Title: The Firebrand Chronicles Book Two: After Dark
Summary: No one knew what awaited them upon returning to Hogwarts that year. No one expected a monster to attack the students, and certainly no one expected anyone to assume that Harry Potter was the party responsible. Blaise Zabini certainly didn't. This is his story. Book Two
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter any of its characters or events. They belong to J.K. Rowling
Author's Note: As I did not post over the holidays I putting up an extra chapter this time to make up for it. Enjoy :)
Firebrand Chronicles
Book Two: After Dark
Chapter VIII
The stands erupted into an uproar. Potter was obviously hurt. He had also apparently tried to attack Draco before crashing. It took everyone a moment to realize that he hadn't actually attacked him but rather caught the snitch, which had been sitting on top of Draco's head. I groaned when that information reached my ears. We'd be hearing about it for months. Gryffindor students streamed out of the stands to congratulate him and check on his health, and at the other end of the field Flint was shouting.
"I don't care what you thought was happening," he bellowed at Draco loud enough for me to hear from my current position. "From now on you pay attention to the game!"
I made my way down to the field just in time to hear a collective gasp from the crowd around Potter as Gilderoy Lockhart's voice proclaimed, "but the point is the bone's no longer broken." I grimaced not even wanting to know what had happened but a moment later Potter was marched past with one of his arms looking horribly like a human flesh colored leather glove. I closed my eyes and turned away.
The rest of the evening ended badly for Draco as the rest of the team seemed to feel similarly to Flint. In an effort to get away from the brooding scowls I returned to my research, Tracey constantly shooting dirty looks my way and Theo absorbed in some project of his own.
The next day Draco's Quidditch misfortune was forgotten. Colin Creevey, the annoying kid with the camera, had been attacked and was now lying petrified in the hospital wing. As much as I disliked the kid's insistent praise of Potter I almost felt sorry for him. Part of me wondered if he was aware of what was going on around him or if he was simply in a very deep sleep. Tracey immediately started talking to me again demanding to know what I had uncovered apparently realizing why I was doing what I was doing. By Monday everybody knew what had happened and the entire school was on their guard. Even the teachers seemed jumpy and no longer simply stressed. Everyone except the Weasley twins however. I saw them numerous times jumping out at their sister covered in what looked to be fur, boils, and once apparently canary feathers.
I felt sorry for Ginny Weasley. Constantly tortured by her older siblings when she was just trying to get through her first year and the school was apparently the home of some monster. The following Tuesday afternoon I found her wandering the grounds in an apparent daze a few scattered brown feathers stuck to her shoes as if she had wandered through the school chicken coup. Quite possible, she didn't seem to know where she was going. Grandfather's voice telling me to be chivalrous echoing through my head followed by Dr. Gertz reminders that it was our job to look after the ladies (and not introduce them to garden gnomes) caused me to make my way over to her. Fortunately I was alone at the time and there was no need for unnecessary questions.
"You alright?" I asked tapping her shoulder.
"I . . . oh . . . I don't know . . . I can't remember . . .what?" to which remark I laid a hand on her shoulder and led her up to the castle.
"If you've hit your head you should see Madam Pomfrey." I led her straight to the hospital wing and not knowing if I wanted to know what had happened left her there, informing one of her twin brothers that she had likely hit her head and he should check on her when I passed him in the hall on my way back outside. The Weasley twin gave me a puzzled look but headed up to the hospital wing himself.
To Theo and my profit a roaring trade of lucky charms hit the market soon after. It was Theo's idea, after my twice-failed attempt and transfiguring a teacup into a rabbit, to sell the resulting feet to the Muggleborns. I even began adding charms to make them more authentic. For example whenever someone said the word lucky the foot felt warm. True, neither of us needed the money, but the entertainment value alone was enough to keep us going.
The second week in December was time to sign up to stay over the holidays. I put my own name down worried that if I didn't stay I might go home and spill something about the attacks to Mother. Draco also stayed though at the request of his father. He wasn't as forthcoming about why, when asked he would only mumble something about business. Crabbe and Goyle decided to stay as well. Perhaps because Draco was.
