See prologue for warnings and disclaimer.
Moonlight and Shadows: Chapter 8
The staff table was put back up on the platform that night, and the five made their way up to it, feeling more like teachers with every step. Professor Sprout was still in the Hospital Wing, so Neville took her place at the table, to the right of Professor McGonagall. Harry saw her hesitate a moment before sitting in her Headmistress' chair. Hermione sat on McGonagall's left. Malfoy was supposed to be sitting next to Hermione, but neither Ron, who was supposed to take Filch's place at the end of the table, nor Draco could abide by those rules. So Ron sat next to Hermione, then Harry, then Malfoy. He might have given a slightly disgusted look at having to sit by Harry, but that look was no match for his expression as Professor Trelawney sat down on his other side.
Harry watched as Malfoy's face went from horrified to extremely angry, and switched between the two, finally resting on a surprisingly deep red blush. Harry was floored. Malfoy was horrified, angry, and embarrassed all at the same time, because of Professor Trelawney? It reminded him of the time Malfoy was turned back to a human after being bounced around as a ferret for a while.
Professor Trelawney, however, hadn't said anything to Malfoy... so Harry reasoned that Malfoy's reaction to her had to be based on something that she'd said or done before? It was a guess. He looked around the Hall and deduced that no one else had seen Malfoy's glares at the tablecloth. And to Malfoy, neither had Harry.
"This isn't good," he caught from Hermione, and he leaned in front of Ron to see what was the matter. "We shouldn't all be sitting here like this, we should be mingling with the other teachers..."
"Hermione," Ron sighed. "We'll have all bloody year to– OW!" Professor McGonagall, walking behind his chair, heard him swear and smacked his ear. Everyone laughed, even Hermione and Professor McGonagall. Malfoy sniggered heartily.
"I do hope you don't take over all aspects of Mr. Filch's position, Mr. Weasley," she said merrily. "Miss Granger, the staff as a whole does not expect you all to fit right in comfortably with the other teachers; in fact, we'd rather you were closer to the students."
Hermione rested more easily at that, and the rest of the meal passed in silence. Harry was able to look over the barely-filled tables in anticipation of the pupils he would have in three days. The Hall was extremely quiet. The few students who had stayed through the summer holidays were sitting there, some with their parents and families. All of the Weasleys remained, and Harry saw Mrs. Weasley looking up at Ron proudly a few times during dinner. It was too quiet. Ron was moodily playing with his food, and Harry knew they were thinking the same thing– if Fred were alive, he and George would let all hell break loose one of these moments... he instinctively looked at George, who was smirking at Percy.
And suddenly, Malfoy shrieked. Harry winced at the noise, which had nearly pierced Harry's left eardrum. He looked over at Malfoy's wide-eyed, choked expression, then gasped himself. Something extremely cold and ticklish was ascending his left leg. He looked again at George, who was not able to conceal a grin, and then around the Hall, which housed puzzled, alarmed expressions. A second later, Ron yelled "AGH!" to Harry's right.
Malfoy had stood up, but was bending over and feeling around both his pant legs. The small, frozen, tickling object was crawling up both Harry's legs as well. He imitated Malfoy and bent down to grasp whatever it was. But the moment he touched it, even through his pant leg, he withdrew his hand as though burned. A glance at Malfoy and Ron showed him that the same thing was happening to them. All along the staff table, the teachers were rising and yelling and hopping around, unable to touch whatever was bothering them. Everyone to Malfoy's left seemed to have been skipped, and Professor Trelawney was staring up at them all from her seat, utterly perplexed.
The faces in the Hall were amused, but still bewildered. As Harry's creatures slowly reached to well above his knees, he shared an alarmed glance with Malfoy, and they both sat down hastily. Ron did the same, then Hermione, and everyone else along the table, realizing that the objects would not stop climbing, and were sure to reach an uncomfortable height in everyone's pants. They could not stop squirming and occasionally gasping and yelling, however.
Laughing outright, George climbed up on the table he was sitting at and held up a wooden box.
