Chapter 30: Another Attack
Zoey woke up with a groan. Her head throbbed and her vision blurred. She felt sick. Suddenly, something in her stomach churned and her eyes widened. She jumped off her bed and dashed to the bathroom. She ran to the toilet, hunched over it and heaved. She started to cough as she tried to empty her stomachs contents. After a minute of trying she stopped. Nothing was going to happen. She stared into the empty bowl as she gave a shiver. Her eyes watered as her stomach constricted. She winced at the uncomfortable feeling. She hated the feeling of vomiting (or trying to).
Zoey stood up and flushed the toilet, though there was nothing in it, and walked over to the sink. She turned the tap on and began to wash her hands before splashing her face with water. The cold feeling woke her up. She looked at her reflection and grimaced at the sight. Her hair was a rat's nest and her eyes were red and watery, her skin was as pale as a ghost and had a sick green tinge to it. She looked wasted.
Zoey walked back to her bed and fell back down on her pillow. She closed her eyes and tried to remember what she did last night. She remembered yelling at the twins, seeing their shocked and slightly frightened faces, Shinji growling, and her leaving the Great Hall in anger. She remembered when she left the Great Hall tears started to fall down her face. She was so angry that she cried. She didn't understand why but she let them fall. She guessed it was her way of letting all the anger she kept inside, anger that she didn't know she had, out.
Zoey wondered what happened next. She could remember panicking over Shinji when she reached the Hufflepuff Basement. She remembered placing the dog on the ground and walking into the Common Room with him in tow. She remembered making him a small bed on top of hers. She remembered her head throbbing and her eyes fogging. She remembered leaving the room. That's all she remembered. How she got back in her dorm was a mystery to her. How she woke up feeling like she was hit by a Hippogriff, she did not know.
Did I go drinking? Zoey thought to herself but quickly shot it down. It was very unlikely. She could not stand the scent of fire whiskey let alone drink it.
Zoey sat up slowly and swung her feet off the bed. She looked down and saw Shinji sleeping. It appeared that he jumped to the grown when she came to bed. She didn't really know. Zoey sighed as she pushed herself of the bed and gathered her things. She didn't know what time it was, she guessed that breakfast was already over. She walked back to the bathroom and undressed. She stepped into the shower and felt her muscles relax as the warm water slowed down her back. She looked down at her arms and sighed with relief. There was nothing wrong with them.
Zoey quickly finished her shower and changed into her robes. She looked in the mirror and noted that she still looked worse for wear. She closed her eyes and turned towards the door. She couldn't do anything about it now. She left the bathroom and looked down to see Shinji awake and wagging his tail, awaiting her. Zoey bit her lip.
"Let's get you back to Bridgit," she said.
Shinji barked.
Zoey strolled over towards the library. Breakfast was long gone and everyone was already attending their first classes. Zoey found it useless to enter her class when it was already twenty-minutes into discussion (though she wondered what Lockhart would be discussing today) and she knew that Bridgit would not be there for she was still banned.
Zoey then froze in front of the library door with her hand hovering over the handle. She looked down and saw Shinji look up at her curiously. Zoey bit her lip. Dogs weren't allowed in Hogwarts and that mean they weren't allowed in the library too. She knelt down to the ground and opened her bag. Shinji tilted his head at it. "C-can you – err – stay in here while I'm at the library?" she asked the dog.
Shinji stayed quiet as he looked into her bag. It was empty except for four notebooks, a quill and an ink bottle. He looked back at Zoey before jumping into the bag. Zoey smiled slightly. He was really an obedient dog. She hoisted her bag back to her shoulders and felt Shinji move a bit inside it. She then opened the library's doors and walked slowly and quietly through them.
Zoey scanned the different bookshelves from the different sections before finding a table near the end of the library. She was surprised to see Ginny there. Zoey carefully placed her bag on the table before fully facing the first year.
