To say that Hillevi did not trust Professor Lockheart would be a rather significant understatement.
He was an inept professor, to start, always late to his own class and spewing tall tales about supposed exploits, that she started sharing a desk with Harry just to commiserate with someone on how horrible a teacher the man was.
Even Skullcrusher and Lockjaw, who she had literally seen entertain themselves with sticks and rocks, fell asleep during what once was their favorite class.
So, when the so-called Battle Professor arrived fifteen minutes late on Halloween day, Hillevi did not even look up from the article Dexter was showing her about Triple Battles while Cloudjumper watched him hand out autographs in apology, earning twin eye rolls from Stormfly and Drumfire.
"I have a very special treat for you all!" Professor Lockheart exclaimed, once the usual platitudes were out of the way. "This is, after all, a very special day! October 31st, Halloween! The day of so many miracles! A day of fond memories! Mister Malfoy, what is your favorite Halloween memory?"
Draco puffed up at being called upon, clearly ready to engage in his favorite pastime.
"Every year, the Malfoy family holds a grand Halloween Ball. The elegance and majesty of the event would make even the lowest of the low feel like kings, if only for a day."
"Very good! Miss Patil, what about you?"
Tuning back out, Hillevi moved on to a piece delving into the myths surrounding Kyurem, fingers curling into Stormfly's fluffy wings as Drumfire clambered up to take a nap in the newly-stretched neckline of her sweater.
"Miss Haddock! Do you have a cherished Halloween memory?"
Blinking up at him for a moment, the young Viking shrugged noncommittally.
"We don't celebrate Halloween in Valhalla."
"Come now, there must be something similar." Professor Lockheart pressed, earning a sharp glance from Drumfire.
"Not really, no." She replied, already turning back to Dexter. "Vikings don't take a lot of days off."
Frowning, the man moved on when James shifted from his post by the back wall.
"Mister Potter?"
"Hm?" Said boy replied, yanked from his thoughts.
"Why don't you share your favorite Halloween memory?"
Cloudjumper bristled, and Hillevi pressed a hand to the Latias' shoulder, turning with wide eyes.
"I'm…I'm good, professor. I'm sure-"
"Nonsense!" The Battle Professor argued, sitting on their desk. "You must have a good memory of celebrating Halloween."
"No, sir, I don't."
"No need to be bashful!"
James straightened, Demon starting to bare his fangs.
"I'm-"
"Come on, Potter!" Draco shouted. "Spit it out already!"
A scowl formed on Harry's face, and he glared up at Professor Lockheart.
"Well, sir, considering I spent nearly ten years in an abusive household where I was treated little better than a slave, I don't have many memories of Halloween that don't involve being struck, starved or ignored. There are only two I can think of right now, to be honest. Would you prefer to hear how my friends and I were nearly killed by rampaging Golurks sicced on us by your predecessor? Or about how my mother and father were brutally murdered in front of me when I was barely a year old by Voldemort?"
The class fell dead silent at that, only the agitated whirring of James' vibranium arm in the stillness, and Professor Lockheart, at least, had the decency to backtrack.
"Well, yes…Well then, I guess it is up to me to provide you, and all the rest of you, with a beloved Halloween memory!"
He hurried back over to his desk, retrieving-
"A Zekrom!" Someone shouted, and the tiny little Dragon cooed as he was scratched under the chin just right.
Cloudjumper tilted her head, a sense of surpriseconfusion rippling from her, as Stormfly ruffled her feathers, hopping up to join Drumfire with a suspicious backwards glance.
Dexter immediately took a photograph as Professor Lockheart launched into a tale of having found the Egg at the top of the Dragonspire Tower and fighting off hordes of shadowy monsters.
"Photo captured!" The Rotom Pokedex chirped, excited to add another Legendary to his databank-
A confused little squeak pulled Hillevi's attention around as the other students rose to get a closer look, brow furrowing.
"Dexter?"
"The database is not accepting my photograph." He buzzed, frowning. "I'm getting an error message."
"An error message? What-?"
Of course, at that exact moment, everything went to shit.
Draco shoved Seamus to get a better look at the baby Zekrom, which caused Professor Lockheart to stumble, and either Crabbe or Goyle-it was so hard to tell which was which half the time-flailed, striking the poor Pokemon full across the face.
This resulted in a frenzy of Thunderbolts, and Hillevi immediately called out Meatlug to act as both a shield and a lightning rod for her and her friends to dive under.
Recalling a panicking Drumfire and Stormfly-they might be used to Thor and his Pokemon, but were still very much weak against Electric attacks-, she glanced over as James joined the group, Princess hopping up to help Meatlug.
A heavy THUD-
"Goyle, you idiot! Stop drooling on my leg!"
"That answers that question." Harry muttered.
"Serves 'em right!" Ron complained, kicking at a chair in frustration. "This is their entire fault!"
"Whoever's fault it is, we need to get out of here." Hillevi cut in, projecting calm for Cloudjumper's sake. "Meatlug won't fit through the door, so at the next chance, I'll recall her and we make a break for it."