"INVISIBLE ICE DEVILS!" he yelled triumphantly. "Creations of George and Percy Weasley! A bargain at 5 galleons per box. Watch the alarming progression of the frozen rodents, which will automatically climb up anyone's legs! BUT, because we love you all, they will save their victims from anything very highly embarrassing."
Everyone in the Hall, including the female teachers, was rolling around in their seats laughing. But although they felt a reassuring warming sensation as the mice disappeared, the male teachers looked quite put off and defiant. Harry looked at Ron, who had his forehead in his hand and was muttering "Not funny... not funny...", and at Malfoy, who was staring at the ceiling with his arms folded, as if willing the situation to all have been a dream.
As Harry knew it would, Ron's head snapped up.
"Percy?!" he said, appalled.
Professor McGonagall had been chuckling, but she stood up. George was climbing down off the table, and as her voice rang sternly through the Hall, he froze.
"George Weasley!" she commanded. He and Percy looked up, uncertainly. Her look softened. "Be glad I can't punish you." They laughed as McGonagall sat back down, obviously not serious about their consequences.
"Ha!" Harry could hear Percy say. "I love this... I put in half the imagination, and you get all the blame!"
The Hall was a little less quiet after that, and many people were slapping George and Percy on the back and offering congratulations. It was obvious that most people were simply relieved that the Weasleys' fun and games were not all over, and that they had thought to break the silence. Malfoy's shriek was another source of amusement, but Harry tried not to snigger at the comments he heard. He marveled at just how easy it was to hear select conversations from the staff table. It was no wonder that Dumbledore had always looked pointedly at them when the trio was having a serious conversation... Harry doubted that even Muffliato would work on the staff table. It must have been bewitched so that the teachers could have an idea of what was going on under their very noses. Umbridge must have been thrilled, Harry mused.
The dessert course was nearly over, and Harry saw Malfoy preparing to stand.
"Malfoy," he said quietly out of the corner of his mouth. "11 at Sir Cagogan." Malfoy's eyes narrowed at his goblet.
"Midnight, trophy room." he countered to Harry. Harry thought, then nodded once, and Malfoy immediately rose to leave. Many eyes were on him, but he seemed not to notice as he walked out. Ron turned to Harry with an excited giggle at once.
"Did you hear–" he started.
"Yeah, it was right in my ear," said Harry crossly.
"But wasn't it funny?
"Well... yeah. But don't go bringing it up, Ron."
"Why the hell not?"
"Because we're all teachers, Ron. It would be below our positions," answered Hermione, who had been listening. "Harry's right, it wouldn't be nice."
"Nice?! Nice?!" said Ron, aghast. "Since when–"
"Besides," continued Hermione. "I heard your little yelp when the things hit you!" Ron colored and started muttering. Harry half sighed in relief... he still didn't have any real reason to be nice to Malfoy, except to possibly be seen as trustworthy to him. And Ron wouldn't understand that at all.
Harry had four whole hours to kill until he would meet Malfoy. He settled on reading one of his many Quidditch books, disappointed that he wouldn't be participating in the sport for the second year in a row. What's the use of being called the best young seeker in a century if I never actually play?! He might have settled for just being a Quidditch instructor (Madame Hooch had been killed in the Battle of Hogwarts) instead of the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher. His mind wandered from his book to his day, from being interrupted on his way to the Room of Requirement to Malfoy's inability to get into his Gringott's vault, to his godson...
Godson! Harry remembered Teddy once again and his resolve to go visit him the next day. He looked at the clock; it was 9:25, so he supposed he could still send Tonks' mother an owl. But then, he needed permission from Professor McGonagall to actually go. Whose permission should he attain first? Then he remembered that he didn't have an owl. So, he could go to Ron's room (Hermione's room, really) and try to borrow Pig... or he could try to find McGonagall and just get permission from her first...
Harry was surprised that this simple dilemma caused him so much excitement. He had actually sat up straight to think properly, and he was attacking this as if it were a real issue. If he had needed to admit to himself that his brain needed exercise, he admitted it then. He had taken this opportunity to work out a problem so fiercely that he knew he always needed a mystery to solve. And he had to work on this one, lame and unimportant as it was.