"Ginny, don't you have classes right now?" Zoey asked her.
Ginny blushed a bit before rummaging in her bag and pulling out the diary, "I already wrote in it and… it's your turn today"
Zoey took the diary and placed it near her bag. She saw Ginny fidget nervously, "D-do you by any chance remember what happened last night?"
Zoey shook her head, "No… all I remember was… dinner," she said quite awkwardly.
"Yeah, that's all I remember too. You cause quite a scene back there," Ginny said.
"It was your brother's fault," Zoey said with a slight malice in her voice. Ginny nodded her head understandingly, "I know," she said, "They were gits"
Zoey sighed, "Anyways, thanks for the diary Ginny but you should be heading off to class now"
"Do I have to?" Ginny playfully whined.
Zoey laughed.
"Yes, you do. Now run along now"
"Okay, good bye mother," Ginny said before leaving. Zoey watched as Ginny mockingly straightened her back and kept her nose in the air.
Zoey laughed under her breath before taking a seat. She opened the diary and opened her bag. Shinji's head popped out. Zoey carefully pushed him back in. "You can't be seen," she whispered to the pup and he whined a bit sending her puppy dog eyes, "Okay, first thing you should know. That won't work on me"
Shinji whined.
"Alright, alright," Zoey gave in; she didn't want to displease the puppy. She took him out of her bag and placed him on her lap. She froze when she felt him re-adjust himself to a more comfortable position. She sighed. Zoey reached back into her bag and pulled out her quill and ink bottle. She set them near the diary and dabbed her quill.
She began to write.
Tom, I'm getting worried. It happened again. I woke up and I didn't remember anything from the previous night. When I woke up I felt like puking. My current state is something to be worried about as well. I look half dead! I'm really scared. I don't know what's happening. I even thought about the idea of me drinking. Honestly, it's unlikely. I hate the smell of fire whiskey. If it smells ghastly then it tastes the same. I'm getting off topic a bit. Tom, I really don't know what's wrong with me. I can't remember the things I do before I go to bed; all I can recall are the things that happened hours before curfew. Ginny even said she couldn't remember a thing.
Tom, what am I to do?
Zoey swallowed hard as the words dissolved into the page.
Tom's reply came.
Ginny had confided me about the same thing. I shall tell you the same thing I told her. I'm deeply sorry to say but both of you did not tell me what you were to do yesterday night. The last thing you wrote in me was about how you couldn't see the point of the Bludger in Quidditch and Ginny complained how boring History of Magic was. The memory gaps with you two is extremely curious and worrying. Maybe you should visit the Hospital Wing?
Zoey bit her lip and scribbled onto the page.
I can't do that. What would Madam Pomfrey say when I describe these things to her? I fear she might send me to St. Mungo's. I don't want that to happen.
I see your concerns. I would not press the matter any further but do bear in mind if things go worse you should confide to those who can help.
You're the one who can help me.
Haha, that's flattering but sadly I am merely a book and I can't help you with your memory gaps.
But you help in other ways. You keep my mind of things or you help me when I have problems.
Speaking of problems, Ginny mentioned you had a row with her brothers?
Zoey bit her lip. She really wanted to vent right now. Keep her thoughts away from the missing fragments in her memory.
It wasn't really a row. It was more like… er… how do I put this? Let me start from the beginning. You see what happened was….
And Zoey began to retell the events of yesterday.
It was eight o' clock in the evening and Zoey stood in the Great Hall along with a number of other students. In fact, it looked like everyone in Hogwarts was there. A while back on the notice board was a signup sheet for a "Dueling Club" and Zoey found it interesting and decided to sign her name on it (that and Bridgit convinced her to join). The Great Hall's ceiling was a velvety black and the four long dining tables have vanished and were replaced by a golden stage. A dozen candles lit the stage.
"I wonder who the teacher would be," Zoey heard Hermione say, "I heard Professor Flitwick was a dueling champion in his youth maybe it's him"
"As long as it's not –" But Harry didn't get to finish for her groaned instead.