The group nodded, gathering up their things as Dexter dove into her bag, and…
"Move!" Harry shouted, leading the charge as Hillevi recalled her Lairon.
Once out in the hallway, a safe distance from the classroom, everyone paused to catch their breath as James placed a hand on Princess' head in thanks.
"Come on, I need a breath of fresh air after that." Harry stated.
"Maybe we shouldn't ditch class…" Hermione worried, glancing back.
"What are you doing?" Draco shouted, his voice echoing through the open door. "When my father-AH!"
"I vote we just ignore that and go take a walk along the lake." Ron offered.
The bushy-haired girl sputtered for a moment in protest, but at least conceded defeat with a touch of grace.
James followed silently as the Second Years passed Filch and exited onto the school's lawn, ambling down to the shoreline and finding a warm patch of grass to laze on.
Releasing her Pokemon along with the others, Hillevi turned to fuss over the new marks on Meatlug's armor, barely noticing how Toothless curled around everyone with a satisfied stretch.
Skullcrusher, Lockjaw, Blackstar and Gemtrail joined in a game of ball with Eevee, Sam, Emolga and Cubchoo, while Stormfly and Drumfire happily followed Togetic over the water in a game of aerial tag, Ludwig fussing after them the whole way.
Settling next to her girl as the Valhallan set about buffing Meatlug's armor, Sharpshot watched the festivities with Abe, who shook his head in exasperated amusement as Demon bounded after the ball, Andi shrieking as she was towed along for the ride.
Cloudjumper floated up to perch on Toothless' ear, glancing around, as Princess politely joined little Ralts and Snorunt in making snow castles and Sting hopped over to see why Stumper was studying blades of grass so intently.
"I really should talk to Ludwig about babying Togetic." Harry noted, watching the ghostly candle chase after said Fairy while constantly checking his wick. "She's not an infant anymore, and doesn't need protecting."
"Let him have his fun." Ron advised, tossing the ball back to Emolga. "He seems to enjoy being a mother hen."
"Well, maybe he should redirect his henning to other Pokemon." Hermione pointed out. "Like your Magikarp."
Said Fish Pokemon had managed to stick his face in a plastic bag, likely in an attempt to suffocate himself.
"Hey!" Ron shouted, darting up to free his Pokemon. "Stop doing that!"
When Magikarp merely eyed a pair of pruning shears Filch had left out, the Weasley chucked him into the lake, hoping the Lapras and Marill would keep the silly creature alive.
"When Magikarp finally achieves his wish, will he carve 'Brooks was here' in a beam?" Luna wondered, plopping down next to Neville.
"What are you doing out of class?" He wondered.
"I could ask you the same thing, but I won't. And yet I did. The world is a funny place."
"There you are!" Ginny voiced, jogging around Toothless' lax coils to plop down next to her friend, Rattata and Pachirisu wrestling happily. "Where did you wander off to?"
"I found a Keyblade." Luna explained, holding up a stick with a piece of string and other branches tied on. "But when I got close, a protection spell turned it into a stick. I hope none of the Heartless decide to attack."
"What are you guys doing out here, anyway?" Ron asked, slightly annoyed.
"I think half the school got their classes done early." Ginny answered with a shrug. "One of the Fourth Year Slytherins accidentally created a gas cloud in Professor Snape's class. Only those classes on the highest floors are still going on. The rest of us ran out to escape the stink. What about you guys?"
"Lockheart's pet Dragon tried to cook us." Harry grunted.
"That's a rude piece of chewing gum, isn't it?" Luna commiserated, smiling as Lockjaw drew Mickey into chasing the ball and Abe balanced Linus on his blade.
Meatlug grunted as she dropped behind the half-Veela, already starting to doze, with Hillevi perched between the dull spikes of her back.
Ginny stretched back against the warm metal, flashing her most innocent smile.
"So, you figure out a trade yet, Ron?"
Said Weasley began to sputter and fume, earning an almost tired sigh from James.
"I'm just saying, Pachirisu could use a friend…"
"Emolga is mine!" Ron asserted. "Harry and I have a standing trade! You are not going to jump in and take him!"
"I'm just saying that by the time you actually catch a Pokemon, I could have raised Emolga and mated him to a female…"
"No!" Ron nearly shouted, stomping over to the lake. "I just have to-HEY!"
He pulled Magikarp from the water, who had managed to cram his mouth full of seaweed in an attempt at suffocation.
"STOP THAT!"
"I'll get a doctor!" Luna voiced, staring up at the sky. "Calling Doctor Bombay, calling Doctor Bombay! Emergency, emergency, come right away!"
Toothless' rumbling laughter abruptly cut off, and Hillevi twisted around as Cloudjumper shuddered, every feather refracting light in a kaleidoscope of rainbows.
"Bud?"
Everyone fell quiet as the Rayquaza slowly lifted his head, staring back at the castle, and Cloudjumper sent out a wave of surpriseworryfear that had Sharpshot's hackles rising.
A horrible screech rent the air, and Hillevi winced as all of their Pokemon wailed in sympathetic pain, even the Lapras letting out cries in protest.
