Chapter Five
Sneers came to her from every direction. Sarah sighed. Things would never change between the rest of the Slytherins and herself. She had committed an atrocity. She had betrayed them willingly. They would never forgive or accept her. After all, she had befriended Potter.
Malfoy didn't seem prudent to the fact that he had tried to make friends with Harry in their first year. He led the small, snide attacks on her. The rest of the House rallying behind him. Sarah didn't spend any longer than necessary in the Common Room. She sometimes cursed herself for arguing with the Sorting Hat. But then again, she reasoned, I probably wouldn't be better off there either, though I would have friends.
"Mistresss," Methuselya hissed, poking his head out from the sleeve of her robes. "Are they giving you trouble mistresss?"
"No," she murmured to her pet, "Don't worry about it." A few people close to her shrank back when she spoke, eyes darting from her to the yellowy eyes of her snake. Despite being in Slytherin House, they were still frightened by her speaking Parseltongue. No one would forget the fiasco of her second year. Rather like Harry, she was forced to endure stares and whispers at the start of every year.
"That's the heir of Slytherin," the younger students would whisper poisonously, taking care not to look at her, like she could kill with a glance. If only they knew.
It irked her that they said heir. "The proper term is heiress, and I'm not the only descendant," she whispered to Methuselya whenever she heard. Unlike Harry's whispers, hers were much more spiteful. They assessed her carefully, watching her every move and dictating how spilling her pumpkin juice could represent a disturbed and dark personality. Things would cool off a bit by the middle of the term as students ran out of things to compare her to being evil. They soon tolerated her, but could never shake their prejudices enough to extend the hand of friendship. In fact, her friendship with Harry, Ron and Hermione was based on a favour years ago. Only the dramatic circumstances of their second year dissipated the expected Gryffindor prejudices. That and a good dose of luck.
Sarah made her way to the entrance of the common room. "The Dark Lord ascending," she said to the stone wall. It shifted away, producing an entrance. She walked through, her shoulders relaxing from her stiff posture as she left the Common Room behind her.
Sarah met Ron and Hermione at the Great Hall; both had looks of worry on their faces.
"Sarah!" Hermione cried, throwing herself onto Sarah. Stumbling back, the smaller girl put her arms around Hermione and patted her gingerly on the back. Methuselya came out of her sleeve to see what the noise was about, but retreated immediately when he saw the crying girl. Sobs wracked Hermione's frame and Sarah didn't need to be told that Harry still hadn't been found.
It had been a week.
The school had notified his aunt and uncle, but they hadn't answered back. Indeed, the owl that was sent returned with a good deal of fur missing. But, she was sure that no long-term harm was inflicted at the hands of Harry's family.
The Weasley's weren't getting on much better. Harry had considered them his family, and they thought of him that way too. Mr Weasley had written countless angry letters demanding they widen their search and Mrs Weasley, with all the Percy drama added, had a complete breakdown at Harry's disappearance.
Ginny wasn't talking to anyone, and spent most of her time shut up in her dormitory not doing anything. Hermione had told them that Ginny was taking it all very hard and was so scared Harry would be dead she was having trouble sleeping. She hadn't attended any classes either and when Fred and George were called upon to try and lift her spirits, she merely listened to their jokes with a blank expression and gave a small trill laugh at the wrong queues.
Sarah wasn't stupid, she knew what was happening. Things were falling apart. Everyone knew the Dark Lord was back, and Harry was the only sliver of hope keeping the morale high. And he was gone. She was bracing herself for the full-scale terror that would soon sweep the Wizarding World once the Daily Prophet got a hold of the story.
"Any news?" she mouthed to Ron, who was watching awkwardly. He shook his head. She supposed in this case that no news was sort of good news. It meant Harry wasn't dead because she refused to believe until she had absolute proof.
Finally, after what seemed like an age, Hermione gave one last sniff and pulled away. Her red eyes indicated that she had been crying all night, at least. Sarah liked to offer them comfort, and she knew that they were thinking it strange that she hadn't dissolved into tears yet either. She wanted to cry, but blanched at the thought. Sarah could only think of the embarrassment that would follow such an action. Well, I am in Slytherin, she thought. Emotions weren't things she was good at expressing.
"C'mon," muttered Ron, "Let's go somewhere we can talk without being overheard." He glared at a third year that had been staring at Hermione's little break down.
Sarah led Hermione to their special place under an old oak tree near Hagrid's hut. Ron followed behind, fearful that Hermione might burst into tears again, which Sarah thought was very likely.
"Has something happened?" Sarah asked watching Hermione closely.
"He's-he's disappeared off the face of the Earth, Sar," Hermione said in a wobbly voice. "They have no idea where he could be, even Dumbledore." Watery brown eyes were surveying her with some hope. Sarah shook her head.
"Sorry Hermione," Sarah said, "I've got nothing either."
"What about Methuselya?" Hermione asked. "Has he heard anything?"
"Have you?" Sarah hissed, transitioning smoothly to Parseltongue. Ron winced a little but Hermione watched curiously. Sarah almost smiled. The bushy-haired bookworm had an unquenchable desire for knowledge.
"No mistresss, I have heard nothing," came the answer from her sleeve. Methuselya didn't show himself much, preferring to keep hidden. He began more public appearances after second-year, but the whispering and pointing that started when someone spotted him wasn't worth it.
"He hasn't heard anything," Sarah informed them.
"He can't have disappeared," Ron said after awhile, "I mean, not intentionally, that'd need serious magic and Harry's average."
Hermione nodded in agreement. Yeah he is, Sarah thought, the Boy-Who-Lived was pretty normal.
"You know the ministry hasn't searched the Forest? Not well anyway," Ron said seriously.
