Time: Second Week of December, Same Year
"And then, Snape said, 'I would rather have two monkeys making potions here than you, Crabbe and Goyle, but since you are a just a tad bit more hygienic, not by much, mind you, I tolerate your presence in my class. But now, you have crossed all your limits. Get out! Get out!' And he threw them out with a couple of hexes their way!"
Susan recollected the humorous tale of what had happened in the previous day's Potions class in the dungeons, her Snape imitation almost on point with the sneer in place and the silky drawl, making those around her giggle.
All of them were in the library, trying to do their homework, and seeing the two first-year Ravenclaws and the single Hufflepuff groan and complain about the truckloads of Potions essays and assignments they had been given to be submitted in three days, the others, that is, Violet and her three Gryffindor friends, besides Lyra, Daphne and Tracey, had been curious.
Which had led to Susan, who had been there with the Slytherins for the Potions lesson, recounting the experience, which had eventually led the Potions master to heap them with mountains of homework in a 'last-ditch attempt to cure their idiocy', inciting laughter among the closely-knit group of friends.
"And then, he deducted points from Gryffindor, didn't he?" The elder Potter quipped, igniting another round of guffaws around the table at her mock sigh and despairing voice.
"Nah, though it does seem like something only he would do, he didn't." The Bones heiress tried to stifle her giggles.
"Yeah, he is barmy, but not that much." Astoria pitched in, making them giggle again as she drawled the words in a similar manner to the Potions master.
"Professor Snape is actually not that bad." Daphne came to the defence of her favourite Professor, trying to keep the mirthful twitching of her lips to a minimum as she sat straight in her chair, smoothing her Slytherin robes. "He just has high expectations..."
"And an unhealthy hatred for everything Gryffindor!" She was cut off by Tracey, who laughed boisterously at her own joke.
"Seriously, I don't see how she is in Slytherin sometimes." Lyra smiled softly, shaking her head fondly at Tracey's antics, as she looked over at her two best friends, one of whom was getting poked in the cheek by the other.
"Your cheeks are so soft!" Tracey gushed, having gone completely off-topic, as she continued playfully poking Daphne's soft, flawless ivory cheeks, and enjoying the redness that bubbled up her neck.
"Will you just stop!" The Greengrass heiress snarled crossly, swatting her hand. When that didn't work, she whipped out her wand and cast a low powered stinging hex towards the bubbly brunette, making her pout as she rubbed her sore hand, finally quieting down.
"Alright, alright. Can we get back on topic?" Rose giggled quietly, watching the exchange between the two elder Slytherins. Beside her, Astoria had no qualms about showing her amusement, as she openly laughed at her sister's expense, never one to give up on poking fun at her.
"Well, in my opinion, Daphne only likes Snape because he is the only one qualified enough to teach her Potions." Alicia drawled out lazily as she leaned back in her chair, before her voice took a hysterical edge. "It's like they have a competition or something, Snape asks questions about Potions, and she answers impeccably. Some of the questions don't even sound at our level. Or at NEWT level! It seems like he is asking her questions that only someone close to completing their postgraduate Mastery in Potions should know about!"
Loud agreements rang out from around the table, unanimous on Daphne's prodigious talent and skill in potions.
"Yeah, that sounds exactly like our Daphne!" Tracey beamed as she slapped her back good-naturedly.
For once, Daphne did not respond to her teasing, her cheeks tinged pink at the praise heaped upon her as she glared down at her lap, suddenly shy and thankful for the silencing charms they had raised around the table.
"Well, since you are so good, why don't you help us in Potions then?" Lyra challenged, ever the Slytherin as she put her bag up on the table, already halfway into searching for the parchment and quill she had kept for doing homework. Potions was probably the only subject she sucked at. Well, she didn't suck, per se, but she definitely was no prodigy either. As it was, their prescribed Potions book had shit for content, so every time she had to do some Potions homework, she had to either go to Daphne or the library, or sneak to Lily's office to take advantage of her expansive Potions knowledge.
Well, whatever emotions, good or bad, she held for the Lady Potter, she certainly had to be thankful for her blind willingness to help them, which certainly made it child's play to manipulate the Muggle Studies Professor into helping them with their homework... something which she definitely wasn't supposed to do.
