Hermione hadn't stopped shaking all the way up to the Common Room. Harry and Ron had dragged her over into one corner, and Harry had draped a large blanket over her shoulders. Everyone was shouting, Lee Jordan in particular, was shouting especially loudly about kicking out all of the Slytherins, as they were surely responsible for all of the attacks.
"We need to do something," Harry said, his eyes darting over to Hermione, who was quivering slightly, though she'd finally stopped crying.
"What are we supposed to do!" Ron asked, his eyes wide in terror, "If Professor Jackson couldn't do anything, what can we do?"
"Something!" Harry insisted, Professor Jackson's final words ringing in his ears,
"If something were to happen to me boys, and you felt that you had no other choice but to act, then I trust you to trust your judgement on the matter. But until such a time as there are literally no alternatives, you are to stay safe, understand?"
Harry's fists clenched in his hands, as he turned back to Hermione, "This thing is after my friends, and I won't just stay locked up here waiting for it attack someone else. I'm not saying we go after it or anything, but if we can figure out where the Chamber is-what the monster is-we can tell Dumbledore, and he can do something about it! "
Ron turned to look at Hermione as well, and something shifted in his expression. He still looked terrified, but his expression hardened somewhat, and when he turned back to Harry, he had a determined glint in his eyes.
"You're right," He said, "But what do we do?"
"Hagrid," Hermione whispered, speaking for the first time in nearly an hour. Harry and Ron turned and looked at her, "You should go see Hagrid, he was there for the attacks last time, and we know it wasn't his fault, but he might know something,"
"You're right," Harry said, "You need to stay here though,"
Hermione made an indignant noise and looked like she'd protest but Harry cut her off,
"Hermione, a professor was just attacked, a professor!" He stressed, "The Tower will be safe, and nothing can get to you while you're inside it, please Hermione! Listen to reason!" Harry begged,
Hermione's mouth closed with a click, and she stared out over the Gryffindor Common Room. She pulled the blanket a little tighter around herself, and nodded at the pair of them, "Y-you're right, Harry," She admitted, her voice soft, "I-I don't want to go back out there, not tonight," She said, and she looked close to tears again, "But you two better come straight back or I'll…or I'll…" She trailed off, before abruptly standing up and bustling out of the Common Room and up to the girl's dormitories.
"I hate seeing her like that," Ron muttered, watching where Hermione just disappeared,
"I do too," Harry agreed, "Which is why we need to get to Hagrid's, the sooner we get answers, the sooner Dumbledore can put an end to this. C'mon, let's go grab the cloak."
Harry and Ron dashed upstairs and grabbed Harry's cloak. Throwing it over themselves, they waited until someone came through the portrait, and then made a mad dash through it. After a few close calls in the corridors with Snape and Filch, the pair finally managed to make their way to Hagrid's Hut. Running up to the door, Harry knocked twice.
Seconds after they had knocked, Hagrid flung it open. They found themselves face-to-face with him aiming a crossbow at them. Fang the boarhound barked loudly behind him.
"Oh," he said, lowering the weapon and staring at them. "What're you two doin' here?"
"What's that for?" said Harry, pointing at the crossbow as they stepped inside.
"Nothin'-nothin'-" Hagrid muttered. "I've bin expectin'- doesn' matter-Sit down-I'll make tea-" He hardly seemed to know what he was doing. He nearly extinguished the fire, when he missed pouring the water into the port, and the nearly knocked the pot off the burner when he jerked one of his enormous hands,
"Are you okay, Hagrid?" asked Harry. "Did you hear about-"
"Professor Jackson?" Hagrid finished, looking depressed, "Yeah, I heard," He shook his head in despair, "Terrible shame, absolu'ly terrible. Great man that Professor Jackson, helped me a coupla weeks ago. Helped me with tha birth o' a couple threstral fawn. Always good to me he was,"
Not knowing what a Threstral was or what that even meant, Harry ignored it, distracted as he was by Hagrid's twitchy behavior. He kept glancing nervously at the windows. Hagrid poured them both large mugs of boiling water - forgetting to add the teabags as he did so - and was just putting a slab of fruitcake on a plate when there was a loud knock on the door. Hagrid dropped the fruitcake. Harry and Ron exchanged panicked looks, then threw the Invisibility Cloak back over themselves and retreated into a corner. Hagrid checked that they were hidden, seized his crossbow, and flung open his door once more.
"Hello Hagrid," Greeted Professor Dumbledore. The man looked like he'd not slept in a week, which given the state of affairs, was a very real possibility. He wasn't alone though, behind the headmaster was another man.
The stranger had rumpled gray hair and an anxious expression, and was wearing a strange mixture of clothes: a pinstriped suit, a scarlet tie, a long black cloak, and pointed purple boots. Under his arm he carried a lime-green bowler.
"That's Cornelius Fudge!" Ron breathed out, "He's the Minister for Magic," Harry jabbed him between the ribs with his elbow to silence him. Hagrid went from looking desperate, to downright terrified. He was fidgeting, the floor creaking under his tremendous bulk.
"Bad business, Hagrid," said Fudge in rather clipped tones. "Very bad business. Had to come. Two attacks on Muggle-borns and then an attack on Perseus," Fudge shook his head despondently, "Of all the people to be attacked, it had to be him, blimey, poor boy never had very good luck,"
Harry and Ron stared at each other, how and why did Professor Jackson know the Minister for Magic? And well enough, it seemed, to be on fairly good terms with one another. Apparently, Dumbledore had the same question,
"I wasn't aware that you knew young Perseus," He said, turning to Fudge who nodded vigorously,
"Oh yes, oh yes," He said, nervously spinning his bowler hat in his hands, looking down at the floor, "Got me out of a particularly nasty situation a few years back. Saved my life. Which reminds me," He looked up at Dumbledore, "I'll be writing to miss Agapov, later tonight,"
"Are you sure that's wise, Cornelius?" Dumbledore pried, gently.
