Overture
A heavy school load awaited all of the seventh years for the new semester. They barely had time to read through one book when they were assigned new ones with references for their N.E.W.T.s. Almost everyone in seventh year was beginning to suffer strange maladies like headaches, falling asleep in class and a few girls and even boys, crying. The pressure was on early in the year, with four vicious exams scheduled for the end of January and first week of February, the final exams were to be scheduled for late June.
Everyone's saving grace however, was the ball scheduled for the second week of February. Quietly, they were all looking forward to it, even the most cynical of students who thought that a Valentines ball spelled 'cheesy' and 'atrocious'.
The library was also exceptionally full that rainy and snowy afternoon, as Hermione balanced a couple (rather around seven) hardbound books in her arms. She was walking for her solitary table behind a large bookcase filled with books on Muggle Studies as she knew no one would bother with that subject for now. Potions class was going to be a killer, but with ample time, she knew she could ace it. Her books landed on the table with a thud and she breathed in deeply once and sat down the oak chair, candles surrounding her. Opening the first book, she had barely begun to write down her study notes when Harry approached her.
"Why don't you sit with us?" Harry asked her as her quill rested on the paper, forming a blot.
Hermione shook her head and narrowed her eyes to Ron's direction. There was a gap between books, enough for her to see his flaming red hair and freckles. Ron quickly dove under his book, his pale hands visible at the sides. She sighed.
"What is this, Harry? Some plot to make me-"
"I have no intention to harm your perfectly good studying mood. You just look so lonely here-"
"I like my moments of privacy."
She saw Harry's eyes looking disappointed. She put her palm over his hand that was resting on the table. "Harry, as much as I want to sit with you, not with Ron, mind you; I just can't. You know how hard it is for me to be around Ron right now."
Harry nodded, fully understanding but still wanting Hermione's presence back. It just wasn't the same without the three of them being together. He missed the days when they didn't face adolescence and love and just had grand adventures and barrels of laughs. He missed being carefree and younger all of a sudden. He couldn't blame his best friends falling in love with each other, but he had been wishing since they had broken up; wishing that they had never even been a couple. It complicated their terms of friendship. He was hoping to find a way to mend it, although he knew it would take time.
"Alright, Hermione. But I do miss your company and terribly. Ron's not a good study partner at all."
Hermione gave a short laugh. "I'm sure he isn't."
She gave out a parchment filled with writings and diagrams.
Harry looked at her quizzically. "What is this?"
"Notes," she replied. "You'll be needing those. You didn't take any yesterday. You were busy falling asleep in Transfiguration."
Harry laughed, thanked her and went on his way back to the table with a sullen looking Ron, who had wanted badly to have a copy of Hermione's well summarized pointers. Hermione saw Harry forcing Ron to read some page he deemed relevant according to her notes.
Then she shook her head, almost smiling at the thought of everything that had transpired in the last few seconds. Someone had put back the books on that shelf, filling the gap, shutting out her view of Harry and Ron. She sighed and continued to write.
Someone sat across her on another empty study area. She looked up to see that it was Theodore Nott from Slytherin. She concentrated writing again, only to realize a growing discomfort. Someone was staring at her. She shifted slightly, trying to regain her composure. But she felt even more uncomfortable now. She glared at Theodore Nott, who looked like he was lounging on a couch under the sun. He had an invasive look in his eyes and his mouth curled upwards, like the smile of someone who enjoyed watching prey suffer. He had one pointed incisor that showed on the right upper corner of his mouth.
"You do know it's impolite to stare," Hermione said hotly.
His smile grew bigger. "I know. But I can't help it. Am I the only one who's noticed you've changed into something rather appealing?"
Hermione didn't know what to say. She felt humiliated all of a sudden, like she was being studied for dissection. She felt her ears smolder.
"Don't you have anything better to do? I'm busy."
"I figured I could get to know you better, after all, I'm a prefect and you can boss me around."
"I can boss you some other time. Now excuse me."
Nott smiled idly. "That Weasley's a fool for dumping you."
Hermione's gaze drifted back to Nott. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me, Head Girl."
"If you have nothing relevant to say-"
"Oh, but I do. Tons of it. Say, Granger, what do you think of purebloods and Mudbloods together? Not just blood traitors and Mudbloods… just pureblooded wizards together with mudblood witches?"
Hermione went blank, her heart pounded, her blood dropped somewhere in a deep pit. She felt herself go pale. Did he know? Was he mocking her because he knew? Someone else came into view. She saw Draco enter, with a frigid countenance. He glared at Nott.
"I remember telling you that I wanted you to grab volume 8 of Transfiguration through the Times," he said in calm voice.
Nott stood up with a mocking bow. "Of course Draco, I nearly forgot. Someone tempted- err, distracted me."
He quickly grabbed a book to his left and left with a know-it-all smirk, brushing past Draco and purposefully hitting his shoulder.
Draco had a look of scorn written all over and he turned to face Hermione with a milder gaze. "Are you alright?"
