Something Familiar (Mk.2)

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Something Familiar (Mk.2)

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Chapter Eleven

"Plots and Secrets"

AKA

"Requiescant en Pace, Molestiae Felis"

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Wine swirled around the crystal goblet as it was gently rocked back and forth. Luscious stared at it absently as it moved. This vintage was a deep red, looking like nothing more than a tiny whirlpool of blood as it sloshed around. It was, unfortunately, a color he was very familiar with.

If that fool Goyle was right, there was a distinct possibility he would become reacquainted with it in the near future.

"Luscious, my love, is something the matter?"

Luscious started at the sudden question, nearly splashing wine onto his lovely silk vest. The dulcet tone was rich and sweet, so much so that it was difficult to imagine a more soothing sound. But any man would be startled by a sudden voice from just behind them, no matter how beautiful it was. Narcissa moved with such grace that her steps were barely a whisper, and it was far from the first time she'd surprised him so.

Sighing, Luscious watched as she slipped around his chair to stand before him, giving him a concerned look.

Narcissa was beautiful, of course. It was something that Luscious, much to his dismay, could only claim to be partially responsible for. She had been absolutely gorgeous from the day he'd met her. All his efforts had managed to do was raise her to a height few people could hope to reach, elevating her good looks until she looked more fey than human. It was something to be proud of, without a doubt, but not an incredible feat if one considered where she'd started.

Her robes only added to the impression that she was some sort of fairy creature. Instead of the thick fabric that so many wore, they were made of thin, gauzy fabric stacked layer upon layer. Some were solid, while others were just lacy strands. It was tight across the chest and loose around her hips, almost making it more of a dress than a robe.

Today's outfit was a deep red, nearly matching his wine, with a black spider web pattern.

"Darling, the gothic look is much more suited to late fall," Luscious remarked, taking a sip of his wine.

The bottom of Narcissa's robe moved, twisting into something resembling a human face. It gave Luscious a brief, mildly abashed look before vanishing. The whole outfit then shifted, swirling around Narcissa once and settling back down as a completely different outfit. This one was considerably more substantial, tighter around the hips and a lovely sunset red. Airy strips of brilliant orange fell across it here and there, like the last rays of the vanishing sun.

"Oh, don't pester her. I think she was absolutely lovely," Narcissa sighed in consteration. The outfit immediately swirled back into something almost matching its original configuration, only now sporting thin silver chains across the bosom and waist. It was even more gothic than before, as if to spite Luscious. "Just because something is bothering you doesn't mean you should take it out on poor Silk."

Luscious sighed and gave her an apologetic look. "Forgive me, my love. She is as beautiful and radiant as always, as is her mistress."

"Well now, that's much more like the charmer I married," Narcissa declared with a smile. She slipped back and lowered herself into the low divan across from him. "Now then, why don't you tell me what's weighing on that lovely mind of yours."

"I'm afraid I've just received some troubling news from an old associate of ours," Luscious replied. "Lord Crabbe just contacted me via floo. What he had to say was interesting, to say the least."

Narcissa tittered slightly, and even Silk rustled in amusement. "News from Andrius, of all people, is distracting you so? Tell me, did the oaf finally learn to count past nine?"

"Of course. He was up to seventeen, last I heard," Luscious said with a faint smile. "However, I'm afraid it is a somewhat more serious matter. Andrius has apparently been in contact with an agent loyal to 'Lord' Riddle. That agent has told him that the key to Riddle's resurrection is currently housed in Hogwarts."

Narcissa snorted, then quickly covered her lips with a dainty hand when she realized what she had done. Clearing her throat, she said, "Really now? A contact with such vital information? How strange. That sounds exactly like the sort of story that self-important buffoon would fabricate. You do recall the time he claimed to have come across an ancient Atlantean ritual, don't you?"

Smile widening slightly in remembrance, Luscious replied, "Would that be the one that placed him under a geas to never share it with another?"

Silk lightened slightly, taking on a pinkish hue as Narcissa giggled prettily. "The very same."

"I'm afraid not, dear. This was a bit too complex for Andrius to come up with on his own," Luscious declared. "Apparently the Philosopher's Stone is, for some godforsaken reason, being held within Hogwarts herself. Crabbe's contact has asked him to gather materials for the Ritual of Recorporation which, using the Aqua Vitae the stone produces, can create a new container for our wayward master's soul."

"Oh my. Yes, I do believe you're correct. That sounds far too complex to be fabricated by our good friend Andi. I can certainly understand why that would be concerning. Is it possible that someone is 'jerking his chain,' so to speak?"

Luscious nodded with a thoughtful look on his face. "It is, but it seems like a pointless deception. I'm afraid it would be wise to take this seriously, for fear of the potential consequences."

"Yes. It would be a bit… inconvenient if our 'beloved' lord returned at this point," Narcissa said quietly. "You don't think this agent is aware of that, do you? After all, you're the only member of the inner circle that is not dead or imprisoned. It would be far more logical to approach you, rather than an idiot like Andrius."

