Chapter Five : Phoenices
Maeve didn't get to tell Ivy what happened: Madam Pomfrey rushed in, took one look at the blue-haired teacher's wan face, and ordered her into a bed and the other adults out of the hospital wing. Ginny waved meekly, and Harry mouthed something that looked like Talk to you later, but then another scream came in through the window, and Madam Pomfrey rushed over to shut it, looking mightily harrassed. Erica came in a few moments later, bringing pajamas and personal effects for both Ivy and Maeve; she looked highly concerned, but Maeve promised her she was fine and that she would explain everything in the morning. Once the two patients had changed, Madam Pomfrey came out of her office with two goblets of purple liquid, one of which she gave to Maeve and the other to Ivy.
You'll have to stay here overnight, she said, bustling around and absentmindedly straightening beds and curtains. I don't know what's going around, but I'm not letting you head back to your dormitories until I know you're all right No, not even you, Valentine, it doesn't matter that you're a teacheryou'll stay here as long as you need to Ivy closed her mouth sullenly and looked down into the cup of potion she had been given. Drink that! Madam Pomfrey ordered. Both of you. It'll help you sleep Really, I don't know what's The infirmary door banged open loudly, and Maeve jumped, nearly spilling her dose of violet liquid; Madam Pomfrey spun around and fixed the newcomer with a withering glare. she hissed, and Professor Snape stopped in his tracks. Do you know what time it is?!Of course I do, he said coolly, smoothing his robes. My apologies, Poppy, I'm simply in a bit of a hurryI wondered if you had some more— He stopped, seeing Ivy and Maeve in their beds, and walked over to Madam Pomfrey, leading her into the office, where they could converse privately. Maeve listened intently after she heard the snap of the door shutting, but couldn't make out any clear words.
What's up with him? Ivy wondered, and drained her cup. Almost immediately, she slumped back onto the pillows, fast asleep; Maeve looked down apprehensively at her dose of potion, then drank it; it was very fast-acting, and she barely had time to put the goblet on the nightstand before she, too, slipped into unconsciousness.
She stirred a few times that night, never fully waking, and watched frightful half-formed dreams parade across her mind's eyeimages of monsters and anime-style elvesa hazy scene of Mab explaining something to a tawny-haired girl with ears about half-normal length for a Fey, and then sending her off through a glowing portalRemus Lupin walking slowly into a large cage and closing the door behind him, as Tonks sadly chained and locked the cage shut with her wand That image swam into greater clarity, but sped up like a fast-forward movie: Lupin sat down disconsolately in one corner, Tonks remained seated in a worn chair just beyond the cage, and the moon rose quickly as if time-lapsed; a change came over the man in the cage: He turned into a werewolf. Tonks remained outside the cage, unsleepingly watching the creature within rage and roar, and when dawn came and Lupin returned to his normal self, she opened the cage to free him, and they disappeared There was a brief flash of a girl, looking no older than Maeve, with light brown hair and deep gold eyes; she transformed into a wolf, then into a housecat, and finally into a tawny owl, which flew away
Maeve awakened as suddenly as if someone had shouted in her ear. The ward was full of golden dawn-light. The dream that had been floating behind her sleeping eyes danced hazily, merging with the others, and she realised: They were visions. Harry was rightbut what could it mean? Did she have a connection to someoneor something? For some reason, she felt a cold weight in her stomach as she wondered about being connected to the Fey man she had seen last night, the one with the half-masked facesomething about him was very wrong, very creepy
On the other side of the room, Ivy stirred and threw an arm over her face to block out the rays of sunlight. she asked of nobody in particular; she raised her head briefly, scanned the ward, and collapsed again. Damn, time to get up
Maeve leapt out of bed, ignoring Ivy's surprised stare, and threw her cloak on over her pajamas. She had to find Tonks, to tell her what she hadn't got a chance to last night It was important She knew, somehow, that Harry and his companions would be leaving soon, and she had to catch them
Maeve ran silently through the halls, sliding carelessly down bannisters, ignoring a shout from a teacher that spotted her. She reached the entry hall just as Sirius was pushing open the great doors onto the grounds, and caught up with Tonks, panting.
the pink-haired woman exclaimed, surprised. You're up bright and early! What's up?I—I had another dream—vision, Maeve said breathlessly, just now, I think—just before—I woke up Harry and Lupin turned back to look at her. It was—it was aboutIt's all right, then, Harry told her, approaching. We're in no hurry, Maeve—go ahead and catch your breath. Ginny, who was there to see them off, watched Maeve in silence, looking worried.
