Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, if I did; you most likely would not want to read the series at all.
Chapter 17 – The Armies of BOB!
"Hey… Whatever happened to those Muggles from the sorting ceremony?" Ron suddenly asked as we were studying.
Currently, we were all enjoying a reprieve from Care of magical creatures due to the Niffler escape from Hagrid's third year class.
Hermione, being who she was, demanded we not laze about as we had originally planned, and take the time to review. Ron and I had at least managed to keep her from dragging us to the library, as we currently sat along the benches in the courtyard.
Being the start of November, the weather had taken a downwards spiral into the more brisk and dreary cloud ridden style that left the student body both lethargic, and moody; but today, it was unusually bright, and the temperature, wonderfully mild.
Such a day could not be wasted, so here we sat, opposite the entrance to the garden, overlooking the lake.
Trapped by books and stone benches that had a slight mossy growth along the legs, and along the stone arches that made up the courtyard; we sat knee deep in our notes on Magical creatures.
"That's a good question… didn't Dumbledore say they would sit in on our classes?" I asked.
I noticed Hermione sported a half perplexed half dismissive frown as she stared down her notes.
"He probably changed his mind and sent them away." Hermione said distractedly as she snatched one of my notes on the cleptrapper from last week to compare to her own.
"Why would he send them away…?" Ron asked.
"They probably overstepped their bounds or Malfoy and some of the purebloods made enough of a fuss that he was forced to kick them out…" Hermione remarked.
"Harry, why do you have the male cleptrapper marked as an omnivore, it's clearly a carnivore." She questioned. I looked over and spotted the report sheet on the creature we had studied.
A strange mix between a dog, seal, and fire crab, that scuttled around on 4 legs attached to a seal body under a jewelled tortoise shell that breathed fire from its dog like head.
Hagrid had handed us all a questionnaire, asking us to describe what its qualities probably were from what we observed. Questions like 'most likely foods eaten', 'mating habits', 'temperament'… it was actually a good exercise, compared to feeding flobber worm's lettuce day in and out.
"It ate a steak right in front of us." Hermione reminded me.
"Yes, but the teeth, they were flatter, like ours, that indicates it could also eat plants, see…" I took the time to point out the crude drawing of the teeth along the side of the page. I definitely had little talent in the arts, as my drawing looked more like a constipated mutant goldfish trapped under a bowl, rather than a … whatever it was.
"… And why would Dumbledore get rid of the muggles, he never lets what the parent's have to say, or the ministry for that matter, change his teaching staff. If he did, Snape would have been gone his first week on the job." I remarked.
As annoying as I assumed having parents complain about things, Dumbledore always seemed to have veto power to keep whoever he wished on staff. The only reason Umbridge was allowed on was because he could not find anyone to take up the position in her steed.
Hermione huffed in frustration and looked away from her papers. "Honestly, what about Remus… He had to leave because everyone found out about him being a werewolf." Hermione reminded us all.
"Correction, Remus quit pre-emptively, Dumbledore never fired him. If he had stayed I'm sure Remus could have stayed on." I corrected her.
"Yeah… and he let Hagrid stay, he's a half giant. That's much worse in the wizarding world, Werewolves are at least normal most of the time, a giant is a giant all the time." Ron pointed out. "Not that there's anything wrong with Hagrid of course…" Ron said absentmindedly.
Hermione huffed once more in exasperation, whispered 'honestly' to herself, but didn't argue the matter.
"Well fine then, if you're such geniuses, you tell me. Where did the muggle's go?" She challenged.
"Uhh…" he stammered.
"…I asked you first!" He finally proclaimed; victorious, that he had wheedled his way out of answering.
Hermione huffed once more, but let a smile play across her face as she looked away.
'That's was more like it.' I thought.
Hermione had started to take a much more calm out look over the past few days. She was still study crazy, and Ron and she argued just as frequently; but there was less hostility in the air.
If anything, I almost believed that she was mellowing.
… .. … .. …
'There she was…'
Every morning we would meet in the hall before breakfast. I could no longer claim to be surprised to find her there, as I had seen her almost every morning, in the exact same spot… staring dreamily about the hallway waiting to be run over by me.
That was fake as well, as no one could run into the same person every day since the beginning of term and not realize it would happen again. But I let it happen none the less. It offered a kind of security in its repetition, and allowed me to indulge in a little bodily contact with the girl. I admitted that I also liked having her grasp my arms to steady herself.
Now that I had some muscle on my arms, I liked it even more. It was good for the ego…
I had woken up one morning only to discover… I had abs…
I suppose it could have been that I had hunched forward slightly and my skin crinkled a little, and yeah, it wasn't really a dramatic change in my physique, but God Damn it , I had abs, and I was going to revel in the fact.
I liked to imagine every now and then that I would run into the girl and she would swoon at the feel of my rock hard muscles.
Given; in my imagination they seemed a little more impressive than they did in real life, but that didn't matter.
Then again, in my fantasy, those encounters became less realistic as they went on; often resulting in me some how loosing my shirt and exposing my magnificent midriff in the most ridiculous fashion.
'A guy could dream…'
But this lead to a slightly different realization, I liked Luna. Yes, I already knew that, and yes, even Cho knew that, and most likely Luna realized that on some level; but it struck me suddenly one day, I truly liked the girl. I turned down my old ex girlfriend because I liked her, and I had had it bad for that girl.
I realized I wanted a little more than to just 'accidentally' running into her every morning.
I wasn't in love or anything… it was far too early for that; but I definitely wanted to head down a different road than the one I was currently on. I wanted to…
…ask her out.
The mere thought of such an act sent my vaunted Gryffindor courage scampering away, like Crookshanks with his tail on fire. If only the masses could see me now; hiding behind a slab of stone, trying to work up the courage to ask a girl out.
Rita Skeater would eat me alive.
Taking a deep breath, I turned around… and bumped right into the girl my mind had thought about so much.
I swore, I "eaped" as I spotted those large eyes of hers.
"Harry, I was just coming to look for you. I expected to be knocked over 5 minutes ago." She scolded dreamily.
'Alright, here goes, I'll ask her now… were all alone; there's no better time.' I told myself.
Gathering my courage, I opened my mouth and said….
"Sorry about that; slept in…" I said charmingly.
'Coward!' My mind scolded.
Luna smiled at me dreamily, accepting my answer and dragged me away from my hiding spot, towards the entrance doors of the great hall.
Out of the corner of my eyes, I spotted movement and quickly turned to see who might have spotted my run in, but was relieved to only find a suit of armour scratching at a section of rust on its arm. The suits at least never spoke. Or so I hoped.
… .. … .. …
Waiting in the familiar defence classroom, the class waited to be introduced to new ways to feel pain. Professor Connelly, or as I had taken to calling him, Sir, had upped his expectations for the class ten fold. No one knew why he had run them through there ever increasing paces, but no one could claim him an inadequate instructor.
