Chapter 15: Break in and Quidditch
Corvus felt tired. He had been just about to fall asleep when they had been informed about the invasion. He entered in the great hall in a grumpy mood. Olivia was already there, enchanted in a conversation with Michelle. Neither one of the girls noticed his and Astoria's presence, until Astoria went in between to greet them.
"H… hello," Nora said behind Corvus.
"Oh hi," Corvus greeted. "How are you feeling?"
"I d… don't know. I j… just w… wish they'll c… catch him," Nora sighed. She avoided an eye-contact with him, but it didn't stop him from seeing the fear in Nora's eyes.
"Do you want to join the rest?" Corvus asked after moment of silent, pointing at their three friends.
"W… why not," Nora answered, smiling slightly.
"Hey, this is so exciting," Olivia claimed.
Michelle muttered in French, before saying: "In the moments like this, I realize that I really cannot understand you Liv."
"What do you mean? Didn't you complain just last week how boring this school year has been?" Olivia asked playfully, not really minding Michelle's words.
"I didn't mean it like that! And the man is a meurtrier! I don't want to see the same thing to happen this year, except people would be murdered." Michelle cried out, preferring to their previous school year.
"Me neither, but it would really be something if they catch him tonight!" Olivia said. "Maybe Daily Prophet will come here, and they'd interview me."
"Why would they interview you?" Michelle asked in disbelief.
"Because I am fun and pretty," Olivia chuckled: "Plus, I'd be willing to give them all the juicy details. I'm good with rumours."
"Since when?" Michelle wondered.
"Since always!" Olivia claimed.
"Yet, I knew before you that Percy Weasley is dating Penelope Clearwater, or Cedric Diggory asking Cho Chang out." Michelle stated.
"What! Really? When?" Olivia cried out.
Michelle just rolled her eyes and once again muttered in French.
"Okay, I really wish that you two notice that we're also in here," Astoria interrupted again.
"Sorry," both of the girls muttered.
"How are you feeling with all this Nora?" Astoria asked.
"S… surprisingly w… well," Nora answered. She was saved from saying more, by being spoken over by Professor Dumbledore: "The teachers and I need to conduct a thorough search of the castle. I'm afraid that, for your own safety, you will have to spend the night here. I want the prefects to stand guard over the entrances to the hall and I am leaving the Head Boy and Girl in charge," Professor Dumbledore said pointing at Percy Weasley and Gemma Farley. "Any disturbance should be reported to me immediately. Send word with one of the ghosts."
Professor Dumbledore looked at the room for a small moment and took out of his wand. "Oh, yes, you'll be needing..." the tables moved aside, and purple sleeping bags filled the room. "Sleep well," he said as he closed the door, leaving the students alone in the large room.
Corvus and his friends took out their own sleeping bags and went near one of the corners. Daisy, Matthew, Sinead, and Ben came to sleep with them as well. The room was soon filled with chatter and speculations.
"Maybe he knows how to Apparate. Just appear out of thin air, you know." Ben suggested.
"I… it feels a…. awful," Nora commented.
"When have you Apprated?" Olivia and Ben asked in unison.
"W… with L… Leyla after I c… came back f… from the C… Christening. I a… actually threw u… up afterwards," Nora said, feeling mortified.
"I read that it is quite common reaction," Michelle said.
"Yeah, me too. Some even pass-out." Corvus agreed.
But Ben wasn't the only one guessing on what had happened. "Disguised himself, probably," Patricia Stimpson speculated.
"He could've flown in," thought Harry Potter's classmate suggested.
Corvus rolled his eyes. He couldn't belief all the nonsense his school mates were spouting.
"W'y are you rollin' your eyes?" Daisy asked.
"Because they all are so wrong. It says clearly in the History of Hogwarts that one simply cannot Apparate here nor just fly over. For the matter of the disguise, it cannot fool Dementors. They can sense the emotions."
"Then how did you manage to come here Nora?" Ben asked.
"W… we apprated i… into Hogsmeade, a… and walked f… from there."
"See, I told you," Corvus sneered. "So, the most likely way of him getting in, is by secret passage. The question for that is though, how he managed to get in without Filch knowing, and anyone noticing."