"That is exactly what I fear. The lords that have come to think as we do are of the oldest and most noble houses, but they're also few. I'm afraid that, should it come to open conflict, we would quickly be defeated."

Narcissa sighed, "A half-blood led us around by the nose. Surely there are others that find that unacceptable…"

"It seems most don't care. So long as he is against muggle equality, they're fine with the whole ugly situation."

There was a pause, then Narcissa shrugged. As always, Luscious was in awe on how beautiful she could make such a simple gesture.

"I almost hope the bastard comes back. Dear cousin Sirius died for that half-blood's pathetic crusade. He'd be rolling in his grave if he knew the truth," Narcissa sighed. "Assuming he actually had a grave to roll in, of course. I'd be happy to demonstrate my displeasure for all he's done to us, especially-"

"It would be best to not borrow trouble, my love. Open conflict with a Dark Lord is less than desirable, but I have no intention of kissing his robes again."

Narcissa smiled sweetly. "Of course not. Someone so foul isn't worthy of leading a band of pathetic hooligans, let alone us. England's throne is surely meant for someone with a bit more style, don't you think?"

"I certainly agree."

His wife nodded and gave him another mischievous smile. "Good. Now that that's settled, we must make sure such dark thoughts don't weigh on that beautiful mind. Perhaps I can find a way to distract you?"

With that, Silk rippled and shifted, changing into something that certainly wouldn't be appropriate to describe here. Needless to say it involved lace, thin straps and an arrangement of cloth that would make Angel's preferred wardrobe look tame.

Luscious was indeed distracted.

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

"Minerva, Hagrid, would you mind staying a moment?"

McGonagall sighed internally. She'd been expecting this, of course, but was hoping to avoid it for a bit. It was bound to be an irritating conversation, and wasn't the best way to follow up an already boring staff meeting.

The pair reluctantly paused, watching the other staff members exit the room with a fair degree of envy.

Turning, McGonagall said, "Yes, Albus? What is it?" in what was probably meant to be a calm and patient tone. Unfortunately, a fair degree of irritation slipped into her voice.

If Dumbledore notice it, he didn't comment on it. Instead, he said, "I'd like to discuss the arrangements you've made for the… item we are tending to."

Hagrid raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"I happened to pass through, intent on checking in on things. I was, however, balked by a rather frightening defense," Albus explained. "Obviously, this is not what we had discussed."

Minerva and Hagrid exchanged a glance, then Hagrid replied, "Well, old boy, you'd have to be barmy to think those sorry traps would catch even the stupidest of berks. Arsing about isn't about to catch the quarry we're after, is it?"

"I agree with Hagrid completely. A chess set and a three-headed dog? You must be joking!" Minerva exclaimed. "Even a particularly dim child would be able to bypass those 'defenses,' Albus."

Dumbledore sighed. Honestly, the shit he had to deal with. Straightening, he chided, "Need I remind you that the entire point of this is to lure Voldemort's agent in?"

"And how do you intend to do that? Any fool could see we weren't actually trying to protect the bloody thing. We'd practically be screaming our intentions if we went with your plans," McGonagall retorted. "It's bad enough you've the bad taste to use a school full of children as a trap! If you think I'm going to let it be for nothing, you're dead wrong."

Hagrid nodded and grunted in agreement. "You're a div if you think we'll just go along with your plot. This is some dodgy business, without a doubt. I'd tell the board you've got that doofer here in an instant if I didn't agree that dosser desperately needs to be slapped into a pair of darbies!"

"Surely you realize you must-"

"All we must do is ensure the safety of our students," Minerva broke in. "Dealing with the supposed agent in this castle is the best way to do that. The moment that changes I'll end this plot without hesitation. Please bear that in mind, Albus. Now if you don't mind, it seems the business of running this school has fallen to me. I'd best tend to it!"

"And I must ensure that Arsene and Holmes are well-fed. We do want them to leave enough of your traitor to interrogate, don't we?"

With that, both of them turned their backs to Dumbledore and marched out of the room.

"I told you they'd be trouble."

Dumbledore started and whirled to face Snape. The professor was standing in the back corner of the room, leaning against the wall. Positioned off to the side of the fireplace, it was easy to miss him in the shadows. He's retreated there as soon as the staff meeting was over, hanging back to speak to the headmaster, as usual.

"Good lord, Severus. What have I told you about lurking around like that!?" Dumbledore scolded him. "Make some noise now and then, man!"

"Funny, I was under the impression that I'm some sort of spy. Isn't lurking about what I'm supposed to do?" Snape asked. There was what may have been the slightest hint of humor in his voice.

Dumbledore clearly wasn't amused. "Lest you forget, you're my spy. There's no call for you to be doing that around my office."

"It's a habit that's hard to break," Snape said dismissively. "Though not as much as their obstinance. I'd press you again to let me remove them if I thought you'd listen."

