Chapter 13 - Devil Citing Scripture
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..."Why Mister Malfoy, I believe I would like some lunch." ...
Raven didn't have a clue what she was doing. She had gone out of her mind. She was sure of it. What did she think she was doing, going out to lunch with a boy? If she wanted information so badly, she could easily invade his mind and rip the answers she wanted right here and now in the empty library. It's mind rape, she reminded herself. I swore I would never do it again, no matter how hard they pressed me. Going out to lunch with Draco can't be half as bad as raping his mind...
He gave her a charmed smirk and leaned out his elbow for her to thread her hand through.
On the other hand...
She narrowed her eyes. "Don't assume we're to that point of familiarity, Draco. I want to have lunch, but I will not hang off your arm like some drapery."
"Baby steps, my dear. Where do you wish to go? I've got all day."
"I'm new, here. Show me where you like to eat."
His grin widened. "I know just the place."
The two made their way to the ground floor and out of the castle, walking down the gentle slope to the front gates of Hogwarts. It took one glance for Raven, and several fruitless tugs for Draco before they discovered that the gates were locked. Draco began mumbling unflattering comments about Dumbledore under his breath as he sized the gates up and took out his wand from an inside pocket. He tried various unlocking spells, none of which were successful.
"Damn!" he said at last. "I can't Apparate while on Hogwarts grounds, and I can't unlock the friggin' gate!" He turned back to Raven with an embarrassed flush rising to his face.
Raven sighed deeply. What was she supposed to do now? Just play dumb and go back inside, or risk everything by taking them out anyway? A C.S. Lewis quote came to her while Draco shuffled his feet - obviously trying to come up with how to tell her they'd have to eat lunch at the Slytherin table. "Further up and further in." She closed her eyes. Further up and further in it was, then.
"So we just need to get to the other side of the gates before you can get us to the restaurant?" she asked with a no-nonsense attitude.
Draco nodded miserably, thoroughly humiliated. She almost felt sorry for the little blighter.
Almost.
"Very well, then," she said, raising her hood up.
Draco looked up suspiciously.
Raven shot him a withering glare, "Don't tell anyone about this, got it?"
The blonde nodded, somewhat confused.
Good. That would ensure at least all the right people would know that she was a force to be reckoned with...but still mysterious enough to be speculated on.
Raven opened her arms, holding each corner of her cloak in her hands. Draco's face was almost comical, and it looked like he was inwardly debating whether to stand here and see what she had in mind, or run away from this psycho girl.
Her eyes glowed white, and her pupils disappeared as she swirled her cape over the young Slytherin, her entire body morphing into black energy. The two shapes became one, and it sunk through the ground, only to rise up again on the other side of the gate in the form of a large raven. The young Malfoy fell out of it, and the large black bird changed back into its human shape.
Raven adjusted her robe nonchalantly as Draco lost his balance and fell to his knees.
"Well now," she said happily...or as close to happy as she could manage, "How about some lunch?"
Harry, Hermione, and Ron found themselves sitting next to each other at the long table in the Most Noble House of Black with the majority of the Order sitting with them, or standing around where there was room. Molly was fussing about the short notice of the meeting, and rushing back and forth between the table and the kitchen, bringing out coffee, cookies, and other various food snacks she could procure quickly. Her behavior, though, was not matched by the atmosphere of the group as they crowded around the long dining table.
The group was collectively waiting for Albus Dumbledore to reveal the reason for such an impromptu gathering. He stood in the doorway, absently watching Mrs. Weasley hurry between the kitchen and the table. Anyone who knew the Headmaster would notice that his customary twinkle was gone, and his shoulders were slumped a little more than usual. The normal chatter was not present at the table, and there were no pranks exploding in anyone's face. Something very serious was afoot, and even Kreature wasn't muttering to himself in the corner.
"Molly dear, do sit down," Dumbledore expressed quietly.
The matriarchal woman looked a bit flustered, but complied by pulling up a chair and sitting in the middle of the doorway to the kitchen, fidgeting with the ends of her flowery dress.
Albus walked further into the room and all attention was given to him. "As Headmaster of a school, and the leader of this underground organization, I am burdened with many responsibilities. Some pleasant, others not. But as the leader, I do not have the option of ignoring the unpleasant obligations that are forced upon me, and I must perform them as gently as I can."
The crowd began exchanging looks of confusion and anxiety.
"It is therefore with utmost sadness that I must inform you that there has been a sacrifice in our ranks. The death of one of our spies."
The entire group began to whisper furiously amongst themselves, some voices louder than others.
"You mean we had more than one spy?"
"It has to be Snape! He's our only spy."
"At least it was only Snape."
"What do you mean, 'One of our spies'?"
Dumbledore held up his hand and immediately the room hushed. "The man in question was found out last night at the Death Eater meeting, and subsequently put to death. He was personally working for me, and was not a member of the Order, however, his death will not be easy to bear, and that is why I have called you all here today. For the spy was none other than Mr. Percival Weasley."
