Halle Potter and the first year of madness
/
It was now November season and the air was much colder. The castle had become like a walk in freezer and the grounds were covered in thin icy layers of frost.
It was lucky that most of the teachers performed warming charms in their classes all except Snape. No, the bat looking potions teacher kept his already dingy cold classroom even extra cold.
Ronnie had stated that it was most likely to keep certain ingredients fresh but she couldn't help keeping the bitterness out of her tone as she said this.
Their potions lesson last week had been pure torture.
Snape had been limping and of course he had noticed Halle looking at his leg again. His torment on her and her friends was much worse than usual.
As they were making their potions he kept on whispering snide comments, that if she could face a full sized troll then mixing a potion should've been easy and yet she apparently couldn't even do that right.
He had, like her first potions lesson bombarded her with several questions. She had actually been able to answer the first one in front of the entire class but Snape instead of accepting that Halle actually knew the answer, punished both her and Ronnie. He took points from her and then from Ronnie for telling her the answer even though she hadn't said anything too her.
When he asked her the other questions, she didn't know the answers specifically because they hadn't done any kind of work to do with the questions, he had posed to her in the last two months. Something that Ronnie was able to confirm. He took points away from her again.
That was already 15 house points from Gryffindor.
Halle felt her cheeks burn. She hoped that limp hurt. Hell, she hoped his whole leg dropped off.
Snape swooped round the classroom making sure to be extra snappish towards most of the Gryffindors.
He passed Dewei who was working with Daphne Greengrass seeming as Halle and the others were giving him and themselves some space after his blowup that morning. Snape said nothing to them.
Halle knew if it were her working with Daphne then Snape still would chastise their work.
He took five points from Seamus and Dean and an extra five from Lavender and Parvati for their potions not being the correct colour. That was 25 points now but he couldn't do the same for Padma, Ryan, Matt and Freja. Their potions were coming along fine in their pairs. He still managed to insult them though.
Finally for the sake of picking on someone, he made Neville so uncomfortable that not even his increasing knowledge from all their note taking sessions and Hermione being his partner could even save him from Snape's wrath and Neville ended up blowing up his and Hermione's cauldron.
The class had been making Herbicide potions specifically for their Herbology classes. It was a potion that Neville had actually been quite confident about and was excited for once to do a potions lesson but Snape's little snaps and remarks had caused Neville to drop too much Horklump juice into it and the Cauldron had bubbled and blown.
The potion covered the entire classroom.
Only a few students who took the initiative to duck were safe from the cauldrons content.
Herself and Ronnie were some of the select few included. Hermione had luckily grabbed Neville and ducked too meaning he would avoid his near enough regular visit to the Hospital Wing but even so, the blow up from Snape was almost manic.
He verbally attacked Neville from every angle he possibly could.
It was brutal.
Halle had never seen Neville's face so red. She was sure for a second that he might tear up but to his credit he stayed strong and let no tears slip from his eyes.
Halle wanted nothing more then to comfort Neville and lash out at Snape but Hermione's small little shakes of her head were a reminder that if she did, it would only get worse from there.
The only upside from this event was half the class was covered and the effect of the potion was quite horrendous. Herbicide potion was a plant killer but too much of the juice had caused a strange effect on the potion. The students who were covered in the stuff, suddenly were having a horrid reaction. Their skin began to dry and shrivel up.
Halle turned to look at Seamus who had been splashed with the potion. Seamus who moments ago was fresh faced, now rapidly looked like he was eighty years old. His skin didn't stop deteriorating though. The drier his skin became the more the reaction became worse. All the moisture was leaving his body. His skin became a mixture of grey, pale white and rotting black. The bones in his face looked hollow and threatened to tear the skin that was becoming tighter around his cheeks. His hair was suddenly becoming white, grey and thin and plenty cracks and wrinkles were appearing all over his skin.
Lavender screamed so loudly that Halle wondered if it could've been heard from the third floor at least. Herself, Ryan,Dean, Padma and Parvati were also unlucky and had been splashed by the potion and much like Seamus their skin was drying up too.
Matt and Freja had managed to cover their faces with their arms.
So only their arms got affected by the potion but they were the only two to be so lucky.
Out of the thirteen Slytherins in the class only six remained untouched. Unfortunately the snake twins were part of this selection along side Blaise Zabini, Daphne Greengrass, Theodore Nott and a boy called Emmet Coil.
Fortunately Pansy and the two blockheads along side the rest of the Slytherins, had been covered too.
Snape of course had to send most of the class to the hospital wing which meant that Potions had ended early but that didn't stop Snape from making sure that Neville suffered for it.