Dumbledore actually snorted in amusement. "Remove them? I have the utmost confidence in your ability, Severus, but I'm certain you'd find that quite beyond your reach. While I have little respect for Minerva's past, there is no doubt she is much better at removing than being removed because of it. She is not some muggleborn's helpless mother."

Snape's lips pressed into a tight longer if annoyance, but he didn't reply.

Apparently realizing what he had just said, Dumbledore sighed. "Forgive me, Severus. I'm afraid the stress had been getting to me. The enormity of our situation has been weighing on me more and more as we draw nearer to our goal."

"There's no need to apologise. I'm well aware that my past is even harder to respect than hers."

"Don't be like that, old friend. While I will always lament the darkness behind you, the light ahead is much more important. Believe your present and future will atone for your mistakes. Everyone deserves a second chance, do they not?"

The apology seemed to be enough to mollify Snape, causing the sour expression to fade from his face.

"Should it ever be necessary to 'remove' Hagrid or Minerva, I would put that burden on no one by myself. It is to be avoided at any cost, however. Sybil's visions have made it clear enough that both are fulcrums by which the future may be moved," Dumbledore declared. "I only regret that I was foolish enough to let them stray so far from my guidance."

Snape wasn't exactly sure 'guidance' was the right word for what the headmaster would have preferred, but it wasn't worth mentioning. There really wasn't anything to gain by pointing out his new master was, in some respects, not that different from his old one. Instead, he reassured the older wizard, "No one's plans go perfectly, Albus. You are, despite everything else, only a man."

"Indeed I am, though on days like this I regret it," Albus said wistfully. "There was no way I could have known Minerva would cast aside my offer of apprenticeship to run off with that band of lunatics. And Hagrid? Who on Earth would expect him to leave the magical world with a muggle who picked him up in a bar?"

"No man could have predicted that, Albus."

"Gellert could have," Albus disagreed. "He should be sitting in this chair, Severus. He was always the greater of our pair."

Snape rested a comforting hand on the headmaster's shoulder as he settled back into his chair. "He chose himself for the role of villian. If he was, as you say, the best of you, you must trust his plan. It was you he counted on to see it through to completion."

"His plan went awry the moment the ICW sent their hired thugs to remove him. The fact that they sidestepped their oaths by declaring him a supernatural disaster is yet more proof they cannot be trusted," Albus muttered.

"Then, for the sake of England, you must stay strong. Whether they know it or not, our kind are counting on you to rid us of their influence."

Albus sighed again. "I know, old friend. I know. For their sake I shall prove I am up to the task, whatever the cost."

Standing behind him, Snape's lips curled into a smile. Needless to say, it wasn't a pleasant one.

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

"I think we should tell the minions."

George sighed and gave his brother a long-suffering look. "Fred, we've been over this. They seem pretty awesome for ickle firsties, but they're still ickle firsties. It'd be completely irresponsible."

"I am quite certain that minor detail has never prevented you from taking an ill-advised action before," King said accusingly. "I do, however, agree with you. It is bad enough that you insist on going through with this foolishness. I will not tolerate you bringing them into it as well."

"But-"

"But nothing, Fred. You're outvoted," George snapped.

Fred glared at him, but it was accompanied by an obvious look of defeat.

The sullen look was met with a smug smile as George continued, "So the only other problem is how the hell to get through that door. I can't believe we can't get through the locking charm they put on it."

"I rather think that is the point of a locking charm, my friend," King pointed out. "A reasonable attempt to keep our fellow students out is the least they could do, seeing as they are clearly keeping something dangerous there and had the foolish notion to announce it aloud."

"Seriously. Who puts something that justifies the phrase 'mortal danger' in a freaking school?" George demanded. "Every idiot with more stones than sense is going to try and get in there."

"..."

"Brother-:

"Shut up, both of you."

There was a wounded look on Fred's face as he said, "But… I was just going to say we should have his royal highness just plow through the door."

"...oh. I thought you were going to point out that we're idiots with more stones than sense."

Fred gasped, "We are!?" and held a look of shock and horror on his face for a grand total of five seconds before snickering, "Sucker…"

"I'm going to hurt you."

King sighed and said, "For my part, that is exactly what I was going to point out. Furthermore, I would also like to point out that the only reason I am accompanying you is because I know you will go with or without me, most likely getting killed in the process."

"Most likely," George agreed.

"But that does not mean I will raise a single finger to help you, other than keeping you alive and unmaimed."

George made a dismissive gesture and said, "Sure, sure, your lordship. Just admit you're just as curious as we are."

"I am no such thing. However, if the staff are foolish enough to keep something dangerous in these halls, it would be best if someone removed it before one of our wayward peers is harmed. Should the chance arrive..." King harrumphed. He raised has hand and proceeded to squeeze the edge of the table, causing it to creak and crack in protest. "I believe I am better equipped to do so than most."

"I'm going with, 'yeah' on that one," George muttered.