"What would you have me do, Albus?" Fudge asked, looking horrified, "If I didn't tell her, and she found out like everyone else, well-you know better than most what she's capable of."
Ron looked like he wanted to ask what Harry was thinking, but Harry jabbed him in the ribs again and Ron wisely kept silent.
Dumbledore sighed, but nodded, "I'll alert the staff at once and have chambers made up, I suppose I should expect other company as well I suppose,"
Fudge sighed, "I think that would be a safe assumption," Then, he shook his head, and turned back to Hagrid, "Now, I'm sure you know why I'm here. I'm sorry Hagrid but things have gone too far now. The Ministry must act."
"I never," said Hagrid, looking imploringly at Dumbledore. "You know I never - Professor Dumbledore, sir-"
"I want it understood, Cornelius, that Hagrid has my full confidence," said Dumbledore, frowning at Fudge.
"Look, Albus," said Fudge, uncomfortably. "Hagrid's records against him. Ministry has got to do something, the school governors have been in touch-"
"Yet again, Cornelius, I tell you that taking Hagrid away will not help in the slightest," said Dumbledore. His blue eyes were full of a fire Harry had never seen before.
"Look at it from my point of view," said Fudge, fidgeting with his bowler. "I'm under a lot of pressure. Perseus has friends all over the world, not to mention the parents of students. My office has been flooded with so many owls I've had to take up working down in the DMLE! I have got to be seen to be doing something. If it turns out it wasn't Hagrid, he'll be back and no more will ever be said about it. But I've got to take him. Got to. Wouldn't be doing my duty-"
"Take me?" said Hagrid, who was trembling. "Take me where?"
"For a short stretch only," said Fudge, not meeting Hagrid's eyes. "Not a punishment, Hagrid, more a precaution. If someone else is-"
"Not Azkaban?" croaked Hagrid.
Before Fudge could answer, there was another loud rap on the door. Dumbledore answered it. It was Harry's turn for an elbow in the ribs as he'd let out a small gasp. Draco Malfoy's father, Lucius Malfoy strode into Hagrid's hut, swathed in a long black traveling cloak, smiling a cold and satisfied smile. Fang started to growl.
"Already here, Cornelius," he said approvingly. "Good, good…"
"What're you doin' here?" said Hagrid furiously. "Get outta my house!"
"My dear man, please believe me, I have no pleasure at all in being inside your-ahem-do you call this a house? said Lucius Malfoy, sneering as he looked around the small cabin. "I simply called at the school and was told that the headmaster was here."
"And what exactly did you want with me, Lucius?" said Dumbledore. He spoke politely, but the fire was still blazing in his blue eyes.
"Dreadful thing, Dumbledore," said Malfoy lazily, taking out a long roll of parchment, "But the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension-you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? One more this afternoon, and on a professor no less? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an awful loss that would be to the school."
"Oh, now, see here, Lucius," said Fudge, looking alarmed, "Dumbledore suspended-no-no-last thing we want just now-"
"As you know Cornelius, the appointment or suspension of the headmaster of Hogwarts is a matter for the school governors." said Mr. Malfoy smoothly. "And as Dumbledore has failed to stop these attacks-"
"See here, Lucius, if Dumbledore can't stop them," said Fudge, whose upper lip was sweating now, "I mean to say, who can?"
"That remains to be seen," said Mr. Malfoy with a nasty smile. "But as all twelve of us have voted-"
The argument went on for some time, before ultimately Hagrid was led away from the school, Dumbledore following shortly thereafter, their parting words still ringing in Harry's ears,
"You will find that I will only truly have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it." and,
"If anyone wanted ter find out some stuff, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the spiders. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."
As the door banged shut, they waited a moment before Ron pulled the cloak off of them, and shared a commiserating look with Harry,
"We're doomed, aren't we?"
"What did Hagrid mean, do you reckon? Follow the spiders? What's that supposed to mean?" Harry asked, looking around the small hut.
"I have absolutely no idea," Ron shuddered. Ron hated spiders. Movement out of the corner of his eye, drew Harry's attention. Turning to the source, Harry watched in utter bewilderment as a line of spiders were climbing the wall out of Hagrid's Hut. It was almost as though they were marching, in single file, as fast as their legs could carry them. Watching them go, Harry realized that they were heading right out of the hut, and straight into the Forbidden Forest.
Turning around Harry looked at Ron, who had followed Harry to see what he was looking at. Ron's face had turned white, and he was shaking,
"Well, Hagrid did say to follow the spiders.
BREAK
"Acromantula!" Hermione hissed the following morning at breakfast. Blessedly, it was the weekend and they didn't have any classes for the day, "What do you mean, acromantula?" Hermione had finally come down from the tower, after Harry and Ron had promised her that they'd be with her at all time, except of course when she needed to use the restroom, in which case she'd use the bathrooms in Gryffindor Tower, not trusting any of the other bathrooms in the school since, if Professor Jackson's theory was to be believed, that was how the monster was getting around the school. Harry had filled her in on what had happened the night before, and how, after entering the forest, Harry and Ron had been kidnapped by enormous spiders, met Hagrid's former pet Arogog, and nearly been eaten alive. Ron hadn't stopped shaking all morning.
"I can't even be surprised," Hermione sighed, "It's just like Hagrid to think that an acromantula would make a good pet."