Maeve panted, and sat down cross-legged on the floor; she was cramped from having run without warming up.
What did you see? Tonks asked, crouching down beside her.
Maeve responded. Well—you and Remus. I—he's a She cut off, looking up at the pink-haired woman and then at her husband, who looked resigned.
I'm a werewolf, he admitted. Is that what you saw? she said, but—there's something else, too, something I saw last night—on the Marauder's Map, she explained, and Lupin gave a slight start. And something I dreamt explained it You're a Metamorphmagus, right, Tonks? she asked, and waited for the bemused nod before continuing, If you have children, they'll be shapeshifters—not werewolves—able to control their form, she explained in a rush. The shock in Lupin's face transformed into surprised relief; Tonks let out a cry and leapt up, throwing her arms around his neck and sobbing tears of joy. I thought you should know, because Maeve stopped, embarrassed; how could she put it delicately? I think the Marauder's Map was showing thatyou're pregnant.
Tonks froze, and turned to look at Maeve over her shoulder, eyes wide and tear-filled. she whispered.
The Map can show that? Harry asked, bewildered, shooting a look at Sirius; the older man shrugged. Lupin looked as though he had been hit in the face with something heavy. Show me, Harry directed, taking a step toward Maeve.
I don't have it on me, she said sheepishly, it's in my dorm
Harry pulled out his wand. Accio Marauder's Map, he intoned, and a moment later, the scrap of parchment sailed through the air into his waiting hand. He unfolded it on the floor, activated it, and the adults clustered around him to watch the map form.
Why don't you make it three-dimensional? Maeve asked.
Harry repeated, looking up at her. What are you talking about? It doesn't do that. Glancing at Sirius over his shoulder, he asked, Does it?Not that I know of, Sirius responded, but then, I can't say I fully understood all the magic we used when we made itfor all I know, James found some kind of— He stopped as Maeve edged toward the map, and it sprung into three-dimensional detail. How did you do that?I don't know! I just assumed it was a feature, she said. Lupin was examining the now scale-model, transparent Hogwarts from various angles.
he muttered. Illusion, I thinkdoesn't seem like Arcane magic to me, thoughIt's not Dark, that's for sure, Tonks agreed, peering at the three-dimensional map. I've never sensed anything quite like itWell, it's very impressive, but it makes it a bit harder to find things, Harry said. Can you, I don't know, disable it? Maeve poked at the image, and it obligingly collapsed back into a map, taking up much more of the surface of the parchment than it had as an illusion; after all, it had to display seven floors in only two dimensions.
Illusion would explain it, Sirius was mumbling. I was never terribly good at it, I don't think James was eitherbut we used a bit of it to make this thing Harry said, pointing a finger at a room on the map. Here we are. Anyone got a magnifying glass?No, but I've good eyesight, Tonks said, lying flat on her stomach to peer down at the moving dots in the entry hall on the map. She was silent for a moment, studying the parchment. she said finally. Lupin asked gently, looking down over her shoulder.
I can just barely make something out, the pink-haired witch explained. She's right! Very hard to read, thoughLast night, it looked like it said Nina Lupin-Tonks', Maeve said. Is that it?
