Communications
The Daily Profit
Dark Arts Competition's Shocking 30,000 Galleon Valued Prize!
Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts current acting Headmistress signed off on the Dark Arts Competition prize, which isn't a prize at all, but a three year contract as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor! The new teaching position was won by Remus J. Lupin.
When asked if he was disappointed that the prize was a job and not a valuable object Lupin responded to reporters: "I am in no way disappointed. I am thrilled at the opportunity! I have so much information to pass on to the students and I look forward to the challenge of teaching them new spells."
One contestant who did not win had this to say, "I am relieved that I didn't win. I can't imagine having to spend everyday with hundreds of hormonal teens. Just my two sons during the summer is more than I care to handle."
Another said, "I had my head bloodied by a red cap for this! What the !$^..." The rest of his rant is unprintable.
In another surprise twist, those that used illegal spells during the competition were put in body binds and whisked away from Flaggrate Field via portkey and straight into the office of the head of the Auror Department. The portkey was a slab of rock with the words, "Check my wand for recent spells," carved into the top. Each also arrived with a copy of the contract they had signed. Four arrests were made as a result of the findings.
Hermes DeMetis would like to remind the public that all those involved in the competition were given the opportunity to read the contract before signing. Had they bothered to do so they would have been aware of what the prize was and the consequences of using dark curses prior to signing.
Article Contributed by L. Grant
Below the article was a moving photo that showed a hand flipping between the front and back of a contract with a lot of fine print. One side was signed Remus John Lupin and the other said Acting Headmistress Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. A few lines of the contract were magically magnified: By signing this contract you agree that the winner of the Dark Arts Competition will work as the Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor at Hogwarts for a minimum of three years, beginning immediately after the competition ends.
McGonagall shoved the paper in front of Severus, "Have you read this?"
Snape raised an eyebrow at her, then looked at the paper and scowled, "You hired Lupin? The halls will be running rampant with wolves within six months."
"Severus, Lupin's never bit anyone. He's a nice man. Leave him be."
Severus just shrugged.
"Actually, I'm as surprised as you are," stated McGonagall.
Snape scrunched his forehead and looked at her. "Why would you be surprised?"
"I didn't actually read that paper work. That DeMetis fellow just said I needed to sign so Lockhart could participate. I hoped that something would happen to him that would prevent him from coming back, not serious mind you, just something to stop him from working here. Well it looks like I got my wish, and good riddance. Lupin will be a much better teacher than Lockhart."
Snape turned to Minevra and raised a brow, "I thought Sybil was the one that par takes of the bottle too early in the day. He'll probably teach them nothing but pranks." Snape decided to change the subject, "The mandrake potion will be ready this afternoon. Arrangements need to be made to send the students home when they awaken. We'll need to question them before they go to help us determine the cause. I have things I need to see to before then." Lou Grant took the paper with him as he rose from the table. It was his first newspaper article and as such it should be preserved, even if he was the only one who ever knew he had written it.
Adding the four death eaters to the list of competitors had been one of 009's more brilliant ideas. He knew they would be unable to resist using dark curses. The Auror Department and court were forced to take action, what with the stipulation in the magically binding contract informing the competitors (had they bothered to read) that the use of dark curses in this competition would result in the competitor agreeing to accept the fullest punishment available for all crimes committed during the competition.
The mandrake potion was administered and the patients awoke. Most were groggy, surprised to find themselves in the hospital wing and bewildered by how much time they had lost.
One patient knew exactly where she was and immediately began an inquiry. "Did you find the basilisk? Has it been killed? Have you found the chamber yet? I believe I know where the opening is." Hermione's wide brown eyes blinked at Snape as she waited for a response.
"Basilisk?"
"Oh dear! No one has been killed have they? Here, this tells everything about the basilisk." Hermione thrust the paper that had been scrunched in her palm at Snape. "Harry has been hearing it talk about killing things for months but he didn't tell anyone because he didn't want to be accused of being crazy for hearing voices that no one else could. Where is Harry? Where's Ron?"
