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
Firebrand Chronicles
Book Two: After Dark
Chapter IX
I turned as soon as I heard Professor Flitwick's voice answering the question, "I would like to go sir."
"Then why don't you?" he piped curiosity and concern plain on his face.
I opened my mouth and then closed it again unsure of what to say. "I would like to go but . . ." I hesitated unsure if it was wise to finish that comment.
"But what?" the professor inquired.
"I - I don't mean any offence to anyone but . . . well I would rather not learn dueling from Professor Lockhart." Professor Flitwick gave a little nod, muttered something about fools who didn't know one end of the wand from another that I wasn't supposed to hear, and then beckoned me to follow him.
He led me all the way up to the seventh floor and into his office. The room was quite spacious despite the bookshelves that lined the walls. His desk was in the center with a large window at its back and two very comfortable looking chairs on either side. It seemed to me that during daylight hours the whole place would be well lit and bright feeling and I immediately determined that I should drop by for another visit sometime.
The chairs were sized to Professor Flitwick's stature but as I sat down mine rose to meet me so that I was sitting comfortably with my feet on the floor, but not, as I had imagined, with my knees well above my waist.
"It is not my policy," Professor Flitwick started, "to say anything unkind about my co-workers, but in the case of Gilderoy Lockhart I can understand your reluctance. How would it be," he continued, "If during the times the dulling club meets, I taught you some things I would not ordinarily cover in class. The extended theories behind how charms work for example. I've been meaning to restart the charms club for some time, but in the past couple of years there just hasn't been the same amount of interest as there used to be. Poor excuse. I'm beginning to think it shouldn't matter how many students want to come I should just do it any way."
I nodded enthusiastically and stammered my thanks. Charms club taught by Flitwick sounded infinitely better than dueling taught by Lockhart.
"And so you don't miss out entirely," the professor smiled at my enthusiastic response, I think we'll start tonight, and I will begin with shielding and disarming." And so he taught me both the expeliarmus and protigo charms. I left his office extremely proud of myself. Even with my gift for charms there had been some effort required to learn those two. In addition to the charms Flitwick taught me the history of both spells and the rule of naming which stated to enchant something one had to know the proper name of whatever object you were trying to work with which is why wizards often had so much trouble enchanting foreign objects. I had also promised the Professor that I would keep my eye out for any other students that shared my hesitation about learning from Lockhart.
The great hall was already empty of students as I came down the stairs but Lockhart was there closing the doors behind him. "Mr. Zabini!" he exclaimed turning as he heard my footsteps, "why didn't I see you in dueling club?" he clapped a hand on my shoulder and I tried not to flinch away.
"I was talking with Professor Flitwick." I answered trying to remain polite.
"Well if you're having trouble with charms perhaps I can be of assistance! I am quite good myself . . ." I struggled to keep my face blank as he rambled, ". . . and my memory charms are extraordinary. If you need help all you have to do is ask."
"I do not believe Mr. Zabini needs any help at all with charms." I sighed with relief as Professor Snape exited the Great Hall, wondering briefly if Lockhart had left him to clean up everything on his own. "It is after all his best subject. Now if you please, Gilderoy, it is nearly curfew."
"Oh yes of course," Lockhart released my shoulder and I backed away.
"Goodnight Professors," I managed before making as quick an exit as I dared. I arrived in the common room in time to see Draco and Theo putting on a reenacting of the duel between Draco and Potter with Theo of course playing Potter. For some reason one of the seventh years was creating the illusion of a snake with his wand. I watch as Draco loosed the snake and Theo with a strange ugly hissing sound scared it away. Potter apparently was a parslemouth. The reaction of the students belonging to Slytherin house was a strange mixture of horror and disbelief at what his possession of that particular ability might mean, and disappointment that it was not one of our own that was graced with that particular gift. Personally I belonged to the first group. Historically speaking Slytherin had not been the most pleasant, or the most honorable, of men and with a skill associated with his deviousness there was no need to imagine what if might be used for. History made sure we already knew.