"Well seeming as Mr Longbottom's incompetence has not only disrupted this lesson but caused bodily harm to half of the classroom, I have but no choice to end the lesson early and send you all off to the Hospital wing. Those of you who have not been touched by the potion will take those of you who have, preferably quickly before any of your peers disintegrate and become nothing but dust." Said Snape in the most driest tone Halle had ever heard come from his already monotone voice.
"As for you Mr Longbottom, that's detention with me and let's see 25 house points from Gryffindor for almost killing your classmates." Said Snape sadistically.
Neville let out a small whimper.
Before Halle could even interject surprisingly Hermione did first.
"Sir please, that's completely unfair. It was an accident. You made him nervous and he made a mistake. He shouldn't be punished for that." Cried Hermione.
"Unfair is it Miss Granger? Is it fair that you're now holding up your fellow classmates time from being treated for the pain they're undoubtedly suffering from yours and Mr Longbottom's hands?" Spat Snape.
"How on earth is it Hermione's or Neville's fault that you're presence is a danger to a bunch of eleven year olds. It's you're fault and you're just taking away points because you want to, not cause you care for anyone's well being." Shouted Ronnie.
'Don't say anything. Don't say anything.' Thought Halle. She knew she would make it so much worse if she did.
"And for your cheek Miss Weasley and Miss Granger you can join Mr Longbottom in detention and lose 15 house points each for your disrespect and for speaking out of turn." Said Snape.
Halle's rage was flaring up. He couldn't do that. That was 80 house points in one lesson. Gryffindor had just made it over a hundred points and now most of that would be taken away. Halle knew she would have a chance to win it back and more in the up coming quidditch match but she couldn't believe that Snape could get away with this.
"Now you three will stay behind and clean up this mess whilst the rest of you will leave and take your classmates up to the hospital wing. If I hear any more argument, the consequences will be severe." Said Snape challengingly though his eyes seemed to be focused on her, then the rest of the class.
Halle knew she was about to be said challenger as she stood but Ronnie grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.
"Just go! We'll meet you later in the common room." Said Ronnie with complete indignation.
Halle wanted to argue but Hermione interjected.
"It's ok Halle. Don't do anything that will make it worse. You'll win those points back when you win Quidditch next week." Whispered Hermione.
Neville gave a small shake of his head.
"We're not going to let him get away with this. I promise." Said Halle fiercely.
Ronnie also gave her a weak smile. Hermione and Neville grimaced but shook their heads as an indication for Halle to leave.
She begrudgingly did and took a hold of Seamus, Dean and Ryan and walked out with the rest of the class.
The trip up to the Hospital Wing was silent. No Slytherin made any kind of comment on the situation, not even the Snake twins. Perhaps the Slytherins had a code of honour to not stand against their own in front of the other houses.
Madam Pomfrey was completely shocked when the twenty three first years appeared in the wing and fifteen of them were shrivelled up.
Madam Pomfrey asked them what happened.
Halle answered seeming as her and Ronnie were the closest to Hermione and Neville.
As soon as she explained what had happened, Madam Pomfrey got to work. She moved fluidly as she began mixing potions. She had everyone seat the others onto the beds and then shooed them out of the Hospital Wing.
Halle didn't even bother to follow Dewei or watch where he was heading.
She had more pressing concerns as she sped up to Gryffindor tower. She was eager to drop off her bag in her dormitory. She was going to find Professor McGonagall and tell her everything that had happened in their potions lesson and if she couldn't do anything about it then her last resort would be a spell or a potion. What kind of spell or potion she wasn't sure but she would do it and make sure that Snape paid for his mistreatment of her friends and house.
Maybe she could get some ideas from Fred and George.
She was almost tempted to take out her melt potion and march right back down to the dungeons and throw it in Snape's face but that would be assault. Hell, her dislike for the snake was so intense by now that it might as well be considered attempted murder if she did.
She leapt through the portrait and walked through the common room. Only a few students were around. She made her way up the spiral staircase and into her dormitory. She had dropped her bag beside her bed and turned back ready to march off and find professor McGonagall when she noticed something on her bed.
There was a package neatly wrapped in black paper with a green ribbon around it.
Was this a present?
She had never received a present before, well except for Hedwig who Hagrid had graciously bought for her on her birthday but otherwise she had never been given one.
Who could've sent it?
She took a step closer and looked at the package. There was a note. 'To Halle Potter I gift to you. Behold this treasure of sight and truth.'
That was it. There was no name.
An ominous feeling slowly crept within Halle as she slowly reached out for the package and slightly touched it. Nothing happened.