The rest of the group was saved from the answering, as Gemma came to the group, greeting Astoria and the others warmly: "No worries, we're looking after you guys. Just rest peacefully for the night. I'll tell you all the juicy details tomorrow." Gemma winked before moving away from them, and Percy Weasley turning off the lights.
People still whispered, and prefects shushed them. The atmosphere soon turned into calm one, and people fell asleep one by one. In their group Olivia was first one to fall asleep. Sinead and Ben followed her example shortly. Around one o'clock Michelle and Astoria dozed off, and an hour later the same happened to Daisy and Matthew.
Corvus brains refused to give him any sleep. He noticed that fear and uncertainty kept hunting Nora's mind, who lied still eyes wide open. "Can't sleep?" Corvus asked, silently moving his mouth.
Nora nodded.
"Me neither." Nora smiled at his answer. They shared a look when the door was once again opened. They had noticed that one of the teachers came by hourly to see if everything was under control. But this time it was the headmaster himself. He started conversation with Percy Weasley, explaining that they could move back to their common rooms the next day.
Corvus smirked as he saw Nora almost jumping as they heard Professor Snape's voice nearby them: "Headmaster? The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."
Corvus noticed the change in Nora's face. It was filled sadness and fear, and with something that Corvus couldn't name.
"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?" Professor Dumbledore inquired.
"All searched," Professor Snape answered sharply. The look on Nora's face became even more sorrowful.
"Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger." Professor Dumbledore's voice was calm.
If the situation had been any different, Corvus would have taken Nora by the hand to comfort her. Yet, he didn't want anyone in the room to notice, that they were listening to the conversation. They shared a look, when Snape said he suspected someone in the castle to help Black, but Dumbledore dismissed the speculations quickly. Still, Corvus had to admit that Professor Snape's suspicion made a lot of sense.
"I must go down to the dementors. I said I would inform them when our search was complete." Professor Dumbledore informed, and once again Nora and Corvus shared a look. They both hated the dark creatures and had all but forgotten their previous encounter.
Percy Weasley felt puzzled: "Didn't they want to help, sir?"
"Oh yes," Professor Dumbledore's voice sounded as cold as ice. "But I'm afraid no dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am headmaster."
In the moments like that, Corvus felt glad, that Professor Dumbledore was their headmaster. Corvus strongly resented the dark creatures that roamed outside. He hadn't said it to Nora, but he truly hated the fact that they guarded Azkaban, turning people into the madness.
After they were certain that both Dumbledore and Snape had left, Corvus dared to take Nora by the hand, and they slowly fell asleep hand-in-hand.
Nora wondered how long people would keep talking about the escape of Sirius Black. It angered her, that people found the matter as an entertainment. They don't seem to remember, that he's a murderer. Moments like those, made Nora wish, that she had never found out about her parents. She pondered if she'd be acting like the rest. If she'd also live in the cloud and speculate like Hannah Abbott that Black had transformed into a plan or think like Ernie McMillan that he had taken a place of one of the teachers.
A lot of things had happened within time. They learned more and more different kinds of spells, potions and creatures. Défense Against the Dark Arts had become Nora's favourite lesson due to Professor Lupin's teaching style. She respected the man even more after a lesson thought by Professor Snape, who had been snarky during the whole lesson. Nora didn't really mind though she was just happy to be occupied with a lot of schoolwork. Her hard-work had started to pay off as she had made-up with her friends, and stress had eased-off.
Olivia on the other hand had hard time dealing with Gryffindor's new house portrait: Sir Cadogan. He was replacing Fat Lady for time being. The students seemed to be all but happy with the change. Both Olivia and Sinead had cursed about the man to Nora. Olivia had explained that the man changed the passwords at least twice a day. They were long and difficult. Nora was glad, that her common room entrance didn't have password system.
Before noticing the first Quidditch game of the year was about to start. The traditional Gryffindor vs. Slytherin had been postponed due Draco Malfoy's hand injury. When the matter had been mentioned both Astoria and Corvus had snorted. "He's faking it," Astoria had explained. Yet, it didn't stop the group from speculating the result for the coming game: Hufflepuff vs. Gryffindor.
"Okay, so we all know that Gryffindor will win the match. The question is: by how much?" Olivia wondered.