Arthur sunk his head into his hands on the table, breathing heavily, while the room exploded around him.
"IT'S NOT TRUE!" Molly screeched in despair. "He works for the Ministry!" She repeated this to Albus as though he were pulling her leg, or simply didn't understand. "My son can't be dead! He has a fine job for the Minister of Magic himself! He can't be dead! Tell him it's not true, Arthur!" Molly finally collapsed to the floor in convulsive, heaving sobs as Order members gathered around her to offer what little comfort they could to the grieving mother. Dumbledore looked far older than his 150 years as he stood where he was, staring at the floor.
Ginny bolted out of the room and upstairs to the privacy of her room, while the red-head twins sat with their father, still sitting with his head in his hands at the table. Ron, however, was eerily motionless. His face was pale, but that was the only outward sign he had even registered the news. Harry and Hermione did their best to support and condole their friend, but how can you grieve with someone who won't acknowledge their sorrow?
The Trio made their way into the small living room and settled on the couch. Ron's face remained expressionless even as the color returned.
"I'm so sorry, Ron," Hermione consoled quietly.
"If there's anything we can do..." Harry offered.
Ron nodded, and he spoke at last, "If I had only known." His eyes hardened as his voice rose. "The stupid git didn't even tell us! All that time he treated us like dirt! He disrespected our parents, and was vile to the rest of us! He was pompous, and arrogant, and selfish, and he betrayed our family to suck up to that idiot Minister who couldn't even pronounce his name right!" At last the anger drained from his face as he added slowly, "All of it was an act?" He bowed his head.
His two friends didn't speak, but strengthened their arms around him.
"It was all an act. His cover. And now he's dead...And we never got the chance to reconcile with him! To apologize! To forgive! To love!" At last, the young Weasley brother released the tears he had been holding back, and he buried his freckled face in his hands. "If we had only known..."
Raven and Draco Malfoy made their way to the small village of Hogsmead near the school grounds. He had been shooting her astonished looks every now and again as he struggled to keep his balance as they trekked over the rocky terrain. Now he knew why the Dark Lord was so interested in her. That was some very powerful wandless, non-verbal magic she had done, and it was a magic unlike he had ever seen before. But if she was so discreet about using it, how had the Master learned of her? Was there someone else who knew about her abilities and had informed the Dark Lord? Draco was proud of himself that he had landed such a great gig...a great honor that the Dark Lord and his father trusted him enough to handle the job alone. But what other abilities besides this strange form of Apparating did she possess? Surely the Master wouldn't take such an interest in her if that was all. Or does he know?
No matter, Draco thought to himself, he was not to question his duty...he was to perform it to the best of his ability.
"So what is this place called?" Raven asked, breaking the silence since Draco had exclaimed 'Whoa!' back at the gate after they had rematerialized.
His composure back in place, Draco afforded a smug grin. "The Leaky Cauldron. It's a pub and diner with a hotel above it. I've been there before, and while it's a little more goody-goody than The Hog's Head, it'll do for a first date."
Raven's eyes narrowed and fixed him with a roasting glare. "I'm sorry, but I don't believe I heard you correctly. What was that?"
The young Malfoy visibly paled as he realized his slip-up. "Uh, I meant simply that, it's a good place to eat without the seedy atmosphere."
"It had better be only that and nothing else."
Draco came to a halt in the middle of the rocky path, forcing Raven to also stop. "You showed me your method of transportation, allow me to do the same and get us there in an instant."
Raven raised a suspicious eyebrow, but said nothing.
Malfoy took that as consent, and grabbed both of her pale gray hands before she could react. He held them tightly as she tried to yank them out of his grasp, but he merely whispered "Trust me." She finally settled down a bit, though it was obvious to him that his request was very hard to acquiesce.
With a small 'POP,' the two of them vanished.
Rotten little brats. Four of his students gone AWOL from the first day of classes. Snape snorted. As if he didn't want to play hooky, either. But he was the teacher. Their professor. He couldn't just skip classes like his ill-tempered students could.
Of course Albus had notified him that the Golden Trio would be absent today on account of an Order meeting. He would get them out of his class. Like giving out the news of the Weasley boy's death couldn't be done tonight at the regular meeting. Oh no. Saint Potter and his ilk can't suffer like the rest of his peers...he deserves to be excused from class. No doubt Miss Raven will have gone with them because of her newfound...friendliness...with the Gryffindor Threesome. He sneered. Another mind lost.
But that didn't excuse young Mr. Malfoy from being absent. Severus hadn't missed the note from his father at the breakfast table, and he could only guess what the contents of the letter were. No doubt it concerned Raven. But she knew to keep her eyes open. He only hoped she wouldn't do anything stupid...not that he imagined her doing something overtly dumb, but she had a tendency to get right to the point of things. The best thing she could do would be to avoid the Death Eaters and the Dark Lord completely. Severus prayed she wouldn't take matters into her own hands...like date them or something. He could barely restrain a chuckle...Raven dating anyone - now THAT would be stupid! He couldn't even picture it.