"Just don't equip me across my face again…" Fred whimpered. "I need it to face things."

King gave him an abashed look. "I apologize for that once again. It was a simple step backwards, I was not aware your face was so close to my shoulder."

"You were in the danger zone, man. No one's fault but your own," George declared with a total lack of sympathy. "And speaking of danger zone… If we can't open the door and we can't get King to bust it down-"

"Which would be far too obvious regardless," King interjected.

"-then you know there's only one way to get there," George finished. "There's gotta be another way in. There's another way into everywhere."

Fred instantly went pale. "That's not a good thing to be thinking, brother. I already almost got ate this year. I think I've fulfilled my almost being ated quota."

"Don't be a wuss. That was one time. What're the odds of it happening again?" George laughed, obviously not realizing he had just thrown a glove down in front of Fate herself. "We'll just stay away from the place with the moths."

"Not the moths… Please not the moths…" Fred whimpered.

George sighed, "No moths, I promise," with his fingers firmly crossed behind his back. "We need to be quick about it. We don't want Ced or those annoying Ravenclaw chicks to get there first."

"And at what point, exactly, did this become a contest?"

"When I decided we're not going to lose, King. Obviously," George replied. "C'mon, guys! You with me or what?"

Frowning, King replied, "As much as I disapprove of your obsession with the unstable corridors, it would seem to be the best approach. I suppose we will simply have to hope the castle will remain sedate for the near future. It would be quite inconvenient if the halls moved again."

"please no moths..."

"Alright! Team Probably-Not-Going-To-Get-Eaten for the win!" George said, thrusting his closed fist into the center of the table.

King stared down at the attempted brofist, but didn't move to accept it.

Fred simply whined, "Moths… Why is it always moths?"

"Yeah! Go us!" George exclaimed, completely undeterred. "Now lets go not get eaten the hell out of this place."

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

"They're doing something."

Harry looked up from his Transfiguration paper, confused by the sudden declaration. "What?"

"I said, 'They're doing something,'" Hermione repeated. "Fred and George. They're doing something, and they're probably dragging King into it."

Harry and Neville stared at her in disbelief for a long moment, then Harry announced, "Also, water is wet."

"And drinkable!" Neville added.

Hermione glared across the table at them, tapping the point of her quill against the table in agitation. "Well, obviously, but they're doing something interesting. They're doing whatever they're doing, and we're sitting here doing homework."

"We're in school, Hermione. Homework is pretty much all we do," Neville explained slowly, as if to a child.

"How would you even know?" Harry demanded, shooting Hermione a skeptical glance.

Hermione folded her arms across her chest and huffed, "I've developed a finely honed ability to detect when I'm being excluded from something."

The boys stared at her again, this time even longer, before Neville declared, "That's… kind of sad."

"Don't make me hit you, Neville."

"Can I just do my homework? Fred promised to teach me how to light plants on fire if I got good grades on all my assignments the first week. He said people that study good deserve a reward!" Harry said happily.

Neville opened his mouth to respond, but whatever he was going to say was lost as he suddenly felt the urge to let loose a massive sneeze. It was powerful enough to make his whole body twitch, causing his knee to slam into the bottom of the table. The impact hit so hard it actually jarred the heavy piece of furniture. Neville's inkwell bounced and teetered dangerously on edge. He made a panicked grab for it, missed, and accidentally knocked it on its side.

Ink flowed straight across Harry's parchment, drowning his essay in a sea of black.

"Hey! My homework!" Harry exclaimed.

Neville made another panicked attempt to save the situation, attempting to rapidly wipe the ink off. In his haste, all he managed to do was grind the mess further into the parchment. Soon it was so messed up that no spell on Earth could extricate the words from their inky prison.

"Oh, Harry! Shoot, I'm so sorry!" Neville exclaimed. Something about the tone of his voice suggested that he wasn't sorry at all, but Harry, in his horror, missed it completely.

"Oh man, that took all afternoon! I'll never get a good grade now!"

Hermione examined the mess. Honestly, she had been hoping to learn that spell, too. She had plenty of cauldrons to test - two of which were actually hers - but had a definite lack of melting power. Unlike Harry, she had definitely noticed that Neville's little accident wasn't accidental.

A shiver went down Neville's spine as she smiled at him.

"You're being silly, Harry. Why would you rely on a reward when you can just threaten to put 'Mr. Slither' in his bed. I hear he found a bigger spoon and everything."

Harry's eyes widened in realization. "Ooh~, like mugging him, but I get magic instead of 10% of a milk carton!"

"Exactly. Just… figure out a way to give the snake something else as his cut. I'm pretty sure it doesn't work this way, but the thought of him having 90% of a fire spell…"

All three of them shuddered.

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

Somewhere in the basement, the Adder felt a sudden need to burn something. Considering he'd never actually started a fire - not having arms for fire-starting and all - it was a strange feeling. He'd often felt the urge to watch something burn, but never felt inspired to ignite it himself. It was a pointless desire, since such a thing was clearly out of his grasp.

