CHAPTER 19: WHEN SERPENTS STRIKE
I can't believe I'm going to do this.
Angelina Johnson's jaw stiffened as she stood on the steps, Alicia Spinnet and Katie Bell on either side of her. She ignored the students darting out of the castle and across the school grounds. Her eyes instead fixed on two men, one round with curled graying hair and the other tall with sharp, hawkish features that gave him a creepy air. Her stomach gave a little lurch when she thought about her plan. It sounded so good back at the Room of Requirement. But now that it was about to be executed, now that she would have to act in a way so contrary to her personality.
You're doing it for Jimmy. Hell, you're doing it for your country.
She pressed her shoulderblades together and glanced at her two best friends. "Let's do this."
The three bolted down the steps and toward the two aurors. Both men whipped their heads around, watching students fleeing across the grounds.
Here goes. "Help! Help us! Please help!" Angelina almost didn't recognize her own voice, so filled with fear and desperation, two emotions she rarely, if ever, exhibited.
"Here now!" The fat old auror stepped forward. "What's going on?"
"Please! You have to do something. They're all over the place."
The auror canted his head. "What's all over the place?"
"Cornish Pixies, boggarts." Alicia added a slight quiver to her voice. "They got out of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. They're all over the place, attacking students."
"Do something, please! You have to stop them!" Katie laid on the helpless damsel act a bit thick. Of course, subtlety had never been one of her strong points.
The creepy auror turned to his fatter companion. "I bet this is that Yank O'Bannon's doing. I never believed he left Hogwarts. Come on!" He started for the castle.
"Hang on, Blivet. We have orders to guard the school grounds. There are enough aurors inside the school to handle this."
"No, please!" Alicia clasped her hands together. "They're all over the place! You have to do something!"
"I'm sorry, young lady. But we have our orders. The aurors inside the school are more than capable of handling pixies and boggarts."
Angelina bit her lip. Think. Think! "But . . . but we saw some aurors lying on the floor. What if they've all been knocked out?"
"Impossible!" The fat auror looked offended by what she said.
Angelina's insides twisted. She really, really wished she didn't have to resort to this.
"Please." She slid up to the auror, inches separating her from the man's bulky frame. She bent her knees so she could look up at him with pleading eyes. At least, she hoped her eyes conveyed that. "Please, I'm so scared." Angelina had to fight to keep herself from wincing at that statement. "My . . . my little sister's in there. What if those things got her? I'll . . . I could never . . ." She held her breath and reached out to gently grasp the auror's wrist. "Please help."
The man's fleshy face trembled for a second. Angelina watched his eyes flicker up and down her tall, athletic body.
"Come on, Klim. We need to help these poor girls." Blivet drew out the last two words. Angelina glanced over at him. His eyes shifted between her, Alicia and Katie, lingering over each of them. A chill went up her spine and down into her stomach.
"But our orders." Klim's eyes stayed on Angelina. She canted her head, her jaw trembling. She gave Klim's wrist a squeeze.
"Stuff our orders. The others might need help."
"Then . . . then they would have sent word."
"What if they couldn't? What if some other things got loose from the DADA classroom? Who the hell knows what they have in there."
Angelina took two quick breaths, trying to sound like she was about to cry. "Please. My sister. My baby sister's in there."
Klim stiffened, his eyes holding onto Angelina's face, before moving up and down her body again. Long seconds later, the fat man's shoulders sagged.
"All right. We'll pull Punbrush, Leiter, Tasgowe and Leavitt off the grounds and head into the castle."
"On it." Blivet conjured a lizard patronus, which shot across the lawn to alert the other aurors.
"You girls stay here. Everything will be all right." Klim forced a smile.
"Thank you so much." Angelina shot him the warmest smile she could.
With a nod, Klim set off toward the castle, followed by Blivet, who gave each girl a parting, lingering stare. Seconds later two aurors on brooms appeared, flying toward the castle. Two others headed that way on foot.
"Ugh!" Katie shivered violently. "Did you see the way that Blivet creep looked at us? I feel like I need a shower. Maybe two."
"What about me?" Angelina tapped her chest. "I actually had to touch that Klim bloke. I think I'm going to be in his dreams tonight. Blimey, he has to be old enough to be my grandfather."
"Oh well, at least you played the damsel in distress part quite well." A wide grin spread across Alicia's face.
"Shut up." Angelina scowled at her.
"C'mon, Ang," said Katie. "You're little act got rid of six aurors. That should make things easier for Jimmy and his friends when they get out of the castle."
Angelina grunted and stalked off in the direction of the Quidditch pitch. "Let's just get those brooms."