"We can all do our Potions homework together, then, and we can help the three firsties if they get stuck as well." Angelina nodded wisely, bringing smiles to the other's faces at her wise tone, completely overlooking the indignant yelp from said firsties at the demeaning nickname.
"Alright, that's decided, then! Daphne, you write, we will just change the language and copy from you, is that acceptable?" Violet batted her eyelashes at her innocently, clapping her hands in a distinct Dumbledore like manner, as if it had already been decided.
Daphne's eye twitched, as she grumbled, knowing she had already lost the argument when both Tracey and Violet looked at her with puppy dog eyes.
"I've already finished my essay. Here, take it and leave me alone." She reached into her bag, rummaging inside it for a moment before she emerged again, holding the foot-long essay Snape had demanded. "Just remember to change the language and write your own name on it, not Daphne Greengrass. I don't want Snape to be breathing down my neck why I handed in so many essays instead of just one."
She narrowed her eyes, looking at Alicia, who was shaking with silent laughter, trying to hold it in. "And I will check all your essays once you are done, so don't even think of pulling something like that. And that goes for you, too, Tracey!"
She whirled angrily on her friend, making the brunette pout cutely. "You don't trust me, Daffy?"
"No, not a single bit. I would rather trust Flint than you. Although that might be because he is too dumb to be unpredictable." She paused for a moment, "And don't call me Daffy. This is the six thousand, three hundred and thirty-fourth time I'm telling you to stop calling me Daffy, and yes, before you say anything, let me reassure you, I remember the number exactly."
"Daffy," Tracey repeated childishly, making the elder Greengrass glare at her.
"Make that six thousand, three hundred and thirty-fifth." She growled out through gritted teeth.
The friends were watching their exchange with amused eyes, eventually their daily dose of Daphne-Tracey entertainment being broken by Lyra's lazy voice. "Oh my god, get a room you two. You are already acting like you have been married for fifty years."
Laughter broke out around the table, only growing at the matching blushes that crept up the necks of the two girls to paint their cheeks.
"Enough of this! We are here to do homework, and if this continues, we will be getting nowhere!" Daphne hissed angrily, the effect ruined by her red cheeks. For once, Tracey didn't argue with her, as embarrassed.
"Wait a second! Tracey, are you sure that Daphne doesn't like Snape because she has a crush on him? Won't you be jealous?" Astoria pondered loudly, grinning as her words had the intended effect, as Daphne's face turned as green as her Slytherin robes.
"Ooh, yes, thanks, 'Stori!" Tracey immediately perked back up again at the thought of being able to tease her best friend again, as if someone had given her a revive potion.
The previous blush receded from her cheeks as she joined in teasing Daphne relentlessly, equipped with some new material that she had somehow, never thought of herself.
"Stop it you two! Or I'm seriously going to hex you, and I know some pretty bad curses, let me tell you!" Everyone laughed at the angry curses thrown their way as the Greengrass heiress hurried off to the nearest bathroom to be sick.
Daphne growled in anger as she glared at the accursed Charms book she was reading, trying to get ahead of their year's material so that she had some extra time for her OWLs the next year, but wasn't making too much headway, not with all of her friends making her check their potions work, and asking her questions relentlessly. She didn't mind it, but it was definitely irritating when she was trying to do some studying by herself.
"Alright, which one of you knows what book I can use to get the answer to this question- 'What is the evolutionary relationship between a Boggart, Lethifold, and Dementor, with respect to their systematic classification and evolutionary tree?'" Katie asked as she cocked her head, making her brunette hair fall across her face messily as she stared at the incomprehensible question, the only third year of the group trying to do her DADA homework under Lyra's expert tutelage. The Black girl was a prodigy at DADA, something which was to be expected, given her lineage.
Although don't let her hear her say that, she is quite protective about her Black title, having faced prejudice for it throughout her life.
"Huh?" Her words shattered Lyra out of her feverish scribbling on her own parchment, her eyes swimming with visible confusion. "What's that got to do with DADA?"
