Sorry it's taken so long to get up. I've been having brain freezes. And when I didn't make the writing team at my school... well, let's just say my confidence took a major blow. Also, I know that people finding out their destinies is totally catastrophic, but just for the fun of this story let's pretend it's not. Happy reading and PLEASE REVIEW!!
The Half-Blood Prince
Maleera prayed as she read. She prayed that Dumbledore would listen to all of the books before he decided what to do with Snape. As she read she winced through Snape's explanations of all of his good and semi-good actions when Bellatrix inquired of how they knew he was still on their side. Dumbledore shifted when she read this, but said nothing. Still tense in her carved wooden chair, Maleera read on.
She winced when Snape made the Unbreakable Vow and heard Snape shift uncomfortably, but slightly relaxed as she read her way through Dumbledore's visit to the Dursley's and his trip to Slughorn's. By the time she was at the Burrow with Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the Weasley's, she was getting into the story, doing their voices and letting the words flow sweetly off her tongue.
If this wasn't a real story, she thought, I might have been able to read myself their, just like in Inkheart.
She smiled as she thought of her favorite book.
The hours passed, the professors heard about Harry's trip to Diagon Alley, his theory on Malfoy being a Death Eater (at which Snape snorted at), the Slug Club meeting, Harry spying on Malfoy and getting rescued by Tonks, Snape's rude comments at both of them, Harry's Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson with Snape, and how, when Slughorn gave Ron and Harry their copies of Advanced Potion-Making, Harry got the Half-Blood Prince's. At the end of Chapter Nine, The Half-Blood Prince, Dumbledore held up his hand to stop her.
Outside the grounds were completely black, the old clock said it was 11 o'clock.
"I think that is enough for tonight," the headmaster said gravely.
"But sir," Maleera protested, " the whole school's going to be crazy about what Igna's probably told them. You mustlisten to all of these books as soon as possible or you'll have a full scale riot on your hands!"
"Why does reading the books matter, Maleera?" Dumbledore looked old and tired. "Snape no longer is welcome at this school. That shall solve all matters."
"No!" Maleera hissed. "You've got to read them so you can give me permission to let the rest of the school read them."
"Why do you need permission from me?" Dumbledore was getting angry, sparks were starting to fly in his blue eyes. "I have no problem with letting everyone read about his true loyalties."
Dumbledore motioned at Snape when he said this.
"But... but," Maleera looked close to tears, "the books, they have some of the deepest, darkest secrets in them. Your deepest, darkest secrets! I need your permission for everyone to read them. It's the only reason I've been hiding these books from you. From everyone!"
Dumbledore's eyes softened a bit, "Very well, read to us Maleera, but first, let me get Madam Pomfry to get you a voice soothing potion, and perhaps a little meal wouldn't hurt either."
"Yes, sir, thank you, sir," Maleera said.
So Maleera sat patiently as Madam Pomfry bustled around, tsking at Dumbledore for making "a poor girl read for the whole night". She also acted like Snape had a deadly disease, apparently Igna's news had traveled like a wildfire around the school. After a few sandwiches, a goblet of pumpkin juice, and a sweet, syrupy, substance that soothed her throat immensely, Maleera began to read again.
They went through Harry's first lesson with Dumbledore, watching Gaunt, Merope, Morfin, and Ogden, next the Quidditch tryouts, Katie's incident with the necklace, and Harry's guess on who gave it to her. Then there was Tom Riddle's discovery of being a wizard, Gryffindor's success in their first Quidditch match, Malfoy's capture at Slughorn's party and his conversation with Snape, and Harry's Christmas Break.
The night wore on, a pinkish tinge had appeared on the horizon as Maleera started the seventeenth chapter. She took more of the potion Madam Pomfry had left for her voice and continued on. She read about Tom Riddle's visit to Morfin and Slughorn's half complete memory, the apparation lessons, Ron accidently taking some love potion and falling for Romilda, and then Ron being poisoned.