She didn't even check to see if Alicia and Katie followed. She just thought about her "helpless" act and how those aurors would always associate it with her. "Helpless" and "Angelina Johnson" did not bloody go together. She didn't care if it had been an act and for a good cause. She did not like to appear vulnerable in front of anyone.
You owe me big time for this, O'Bannon. Maybe something along the lines of a half-hour foot massage . . . or maybe a full-body massage. She couldn't help that thought. Jimmy might be just a friend, but he was a rather fit friend.
She closed her eyes briefly as they neared the pitch, hoping Jimmy and the other Yanks were all right.
XXXXX
"Drop your wand."
Rosa clenched her teeth. Anger surged through her. Anger at herself.
Stupid! She'd been so involved with that damn boggart she hadn't bothered to check around for other threats when she finished with it. That was basic auror stuff.
"I said drop it!" The female voice behind her demanded. She scowled when the unknown girl's wand pressed deeper into her back.
Rosa released her wand. It clattered to the floor.
"Turn around."
Hands raised, Rosa slowly turned to face her captor. The girl was a couple inches shorter than her with black hair cut above the shoulders and a pug face.
"If you're trying to sneak around without getting caught, it doesn't help to go yelling at the top of your lungs in an American accent." The girl stepped back, her wand aimed at Rosa's chest. "Let me guess? You're a friend of Jimmy O'Bannon's. And here I hoped we were well rid of that damn Mudblood."
"Go suck crap." Rosa narrowed her eyes. That's when she noticed a badge with a large letter P clipped to the girl's robes. She'd seen similar badges worn by Ron and Hermione. Prefect badges. But while theirs were red and gold with a lion superimposed over the P, this girl's badge gleamed green and silver and bore a serpent insignia.
Slytherin House.
The badge also sported a name. P. PARKINSON.
The corners of Rosa's mouth twisted. She knew that name from Jimmy's stories of his year at Hogwarts. Pansy Parkinson. First-Class Slytherin bitch and the girlfriend of none other than . . .
Something moved down the corridor behind Pansy. Rosa glanced up and saw three robed figures approaching them. Two resembled human gorillas. The other was tall with pale blond hair and a pointed face. She had never met these boys before, but recognized them instantly.
Crabbe and Goyle looked exactly the way Jimmy described them. "Big, dumb, ugly, and did I mention dumb?" Jimmy had also been right about the boy they flanked. Draco Malfoy did resemble a human ferret.
"Good work, Pansy," Malfoy said.
"Thank you, Draco." Pansy grinned as she briefly turned to her boyfriend.
Rosa took her eyes off Malfoy and his two thugs and looked back at Pansy. She'd already refocused on her, wand at the ready.
"Rosa Infante, I presume? I'm Draco Malfoy." His voice carried an air of self-importance. "Slytherin prefect. You do realize you are trespassing on school grounds. Of course, that's nothing compared to plotting to overthrow the Ministry of Magic."
"Wow. Jimmy was right about you, Malfoy." Rosa kept her eyes on Pansy. "You are a prick."
"Let's see if you have any cheeky comments when your Mudblood-loving arse is rotting in Azkaban."
"Yeah, I'm really scared." She judged the distance between her and Pansy. About four feet. She could do it. She just had to wait for the opportunity.
"You should be," Malfoy told her.
Rosa gazed into Pansy's eyes. C'mon. C'mon.
"Where are O'Bannon and his blood traitor friends?" Malfoy demanded.
Rosa continued to stare at Pansy.
"I asked you a question! Where is Jimmy O'Bannon?"
"Go to hell."
"Fine! Come on, Pansy. We're taking her to Professor Umbridge's office." Malfoy's hand clasped Pansy's shoulder. "You should be proud. Think of all the points you've earned our house. Think of all the rewards Minister Fudge will give us for capturing this hag."
Pansy's chest heaved with a deep, prideful breath. "You should have seen how easy it was to get her." She turned her head halfway toward her prick boyfriend.
Rosa had her opportunity.
She lunged at Pansy. One hand wrapped around her wand hand and jerked it toward the floor. With her other hand Rosa clutched Pansy's robes and spun her away from Malfoy and his baboons. The Slytherin girl shrieked.
"Pansy!" Malfoy yelled.
Rosa spun Pansy again. She growled and twisted the Slytherin girl's wrist. Pansy screamed even louder. Her wand fell from her hand.
"Petrificus Totalus!"
A Body-Bind Curse sizzled past them.
"No, you idiot!" Malfoy grabbed Crabbe's wand arm and pulled it down. "You'll hit Pansy!"
Rosa yanked Pansy to the left, putting the girl between her and the Slytherin boys. If she could move down the corridor using Pansy as a human shield . . . wait! Crap, she needed a wand. She wouldn't get far without . . .