"Quirrel said that apparently, knowing these relations will help us combat the creatures better, as the same spells might be used for them. Like how the Patronus can be used for both Dementors and Lethifolds." Katie recalled from memory, staring at the confused faces around the table, everyone having stopped their writing (or reading, in Daphne's case).
"I wasn't even aware that magical creatures are classified." Astoria spoke offhandedly, "I thought that was something only the Muggles did."
"No. Magitaxonomy is quite a complicated subject, that's why those who are looking to get into studying magical creatures and the like, they are introduced to it in their seventh year. I'm sure this question doesn't even come till your postgraduate degree." Violet tilted her head, trying to make head or tail of it. "Are you sure that Quirrel gave the question in your homework?"
The subject being mostly pointless in day to day magical application, none of them had bothered too much about it. Evolutionary lineages were convoluted and tough to understand, given the wide variety of magical flora and fauna that had evolved and gone extinct, most flourishing during the time of Merlin, after which, the wizards, who were improving and increasing in number exponentially, hunted most of them to extinction.
Besides, magical fossils were extremely rare, some even being mistaken for other, mundane creatures, and it was insanely hard to trace magical imprint that was over sixty-five million years old, or, well, you get the idea.
"Yeah. The question is extra credit." Her words made realisation dawn on the other's faces, making them return to their own essays after a moment, seeing as they wouldn't be of any help to her.
"Just skip the extra credit portion if you can't find it. Why work so hard, it's not like it's compulsory or anything." Angelina muttered to her fellow chaser, her eyes attached to her own parchment, her lips continuing to move inaudibly as she scratched away with her quill, trying to note down the effects and reasons for stirring potions in different ways, something specific to each of them.
"Well, I really want the extra credit. After all the points that Snape is taking from Gryffindor, it's really a no brainer. Besides, I didn't submit the last assignment, if I want to get a perfect internal score at the end of the year, this is necessary." Katie stressed, tapping her quill against her parchment impatiently.
"Kiss ass," Alicia muttered under her breath as she returned to her own essay, making her blush.
Lyra smiled at her. "Come on, Kat, let's go and check if we can find anything on the subject. It's probably gonna be in the Magizoology section."
The Black daughter swept out of her seat in a confident swirl of black and green Slytherin robes, followed by the meek Gryffindor.
They appeared back at the table a few minutes later book in hand, greeted only by the callous silence of their friends and the scratching of quills on paper. Not even the normally polite Rose deemed it important to welcome them back to the table after the Herculean ordeal of trying to find a book in the massive Hogwarts library, all while Irma Pince breathed down their necks.
"Wooh! I thought she was gonna scalp me for a moment there." Katie giggled quietly to herself as she remembered the normally calm and slightly cold Lyra's face when Madam Pince appeared out of nowhere, duster in hand.
Shooting a small smile at the third year, Lyra slid back into her seat, whipping out her wand to recast the privacy charms around their table before she cracked open the potions book she had brought to help her with the gruelling work.
"Umm, what's that, Katie?" Angelina Johnson's confused voice brought them all out of their attentive studying, making them look over at the two Gryffindor chasers.
"What's what, Angie?" Violet asked, craning her neck to catch a glimpse of what she was referring to, as she tried to look over the taller girl's head.
"Umm, this." Angelina reached out, holding a small, clean white envelope aloft, like a pearl among the sea of parchment and thick tomes that littered the table they were studying at.
"Where did that come from?" Daphne asked, eyeing it curiously.
"I don't know, there is no name on it. The envelope looks expensive though." Angelina muttered, though her words were heard clearly in the silence that reigned at the table, all the girls hanging off the edge of their seats. She turned it over. "Oh, it has the Hogwarts seal on it."
"Eh, probably some document someone forgot. Whatever." Lyra waved it off, trying to get back in the zone that would enable her to finish the goddamned assignment as soon as possible.
"No, I saw it slip out of the book that Katie brought." Rose pointed out, her voice quiet, drawing everyone's attention back to the mysterious envelope.
Alicia snatched the book from Katie, ruffling through its pages for anything more. "Nah, nothing more here. What's this book anyway? Hmm... On the Origin of Species by Charles Darwin... this has a magical version?"
She seemed shocked as she read the title.