She nodded, unable to believe that someone could be so rude, so insidious. "Does he-?"
Draco nodded once. "I've been dealing with it. It'll be fine," he said, quickly squeezing her hand for assurance and leaving her feeling colder and dismal that early afternoon.
Draco was in the Common Room many days later while everyone was having dinner when Pansy came in. She smiled blissfully as Draco sat with legs over a table and arms slightly crossed.
"Draco."
Draco didn't look at her. "Yes?"
"You didn't eat again."
"So?"
"I'm worried. What's going on?"
"Just because I'm not eating, it doesn't mean something peculiar is going on," Draco snapped, unable to gain patience for Pansy's query.
Pansy's eyes went sour, her mouth pursed, changing her sensual dark looks into something close to a changing harpy. Draco noticed this, stood up and was about to leave the Common Room when her hand shot out to catch on arm. Draco glared at Pansy. Pansy glared back but lost the will to argue with him.
She let go of his arm and crossed her arms. "Are you hiding something behind my back?"
"Hiding?" he laughed hollowly.
"Yes, hiding, concealing, masking. Some girl?"
"You don't have to show off your aptitude with the English language," he sighed, annoyed and at the same time humored.
"Who is she?"
"How many times do I have to tell you? We just dated, Pansy. We are not engaged or exclusive."
Pansy's eyes filled up with tears. "Do you know how hard it is to have your attention completely? You always, always push me back."
"You're pressing too hard on me, makes it hard to breathe," he said harshly. He walked away from her.
"When I find out who she is-"
"What makes you sure it's a she?" he laughed.
Pansy's gaze hardened. "I know you well enough, Draco Lucius Malfoy."
Draco stopped on the second rung of the staircase and faced Pansy again."And what pray tell, will you do?"
"I'll kill her," she said in one breath.
Draco shook his head and continued walking up. Pansy stood in the middle of the Common Room, seething and shaking. She looked at Draco's retreating figure, hating him suddenly with such ferocity that she regretted it after.
"Parkinson?" a voice interrupted her thoughts.
She spun around and saw a thin and pale dirty blonde haired boy. It was Theodore Nott. She glared at him.
"You alright?" he asked her almost pleasantly, except he had a continuous smirk in his eyes.
"What's it to you?"
He laughed. "Ah, has the Malfoy heir scorned you?"
Pansy put her chin high up in the air, and threw her dark hair behind her. "Nothing of the sort!"
Nott shrugged and began to climb the staircase to the male dormitory when Pansy called out his name. He turned around to see her eyes swimming with tears. Women. They were so predictable. He wondered if female Mudbloods were also like that…
"What?" he asked.
"Do you know if he has someone else?" she blurted out.
"Someone else?"
"Someone else."
He shook his head. "Not that I know of. Why?"
"I feel he's hiding things from me."
"Maybe you have no right to know."
Pansy looked offended.
Nott smiled. "Maybe it's about something else, Pansy. Have you ever thought of that?"
"Like?"
"Exams?" he sarcastically said, then he smiled again.
"Tell me if you know anything."
"And what do I get in return?"
Pansy frowned. "What do you want? To bed me?"
Nott laughed. "You're not my cup of tea, Parkinson."
"Well what the bloody hell do you want?"
"Just…follow what I say later on if I have an impossible request."
Pansy shrugged. "If you keep your word. When?"
"You'll know."
Pansy huffed and left the room. Nott walked into the dormitory that Draco shared with Crabbe, Goyle and Blaise. Draco was sitting on a chair in the corner. Nott sat on the opposite chair. He looked at Draco's eyes and saw them troubled.
"Any news?" he asked.
Draco shook his head. "It's...difficult."
"How hard?" he asked. "Do you need help?"
"No," Draco said wearily. "I do this alone."
Nott wondered the amount of difficulty. He didn't know Draco's task at all, didn't bother to ask. If this was a secret to the Dark Lord's bidding, so be it.
Draco leaned forward. "What do you know about runes?"
"They're ancient magic," Nott said quickly. "Difficult subject if you ask me. I was horrible with Ancient Runes. Not for me at all."
Draco nodded and leaned back with a contemplating look in his eyes.
"Ah, I passed by Pansy as I walked up."
"Did she still look like a monster?"
Nott laughed. "A what? Not really. She did look like a woman enraged, however." Nott's mood changed. "What do you plan to do with your Mudblood flame?"
Draco shrugged tiredly. "I don't…know. And don't' call her Mudblood- Muggle born is better."
"You can't keep this forever, man."
He nodded wearily "I know."
"How many days have you been working on-?"
"Almost two weeks," Draco replied."No progress."
"How many months do you have left?"
"Two weeks give or take."
"And then?"
"I either live horribly disfigured or expire."
"And your parents?"
Draco pressed two fingers against his eyelids. "Merlin, I don't know anymore. I haven't heard from father and I need my mother safe. She's alone there."