Ron whimpered, but Harry ignored him,
"What could scare something like that though? It would need to be enormous, I mean Hermione, you should have seen the size of these things,"
Hermione sighed, "I have no idea, but I wish Professor Jackson was still here, he'd know what to do."
"Who do you reckon the Minister was talking about?" Ron asked, "About that Applepuff woman. Sounded like she knew Professor Jackson,"
"And that there would be more people coming to see him as well," Hermione agreed, "I wonder when-" But her question was answered for her, as the doors to the hall flew open with a 'BANG' and two women walked in.
The first woman, was one of the most stunningly beautiful women Harry had ever seen in his entire life. She was tall, maybe only a little shorter than Professor Dumbledore. She was dressed immaculately in opulent violet robes, that accentuated her slender figure, and a large darkened dress hat over deep auburn hair. As she walked, the eye of every boy in the Great Hall turned and watched, as though bewitched by some sort of spell. Next to Harry, one of the fifth years had actually started drooling a little. Harry felt a strange pull at the back of his mind, telling him that he needed to stare at her too. He was suddenly overtaken with the strong desire to try and do something extravagantly impressive. But as soon as the thoughts began to occur, Harry managed to shake them away. Though his thoughts were still a little clouded, as though he were trying to wade through thick soup. He was not overcome with the desire to stare at the women, which was good, because when he saw who the woman's companion was, his mouth dropped open in shock.
A centaur woman, standing taller than anyone perhaps other than Hagrid. She had the legs and lower-half of an American Thoroughbred, but the torso of a woman in her late twenties. Her torso was covered in pale yellow robes, and her dark chestnut hair, was pulled back into plait that ran down her spine. If not for the part of her that was half-horse, Harry would have said she was nearly as gorgeous as the first woman.
Then, with a start, Harry realized that he recognized the women. He had seen them once before, during a meeting at the start of term with Professor Jackson, he had seen them in the pictures on Professor Jackson's desk. These were Professor Jackson's friends from when he was in school. Harry made to say as much to Ron but he was too busy staring at the red-head woman, his eyes glazed over and a small bit of drool dripping from the corners of his lips.
As the women passed Harry, he changed tactics and turned to Hermione, who was glaring at Ron spitefully, "Hermione," He hissed, getting her attention, "I know those women!" He said, and then quickly explained how he knew who they were, much to Hermione's surprise. She turned her gaze from Harry to watch the two women, while Harry cuffed Ron on the back of the head, and managed to draw his attention away from the auburn-haired woman.
The two women stalked forward, towards the head table, where Professor McGonagall had slowly risen out of her seat. The two strangers stopped short of the head table, and they auburn-haired woman's eyes flitted up and down the table,
"Where, is Albus Dumbledore" She asked, and when she spoke her voice, smooth and cold, came out heavily accented, and it sounded as though the she had come from somewhere in Russia.
"The headmaster has been, temporarily, suspended from the school. However, he warned me of the arrival of several visitors for Professor Jackson, are you perhaps Ms. Agapov?"
"Professor Jackson," The centaur laughed. Unlike her companion, her voice was happy, and full of life, and thoroughly American. As she spoke. her tail began swishing in amusement, "Still can't believe that someone was foolish enough to let that man teach children." Though her tone held a reserve of utter fondness, with an undertone of sadness.
The auburn-haired woman, Ms. Agapov, did not respond to the centaur, but nodded at Professor McGonagall,
"I am," She replied, "Take us to him, now" Her tone held no room for argument, and Professor McGonagall, her lips stretched into a thin line, nodded and followed suit.
"Harry," Hermione hissed getting his attention, "The cloak!"
"What?" Harry asked,
"The cloak," Hermione repeated, "Follow them! If they knew Professor Jackson, he might have told them what was going on!" She insisted, nodding, and noting that the majority of the hall was still distracted, Harry used Ron's back to block him, as he ducked under the table and threw the cloak over himself. He caught up to the women just as they were leaving the hall. Ms. Agapov stopped short just as Harry pulled up to them outside the Hall, her nose lifted in the air as she sniffed loudly, several times.
"Is something the matter, Ms. Agapov?" Professor McGonagall asked,
Ms. Agapov did not answer, instead she craned her neck, and looked over her shoulder. Her eyes roamed around the hall for a moment, pausing briefly over the spot where Harry stood rooted to the floor, before passing over him.
"It was nothing," She said, turning her attention back to in front of them, "Carry on," she ordered. Professor McGonagall pursed her lips, clearly not appreciating the dismissive way in which the mysterious witch was addressing her, but not commenting.
"What happened?" The still unnamed centaur asked, far more politely, "We were only told that Percy was attacked,"
"I assume you don't read the Daily Prophet," Professor McGonagall asked with a dismissive sniff, as if just naming the wizarding paper left a foul taste in her mouth, "But Hogwarts has been subject to a series of strange attacks, over the course of the year." She explained, "Professor Dumbledore and Professor Jackson were working together, to try and find out what was behind the attacks,"
Ms. Agapov said something what Harry assumed was in Russian, and the centaur let out a sharp laugh, that sounded a little hysterical to Harry.
"Of course he did," The centaur was saying, her voice breaking with every word, "Because that hot-headed, overly-affectionate, too loyal for his own good fool could never keep his nose out of trouble when lives were on the line." Her tail started waving around frantically, and Harry had to take a step back, to avoid getting smacked in the face.
Ms. Agapov calmly reached out and placed a calming hand, that Harry noticed was shaking ever so slightly, on the centaur's flank. The centaur calmed down a bit, and her tail stopped waving as frantically.