Hur hur.

Shrugging it off, he turned back to the assemblage of snakes clustered in the dark corner.

Brothers, hear me! Today is the day we strike back! Today, together, we will forge the tools to seize what is not rightfully ours!

The other snakes looked dubiously at the pile of scavenged cloth, needles and thread.

Why do we need backpacks again?

I'm bored.

Oh, those bugs look tasty.

The fuck? Wasn't this supposed to be an AA meeting?

Shiny scales. So shiny. I wants to rub them.

Ew, back off.

The Adder twitched.

Okay, who gets the spoon first?

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

The owlery roof has quickly become one of Angel's favorite places, especially at night. There wasn't a lot to do when her boy was asleep. Roaming the halls and tunnels was always an option but could get boring quickly. Staring out across the castle grounds, however, might never lose its appeal.

It was hard to believe things were so different here, even if it was another world.

No mist blanketed the land, spreading Sea's cold touch. The mass of trees wasn't pressing in toward the castle from every side. There was no span of burned and salted ground to keep the forest back, no walls to balk the creatures that dwelled in them and not even bars on the window to prevent the smaller horrors from slipping in.

A place like Hogwarts wouldn't even qualify as a campsite in Khe'set Tai, nevermind a castle. Without walls, wards or guards it wouldn't last a day. It probably wouldn't even stand until night fell, when things actually started getting bad.

If a somewhere like this could actually exist in the Other Place, the soil would be stained red with blood right down to the bones of Stone himself. So much pure, farmable land where true plants could safely be grown would be considered a prize worth sending hundreds of men to die for.

Keeping even a small plot of soil pure took considerable power and effort, making such a huge stretch of it unheard of.

Something shifted across her back, drawing Angel's attention away from her thoughts. The vines across her shoulders writhed and wriggled, growing rapidly. A moment later pale arms wrapped around her neck from behind and the weight of a chin settled on her shoulder. A curious alura une followed her gaze out toward the Forbidden Forest with interest, peering through the dimming light as the rest of her body formed.

"Hello, Orchid," Angel said quietly. "I didn't know I was wearing you."

Orchid rubbed her cheek against Angel's. The redhead just barely felt the lightest scratch of a thorn and a faint tingle of poison.

Sneaky, Orchid declared.

"Obviously. I'm glad you decided to actually be friends, instead of just pretending. You might have been harder to deal with than I thought."

Orchid froze, a surprised look on her face.

Angel obviously didn't need to see her to pick up on the reaction, because she giggled, "Even when I'm stupid, I'm not an idiot."

Frowning, Orchid moved around in front of her friend. It was one of those odd movements that only a skilled shapechanger like herself or Lady could accomplish, more unravelling and reforming than actually moving her body. When she reformed kneeling in front of Angel, she reached out and carefully scratched her cheek.

Why? came the confused question.

Angel's response was equally confused, "Huh?"

Why? Orchid repeated, but the image relaying the question was a bit more concise this time. You?

"Oh," Angel sighed. She flopped back onto her back and stared up at the night sky. The dim light cast by a full moon was more than bright enough to reveal the thoughtful look on her face. "The moon here is strange, isn't it? There's only one, but it's so shiny and pretty and silver. I think it helps, because it looks like her eyes. They were always so bright they chased all the other things away."

Shifting forward to look straight down at her, Orchid asked, Who?

"Someone I knew a long time ago. It's not really important anymore. The moon here might not be as bright as her eyes were, but it's brighter than they are now."

...oh.

"Doesn't matter, I guess. It won't happen again. Our masters have to bring us with them when they go, whether they want to or not," Angel muttered. Sighing, her gaze hardened as she glared up at the other Familiar. "Would you move? You're blocking the light. My brain's getting fuzzy."

Orchid thought for a moment, then very deliberately flopped over onto her side. Her slight weight came down onto Angel's chest with a soft thud.

"I'm pretty sure you know that's not what I meant," the redhead grumbled, twisting her head to stare down at Orchid.

The alura une looked back at her with wide eyes, deploying one of her best "I'm just a silly plant and everything confuses me" looks.

"Yes, very funny. It's really convenient to be a plant-thing, isn't it? No one expects you to behave. You just act dumb and like you don't understand and you get to do whatever you want."

Orchid smiled at her, then slowly and deliberately stuck out her tongue.

"Your master's rubbing off on you fast, huh? Must be nice, starting to forget what you are already…"

This time Orchid's look of confusion was genuine.

"Nevermind. Would you get off me already? I'm not a flowerbed."

Silent giggles wracked Orchid's form.

Angel grumbled and gave her a shove, pushing her off. "Sometimes you really are stupid, you know. I could've scratched you into little bits, you know. Earlier, too. You should be more careful."

Reweaving into a kneeling position, Orchid shrugged and said, Friends.