Tonks smiled up at her. Well, it would make sense, since I didn't change my name—and Nina? She pushed herself back up to a kneeling position so that Lupin could bend down and examine the map. Nina, huh? I like it.Yes, well, her husband agreed mildly, it's not a veryunusual name, is it?Nope, and that's why I like it, she said proudly. Nice and plain and ordinary, not like Nymphadora oror AndromedaI would've loved to be named Nina instead of what my mother decided to call me!Well, you'd love it now, Ginny pointed out, but if you had been, you'd probably wish you had a more interesting name, I bet.Oh, whatever, Tonks said, and glomped Lupin. It doesn't matter! This is wonderful!Not that I'd know about these things, Lupin said in a strained voice (Tonks was hugging him rather tightly), but can't one generally tell when one is pregnant?Oh, I don't know, probably, his wife said, but it's not as if I pay attention to these things She squeezed him, and he let out a squeak. Oh, Remus, this is wonderful! We're going to have a baby! And you were so worried about what would happen! She got to her feet, hauling on Lupin's arm to help him up as well, and beamed at Maeve. Is it some special thing because I'm a Metamorphmagus?Yeah, something like that, the girl said. I don't really understand it, I just know it's true, so I thought you should know
Tonks squealed. Thank you, thank you, thank you! she gushed, grabbing Maeve in a hug that squeezed most of the breath out of her. You've no idea how happy this makes usWell, no, I've got some idea, Maeve rasped, struggling for air, but all the same, you're welcome
Harry turned off and folded up the Marauder's Map, waiting patiently for Tonks to release Maeve before handing the parchment back to her. These visions—or dreams, or whatever—you have I think it's obvious there's some kind of important meaning behind them, and if you ever want to talk about them, feel free to send me a letter by owl
As it happened, Maeve had no more vision-dreams that week, which was just as well, because there were plenty of normal things to worry about; she stayed up late and diligently did her homework every night, which meant that on Wednesday she didn't get to bed until nearly two in the morning (she had had Astronomy that day, which required stargazing at midnight). As a result, when she slept, she slept so deeply that she either didn't dream or couldn't remember them in the morning. By the end of the week, she was starting to feel as if the things she had witnessed a few days earlier were just dreams: Nothing else seemed to have transpired, the strange sounds from the Forbidden Forest had stopped (she never was able to guess who or what could have been screaming, assuming that was what she had really heard), and nobody seemed to be talking about anything unusual, though Ginny and a few of her fellow Gryffindors that had witnessed Maeve's collapse Monday night asked after her health on occasion.
You look a bit peaky, Ginny had said, concerned, on Thursday morning. Are you feeling all right?Just t-t-tired, Maeve assured her, covering a jaw-popping yawn. I had Astronomy last night, so I didn't get back to my common room 'til late, and then I stayed up until 2 AM doing homeworkWhat? You know you don't have to work on homework every day, right?
Maeve gave the older girl a blank stare. But what? Do they make you do stuff like that for Muggle school? You don't have to worry about it here, Ginny said, waving a hand airily. Maeve turned back to her breakfast, feeling both relieved and annoyed, and studied on the weekends from then on.
Friday morning came smoothly. The enchanted ceiling in the Great Hall showed clouds scudding fitfully across the sky, just like what was visible through the mullioned windows; a thicker bank of clouds far to the west seemed to indicate a front was coming through, and Maeve—who had always had a good weather eye—knew that it would be pouring rain by the evening. She was glad, then, to make her way down to the greenhouses for Herbology in the late morning, while the sun still shone between patches of cloud. The Slytherin first-years had just finished their class as the Fataluma students headed down the lawns for theirs, and Maeve paused to chat briefly with Carlota.
How are they treating you? Maeve asked; she hadn't noticed any incidents in the Great Hall, but had no idea what went on in the Slytherin common room.
All right, I guess, Carlota said with a shrug. They mostly just ignore me now, but I think they like to whisper behind my backGary said they were—speculating about something the other day She absentmindedly reached up to scratch the large dark bird on her shoulder. I don't know what, though, and I don't really care to, so I've not asked anyone.Well, remember, Maeve told her firmly, if they're mean to you, you go right to Professor Sn—
She was cut off by a scream coming from the direction of the Forbidden Forest; she and Carlota both whirled round to see a fourth-year girl take off running toward the gamekeeper's cabin on the edge of the woods, while her classmates milled about in shock and Hagrid (the Care of Magical Creatures teacher as well as the Hogwarts groundskeeper) emerged from the Forest, looking very surprised at the commotion. Maeve heard him ask, but the question was answered almost immediately: Several other students shrieked, one of them pointing into the underbrush, and scattered as a giant four-legged creature, with a hide so dark it almost seemed to absorb the light in the air around it, bounded from the woods: A featureless face, an alien body that looked to be shaped from obsidian and eerie green light Maeve felt her knees weaken, and grabbed onto Carlota for support, just as a golden streak shot past them, leapt to the roof of the Herbology greenhouse and over to the other side in two swift jumps, and pelted down the lawn toward the beast, whose sudden appearance seemed to have rendered even the formidable-looking Hagrid frozen with shock; Maeve heard a woman's cry pierce the air, and there was a flash of gold-and-azure light that rent the monster in twain before it could react. The two halves flew apart, unbleeding, and dissolved into the ground when they landed; Maeve felt how stiff Carlota was, and as they watched a blonde-haired woman stand up from wiping her sword on the grass, Carlota squeaked,
Maeve gave a little jump and let go. she whispered. That's never your—? The blonde woman, whom they could now see was clad in gold and crimson armour and wielding a sword as long as Maeve's arm, was speaking to the fourth-year students and a very-bewildered Hagrid. Without warning, Carlota took off running down the sloping lawns toward the group, and Maeve followed, heedless of her classmates' calls that she would be late for Herbology.