Pansy howled and lashed out with her free hand. Her nails dug into Rosa's left cheek and down her neck. Skin ripped open. Blood trickled from the stinging wounds. Rosa bellowed and glared at Pansy. The bitch cackled evilly.
Rosa shook with rage. She grabbed Pansy by the throat. The girl's laughter immediately ceased. Her eyes widened in fear. With a roar, Rosa swung Pansy like a rag doll and slammed her against the stone wall. Her body went limp. Rosa released her grip on Pansy's throat. The girl sputtered and sank to the floor.
Two massive arms wrapped around Rosa, pinning her arms. She thrashed about, unable to break the vice-like grip. Teeth bared, she glanced over her shoulder and saw Crabbe's dull, unsmiling face.
"Pansy! Pansy, are you all right?" Malfoy dropped to a knee next to his girlfriend, distress evident on his face.
Pansy coughed and massaged her throat. "I'm . . . I'm all right," she spoke in a raspy voice. "She tried . . . tried to kill me. Mad bitch."
Malfoy whipped his head toward Rosa, his eyes blazing. He shot to his feet. "Filthy Mudblood-loving slag! I'll make you pay for this!"
Malfoy extended his wand and stomped toward her. She stopped struggling as the tip of the wand hovered near her bloody cheek.
"Sal Aqua!"
Salt water sprayed from Malfoy's wand onto Rosa's cuts. Fiery needles stabbed deep into her cheek and spread across her face. She gritted her teeth and held back a cry. No way would she give these bastards the satisfaction.
Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle all laughed. Pansy tried to, but wound up coughing.
"That's tame compared to what else I have in store for you."
Rosa glared at Malfoy's sneering, ferrety face. The prick waved his wand in front of her face. She tried to lunge at him, but couldn't break Crabbe's hold. Malfoy cackled and stepped closer.
"Go ahead and struggle. As if a little tart like you could break free of Crabbe." He leaned forward, his face inches from hers. His mouth opened wide, producing a loud, mocking laugh.
Rosa's breathing quickened. She bared her teeth. Malfoy kept laughing. Merlin's beard, his face was so close. If she could use her hands she'd rip out this slime-sucking bastard's eyes and stuff them down his damn throat until they came out his ass.
Unfortunately, she couldn't use her hands.
Her legs, however . . .
With a primal roar, Rosa kicked with her right leg. Her toe rammed into Malfoy's balls. The prick gasped, his eyes about to pop out of his head. With a high-pitched wail he sank to the floor, holding his nutsack.
"Draco!" Pansy cried out.
Malfoy curled up in a fetal position, on the verge of sobbing.
Rosa ignored the prick's agony and snapped her head back. Her skull cracked against Crabbe's face. The world spun. She felt herself stumble forward. She turned back as the world came back into focus. Crabbe stomped around, his hands over his mouth, blood flowing through his fingers.
Wand. I need a wand. She scanned the floor until she found her wand a few feet away.
A shadow loomed over her. Rosa looked up in time to see Goyle's hand lash out. Fire exploded across her cheek. Pain tore through her head. Blackness fell over her eyes. Light returned a moment later. Light in the form of stars. Literal stars. She suddenly realized she was lying on her side instead of standing. Groaning, she started to push herself up.
Pansy appeared in front of her. The bitch's foot lashed out. She felt and heard a crunch of bone and flesh. A blazing spear of pain sliced deep into her brain. Rosa grunted and rolled on her back, covering her shattered nose. Blood dampened her hands and flowed down her cheeks.
"Not so pretty now, are you?" Pansy's words sounded distorted. The world went in and out of focus. Rosa grimaced as the coppery taste of blood settled in her mouth. Pain stabbed every inch of her face.
Out the corner of her blurry eye, she saw someone stagger to their feet, helped by Goyle. It was Malfoy. He stood doubled over, hand over his crotch. He glared down at her, his teeth exposed, flaring with anger. Spittle flew from the corners of his mouths as his breaths grew in intensity.
"How dare you kick me in . . . You disgusting pile of filth! Do you know who I am! Do you think you can do . . . that to me and get away with it?"
Malfoy straightened up a little, still covering his balls. "Oh, I'm taking you to Professor Umbridge's office, all right. And I'll make sure I'm there to see it when they throw you into a cell at Azkaban. But first, I'm going to have a little fun."
He aimed his wand at Rosa. "You know, I've always wanted to try a Cruciatus Curse."
TO BE CONTINUED
AUTHOR'S NOTE: The names of the two aurors in this chapter, Klim and Blivet, are derived from actual slang words from the Second World War. "Klim" was the nickname soldiers gave to powdered milk, and is nothing more than "milk" spelled backwards. "Blivet" is a personal favorite of mine. It was coined by General Eisenhower and basically means trying to stuff two pounds of crap into a one-pound bag.