"I can pretend just as easy as you could've," Angel declared. "Besides, we're friends because it'd be bad for everyone if we weren't. If I turned you into cabbage right there, it wouldn't have been bad for anyone but you."

Friends.

Angel continued to scowl at her.

Her actions after their little tiff had been intended to throw the other Familiar off a bit. Just enough to knock the idea that they didn't have to fight into her literally brainless head. Now, however, it was starting to look like there might be some unforeseen consequences. It seemed like the tactic had been almost too effective...

"I'm for cutting and hurting, Flower. Things like me don't have that kind of friend. Friends are just people you don't fight. There's people I don't hurt, people I do hurt, and my owner. That's it," Angel explained patiently. "If my owner told me to cut you up, I'd do it. That's not happy fuzzy friends. That's playing nice friends, and playing nice friends might change their minds."

Orchid frowned, as she carefully regarded her "friend."

"Don't look at me like that. That's just how it is. You play nice and I'll play nice, but that's all-"

Reaching out quickly enough to surprise her, Orchid grabbed Angel's wrists and hauled them forward. When the redhead tried to withdraw them she received a sharp smack to the back of her hands before they were twisted around and cupped together. The vines making up Angels top twisted and grew, looping down her arms and disgorging something into her palms.

It was a small flower. It looked almost exactly like the mini-orchid Neville had used as a sacrifice, except the petals were the darkest shade of onyx imaginable. Impossibly, they actually glowed black in the moonlight.

Angel's eyes locked on the flower. There was an obvious look of shock and disbelief on her face as she dumbly observed, "That's your vessel."

Orchid nodded proudly.

"You… just gave me your vessel. I was wearing your vessel? Are you insane?" Angel demanded, still staring at with wide eyes. "I could kill you! Like, actually kill you kill you! Anyone could kill you if you just handed them your heart!"

Shrugging, Orchid tilted her head and asked, Kill?

Angel's dumbfounded look lasted a few moments longer, then she groaned and flopped back down onto the roof. Carefully - almost reverently - she placed the flower on her chest. It was immediately swallowed by the creepers there, vanishing from whence it came.

"Orchid, why am I wearing your vessel?"

Strong, Orchid replied. Safe.

"Letting someone else carry that around isn't safe, especially when they might decide to make it a salad."

Destroy?

"...when I do, you'd better not complain. You're pretty much asking for it."

Dead, Orchid pointed out. It was a good point, since complaining wasn't easy at that point. Destroy?

"You keep making me carry it around and I just might," Angel declared defiantly. "Not right now, though. Don't have a reason to."

There was a decidedly smug look on Orchid's face as she said, Friends.

Shaking her head in defeat, Angel conceded, "Fine. You're obviously too stupid to take care of yourself, so someone has to. Stupid Flower."

Shrugging, Orchid sprawled out beside her.

"You're all crazy in the head. All of you," Angel complained. "Must've been pretty easy in your place if you're so soft in the brain."

Mine.

"Doesn't mean it's easy. Bad things happen to queens, too. Real bad, sometimes," Angel said, frowning. To be honest, she wasn't exactly sure the word queen was the right one to use there. The images had been more confusing than most, almost like Orchid herself wasn't quite sure how to convey the meaning.

The Familiar herself simply shrugged again. Misfortune was something that only happened to other people, in her experience. Seeing as how she was usually that misfortune, the idea of it happening to her was a little outside her grasp at the moment.

Anyway, deciding whether or not she could get away with turning Angel into a flowerbed again seemed a lot more important right now. Wrapping around someone was nice - though it made her a little hungry - but being in her human form came with a whole suite of sensations she'd somehow never noticed before. Some of them were almost, but not quite, better than the feeling of bones being ground to dust in her petals.

"Would you like to hear a song, Flower?" Angel asked suddenly. "I don't have my instrument, but it's still a pretty one. I don't think it's words you listen to, so I think you'll understand it even if you don't know what they mean."

Orchid paused, caught in a brief moment of indecision. She was pretty sure she was on the verge of a masterful plan that would get her back in her friend's lap (though she didn't quite know where she'd get a squirrel at this time of night, or even why she needed one), but the offer of a song was quite tempting. Her hearing seemed a little different in this form too, so listening might be just as interesting as feeling.

Finally, she nodded eagerly.

"It's about a hero in the Other Place. We didn't have a lot of those, 'cuz they almost always ended up turning into really sad songs. It's called 'The Girl With the Silvered Gaze,' if you translate it pretty close, and... it's sadder than a lot of them."

Angel slowly inhaled and began to sing.

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

Hagrid was a bit surprised to find a small wooden box sitting on his desk when he returned to his cabin. It wasn't a great shock, considering that things like that turned up now and then, but it was fairly unusual. Normally it only happened if something significant happened, so the item's appearance cause a faint twinge of apprehension to run through him.

He opened an unpacked it with great care, then stared at the contents curiously.

Cards.