"Oh forget that. If somebody has forgotten it, then it's probably not important." Astoria pitched in, eyeing the envelope greedily, hungry for anything juicy.
"Astoria, it's not nice to go through others' letters." Susan chided softly.
"Aww come on! It doesn't even have a name on it!" The younger Greengrass protested, making smiles break out on the others' faces.
"Yeah, you tell them, girl!" Tracey cheered for her, snatching the envelope from Angelina.
"Tracey, the envelope could be cursed-"
Daphne's worried words fell on deaf ears as Tracey had already cracked the seal, discarding the envelope in favour of the leaves of parchment inside.
"Tracey-" Some of them warned, but it was overpowered by Violet's excited, mischievous, "What does it say?"
Tracey cleared her throat dramatically.
"To the beautiful, lovely occupants of Table 7A -hey, aren't we sitting at Table 7A?" Her reading was broken by her own thought, making the others hiss in irritation.
"Tracey, just read it!" All the thoughts of invading someone's privacy gone, their attention captured by the single starting line. Even Daphne could not bring herself to say anything.
"Sheesh, someone's impatient. And here I thought-"
"Tracey!"
"Alright, alright, geez." Ducking her head under the glares shot her way, the bubbly brunette Slytherin continued, but not before clearing her throat for a second time. "To the beautiful, lovely occupants of Table 7A, the Hogwarts Library, First Floor, Hogwarts, Scotland."
"Hah, flirter." Alicia's embarrassed words fell on deaf ears, the single line reminding a few- Daphne, Astoria, Rose, Violet and Lyra, to be more precise, of the similar charming words used by a particular, dark and delicious looking, drool-worthy predator to enchant them, charm their minds and blind them to danger, to what was right in front of them.
In a single synchronised movement, Daphne, Violet and Lyra whipped out their wands, jumping up from their seats and surprising the others, who weren't aware of what was going on. Astoria and Rose sat still as a rock, their faces pale and ashen as they felt the familiar suffocating danger of being around the Stalker, how he managed to blend in seamlessly, not giving anyone any hint of his presence.
"Umm, what happened?" Tracey asked, bewildered as she saw the wild, frightened look on her three, usual brave and strong friends, making them look like a cornered, wounded animal as they twirled their wands in intricate manners, casting the best privacy and detection wards that any of them knew, preventing any outsider from looking or hearing what was going on at table 7A, practically erasing the table from existence so far as the common Hogwarts student was concerned.
"Tracey. This is serious. Like life and death serious." At the normally easy-going Violet's grave, solemn voice akin to announcing the death of a loved one, Tracey's expression grew serious. The others matched them, the only two Ravenclaws of the group not showing any sign of getting out of their terrified shock anytime soon.
"Go to the end. See if there's an author. Who wrote the message?" Daphne ordered her, her voice slightly shaky. Despite the layers of powerful Occlumency employed by the Greengrass heiress to cleverly hide it, Tracey knew every single thing about her longtime best friend, able to read her like an open book.
"Al-alright." Her voice trembled as she looked down at the letter, reflecting the contagious fear that seemed to weigh down on the table, everyone leaning forward to know who had penned the mysterious letter.
The sound of tearing parchment snapped everyone back to attention, making them stare at Tracey, who held the letter in madly shaking hands. Her warm brown eyes were wide and hazy with terror, her normally beautifully tanned coffee skin pale. Her knuckles white as she gripped the slightly ripped letter tightly in her hands, refusing to let go, in denial that her eyes were seeing what they were.
Everyone stared at her reaction in worry.
"Umm... Trace? You good?" Angelina asked worriedly, unable to hide the low terrified rumble that made her heart skip a beat at the thought of what had made the bubbly girl go shocked still, not being deigned worthy of a response from the Slytherin.
Then suddenly, surprising all of them, the Slytherin laughed out loudly, loud enough to make them feel thankful for all the privacy charms cast around their table, saving them from the strict Hogwarts librarian's wrath as she threw her head back, and tossed the letter carelessly back into the sea of scribbled parchments that littered the table, trying to control her giggles.