"What is the state of his condition?" Ms. Agapov asked,
"Perseus-"
"Percy," Both women said at the same time, and Professor McGonagall started a bit,
"Sorry," Said the centaur, "He just-he hates his full name-force of habit. Sorry, Professor, please continue,"
"Yes…" Professor McGonagall said warily, eyeing the pair suspiciously, "Well, Percy," and she stressed the name, "Has been petrified-not to worry though!" She was quick to say, as both women's heads snapped in her direction, and the centaurs tail started its frantic dancing again,
"Not to worry, our Herbology professor is luckily in the process of grooming nearly mature mandrakes. They have been growing since the start of term, and should be fully matured enough by June, for use to make enough potion to cure Percy, as well as the other students."
"What has caused all of this? Surely, you have must have some idea," Ms. Agapov asked,
Professor McGonagall hesitated, before finally answering, "We are…uncertain," she said,
The women stopped once more, just outside the entrance to the Hospital Wing, and they stared at the Deputy Headmistress,
"Students - your students - have been attacked - petrified to be precise - and so has one of your professors, one of my best friends…and you don't know what caused it?" The centaur asked, advancing slowly on Professor McGonagall as she did so. The soft clomping of her hooves on the marble floor reverberating off the walls.
To her credit, Professor McGonagall stood her ground, and met the centaurs glare evenly, "Headmaster Dumbledore expressly told the staff, that the monster would be dealt with by him and Professor Jackson personally. As should be obvious, both are currently incapacitated. And with them, any knowledge of the attacker is lost. A chamber has been prepared for you down the hall. Third door on the left. Good day." Then, without a second glance, she stormed away down the hall.
"Calm yourself, Rebecca," Ms. Agapov chided softly, patting her friend on the flank, "We are of no use to Percy if we lose our heads. Any word from Sarah, or Camila?" She asked,
The centaur, Rebecca, huffed, her rear hooves stamping on the ground. "Yeah, Sarah was caught up in court until tonight, but she should be here by six. Camila's not going to be here until tomorrow though, she's stuck at Congress. Re-election is coming up."
Ms. Agapov nodded, then gestured with her head to the entrance to the Wing. She held the door open long enough for Rebecca to enter in, and as Harry tried to duck inside under the woman's arm, he could have sworn that she looked directly at him, her red eyes boring into his own. But it was only for a fleeting moment as Harry ducked into the Hospital Wing.
There were a few students in the room. Colin Creevey was being visited by a couple of his fellow first-years, who were huddled around his bed chatting quietly. Harry spied Ernie Macmillan, Hannah Abbot, and a girl he didn't recognize with a red plait down her back sitting around Justin's bed. Then Harry spied the bed in the far corner, the curtains were still drawn, but Harry could spy the outline of Professor Jackson's still form behind the curtain.
The women hesitated for just a moment, before Ms. Agapov strode forward towards the curtain. Her hand paused on the curtain, as though she couldn't bring herself to do it, but she screwed up her courage and yanked the curtain open. Rebecca let out a whine that sounded a lot like a sob. Ms. Agapov gulped, and her hand was shaking slightly, but otherwise kept her composure. It was the first time Harry had seen the professor since the attack. The large cut in his head had been healed, and the cuts and bruises that had covered his arms had disappeared. Apart from the fact that he was frozen in place, Professor Jackson looked healthy as could be.
"Mrs., you here?" Rebecca called out, her voice choked with emotion,
A flash of black fur, and Harry saw Mrs. O'Leary's massive head pop up over the other side of Professor Jackson's bed. Her head snapped over to Harry, and for a terrifying moment, Harry thought she'd come over and tackle him again, but her head looked past him and, once she saw the two women, she darted forward. To Harry's astonishment, she passed straight through Professor Jackson and his bed, and bounded right into Rebecca.
Before Harry could process what he'd seen, Mrs. O'Leary leaped up into Rebecca's arms, who seemed to have no trouble whatsoever at lifting the enormous animal into her arms.
"Oh Mrs." Rebecca cooed, wrapping her arms tightly around the dog, "Oh baby girl, how're you doing? I'm so sorry it took us so long,"
Ms. Agapov was ignoring the centaur and dog, and was instead busying herself by casting spells over Percy's still form with her wand.
"What do you think, Anna?" Rebecca asked, still holding Mrs. O'Leary in her arms like a small child.
"Hard to say," Anna, Ms. Agapov, grunted, stopping her casting with a flourish of her hand, "Could be any number of things that did this. None of them good. I have thoughts, but none of which I will share when we have company,"
"What?" Said Rebecca, turning to look at the students, "The kids? They're not paying attention,"
"Not who I was referring to," She then spun on her heel, and faster than Harry could react, Anna gripped Harry's cloak and ripped it off of him, leaving Harry standing stunned in front of the pair of women. Mrs. O'Leary barked happily, which was closer to a gunshot, and wiggled out of Rebecca's arms and tackled Harry to the ground, attacking his face with big, sloppy, kisses.
"Get off him Mrs. O." Rebeca said, as she pulled the large hound off Harry with ease and holding the happily panting dog in one hand asked, "Alright down there kid?" As she smirked down on him, before picking him up with a free hand, and then vanishing Mrs. O'Leary's slobber off of him.
"Who are you, child?" Anna asked,
"I-erm-I," Harry stammered, but Anna stampeded him, waving the cloak in her free hand,
"And where did you get this," she asked waving the cloak, "This is an invisibility cloak, why does a child have one?"