She picked up the package fully in her hand and slowly tore off the packaging.
Inside was a silver oval shaped hand mirror. The frame around the mirror was patterned with silver vines and roses and at the base of the frame and beginning of the handle was a symbol of a snake eating its own tail. The snakes eyes seemed to almost be alive.
This was the most beautiful mirror she had ever seen. It was old yet classy, something you'd buy in the Victorian days.
This could've been from anyone but she assumed it was only from one person.
C.S!
She cautiously held up the mirror and stared at her reflection and her suspicion was confirmed when the mirror suddenly stop reflecting her own image but someone else's. Morphed in the mirror was a figure with a black hooded cloak covering their face.
Her heart leaped in her chest and she threw the mirror back on the bed.
Halle continued to stare at the mirror but the figure didn't leave.
"Now, now Miss Potter, wherever are your manners?" Said the figure chuckling.
The voice was definitely male. It was slick and smooth but somehow seemed distorted as though he was putting on his voice but that didn't stop Halle from breathing heavy and backing away towards the door of her dormitory.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you." Said the figure.
Halle stopped dead in her tracks.
"Good girl. Now come back to the bed and pick up the mirror." Said the figure. The hint of danger was present in his voice.
Halle looked towards the door, she could make a run for it. The figure was in the mirror, how would he stop her? but something told her, that was a stupid idea.
She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves.
If C.S had her cornered then she wouldn't give him the satisfaction of being scared even though she was completely terrified.
She slowly walked back over to her bed and picked up the mirror. The figure smiled.
"It's good to finally make your proper acquaintance Miss Potter. Though may I beg your forgiveness for such an unorthodox method to initiate our first meeting." Said the figure sophisticatedly.
"Our first meeting?" Questioned Halle.
"Oh yes, we shall be meeting again Miss Potter." Said the figure.
"Under what circumstances?" Asked Halle her voice filled with fear and distrust.
"That depends on you Miss Potter." Said the figure. Sinister undertones were laced within his voice and it made her skin prickle.
"How so?" Said Halle trying to steady her voice.
"Well, I'm aware that you're under the impression that I'm going to attack you and your friends. Which is understandable given the circumstances of our first unofficial meeting. Well, I want to set the record straight. I have no intention to attack you or your friends, especially that of Mr Zabini , well not unless you force my hand, that is." Said the figure menacingly.
His casual tone was now making the hairs on the back of Halle's neck rise.
"So if you don't want to hurt us, then why did you push Zabini off the Astronomy tower and invite us to watch?" Asked Halle heatedly.
"Why to get your attention of course." Said the figure casually, as though attempted murder was the most normal thing in the world.
Halle despite her fear pulled a face of disbelief.
"My attention? You wanted to grab my attention by pushing one of my housemates off the Astronomy tower and probably killing him in the process? THAT'S HOW YOU GO ABOUT GRABBING SOMEONE'S ATTENTION?" Said Halle sarcastically whilst getting louder with each word.
What kinda of sick freak would do that?
"Did I gain it?" Asked the figure calmly.
'Yeah you freak, you gained it alright!'
"Why'd you want my attention? And out of all the methods you could've possibly used to gain it, why that one? Why Zabini? Why me?" Asked Halle, anger now coursing through her veins.
"All in good time Miss Potter." Said the figure.
Halle scoffed.
"Are you kidding me? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS? WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" Shouted Halle.
No matter how scared she currently was of the psychopath in the mirror, she was not in the mood for games.
"Patience is a virtue Miss Potter, but to answer your question, your assistance would be most helpful." Said the figure still too calm for her liking.
"My assistance in what?" She gritted out.
"You'll find out soon enough. As I said to you before Miss Potter, we'll be meeting again. Soon. Keep the mirror on you and tell no one of its existence. If you break my rule, you will be punished, follow my instructions and you and your friends will be untouched." Said the figure in a much more menacing tone now.
"How can I possibly help you? I'm just a first year." Said Halle confused.
"That my dear, you most certainly are not." Said the figure in a voice that viably shook Halle to her core.
What did he mean by that?
She wanted to shake. He wanted to use her for something. She couldn't let him get whatever advantage he wanted from her.
She needed leverage or a threat. She was terrified but she wasn't going to help him and wherever he was right now was not in Gryffindor tower or at least not in her dormitory.
She took a shaky breath. She didn't want him to see her weakness. She didn't want him to see how much he scared her. She decided to chance being brave.
"You caught us off guard once, we won't let you do it twice. We're in a school filled with other students, teachers, portraits and ghosts. Plenty of witnesses. That's why you haven't tried anything since the attack. What's to stop me from taking this mirror straight to Dumbledore right now?" Said Halle sounding a lot braver than she felt. She wanted to scare him off.