"Nice prank, Daphne. Didn't know you had it in you... I guess hanging out with the daughters of three Marauders is having its toll on you." She laughed merrily, confusing everyone.
"Umm... am I missing something here?" Alicia asked, her voice conveying her confusion as she tried to make head or tail of the 'prank' Tracey was blabbering about.
Even Daphne looked confused for a brief moment, before relaxation dawned on her features, making her expression darken. "I'm sorry, but I'm not joking Tracey, it's very much real. Why... why would you think I would joke about something like this?"
"Because... out of all of us, you are the only one who can, and probably will, joke about something this serious."
At Daphne's silent gaze, the smile fell from her face in small increments.
"I don't think you've missed anything., Angelina muttered to Alicia, watching the interaction between the two girls.
Eventually, summoning all of the Gryffindor courage that had prompted the Sorting Hat to put her in the House of Lions, Katie took the letter in slightly shaking hands, searching for the author's name, that had made Tracey react in a way that would make Barnabas the Barmy proud.
Or... perhaps not.
"Th-th-the-the S-s-st-st-Stalker!" Katie stuttered horribly, her eyes wide as she threw away the letter as if it physically burned her, like it was dipped in some horrible potion. Her words had an immediate effect on those around the table who hadn't been aware of it already, dawning comprehension on the abrupt behaviour of the five.
Every occupant of Table 7A glanced around at the busy library with wide eyes, as if the Stalker was going to jump out at them from anywhere... which, given his track record, he probably could and what he probably would.
"Why didn't you tell us this earlier?!" Angelina hissed as she looked around the library from the safety of the privacy charms cast around their table, the tip of her wand glowing.
"It's not like it would have done any good., Daphne muttered as she slumped in her chair, defeated. "Even if we know from where he's coming and when he's coming, it's not like we have much of a chance against HIM."
Violet looked broody. "I don't think is here. In the library, I mean."
"What makes you say that?" Lyra asked, eyeing Violet incredulously as she shrugged. Ignoring her, and knowing that she was probably correct, she reached for the letter, clearing her throat as she drew everyone's attention back to herself. "Let's see..."
After a few more moments, everyone resumed their seats, though the light-hearted atmosphere was long gone by then. Even Tracey was serious, relaxing that this wasn't any prank.
They listened with rapt attention as Violet, Lyra and Daphne recollected their experience over the summer, before Rose, Susan and Astoria came forward with their own anecdote on Halloween.
"Great... Just great. Wanted serial killer with probably over a thousand body count, and we have him hot on our tails. Genius! Is it too much to ask for one normal year? For fuck's sake, Hogwarts is supposed to be one of the safest places on the planet, and here is this murderer roaming free in the halls!" Daphne ranted angrily, voicing their unified thoughts on the matter as Lyra poured over the letter silently, for once, her normally bored grey eyes attentive, as colour returned to her face in small increments.
"Alright..." She coughed slightly, drawing everyone's attention back to her successfully. "I think you all have to listen to this. Umm... Here, Tracey, put yourself to some good use and read this aloud."
The fourth-year Slytherin couldn't even bring herself to pout as she usually did, merely accepting the letter with shaky hands.
"To the beautiful, lovely occupants of Table 7A, the Hogwarts Library, First Floor, Hogwarts, Scotland." She read, trying to ignore her trembling heart as she stared at the beautiful black letters against the smooth white parchment.
"Firstly, I must apologize for sending an unannounced letter in such an abrupt manner. As you might have very well guessed by now, I have a flair for the dramatic... And it is becoming quite a bad habit for me." She stopped to take a deep breath to centre herself again at the familiar tone he was using.
"I hope you are all fine. You must be, I have not seen any sign of ailment in the few days I have been observing you. Now, you must understand that this letter is quite unlike me. Why? Let me tell you."
Looks were exchanged between the students, the tense silence heavy on the table. The chitter-chatter of the busy library drained out, their senses only concentrating on the letter, the most important thing around.
"Let me cut to the chase. I do not intend to stalk you. As you might have very guessed, I have much more important things to do than follow a couple of teenage girls around, and honestly? That would make me look creepy. Well, more than I am already, anyway. Don't trust me? Well, I would not expect anything less." Tracey read out, her heart lightening slightly as she looked up at the others.