NO. He wouldn't let himself think that. This is family. This is what I've never had. This is important! Harry rose from his comfortable armchair and wrenched open his door. He almost laughed at how dramatic the gesture seemed.
He made his way down to the entrance to Hermione's room, hesitating before knocking. He hoped they were both decent and that none of them would have to explain away a compromising situation. Ron opened the door cheerfully and fully dressed, however. Of course they would have known that their visitor was Harry. The three agreed with Ginny when they all got their rooms that it would be wise to let each of them know passwords and secret passages, in case of any emergency. Well... this isn't an emergency, but I'm not just letting myself in, reasoned Harry.
Hermione sat lazily on the couch in her living room, greeting Harry as Ron shut the door. Hermione's main room was larger than Harry's or Ron's, and they knew if they had any parties, they would have to hold them in her quarters.
"What is it, mate?" prompted Ron.
"Actually I just needed to borrow Pig, if that's ok," he said. But before he'd even finished, Hermione had gasped and leaped up to hug him. Harry glanced at Ron, who was beaming.
"What–" started Harry.
"Oh Harry," said Hermione. "We've been wanting you to ask that for a month!"
"Why?"
"Because, Harry, we got... Oh, just come here, you'll see!" She led Harry into her office area, where Ron opened a short cabinet and took out a cage.
In it was the second-most beautiful snowy owl Harry had ever seen. Harry could do nothing but stare at it.
"We would have given him to you earlier, mate, but Hermione's idea was that you could have him when you needed an owl. And you just haven't asked to borrow one for a month, so we just kept him..." Ron said.
"Him?" Harry managed to say.
"Yeah, it's a male. But snowy owl, just like Hedwig... reckon it's the last one in England..."
"Harry," Hermione interrupted. "We're sure that he's Hedwig's brother!"
"Hedw... really?" said Harry, finally taking the cage and holding it up to get a good look at the bird.
Hermione nodded and added, "And he doesn't have a name. We made sure not to call him anything so you could name him."
As he looked at what was sure to be Hedwig's brother, he couldn't help searching for any recognizable feature. Sure enough, he recognized the owl's amber eyes just like Hedwig's. He was reminded of recognizing another set of eyes, only they had been blue...
"His name is Aberforth," he declared a moment later.
"That's brilliant, Harry!" praised Hermione. Ron nodded. Harry looked over both of them.
"I... it's so... I'm glad you got her brother," he said. "He's really beautiful... thank you."
"'He's really beautiful'?" Ron quoted with a smirk. "Harry, if you weren't talking about a bird..." he laughed and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"You're welcome, Harry. Now you don't have to use Pig!"
"Hey!" said Ron.
"By the way," said Harry, interrupting this. "Are you interested in visiting Teddy with me tomorrow?"
"Oh," sighed Hermione. "I don't know, Harry, we just promised Neville we'd help him tidy up the greenhouses tomorrow. But if McGonagall doesn't let you go alone, we definitely will!"
"Sorry, mate," said Ron.
"S'ok, Maybe I should just go myself. Anyway, thanks, guys," he smiled.
He was extremely touched by their gift, and he was thrilled that they'd put the energy into seeing that he got Hedwig's brother. He checked his watch, the gift from Mr. and Mrs. Weasley. It was already after 10, and he made his way as best as he could with the owl cage toward the Headmaster's staircase. He'd just gotten in sight of the stone gargoyles at the base of it when Professor McGonagall's voice echoed behind him.
"Mr. Potter?" she said uncertainly. He turned.
"Professor McGonagall, I–"
"Is that your owl, Mr. Potter? But I thought she was dead!"
"This is her brother, Professor. I just got him. Gift from Ron and Hermione," he added.
"Ah."
"His name is Aberforth," Harry said proudly, unable to stop himself. Professor McGonagall gave him a long look of something between surprise and admiration.
"Suitable," she said. "Now, Mr. Potter, you were looking for me?"
"Yes, I was wondering if I might have permission to visit Ted– er, my godson? That is, Remus and Tonks'–"
"Yes, I know who Teddy is. You wanted to do this tomorrow?"
"If possible. I had forgotten about him, you see, and I think I should visit him before the start of term..."