"The ministry?" Sarah said sharply.
"Yeah, they've gotten involved too," Ron replied. "I still think we should search the Forest, I mean, Harry might've left some clue or something – something only we could understand?"
"Do you honestly think the ministry would miss anything, especially when it comes to their poster boy?" Hermione said irritably.
"Do you thing the ministry wouldn't miss anything?" Ron retorted. "Like You-Know-Who returning and Malfoy's true allegiance?"
"He's right," Sarah said. "The Ministry's incompetent."
"You two search then!" Hermione said shrilly, a crazed look entering her eyes. "I'm going to do something useful."
"Let me guess, the library?" Ron said condescendingly. He shook his head at her. "You'll never find anything there. You haven't got anything to go on, even I know that."
"We'll see," Hermione snapped, getting to her feet and storming off.
"That one," Ron sighed.
"Not made any headway with her?" Sarah asked.
"I don't know what you're on about," Ron said, putting his hands in his pockets. "Are we going to search the Forest or what?"
"Right," Sarah said apprehensively, "Let's go."
They crossed Hagrid's hut and saw the giant of a man planting pumpkins in his front yard. He waved at them, and they waved back. Sarah could see his eyes searching for the missing person, but none could be found and Hagrid turned away to hide his expression.
The Forbidden Forest was as sinister as ever. As soon as Sarah stepped into its shade she knew she was being watched. Ron moved nervously next to her. They had no idea where Harry had gone, but she knew beings that probably did. But the question was, should she? They didn't attack the young, but they were still unpredictable.
"We have no choice," she said to herself.
"What?" Ron said.
"We have no idea where Harry went, the Forest is huge!" Sarah said. "So we'll have to ask someone."
Ron gave her a weird look. "Who?"
Sarah raised her voice. "Centaurs! Where are you?"
"Are you mad?" Ron hissed at her, looking around like something was going to jump out and pummel them. "They hate us!"
"Just wait."
As she expected, the sound of hooves beating furiously against the leaf covered dirt of the Forest floor could be heard. They were just a few metres from the entrance of the Forest, so Sarah knew there was time to make a run for it if things didn't go well.
Ron gasped as Bane and the others appeared. He had seen Firenze but he had never seen a whole herd. There were a lot of centaurs, and Sarah knew many more were still hidden amongst the trees and shadows surrounding them.
"You dare summon us?" Bane jeered, looking dangerously down at Sarah, his face just centimetres from hers.
"I didn't summon you, you were the ones that decided to come," Sarah said, taking a step back.
"What did you do with Harry?" Ron demanded.
"You think you can order us?" Bane said. "We centaurs will not be disrespected by anyone, young or not."
"Please," Sarah said, "We just want to know where he is. This was the last place he was."
"Tell them," a new centaur spoke, one with long dark hair, and a smooth face, unlike Bane's, which hard a small beard.
"Mogarian," Bane said with a small, indistinguishable salute, "They have disrespected the-"
"You care too much about respect," Mogarian said, "Have you forgotten who the leader of this herd is?"
Ron and Sarah exchanged gleeful looks.
"No," Bane said. "But—"
"Tell them," Mogarian said, a hint of impatience in his voice. The other centaurs stirred behind the two. Some looked to agree with Bane, however most seemed to side with Mogarian.
"The Tenure has been activated," Bane said finally.
"What's 'the Tenure'?" Sarah asked.
"Do they teach you nothing at that school?" Bane snorted.
"It is an ancient spell that was activated by your friend, Mr. Potter. It should have never even been initiated," Mogarian said, casting his eyes towards Bane.
"He insulted us and threatened us," Bane defended stamping down on his front feet for emphasis.
"I left you in charge Bane, for a very short period of time," Mogarian roared. Bane flinched back and Sarah thought she saw him pale slightly. Mogarian's rage was to be feared. Sarah had always seen him as the calm one, now it appeared she had been wrong.
"I-I did-it was necessary," Bane cowered back. Mogarian waved him away and Bane went to the back of the herd, head down but fists clenched.
"Mars is bright tonight," Mogarian said to Sarah and Ron. "Mars is bright, but not bright enough to signify loss. I think your friend Mr Potter is safe. But something is coming. Or already has."
"Already has?" Ron repeated. "What's already happened to Harry?"
Mogarian didn't answer.
"Look, we just want to find our friend, and you seem to have some idea where he is. Just tell us, tell us everything," Sarah said.
"Tell you everything," Mogarian said slowly, and Sarah filled with dread. She had made a mistake. "Tell everything to younglings we don't even know. Tell everything, all our secrets, kept for centuries, because you demand it?"
"N-no," Sarah backtracked frantically.
"She meant anything to do with Harry," Ron said helpfully.
"You will get no more from us," Mogarian said calmly, "Leave this Forest, and I warn you not to return."
"Hey, you just wait a minute! This isn't your Forest, it belongs to Hogwarts! We have every right to be here!" Ron said. With admirable bravery, Sarah thought. Magorian was more frightening than Bane; you could feel the raw, untamed power coming from him. Ron must have felt it too, because he grabbed Sarah's arm and pulled her away from the angry centaurs. Mogarian signalled for the centaurs to stand down. The herd watched the children disappear from view.
The two ran full pelt out of the Forest. Once they were a good distance away they stopped, gasping for breath.
"Why," Sarah said, "did you say that?"
"I just thought," Ron said, "well, I dunno."
"Nevermind," Sarah said dismissively. "'The Tenure'. We have something to go on."
"Let's go tell Hermione," Ron said, "I can't wait to see her face. We actually found something! Bet she's still looking!"
Sarah managed a smile. "To the library."