"Anna," Rebecca chided, "You're scaring him," Then she turned her attention on Harry, her expression soft, and maternal, "It's ok hon," She said, "We aren't going to hurt you,"
Harry just nodded, too startled to say anything, "What's your name hon," Rebecca asked, giving him a kind smile,
"H-harry, ma'am," He stammered out, "H-harry Potter,"
"Very nice to meet you Harry," Rebecca said, "I'm Rebecca, this is Anna, we're friends of Percy's," She then laughed, "Though I suppose you'd call him Professor Jackson huh? Gosh that's so weird to say,"
"I know," Harry said without thinking,
"Do you now?" Anna asked, her eyes narrowed, "And how do you know that?"
"Ignore her," Rebecca said, with a roll of her eyes, "She's just stressed is all," her expression drooped and her eyes shot over to Percy's still form, but Harry decided to press on,
"I saw a picture of you in Professor Jackson's office," He said, and both women's eyes widened,
"Sap," Anna murmured affectionately, turning and placing a hand-that Harry only just noticed was covered in a thick leather glove-softly against Professor Jackson's cheek.
"He always was more nostalgic than he cared to admit," Rebecca said softly, a happy smile on her face, "Which one was it?"
"Um," Harry paused, "Well there was one of you," He pointed to Anna, "And another woman, in the middle of the desert somewhere, it looked like you'd just gotten out of a fight,"
"The Sahara, '81, the year after we graduated. We'd just finished clearing out a pack of rogue werewolves for the ICW in Egypt." Anna said immediately, a savage grin on her face as she talked about the werewolves, "He and Sarah were on their first deployment,"
"Right," Harry said, though it came out sounding far more uncertain than he'd wanted, before turning his attention to Rebecca, "And you were in a picture of what I think was your graduation? You were all in blue and cranberry robes and you and another woman with blonde hair was in it,"
"Graduation," Rebecca said happily, smiling faintly at the memory,
"But you have not answered my question child," Anna said, the smile gone from her face, though her hand was still touching Professor Jackson, "What are you doing here,"
"Well," Harry said, suddenly feeling very foolish, "I saw you come in, and well, I recognized you and I was…curious…" He finished, rather lamely, unable to admit that he was there to see if he could get any information about the attacks out of them. He felt especially foolish given that apparently Professor Jackson had not told them anything.
Anna stared at him, as though she knew that he was lying, luckily, Harry was saved from further interrogation when someone gasped and let out a light,
"Oh,"
The three of them turned, and Harry was surprised to see Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis standing a few feet away. Clutched in each of their arms were the same large tomes that Harry remembered seeing them leaving Professor Jackson's office the night Harry and Ron showed him the diary.
"Hello girls," Said Rebecca kindly, "No need to be shy, come on over, you here to visit Percy too? Harry here was just telling us about your classes," She lied as easily as Professor Jackson had, and Harry was surprised that she was covering for him. Glancing over, Harry was equally shocked to see that his cloak was no longer in Anna's hands. What on earth had she done with it though? He wondered, while also hoping that she'd be giving it back. It was, after all, nearly the only thing he had of his father's, and aside from the practicality of the cloak, it held enormous sentimental value.
Turning his attention back to the Slytherins, Harry watched as they approached cautiously, Daphne in particular, seemed to be eyeing Harry warily. But, when they got closer, and made it past the curtain so that they could see Professor Jackson, both girls stopped in their tracks.
Daphne's eyes went wide, and Tracey nearly dropped the book she was carrying on the ground.
"It's all right, girls," Rebecca tried to reassure them, though her smile didn't seem to reach her eyes. "We've just been reassured by Professor, erm, what was her name again?" She asked, looking at Anna,
"McGonagall," She supplied helpfully, her hand still on Professor Jackson's cheek,
"Right," nodded Rebecca, and she turned back to the girls, "We've been reassured by Professor McGonagall that they'll be able to reverse this, so-so it's ok." Harry wasn't sure if she was trying to reassure Daphne and Tracey, or herself.
"What are you doing here?" Anna demanded, glaring at the pair of them in suspicion,
"W-we, um, w-we," Tracey tried to say, her eyes glued to Professor Jackson's still form, as tears started prickling in the corners of her eyes again,
"His books," Daphne said, her voice somehow even softer and more subdued than normal, and with a slight wobble to it. She too, was staring Professor Jackson, "He-he leant us these books. He said…he said to give them back to him when we-when we were done with them…told us he wanted to hear all about what we-what we…" But she trailed off, as tears began to stream down her face too.
"Oh sweetheart," Rebecca said, softly, and reached out and embraced the smaller girl, but it just seemed to break her down even worse. As her shoulders started to shake with heaving sobs. Tracey started crying then too, and Harry just stood by awkwardly, watching as Rebecca wrapped the other girl in her arms as well.
"It's all right," Rebecca was saying softly to the sobbing girls, "He'll-he'll be ok. Percy's made it out of worse scrapes before. Just you wait and see, he'll be up and about in no time, annoying everyone as usual." Daphne let out a watery hiccup, that could have been half-sob, and half-laugh.
"Seems you've become quite the popular professor моя любовь" Anna murmured quietly to Professor Jackson,
"I didn't realize Percy had such caring students," Anna said aloud, drawing the attention of Daphne and Tracey, who had calmed slightly, but were still puffy-eyed.
"History was always our favorite subject," Daphne hiccuped, "And-and Professor Jackson had an open-door policy. We were always welcome to come in and talk to him about anything. He-he even listened about-about…" But she trailed off and the tears started coming down harder,
Mrs.O'Leary whined, somehow managing not to make too much noise, and padded softly over to Daphne and Tracey, and nudged their hands with her enormous maw.