After the first few classes where students had not learned their dated spell, each detention had left the respective student ominously afraid of the man; no one had entered the class unable to perform to his expectations, after that. Even Malfoy had lacked his usual pompous attitude; as he recognized a man who would not tolerate such action.
I personally wondered what the man thought about Malfoy or the other children of the death eaters, but the man had not let on in any way.
I was about to stare out the window once more at the cloudy sky, when I was interrupted by a…
BANG
Quickly turning around with my wand at the ready and a defensive spell on my lips I prepared myself for an attack from Sir.
I was to be denied, as I spotted the familiar scowl and greasy locks of my most hated professor.
The man quickly swept into the room while shouting, "Wands away… and 20 points from Gryffindor for pointing your wand at your professor, Potter."
Oh Joy.
I had not even been the only one, as every other student in the class, including Malfoy and the other Slytherin's, had done the same. It was nice to see the man held my wand in such high regard.
'But what the hell was he doing here!?'
"We are to continue your lesson on over powering your opponents spells using Leman's reciprocative techniques." The man informed us.
At least he wasn't diverting from the syllabus like he had for Remus, but I knew the man was going to try and make up all the points he had been denied taking from me over the past few months by my avoidance of him.
Some of it had been natural self preservation techniques, as I naturally tended to try and steer away from the man like the plague, but mostly I had been hard to find as I spent most of my time within the room of requirement or outside. A place his pale complexion informed me, he hardly spent anytime.
Out the corner of my eye, I spotted Hermione's predictable muscle spasm that she called raising her hand. Some of the other students looked on in exasperated fondness of the girl for behaving so predictably. Others like Malfoy need not even be mentioned.
Snape charmed a piece of chalk to start diagramming notes on the board which the rest of us started to write. Hermione to her credit wrote down her notes while raising her left hand to continue waiting for the man to call on her. Which, if history was to be believed, might have been anywhere between now, and never.
The man kept his body facing the chalk board seemingly inspecting the notes as they wrote themselves, but we all knew he was perfectly aware of Hermione's hand.
"Mrs, Granger, will you put down your infernal hand! I have not even begun to teach!" The man snapped, spinning around with a scowl firmly plastered across his pasty face.
Hermione who had long ago faced the mans temperament, and her own respect for authority battered enough from I and Ron's constant insults towards Snape, took the scowl and response in stride as she respectfully asked.
"Please sir, I was curious as to what happened to Professor Connelly." She bravely questioned. I was mightily impressed that the girl could sound so respectful to the man, considering all he had put her and the rest of us through.
The man sneered down his hooked nose at her, seemingly perturbed that she was exhibiting less than appropriate levels of fear and anxiety at his demeanour.
"I see that you are not as observant as you would have the rest of us believe Ms. Granger. I had expected better of you." He said with an ugly, disappointed smile at the girl.
Hermione thankfully said nothing, which I had expected; Ron and I on the other hand twitched ever so slightly at the comment, as we had felt the waves of smugness wash over us as he looked down upon our friend.
"If you had paid attention in class, or in the sorting ceremony, you would have known that Mr. Connelly was a temporary instructor and would only be here until November. Now if I have sated your incessant curiosity, can we continue on with the lesson…" he asked with an agitated frown; as if Hermione were holding up the class to ask for tips on the application of eyeliner.
The girl's cheeks blossomed noticeably as she quietly said, "Yes sir, sorry sir."
A twittering of laughter from somewhere to our left focused my attention to a grinning Malfoy. He enjoyed watching the dressing down, even though it was minor in comparison to other incidents.
"I'm glad I have your blessing Ms. Granger; thank you." He said snidely while focusing his attention on the rest of the class.
"Mr. Finnegan, tell me the theory behind the technique we will be learning today." Snape quickly pounced.
"I uh… "He stuttered in surprise, floundering for the correct words.
Dean, who was sitting next to him, elbowed him; which thankfully refocused his attention.
"…The theory, it's… um, when a caster defends them selves by changing their spell while it's being cast to oppose their opponent; then the caster has to over power that person." He stuttered. Even though he clearly knew the material, which I could attest to as I had seen him spend time studying the night before, Snapes presence and straight forward questioning had suitably confounded him.
"A barely acceptable answer, but correct none the less." The man sneered down at the Irishman. "For future reference Mr. Finnegan, 'uh' and 'um' are not words I accept when being addressed. Try not to embarrass yourself further with such language within my presence again."
Seamus looked like he wanted to defend himself but after years of exposure to the acerbic nature of the man, he wordlessly nodded his head while creating a fist under the table.
"Mr. Malfoy, a Proper answer if you please." The man invited with a noticeable change in tone and demeanour. It was sickening to see such blatant favouritism, but what could I really do.
"Yes sir." The pompous blonde said eagerly while sending smug smiles to the many scowling gryffindors.
"Leman stated that a wizard could overpower most attack spells by recreating the spell being sent at said wizard and intercepting the spell prior to contact, or by overpower their opponents spell with their own and effectively nullifying or even reversing the attack all together." The boy finished.
I had to at least give it to the ponce. He did have a good understanding of the spell. He would have had to have had, if he wanted to avoid Sir's detentions
"An excellent answer. Take ten points for Slytherin Mr. Malfoy." The man said proudly.
Malfoy for his part sneered directly at Seamus and then Hermione, who had looked like she had wanted to answer the question all class.
Then, as an after thought, he sneered at me as well, as I was of course the wind beneath his obnoxious wings, and he could never forget about me. Sarcasm was great.
I rolled my eyes at him and refocused on Snape as I had to make sure I gave the man as little ammo as possible to work with. He was sure to cause me as much trouble as he could manage.
This was all the more frustrating as my method of dealing with him directly clashed with my new, no crap-taking attitude I had been nurturing. I had enjoyed asserting my own will over the past few months, and to have to revert; it grated on the nerves…
"Mr. Potter, since you like to show off so much, perhaps you can demonstrate the technique." The man queried with a distasteful sneer as he called me up. I had expected no less, as I stood up calmly and walked forward. I ignored the sniggers from Malfoy and his little sycophants, as I walked toward the man I would have gladly avoided all year round.
"Stand over there, Potter. Now, I think I shall attack, while you defend." The man stated rhetorically.
It was a testament to my own training and reaction time that I was able to respond as quick as I did.
I had barely reached the spot the man indicated before the rush of magic hurtling toward me triggered my survival skills, forcing me to spin and cast.
The class had even less time to gasp it's surprise, whether it was due to the quick and dirty tactics of the professor, or my own speedy reaction, but I was already casting by the time their intake of breath reached my ears.
The technique itself did not involve any fancy wand movements, or intricate phrasing. All it required was an initial spell that it could work off of; by establish a conduit for it to enact over. In many ways, this technique resembled the priori incantantum from my grave yard battle.
During this quick moment, both Snapes magic and mine were interlocked in a battle of wills. I had to hand it to Snape; his will was like that of a charging bull. Steadfast, and near impossible to divert. The spell amplified that as I could feel his own percussion blast fighting my Protego.