Zoey knew the source of his groan for she had made a sound of dislike as well. On top of the stage was none other than Professor Lockhart.
"Gather round! Gather round!" Lockhart's voice boomed, "Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!"
At this, Zoey tuned out not being able to hear the reason for the Dueling Club. She had lost interest already. The only sign that Zoey was still on earth was when she laughed at someone's question that went along the lines of: "How the bloody hell are we gonna learn dueling from someone who practically fled at the sight of pixies?"
Zoey turned around to find the source of the voice and found Bridgit. She smiled widely and beckoned her over.
"Glad to see me, Zee?" Bridgit asked, smiling at Zoey
"I know you'd be here," Zoey said, "After all, you were the one who told me to sign up"
"Turns out instead of defending, we will be learning the art of smiling at the opponent till they flee," Bridgit said causing some girls to glare at her.
Zoey laughed and focused her attention back to the stage. It seemed as though Lockhart was telling something important. Sadly it was not all that important – to Zoey at least.
"Now, let me welcome my assistant, Professor Snape!" Lockhart said flashing a grin, "Professor Snape here says he knows a little about dueling and agreed to be my assistant." Lockhart then pulled out his wand, "Now don't worry children. You'll still have your Potions teacher when I'm through with him"
Zoey stared blankly at the man. Her mouth was slightly open and her eyes glazed
Lockhart was slightly comical.
"Uhm… I'm more afraid that we'll have to search for a replacement DADA teacher… then again, that's not a bad idea when you think about it," Bridgit whispered, loud enough for Zoey to hear
Zoey laughed and watched as Lockhart began to explain their dueling positions and reasons for them. She watched patiently as Lockhart began to count down before he and Snap were to strike. The moment he finished three Snape waved his wand and exclaimed "Expelliarmus!"
Lockhart was blasted of his feet, smashed into the wall and was now sprawled onto the floor.
Lockhart had failed epically.
Or not.
Epic was the wrong word.
Nevertheless, the fail made Zoey laugh.
"Please be dead," she heard Bridgit say as the Ravenclaw walked closer to the stage to get a good look at the struggling professor.
Lockhart wobbly got to his feet and began to say: "A Disarming Charm – as you can see I've lost my wand – Very clever to show them that Professor Snap. It was only too obvious. If I wanted to stop you it would have been too easy"
Zoey rolled her eyes and gave a tired, half-hearted smile.
Lockhart was truly something.
Something weird
Just then, Bridgit raised her hand.
Lockhart saw who the hand belonged to and inched backwards. Fear was in his eyes but he was careful not to show it on his face. He acted like he did not see her and was about to speak again but unfortunately for him Snap had seen Bridgit.
"Yes, Miss Parker?" Snape asked
"I'm sorry to interrupt Professors, but why," she looked at Lockhart and smirked, "did you let Professor Snap hit you with that charm? Isn't this supposed to be a Defense tutorial?"
"Well, Miss Parker, you must first see the result before I can show you how to defend yourselves," Lockhart answered, smirking back at the fourteen year old girl.
"So let's say that for some reason Professor Snap threw a blasting charm at you… would you have still not defended yourself?" Bridgit asked, making, once again, the female population glare at her.
Lockhart stammered.
"Thank you for your opinions, Miss Parker, but wouldn't it be more progressive to teach the students and not show them?" Snape said, looking at Bridgit then at Lockhart.
"Yes, you are very much right Severus!" Lockhart said, relieved that he avoided the question. Lockhart clapped his hands, "Enough demonstrating!" he said, "Let's all split up into pairs and duel amongst each other. Remember, disarm your opponents. Only disarm!"
Neville was teamed up with Justin and Hermione was with Millicent Bulstrode. Fred was with Lee and George was with Oliver. Bridgit was with Echo and Harry, who was to be with Ron until Snap interjected, was with Draco. Zoey was teamed up with Ron.