"Want to make a bet?" Corvus asked, smirking.
"You bet," Olivia grinned.
"Okay, I will say that Potter will catch the Snitch when they are 80 or more points ahead," Corvus said.
"Nah, he is faster than that! I heard that during his first game against them, he caught the Snitch under five minutes!" Olivia claimed.
"H… how can y… you both be s… so certain a… about Hufflepuff l… losing?" Nora asked. She hated it when her friends underestimated her house.
"I mean, have you seen how Gryffindors play? Wood is great captain, and Hufflepuffs have young and inexperienced team. Plus, Potter is a great Seeker. He has never lost a game," Michelle said, taking part in the conversation. "Statistically speaking the percentage for Hufflepuffs chance to win is small. I think the only way that they can do that, is by Diggory catching the Snitch before Potter, when they aren't too much ahead."
"W… well. I th… think we h… have a fair c… chance to w… win!" Nora said sharply.
"If you say so Nora," Astoria commented.
"Okay, let's make this interesting! If Gryffindors win by over 230 points Corvus gets ten Galleons from me, if less than that I get 10 Galleons from Corvus. If Hufflepuffs wins both Corvus and I will pay Nora 10 Galleons. Does that sound fair?" Olivia asked, making the bet.
"Fine by me," Corvus said indifferently.
"I… it's on!" Nora huffed. She felt a need to defend her house's honour.
The big day came on the next day. The weather was the most horrible. Thunder was loud and strong. Thick rain was pouring nonstop from the sky. People could barely see in front of them. The storm seemed to get even stronger. The loud wind made Nora's braids fly. She stood in Hufflepuff's stand with Corvus and Astoria. Michelle and Olivia on the other hand stood and cheered in Gryffindor's stand. It was more acceptable to have Slytherin students to stay in Hufflepuff's stand than Gryffindor's since the students were mostly more accepting. Naturally though all houses had their own Ernie MacMillan's and Zacharias Smith's, who disapproved Slytherin students.
"W… why won't t… they play in a… another day?" Nora asked, feeling puzzled. If the game was played in a muggle world, the game would have been postponed due the storm.
"I've heard them to cancel a game only due a hurricane, so this kind of weather means nothing," Astoria explained. "So, it is what it is."
Nora nodded grimly. Even through her heating spell, she started to feel cold. She wished that the game would end shortly. "May I do something to your robes Nora?" Corvus asked, and Nora nodded once again. "Impervius."
The cold water no longer sticked in her robes. The heating charm started to work again due the dryness of the robes. Nora didn't mind about the weather as much as before.
The teams arrived in the field and started to play, though people could hardly see them. Lee Jordan stood once again in the commentary stand, yelling words to the enchanted microphone. Due the loud thunders Nora could hardly hear the words.
"Wh… what's the sc… score?" Nora asked.
"Thirty to nothing for Gryffindors," Astoria answered. She was the only one of the three of them, who understood something about Lee's commentary.
"See, I told you so. You're going to lose this one, hard." Corvus stated.
"You can be a real pain in the ass, you know that right?" Astoria commented.
"W… well, the g… game is n… not over y… yet," Nora said.
Ten minutes went by before the players flew to the ground. "Wood asked for a time out," Astoria explained. "It's now 50-0 for Gryffindor." Corvus smirked. His odds looked really good.
There were no signs of the rain stopping. The wind was getting even louder. The thunder still roamed around. The experience was everything else than enjoyable for Nora. If she hadn't made a bet, she would have gone to her common room and enjoyed the day inside. She would be reading books and getting some snacks from Nittie.
The game continued shortly. The viewers could barely see anything, but it seemed that Harry was now able to move better in the field. But it was Cedric who spotted the Snitch first. Nora was able to see Harry flying towards the older student as fast as he could. His plan was stopped by dark creatures. Everything became colder. The rain was like ice. Dementors had arrived and were hungry for sad memories. Depressing thoughts occupied Nora's mind. She remembered meeting the Bogart. Hearing her mother's cry out for help, her father's dead body lying on the ground.
Harry fell off from the broom suddenly. Nora and Astoria both gasped in horror, and everything else was suddenly forgotten. No one noticed that Cedric had caught the Snitch. He is going to die! Nora thought as she watched Harry getting closer and closer to the ground. Tears came into her eyes.
