Chapter Nineteen

The Note

Author's Note: There are some details in this chapter that might be considered "spoilers" for the Harry Potter series, Half-Blood Prince and Deathly Hallows in particular… That said, you really should know these things by now. Just thought I should warn you ahead of time.

"You thought Dumbledore was a Slytherin?" Professor Longbottom asked after Courtney, Lynne, and Albus explained the basics of what had happened.

"So then… who was the Slytherin Headmaster?" Lynne asked.

"Professor Severus Snape," Longbottom said with a hint of anger in his voice that Courtney had never expected to hear from him. To the side, Albus nodded. Longbottom continued speaking. "He was a former Death Eater - one of Voldemort's servants. He taught Potions for years but everyone knew he wanted to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts. He finally did get to teach it… for one year. At the end of the year, he killed Dumbledore and became Headmaster for the next year."

Courtney didn't like how… animalistic that sounded. Become the leader by killing the old one.

"As a teacher, he was far from nice to his students," Longbottom continued. "Except for his fellow Slytherins. He gave them unfair advantages, points that they didn't deserve. To everyone else, he was downright abusive. To give just one example, there was this one Gryffindor kid who wasn't very good with potions. Snape saw how much trouble he was having with a Shrinking Solution, so he made the kid test it on his own toad. He was practically smiling when he said that it would probably be poisonous. The potion ended up being perfect, but Snape docked points from Gryffindor anyway because another student helped him."

"And they let someone like that teach?" Courtney asked. "And become Headmaster at that? What was Hogwarts like back then?"

"When Snape was Headmaster," Longbottom shook his head from the memories. "They got rid of Defense Against the Dark Arts, and replaced it with just 'Dark Arts'. Students were forced to practice Unforgivable Curses on each other. And that was the year that Lord Voldemort attacked the school, what with Dumbledore being gone and all. Snape ended up dying in that battle, killed by a magic snake."

This didn't mesh at all with the idea that Potter considered Snape one of the bravest men he ever knew. Compared to Dumbledore and Longbottom… even if they were above average it was tough for Courtney to imagine Potter thinking anything good of Snape.

Then again, Courtney remembered Slytherin, the evil wizard who had started Muggleborn prejudice, built the Chamber of Secrets, and abandoned the other Founders. If he could have really been a good guy… then perhaps it was too early for Courtney to be judging Snape. She had to believe that Snape had had a hidden good side.

"I found this by my bed this morning," Albus told Courtney and Lynne in the Great Hall. He showed them a scrap of parchment with a hastily scribbled message on it.

Hagrid's hut, the message read, immediately after class. It's important! Bring those three friends of yours.

"Do you know who wrote this?" Courtney asked.

Albus shook his head. "Not a clue. Obviously it would have to be a Gryffindor, since they're the only ones who know the passwords… But other than that, I've got nothing."

"Those three friends?" Lynne noticed. "Courtney and I are only two people."

"Yeah, you were the first two to come to mind," Albus said. "I haven't figured out who the third is supposed to be."

"Hey, all," a voice said. Scorpius Malfoy walked toward them and noted the parchment in Albus's hand. "What's that you've got there?"

At the end of class, Courtney left Torrindale's classroom and started walking toward the castle's exits. At this time, she knew, the others were leaving Transfiguration, Herbology, and Defense Against the Dark Arts.

Along the way, Courtney's path crossed with Scorpius's, something that Courtney found odd since she did not recall Asmius's classroom being in that general direction. Then again, the way the castle moved and changed however it felt like, Courtney just had to shrug and accept it.

"So we're going by the Forbidden Forest, because of a note that didn't actually name any of us, and we don't even know who sent the note?" Scorpius asked drily. "Remind me again why we're even trusting it?"

"I like trusting people," was the best response Courtney could think of.

"Right. Hufflepuff. So remind me again why I agreed to join you?"

"Because the only other option was going back to the Slytherin common room with that girl… What was her name again?"

"Ebony." He shuddered. "You make a convincing argument."

Ha! she thought, even though she knew the Sorting Hat couldn't hear her, I CAN lead people!

Courtney and Scorpius continued through the corridors until they reached the outer grounds, around the same time that Albus and Lynne were leaving as well.

Hagrid's hut was within their field of vision, but still not exactly close. The four first-years had merged into one group before they arrived.

Professor Hagrid himself was just outside, placing the ends of wooden posts into the ground. When he saw Courtney, Lynne, Albus, and Scorpius approached, he gave a friendly wave.

"There somethin' you need?" he asked.

"No," Albus said, taking the lead. "We were told it was important to come here."

"I see," Hagrid said, though his tone made Courtney sort of doubt that. "Well, I'm a tad busy at the moment, with protection and all. 'Fraid it'll have to wait a bit."

Protection? Courtney looked at the posts Hagrid was putting up. They were arranged almost in a circle, at the center of which was a pile of leaves and grass with an egg sitting on top.

"Is that…?" Albus asked. "Hagrid, are you… hatching a dragon again?"

Hagrid laughed. "No, 'fraid not. This here is old Flankhock's egg. S'possed to hatch tomorrow, but you know how fragile these things can be…"

Keep your wand at the ready, Courtney heard. It was the same voice that had told her to go to Vector's office before. And remember the Levitation Charm.

Courtney barely had time to process this when a narrow rod poked out of the ground beneath the egg, propelling it a few inches into the air.

Hagrid ran to catch it, but Courtney already had her wand out. "Wingardium Leviosa!" Before the egg could hit the ground, it stopped moving midfall. Courtney lifted her wand a bit, the egg gently rising, while Hagrid pulled the rod that had pushed it out of the ground.

It was some kind of animal, the rod being its snout. "Niffler," Hagrid explained to the children. "Not too dangerous or aggressive but brutal when it comes to breaking things." He picked up the niffler and carried it outside of the circle. Then he looked at Courtney. "Thanks for that by the way."

"No trouble at all," Courtney said automatically.