chairs and a picnic hamper full to breaking with ham, chicken, crisps, cordial, salad and about six types of desert. Amanda was lathering a dinner plate sized scone with butter, jam and cream when she looked up at Sirius who was shifting his weight from one foot to the other.
"You can have some," she said.
Sirius didn't have to be asked twice. Before he had even sat in his conjured lawn chair, half of the basket had been demolished.
"So what did you do today Kennedy?" the potential asked herself "Well, for one I had afternoon tea with a raving, psychotic, convicted criminal," she answered.
"I was wrongly convicted," Sirius corrected her thickly over a mouthful of Pavlova.
"And that's meant to make all the difference?" asked Rona.
Sirius went quiet.
"Lay off," spat Dawn who had had enough of the Sirius bashing "We don't know anything about him. He seems nice, if not a little unkempt, and a tic-tac wouldn't kill him-,"
"I'm still in the room."
"But we can't just go making assumptions of him in his own cave."
"Well it's not actually mine, I'm leasing it."
Dawn smirked and Sirius gave her a grin and a wink.
The next hour washed over the four girls like the summer rain falling on the dry leaves outside. Dawn found it refreshing that even a grown man could be told what to do – even if it was Dumbledore doing the telling – and she was sobered by the fact she wasn't the most hard done by person in the world. Kennedy and Rona were even starting to be civil to him.
The four girls were listening to his long history; the rise of Voldemort and the killing of Harry Potter's parents. Dawn thought that Voldemort had a little bit of each big bad in him: Immortal like the master, sadistic like Spike, Drusilla and Angelus, power hungry like the mayor, a purger like Adam, self involved like Glory, a big magic momma like Dark Willow and the source of fear and enmity between friends like the First.
"I can't imagine what it's been like for you," said Dawn looking at the hollow pools of Sirius' eyes and the drawn pale skin of his face.
"Tell us," piped up Amanda who was quite enjoying the story and looked as though she might even whip out a notepad and start taking notes.
"Yeah, we could all use a laugh."
The girls and Sirius all rounded on Kennedy.
"Sorry," she said guiltily.
Sirius put down his goblet of apple juice and looked out of the cave entrance into the stormy canopy of the trees below. He sighed.
Sirius:
Send someone to love me
I need to rest in arms
Keep me safe from harm
In pouring rain
The man stood up and walked to the fire, warming his hands in the stuttering light.
Sirius:
Give me endless summer
Lord I fear the cold
Feel I'm getting old
Before my time
Dawn agreed. Sirius couldn't have been more then thirty-five but he looked to her well into his forties. Azkaban had done more to him though then simply age him beyond his years.
Sirius:
As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man
Kennedy still didn't look one hundred percent convinced. She had heard his story but it seemed to her a bit far stretched. She sighed to herself and continued to pet the Hippogriff which was now contentedly nestled under her arm. Sirius looked at her.
Sirius:
Go easy on my conscience
'Cause it's not my fault
I know I've been taught
To take the blame
The four girls gave him a sympathetic look.
Sirius:
Rest assured my angels
Will catch my tears
Walk me out of here
I'm in pain
Kennedy looked down at her watch.
Sirius:
As my soul heals the shame
I will grow through this pain
Lord I'm doing all I can
To be a better man
"Holy crap look at the time," screamed Kennedy.
The others jumped then jumped in alarm.
"It's three o'clock," cried Amanda "We've been here four hours. What will Hagrid say?"
Sirius stuttered forward.
"Don't worry," assured Dawn as she vanished the furnishings while leaving several large piles of food for Sirius "We won't tell Hagrid we saw you."
Sirius smiled then it faltered on Kennedy.
"I'm good at silencing charms," said Dawn following Sirius' eye "She won't say anything."
The Potentials and Dawn were halfway out of the cave when Dawn turned back.
"Would you mind if we visited you again?"
Sirius burst into a wide grin.
"Not at all, it does get a bit lonely up here."
With a last wave and a goodbye the four streamed down the mountain only not falling over thanks to Rona's feet sticking charm.
Ten minutes later the four were back in Hogsmead looking thoroughly flustered.
"Where… Is… he…?" gasped Amanda doubled over with the stitch in her side.
There was no sign of Hagrid anywhere. The sun had come out on the wet ground and made everything terribly humid and sticky. The girls walked the street and halted at the terrace of a large pub.
"Bye Rosemerta, bye Mundungus, HAHA get tha off yer head; bye then, see yeh next Tuesday."
Hagrid stumbled out of the 'Three Broomsticks' and looked on the girls with a very red face.
"Got all yeh need, great," he said without getting an answer "Let's get goin',.
And with that he turned and headed back up the road towards Hogwarts. The girls looked scandalised at each other then hobbled off after the Professor.
"Have a good day then?" enquired Elsie at dinner.
The group of Slytherin girls were well into their pork chops and hadn't seen Dawn all day – the Potentials and her had way too much to talk about – and were wondering how she was.
"It was okay," said Dawn although a little flatly.
She was pushing her peas around her plate watching them sink into her applesauce. Dawn couldn't stop thinking about Sirius up in the cold cave all alone but found some relief in the fact she had left him six chickens to tide him over the night – she had never seen one man eat so much, well, except Andrew.
Dawn assured them all she was just tired and the most exciting thing at dinner after that was when over at the Gryffindor table when Kennedy tried to summon the gravy boat she set Ron Weasley on fire causing him to run out of the great hall in his socks and underwear.
As the plates and bowels emptied and the houses retired for the night a familiar voice called to Dawn.
"Miss Summers, may I have a word?"
Dawn turned and saw Professor Snape walking towards her.
"Hi Professor, what's up?"
Snape led her off to one side out of the stream of students leaving the hall. The Professor however was looking very grim.
"What?" asked Dawn mirroring his face.
"Dawn I am afraid you will not be able to study Occlumency."
If Dawn had eaten anything substantial at dinner she would have vomited on the teacher.
"What?"
Snape's brow furrowed.
"I saw no problem with you doing this but it seems the headmaster had other questions."
Dawn's head whipped around in Dumbledore's direction.
"C-cant you do something?" she pleaded looking back at Snape "You're head of house; it should be your decision."
"That's what I thought," said Snape doggedly "But ultimately Professor Dumbledore decides on what a student can study and what they cannot."
Dawn began to cry. And they were more then just tears for herself. She was just glad Malfoy had left early to find Weasley and tease him about being so poor he couldn't afford clothes.
"I'm sorry Dawn," said Snape placing a hand on her shoulder "There is nothing I can do. You will start magical cookery next week."
"You know what?" sniffed Dawn drying her eyes "It's fine. It's fine."
Snape smiled bracingly and walked off.
Dawn turned and looked at the teacher's table where Dumbledore still sat talking and laughing happily with McGonagall. She crossed her arms, threw back her hair and scowled.
"Its fine," she spat, a glint of rebellion sparking in her crystal eyes
"No more Miss Nice Dawn."
REd stone caVes ImprEss WiveS ON Overly Feirce Genetic LiOns wIth niNe opeN baloOned shoWs