The following Thursday, during potions with the Gryffindor's, we had another catastrophe. We all teamed up and gathered around our cauldrons to begin our swelling solutions, and Theo and I took the table behind Draco, Crabbe, and Goyle which gave us a perfect view as Draco flicked puffer fish eyes across the room at Potter. Professor Snape was obviously distracted by recent events and Draco was obviously taking advantage. Wondering exactly how long it would take before Draco got caught I attempted to focused on my own work. Unfortunately, it was not to last long. I had just looked up from adding beetle legs to my potion when Goyle's erupted.
Barely managing to turn my face away in time I winced as the solution splashed coving both of my arms as I attempted to cover the right side of my face. Both they and the top of my ear began to swell rapidly. Goyle and Draco took the wave full on in the face.
I was forced to lean against my desk as my weight was suddenly unevenly distributed and the swelling threw off my balance. Swelling wasn't exactly painful; rather it felt as if the effected part of my body was falling asleep. I was far more concerned with it than what was happening around me with the rest of the class.
"Silence, silence," Professor Snape yelled in an attempt to restore order. "Anyone who has been splashed come here for a deflating draft- when I find out who did this!"
My robes and shirt began to rip as the swelling in my arms spread into my shoulders and I was forced to wonder if I could move at all, but before I could try I felt a hand lifting my head up as a flask was pressed against my lips. "Head back let's get you deflated." Something cool and orange flavored poured down my throat and immediately my body began to return to its original condition as the numbness faded, leaving behind a slightly tingly feeling. However, before I could recover enough to thank him Professor Snape had moved onto the next student.
I managed to regain my balance and stand up in time to see the Professor pull the remains of what looked to be a firework out of Goyle's cauldron. I had to wonder who'd be stupid, or mean enough to try something like that. Especially when one considered the possibility that the firework might react with the potion. Professor Snape apparently felt the same way. "If I find out who threw this I shall personally make sure that person is expelled." When potions finished we had to head directly to charms though my clothes were torn, the right side quite possibly beyond repair, and I had hoped for a chance to change before I had to be anywhere else.
A new flyer on the bulletin board posted a week later poised and entirely different kind of problem. They were starting a dueling club. Something I would have dearly loved to join, but unfortunately Lockhart was presiding. Oddly enough his name wasn't on the sign. I suppose one of the other teachers had posted it. I learned the fact from a run in with the man himself. Pansy had caught up to me in the entrance hall the afternoon of the posting to ask if I had seen it and, unfortunately Lockhart overheard. "Wonderful isn't it! You and your classmates will have the full advantage of my experience, imagine learning from a man of my masterful skills!" That cinched the matter for me. Suffering through his classes was bad enough, and being asked to help him act out his exploits was demeaning. I absolutely refused to spend any more time in that man's presence then I absolutely had to.
"What is it" Theo asked Tracey over dinner that night, "that makes every girl in this school go ga ga over him? I mean I want to learn to duel and all, but I'd rather do it when there weren't any fan girls drooling on the floor."
Tracey glared at him, "What do you mean? Professor Lockhart is simply wonderful. He's brave and strong, facing all those monsters on his own, and cleaver too. I mean using a tea strainer? Stroke of brilliance. And it certainly helps that he's handsome, I mean anyone would admire him for all that he's done, but a bachelor with his face, what witch wouldn't go a little starry eyed, granted some do take it too far . . ."
"So that's what you like then?" I asked jumping into the conversation, "blond pretty boys?" Tracey flushed. "I guess that means Theo and I are out of the running then." I continued.
Theo put on a look of mock outrage, "what do you mean I'm not blond!" Fortunately Tracey took the joke and they both accepted my insistence that I was not going to participate.
"Are you sure you don't want to join us? Pansy asked me as she joined the others in the entrance hall waiting for the dueling club to start.
"I'm sure" I answered "I need to do some work in the library," I watched her walk away though I did turn as Millicent Bulstrode handed me Bandit. "I caught her trying to snitch my quill," she growled at me. I tried to tell her that Bandit had shed fur all over her robes, but by that time she too was gone.
Wishing that I was spending the evening with my friends, but deciding to keep my decision regarding Lockhart, I headed up the stairs for the library any way. I took a short cut through the charms corridor and was just passing the classroom in question when a tiny voice spoke behind me.
"You're not in dueling club Mr. Zabini? I would have thought with your love of charms you'd be the first one there!"