The Raptor and the Raven
Chapter 7:Knowledge gained, Chances Earned
It had been a month since Diagon Alley and Toboe had been learning how to use her wand nonstop. Hermione watched Toboe as she dueled Harry again, Toboe seemed to have a knack for dueling and was becoming quite good at it. Draco himself was resorted to using more of his father's tactics when dueling the woman but she was quickly turning his defense into his weakness. Ron absolutely hated her and Toboe loathed the 'carrot top' as she called him.
Toboe had asked Dumbledore to modify a empty room into a room that she could practice her magic without destroying the house. Harry and Draco were good duel partners and enjoyed there duels greatly. Toboe seemed to dance as she dueled for she used her physical size and power against her opponents as well as her magic. "Toboe! You win!"Harry called as she held her hand at his throat, her wand centered on his heart. with a smile and a hand she pulled him onto his feet.
"That was fun!"Toboe smiled and cast both cleaning and cooling charms on herself. "Your getting to good to duel Toboe we need to find you another opponent."As Toboe recast the charms on him he gave her a thumbs up in gratitude.
--Dinner that night--
"Hermes I'm being prodded off the dueling floor again."Toboe said that night at dinner."Its because your getting stronger then them Toboe. Maybe one of the Professors will duel with you."Toboe growled as she ate. "whats this I hear about getting kicked of the dueling floor child?"Dumbledore smiled as his eyes twinkled."'arry Hermes and Draco say I'm to good to be dueling them and I need a new opponent."her accent came through thickly. "Face it woman you fight like a Werewolf!"Draco chortled at her. "I'll take it to mean she fights well?"Albus looked at the younger of those there. "She's Brutal! I am starting to think she is planing it!"
Toboe looked at Albus sweetly. Then the look turned evil with her eyes glittering. "Me evil? no way!...Well I might have plotted at some points."Hermione laughed. "Toboe your a good duelist,And I think you need someone more advanced to learn from."Toboe looked at Dumbledore. "I was wondering do I get to go to Hogwarts with Hermes?"Dumbledore shook his head. "You are too old for a student Toboe."Toboe's eyes hit the table for the rest of dinner and before anyone could say anything further she slipped upstairs.
--Down stairs--
Molly looked at Albus. "Surly Albus there must be away to allow Toboe at Hogwarts."Molly cleaned the kitchen with a few flicks of her wand. Severus Snape smirked and said. "Well Headmaster you were inquiring about a dueling instructor."Severus' smirk melted into a dark scowl as Albus looked up and the twinkle deepened.
"Thats Perfect Severus! Toboe can Teach Dueling with Lucius' help. That way we could have two more trustworthy people inside the school!" Severus scowled. Lucius chuckled "Remus will you take over Defense?"Lucius' chuckle turned into a blank face."With pleasure"Remus smiled. "Very well Headmaster"He growled, Severus scowled.
--Up Stairs--
No matter what Hermione tried the door to the dueling room wouldn't open. Draco popped in from his room. "What happened?"Draco asked,he'd been sick all day. "Dumbledore told Toboe that she can't come to Hogwarts and she's pissed but she was dealing with it until Ron started a duel with her!"The floor beneath them shook even though they couldn't hear the explosion."Pissed Potter? It sounds like she's on a rampage in there!! And I almost feel sorry for the Weasel!"Draco walked down stairs and into the sitting room.
Lucius saw his son at the doorway."Yes son?""We have a Problem"Lucius' eyebrow went to his hair line. "How do we have a problem?"Draco smirked. "Toboe is barricaded in the dueling room with the Weasel who started teasing her that Dumbledore wouldn't let her go to Hogwarts"He spoke evenly. Severus looked at his godson. "Where are her familiars?"Draco replied. "With her.."What ever was about to be said was cut off by an explosion.
Molly's scream brought the men into the kitchen to see the hole in the kitchen ceiling and that Toboe was standing on the table looking up at a laughing and pointing Ron."Well now who's looking up to whom wolf!"Toboe backed up to the edge of the table."Serpen funis!"Toboe called and a black serpent-like rope dragged Ron onto the table when she flicked her wand.
"Now we are even,"her wolves jumped out of the room above and flanked Toboe as she turned and left the room with an apology to Molly,she vanished up stairs to clean up."Ron stop picking fights with Toboe she's older and used to fighting!"Hermione said. The professors looked at her for further explanation. "Toboe has a lot of hand-to-hand training"She got confused looks from the pure-bloods "She is good at fighting without a wand."Hermione explained further."Toboe has taught me a few basic defensive moves,but her love is in swords and bladed weapons."Hermione left in search of her illusive friend.
Dumbledore watched as with a few flicks of her wand Molly fixed the kitchen ceiling. "So she has fighting skills. I want her to try and teach the DA those skills,I think Severus' idea will go through."As Dumbledore and the Order talked and worked it out into a full-blown plan. "Severus will you teach Toboe the art of potions?"The dark wizard scowled,But he agreed when he saw something in the elder wizards eyes.
--Second floor--
Toboe wandered upstairs past Mrs. Black's portrait."Who are you girl speak up!"The painting growled. "I am Toboe who are you?"Mrs. Black was aghast this child had brought back her baby's wand,yet didn't know who she was. "I am Delmaria Black. You brought my Regulus' wand back from a battlefield."Toboe remembered the black wand she had scooped up. "I didn't know who's wand it was Mrs. Black I just grabbed it."Hermione had gone outside looking for Toboe and missed the semi-polite conversation between the normally howling portrait and her wolf-like friend.
