Blood Ties
Part 27
Rating, summary and such are same as before.
Note 1: Thanks for everyone's reviews! Sorry that it takes a bit longer than expected to update. I've just move to a new apartment and internet connection has been a bit of problem (ie. non exist), and I'm too freaking lazy to copy & paste the other two parts that Joahn (THANKS!) beta-read for me... so here's one update first. I'll update the other two once I get my ass back to work... Thanks again!
Note 2: To everyone who's wondering about what the heck happens to Buffy and Hank, the answer will be coming in later parts, so HANG ON!!! ;p
Harry ran down the corridor, the beam of light coming from the tip of his wand barely enough for Harry to follow the rapid moving dot on the map. Rounding the corner, he stopped and looked down at the map again.
The moving dot was heading straight towards him.
Harry held up his wand, swallowed nervously, waiting, not knowing what to expect to see the man that was supposed to have died protecting his parents. He looked down at the map again.
The dot was ten feet from him.
Eight feet.
Five feet.
Two.
One.
Harry looked around. "AHHHHH!" He screamed as he saw a face looking right back at him. He blinked, and found he had just screamed at his own reflection on the mirror.
Looking down at the map, he saw the dot moving right past him, and continuing down the corridor. He turned around, trying desperately to find the man he was seeking, only to be greeted by a pitch of darkness. He looked down at the map again. Peter Pettigrew was leaving the corridor.
It was then he spotted another dot on the map. Severus Snape. Just around the corner.
Harry looked around in panic. "Mischief managed." He whispered and pointed at the map with his wand, before quickly shaking it. "Nox."
It was just a second later when the light from the tip of his wand disappeared that another light appeared right in front of his face. "Potter." Snape sneered. "What're you doing, wandering the corridors at night?"
"I was..." Harry swallowed. "I was... sleepwalking."
"How extraordinarily like your father, Potter. He too was exceedingly arrogant. Strutting about the castle-"
"My dad didn't strut, nor do I." Harry growled. "Now, if you don't mind, I would appreciate you lowering your wand."
Snape narrowed his eyes, and lowered the wand, pointing at Harry's sweater's pocket. "Turn out your pockets." Harry glared back at him. "Turn. Out. Your. Pockets." The young boy glared at Snape for couple more seconds before reaching into the pocket and pulled out the Marauder's Map. "And what might it be?"
"Spare bit of parchment."
Professor Snape raised an eyebrow. "Really?" He pointed his wand at the parchment. "Revive your secret!" Words slowly appeared on the parchment. "Read it."
"Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs offer their compliments to Professor Snape and..."
"Go on."
The black haired boy looked up and glared at the professor. "And request that he keep his abnormally large nose out of other people's business."
"Why you insolent little-"
"Professor?"
Harry and Professor Snape turned around, and found Professor Lupin standing there, watching them with curiosity.
"Well, well, Lupin. Out for a little walk in the moonlight, are we?"
The other professor did not response, instead turning towards Harry with a smile. "Harry, are you all right?"
"That remains to be seen." The Potion Master snatched the parchment away from Harry and handed it to Lupin. "I've just confiscated a rather curious artifact from Mr. Potter. Take a look, Lupin. This is supposed to be your area of expertise." He nodded at the parchment that was now in Lupin's hands. "Clearly, it's full of Dark Magic-"
Professor Lupin laughed. "I seriously doubt that, Severus. It looks to me as if merely insults anyone who tries to read it. I suspect it's a Zonko product." Snape was about to take it back when Lupin held the parchment away from him. "Nevertheless, I shall pursue any hidden qualities it may possess. As you said, it's my area of expertise." He turned and nodded at the black haired boy. "Harry, would you come with me?"
Harry glared at Professor Snape for a second, before quickly following the other professor down the corridor, leaving the fuming Potion Master standing there, snarling.
Harry quietly followed Professor Lupin into his office, not dared to look up as the professor turned around and stared at him. "I don't know how this map came into your possession, Harry, but I'm astounded that you didn't hand it in. Did you ever stop to think that this, in the hands of Sirius Black," he held up the parchment. "Is a map to you?"
Harry stared at the floor, ashamed.
"You father did not set much store by rules either, but he and your mother gave their lives to save yours. Gambling their sacrifice by walking about the castle unprotected, with a killer on the loose, seems to me a very poor way to repay them!" The professor walked towards his desk and put the map down. "I would not cover up for you again, Harry." He said. "I want you to return to your room and stay there. No detours." He tapped at the map. "I will know."
Harry nodded, and moved towards the exit. The black haired boy stopped before he reached the door and turned back towards the professor. "Professor, just so you know..." Professor Lupin looked up at him. "I don't think the map is working. Earlier, it showed someone in the castle. Someone I know to be dead."
Professor Lupin was cleaning up his desk when he heard that. "Who?" He asked half-hearted.
"Peter Pettigrew."
The professor froze, and looked up at Harry. "No..."
Harry did not hear the professor's whisper though. "Just so you know, Professor." He then turned and left the office, not noticing that the professor was still staring at him, his eyes widened as his face went pale.
