Hey hey!
Ugh, I am beginning to write this at 1am! ONE IN THE MORNING! How about that for work ethic? (that is after a 12-hour work day) Anyway, if this is short, please excuse me…
So, Onwards! Chapter 17. (it's already been 17 days since I began writing this!)
***
The vial of blood was half empty- the reporter had not even managed to pull of a plan that someone else had designed for her. The man snorted as he put it in a secure place on the shelf and stripped off his clothes- the squib's stench was almost too much to bear- which he incinerated with a flick of his wand. Then he went about gathering the rest of the utensils that would be needed for the ceremony, including the rancid flesh and dead hair of the two vanquishers of the last Dark Lord.
Hah. That half-blood was a disgrace that should not even have lasted as long as he had. It was testament to the incompetence of those who were weak, but preached they were strong. How complacent everyone had already become, as if Voldemort was the begin-all and end-all of what the Dark Crafts had to show for themselves, and they could now sleep in peace.
He smirked and retrieved the old tome, levitating it upon the table with his wand rather than touch it. Though he was not truly a squib, he didn't know how the particular Book of Shadows would react if unclean flesh touched it.
At that moment, he felt the wards activate, then permit entry to another person. Soon after, a tall dark haired man with a pale, twisted face entered and gasped, whipping his wand out.
"Filch!" he managed to say, but at his smirking laughter he paused.
"Lady Isis?" the man peered, with a slightly gross grimace on his face.
"Good, Dolohov," she purred. "An accomplished Dark one cannot be fooled by polyjuice."
"But seeing Filch tackled out nearly did," Dolohov muttered, lowering his eyes.
"This is but a costume, Dolohov- the reason why you are not in breach for looking upon this flesh. Soon, the potion will wear off," Isis said smiling to herself with superiority. "As soon as you are done reporting, I believe. Start."
Dolohov nodded, standing formally before the naked figure of the disguised woman. She didn't demand groveling, like Voldemort did- not in the crude way of Tom Riddle. No; she demanded far more than that, in a far more painful way than that- but Dolohov knew that was a manifestation of her power. Enormous power. Power that would make Voldemort lick her feet to beg for mercy. So while Dolohov stood, he kept his head and eyes down, knowing that he would not be forgiven if he raised them now.
"The scarab and ankh have arrived, Lady Isis," the man said. He waved his wand and a wooden casket floated to the polyjuiced woman. "The ones you precised. The Heart Scarab of Hatnofer and the lapis lazuli ankh."
Isis took it off the air with tender care, stroking the lid before opening it.
"Hatnofer was very loyal," Isis purred, walking to the counter with the box, touching the items inside. "She did everything I told her, and that is why she was rewarded by controlling Hatsepsut, and through her, an empire."
Dolohov knew to be silent. Isis sighed.
"Continue," she intoned as she straightened up from Filch's crooked stance, feeling her hair thicken and change colour, her skin turn the lush light olive and her body return to its female curvaceous look. She walked to the closet in the back of the room, and took the dark royal blue robe, slipping it on softly. It fell in soft ripples around her elegant form, as she tightened it around her torso and waist. From the shoulders stylistic yellow and orange cloth wings dropped softly from her shoulders like a protective cape.
Dolohov tried to steal a glance without moving his head position as he said:
"Yes, my lady. I have managed to find everyone who survived, and they have been informed of what to do. They are already preparing for the ceremony."
"Good. Once I retrieve what Slytherin and his friend Gryffindor stole from me, I shall be ready to resume my proper form and status," Isis said, placing the falcon-like headdress on her head.
She turned to Dolohov and smiled.
"And those who know their place, shall be rewarded. Come, let us begin."
***
Nikos leaned on Minerva's desk tiredly after Minister Dawlish left. Whatever energy he had saved was drained by that exacting witch, and he wondered just how he would manage to handle Augury with a reeling mind.
"I am really sorry for subjecting you to the minister's questioning, Mr. Galanos," Minerva began. Nikos smiled and shook his head.
"Please, let's do away with last names. Call me Nikos."
"All right, if you reciprocate," Minerva nodded. "Thank you for helping me with her; the last thing we need is her ministry raising up a scare in the people."
"Well, that is to our mutual interest, really," Nikos sighed and passed his hand through his hair. "Do you think she will cooperate?"
"For now, yes. You told her this would be dealt with quietly, and she likes quiet."
"Of course Galanos rarely makes good on that sort of promise," came Severus' voice from the wall. "Rasmus is awake."
Nikos straightened up and grinned.
"That's great! He's got your strong countenance, it seems, Severus."
"His mother was hardy, too," Snape said dismissively. "And since she's unavailable, go fill in."
Nikos nodded and turned to leave. Minerva said nothing, but as he was about to exit he about turned and smiled at the headmistress.
"If you want me to, I can check on that classmate of Rasmus' too, see if I can rouse him from the coma."
"Professor Frideswide suggested that to me, and I think Poppy secretly wants you to," Minerva nodded. "Thank you, Nikos."
Nikos simply nodded and exited.