When the noise died, she took off after Harry towards where it had come from, Toothless scooping up the baby Dragons as Cloudjumper sped ahead in a red-white blur.
The Eon Pokemon took a hard left, into one of the many courtyards that pressed against Hogwarts' outer walls-
A pulse of horrorterror trembled down the Valhallan's spine, and she took that turn at breakneck speed, heart thundering.
"Cloudjumper-!"
The sight stopped her dead, as it did Harry and the others moments later.
Black letters blinked back at them from the wall, a breathing tableau of words, and just beneath them…
"What's the meaning of this?" Filch shouted, stomping towards the frozen group while waving a mop, the bucket spilling water down his trouser leg. "If that was one of the Weasley Twins idea of a prank, I'll-"
The man's permanent scowl was ripped away at that moment.
"No…No!"
Cloudjumper let out a quivering cry as the groundskeeper rushed forward with a sob, cradling the still form of Missus Norris.
"Missus Norris…What have ya done to her?"
James pulled both Harry and Hillevi back as Filch whirled around, grief morphing into rage.
"You…You killed her! You killed her!"
The man lunged, as if to wrap his hands around their throats, and James tugged her into a protective hold when Toothless roared, Ludwig, Eevee, Togetic and Emolga leaping to their trainer's defense with Sharpshot and Meatlug.
"You dare have your precious little Pokemon come between us? How about I douse that Litwick and Charmeleon of yours, till they're nothing more than a puddle-"
A hand wrapped around Filch's wrist, pulling him up short.
"Back. Away." Professor Snape ordered coldly.
"What are you-?"
"Threaten the Litwick or that Charmeleon again, and these brats will be the least of your worries." The Potions Professor hissed lowly, twisting until the caretaker nearly collapsed from pain. "Or should I say the last of your worries?"
Filch wisely backed down, crumpling over Missus Norris, as the Head of Slytherin finally turned to take in the full scene.
"Now then, what is the meaning of…this…"
Words failed him, and Hillevi reached out to hug Cloudjumper as Toothless hummed, shifting his coils so Professor Dumbledore and Professor McGonagall could enter the courtyard.
"What…What is it?" The Partnership Professor wondered, almost whispering. "Some sort of design?"
"I am surprised you have never seen the ancient runes." Professor Dumbledore replied, taking a step forward as Cloudjumper keened in empathetic mourning. "They can be found in many places, such as the Ruins of Alpha in Johto, the Sunken Palace in Unova, and now, apparently, in Avalon. The better question, my dear, would be 'who are they'."
Tension thrummed through James against her back, and Hillevi tried to comprehend letters staring back at her when the flash of a camera revealed that Dexter had woken from his impromptu nap.
"Photo captured." The Rotom Pokedex voiced, voice shuddery with nerves. "Unown, the Symbol Pokemon. A Psychic-type. This Pokemon is shaped like ancient text characters. Although research is ongoing, it is a mystery as to which came first, the ancient writings or the various Unown."
"They are known as The Messengers of Kings and Gods." The headmaster agreed. "And only a fool would take their warnings lightly."
"What does it say?" Hermione wondered, finally finding her voice.
"It reads: 'The Chamber of the Unown has been opened. Enemies of the Heir, beware'. Enemies of the heir…The heir…here?"
"They did this." Filch whispered, voice quivering. "They killed Missus Norris and put that up there to-to brag about it!"
"Don't be absurd." Professor Snape bit back. "Potter and his dull-witted band might be hooligans, but they are in no way powerful or clever enough to command the Unown."
"As for Miss Haddock, I believe a look at her Latias is enough evidence for her innocence." Professor McGonagall added as Cloudjumper trembled, tucked up safely in her human's arms.
"Serverus and Minerva are right." Professor Dumbledore agreed, broken from his musings. "The Unown listen only to their masters. History speaks of only a few bloodlines that held the power to command the Unown, and those few with the strength and conviction to possibly command them are not in Avalon. Or so I thought…"
Professor McGonagall stepped up to the distraught Filch, reaching out to rest a hand on Missus Norris-
"She's still alive!"
"She…She lives?"
Cloudjumper twitched at that, lifting her head as Toothless dipped his own in relief.
"I can feel her heart. It's a weak pulse, but it is there."
Hillevi slowly stepped out of James' hold, unsure.
"Maybe I…?"
Filch went quiet as Cloudjumper's eyes glowed, a Healing Wish misting off her feathers to settle into Missus Norris' fur…
And nothing.
"Petrified." The headmaster deduced sadly as Cloudjumper keened, waving off the students' curiosity. "I believe you seven should return to Gryffindor Tower so you might wash up for supper. And, if you might indulge an old man, I would ask you keep this quiet. I am not foolish enough to believe that word will not spread by breakfast tomorrow, but I wish for you all to remain silent on much of what you've seen."
"Of course, professor." Hermione stammered. "Come on…Ron!"
Toothless twisted around as the group slowly turned away, and James pressed a hand to Hillevi's back as she comforted Cloudjumper, mind turning that warning over and over like a worry stone.
The Chamber of the Unown has been opened…
By who?