Carlota yelled, skidding to a halt in front of the woman, who was bent over a fourth-year student's scraped knee, both hands laid on the injury. She looked up, shocked.
Oh! Carlota—! There was a flash of light from her hands and she stood up, brushing back her hair. I'm sorry, love—you weren't supposed to know we're here—We'?! What—Dad's here too? Maeve had never seen Carlota so animated, but wasn't surprised: After all, not only had her mother followed her to Hogwarts, she was apparently a knight of some sort as well. what're you she asked feebly, taking in the older woman's gold-embossed armour.
Carlota's mother sighed. I'm sorry, love, she repeated, grabbing her daughter in a hug. Your father and I, we've been keeping it a secret from you When we moved here, we didn't knowwe thought this land had no magic, so we hid our powers I'm actually a Paladin, and Dad's a smith who specialises in enchanted arms and armour.
Carlota stared at her mother as if she had never seen her before. A holy knight, the blonde woman clarified, shaking her head. I'm so sorry, Carlotaif we'd known magic was practised here The black-haired girl suddenly burst out laughing.
No, no, you know what this means? The prats in my House can't insult me anymore, she declared, tossing her hair proudly; her face gleamed with a dark beauty Maeve hadn't noticed before. They're all so worried about purity of blood'—seem to think anyone who's got non-magical parents isn't worth teaching— Gary made a noise at her, and she looked at him. Of course I don't agree, but this will shut them right up, won't it?
Maeve's thoughts were fixed on what Carlota's mother had said she was: a Paladin. Are you from Azeroth? she asked, and the blonde woman looked at her in surprise. The Paladins of Azeroth, in World of Warcraft, were widely accepted as the worst character class in the game.
the older woman said, shaking her head. We come from Carinthia—it's an old province in central Europe. She brushed back her hair and fixed Maeve and Carlota each in turn with a look. Not to change the subject, but won't you girls be late for class? Maeve squeaked. She tossed a hasty good-bye over her shoulder to her friend and raced back up to the greenhouse, where the Herbology teacher—Professor Sprout, also the head of Hufflepuff—was kind enough not to dock points for tardiness.
So what happened this morning? Erica asked Maeve curiously as the Fataluma students sat down to dinner. Distant thunder had begun to rumble in the afternoon, accompanied by great gusts of wind, and rain was lashing the castle well before sunset. The Great Hall was periodically lit by flashes of lightning, both through the high windows and from the enchanted ceiling overhead.
Yeah, you took off like a banshee was behind you, Brian added, pulling a jug of pumpkin juice toward him and filling his glass. What was going on?
Maeve took her time answering, patiently pouring juice into her goblet and idly picking at a speck on her golden plate as she chose her words carefully. You guys saw the monster that came out of the Forbidden Forest, didn't you?I saw something, Erica said. I thought it was just a wolf orNah, it was weirder than that, Brian corrected her. It was reallywolves come in black, but I don't think Maeve could tell he was struggling to find words to properly describe the otherworldly eerieness of the creature. I wonder if maybe it was a thestralCouldn't be, Erica said, glancing up at the High Table and back at her plate. You can only see thestrals if you've seen someone die. I know I haven't seen anyone die, but I could see itwhatever it was.I just thought it was weird, because Maeve said quietly, and the other students listened closely, I had a dreamwhere I saw it. Silence greeted her. Or something like it, anyway. Erica whispered, sounding awed. Clairvoyant dreams? Didn't Harry Potter used to have those, too?
Maeve felt a surge of modesty, bordering on embarrassment. that's what they say
Brian stared at Erica as if only just noticing her. How d'you know all this stuff about everything, anyway?I read books. You should try it sometime, she responded airily, just as the plates filled with food.
Several minutes later, Erica looked up. Who are they? she asked, and Maeve twisted round to see what Erica was referring to: Carlota's golden-haired mother, now wearing a silken tunic in place of her armour, and a tall burly man with a mane of white-streaked brown hair (Carlota's father, Maeve guessed) were making their way up the Slytherin table to where Carlota was sitting, Gary perched on her shoulder as always. The other students at that table looked up in surprise; a few of them moved over to make room for the newcomers to sit, and were immediately engaged in conversation by the adults.