Harry was befuddled, but he supposed it wasn't too much of a surprise. Daphne and Tracey had always been the most active in their lessons with the professor, and often had stayed behind after class to talk with Professor Jackson. But to Harry, there seemed to more to the story than simply a pair of students, who were fond of their professor.
Feeling incredibly uncomfortable, Harry began to inch his way away from the crying girls, and towards the doors to the Hospital Wing, when he felt a cool hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he was surprised to see Anna was behind him, guiding him slowly out of the room,
"I'll walk him back to his dorm, students shouldn't be alone in times like these," She said softly to Rebecca, who was still trying to comfort the crying girls, and walked Harry out of the room.
When they were clear of the Hospital Wing, Anna rounded on him, "What were you doing following us?" She demanded,
"I-I told you, I recognized-" Harry tried to say,
"Do not lie to me, boy." Anna said, leaning down, so that they were nose to nose, "What were you looking to accomplish by following us."
Harry tried to come up with something, anything to say, but he couldn't find it in himself to lie. Anna's red eyes were looking so intently into his own, that it was almost hypnotic, and Harry felt himself abruptly overcome with the same desire to please he'd been feeling back in the Great Hall. His mind went beautifully blank, and he felt his shoulders slacken as his entire body drooped in relaxation.
"I was trying to see if Professor Jackson had told you anything about the Chamber. My friends and I knew that he was trying to find the monster and we thought if you knew something we could tell Professor Dumbledore or any of the other professors, and he could finally put an end to all of this."
Anna snorted, a very undignified sound coming from such an elegant looking woman. "Nosey child, do you not know not to meddle in things beyond your comprehension? Did you not think that if we knew something, we would not have told your teachers? Do you really believe we would be so incompetent?"
"We just wanted the attacks to stop." Harry said, his mind still feeling that euphoric blankness, "It's attacking muggle-borns and one of my best friends, she's muggle-born. I don't want anything to happen to her."
Anna stiffened, and she inhaled sharply. Then her gaze, infinitesimally, softened. "It is no wonder любимый is so fond of you," She said quietly, "You share his idiotic sense of personal loyalty to your friends. Always running off, headlong into trouble, all to protect his friends." She shook her head, a few strands of auburn hair falling loose, as she blinked, and stood back up. In an instant, Harry's head went clear.
"May-may I have my cloak back, please?" Harry asked, "It belonged to my father, and-and it's all…it's all I have left of him,"
Anna regarded him for a moment, and for a second Harry was concerned that she wasn't going to give it back to him. But then, she reached down into her jacket, and withdrew the silvery cloak from an inside pocket. Harry reached out to snag it, but she pulled it away from him, and leaned back in close,
"моя любовь spoke fondly of you. Said you reminded him of himself. моя любовь gave his life for yours, you will not disrespect his personal sacrifice in the name of stupidity." She then leaned even closer to him, so that their noses were nearly touching. Harry could smell her perfume, she smelled of lilacs, and something…coppery that was familiar but Harry couldn't place.
"Are you going to be good child? Or are you going to be…trouble?"
BREAK
Harry hurried back to Gryffindor Tower; his cloak stuffed hurriedly back into his bag. All but shouting the password at the Fat Lady, Harry dashed into the Common Room. Gazing around the room, he saw Ron and Hermione sitting over their homework in their usual corner.
"Guys!" He hissed, drawing their attention as he slid into the seat next to Hermione. He quickly recounted what he'd seen and heard. About how Anna had known he was there, and what she'd told him, and how she might know what the monster was, but hadn't said anything.
"Why is it, every time we have an idea," Ron asked, throwing his hands up in exasperation, "It winds up being a complete and utter waste of time?"
"I would feel better if we at least knew what we were dealing with," Hermione said, shifting uncomfortably in her seat, "It's so much worse not knowing. Oh, I wish someone would have just returned that darn book!"
"How can you be thinking about reading, at a time like this?" Ron asked, incredulous,
"I'm not talking about any book," Hermione shot back indignantly, "There was a book in the library, 'Greatest Mythical and Magical Creatures of Our World,' I've been trying to check it out for months but every time I try, it's been checked out!"
Something in Harry's head clicked, as he remembered something, he'd seen in Professor Jackson's room the day he'd interrogated Ron and Harry. He hadn't thought anything of it at the time, he'd just assumed it was an old history text. But what if…
"Hang on a minute," Harry said slowly, "I think I know where that might be,"
Hermione's head snapped in his direction, "You what?" She asked,
"Yeah," Harry nodded, and looking over at Ron, "Remember when Professor Jackson pulled us out of Defense?"
Ron shuddered, "Yeah, thought he was going to kill us for what happened to his office. Never seen him so mad before!"
"Yeah, well, remember what was on the floor of his office!" Harry asked, getting excited.
Ron just looked at him, puzzled, "What? he asked, and Harry rolled his eyes,
"That book!" Harry stressed, "I'm positive that I saw that book on the floor of his office! I thought it was weird that he would have something like that in his office, but just passed it off! He must have checked it out in order to read up on what the monster is!"
"I-We need that book," Hermione said quickly, "We need that book, if we can figure out what the monster is…"
"Then what?" Ron asked, "No seriously, then what?"
"I don't know!" Hermione hissed, her hands ringing, "Tell the teachers, tell Professor Jackson's friends, something!"
"We'll need to wait," Harry said quietly, lowering his voice as Percy Weasley strode past. "Things are a little too hectic right now, and I'm in hot water with that Anna woman. If she finds me out of bounds, or looking into something I shouldn't be…" He shuddered, as the image of Anna Agopov's blood-red eyes popped into his mind.