"The school has been closed and the students sent home. No one has died. Where is it you believe the Chamber to be?"
"Myrtles bathroom. We should get a rooster then go there straight away." The young girl hopped down from the hospital bed and started to head for the door.
"No, Mrs. Granger. You will be going home. I will see to the Chamber business."
"But..."
"Stick to your books Ms. Granger. Leave the dangerous task to those with more experience and skill."
Hermione crossed her arms and pouted a little bit, then sighed. It wasn't so much the Gryffindor bravery thing, more that she liked to follow through on what she started and not being able to finish this rubbed her wrong. On the other hand, the absence of her two best friends made it much easier for her to allow an adult to take over and deal with this.
"Professor McGonagall will be here in an hour to take you home. Use that time to par take of the meal being provided and to write to your friends. Do not go to the owlery. Leave the letters here. I will see that they are delivered."
Hermione found Professor Snape's willingness to deliver letters for her to be odd, but responded with, "Yes sir," none the less.
Dear Harry,
I was given the mandrake potion about an hour ago. Professor McGonagall is supposed to be coming to take me home in a few minutes. I wonder if she will let me have time to get the homework for the classes I slept through? I have so much to catch up on. Do you think they will extend the school year further into the summer due the school being closed now?
Are you doing okay at the Dursleys? If you send Hedwig to my home I'll send her back with some snacks.
Hope you are well,
Hermione
P.S. Professor Snape said he'd deal with the Basilisk.
Dear Ron,
How are you? How are things at the Burrow? Don't spend all day, every day playing quiditch and chess. If the school year ends at the normal time in June then we'll be short several weeks of education so it is very important that we each keep up with our studies while the school is closed.
Oh, by the way, Professor Snape just administered the mandrake potion to us an hour ago. I told him all about the basilisk and he is going to take care of it.
I must go. Professor McGonagall is here to take me home.
Write soon.
Hermione
Dear Hermione,
I'm glad to hear you are well. I appreciate you are willing to send me snacks. It is one of the nicest things anyone has offered to do for me. I have plenty to eat. I have this really cool box now! It's connected to a wizard restaurant. All I have to do is put a check next to the items I want and a few minutes later they appear in the box! Magic is so cool!
By the way what is a Basilisk?
Harry
Dear Hermione,
A basilisk! What basilisk!? You trusted that dirty snake! Snakes cannot be trusted.
Ron
Duplicate letters:
Dear Harry/Ron
I can't believe I forgot I had never told you about the basilisk. That is what you/Harry have/has been hearing all year. It is a giant snake that hatches from a chicken's egg sat upon by a toad. They can live hundreds of years and get big enough to eat people. Their fangs contain a deadly poison. If a basilisk looks you in the eye you'll die instantly. But, it seems that if it sees a reflection of you it turns you into stone instead. I wonder if basilisk are related to Medusa's snakes. I'll have to do some research on that.
Hermione
Snape's hand flew across the page as he sketched out his next goal: basilisk death. Snape knew the chit was likely right about the basilisk. She was right about everything. But he couldn't openly let others know he was using her information. He could already imagine the wolf smiling at him and acknowledging, "I'm glad you've come to terms with Gryffindors helping you. Perhaps I could assist you some evening with making potions for the hospital wing." Shudder the thought.
He drew a £ symbol since he would need funds to buy roosters. Actually, the page contained several £ symbols, but most were floating above different valuable parts of the dead snake. 'But how to make it seem I got the information from a non-Gryffindor source, or at least not from the know it all' pondered Snape.
Serendipity was at hand. Hedwig pecked at the door until Snape flung it open and peered down at the bird. Hedwig lifted her leg and Snape retrieved the letter.