Zoey smiled at Ron.
"Wands at the Ready!" Lockhart shouted, "Go!"
Zoey and Ron didn't do much. Frankly, they didn't want to harm one another even though disarming won't do much in physical pain (unless you were Lockhart) Instead, they observed everyone else in the room only taking up dueling stances when the professors looked their way. Zoey took her time to watch Bridgit and Echo.
Bridgit and Echo were excited; they were yet to experience each other's strength after all.
"Ready?" Bridgit asked, smiling at Echo
"As I'll ever be," Echo answered
Bridgit and Echo bowed down to show proper dueling formation, and when they were both straightened up they began to send disarming charms at each other.
"Protego!" They both shouted, causing the disarming charms to backfire.
As the two of them continued trying to disarm each other, they didn't realize how intense it was getting and that they were building up quite an audience. Even Snape and Lockhart were watching them
When Bridgit blocked Echo's disarming curse, she didn't expect Echo to shoot another one at her, thus disarming her.
"Good job," Bridgit said smiling at the girl, "I rarely lose to anyone"
"Yeah, well –" But Echo was cut off by none other than the pompous professor himself, Lockhart.
"Miss Beaumont, you are not holding your wand properly," Lockhart said as he took Echo's wand away from her.
Anyone who had eyes obviously saw that Echo was not pleased by Lockhart's correction. In fact, she was completely in rage (though she kept it in check most saw her as displeased). If there was one thing that everyone knew about the Ravenclaw was that you never correct her, especially if your correction was not even correct, if you value your life.
As Lockhart continued to explain what he thought was the proper way of holding a wand Bridgit saw Echo's face. She was really trying to hold back her irritation just because the gidiot was a professor.
"Professor?" Bridgit called making Lockhart face her.
"yes, Miss Parker?" he asked
"Instead of talking, why don't you demonstrate?" Brigit suggested making the others agree.
The students began to cheer in hopes that Lockhart would give it a go. In the end, he couldn't resist. He was about to call Professor Snape to duel with him but Bridgit interrupted.
"Professor, may I battle against you? It would be such an honor….," Bridgit said, her sentence fading. Zoey could see the pain in Bridgit's expression as she said that.
Echo stared at Bridgit trying to figure out what was her agenda for the battle.
"Very well Miss Parker, I shall honor your request," Lockhart said
Lockhart then gave back Echo's wand and pulled out his own. He flipped his hair and looked determinedly at his student. Bridgit smirked as they both bowed, when they stood up right Bridgit immediately casted a spell towards Lockhart
Lockhart was able to dodge the spell but almost got caught in the next one Bridgit sent.
Bridgit fired spell after spell towards her Professor as he used every shielding charm he knew at the same time sending disarming charms at his student.
Bridgit was able to dodge his attacks and send another spell at her Professor, hitting him.
This; however, was unfortunate for her professor for it was not a disarming charm she sent, it was a blasting charm.
Lockhart flew back and smashed into the wall for the second time that day.
Everyone stared at Bridgit in shock and frankly, so was she but when she realized what she had done she merely smirked.
"Are you okay, Professor?" she asked, not even the slightest trace of concern in her voice.
Lockhart groaned.
Zoey could not believe what Bridgit had done even though she had already witnessed her attacking the Professor before.
"Miss Parker, what happened to disarming charms only?" Snape asked with a small trace of amusement in his voice.
"I'm sorry sir, I guess I got caught up in the duel," Bridgit answered, "At least I succeeded in defending myself"
Lockhart groaned again catching the attentions of the students. The girls rushed over to him and started to fuss while the boys just smirked and gave Bridgit a thumbs-up.
It had been an entire day since the Dueling Club began and Zoey could not believe her ears at what happened near the end. Harry was a parselmouth! It had happened after Bridgit's and Lockhart's duel. After Lockhart had recovered from his second impact with the wall it was Harry's and Draco's turn to duel intensely. Jinx after jinx they've shot at each other and in time it was not all about disarming. It turned to a full blown fight.