Each was made of an extremely thin sheet of metal instead of any sort of normal paper or parchment. Despite being wafer thin, they were remarkably hard and rigid. He was pretty sure that even he'd have trouble bending them, not that he intended to try. If they were from who he assumed they were, which was a pretty safe assumption, doing so could get him in a great deal of trouble.

Each card was etched with fine lines, revealing that they were actually made from multiple layers of differently colored metal. The thin grooves formed a rather ornate, gothic picture. Depictions of the Major Arcana, masterfully done, though only half a set.

Suddenly the illustration of The Emperor turned to face him and said, "Hello Strength." The voice was devoid of both pitch and tone, rendering it completely unidentifiable.

"Emperor. This is certainly a surprise," Hagrid declared as he seated himself. "And with a new doofer no less. I don't suppose you'd care to explain this, old chap?"

"Fortune acquired these for us. They're safer and more reliable than the journals. I would suggest burning yours immediately."

Hagrid raised an eyebrow. "Safer? I was under the impression that those doodads were about as secure as magic could make them. In fact, I seem to remember you saying they were the safest in Old Blighty."

"They were as safe as legal magic could make them. Fortune doesn't see the need to restrict themselves to such things," Emperor replied. "The cards are blood-bound. No one will hear them, nor see them move aside from you."

"...and may I inquire as to how, exactly, Fortune came across some of my blood?"

"It was necessary."

"You know how I feel about them. I'd rather not get banged up and if anyone's going to get the Rozzers on us it's going to be Fortune," Hagrid growled. "I would appreciate it greatly if you would refrain from taking such liberties in the future."

Emperor's gaze showed absolutely no remorse, though that could very well have just been due to the card, not the person on the other end.

Probably not, though.

"I assume you have reason to contact me beyond declaring your violation of my person?"

"The stone," Emperor said blandly. This time Hagrid was absolutely certain it wasn't because of the card. "You're going to steal it."

"...come again?"

"We can't risk it falling into the wrong hands. In fact, I'm quite certain it's already in the wrong hands," Emperor elaborated. "I need you to steal it and replace it with a fake. Once we have it, we can ensure that it is destroyed."

Hagrid rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "One less way for the bloody bastard to come back."

"Exactly. While I have it on good authority his return is inevitable, it would be best to push it off as long as we can."

"And how, pray tell, do you expect me to accomplish this? Bypassing the defenses is a doddle, but Albus is no doubt watching it like a hawk. He's not about to simply wag off."

"Fool is arranging a distraction," Emperor replied.

Hagrid paused, his eyes widening slightly. "Is that entirely wise? Fool has been known to… go a bit overboard at times."

"No harm will come of it… probably. It's not like Fool would release dangerous beasts into the castle."

Hagrid harrumphed, "I'll have you know that Arsene and Sherlock are quite well behaved. They would never harm a hair on a child's head."

"Of course not. Not unless they were hungry, at least. Or bored. Or cranky, under-rested, over-rested, feeling frisky or have recently lost a chess game."

"Frisky would probably be the worst," Hagrid muttered, shuddering. "Good lord, just the thought of-"

Emperor made a mildly disgusted face as they broke in, "Regardless, you are our best option for this. With your magical core sealed, many of the monitoring charms will fail to detect you. You'll find what you need to bypass the remainder in the bottom drawer of your desk."

"Also courtesy of Fortune, no doubt," Hagrid muttered. "Bloody things better work…"

"Fortune takes pride in their business. The tools they've provided aren't likely to fail."

Hagrid frowned, but gave no response.

"If you've no further complaints, we should wrap this up. Your opportunity will come during the Halloween Feast. Be prepared."

A grim smile crossed Hagrid's features.

"I'm almost insulted, old boy. I'm always prepared," he declared. "And if I should meet this agent Albus speaks of in the process…?"

Emperor shrugged. "Then it would solve our problems quite neatly, wouldn't it? Feel free to handle them any way you wish .Just make sure whatever's left of them is never found."

"Oh, no worries there. I assure you, old Filch won't even know he's cleaning them off the walls."

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

"Ms. Granger, were you aware that you had an owl in your hair?"

Hermione gave McGonagall a brilliant smile. "Yes, Professor. Her name is Headwig," she replied, raising her hand. Headwig obediently hopped onto her finger and allowed herself to be lowered onto the desk. "Isn't she cute?"

"I must admit, I don't think I'll ever understand young girl's trends," McGonagall sighed. "Agusta will be quite happy to know the bird-on-head fashion has finally caught on."

"Augusta?"

"Mr. Longbottom's 'Gran.' I've no doubt you've heard of her."

Hermione made a sour face. "Yes. I have."

"A common reaction. Now then, as you know, your Familiar must be properly registered with the Ministry's Department of Fantastic Beasts and Familiars by the end of the day. However, I cannot help but notice that yours appears to be absent."

Hermione couldn't help but scowl. It was bad enough that Crookshanks was a fool, but that he would make her look so disrespectful in front of her head of house was completely unacceptable. "Yes, I'd noticed that myself. I tried to find him, Professor, I really did. He seems to have just up and vanished."