Harry was following his other Gryffindor Quidditch team-mates towards the Quidditch pitch when he heard someone making shh-ing sounds behind him. He turned around, and found Buffy the house-elf hiding just around the corner. "Guys, I... I left something at the dorm. Why don't you go ahead?"
Wood turned and looked at him un-amused. "Make it quick Harry. We still need to discuss the strategy."
Harry nodded, and quickly ran towards the corner where Buffy was hiding, only to find Willow standing there, grinning. "Willow! They let you leave the hospital wing!"
"Since this morning." Willow grinned back. "I still have to use the crutches though. Madam Pomfrey said it may take another week before my legs heal completely."
Harry nodded. "So... you're going to the game, right?"
"Won't miss it." The redhead said. "I just want to wish you good luck."
"Thanks."
Willow giggled. "I haven't even said it yet."
Harry blushed. "Oh. Okay."
"Good luck."
"Thanks."
Harry and Willow stared at each other for a moment, before Willow suddenly leaned in, and placed a quick kiss on Harry's lips. "See you later." She whispered, her face as red as her hair as she skipped away using her crutches.
The black haired boy's hand slowly reached his lips, touching it lightly. "Wow."
"Wow."
Wood, the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch team, raised an eyebrow at the seeker as he wowed the seventh time in the past five minutes. "Are you alright, Harry?"
"Maybe he's cursed." Fred/George said.
"So cursed." The other twin echoed, shaking his head.
"Stop saying that!" Katie Bell, the chaser of the team, growled. "C'mon. Let's go." She reached for Harry and tugged his ear, hard, and dragged him out from the locker room towards the pitch.
Harry reached the pitch, the screams and shouts from other Hogwarts' students finally bought him out from his 'wow' (not to mention the burning pain in his ear). He followed his other team-mates towards the middle of the pitch, and found that the Ravenclaw team was already standing there, waiting.
"Wood, Davies, shake hands." Madam Hooch ordered, and the two captains shook hands. Harry didn't look at them though, instead staring at the only girl on the other team - seeker Cho Chang.
"Mount your brooms."
Harry shook his head a bit, and focused back on the game as Madam Hooch announced the start of game. He kicked off into the air, and started searching for the golden snitch.
As the game processed, the Gryffindor scored eighty, while the Ravenclaw had yet to score. There were several times Harry spotted the golden snitch, but every time before he could reached for it, Cho Chang would appear in front of him, forcing him to swerve away to avoid collision.
"HARRY!" The black haired Gryffindor turned a bit, and found Willow standing there, just next to Hermione and Buffy at the back of the stand, waving. He could see Draco at the corner of his eyes, sneering, and couldn't help but felt a huge grin crept onto his face. He nodded at the redhead, before focusing back onto the game.
The seeker looked around, trying to spot the golden snitch once again. He flew upward, and it didn't take long for him to notice Cho was following him again. Quickly, he turned and dived, and as predicted the Ravenclaw seeker immediately followed his move. He then pulled out of the dive and rose, surprising his opponent with the sudden change of direction. It was then he saw the snitch at the Ravenclaw end of the field not far away.
Harry accelerated towards the Snitch, and almost reached it when Cho suddenly screamed and pointed at the far end. Harry followed her line of sight, and found three Dementors just below. Without thinking, the black haired boy pulled out his wand and shouted. "Expecto patronum!" Silver white shield erupted from the end of his wand and shot towards the Dementors, but Harry did not stay and watch as he continued forward and stretched out his hand for the Snitch. He caught it, and the match ended.
When Harry reached the ground, he immediately found himself being surrounded by sea of Gryffindors. He looked around, and found Willow standing at the back with Hermione and Buffy, grinning like a Cheshire cat. The two exchanged a smile, but when Harry was about to walk towards her, Willow shook her head. 'I'll see you later.' She mouthed, before waving goodbye at Buffy and left with Hermione.
Harry frowned, but the frown quickly disappeared and replaced by a grin when Wood suddenly scooped him up from behind. "That's my boy!" He yelled.
Harry laughed and turned, and found himself greeted by Professor Lupin. "That was quite some Patronus."
"The Dementors didn't affect me at all!" The Gryffindor seeker said excitedly. "I didn't feel a thing!"
"That was ah..." Lupin cleared his throat. "That would be because they weren't Dementors. Come and see." The professor pulled Harry out of the crowd towards the edge of the field. "You gave Mr. Malfoy quite a fright."
Harry halted when he saw Draco, Crabbe, Goyle and Marcus Flint all lying on the ground, struggling to remove themselves form the long, black hooded robes. Professor McGonagall was standing over them with a look that could kill. "An unworthy trick!" She shouted. "A low and cowardly attempt to sabotage the Gryffindor seeker! Detention for you all, and fifty points from Slytherin! I shall be speaking to Processor Dumbledore about his, make no mistake!"
"C'mon, Harry." Xander said, pulling the black haired boy towards the Gryffindor common room. "LET'S PARTY!"