From an outside observer, it would have looked like Snape was shooting ethereal water at me. The water formed a curved wall at the end of his magic that violently pounded on my own shield Ball.
A nifty trick I had learned from Sir. The normally only defensible spell, using a combination of spell mining and vector displacement techniques, had allowed me to create balls of blue air pockets, that could be used to pummel the enemy as the shield itself made the lightweight projectile harder than stone.
Anyone who was to check my wand would only see a shield charm, never knowing that I had turned the defensive spell into an offence. It was sort of like taking an actual metal shield, like the ones the knights sported in the corridors, crumpling them up into a ball, and banishing them at my enemies.
I took some pleasure in the fact that the man would most likely bruise if he lost to me.
Snape for his part seemed surprised that I had survived his surprise attack, but continued on pushing his spell farther towards me.
In a real fight; the spell connection would only last a moment, as neither duellist would waste valuable time trying to overpower an opponent with a single spell, but would rather if faced with a situation where equal or superior will's were present, would nudge the spell so it would miss the wizard entirely. But this was no longer about diverting a spell away; this was a battle of wills. Snape and I were going to show each other that we were the superior ones in comparison to the other.
Clearly Dumbledore's faith in our maturity was well placed.
Focusing my will, I stared down the man, and used the third little known aspect of the theory. The malleability of the spell. Leman had stated that during the spell connection the wizard casting could reform their spells into shapes and sizes that suited them, or change spells all together.
Thankfully some spells were incapable with this technique, so people need never fear a wizard changing there tickling charm into, say an Avada. Although there were many a dark spell that was compatible with the technique, so a certain level of vigilance was always recommended.
I used the third aspect of the technique in what I would have considered a unique fashion.
I almost expected the class to 'Oh' and 'ahh' as my shield ball grew larger and opened up from the back, closest to me.
I had to do this right as if I didn't, I would loose concentration and the shield would collapse, meaning I would be struck by Snapes overly powered percussion blast.
The fear that I might fail to my most hated teacher woke something up deep within me. A primal power that surged through my veins and into my brain, clearing up the haze I had never realised had been there.
Suddenly the world was clearer and moving in slow motion as I watched our two spells clash. It was as if the world throbbed to an eerie metronome; it played a hauntingly familiar rhythm.
Suddenly, the spell and challenge didn't seem as difficult as before. Firming my resolve I continued on…
The class watched as my Protego ball grew and unfolded itself from a ball, to a sheet, and then a ball again. I had in essence inverted my shield so it was now a cage…
The ball had engulfed both the spell, and Snape. It was rapidly decreasing, pushing Snape closer and closer towards the end of his own percussion spell.
There was of course an easy solution. Snape could end his own spell and not face being blasted within an enclosed space. But to do so would appear like submission on his part; within my eyes and his.
I was curious which route he would take, as either way I won.
He took the second.
His spells suddenly fizzled out, and I held my shield for a moment before dissipating it. The man didn't seem very happy if the hateful scowl was anything to go by.
"I asked you to demonstrate the technique Mr. Potter; not show off what little you had managed to retain from the training the headmaster has pampered his golden boy with." He sneered.
I heard the murmuring start up; it was like someone had un-muted the room and the ambient noise struck me all at once, the noise and the surprise.
I was definitely surprised. Surprised and angry.
He knew I wasn't supposed to reveal my training to anyone, yet here he went announcing it out loud in front of the entire class, which included the two biggest gossips in school, my own friends, some of whom, like Hermione knew nothing about my extra curricular activities, and the sons and daughters of the death eaters.
I wondered whether this is what Remus felt like when his own secret was let out of the bag. Worried, nauseous, and violent…
Deciding on a course of action, I held my ground with a stoic face that hardly hid my anger and stared the man down.
"I don't know what you're talking about, sir." The 'sir' tacked on with distaste.
"Are you calling me a 'liar' Mr. Potter" he questioned dangerously. I think he was thrown by the fact that I would not admit to the training sessions. Previous years, I might have scowled at the man and hoped no one was paying any attention, but that would have only helped spread the information as fact due to my silence.
The information would spread none the less, but I could at least cast enough doubt to salvage the situation.
"No sir, but if you believe that the headmaster is providing me with extra training session's then I invite you to call him here and confirm it for yourself. Surely he would not lie…" I said calmly. My wand was still grasped tightly within my hand. I so wished to be able to unleash my 'training' on the man. He was a spy and death eater, and it may have been youthful arrogance and zealousness, or the adrenalin still pumping in my veins, but I secretly thought I could take him.
I could see the rage behind his eyes, as he had been denied the satisfaction of getting under my skin and disseminating a secret I had been so religiously keeping since the beginning of term.
He knew he could not call the headmaster here, as the man would clearly side with me and claim to have no knowledge of the training, and to call the man a liar would only work against him, but to not challenge me… that would take away from his mystique, and eat away at his personal pride to never let a Potter get the best of him; verbally, or magically. Something I had managed to do, not once, but twice today.
I was quite proud of myself.
'Go me!'
"Thirty points for your cheek, and detention. Now get out." He seethed at me.
I needed no further instruction as I gladly turned around and grabbed my bag from the front table, and walked out of the room.
Sadly I had not managed to avoid looking in the general direction of Hermione in my quick exit.
She had paid definite attention to our little exchange.
She had not missed the mans remark about training…
… .. … .. …
Elsewhere:
'I'm the girl… he should ask me…'
'But he's shy, maybe I should ask him. I already know he won't turn me down, so that should make it easier.'
'But no… its not how it's done, the boy is supposed to ask the girl, not the other way around.'
'Then again, we aren't living in the Middle Ages anymore… Who's to say a girl can't ask out a boy?'
'But I don't wanna….'
My current dilemma had been one I had been fussing over since I had truly realized what Harry had said in the room of requirement.
All I could do was thank whatever muse that had inspired my normal dreamy exterior, as I could properly focus my attention on the problem without drawing any more attention to myself.
Every morning that I had seen Harry, I remembered the feelings he had for me, and each nudge or bump with each other felt like a secret seduction; our own little taboo display of fondness for each other. The only problem being… I was a greedy girl. I wanted more.
Sitting through Professor Kahn's review lecture on the Norse symbolic reference clusters of six hundred A.D. … I couldn't help but wish the man some excitement.
The man was as boring as Binn's, only with a pulse. Plus he was creepy as hell. I was thankful the man was not a permanent resident of the castle. I would not like to find myself alone with him in a dark corridor.
'It was the goatee.' I concluded.
The man spoke in drones and dull tones, indicating that he wanted to be here just as much as we did, which for a Ravenclaw, was surprisingly, not very much. I would have rather sat through another lecture on proper wand polishing with Professor Lockhart… at least that man had pretty hair I could stair at. It was so unnaturally bouncy that often I had become entranced by it.