"I think that is entirely appropriate." Harry sighed with relief. "You will be going with someone?" she said, looking at Harry pointedly. Harry took this to mean that of course, he would not be allowed to leave the castle without a companion.
"Er... yes... yes, Professor."
"Good. You may dine with Andromeda tomorrow evening, then."
"Thank you, Professor."
"Certainly, Mr. Potter. Family must come first." He smiled back at her and made his way back to his quarters. He put Aberforth on his desk and promised to get him food and treats as soon as possible. He could no longer write a letter; it was 10:30 and the journey would take Aberforth hours.
Harry settled down with his Quidditch books again before remembering the Marauder's Map, and deciding to stare at it for a while. It was so empty now that Harry actually had to search for any dots at all. Every one of Hogwarts' nine floors (including the ground floor and dungeons) was completely deserted, as far as Harry could see. Teachers were in their offices and students were in their dormitories, but the corridors remained blank. Then Harry spotted three dots moving together on the seventh floor, just below the Gryffindor portrait hole. The minuscule dots proclaimed the students as Seamus Finnegan, Dean Thomas, and Ginny Weasley.
He watched them for a minute, wondering whether to investigate this or be concerned about it at all. They were only walking along the hallway, after all, and it wasn't even 11. He decided to simply check the map every so often, to find out where the three were going. After ten minutes, they were on the descending the stairs to the fourth floor, and Harry had no reason to suspect them. They'd already passed the Room of Requirement, which Harry was happy about. If they'd disappeared there, he might have reason to really wonder about what they were up to.
Half an hour later, they were in the kitchens, and Harry had decided to amble up to the trophy room on the third floor. He would be extremely early, but he had nothing else to do. He was moseying along the rows of gleaming bronze, silver, and gold cups and medals and statues and other awards when Malfoy spoke.
"Fancy a duel, Potter?" He leaned casually against the doorframe. Harry frowned at his map– he'd only checked it five minutes ago; now he saw that Ginny, Seamus, and Dean were all on the first floor– but his vision went blank as he realized. He'd offered to duel here in their first year, and he'd tipped off Filch that they would be there that night. Malfoy had finally followed up on his offer for an all-out duel. It was seven years overdue, and there was no way Harry would accept.
"No, I don't," he answered.
"Chicken?" sneered Malfoy.
"As if. You were, though, not to show up back then."
"I had better things to do."
"And now you have nothing better to do than to duel me? Look, Malfoy," he said, not waiting for the answer to his question. "If that's all you wanted to do, if you just wanted to duel me, then you can go back to your dungeons and forget it. I was serious about you going to the Room of Requirement, but if it isn't that important to you, fine. Leave now." Malfoy was silent for a moment, narrowing his eyes at Harry.
"I'm going to the Room," he answered.
"Ok. Good." Harry looked at the map again, just as Malfoy turned to walk out. He caught Malfoy in alarm, however, suddenly aware that Ginny, Dean, and Seamus would be walking past the door of the trophy room any second. Harry didn't know if he was actually anxious and worried about being seen, or if it was just habit that made him want to stay undiscovered.
Nevertheless, he had grabbed Malfoy's forearm, and too late had realized that it was his left. Malfoy had reacted with a strangled "gah!" and his right arm had swing forward, out of the doorway. He turned back to Harry and wrenched his arm from Harry's grip just as Harry let go in fright, and they heard a girl's voice asking if there was anything there. Malfoy glared at Harry, seething. Harry had no choice.
"Duel," he whispered.
Malfoy immediately yelled a Jelly-Legs Jinx at Harry. Harry barely wobbled a second before pointing his wand at his own legs. Ginny, Seamus, and Dean were already at the door.
"Finite," Harry muttered. Malfoy spun around and pointed his wand at the three students.
"Protego," Harry said almost lazily. He knew Malfoy wouldn't really curse any students. He would be risking his teaching position. He turned to glare at Harry again, but lowered his wand.
"What are you doing?!" exclaimed Ginny.
"Friendly duel, Weasley. What are you doing?"