Snape considered the new addition to the band. She was one of the extreme few who could prevent him from entering her mind through Legilimency. Only two others could claim to do the same...and one of them could only claim so because Severus knew better than to try and invade his mind. The Dark Lord would sense his presence immediately and his cover would be blown. So that narrowed it down to Albus Dumbledore - the only true person he couldn't access through Legilimency if he didn't allow it. That such a small girl could hold such power unnerved him. That he couldn't control or intimidate her was more than a little unsettling, too. Normally, one pointed look would send a Hufflepuff away in tears. One sneer would send even the most stoic Ravenclaw into hysterics. One verbal lashing would subdue any Gryffindor. His Slytherins, on the other hand, held at least a modicum of respect for their Head of House, and would obey the alpha male...at least, only until such a time when it appeared he no longer had power over them. Oh they were cunning and ruthless, but they were fore mostly ambitious, and getting to the top meant you needed to rub shoulders with your superiors.
But Raven was different. She engaged him on an equal level, yet didn't try to gain the upper hand. In that sense she was not Slytherin. She was clearly intelligent, but hadn't flouted it once the entire time he was with her; she thought quickly and outside the box. In that sense she wasn't Ravenclaw. She may be hard-working, but she isn't patient in the least. She wasn't Hufflepuff. And although she felt strongly against giving up her privacy to Dumbledore and gave him reasons why she didn't want to, she still did it without arguing stubbornly. Thank God, because that meant she wasn't Gryffindor.
So what was she?
Snape thought back to all of the qualities of each House until he finally had it. All of them. And none of them. She was her own...a House of her own right.
He shook his head tiredly. It was of no consequence, anyway. She probably wouldn't come near him again. Hell, he wouldn't come near him if he had a choice. Especially after what transpired last night. She had seen him naked, too! That was unforgivable - and the feeling was probably mutual. He wouldn't be able to look her in the eye again after that. Undoubtedly the most humiliating event in his teaching career...possibly in his life. It had taken all his self-control not to Obliviate her on the spot... Snape rolled his eyes. Oh right. She can't be Obliviated, either. Tried that already. Infuriating little wench. And what was more infuriating was that she hadn't done anything to be infuriated about. It's just...her! He suddenly heard James' voice ringing in his ears: 'It's more the fact that he exists, if you know what I mean.' Severus grimaced and shook his head. But it was more than that. He just couldn't identify it yet. And he wouldn't allow himself to ponder it.
"Distance yourself," he muttered to himself.
"Sir?"
Snape looked down his nose at Longbottom. "If you're going to add the wormwood before the scarab wings, distance yourself from your peers, boy! I don't feel like scraping more than one carcass off the walls today."
Draco and Raven appeared outside the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley with a pop. It was now Raven's turn to loose her balance from the surprise of Apparating. Malfoy caught her around the waist before she toppled over, and she was furious to be obligated to thank him.
The blond held the door for her and the two entered the pub. He directed them towards a small booth in the back and slid in, Raven taking the bench opposite. She was surprised to notice that her hood was still down, and that she didn't really mind. She attributed it to the strange people everywhere in this new world. An unusual hair color wasn't that strange, apparently. Nor was the bindi, or the purple eyes. Really, the only main difference she noted was her outfit, and even that could be hidden by her blue cloak, which looked similar enough to a wizard's robe. And while she didn't really feel like she fit in, Raven felt more at ease with her own appearance. It obviously didn't bother Draco, any.
They looked up when the waiter strolled over.
"Welcome to the Leaky Cauldron my name is Earl and I will be your server for today our soup special is tomato basil can I start you off with a drink?"
Raven blinked. And people thought she talked in a monotone? "I'll take a Coke."
Both Malfoy and the waiter looked confused.
"I'm sorry, miss, but I've never heard of that before. Would you like to see our menu?" Earl wiped the grease off his hands onto his apron and began pulling out two grime-covered menus.
"No no no! That's okay, really!" Draco interjected. "Would you mind if I ordered for you?"
Raven shook her head.
"Two butterbeers, and two orders of fish and chips."
"Right away, sir."
"Wow, no kidding," Raven said, jumping slightly as their meals appeared in front of them. Earl slouched away, leaving them alone.
Draco turned his attention to his companion with an all-knowing smirk. He continued to stare at her with this expression until she noticed.
"What?"
"You're a Mud-er-Muggleborn, aren't you?"
"Excuse me?"
Draco finally frowned. "You don't even know the terminology? You must be even newer than I first thought. When did you find out you were a Witch?"
Raven deliberated for a moment, and then grimaced. "Which lie would you like to hear?"
He seemed taken aback, but recovered quickly with Slytherin ease. "None is preferable, but if that's not possible, then the most entertaining one."
Raven allowed herself a small smile.