Focus…
Right… Harry, what to do about Harry?
I knew for a fact that the boy was shy and nervous, not as much as Neville, but still lacking in enough confidence to ask a girl out right away.
I wasn't one of those girl's who wanted a suave charming man to sweep her off her feet with bravado and acts of daring… well no more than the average girl, I assumed.
But still, I wanted him to ask me out rather than the other way around.
Sadly, I might need to take the initiative to start anything. 'But really why should I… screw feminism.'
I wanted him to come to me. It was tradition… you don't go messing with tradition. It's just not done…
There was also that tiny little insecurity in the back of my head that reminded me that just maybe, he had changed his mind after that night. Maybe he saw me as a friend and I would just embarrass myself…
Maybe the ritual thingy affected him so much that he never felt anything for me at all.
Maybe he was really expressing You-Know-Who's secret desire for blonde, grey eyed, Ravenclaws…
'…Oh dear lord, that's disturbing!'
I was lucky that no one paid me any attention, as my startled eyes and twitch in posture screamed utterly terrified.
I was also lucky that class had just ended.
"For next class, read chapter eighteen, and complete questions one through thirty in your review section." The man said absentmindedly as he started to pack up his own materials. I had learned that he taught for the continuing studies guild. They were the ones that owned Kwikspell and controlled the apprenticeship within the ministry.
Professor Kaun was a part owner of the guild; through lucky inheritance, and smart investing. The man was very knowledgeable about Runes I was told, just not very enthusiastic, or at least in what little he taught at Hogwarts.
That was evident as he was out the door almost as fast as his students.
Exiting the room last, I dawdled away toward Ravenclaw tower. I wanted to put my things away and perhaps wander. I had long ago completed his assigned homework, and the only other homework I had was Professor McGonagall's essay on cross species transfiguration. I had another week to finish it, and I was already half done, so I felt no need to rush.
Running tips of my fingers across the stone walls of the corridor I felt the coarse stone gradually get smoother and smoother as I walked closer to my common room.
For some reason, the corridors closest to Ravenclaw common room were almost completely smooth, as if they had been sanded to a gloss.
The further one was from the common room, the coarser the stone walls became.
Ravenclaw tower, being on the west side of the castle, shun brightly during the sunsets due to this fact as the light reflected well off the smooth stone.
The hufflepuff common rooms, which were the furthest away, had jagged stone corridors that, while sturdy, were uncomfortable to lean on.
Stopping in front of a particularly ornate suit of armour, I grasped the quill it held in its left hand and whispered the password.
"Epiphany…"
I really wondered who came up with these passwords. That person should be shot.
The suit of armour tilted its head to look down at me with eyes that were not even there and waved me in. A section of the stone wall immediately retracted in upon itself and revealed the rectangular passage into the common room.
A bright circular room awaited me. I was still floored to this day by the design of the tower. The common room was the length of the entire tower. Going up eight stories. The first level being the common room itself. A room surrounded by comfy blue cushions, plush tan love seats and ottomans, a roaring central fireplace that was more a lowered pit of flames. Some how Smoke was never a factor for us.
And of course there were book cases, as we were Ravenclaws after all. They weren't secret tomes by any means; not that that stopped the ever enthusiastic first years form hoping it so.
No, they were books on philosophy, and notes on observations of nature and the environment in general. There were also yearbooks, one per year for every year for over two hundred years, with a page dedicated to one graduating Ravenclaw from each year. A legacy and tradition, we Ravenclaws were proud to maintain.
"Luna, Hi!" A bright voice greeted me.
I couldn't help but groan inside. It was Christy… my room mate; and according to the article the prophet had posted… my own personal gal pal. 'Woo freaking hoo…'
"Hello Christy…" I greeted in my normal dreamy tones. Honestly I just wanted to drop my books off and wander the halls alone to brood over my Harry dilemma… I didn't want to go another twelve rounds with the girl as she tried to question me on how 'dishy' Harry truly was. I may have agreed, but I personally saw no reason to share that thought with anyone, let alone this girl.
"Where have you been Luna, I haven't seen you all day…" She questioned.
"Class…" I answered back. 'Where else would I be?' The girl was with me through transfiguration, and charms just this morning. The girl had an attention span of a Nat, and a peripheral vision to match.
I could have stood beside her for an hour and she probably would have ignored me as if I had not been there at all. For her to notice me meant she wanted something; that meant trouble for me.
"Really, what classes are you in…?" She asked curiously.
"The same ones as you, except I take runes instead of divination…" I inform her for what must have been the eleventh time. This year at least. God knows how many times I've had to tell her what classes I've had with her, since we started school.
"Strange…" She commented, clearly perplexed.
Common misnomer number 1: not all Ravenclaws are smart… Christy is proof of that.
"Anyway, Guess what…" She asked brightly as she followed me up the stairs towards our dorm.
I so very wanted to tell her 'No, I didn't want to guess', but that would have been rude. Instead, I asked… "Did you finish your Potions essay yet?"
I knew the girl blanched, as she always left her essays till the last moment, and it was indeed that; as the essay was due tomorrow. I had already completed it; as I didn't want to dilly dally in a subject I was weak in.
"Oh no… I haven't started. How much is it out of 20?"
"25…" I corrected, as I pulled open the door to our dorms. Being a fifth year, our dorms were 3 floors above the common room, with the first years at the very top. They at least got some exercise, as they climbed all those stairs. Although most then had to face the vertigo of looking down at the common room below. I was told it was one of the drawbacks of being a first year Ravenclaw… receiving the highest dorms in the house.
The entire tower was an open space, so it made the room seem so much larger than it really was. Although I had to admit I liked the tingly sensation I felt as I looked down from such a height, I think my room mates worried I was suicidal by how much time I spent just leaning against the banister overlooking our common room. That probably added to my Loony reputation.
Anyway… Christy was saying something… I should probably pay attention.
"… So it's fine then right…?" She asked.
'Nuts'… I had no idea what she asked me. For all I know, if I said yes she might have just received permission to raid my money bag for whatever amount resided within, then again, she could have just asked to borrow a quill.
I turned my head and faced her. I had learned a trick from Professor Snape that usually came in quite handy for situations like this. Turning to stare at the girl I locked my eyes on her, then after exactly 4 seconds of hard starring, I raised my right eyebrow.
The girl fidgeted.
"I know… I know I probably should've done it earlier but…" My eye brow stayed quirked, which was a little hard to do. My muscles were starting to twitch from the exertion, that's not to say keeping my eye brow raised was like running a marathon, but I generally had to put so much force to raise them that I started to strain the muscles within my face. That sounded fairly sad.
The girl continued to fidget under my 'severe' stare. "I won't let it happen again, but please, just this once, can I see what you wrote…?" She pleaded.
'Oh, it's a good thing I had used my Snape stare.' Christy was known for two things, and two things only. Her air headedness, which sadly helped gain her a few friends, and her subtlety.