"Er..." she said, looking at Dean and Seamus nervously. Malfoy caught this and sneered. "No, no!" said Ginny, "that's not what I meant! I mean–"
"You aren't in trouble, Ginny. Don't worry. Going down to the kitchens isn't a crime yet," said Harry, withdrawing his shield. Dean and Seamus looked relieved, but Ginny's eyes narrowed.
"Harry Potter, you use that map when it's useful! Not just to spy on people!" She meant it as an order.
"I wasn't, really, I just..." Malfoy crossed his arms. "Well anyway," Harry continued. "Just go on up or... whatever you were doing..." Ginny was still scowling at him.
"And what about you? Going to continue your stupid little duel? It isn't going to help anything, it's only going to make things worse for you. You should be ashamed! You're teachers now!" she finished boldly, sounding like Hermione.
"Don't worry about it, Ginny. Trust me, we'll both be alive tomorrow. Just go back to the Tower." She frowned at him for a second longer, then nodded and retreated with the other two, who waved goodnight to Harry. It felt distinctly odd to be defending a battle with Malfoy... a fictional battle with Malfoy... when for six years he had tried not to get caught dueling at all.
Malfoy had raised his wand again.
"Where were we?" Before Harry could react, Malfoy had hit Harry with a Stinging Hex. He watched Harry gasp with pain, raised an eyebrow, smirked, and walked out of the classroom. Harry clutched at where the jinx had hit him... it was his left forearm.
He caught up with Malfoy, who wasn't far off. They were walking slowly, so as to give Dean, Seamus, and Ginny a head start along the corridors. Harry was still rubbing his swollen wrist. He desperately cast the Aguamenti Charm to get some relief from the spell. His robes were drenched from the stream of water coming from his wand, but his wrist felt the same. Malfoy chuckled.
"Pick your poison, Potter..." Harry disregarded this and decided to check his map again. The other three were already on the fifth floor, so Harry deemed it safe to speed up.
"What is that thing, anyway?" Malfoy indicated the parchment.
"Map," Harry said.
"Aw, does Potty still get lost?" Malfoy laughed. Harry rolled his eyes in annoyance.
"It shows the people in the castle," he explained reluctantly. He shouldn't divulge the map's secrets to Malfoy, who would steal the map at the very least.
"Fascinating," Malfoy said in a very bored voice. They said nothing until the sixth floor. Harry had just made sure Ginny, Dean, and Seamus were all in their dormitories, and Malfoy spoke.
"This room, Potter."
"Yeah?"
"You think there's something wrong with it now?"
"Dunno, do I?" answered Harry. Malfoy didn't look pleased with his answer, but Harry honestly had no idea what to expect. Finally, they reached the stretch of wall they usually paced in front of. They stood for a moment simply staring at it. Harry had no idea what to ask the room to become. He didn't dare investigate the cathedral full of hidden things; he had no idea what he might find.
"Well, genius Potter, you led us to the wall. Now what?"
"I think we should just ask for the room," he said, still staring at the wall.
"That's imaginative," Malfoy retorted sarcastically. Harry ignored him and started to pace. Please become the Room of Requirement, take any form, just become the room... become the room... He looked up. Malfoy crossed his arms and surveyed the wall, which was blank.
"You know, that stone might look like a doorknob... oh wait. Probably not, since Potter is too stupid to even ask for one."
"You do it then!" Harry had only tried once, but he'd asked the simplest thing of the room, and nothing had happened. Perhaps it was like a bogart, and it took no shape except the one requested of it?
"You have to ask it for something, Potter. That's why is the Room of Requirement."
"You do it then!" Harry said again impatiently. Malfoy shook his head and started pacing with his head down and his eyes closed. Harry tried not to look at the wall, bracing himself for the sight of it remaining a blank wall. But Malfoy stopped pacing, and he couldn't help looking up.
"HA!" Malfoy said triumphantly. The large wooden door was back in the wall, and Harry was relieved.
"What is it?" he asked.
"A room where we can investigate the damage." Harry thought this was hardly different than his request of the room, but he was too happy to see the door to let that bother him. Malfoy crossed to the door first, and opened it slowly.