"Ok," Hermione sighed, "We'll…we'll wait. First chance we get though, we break in and we take that book,"
"Am I the only one concerned with the fact that Hermione is the one telling us to break the rules?" Ron asked, but no one answered him.
BREAK
They didn't get their chance until nearly the end of term. Since Professor Jackson's attack, security at the castle had been increased threefold. Professors were leading students to and from classes, on their way to their Common Rooms, and even to the bathroom. The school had even employed the services of Professor Jackson's friends. Two more women had arrived the night of the others, and Harry had recognized them as the other two from the photos. They had joined the professor's in patrolling the castle, and guiding students as they went to and from their classes. Harry in particular, seemed to be drawing an unusual amount of their attention. Anna seemed determined not to let Harry out of her sight if she could help it. It seemed as though everywhere Harry went, she was waiting. Harry hadn't even considered using the invisibility cloak since his encounter with the woman, too terrified by the knowledge that somehow, she could be seeing through it.
Their chance came, at the end of the day in early June. Lockhart had been leading their way back to the Common Room after classes, and had been complaining, rather loudly, about the waste of the teacher's time leading around the students was.
"Mark my words," he said, ushering them around a corner. "The first words out of those poor petrified people's mouths will be, 'It was Hagrid.' Frankly, I'm astounded Professor McGonagall thinks all these security measures are necessary."
They were just passing by the fourth-floor corridor near Professor Jackson's abandoned office, when inspiration struck Harry,
"I agree, sir," said Harry, making Ron drop his books in surprise, and Hermione gaped at Harry in utter shock,
"Thank you, Harry," said Lockhart graciously while they waited for a long line of Hufflepuffs to pass. "I mean, we teachers have quite enough to be getting on with, without walking students to classes and standing guard all night…"
"That's right," said Ron, catching on. "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've only got one more corridor to go-"
"And there hasn't been an attack in months," Hermione added, catching Harry's eye, "I'm sure by now the danger has passed," If Lockhart heard the slight tremor in her voice, he chose to ignore it.
"You know what, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and finish my preparations for examinations after all," And with that, he turned on his heel and bustled from the room.
"Prepare his exams," Ron sneered, "Curl his hair more like,"
They waited until their classmates were past them, and then, after looking both ways down the corridor, they approached the office door.
Tapping his wand against the door, Harry murmured, "Alohomora," and with a click, the door unlocked, and they pushed their way inside.
It was cleaner than the last time Harry was inside. All the damage that had previously been done had been repaired, and it looked like nobody had been inside in months. There was a thin layer of dust covering the floor and the cupboards.
"Let's hurry, check his desk first," Harry said. Ron and Hermione nodded and the three busied themselves with checking the desk, and cupboards.
"Here!" Hermione whispered, pulling an ancient looking book from one of the drawers in the desk. heaving it onto the table she opened it, and began flicking through the pages.
"Hang on," Ron said, pointing to a spot towards the middle of the book, "That page has been folded over, there, look!" And sure enough the corner of a page about halfway through the book had been folded over as a sort of bookmark. Flipping excitedly to the page, Hermione read aloud,
"Of the many fearsome beasts and monsters that roam our land, there is none more curious or more deadly than the Basilisk, known also as the King of Serpents. This snake, which may reach gigantic size and live many hundreds of years, is born from a chicken's egg, hatched beneath a toad. Its methods of killing are most wondrous, for aside from its deadly and venomous fangs, the Basilisk has a murderous stare, and all who are fixed with the beam of its eye shall suffer instant death. Spiders flee before the Basilisk, for it is their mortal enemy, and the Basilisk flees only from the crowing of the rooster, which is fatal to it."
Hermione gasped, her hands going to her mouth, "This is it!" She said excitedly, "This is the answer, the monster in the Chamber, it's a basilisk!"
"The voice!" Harry said suddenly, "That's why I can hear the voice when nobody else can, it's because I'm a Parselmouth!"
Ron was looking over the book, "But the basilisk kills people by looking at them, and no one's died yet…how?" He asked,
"Because nobody's looked straight at it!" Hermione said, and Ron's eye's widened,
"Colin's camera!" He said in excitement, "He saw it through the lens of his camera, and Justin saw it through Nick!"
"And he can't die because he's already a ghost," Hermione said, giddily,
"Professor Jackson," Harry said, and they both looked over at him, "Do you remember what he said through that wolf-thing? 'Don't look it in the eyes?' He must have been trying to tell Dumbledore without panicking the rest of the school. And then, when he was fighting the monster, he summoned a wall of glass before he was petrified, he knew, and summoned the glass so that the full blast of the stare didn't kill him,"
"But…what about Mrs. Norris?" Ron asked, but Harry had the answer to that,
"The water," He breathed, and they both looked at him in confusion, "There was water on the floor that night, don't you remember? She must have seen it in the reflection of the water coming from…"
"Myrtle's bathroom," Ron and Hermione said at the same time,
"Professor Jackson thought it was using the plumbing, and was stalking outside Myrtle's bathroom for weeks! He was right, the entrance to the Chamber must be there!" Hermione said,
"We need to find the professors!" Harry said urgently, "They need to know!"
"Let's get to the staffroom," Hermione said, "The teacher's always have a meeting at the end of the day, it should be starting soon!"
They hurried away from the office, and went downstairs straight to the staffroom. But when they flung open the door, there was nobody inside, deciding that it was better if they just waited, they paced around the room, too anxious to sit down. But after a few minutes, the peace of the room was disturbed when Professor McGonagall's magically enchanted voice echoed around the room,
"All students to return to their House dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please."