I had been down this road more than once with the girl. I would let her borrow a paper and the next day, she would hand in a near perfect replica of what I had written. If it weren't for her atrocious lying ability, I might have been suspected of copying off of her, instead I just received detention for helping another student cheat. And hear I thought she might have wanted to borrow my notes. I almost said yes.
And for an essay with Snape… Oh hell no.
I wasn't about to go down that road again.
"I'll lend you my notes and maybe check over your finished copy, if I have time; but I can't give you my essay." I finally answered.
"What… why?" She begged.
"I already handed it in…" I lied. In reality it was sticking out of my bag just waiting to be spotted by the girl.
I always had trouble saying no to people… although, I had no problem lying…
That doesn't sound right…
"Oh…" the girl said crushed; as she was faced with the possibility of doing her own homework.
"Alright, thanks Luna…" Suddenly her eyes lit up, just as I had put my things away, hid my essay under my mattress, and pulled out my notebook.
"I have another favour to ask you Luna…" The girl said in remembrance. This was apparently the favour she wanted to ask me earlier. I had hoped she had forgotten.
I handed her my notebook, and started walking towards the door half hoping that just maybe she wouldn't follow. No such luck.
"A couple of us were talking. We heard about the group you got involved with last year. The D.A. was it?" She asked
I nodded half curious, half dreading what she would request of me.
"Well we heard that everyone who was in it received top marks for defence last year, even those who were a year or two above the rest…" the girl hinted.
I knew for a fact that the girl could care less about the subject of defence or grades. She was aiming to marry a rich pureblood one day. She at least had the looks for that type of ambition, so who knows, she might just get her wish…
"Yes, Harry was an excellent teacher…" I commented dreamily as I walked down the final set of stairs with the girl in my wake. I didn't purposefully sound dreamy, as I knew I did. It was just something I developed over the years.
Anyway, that was totally unrelated to whatever the girl wanted…
"Yeah, he must have been, that Harry Potter. He's something special." She said in her own dreamy voice. I tried my hardest not to role my eyes at the expected answer.
As shy as Harry was, I half expect him to have an ego complex from all the girls who pined after him. Most of them were entranced by his hero status, some his wealth which was reputed to be an immense inheritance, some just wanted to join into the house of Potter as it was a well respected pure blood family, and then some, a combination of the three. It didn't hurt that he was quite attractive…
'Oh great… now I'm starting to sound like one of the drones that pine after him. That's not a good sign.' I hoped I wouldn't turn into one of the many fan girls he had amassed. That would be terribly embarrassing.
"What was I saying…?" The girl said after snapping out of her trance…
"Right, Harry and the D.A." she answered for herself. "Well the thing is Luna, A couple of us would like to join, but when we went and asked him, he said the D.A. wasn't accepting new members…" She said in an unusually conniving way. The girl was anything but sly, but she must have rehearsed a dozen times in advance to sound half as sly as she was now.
Not that that was very sly at all… in retrospect.
"Harry said that he didn't have enough time to re-teach the new members everything the D.A. knew." I informed her as I finally reached the common room door and exited into the hallway. Sadly the girl was hot on my heals.
"Yeah that's what he said, but we were hoping that maybe you could convince him to take us… it would be such a big favour to us if you would…" the girl asked with puppy dog eyes. I wasn't really looking at her so I couldn't say with absolute certainty that she was giving me that look, but I knew her well enough to tell when she was delivering it. It was in her tone of voice.
"I could ask him, but I don't think he would…" I said finally after contemplating my options.
I could play it dumb and pretend like I don't know why they would come to me to ask for entrance, but really half the school already 'knew' that we were secretly dating, thanks to the article.
Even though we weren't that didn't change the fact that everyone thought we were.
I might as well just cut the entire conversation short and just tell her I would ask and get it over with, as there was no convincing the girl otherwise.
"Thanks Luna; you're the best." She beamed. Quickly hugging me from behind and forcing me to halt or loose my balance, I patted what little of her I could reach as she was squeezing my arms to my body, as if I had been petrified.
I feared I looked like I was consoling the girl awkwardly, as I patted her hand soothingly as she hugged me from behind. I was very uncomfortable.
Eventually she let go of me, and I was free to escape deeper into the castle.
It was about 3 and I had the rest of the day free. I was about to find a nice quite place to continue brooding over Harry, when I spotted something.
I was deep in the castle, some where close to the kitchens. But there, hiding behind a statue of a Wild boar, was a familiar red demon…
My eyes squinted as I took a moment to glare at my foe. He had eluded me before, but not this time. He turned around and spotted me. If his face weren't made out of gelatine I assume it would have glared at me hatefully, just as I glared at it.
"Bob…" I greeted.
The Gummy bear scowled at me with its motionless face. Only one of us was going to leave our encounter today, the victor… I was determined it was going to be me.
My hand raised and I grabbed my wand from its resting spot above my ear.
I was ready…
… .. … .. …
I had no idea where to go. Defence should have let out a couple of minutes ago, so Hermione was sure to come in search of me, to find out about my training. The room of requirement should have been the first place she would have looked, as I had confessed to her in a moment of stupidity that that is where I had spent most of my time studying as I liked to do it alone.
Of course, I could just say that Snape meant my training that I had at the citadel, as everyone knew about that, but some how I knew that would not fly with the girl.
Honestly I was still reeling over the mans pettiness. Dumbledore assured me that all those who knew about my training swore they would not reveal it. For some reason I had believed that even Snape would adhere to his own word. I was clearly wrong in that arena.
'I should probably go and tell Dumbledore the cats out of the bag.' If I knew Snape, he would have probably concocted his own story implicating me in some ridiculous fashion.
With my mind maid up, I marched myself toward the familiar gargoyle statue. The gargoyle leapt aside on its own as I approached, allowing me to wander up the spiral staircase.
Reaching the door, I waited to be welcomed inside as usual, but it never came. Knocking in puzzlement I called…
"Professor Dumbledore?"
No one responded. Knocking once more, and turning the knob, I peeked my head inside.
"Headmaster?" I called as I stared inside.
The room was barren of any living creature. Even Fawkes was absent. Wondering what I should do, I was startled as a voice from above me spoke.
"You boy, what are you doing here so early. We weren't expecting you till Sunday." A commanding voice questioned me. Turning up I came face to face with the bushy eyed face of Armando Dippet; a man I had only ever seen in a pensieve memory.
"I was looking for Professor Dumbledore…" I said after a few moments. I had never gotten used to speaking to paintings. It felt too much like trying to speak to an imaginary friend. Something I had never been comfortable experimenting with in my childhood. Uncle Vernon would have probably thought I had conjured up a demon or something in retrospect.
"Well that was obvious from all you're hollering. Why are you looking for the headmaster…" he questioned sarcastically.
Reminding myself that I was talking to a piece of canvas, I raised an eyebrow imperiously at the portrait.