The blonde woman is Carlota's mother, Maeve explained, and the big bloke must be her father. She turned back and dropped her voice. I talked to her mum—she fought off the creature that came out of the Forest—and they're both magic-users from another country, and they didn't know there were witches and wizards here! Brian asked, his brow furrowing. What country?Um, I don't remember exactlyCarabinthia, or something? She shrugged. The UK can't be the only place with magic-users, though, can it?No, of course not, Erica answered, taking another helping of chicken-and-ham pie. That's oddmaybe they practise some special kind of magicWhat, like Dark magic? Brian wondered around a mouthful of meat. Their daughter's in Slytherin, after allI don't think that's the case Maeve mused. Her mum's a Paladin, a holy knight—that doesn't sound Dark to me.A Paladin? Like one of Charlemagne's knights? Erica repeated, looking confused. Meh. At any rate, Carlota doesn't much look like her parents, does she?No, not much, Maeve agreed; it was true: If she hadn't known, she would never have guessed that the fair woman and broad-shouldered man across the Great Hall were her friend's parents. Maeve had always been told she didn't much resemble her own parents, but at least it was apparent she had inherited her mother's brown hair and her father's blue eyes, even if those eyes were a lighter shade than Maeve's sapphire-coloured ones. Still, sometimes genetics were odd that way.
Fataluma now had prefects—a Goth-looking girl named Antigone Miller and a tall skinny fellow called Diocletian Shaw—and Maeve and her classmates followed them instead of Ivy to the dormitory, which was convenient, as Ivy was nowhere to be seen.
Where d'you suppose Ivy is? Maeve asked, glancing around the Hall; there was no sign of the vivid blue head.
Dunno. Why, you need to talk to her? Brian asked.
it's just Maeve stopped, remembering Monday night. Had Ivy seen the same vision she had? Nothing, I was just wondering
Maeve was suddenly seized with a desire to go to the Forbidden Forest, though she couldn't explain why. The idea filled her with both horror and intrigue—that creature had come out of the woods!—but why was it there in the first place?—and she knew she had to goit was as if something were silently calling her
But it was forbidden, as the name implied. How would she get out of the castle and down to the grounds? The Marauder's Map showed secret passages, she knew, but they would only get her so far unless she were invisible No sooner had she thought this than something clicked together in her brain. It was so obvious! All she had to do was bend light around herafter all, wasn't it only a second-level spell in Neverwinter Nights? Maeve said nothing as she trooped to the dormitories with her classmates, then hurried to her trunk and pulled out the Marauder's Map. Nobody else was in the first-year dormitory: lucky her. She opened the stained-glass window as far as it would go, hopped out into the still-warm grass, and pushed the window shut behind her, the Marauder's Map in one hand and her wand in the other. Glancing around, she saw through the faint sheet of rain that there was no-one else on the grounds; the windows of Hagrid's hut were lit and smoke was rising from its chimney, and the only sounds were raindrops hitting the ground an occasional owl hooting in the darkness. Now, how did the spell go? She couldn't think of any words, so she simply willed herself invisible; a faint stirring of the air around her seemed to say she had been successful. At once thrilled and apprehensive, she took off down the lawn toward the night-black Forest, her ears keen to pick up any sound, and as she approached the edge of the trees, she thought she heard something. She paused, listening closer: There was something, seeming to come from deep within the Forbidden Forest: An unearthly melody, accompanied by a throbbing rhythm that made her pulse race in time with the musicit was very faint, but all the same, Maeve felt sure it was familiar Heedless of the thick underbrush, she forged on into the Forest, seeking the source of the song. She lost track of how long she trudged through the dark wood—there was almost no light, but her feet seemed to know where they were going, and the canopy was so thick that only a light drizzle reached her—and the elusive music grew ever-closer.
Without warning, she burst through a bush into a clearing, and the song swelled to full volume: There was a huge bonfire, with inhumanely-lithe shapes dancing and leaping round it; all of them had long, thin ears and were wearing nearly nothing. Seated in a circle further back from the blaze were musicians of the same race as the dancers, attired in black and green silk; some were playing oddly-shaped flutes, others drums, still others singing in a language that made Maeve's heart ache. There was a long table set near the fire, covered with platters of food Maeve had never seen before, and the tall slender figures were milling around it, snacking and idly gossiping to one another. Nobody seemed to have noticed hershe crept forward
She brushed against a large mushroom, and suddenly someone was standing before her: He had leapt down from the trees to block her path. Maeve stopped, shocked, and looked up into his face: Half-masked, his left eye glowing gold he hissed at her, drawing a rapier-like sword with incredible speed. Ayanlé fuansam tya?! she asked feebly. He snarled at her again, but in a different language: it sounded vaguely like Middle English. One of the elfin people standing at the table glanced in their direction, and Maeve heard words in her mind, words so sharp they hurt.