The time seemed to run still. Suddenly Professor Dumbledore was down on the ground, waiting for Harry. He put a spell on him, and the boy fell to the ground slowly, like a feather. Nora felt relief washing over her. No harm had come to Harry. Professor Dumbledore was furious. Nora had never seen the man so angry before. In that moment Nora could understand why he was one of the greatest wizards of all time. He waved at his wand again and silver phoenix came out of his wand. The dementors flew away, and Nora felt like she could breathe again. It looks beautiful, Nora thought about the silver creation.
People sat still in trance. No one seemed to know what to say, or how to behave. On the ground Cedric could be seen to be talking with Madam Hooch. Oliver Wood spoke with the referee shortly and left.
"Well, I guess we owe you 20 Galleons," Corvus said, breaking the silence.
Nora only nodded, not knowing how to respond.
People were having mixed feelings in Hufflepuff's common room. Some were celebrating the historical victory over Gryffindors. Cedric and few others didn't feel like this celebrating since the Dementors had affected to the game in an unfair matter. Harry's fall-out had left dark clouds to the party. Nora's dormmate had told her that Cedric had even asked from Madam Hooch for a rematch, which Oliver Wood had declined.
"You would have caught the Snitch before him, even if he hadn't fallen off the broom," Cedric's classmate had said, trying to comfort the boy.
"Maybe, but he didn't get a fair chance to fight for the victory," Cedric said thoughtfully.
"Well, that's true, but there's no turning around. You can't change the result. Wood himself even admitted that you won the game fairly."
"But -!"
"No buts! What is done is done. Now stop moping, and let's start celebrating. If not for our victory, then for Potter's recovery." Cedric's classmates said and finally the boy gave in. He took some butter-bear and rose his glass.
"Speech, speech, speech!" Everyone in the common room cheered.
"Okay, okay!" Cedric sighed. "It was tough game today, but we are still far away from winning the house cup! If we want to win, we must practise more, so we can play a lot of harder. But let's try to be happy about today's victory and Harry's quick recovery. Here is to the team!"
People drank and the atmosphere in the room changed. People danced, some sang songs and people laughed and chatted. Some girls (and few boys) flirted with Cedric, trying to get closer to the boy. Nora was glad to see the change. They had won fairly, despite the end of the game. Their house rarely got the respect and the acknowledgment that they deserved. Neither had their house had a reason to celebrate for a long time due the events of the previous year.
People were talking freely. Nora heard Susan Bones to talk about the day's events to Hannah Abbott: "Yeah, I'm glad that Harry is alright, but did you hear what happened to his broom?"
"No what?" Hannah asked, feeling interested.
"It was hit by the Whooping Willow!" Susan explained scandalously.
"No way!" Hannah gasped. "Which broom will he choose for himself next?"
"I'm not certain," Susan said. "But he has a lot of money, so maybe a new Nimbus or Comet?" Susan speculated.
"Yes, he will definitely need a new one. Remember what our school brooms are like?" Hannah asked.
"Yes, I know what you mean."
"I'm 'appy to see people celebratin'," Daisy said, startling Nora. She hadn't heard the girl to walk right behind her. "Especially after last year. Wit' all the sorrow and 'ear."
"Y… yes, I a… agree with you." Nora said with a smile.
"I've never 'ad this butterbeer before, it's really yummy!" Daisy sing-sang. "Too bad they don't make these in Muggle world." Daisy was quiet for a moment for a small while: "You know, durin' last year, I regretted time to time of bein' a witch. People like us were targeted. I 'eared for us. And I felt so angry when the worst 'appened to you!"
"I know w… what you m… mean. I f… felt the same w… way," Nora said. "S… sometimes I s… still do. But our g… gift h… has given us a lot of g… great things. This school, a… all the new p… people. Even y… you and me w… wouldn't know o… one an another w… without magic."
"Yeah, that's right." Daisy said with a meek voice. "Plus, times like this, I feel happy, that I get to be a witch."
"Me t… too." Nora said and the two friends shared a smile and celebrated the Hufflepuffs victory till the end of the night.