"I needed to tell him that Snape…"
"Professor Snape…" a random portrait reprimanded me…
"Snape…" I repeated defiantly, "Told everyone that I was being trained. I wanted to know what to do now." I confided to the room.
They would hear anyway so I felt no need in hiding it from them.
"Why that no good son of a …." Turning around abruptly to stare in wonder at the fuming portrait with greying brown hair, and regal blue eyes, I was surprised to hear a headmaster who would openly bad mouth a professor.
"Hush, Amadeus. Not in front of the student…" another portrait reprimanded.
Turning around an elderly woman who struck me as a Mrs. Weasley type stared at me fondly.
"I'm sorry deary; Amadeus was never very fond of your Professor Snape… Pay him no mind." She said soothingly.
"Oh stop mothering the boy Amelia; he's a hardy chap. You've heard the scrapes he's been in. He can stand to hear a dead man bad mouth a bastard." Amadeus said with smile towards me. He struck me as a man similar to Ron's temperament. He clearly held the same views as my room mate.
"And it wasn't just me that didn't want the fool teaching here, we were all divided on letting him teach here, you as well if I recall…" the man reminded the flustered women.
The women blushed slightly, but stared firmly at the man. "The current Headmaster believes him trustworthy; it would be wise for you to remember that." The women scolded.
"Ignore those two…" a third voice whispered to me. Turning my head I spotted another female portrait, a tight lipped women who looked as stern as Professor McGonagale, but with Professor Flitwick smile.
"Those two argue all the time, its all they can do as they have no other portraits to escape to." She explained while rolling her eyes at the pair.
"I never really thought about what it must be like to be a portrait…" I said as I thought about a life as an 8 by 10.
"Well don't you worry too much about it lad, as much as we complain we aren't the real thing. Hopefully the real me is taking a tan in the afterlife… preferably with a couple strapping young men attending to the drinks." She said with a lecherous grin towards me.
I couldn't help but smile at the women. She was more like Tonks in disposition. Warm and carefree.
"Name's Harry" I greeted. I felt the need to introduce myself to the women, God knows how many paintings I had met, but so few had been as charming as this one.
"Oh, I know; you're a popular topic for us… I am Headmaster Gripits… But you may call me Charlene." The women invited as she tilted her head in greeting.
"Gripits… I've heard that name somewhere before…?" I said.
"Such a charmer you are; but I doubt I am in many history books, lad. I think you may have heard of me from Professor Dumbledore though…" The women reminded me significantly.
Suddenly I remembered the day I had spent in the Citadel hospital wing. Professor Dumbledore had told me that he would keep the information he held on me, in a safe behind a portrait.
"That's right… Professor Dumbledore said he kept my files behind you. Would you mind if I took a look." I asked rhetorically. I was going to look either way, but I felt the need to be polite to the women.
"Of course lad, as long as you know the password." She said with a smile.
"Right… um, Gemma…" I said after taking a moment to remember. My own smile turned upside down as I watched the women frown.
"Is that not the password…?" I asked. Suddenly I noticed that the entire room had gone silent. Turning, the other portraits were starring at me with calculating eyes; Amadeus and Amelia as well.
"No, that is a correct password; I just had not expected you to know that one." The women said with a strained smile.
"There's more than one password?" I asked.
"Aye lad, everything that goes into the safe, has its own password. But there is a special password that overrides all of them. And you apparently know it…" The women frowned.
"I knew the man trusted you, but… try to understand lad, I and every other headmaster in this room know more about the man than most of the wizarding world. I specifically know what he keeps behind me. I did not believe anyone would ever gain that particular password." The women explained.
"Why…?" I asked.
"It's not my story to tell lad, and I would ask that you not ask the headmaster to tell you it either. He has the right to tell it to you if and when he wants to." She replied.
I nodded in understanding, even though really all this did was peak my curiosity.
"Good lad. Now, you may slide my portrait down, and take what you will from the safe, but I ask that you only take what the headmaster has invited you to take. I can not stop you, but I hope all the tails of your character the man has entertained us with are true." The women asked.
I was also given a no nonsense warning glare that promised that she clearly would disapprove of any invasion into the mans privacy. I had no intention of crossing her or invading the mans privacy so I followed her instructions.
Reaching up and grasping the top of her gilded wooden frame, I gently pulled and watched as the frame slid away to reveal a recessed wall space.
It wad divided in two by a self, on the very bottom files and folders were organised alphabetically, with names that ate away at my resolve.
There before me were files on Lucious Malfoy, Antonin Dolohov, Bellatrix Lestrange, and numerous other death eaters; but near the very end, sat a slightly thick folder by the name of T. M. Riddle.
On the opposite side I spotted a folder labelled, H.J. Potter, with a familiar bar charted sheet of paper peeking out, reminding me that this was what I was looking for. On the top shelf though I was entranced by the multitude of objects. Daggers, time turners, wands, and things that I suspected were probably illegal to own sat tempting me with their seductive allure. Strangely enough, in the very centre of them all were a pair of glass vials. They were large and upside down as they were placed with the opening over top a pedestal at their feet. Each held strands of hair. One a mahogany brown, another, a vibrant red.
Reminding myself that I was starting to intrude on his privacy just by looking, I firmed my resolve and reached in and took the folder labelled H.J. Potter.
Deciding it better to remove the temptation I pulled the portrait of Charlene Gripits up, covering the hidden treasure trove.
Her eyes traveled down towards my arm with the folder labelled under my name and smiled at me.
"Good lad." She praised with a crooked smile. "Now when you're done, there's no need to pull me down again, just pass the folder through my painting and it will be put back where you put it. Mind, that you avoid passing it through my face though… I'm sure you can understand why" she instructed.
I nodded my thanks and walked over to my regular seat.
I might as well read through the file while I wait on the man.
Pulling open the cover I was faced with a slab of papers with numbers and letters interspersed in nonsensical patterns that clearly conveyed some kind of meaning I didn't understand. Pulling that page aside, and then the next, and the next, and the next, and so forth until finally, I reached a sheet I could understand.
It was dated just a few days ago. Halloween to be exact. I had not realized the man had had the opportunity to do such a thorough scan of my magic while I lay unconscious in the hospital wing.
It was a sheet similar to the one I had first saw in the citadel, the only thing that was different, was the fact that almost all the bars that were there before, were now labelled…
Error: …
That was different.
Pulling the sheet out, I noticed that it was attached to another two pages. One of them being my original scan, and the other, a much older scan; I say older, as it was dated November 1st 1981.
'This was the scan that he took just after Voldemort attacked me.'
The sheet of paper was near illegible, as Dumbledore had scribbled notes on different sections.
Some of it I could understand, like where he commented on my strange neuro chemical levels, which were 'probably due to the Avada Kedavra rebounding', but other notes like when he said my 'B4-sigma's were not in sync with my y-Theta's in accordance with the mercadaian drift calculations' completely stumped me.
Scratching my head I turned the page over, and looked over at the rest of the folder.