The room inside was like an unused classroom– stony, mostly bare, and cold. Black soot coated the walls, ceiling, and floor heavily, and the remains of a few desks sat charred in a corner. At least the room still works, reasoned Harry. He touched the wall with a finger and it was instantly coated with black ash. He pointed his wand at the wall and muttered "Tergeo," however, and nothing happened. He repeated the spell. Turning towards the pile of desk remains, he tried the Vanishing Spell on them. Again, nothing happened.
"So," Harry concluded, "you can't do magic in here..."
"Well, not on the room." Before Harry could stop him, Malfoy had thrown the Jelly-Legs Jinx at Harry once again, and the effects were instantaneous. Harry wobbled around just as he had done before, and then set his legs right again. Malfoy looked triumphant.
"But you can take the ash off with your fingers..." Harry hopelessly looked around for a sort of bucket and cloth, and to his amazement, one appeared on the opposite side of the room. He filled it with water from his wand, then took the soaked rag and ran it over the stone. The ash came off easily, and underneath it was the bleak grey of the normal walls. "So we could clean it like Muggles," Harry finished.
"Never," Malfoy said immediately.
"Well, if the Room doesn't work with any other requests unless it's clean... wait a moment... Kreacher?" The elf's ears bobbed in front of him immediately.
"Master Potter," he bowed breathlessly.
"Are you bored?" Harry asked. Malfoy snorted loudly. "I mean," Harry went on, "could you get a few friends and clean this room?"
"Certainly, Master Potter. Kreacher would be delighted," he beamed. "Is that all?"
"Who do you take orders from, exactly?" Malfoy asked suddenly.
"Professor McGonagall... and Master Potter," he said, and Harry detected the note of pride in the elf's voice, though his eyes widened at the sight of Malfoy.
"Anyway, Kreacher," Harry said before this got out of hand, "that's all. Thank you." The elf beamed again and bowed, then disappeared.
"I can't believe–"
"Shut up, Malfoy." Harry didn't need to hear about how he treated his elf. He'd become fond of Kreacher. "Let's go." They left the room, and once they were back in the corridor, Harry attempted small talk, though he didn't know why. He couldn't care less if Malfoy didn't talk to him at all. "Well..." he started. "That went better than expected. Now we don't have to worry about cleaning it tomorrow–"
"–Which is good, because you would have tried to make me do it, seeing as you'll be on the other side of the country."
"How'd you–" Harry started, incredulous.
"I listen, Potter. You have your stupid map. I have ears. And I wouldn't have cleaned for you anyway–"
"No kidding–"
"–Because it just so happens I'm going too."
"What?!" Harry exclaimed, stopping dead and accidentally slipping into the trick stair just below him. He flailed, and for a moment which seemed like an eternity, he thought Malfoy would just let him thrash about. But then Malfoy grabbed Harry's wrist. This wasn't very comforting, however, because it was Harry's left wrist, which was still swollen and throbbing. He gasped with pain and Malfoy smirked, but Harry was able to right himself and wrench his arm back, remembering why he lost his balance. "What?!" he said again.
"I'm going, too," said Malfoy again, resuming walking down the steps.
"Why?!" said Harry, following.
"You are so dense, Potter. Because I can. So be sure to mention it when you send Andromeda the letter asking if you can go." Harry was so shocked that he couldn't speak, which hadn't happened to him in a long time. He didn't believe Malfoy's excuse of going with him simply because he could, but something in him said that his reasons would be revealed later, along with everything else about Malfoy. Harry was losing track of everything he wanted to know about Malfoy.
They walked in silence for the rest of the way, and Harry left Malfoy wordlessly when they reached the second floor. Despite the many mysteries consuming his thoughts, he drifted to sleep easily with a last look at Aberforth.
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO
A/N: Sorry again for the delay... my brain has been ALL OVER the place. I got distracted with youtube, and then I got distracted with fanart, and then I got distracted with rereading the first 3 HP books, and in the middle of it all I had my first really minor car accident, which was a shocker.
But I'm back! haha. Thanks again for all the lovely reviews, you keep me going.
Don't expect all the chapters to be this long I was quite surprised when I finished!
Keep reviewing and I will keep updating! I would love 40 before Chapter 9... :) love you all!