"Not another attack! Not now!" Harry said, wheeling around on Ron and Hermione. "What do we do?"
Ron looked around the room, and saw a nearby closet, "There," he said, pointing at the closet. The three pushed their way in. It was a cramped fit, but they all managed to squeeze in.
After closing the door, they listened in as the door opened, looking through small cracks in the closet, and the room soon flooded with professors, and Professor Jackson's friends. Harry felt his heart stop when he thought he saw Anna's dark eyes glance in his direction,
"It has happened," she told the silent staffroom. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself." Professor Flitwick let out a squeal. Professor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth.
Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"
"The Heir of Slytherin," said Professor McGonagall, who was very white, "left another message. Right underneath the first one. 'Her skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever.'" Professor Flitwick burst into tears.
"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"
"Ginny Weasley," said Professor McGonagall. Harry felt Ron slide silently down onto the wardrobe floor beside him, and Hermione had to stuff her fist in her mouth to stifle her gasp of horror. "We shall have to send all the students home tomorrow," said Professor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said…"
The staffroom door banged open again. For one wild moment, Harry was sure it would be Dumbledore. But it was Lockhart, and he was beaming. "So sorry-dozed off-what have I missed?" He didn't seem to notice that the other teachers were looking at him with something remarkably like hatred. Snape stepped forward.
"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."
Lockhart blanched.
"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Professor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"
"I-well, I-" sputtered Lockhart.
"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Professor Flitwick.
"D-did I? I don't recall-"
"I certainly remember you saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a free rein from the first?"
Lockhart stared around at his stony-faced colleagues. "I-I really never-you may have misunderstood-"
One Professor Jackson's friends, the dark skinned woman that Harry had learned was Sarah Rosthein, spoke up, "Oh I don't think we've misunderstood anything Lockhart," She said, her posh East Midlander accent becoming very pronounced as she spoke, "We've all read your books, surely a man of your…caliber, should have no difficulty whatsoever dealing with this," Harry didn't think she could have been more sarcastic if she'd tried.
"We'll leave it to you, then, Gilderoy," said Professor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself. A free rein at last."
Lockhart gazed desperately around him, but nobody came to the rescue. He didn't look remotely handsome anymore. His lip was trembling, and in the absence of his usually toothy grin, he looked weak-chinned and feeble. "V-very well," he said. "I'll-I'll be in my office, getting-getting ready." And he left the room.
"Right," said Professor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got him out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories. Will you four be able to assist?" she asked, addressing the four women who were speaking in hushed tones in the corner of the room,
"Of course," Said the golden-haired woman, Camila, "We'll split and each of us go with one of the houses."
"Excellent, thank you," Professor McGonagall said curtly,
The teachers rose and left, one by one. The four women, however, stayed behind for a few moments, as their hushed whispering intensified, and they appeared to be arguing about something. Camila and Rebecca seemed to have taken exception to something that Anna had said,
"Unbelievable! You are unbelievable! I can't believe that you'd even suggest using-"
"Camila, if we want this thing dead, then we need to use every advantage we have," Anna explained calmly,
"Sarah!" Rebecca hissed, "I cannot believe that you're agreeing with this,"
"It makes sense!" Sarah shot back, "We don't know where it is! If we just-"
"I must be dreaming, because I refuse to believe that I live in a world where we are even entertaining this. Barbaric doesn't even come close to describing it." Camila snarled, throwing her hands in the air,
"And how do you think Percy will feel when he wakes up and learns that one of his students is dead." Anna said, her voice still calm,
Camila's eyes widened, and then shrunk to slits as she advanced on Anna, her wand appearing in her hand, "Don't you dare-don't you dare use him to justify this, if he knew what you were planning he'd-let go of me Becca!"
Rebecca had stepped in and had pulled the smaller blonde into her arms, pinning her in such a way that Camila could no longer use her wand,
"Don't Cammie!" Rebecca was saying desperately, "Please don't fight, Percy wouldn't want that,"
"Cammie, Becca, we don't have any other option." Sarah was saying, "Anna's right, we agreed when we came here that we'd stop this. For Percy's sake. There is an eleven-year-old down there, and if we did nothing and she died, Percy would never forgive us."
Camila had calmed down somewhat, and was no linger struggling, so Rebecca placed her back on the ground. While she no longer looked like she was ready to attack Anna, she was still breathing rather heavily.
"How do you even know that they know where-"
"They do, trust me," Anna said quickly, "We do this right, and nobody else will have to get hurt. Now hurry, we need to prepare." And without another word, she floated gracefully out of the room. The others only stayed for a moment, Rebecca whispering something too softly for Harry to hear to Camila, before the other three followed.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione waited only for a few moments, before opening the door to the closet.
"What was all that about?" Ron asked, looking between his friends,
"I don't know," Harry said, staring at the door they'd just let through,
"But it doesn't matter, let's go find Lockhart."
AN: Well we're ramping into the climax now, and we're meeting some of the mysterious members of Percy's past. As I said toward the beginning of this story, the impact of Percy's arrival at Hogwarts is a slow burn. He's building a steady relationship with his students, and as they grow, Percy's impact will become more pronounced. And again, this is Harry's story, his growth, not Percy's. Does Percy have his own arc? Of course, but his time is not now. Now, it's about Harry, and how he comes into his own, and becomes a hero in his own right. So, will Harry be able to defeat the monster? What are the motivations behind these strange witches who've arrived at Hogwarts? Why do I adore writing new stories when I have so much other shit to do? Most of these questions and more will be answered next time. Stay tuned, stay safe, and stay healthy.
Love,
LilDB