Next Gryffindor's victorious Quidditch match, Harry ordering Kreacher and Dobby to follow Malfoy, and Voldemort's visit to Hepzibah.
Just as it was about time for breakfast, Dumbledore stopped her again.
"After a bit of breakfast I would like you to continue reading," Dumbledore told Maleera. "Severus, I shall make sure the school knows that their potions classes shall be a free period."
"Yes, headmaster," Snape murmured.
Dumbledore got up to leave, then paused, "Ah, yes. Breakfast, of course."
With a casual flick of his wand, Dumbledore conjured up a huge bowel of porridge accompanied by bowels of fresh fruit, brown sugar, and treacle, along with a jug of pumpkin juice and two goblets. Then he left.
For a minute Maleera and Snape sat awkwardly. Neither wanting to make the first move. Maleera, finally tired of her aching throat, tentatively reached for her flask of voice soothing potion. With the same kind of tentativeness, Snape took a bowel, filled it with warm porridge, and scooped several raisons into it. After taking a big gulp of the potion, Maleera did the same, but topped her porridge with brown sugar. By the time Dumbledore came back, both had finished their breakfast and were sitting motionless in their chairs.
Dumbledore seemed barely perturbed by the awkwardness in his study as he told Snape, "Well, the staff and students, as I highly suspected they would be, are in quite an uproar about what Miss. Penman had to say. I told them that I would decide what would be done about you in three days time, so Maleera, I'm afraid you will have to read us those two books with great speed if we are to prove Severus's innocence."
"Sir, I thought that-" Maleera began.
"You thought I didn't believe Snape was innocent?" Dumbledore cut her off looking extremely serious.
"Well, yes," Maleera said. "It did sound a lot like you thought that when I first began reading."
Dumbledore sighed deeply, "I do not believe you would have hid these books without good reason, Maleera. You are not like that. I also believe you wouldn't demand to read us these books in one sitting without wanting to prove something as serious as this."
"Yes, sir," Maleera told him.
"Very well," Dumbledore sat down, "Begin Maleera."
For the rest of the day she took them through what was left of sixth book of Harry Potter. How Slughorn had told Riddle about Horcruxes, Harry using Sectumsempra on Malfoy, Harry hiding hisAdvanced Potion-Making in the Room of Requirements by the bust of an ugly, old warlock with a tarnished tiara, Harry's fury at Snape for telling Voldemort about the Prophecy, and Harry's journey to that cliff over-looking the sea.
She forced herself through the cave scene, through Dumbledore screaming in agony as Harry was forced to tip the horrible potion down his throat. With a deep breath she plunged through the twenty-seventh chapter, through Dumbledore's conversation with Malfoy, Fenrir Greyback, Amycus, and Alecto. With increasing difficulty she finished the chapter.
On she read throughFlight of the Prince and the last two chapters, and finally, as the bell rang for the last class of the day to begin, Maleera finished the last line of Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.
"...with Ron and Hermione."
Dumbledore nodded, x-raying Maleera with his brilliant blue eyes, finger tips pressed together.
Looking up, Maleera placed book six down and picked up book seven.
"Not quite yet, Maleera," Dumbledore said, " Eat a little, take a rest. Then tonight we shall start Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows."
"Thank you, sir," Maleera murmured.
"I just hope it will explain all of this," Dumbledore mused.
"It will, sir," Maleera assured him.
Dumbledore nodded again, "For your sake, Severus, I very much hope it does. Here you are Maleera."
Dumbledore waved his wand and some sandwiches and a bed appeared. "I'll be in my study if you need anything. Severus, you should go to yours too.
Snape looked at Dumbledore with an unreadable expression. Then both professors stood up and swept out of the room to their studies.
That's it for now folks! I hoped you liked it. I couldn't help myself with the foreshadowing for Deathly Hallows, the bust with the tiara and stuff. I looove foreshadowing. As always, please review!