"The same reason why you haven't already gone to Dumbledore. You're afraid you'll get sent back home. You're afraid your friends will get hurt on the account of you." Said the figure with a hint of pleasure in his tone.
He must've known he had gotten Halle there. If she did run to Dumbledore, she would have to tell him everything. Why they had gone to the tower, thinking there was information on the package and the dog, Dewei almost dying and all the suspicious things that had happened around him. That would probably include the passageway and their extra practice sessions.
She would no doubt get expelled. Her friends could get expelled too and if C.S knew she was alone to risk contact then he no doubt knew where they were. Probably knew exactly what they had been doing with the practice sessions but could he attack them?
He had an advantage before and had to bring them to a secluded place. How would he go about it this time?
She couldn't risk their lives. She just couldn't.
"Until our next meeting Miss Potter. Expect my call. Tell no one of this exchange, if you wish to keep your friends safe." Said the figure and suddenly he was gone and Halle was staring at her reflection once again.
She half expected her reflection to morph again and for something else horrible to show up but it didn't.
Just her pale reflection looked back at her. If she wanted to appear brave in front of C.S then the colour in her skin draining from her usually more tanned tone to pale white hadn't done her any favours.
Hell, she looked like she was lacking blood right now.
Halle at once wanted to race out of the dormitory and find the others and tell them everything but she knew that he had to be watching her.
How was he? She wasn't sure but he had magic. They were at a magic school where anything was possible. He could be watching her right now.
She looked around. The eerie silence of her empty dorm room gave her goosebumps.
So, C.S wanted her help, but why? What could she possibly offer him?
She didn't like this. Not one bit at tall.
She wouldn't put the others in danger if she couldn't help it but her dilemma was rising.
C.S now had access to her. She needed to tell a teacher but she couldn't. He would know somehow and the others would get hurt or was he just a good bluffer?
She needed to think about her options.
C.S had made his next move, just not in the way she had expected. So what was her move now? She suddenly felt like she was playing a game of chess. She was learning quite well from Ronnie but she always lost to her. Ronnie was always three steps ahead of her and that's what C.S was right now.
Her friends knew about the danger of C.S and they had been preparing but they weren't in the least bit ready yet to attempt to fight him off even if they had fought off a troll.
Right now Halle had the short end of the stick. Without knowing anything about C.S or what his goals were, she was stuck. She had no choice but to do what he said.
Halle pocketed the mirror in her robes.
If she was going to fight C.S then she was going to make sure she had something to her advantage. A tactic, a play, something, anything that could help her.
She walked out of her dormitory and out of the common room. She was going to head for the passageway and do research.
When she turned to the seventh floor corridor her eyes were met with a surprise.
Dewei was standing in the corridor with two Slytherins.
Serphina and Daphne.
This particular corridor had no classes. It was pretty deserted, so what were they doing up here and standing right in front of the entrance to the passageway?
Luckily for Halle, Hogwarts had plenty knights, statues and gargoyles in all the corridors so Halle went unnoticed as she hid behind a statue and listened to the conversation. It was clear she had missed a good section of it however.
"Honestly Wei why are you always so difficult?" Said Phina in exasperation. Even with a higher pitch voice, hers still drawled like her brothers.
"How am I being difficult Phina?" Asked Dewei with his voice completely deadpan.
"Hanging out with THEM! Ignoring us! Your brother might be losing his mind right now and you don't even care. Oh, and letting yourself be accepted into Gryffindor." Spat Phina. Her tone was harsh.
"The hat chose my house. What do you expect me to do about it?" Asked Dewei clearly annoyed now.
"You could've told the stinking hat no. You could've asked to change. You could at least act like a Slytherin with Pride and yet here you are ignoring your friends and family for blood traitors and Mud….."
"Phina!" Interrupted Daphne. Phina had been getting louder with each word in her rant and Daphne clearly wanted to stop her from getting out whatever last insult she was about to say.
Phina gave a sneer that she directed at Daphne but the girl was unfazed.
"What's wrong with you Wei? We used to be so close and now I barely recognise you! I know what happened to aunt Cere hurt you and I'm sorry but the way you're acting is horrendous." Said Phina.
Halle noted that there wasn't any kind of sad emotion in her statement.
Halle rolled her eyes. Trust a Slytherin to be upset because someone who wasn't a Slytherin wasn't acting like a Slytherin even though Dewei was one of the most Slytherin people she knew.
"Are you done Phina?" Snapped Dewei.