"I must find a place of my own to sleep I hate sharing a room with Weasel's baby sister he pops in using her for an excuse. Toboe growled to the portrait who sat in thought and smirked on how to repay the information on her baby. For a Slytherin always repays a debt. "Speak the words 'Cado astrum' and I will show you a place in return for Regulus' wand being returned to this house.
"Cado astrum"Toboe repeated dutifully. Mrs. Black's portrait swung forwards revealing a door way. Toboe stepped through into the darkness,And came out into a room. All of the furniture was dark cherry wood,Covered in emerald silk and highlighted in silver. It was a Slytherin themed bedroom. For connected to it was a bathroom that unknown to Toboe was modeled after the head's bathroom at Hogwarts.
Toboe loved it. "This is incredible! And its even has my favorite colors."Delmaria was surprised for a moment about the girls reaction to the room,but she figured she was a Slytherin. Hermione had arrived just as the portrait had finished closing.
Toboe finally relaxed fully in the room. Severus and Lucius explored and found the room completely fit for their mistress.
--A while later--
"Mrs. Black may I remain here for my stay in Black manor?"Toboe asked politely. Mrs. Black was pleased by the young womans manners. "Of course you may child. It would be nice to have some one to talk to."Then Delmaria raised her voice. "Kreacher!"The house elf appeared. "Yes My mistress."His voice was groveling. "You will see to this child's comfort Kreacher! You will obey her."
Mrs. Black looked at Toboe to see shock on the woman's face. Delmaria smiled that the child was in awe of the house of Black. "Yes mistress!"Kreacher bowed. Delmaria slipped out to have fun screaming at the mudbloods in her home. "What would you like miss?"He groveled,Toboe looked at him. "My things are in Ginny Weasely's room can you move them here Kreacher? For I wish to bathe."Toboe's voice rolled out. "At once Miss!"The house elf popped out and Toboe vanished into the bathing room her wolves in tow.
--Dinner time 2 days later--
Toboe's steps were silent as she approached the kitchen. "Where is Toboe she needs to eat she is a growing woman." Molly's voice echoed through the hallway. And with that Toboe entered the kitchen"I'm here Molly."she said nothing else for the rest of dinner except the polite please and thank yous. Hermione had seen this behavior before, Toboe hated staying behind. It was a huge blow to the woman.
As soon as Toboe and her wolves had eaten their fill they vanished out the kitchen door. Ginny spoke up after she heard the back door slam. "Toboe's stuff isn't in my room anymore. And I never see her waiting for the bathroom in the morning."Ginny was worried she had became fond of the American woman when she shoved Ron out of there room for barging in and going through his sister's stuff.
"Toboe wanted to go to Hogwarts and learn more,she has read through most of the Black family library already and she won't tell me who she is dueling. I know she is dueling someone because I have seen her popping into the dueling room and coming out tired but smiling."Hermione wondered but kept going. "She keeps disappearing around the second floor for hours. Sev and Luc are clean I've smelt them."
"Anyone seen Remus eat yet?"Sirius interrupted. "Remus...That's IT! She's dueling Remus!"Harry yipped. "No harry that cant be it. Three days ago was the full moon Remus is sick still. She was in the dueling room that day. There is no way Remus could duel then."Remus walked through the kitchen door looking slightly green. "you OK Moony?"Sirius asked. "Still here Padfoot."Remus replied. "Where's Toboe she didn't come and talk with me today?"
"She just went out the back door Remus."Ginny offered. "No she didn't I came in the back door."Ginny's eyes got big. Draco spoke up. "Well who tends to go missing about the same time she does?"Hermione smiled at him. "Thats hard there are so many people here!"
--At that moment elsewhere--
Dumbledore walked into the basement lab to see three unlikely people sitting near one another. Severus Snape,Toboe and Lucius Malfoy all in one room. Toboe was brewing a potion while Severus was growling points and theory as she stalked around her,Lucius was reading a book listening to his friend in his element.
"Ah the three people I wanted to see!"Toboe cocked her head to the side showing she was listening as she continued her potion. "Toboe there is a way you can come to Hogwarts."Toboe tensed up. "Ms. Granger has told me of your muggle hand-to-hand combat knowledge and I wish you to teach it to the students."Toboe thought. "Would I be teaching alone?"She asked as she chopped nightshade root. "No, Lucius will be with you to teach advanced Dueling."Toboe flicked her eyes to the sitting Malfoy.
"Do you want to teach with me Mr. Malfoy?"he smirked at her inquiry. "If you teach me hand to hand combat also Toboe."She smiled nodding her agreement. "Will Professor Snape be there?"Toboe added the chopped nightshade. "Yes I will be and I will continue to instruct you, as Albus requested."Toboe raised her eyes as she mentally counted her stirs. "I will teach them Dumbledore."She removed the glass stirring rod and stepped aside for Snape's examination.
Albus' blue eyes twinkled as he watched Toboe answer question after question from his potions master. "Very well Toboe or should I say Professor Toboe."She smiled at him,her eyes glittering beautifully. "You will come to the school with Severus and Lucius in three days in order to get both the paperwork done and to set up both your classroom and quarters."Toboe opened her mouth. "Before you ask my dear your wolves are welcome also."She relaxed.
Dumbledore smiled at her as he extended his hand towards the young woman,She shook it and smiled before hugging him gently. "Thank you Sir."Her voice was thick with emotion but she held it back. "See you then Professor's"And with that Albus Dumbledore Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry departed.