A huge THANK YOU to my first 2 Reviewers: JUNO . ALMOST DEAD and GreyMoon . Huntress
You both made my day! Enjoy!
Chapter 7: Illusion
[Houa POV]
The wit-sharpening potion was a success, earning full marks from Professor Slughorn and when Houa had asked Terrence if she could have it, the boy had agreed complimenting her amazing skills contributing to it.
Deciding that the best time to take the potion was after Care for Magical Creatures, Houa inhaled deeply and headed into the last class of her day with the young Dark Lord.
Memories of what occurred after the last Care for Magical Creatures class last week was enough to send chills down her spine, but she has decided already to enjoy the class she had been so looking forward to.
Besides, fear will only allow Tom to continue his notorious deeds and this week she is set on finding anything to prove him guilty.
Sitting in the back like always to avoid repercussions of Tom's sinister aura, Houa felt Professor Kettleburn's exuberant energy before he entered the room.
Kicking open the door, not even an artificial left leg could hold him back from waltzing in ecstatically with a large floating box behind him. It was covered in a dark velvet cloth, preventing anyone from viewing within as he walked up the stairs to the stage.
Wand in hand, the one eyed professor took a stance pointing it horizontally across the room with his gaze, "Tell me students, what magical creature do you suppose is confined within this glass enchantment? Anyone?"
Houa's heart leaped in excitement sensing the pulsing aura inside the glass box!
Oh could it be?!
"A nine tailed fox duh," muttered a bored Gryffindor upfront, "That's what you've been making us read for the past week."
"My dear boy if only you understand the rareness of such beauty in the wild, you would not say so!" frowned Professor Kettleburn before asking, "Now who can tell me more about the nine tailed fox— Ah yes, Miss Songly in the back!"
Oh Merlin! She had raised her hand without even thinking! Well no backing out now.
Exhaling she stood up, hands folded in front of herself, "Nine tailed foxes though found mostly in the northern mountains of east asia, is hardly seen and rarely captured due to their adept ability to camouflage amongst the snow and cast illusions on poaching witches and wizards. What is truly remarkable about them is that Nine tailed foxes retain only one tail until revealing all nine to its mate during mating season or in circumstances in which they are truly fond of or threatened by another being. The number of tails revealed pertains to its level of fondness and threat induce."
"SENSATIONAL! TEN POINTS TO HUFFLEPUFF!" exclaimed the overly pleased instructor, "Now then! Today we are going to study the characteristics of nine tailed foxes deeper by seeing what it reacts to in adoration or disturbance. Pay attention and take good notes! This will be on your quarter test everyone!"
The class groaned as Houa sat down leaning forward.
With a flick of Professor Kettleburn's wand, the velvet cloth was lifted off the large glass box, all the students looking up in anticipation, "I introduce to you all, the extraordinary, the beloved, the one and only Artemis!"
What Houa saw took her breath away. Beyond the glass wall is a magnificent creature in the shape of a normal size fox. Bearing fur white as snow from the top of its head down to its legs and tail, the only pigmented color was the red fur framing its golden eyes and flaming at the end of its single tail. Circling its glass cage, the fox settled down onto its hind legs and began licking itself.
"Awe man, that's just a normal fox professor," complained students in the room.
"Patients ladies and gents. Now watch closely," the instructor began magically poofing various food and objects into the glass cage.
With berries and fishes, the fox had only a single tail though its ears perked up while relaxing on its belly. With its habitat emerging in the cage, the fox had hopped around, diving and blending completely with the snow bearing the same single tail. With safe fire melting the ice and shattering into stardust, the fox had revealed five tails scurrying away then staring back in confusion.
In other scenarios, there had seemed to be the presence of two foxes or a crane in flight within the glass chamber which the professor said was an illusion.
After twenty minutes, five tails was still the highest with Houa staring unwavering while the rest of the class had begun yawning and unamused, "Professor, when are we going to see all nine tails?"
Professor Kettleburn began chuckling out loud, "I've been waiting for you all to ask! Now watch this!"
The one legged instructor walked over slowly to the glass box smiling gently, his aura suddenly shifting into that of deep care and respect, not that it wasn't present before.
Reaching out with one of his hands, the side glass disappeared and he passed through effortlessly, kneeling down on one knee with a proffered palm of red berries.
The resting fox had stood up immediately on its legs, narrowing its gold eyes. Sniffing the air, it began circling the man as if questioning his motives. Once satisfied the creature sampled the berries in the human's hand flicking all nine tails out momentarily before vanishing just as quickly!
Houa's eyes widened in awe having caught it before it disappeared.
"You see students, unless you are their mate, you will only witness all nine tails in a flash of a second!" their instructor petted the fox before stepping outside the box.
"What?! But we didn't see it Professor!" erupted the crowd of frustrated students who had missed it.
"FEAR NOT STUDENTS! If you guys are lucky, maybe one of you could be responsible for the next nine tail revealment!" Professor Kettleburn pointed his wand yet again across the room, "Now then who would like to offer some berries to our beloved Artemis? If Artemis is fond of you, the glass should allow you entrance. Any volunteer?"