Surprisingly, it was a sort of journal of my time at Hogwarts, noting any significant events, like when I displayed parseltongue abilities, or killed a basilisk. It was a bit creepy to know someone kept such close tabs on you, but I reasoned that Dumbledore would have known I would have seen this when he told me about the hidden wall safe.
That brought up another point; Dumbledore had given me his master password, which if I understood correctly would let me take whatever I wished from the wall space. The way the portrait explained it to me, it sounded a little like Moody's trunk, where if I had used a certain password, only certain contents would appear. But by using the master, I called forth every object hidden. I had no idea how the magic worked but it was certainly possible.
What stumped me though was the level of trust Dumbledore displayed in me by giving me such a password. Considering my track record with snooping in on pensieve memories and ferreting out clues and secrets I was originally never meant to know, I couldn't understand why the man would trust me with such information, and tools.
Something in me wanted to prove the man right for that level of blind trust, I knew I would never betray that trust, and promised never to go through the rest of his things until he invited me to do so. It was definitely the least I could do.
BANG
Startled, I turned around to see what had made such a noise.
"That Potter brat has gone too far, his disrespect and… Potter!" Snape seethed in hatred as he spotted me, stopping his tirade as he realized I was in the room.
"Professor…" I said distastefully. Deciding I would take the higher ground and leave, I started to gather the papers I had removed and placed them back in the folder.
"What do you think you are doing Potter, Going though the Headmaster files? You'll be expelled for this…" the man crowed as he stalked closer to me.
Picking up the folder before the man could place a hand on it; I took a step back and closer to the wall safe and Charlene.
"The headmaster gave me permission to see this folder, 'sir'." I defended, as I pulled the folder out of his reach as he tried to make a grab for it.
I watched as his eyes tracked the folder intently. I knew he had spotted my name, and was itching to see what was inside.
"Do not try and lie to me Potter, Give me the folder." He commanded with a hand outstretched, reminding me very much of a claw that was ready to gouge at me should I come near.
I took another step back and avoided the mans touch as he made a grab for the folder again. Thinking quickly, I made a grab for my wand and banished the folder towards the wall safe. I watched satisfied as it sank through the painted chest of the long dead headmaster.
She gave me a satisfied smirk, and Amadeus winked at me approvingly. The rest of the portraits were clearly taking exception to Snape's attitude; as they frowned and warned him to leave me be.
"Potter, what do you think you are doing?" He bellowed in rage as he watched the folder disappear behind the portrait of the stern woman.
"As I said, Professor…" I said with a slight smugness in my voice.
"… Professor Dumbledore told me I could look at the file, as it is related to me… and personal." I said significantly; although I already knew that mattered very little to the man.
"Do not be a fool Potter, do you think I do not already know what is in that folder…" the man spat at me.
A moment of doubt flickered within me, but I decided to place my trust in Dumbledore as he had done in me. He had promised me that the information would stay between the two of us, and I believed him.
"Then it shouldn't matter, Sir. If you want to see it, you can reach in like I did and pull the folder out. You should obviously know then that I could not have gotten a hold of the folder unless I knew how to access it in the first place." I goaded.
If anything the mans scowl deepened even further, I thought that just maybe, if he could he would thrash me within an inch of my life. I kind of wanted him to try… as it would give me an excuse to do the same.
He stared at me intently; his eyes locked on to mine, his hand twitching near his waist where I knew he kept his wand. I realized the man was trying to use Legilimency on me.
For a moment I was furious that he would try to steal the information from my mind, but I quickly calmed after reminding myself that the ritual had taken care of that little issue.
'Do unto others as you would have them do unto you Snivelus…'
I decided to see if I could use my… mind reading?
…On the man. Staring into his eyes intently I tried to listen in on any thing I could. I knew occlumency was not a factor as I had felt emotion from Dumbledore himself… but for some reason, I could not sense anything from him.
Snape seemed to realize at that moment, that he could not enter my mind; as a surprised outrage started to overcome his demeanour, as If I had wronged him by not being accessible to mind probes or whatever it was he did to me.
"Get out Potter… I have business with the headmaster." The man spat at me. Literally of course, as I had watched the spittle fly from his mouth and onto my robes.
Giving the man a condescending look; I said, "Of course, sir…" turned about face, and stared at the headmasters.
"It was nice talking with you; please tell Professor Dumbledore I was looking for him." I asked.
"That we will Mr. Potter." Amadeus cheered proudly as if I were his very own son, and had received the Order of Merlin.
"Thank you. Headmaster Gripits… it was a pleasure mam." I said.
She gave me a saucy wink, which was a little disturbing considering the fact that she reminded me so much of two of my own professors, and told me to come back anytime.
Walking out of the room, I spared one last glance back at Professor Snape.
I was proud to say, he was definitely unhappy.
… .. … .. …
Elsewhere:
'How did it come to this…?'
I had chased the rotten little bugger all the way down to the kitchens, where I suddenly learned… he had prepared a trap.
The little critter had twenty or thirty other cloned bobs waiting in back up behind the ladles.
Needless the say, havoc ensued.
Pots flew, Pastries smashed, elves cried, and little children around the world waved multi-coloured-flags… although that last one had little to do with what was happening here.
Apparently a rather naive elf had fired a spell at the lead Bob…. That was a mistake.
Whatever kind of magic elf magic was, it multiplied the red demon a hundred fold.
Currently, the room was split. On my side, the House elves, with Dobby wearing a Sauce pan helmet, and Chippy shielding herself with an iron lid, and brandishing a small wok.
On the other side, an army of blood red, sadistic, sugary, evil! The Army lead by the one seated near the back on a throne ladle; the armies of Bob.
He seemed to be directing orders to his followers, which seemed impossible considering his mouth could not form words… but his men seemed to understand none the less, as they grouped together in formation after formation, and consolidated themselves.
"Ms. Luna mam… What does you's wish us to do." Dobby asked. He was my general, in this little melee.
"First of all, No one is to use magic on them. Under any circumstance…" I ordered.
Every elf nodded immediately as they could definitely see the logic in that. One particular elf looked down shame faced as he had been the one to create the current army.
Out the corner of my eye I spotted a white streak and immediately ducked.
An éclair whizzed by my head to smatter messily against the stone wall.
"No, they's has found Dessert!" An unknown elf moaned.
Soon the air was filled with flying pastries.
"Down!" I cried. Dobby, in a heroic display selflessness, tackled Chippy to prevent her from being creamed by a particularly gooey pastry.
"Spotting a set of pots and pans lying in a basket near the back, I crawled around the ducking elves to make my way over to the box.
"Excellent…" I grinned as I observed the heavy cast iron cook wear.
"Listen up…" I cried. Immediately a dozen heads turned to stare at me.
"Start grabbing Pots..." I reached in and picked up a particularly large one and passed it to an elf beside me. He probably could have been cooked in it himself; it was so large.