Kill the human, Brodhevaal.
he cried, and several of the others looked over. Their faces lit up in cruel glee as they watched the sword slice through the air towards Maeve's heart
Someone grabbed Maeve from behind and shoved her aside. screamed Ivy's voice, and Maeve felt a lurch, as if she were on an elevator that had suddenly dropped. The air around her changed: It was cooler, less close, and the ground beneath her feet was grassy, not loamy. She was released, and she fell to her knees, dizzy.
What the hell were you thinking? snapped Ivy from somewhere above her head; Maeve looked up, and saw her Head of House framed against an unfamiliar night sky: A red star glittered as if in admonishment near a trio of crescent moons, and strange wolf-like howls sounded from across the rolling plain on which they were now standing.
Where—where are we? was the first thing out of Maeve's mouth.
Ivy responded sharply, pulling the student to her feet, and it's a damn lucky thing for you I was there in the forest! What the hell were you thinking, walking into a Fey-ring of the Unseelie Court?!A—a what? Maeve shook her head. I—I don't understand, I was invisible—how—?You were invisible, until the music made you lose concentration, Ivy huffed. Seriously, Maeve, you could have been killed! It's called the Forbidden Forest for a reason! What the hell were you doing there?
Maeve sighed. you remember Monday night? How you and I both wound up in the hospital wing? Ivy said nothing, but her expression softened somewhat. I had a—a vision. I don't know if you did, too, but I'm guessing so.
Ivy nodded solemnly. Brodhevaal and Khativa. He's a knight-errant of the Unseelie Court, and she's his consort, a Streamshaper with a taste for torture. The Unseelie Fey don't much like humans.
Maeve was stunned. Don't ask how I know, Ivy chided her, shaking her head, at least, not right now. We need to get back to Hogwarts. Hold my arm— Maeve did so, and there was another lurching feeling; they were standing in the entry hall of the castle. Let's get you to your dorm, shall we? The girl followed her teacher in silence.
By the way, Ivy asked, pausing in front of the painting of the nymph that marked the Fataluma door, how'd you manage to pull off an invisibility spell? We haven't done anything like that in class.
Maeve shrugged. I dunno. I justwilled it to happen, and it worked.
Ivy pursed her lips. I see. For now, I'd recommend staying away from magic like that.Like what? Surely you don't mean Illusion?Of course not. No, Maeve, I mean spell effects that you don't need a wand or a chant to cast. Taking in the student's frustrated pout, she elucidated, There will be a time for such knowledge later. For now, just trust me, okay? Maeve muttered.
Ivy chuckled. Honestly, sometimes you're just like Mel-Rica
Maeve's heart skipped; she looked up: That name was familiar. Mel-Rica? Who is Mel-Rica?
Ivy looked surprised; apparently she hadn't realised she had spoken aloud. Huh? Um, actually, I couldn't tell you. I don't know, myself. Do you? Maeve shook her head. It's weird, thoughI'm sure I've heard the name somewhereWell, um Maeve began, I suppose I'll go to bed, thengood night?
Ivy regarded her skeptically. I know I won't be able to fall asleep anytime soon, and I doubt you will either. Come on, there's something I want to show you— She led the way through the concealed door, took in the various students arrayed around the common room (it was nearly full, as very few people wanted to go to bed early on a Friday night), and asked, who wants to play Dungeons & Dragons?
Maeve didn't actually go to bed until after midnight that night, which was fine—she really hadn't been tired after narrowly escaping a very nasty fate, and listening to Ivy explain the rules of the role-playing game on which Neverwinter Nights was based did wonders to keep her from freaking out. It really had been stupid of her to wander into the Forbidden Forest, she told herself, trying to examine it from Ivy's perspective. What had she expected to find, anyway?
Somethingrather like that, she thought. It still chilled her blood to think that the things she had seen in dreams and now for real—the Fey, so similar in appearance to animé elves but so different in temperament, and especially that creepy beast that had accompanied them through the portal—were, at this very moment, less than a kilometre away from the walls of Hogwarts
Maeve forced herself not to think about it. She was in a castle protected by dozens of adult mages and hundreds of underage ones: What harm could possibly befall her? With that last thought, her body succumbed to its fatigue and slipped into a deep sleep.