"Maybe I can help."
"I asked you what you knew."
"The runes?" Nott asked, disbelieving.
Draco nodded.
"What kind of magic is that?" Nott asked.
"Old."
"But not necessarily dark," Nott chimed in.
"Yes," Draco said. "But ancient magic stemmed from runes. Runes could mean anything to us now. Things have changed, understanding's changed for it. It could have been used for either good or evil purposes."
Nott sighed and leaned back, looking at a small circular window made out of thick glass. Water froze outside it; weak light was filtering through from the shallow surface of the lake.
"So you have two weeks left and nothing figured out," Nott said.
"And exams are coming up," Draco said wryly.
"Screw the bloody exams."
"That is just ghastly," Draco smiled a bit.
Nott grinned and then turned serious again. "And you've researched this endeavor?"
"It's not easy. I have. I've planned to raid the restricted section of the library tonight."
"By the aid of?"
"I don't know. Some spell. I could steal Potter's rumored invisibility cloak," he said bitterly, despite knowing that this was true. He had given Harry a bloody and broken nose for spying inside the Slytherin carriage last year, a kick on the nose for his father and for himself.
"Ah, I've heard of that. But really, how will you get past the enchantments?"
"I don't know. But I'm sure it'll be easy."
It had been rather easy. He had avoided Filch and Mrs. Norris, broken through the lock of the library that any advanced spell caster could have effortlessly done. Faint light came from torches from the other parts of the castle. It was pretty dim but still he could see. He walked to the far end of the library, his breath shallow and quiet. It was colder during the night inside the library, he thought. He could hear some of the books snoring. Walking past a charms section, a few books murmured.
"Oh do be quieter, boy," a book in a woman's voice drawled.
Draco stopped and decided to tread even more carefully. He saw a heavy chain spread across two book cases with a wooden sign that hung on the ceiling, saying: Restricted Section. He knew there was a charm to this and he cast a spell to unlock it. Silver light fizzed out, repelling his enchantment. He reached out to touch the chain and he recoiled from a sting. An angry red welt formed across his palm. He blew on his hand, angry at the hex. He muttered another charm and this time it worked. So much for idiocy, he thought.
The books in the restricted section were tied to heavy chains on the book case, in the event that someone would attempt to steal them. The books themselves were covered in various hexes, and only the librarian, Madam Pince could remove the books without suffering hexes. He scanned the titles with his wand lit at the tip and he smiled, seeing a hardbound book, heavier than what one would expect. The title of the book was in a more recent version of runes, by recent, around five hundred years old. Translated into English, it would have meant The Darker Magick of our Forefathers.
He wondered what spell was cast on it to protect it. Waving his wand, the book levitated in the air, still clinging to the dark chain that held it at the end. It was covered in mottling leather with a strange space in the center of the book's cover, something round would probably fit it. He wondered what it was for, but seeing that it had no need for a key, he didn't bother. Flicking his wand again, the pages flipped to reveal the first page with writings on it. Draco blinked, wondering if his wand lacked enough light. But the notes seemed to be scurrying around the book's pages. He blinked again and realized the runes were indeed moving constantly, like little ants in the form of strange angular shapes. Reaching a hand out, he cautiously touched the moving letters with the tip of a finger. The characters immediately stopped moving at the slight touch, jumbled all over the faded parchment.
Alright, he breathed. Now he didn't understand a thing on the document. He closed his eyes and touched the letters again. They didn't move anymore. He closed the book again, and opened it this time with his hand. The letters swarmed around once more. How the bloody hell did this work? He scanned more of the pages and he came across an illustration, it was crudely drawn but he could make out a little key of sorts and a few instructions that kept moving around as well. He tapped on the text once and the characters stopped moving again. He stumbled through the text, barely able to understand a thing. He found snippets of characters that made sense and then they suddenly did not.
There is a reason this book is in the restricted section, he mused, it gave one headaches and sore eyes. He sighed and tried to collect himself. What was a way to extract information? He just needed to know what he was looking for. There were so many possible things, but the Dark Lord had not told his Aunt what he had to look for at all. Draco scanned the pages once more and found another illustration. His eyes narrowed, seeing another drawing of a pendant. It did look familiar. He sulked, wondering how to break the chain tying the book to the cabinet. He tried a simple unlocking spell but it didn't work. He muttered another spell and it set the books on that shelf flying towards him with such ferocity he near fell to the floor. The books fluttered back to their respective places and Draco stood with an open mouth. Talk about violent books!
"Will you please unlock yourself?" Draco groaned, exasperated.
Then, as if in bidding to his words, the book slid off of its chains. He almost laughed aloud. Was it really that simple to steal a book from the library? Or was he lucky enough to have muttered the magic words to one book among the many books that had their own enchantments? Whatever it was, Draco was glad to have that one task over. Now, the real blood bath could begin.
A/N: let's get the ball rolling guys. stay tuned for the next chapter! ^_^