***
Rasmus wanted to tell Poppy that ice cream that tasted like food was inducing the gag reflex just by thinking about it, but he wasn't sure what she'd think of next- except that it would be horribly sensible and wrong to consider edible. Fruit flavoured ice cream was for some reason out of the question, and the term 'frozen yoghurt' confused her.
So, together with a mild analgesic potion, he found himself staring at a generous helping of garlic-flavoured ice cream. He looked at Pomfrey helplessly.
"Why garlic?" he said in his breathless, soundless voice that didn't hurt. She grinned in pride.
"It's the latest craze in Diagon Alley, it wards off vampires and it is good for your blood pressure, which needs all the help it can get these days," she said smugly, helping him drink the potion and sit propped up in his bed. "Eat up!"
Rasmus bit his lip as he looked at the ominous looking lump of off white blob that was deceptively similar to innocent vanilla, and figured that it would be worse to eat it melted- molten garlic!- and take it as medicine. He picked up his spoon, noticing with satisfaction that the potion was quickly driving the itch away from his bandaged arms and hands.
"Snape! You're alive!"
Finn ran in the infirmary and sat heavily at the foot of his bed, making the whole cot shake. Rasmus grinned thinly, and didn't complain of the threat for nausea.
"Hey, Finn," he said, for lack of anything better. Finn just continued with a grin.
"And look who I got you!" he plopped Betty upon Rasmus' lap and plucked the spoon from his fingers. "Let me get a taste of that succulent-looking thing while you pet your tabby, hm?" he added smoothly.
Rasmus grinned slyly and petted the kitten which started to purr as soon as she was out of Finn's grasp.
"Sure, go ahead and taste it all you want," he said, rasping somewhat to be more heard.
Finn took a liberal spoonful and shoveled it in his mouth, eyes shut in preparation for pleasure. His eyes widened and he made a face, sticking his tongue out immediately after- it was still garlic coated.
"Merlin's beard and bobbles! Who in their right minds would pull a prank on the sick?"
Rasmus laughed as he leaned back more comfortably.
"It's medicinal ice cream," he quipped. "What, don't you like it?"
Finn made a face again, clicking his tongue to work off the taste, but then he tilted his head.
"Can I get another spoonful?" he pointed at the ice cream with his spoon. "After you swallow, it is kinda cool- ya know, an acquired taste."
"Sure," Rasmus arched an eyebrow and watched Finn sample the thing again, which he did with flair.
"Second spoon makes it better. Try it, not bad at all," Finn nodded and conjured up a second spoon.
Rasmus sighed and did. The taste was odd, but it wasn't horrible, and he rolled his eyes and smirked. He liked garlic, but in salads or cooked- not iced, that made it decidedly weird.
"Bet the French would adore this," Finn grinned and Rasmus laughed as he took another spoonful.
"They'd adore to make you eat this and your words," he said, happy that Finn hadn't said anything about his bandages or his soundless voice.
Nikos watched from the entrance to the infirmary and smiled, seeing how Finn had gotten Rasmus to eat the ice cream, and how he was making him feel better. Severus had told him- while ranting- how Rasmus tended to do this boy's homework for him, but if this was the payback, Nikos could more than feel it was a clean deal. Rasmus was generally an introverted boy, and such friendships were rare to null, and so Nikos waited until all the ice cream was eaten, Betty the kitten had played with a scrunched up napkin until she literally fell asleep where she lay, and Rasmus was nearly ready to sleep again for a good five hours or so, and entered then.
"Godfather," Rasmus smiled. "You came from Hogsmeade, didn't you?"
"We'll talk about that when you are rested more," Nikos shook his head, not wanting to reveal or speak about anything that had went on in front of another student. "For now, I came to return your wand to you, and make sure you sleep."
Rasmus grinned.
"Oh, wonderful! I didn't know how to ask after it- if it was back at… the courtyard," he said and reached out for it. His hands had began shaking again from the exhaustion, but just receiving his light, striated honey-and-cream coloured wand gave him energy and optimism, and that was what Nikos was aiming at.
"Always been meaning to ask, what wood is that?" Finn asked, pointing. "Your wand looks different."
"It's not that different," Rasmus replied, stifling a yawn. "It's olive, with Pegasus hair core."
Nikos glanced at Finn with meaning, and Finn got up.
"I'm going to go to class now- I used an excuse to skip Transfiguration today. You get well soon, ok? Or my grades will begin slipping!"
Rasmus grinned sleepily, holding his wand in his hands and feeling its energy.
"Go 'way, you loafer," he smirked as Finn left, and Nikos stroked Rasmus' hair.
"Glad to see you better, bub," he said in Greek.
"Thanks for bringing me my wand," the young man replied. "You want to do something with it, don't you?"
"You know I always ask permission for handling wands of family members," Nikos smiled. "And you're right; I need to cast Priori Incantatem, to see what you got your attacker with."
"You think I got him?" Rasmus seemed to wake a little more.
"I know you did. The charts showed as much," Nikos smiled. Rasmus' eyes lit with pride as he tended the wand to his godfather.
"Go ahead."
***
I am too tired to answer reviews now (thank you for all of them! I really enjoy reading and answering them). Leave me some more now, and I will answer them all tomorrow!
See you then!