It wasn't even dawn when she awoke again, unsure why. She listened, wondering if perhaps some sudden noise had roused her, but the only sound was the soft even breathing of her fellow students. Her eyes had barely closed again when an image formed behind them
A short, squat woman pulled out her wand and gave the doorknob to her office a dainty tap to unlock it; the door swung silently open. There were many, the woman thought, who would undoubtedly detest having to come in to work early on a Saturday morning, but she was the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic—an important job, and one which she was proud to hold. The woman moved across the room to her desk, initially ignorant of the fact that a single gold light was fixed on her from a shadowy corner. When she noticed this, she jumped visibly.
she asked; her voice was surprisingly light and girlish for such a(ahem) robustwoman. The gold light approached, stepping out of the shadows; it was set in a face that was half-covered by a silken mask. He wore a hood pulled up over his hair, though a few sable locks trailed down around his neck.
Who—who are you?! How dare you come into my office—! she sputtered, fumbling for her wand and holding it before her. I don't know what your business is here, but I've half a mind to call Security right now and—Be silent, he said, in a soft voice that was not at all unpleasant to the ear: like silk slipping over hidden steel. The woman stopped mid-sentence, shocked; he glanced down at her wand, idly lifted one hand, and it slid from her fingers toward him.
he remarked after a moment. You still cannot master the Art without using pieces of woodNow, look here, sir, she said, her voice becoming slightly lower and huskier, this is bordering on a serious breach of Wizarding law. Breaking and entering the office of a high-level Ministry of Magic employee—
He stepped further from the shadows, keeping a steely gaze fixed on her face. He was nearly two feet taller than she.
—taking a wand without permission—
The man pulled back his hood and tossed back his hair so that his long elflike ears were clearly visible. And what do you intend to do about it, human?
The woman staggered back, gaping; her mouth opened and closed in silence a few times, making her look like a toad gasping for air, and she finally rasped, —N—Non-humans are—are not permitted to carry wands—this is a serious offence, I'll have you know, and— He merely smirked, dropping his gaze to her wand, which he was now rolling between his long-fingered hands. —and, being of the high rank in the Ministry that I am, I can declare that your attempts at intimidation are tantamount to assault, and seeing as you are possessed of near-human intelligence, you will be held res—
She never finished her last sentence: There was a silvery blur, and suddenly she found herself against the wall, hot wet pain spreading through her body. The woman glanced down and saw a sword thrust through her midsection, pinning her to the wall of her office. A weak moan escaped her.
Now listen here, the Fey man hissed, coming close to her (all trace of cruel amusement was gone from his countenance, replaced by a terrible icy rage), my kind were practising magic long before your ancestors fell from the trees and stopped eating one another's lice long enough to learn to bang stones together! Since we've been gone from this world, I myself have seen things that would cause your puny brain to swell up inside that rock you call a skull until humours poured from those tiny, useless ears of yours! In our absence, you It was surprising how much disgust he was able to put into that word— have spread over the land like blight through a forest—building, breeding, thinking you own everythingthe corruption you've wreaked is beyond anything we could have guessed But no more—Earth's true masters are returning, and we will take back our world, by force if necessary!? N-no she squeezed out, a rivulet of blood spilling from her mouth, and glanced down again. you've killed
He stood back, regarding her with the utmost hatred and revulsion. Not yet, I haven't, he said coldly. No, you will not die yet The pain you feel now is blood leaking into your intestines and lungs. It is the same pain you will continue to feel as you grow colder, and your vision darker, and finally you will bleed to death in two hours or so. A very cruel smile quirked at his mouth. Perhaps three, if I aimed properly. I never had Khativa's touch.
The woman moaned and squirmed, grabbing at the sword's hilt. The Fey chuckled coldly. Oh, try to pull it out if you'd like. I doubt you are strong enough. You humans always had such fragile physiques, as I remember Even if you do manage to free yourself, it will be far too late: I know you no longer study the branches of magic that would let you heal effectively. Really, I cannot understand how humans have seemingly achieved so much despite such glaring stupidity. Relying on Arcane magic for healing He scoffed. At least your last moments will be filled with the knowledge of what happens to any who insult the noble Unseelie Fey.? Who are she whispered.