About eighteenth students had gathered near the stage. At Professor Kettleburns' command, each approached the glass chamber with berries in hand.
Out of the sixteenth students, only a Ravenclaw boy had entered the glass box and even then, the creature had revealed four tails causing the grumble of disappointment to increase.
Oh how Houa wished she could have gone up, but it would have drawn too much attention, something Aunt Songly had told her not to do now that she saw how rare it is for Artemis to show all its tails. Plus Tom is in her class and she didn't want to risk exposure of her abilities to him. She sighs upset.
The seventeenth student came forward, a Gryffindor girl with arms outstretched walking excitedly towards the glass. You could tell she was fond of magical creatures with a flush face and huge grin. She was three foot away from the frame when the magical creature bore its fang snarling at the oncoming witch.
Suddenly Artemis charges forward all nine tails flash serendipitously hitting the glass wall with a strong force, cracking the screen and frightening the Gryffindor witch who slipped, all the berries scattering like petals across the stage.
The class screamed out loud in a mixture of fear and excitement at the revelations of all tails!
"Woah! Back away Miss Evergreen! Guess Artemis doesn't like you little missy," Professor Kettleburn ran to help the crying witch while trying to calm down a raging nine tailed, all the while oblivious to the eighteenth student standing behind both of them.
His heinous aura is distinguishable from the rest like the ocean and desert and in the midst of the commotion everyone had missed his sly smirk as he walked gracefully off stage.
But Houa had seen it all!
As soon as Tom had stepped on stage, her heart had raced, watching the young Dark Lord's magic edge discreetly to Artemis. Though he bore the face of an angel, the berries in his palm shine like blood and the aggressive energy he shot in the size of a rice grain had inflicted pain upon the proud creature, bending its will to shed its secret.
And he got what he wanted! Not only had Artemis had revealed all nine tails in a fury due to the injury, he had pin the blame on innocent Miss Evergreen who fancies magical creatures and is now traumatized!
Anger beyond belief, Houa raced to the stage like every other student and pushed through the enraptured crowd to the front.
"Calm down Artemis! Relax, what's gotten into you?" a worried professor pulled the Gryffindor student to safety and began strengthening the glass chamber and enhancing the natural habitat of the fox to cool its temper.
Climbing onto the stage Houa did not heed her instructor's order to back away and instead walked arms open out in front of her slowly toward the wounded magical creature that had begun tackling a different side of the glass, all nine tailed still intact.
The outer world disappeared as Houa closed her eyes, silencing her mind going within her heart. She inhales and exhales deeply, forming an image of two foxes bowing to one another in loving respect and care.
Once she got it clearly in her mind, she mentally sent it into the aura field of the raging nine tailed fox with the sentence: "I come as a friend dear Artemis. I am concerned about you because I know you are hurt."
The white fox paused its obstruction and faced the Girl snarling, "I am angry! Your kind has not only wounded me, but mocked me as well!"
Sending an image of a fox licking its pal's wound, Houa words enter the mind of the creature, "I am so very sorry. You have every right to be angry. I ask not for forgiveness, but that you allow me to help you."
Its golden eyes aligned with the Xellarius's earthy ones, "What makes you think I can trust your kind?!"
Houa pushed an image of Professor Kettleburn into Artemis's auric field, "You trust Silvanus and he does not harm you. He cares for you deeply and wishes not to restrain you with binding spells."
The female fox turned to gaze at her friend and owner who bears a broken hearted face, wand in hand yet holding back.
Nearly everyone in the class is watching now as the beast and human interact in silence.
At the fox's quietness, Houa continued their mental conversation, "Please, let me see your wound. My only intention is to relieve you of it as is Silvanus."
A pregnant moment passes and instantly the glass fades allowing Houa to enter elegantly like a dove on both her knees, "You have my word that you are safe with me."
The fox circle her sniffing around, sensing only genuine kindness and respect, the creature rested on the human girl's lap like a child needing comfort.
Combing her hands gently through the nine tailed's fur, she puck the dark grain embedded on Artemis' side causing the fox to let it out a howl, all its tail receding until one remains.
Artemis licked Houa's palm in gratitude as the class stared in awe, oblivious to the entire situation.
"You are a magnificent being, as intelligent as you are beautiful and worthy of all love and respect. It is an honor to be in your presence Artemis," Houa spoke in the fox's mind as their noses touch one another.
"BRAVO BRAVO!" clapped Professor Kettleburn, "Well done Miss Songly!"
Snapping back into the outer world, Houa realized she had done that in front of everyone.
Gazing at the sea of students, one pair of bloodlust eyes caught her own staring back in equal intensity.
Oh no...
TBC
I made up the background regarding the nine tailed fox. Hope you all found it interesting. I already got started on ch. 8 , but it's requiring more thoughts than usual. Won't see you all for a while then. Thanks to all those who stop by.