"… When I give the signal, trap them, under the pot or squish them." I commanded.
I received a firm nod, and a respectful salute from a few, as I passed out the cook wear.
Thinking quickly I started heating up the bottoms of the pots of those that I had dubbed them 'the Squishy's'. Spotting a lone pot that was not being used; I noted happily that it was filled with water.
I smiled dangerously… Bob wouldn't know what hit him.
Quickly I started heating the water up, and those with unheated pots, I commanded to do the same. As they filled them with water.
Everything was ready. I had the elves with the boiling hot water gather in front with me… "On the count of three…" I whispered.
At the affirmative I prepared myself.
"One…"
The pastries continued to fly, the elves quickly vanished the ruined éclairs.
"Two…"
The elf beside me was twitchy, he had never seen battle like this…I prayed he would hold it together.
"…Three! " I cried.
We stood up as one, and simultaneously heaved our boiling water at the armies of Bob.
'Success…!'
The floor troops were swept away by the scalding liquid and started to melt under the intense heat.
Sadly, most of the army was above the ground, on chairs, counters and tables. They were suitably stunned by our action, and we didn't waste one second of it.
"My, Squishy's… Attack!" I cried, waving my spatula like a rapier.
There was a primal war cry that emanated from the second battalion, as they charged. No one messed with dessert on their watch.
… .. … .. …
I was feeling a little peckish and decided I might as well get a snack. Dinner wouldn't be served for another few hours so that meant a trip to the kitchens…
I had meant to ask Dobby about of Winky. I had not seen hide nor hair of the depressed elf at all this year.
Reaching the kitchens I turned my head and stared at the entrance to the corridor. Something there had drawn my attention, squinting, I scrutinized the entrance.
'There' in the corner, sat a red gummy bear. It appeared to be trying to push past the barrier into the Node below. I was a little surprised the treat knew that there was something there at all.
Quickly bending down, I snatched the little critter up by its squishy body.
"None of that you little rascal…" I scolded.
Blinking, I realized I was talking to an animated gummy candy.
'My life is not normal…' I concluded. It couldn't be if talking to gummy bears were as common as talking to a pet dog.
Keeping a firm hold on the little blighter, as it fidgeted and thrashed in my finger tips, I tickled the pear and opened the entrance to the kitchens…
For a moment all I could do was stare.
To my left… hoards of house elves were slamming pots and pans over counter tops. To my right, Luna love good, Dobby, and Chippy clad in armour fashioned from kitchen wear, directed the remaining house elves in a kamikaze run at what appeared to be a mass of red.
I realized that the mass was a hoard of Gummy bears, like the little one I held within my grasp.
I wanted to comment, but all I could do was stare in horrified fascination as a small house elf was over run by the hoard of candies, momentarily creating a knee high thrashing jelly monster that wailed and screeched. Soon the unfortunate elf toppled over and was lifted up and carried away. The gummy bears lifting the 20 pound creature as if they were ants in a cartoon lifting up pick nick basket.
The little elf cried and clawed at the floor as it was pulled over to the other side, to become a prisoner of war.
'Definitely not normal…' I thought.
Quickly spotting a streak of white I ducked, and avoided being hit by an éclair…
"Luna…!" I cried in confused shock as I ran over to the girl, bent over to make my self a smaller target.
The girl in question turned her bright and unusually serious eyes on me.
"Harry…" She greeted me in polite affirmation, as if we weren't in a war zone between house elves and hoards of gummy bears….
"What's going on…?" I asked, as I grabbed a sauce pan lid and shielded myself.
"Ms. Luna Mam's is protecting the baked good's sir, the bad food is ruining desert." Dobby piped up, to my left as he rapidly filled a pot full of water, and heated it. Then calling out…"Clear!" He threw the contents over to the enemy side of the room.
Elves quickly scattered, as dobby had thrown the boiling water at a particular section of the room where a concentrated mass were pulling éclairs out of the large ice box, to reload there projectiles.
Some of the gummies survived, but most were already dissolving in the steaming liquid.
"Good work dobby. Jasper Secure the éclairs!" Luna Ordered.
It was strange that as I watched the girl order elves to secure the desert, I was never fonder of the girl, as I was now. Something about her no nonsense approach to gummy uprising was quite alluring to me.
"This is fun…" She grinned insanely at me as she confessed her enjoyment in leading the kitchen staff to battle. She ducked the last of the pastries; the elves having secured the large walk in fridge.
I stared into her silver eyes, as she smiled at me in happiness. Our eyes locked as I smiled fondly at the girl.
… .. … .. …
Harry was staring at me so intently. There was a smile on his face that I had never seen before. It made me feel warm and wanted. I wanted him to always smile at me like that.
Forget Bob, and his armies of evil. All that mattered was right now. All that mattered was the person with the handsome smile and emerald eyes, who was looking at me in a way I had never been looked at before.
… .. … .. …
I stared into her silvery eyes, and all that I could think was…
'This is when you want to ask her?!'
I tended to pick the most obtuse situations to do anything significant, now was no different.
Reigning in whatever courage I could muster, I stared at the girl and Said…
"Do-you-want-to-go-on-a-Date-with-me?"
I was a little confused as my question came out in a strange double echo…
Suddenly noting the other voice and the open mouth of the girl in front of me; I realized that Luna had asked me something as well.
"When-your-free,-do-you-want-to-go-out-on-a-date…?" she had asked. Her eyes dreamier than ever.
We both stared at one another for a moment, and smiled simultaneously.
We had gotten our answer.
"Run, they has found the egg beaters!" A terror filled elf cried.
'It was just going to be one of those days… wasn't it' I sighed.
AN: I am slightly sleep deprived as I write this chapter. Having not slept the night before, as I was studying for my final exam. I felt the need to complete this chapter before I headed off to bed.
In case my Beta is reading this, can you please get in contact with me, as I haven't been able to get a hold of you for a few weeks now?
I really wanted to write in references to Weapons of mass destruction and terrorism for my little skirmish, but I just couldn't do it.
For all of you who think that it would be impossible for a gummy bear to lift a fully grown house elf, or fling pastries across the room… I hope you re read the scenario I just described, if only to realize how utterly useless it is to apply logic to this scenario.
I was a bit disappointed in the lack of response to the last chapter. I don't mind criticism, but, the silence makes me wonder whether people even read my story. Which seems contrary to the hit meter for each chapter?
Thank you to those who have reviewed… I appreciate your feedback and encourage you to continue doing so.
Next chapter, the big reveal… The reason why I named this story the way I have, the significance of the feathers… This is the key idea that my entire story evolved from… well it actually evolved from a scene later on, but that scene would not be possible without this concept.
There were a couple things I wanted to mention in my Authors note, but seeing as I'm in desperate need of sleep, I'll cut it short.
Please review, and let me know what you think; good or bad. I like to think I have been fairly good about not asking for reviews, but I wouldn't mind a little more feed back.
Till next time.
Quazi