Me? Hmph. You will be dead before the noon hour, but if you perchance speak to anyone before expiring, be sure and tell them that such a fate awaits all who anger Brodhevaal. He turned on the spot and vanished; only a faint wisp of shadow was left behind. The woman groaned and tried to slide down the wall, but couldn't; her legs were leaden, but moving caused the sword to cut further into her flesh. If only she had the energy to call out for someonebut was there even anyone else here at this hour?
There was a knock on the office door. Miss Umbridge? asked a voice outside, and continued, Sorry, I thought I heard you talking to someone, and I wondered if it was— The door was pushed open wide enough to admit a head with flaming-red hair and horn-rimmed glasses, and its owner took in the scene and began to scream
The sound of the screaming awoke Maeve; it took a moment before she realised it was coming from her mouth as well as reverberating in her mind. The other girls in the dormitory awoke with cries of varying volume, whipping back their bed hangings in annoyance to see what was going on. Maeve rolled out of bed onto the floor, heedless of the drop, and curled up into a ftal position with her arms over her head, trying her hardest not to be sick That dream couldn't have happened, it just couldn'tWhat the hell's up with you? Larissa demanded, swinging her feet onto the floor. She stepped closer, then asked in a completely different tone, Whoa, Maeve, you're really pale—something wrong?
Maeve tried to say something, but her throat was so dry no words could form. She noticed she was trembling violently, but it wouldn't stop: The horror from her dream was still too fresh in her mind's eye. Oh, please, God, let that have been only a nightmare! she thought desperately, just as the door banged open.
What's going on? demanded Ivy's voice, and soft footsteps approached. Maeve made herself glance up, and saw the teacher push her way through the other students, who were clustered around Maeve in concern. she asked quietly, dropping to her knees. You didn't—you didn't have anothervision, did you? Unable to speak, she nodded. Ivy flinched as if struck round the face. Oh, Azar, no she whimpered, gently pulling Maeve up into her arms; she was shaking almost as much as the girl. You didn't need to—you shouldn't have—seensuch a
Maeve found her voice. But— You saw it too? Then it's—it wasn't just a dream?! She inhaled sharply, and struggled away from the blue-haired woman. We—we have to go, we have to save her— Ivy said sadly. No, Maeve, don't—We—we have to—he—that man— Tears were filling her eyes now; she hadn't known the toad-looking woman, but all the same, felt a combination of horror and anguish at the thought of her bleeding to death in an office somewhere.
Ivy said, more firmly, as she shook her head, Maeve, there's nothing you or I can do to save her. I know that's got to be hard for you to accept—What—what are you guys talking about? Erica asked, sounding frightened.
No! I've got—there must be— Maeve started, choking back sobs. She flung herself back onto her bed, knowing even as she had spoken that Ivy was right; it was already far too late. I—I don'tI just wish
Ivy rose from the floor and seated herself on the edge of Maeve's bed. You shouldn't have seen that, she repeated. I don't understand why you're having such visionsthere's got to be a reasonbut things like that She sighed, and a tear ran down her cheek; she wiped at it with the back of her hand. There are some things eleven-year-olds shouldn't witness I don't know why you and I seem to be having the same visions, so I can't keep you from getting them. I can, however, make the memory of this oneso that it doesn't hurt so much. She gently placed a hand on Maeve's shoulder. Would you like me to do that?
Maeve nodded after a moment of hesitation. But I can't help wondering she murmured (dropping her voice so the other students could not hear) as Ivy placed her cool-skinned hands on the girl's temples, if it's my faultif maybe I made him angry last night, and he took it out on her
Ivy looked very sombre for a moment, then shook her head. Don't trouble yourself with such thoughts. Maeve felt a surge of magic, as clear and crisp as a mint-flavoured mountain stream, and then the anguish in her heart subsided, for its source was stemmed. What had she been so upset about?
Now, then, Ivy said gently, glancing at the other students in the dorm, it's barely six A.M.—there's no need for you to all be up so early, so why don't I let you go back to bed? If you're too wound-up to fall asleep again, I can cast a Sleep spell on anyone who wants it.Is Maeve going to be okay? Erica asked nervously.
Yes, of course. She'll be fine. There's no need to talk about her like she's lying here in a coma or something, Ivy chided gently, helping Maeve get comfortable again. She muttered a word—it sounded like —Maeve had no idea what language it was, but somehow it sounded familiar—but then Ivy touched her forehead lightly with one finger, and before she could think further, Maeve fell into a deep sleep that lasted until almost noon.