Dear S.,
I just received Hermione's letter telling me she was better. Thanks for owling it by the way. She sent a second one and told me about the basilisk and that I wasn't crazy because I wasn't hearing voices in my head, I was hearing parseltongue! You can't believe what a relief it is to know I'm not nuts. Anyway, she said you were going after the snake and I thought it might be helpful for you to know that I originally learned about Hagrid and the Chamber from Tom Riddle's Diary.
The coffee Snape had been drinking spewed across the table, staining the pictures he had been working on. He needed to teach that little runt a lesson about keeping his nose away from dangerous information. Him and his two friends. In the name of Merlin how did Potter manage to get his hands on Voldemort's diary? Snape sped through the rest of the letter.
Since Hagrid didn't open the Chamber I think Tom must've been setting Hagrid up. Tom seemed pretty willing to chat, so you might be able to get more information from him if you get the diary and write in it.
What did the brat mean, Tom was willing to chat?
I think Ginny was the last to have it. In any case, Ron said that Ginny tried to sneak back to the castle to get a diary and threw a real tanty when her mum stopped her. Talking with Tom can be kind of addictive.
"Don't I know it," thought Snape. The man was the ultimate Slytherin. Able to weave any tale, promise the unimaginable and enchant anyone into believing that by joining him all wrongs could be righted. It isn't 'til after the seduction phase and you become branded as his slave and begin to do his bidding that you realize those promises he made are nothing more than misty fog that disappears with the sun. For some, the cloud never rises and they thrive in its cold chill as they devise the destruction of those they despise.
The diary is probably somewhere in Gryffindor tower. If you want I can come help you find it, then I'll be there if you need me to speak parseltongue to the snake.
Regards,
H.
Expenses:
McDonald's fries: £1.70
Savings: £12.30
P.S. I wish we could have fast food night at Hogwarts.
Snape snapped up a piece of parchment. Hadn't he already punished the child for acting rashly and putting himself in danger? Now he's suggesting that he come back to the castle and help fight a basilisk?! Knowing Potter's penchant for seeking out trouble he was probably already sneaking on a bus to make his way to King's Cross. This needed to be dealt with immediately.
Snape signed the letter, threw floo powder into the flames and stepped into Edesia's. Snape stormed up to the counter. "Put this in drawer 138"
"Sir, the post owls are two blocks down. I'm sure they'd be willing to send your letter."
Snape glared. "Perkins isn't it. Your sister is in fifth year correct?"
"Yes sir." The now timid man replied. Perkins was a few years younger than Snape. He knew Snape by reputation, but had lucked out in never having had the man as a teacher.
"Right on the cusp of passing or...failing potions."
"Let me take care of that for you sir. Which box did you say?"
"1 3 8," Snape enunciated clearly. "I'll be waiting for a reply."
Harry heard a buzzing sound coming from his food drawer. He hadn't ordered anything. Why was the drawer buzzing? Harry opened the drawer and pulled out a letter.
Dear Mr. Insane,
What are you thinking! Never mind, you're obviously not. Do you happen to remember why I set your butt blazing!? It seems you need a reminder. You are to write fifty lines of:
I will not put myself in dangerous situations. I will trust Professor Snape to solve this problem.
If you dare to come up with some hairbrained scheme to get back to the castle just so you can 'help' not only will I tan your backside, I'll make sure that vegetables will be your only dinner choice for a month.
Send a reply through the Dieters Treasures Box so I know you're not already on your way to the castle. You may send your lines with Hedwig along with your next letter.
Impatiently waiting,
S.
Snape drummed his fingers on the counter and glared at customers, causing a few to find other places to dine. Perkins came back with the reply:
Dear S.
Message heard. Staying put.
Pouting about lines,
Mr. Insane
Authors note: Thank you to the anonymous reviewer who wrote such a great review a few days ago. Her/His comments caused me to realize I needed to add McGonagall's discovery of her new employee to this chapter.
I hope everyone enjoys this chapter. All reviews are appreciated. :)