"As cheshires are wont to do, I suppose. You did make it clear to him that he was expected to be here, didn't you? It's quite important that we follow the letter of the law in this."

"Of course!" Hermione confirmed. "But I haven't seen him since Wednesday. I haven't the faintest idea where he might be…"

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Since Wednesday?"

"Yes, Professor. I left him to watch Headwig while I went to Potions class. She doesn't like the smell at all, it seems."

"I hardly blame her, but is it wise to leave her in the care of your Familiar? Cheshires are cats, after all. It could very well be the owl that vanishes if you continue leaving her in his care."

"Oh, I don't have to worry about that. Crookshanks loves her as much as I do. He named her, in fact," Hermione declared. "She loves him, too. You should see how she grooms him. It's so cute how she cleans his fur with her little beak and nibbles on his whiskers."

"I see. That's all well and good, then, but it is imperative we locate your Familiar," McGonagall said with a frown. "Would you consent to my casting a spell on you? It will allow us to locate him. You can either fetch him or, if necessary, we can summon him using a simple piece of ritual magic."

Hermione nodded and leaned forward eagerly as McGonagall raised her wand. She tapped the girl on the forehead three times and muttered, "Vestigium Vinculum."

There was a brief pause.

McGonagall frowned again and cast a slightly confused look down at her desk. Lifting her hand again, she quickly repeated the spell a second, then a third time.

"Is something wrong, Professor?"

"To be quite honest, I'm not sure. I'm afraid I will not be able to find your cheshire for you," McGonagall declared. "This particular spell may only be used to locate a person's Familiar and, according to it, yours is currently chewing on one of my quills."

Headwig paused to look up at McGonagall, then tried to subtly return the quill in question to its holder.

Hermione glanced down at her owl in confusion. "But… that can't be right. Headwig isn't my Familiar."

"This spell only serves one purpose and there is little room for error. It is unlikely that it would be mistaken even once, let alone thrice."

Carefully picking up Headwig, Hermione studied her carefully. The small bird ruffled its feathers a bit and did her best to look as pretty as possible.

"How can that be? Crookshanks appeared when I performed the Summoning, not Headwig."

"No spell is perfect, Ms. Granger. Not even the Summoning Ritual. On occasion a Familiar will become a bit lost as they arrive, resulting in them turning up somewhere other than the chamber. It is likely that your Headwig fell victim to this mishap, and Crookshanks took advantage of the chance to cause a bit of mischief. Cheshires have an array of odd powers and an unnatural ability to sense such opportunities," McGonagall reasoned. "The owl showed up shortly following the Summoning, did she not?"

"Yes. The next morning."

Nodding, McGonagall said, "Most Familiars can get a general sense of where their master is. She most likely arrived off-target, then followed the Bond back to you."

"It seems reasonable, I suppose. Still, isn't that a bit of an odd coincidence?"

"It is a strange and unusual occurrence to be sure, but it is more likely than the only alternative."

Lowering Headwig back to the desk, Hermione inquired, "What would that be, Professor?"

"A Familiar Bond can be 'hijacked,' so to speak. It is a cruel and disgusting process that involves killing and eating the true Familiar in the first few days following the Summoning, while the Bond is still weak," McGonagall replied.

Both witches looked down at Headwig, studying her silently. The owl looked back up at them with wide, innocent eyes.

"You're right, Professor. That does seem very unlikely, doesn't it?"

"Indeed. Now then, let's get this over with."

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

Author's Note

=A=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=A=

When Orchid goes all-in, apparently she doesn't fuck around. The 'vessel' Angel is wearing would be the heart she talked about in their original clash. Much like elementals, alura une are spirits that possess a physical medium. Much like Lady inhabits a volume of water, Orchid inhabits a mass of plants. The big difference is that instead of being born from elemental disasters, alura une grow from a normal plant. Being born from a living thing, they themselves are very much mortal beings.

The plant that birthed them becomes their vessel. As long as it lives, she lives. Even tearing her apart and burning every trace does nothing while the flower remains. The alura une's consciousness just returns to it and takes a long nap.

So you can see why Angel is a little stunned to discover she's been entrusted with protecting it.

I guess I'm on the topic of alura une now, so lets just roll with it.

A normal alura une observes her environment with special senses for vibration, heat and emotional energy. This is true even when they're mimicking a human woman, but Orchid is a bit different. Because of her connection to a human being, she instinctively mimics their senses when taking their form. She has the same five senses as any normal person, but it makes it hard to keep track of her normal, alura une senses. Eight senses is a bit much to manage and since the human senses are 'right' for the form, they take precedence.

This is why having her face torn up when attacking Angel disoriented her so badly. Imagine losing your sight, reflexively bringing back a totally different sense, then having your sight again, all in a few seconds.

Fun fact that will never be relevant to the story: when eating, Orchid trades her sight for an alura une's ability to sense emotions.