Phina looked Dewei up and down once before glaring.
"Yeah I'm done. You're a lost cause at this point. Have fun with your Gryffindorks." Said Phina Venomously.
She turned on her heel and stormed past the statue Halle was hiding behind, without turning back.
She didn't notice Halle and she sighed in relief. Halle peered back to see that Daphne had not followed her fellow Slytherin.
"Wei? Are you alright?" Asked Daphne. Her voice was soft, a tone Halle didn't think she could affiliate with a Slytherin.
"I'm fine Daph." Said Dewei who surprisingly also spoke softly.
Halle realised they must've known each other outside of school.
"Look, you know I don't think like your god siblings. I know how you are and I accept you for it and I don't care that you're affiliating yourself with Potter and her cronies." Said Daphne.
Halle scrunched her nose up at the word 'cronies'
"But I know something is going on with you. I can sense it and something is happening with Blaise too. He's barely sleeping. He just about eats, his head is elsewhere and he keeps on slipping off when nobody notices. He's not himself and neither are you. I'm worried about both of you.
Phina's just off on one as per usual especially seeming as this is the first time she's speaking to you in two months but you know I'm actually worried about you. What's going on?" Said Daphne in the appropriate emotional tone.
"Daph nothing is going on. I'm fine and you're being paranoid." Said Dewei very unconvincingly.
"You're a better liar than that Wei. I've known you since we were in nappies. I know something is going on. You're thinner, I know you're stressed out. You're not even back chatting the way you usually would. Look, if you don't want to tell me fine, I'm not gonna force you but talk to someone. I know you wouldn't speak to Draco. The air head wouldn't know a meaningful conversation if it hit him in the face. Blaise is definitely a no go right now but please if you even care remotely about me, then you will speak to someone. Talk to Lu. Talk to Lena. I know how you feel about your step father but I know you miss her. You're easy to read. If you don't even speak to them speak to Potter. I don't know exactly what the deal is with you and your little Gryffin gang but I know there's more to this particular friendship than meets the eye. Just speak to someone Wei, for me." Said Daphne pleadingly.
She took his hand and squeezed it gently.
Dewei looked conflicted and it was possibly the most vulnerable Halle had ever seen him.
After a moment he pulled his hand away from Daphne.
"There is nothing wrong with me Daph. I will talk to my twin if you guys are really so worked up about him but everything is fine. I will even have a conversation with Lena if it makes you happy but I'm fine, ok." Said Dewei firmly as he clamped a hand on the blondes shoulder.
She looked at him for a moment before she let out a long sigh.
"If you say so Wei. Look I've gotta go before anyone thinks that I fraternise with the enemy. I'll see you later ok." Said Daphne in a slightly dejected tone.
It was clear that Daphne knew Dewei wasn't going to talk to her about his problems.
She walked past the statue but like Phina, didn't notice Halle.
Dewei seemed to wait for a few moments before he too walked past the statue and assumedly back towards Gryffindor tower.
Halle stood there rooted.
She had just witnessed a Slytherin being kind to a Gryffindor and she had just witnessed Dewei being nice. Sure he had saved their lives but Halle didn't think it was possible that he could be nice.
Daphne had said they had gone back since nappies and it showed. There was no sneering aimed her way. He let her touch him and didn't curse her out for worrying.
Halle felt strange as she contemplated the friendship between Daphne and Dewei.
She felt annoyed. Not because they had a friendship no, because Halle realised that morally she had just been reality checked by a Slytherin.
Daphne's approach to trying to find out what was going on with Dewei was much simpler because it was right. She was his friend. She had every right to be concerned about him.
She knew something was wrong with him and she was trying to convince him to talk his problems out.
Halle had witnessed him almost get murdered and she was sort of treating him like a criminal under a evaluation. Granted they were trying to protect him as well but they hadn't even given him the curtesy of knowing that or asking him how he was.
No, their plan had been, wear him down until he cracks.
She felt ashamed of herself. Yes, they weren't exactly friends and no he hadn't told the truth or even be kind to them to receive such kindness back but the plan just felt wrong now but there was still a mystery.
One made even more confusing now that C.S had confessed that Dewei was just a pawn to grab her attention, but why? There was still no answer to that question.
Halle also knew his life was still at risk. C.S had threatened her and she just knew Dewei was still involved. He had been picked to be pushed off the tower for a reason.
He still knew something but it was time to change her approach. She would get to the bottom of this mystery but Dewei would be treated like a person and not an operation. He had saved her life and he at least deserved that respect.
A lesson she had apparently learnt from a another nice Slytherin.
Today was turning out to be a seriously head spinning day.
/