"This... is unexpected. What do you think?"
"The Stalker has always lived up to his words. It is not like he has ever lied to anybody, as far as my knowledge goes. He always sends a message before he kills anybody." Violet spoke, tapping her fingers against the table.
"Well, he might be doing it to get Dumbledore off his back. We do not know what is exactly going through his head now, do we?" Lyra spoke cynically, staring off into space as she slumped in her chair.
"Whatever, we will see. The Headmaster must be notified of this recent development, Violet, it's your job. For now, we must see what the letter says. Tracey, read on."
The brunette nodded back at Daphne, returning her eyes to the parchment. She was taking this much more calmly than she would have ever expected.
"I find myself interested in you, and not in a bad way. You all are very talented witches, worthy and capable of becoming much stronger than the average wizarding population. As such, I should exterminate you. But I find myself unable to, not when you haven't grown your fangs yet. I will be waiting for you to grow, shed your skin and grow your fangs. Sharpen your claws and prepare to strike me down, for once you get your Mastery, as I expect you will, I will be coming for you, one by one... Unless you come to me first." Tracey stopped, confused. "Wait a sec, what is he saying?"
"He is saying that he wants us to grow stronger as soon as possible, that he will hunt- no, 'fight' us once we grow up," Angelina muttered, wondering what she had just gotten herself into. Her time on Earth had already been decided, and she was too young for that. "But what does he mean by us coming for him?"
She was met with confused shrugs as Tracey returned to reading the letter.
"But for now, consider yourself safe. As a token of goodwill, I'll even let you in on a couple of secrets." She glanced back at them nervously, wondering what dire secret the Stalker might reveal to them.
"Nothing serious. I am writing this letter from Professor McGonagall's office while she is out patrolling during the night. Cosy chair, I must say. Also, I apologize for the Hogwarts seal. It was just lying around, so I thought, why not? I keep thinking of making a seal for myself, but find myself short of time. Anyway, I see this first-year surprise quiz on the table before me, so careless of her. So, find copies of the questions attached with this envelope, for the three cute first years in your group. The quiz will be held on next Thursday."
Tracey stopped reading for a brief moment as Alicia and Angelina ruffled through the other parchments, searching for the questions.
"Wooh! He is useful!" Astoria could not help the cheer that escaped her lips at the thought of breezing through a surprise Transfigurations quiz, before slamming her hand over her mouth in embarrassed mortification.
Tracey just gave a light chuckle before she returned her attention to the last part of the letter. "Besides that, I would advise Katie Bell to drop On the Origin of Species right now. It contains outdated information. Instead, look for the Dictation on Evolution of Magical Creatures by Roy Chapman Andrews. It contains more recent information, appropriate for your level. You should find it on Shelf 236C, second row, three books from the left. Unless Madam Pince has removed it for cleaning, in which case, you will find it at the very right of the fifth row of the same shelf."
"Woah. He is really... umm... something." Katie breathed, holding the book she had brought initially. Why did he even have such in-depth knowledge of what they were doing anyway? According to his words, he had written the letter the previous night and slipped it into the book. How had he known that she was going to be the first one to take that book?
...Was he attending divination with the old hag, Trelawney, or was he guessing it? He did not seem like the one to do either.
Did he... reason it all out? How confident was he?
"Alright, I think I will hang around Hogwarts for a few more days, I quite like it here, you know? And speaking of which, I'm sure you'll be showing this letter to the Headmaster. In which case... Albus Dumbledore, I have not hurt even a single one of your students despite staying here, right under your nose for three weeks! I'm sorry for the Flamels, too! Can I get an autograph? Please leave it with the raven that will come to your window next Monday evening at roughly 8:30 at night, right before you leave for dinner! Sincerely, der Stalker."
"I... I have no idea what to say. Seriously, I'm at a loss for words."
AN: Alright, so I could have updated on Friday. I began writing another scene and got quite well into it, but then, when I was rereading the draft today, it just felt... wrong. You know, author's intuition. I had spent the last three days wasting all of our's time working on shit.
So, I deleted the scene... and you got this.
Comment your thoughts.
Keep calm and headbang!