"Serpensortia" was the spell Malfoy had used and out of his wand came a snake. A small number of events happened after the snake appeared, one of them being Lockhart trying to get rid of it only to have it blasted into the air and landing near a Hufflepuff boy, Justin Finch-Fletchley. Zoey remembered feeling panic rise within her as the snake approached Justin. That's when it happened. Harry walked towards the snake and began to hiss. The snake seemed to go closer to Justin before leaving the boy and heading towards Harry.
Harry was a parselmouth.
Zoey sighed as she headed outside the castle to the open field. She took a seat on one of the big rocks and looked at the scenery. If she could, she would choose to live in Hogwarts for the rest of her life, that is, of course, if she didn't have to study for the rest of her life. Zoey saw Ginny heading towards her way.
"Hey, Ginny!" Zoey greeted as the red-head drew closer to her. Ginny didn't greet back. Her face was expressionless and in her hands was the diary. "Hey.. what's –" but Zoey did not get to finish for her head began to throb and her vision began to fog up. She felt her thoughts escape her mind as it clouded over. She fell to the floor and tried to fight the numbing pain but it was too late. She lost it.
Slowly, Zoey rose to her feet as her face contorted to an expressionless one. She looked over at Ginny and then towards the chicken coop that stayed not too far away from the chicken coop.
She and Ginny headed towards that direction.
Justin walked through the halls of Hogwarts as he tried to find something to do. He did not have any classes next and he hoped to find something that would take his mind of what happened yesterday. He was almost bitten by a poisonous snake that seemed to be under the control of Harry. Justin felt his heart pace quicken. He started to remember the day he told Harry that he was muggle-born. He began to regret it.
As he walked down the hall he saw the Gryffindor house-ghost, Nearly Headless Nick.
"Hello, Sir Nicholas!" Justin greeted as he approached the translucent man.
"Hello, Justin!" the ghost greeted as he floated over to the Hufflepuff.
Justin opened his mouth to speak but he froze in place. He saw something from behind Sir Nicholas and the sight truly shocked him. He saw big yellow eyes looking into his own and suddenly he felt like he was truly frozen. He couldn't move his body or his eyes. He couldn't even breathe.
Sir Nicholas looked at the frozen boy curiously, not fully grasping what had just happened to him. He saw the shocked look on Justin's face and was curious as to what he saw. Sir Nicholas then turned around and found the answer. Yellow eyes looked into his ghostly one and he felt like he had died all over again.
And here's chapter 30!
Yay!
Before anything, if you see any typos that's my fault though unintentional. I did not re-read this one D:
I'm estimating that the rest of their 4th year would be a total of 3 to 4 more chapters so please be patient :D
I would like to thank ZoomSkater14 for helping me with this chapter!
I would like to thank all of you for your reviews, favorites, alerts and questions!
Now for Q and A's!
"ZoomSkater14" asks: Will Tom use Zoey being from both the most powerful and 2nd most powerful bloodlines to his advantage?
-We'll see. We'll see :)
"wHaT's In A pEn-NaMe" asks: Are they still going to be giving each other the cold shoulder when she and Ginny are taken to the Chamber?
-Hopefully they'll be all good friends once more!
"yvonna" asks: I thought Zoey was scared of dogs?
- Not really scared more like she doesn't know what to do with them. The part where she takes Shinji with her was sort of a spur of the moment thing. The part where she gets along with him in this chapter just shows she's adjusting
"Taka" and "YukiKyoMomiji" asks: So Echo's a Veela?
-Let's wait for the full story in the future, shall we? :)
And that's it! Stay tuned for the next chapter!
Don't forget to review and asks questions!
PS: Good Luck to "HayleyParadox" with her exams! Make momma proud! XD
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