"You really should come next time!" Pansy encouraged as I sat down next to her to watch the reenactment. I only shook my head.
I was not the only person to discover a new activity that night. Tracey had also had found out about a club during that time. "I was talking to some of the third years and they mentioned choir. Apparently Professor Flitwick also has a great love of music and he teaches Choir and Band on Tuesday and Wednesday evenings I think I might go next time!" to which Theo complained that he was being abandoned completely ignoring the fact that charms club and choir would be on two different nights so he was guaranteed at least one of us for company.
The next day dawned to reveal a harrowing blizzard and herbology was canceled, so I decided that directly after transfiguration I would head to the library. I had progressed quite far in my genealogy research to the point of looking as my fellow second years as unlikely as it seemed the younger students would have any skill as controlling a monster. I never made it to the library. In fact I never made it to the end of class. Professor McGonagall had us in pairs turning newspapers into kites and Theo and I were working together. After my third failed attempt to do anything, it was Theo's turn and he pointed his wand at the paper and muttered "meles" the incantation was supposed to be Meluus" and unfortunately the newspaper was too close to my end of the table.
Theo's wand slipped and his spell hit me in the stomach transforming me into a badger. I had just enough time to cry out in shock before my body was no longer my own. It's very interesting being a badger. For one thing all my senses were different. My smell stronger, my eyes weaker, and I had the curious desire to find someplace dark and quiet to hide.
My cry of surprise alerted the Professor who rounded on Theo in no time flat. "Theodore Nott, what on earth to you think you're doing! You're supposed to be turning that paper into a kite and not your classmates into badgers!" even in an animal form I could tell her glare was withering. Theo shrank back on his seat biting his lip and answering meekly.
"I'm sorry it was an accident," he stammered.
"What exactly did you do?" McGonagall demanded and I realized with a fearful jolt that she was worried about turning me back again.
"I pointed my wand, I must have misaimed,"
"That, is obvious." Theo flinched at the look on her face.
"And I said Meles," he continued.
"You mispronounced, meles is badger. You were supposed to say Meluus!" Apparently the rule of naming applied to transfiguration as well. Heaving a sigh and rolling up her sleeves she moved Theo out of the way taking his place in front of me. A moment later she pointed her wand at me and intoned, "Restituere propriam formam!" I was once again human again though now sitting on the floor. Before I could say anything Peeves's voice rang down the hall. His voice sounding oddly frightened for an entity who lived to cause trouble.
"ATTACK, ATTACK, ANOTHER ATTACK, NO MORTAL OR GHOST IS SAFE! RUN FOR YOUR LIFE! ATTACK!"
In seconds McGonagall had bolted through the door and the rest of us followed though we didn't see much more than a Hufflepuff boy named Justin and the Gryffindor ghost lying in the floor, before the Professor let off a bang from her wand and the hall went silent. "All students are to return to their classroom and no magic is to be attempted until their teacher returns."
Upon returning to our classroom chatter immediately broke out concerning what we thought the attacker was. "I wonder if it's an animal," Pansy started off the conversation the moment the classroom door was closed behind us.
"More likely a phantom," Tracey put in. Draco just smirked. Pansy turned to me. "Blaise look at you, your hair is still . . ." she burst out laughing and pulled a mirror from her bag. I leaned forwards to examine my reflection. My hair was still streaked with white.
"I kind of like it!" I stated putting a hand to my temple.
"Shall we call you badger boy?" Theo quipped.
A minute or two later McGonagall walked in looking extremely worried. But rather than offering up and explanation for the attacked student and ghost, she chose instead to focus on my white streaked hair. "Come here Mr. Zabini, let's get you back to normal"
"Awe Professor," I whined, "can't I keep it?"
"I'm afraid not," she snapped. "If you like the effect I suggest you try a charm, but transfiguration was just not made for this sort of thing."
I let her fix it.