Chapter 8
The next day, Angela, Ron, Harry and Hermione were on their way to greenhouse 3 for their herbology class when they were stopped by Lockhart who had been talking with professor Sprout. The famous man tried to hold back Harry for a chat but before he could grab the gryffindor's shoulder, Angela's hand caught his wrist.
"We have classes to attend, professor." She said with a disarming smile.
"Of course, silly me, go ahead children!" replied the wizard, getting his hand back before leaving them.
The four of them entered the greenhouse and took their places side by side next to Neville.
Professor Sprout clapped her hands to get their attention.
"Today we will be repotting mandrakes! Who can tell me about mandrakes?" Hermione's hand shot up along with Neville's albeit more timidly. "Mister Longbottom, yes?"
"Mandrakes have strong curative properties. They can be used to reverse damage caused by charms or transfigurations."
"Very good, 10 points to Gryffindor! Mandrakes are part of numerous antidotes. However mandrakes can be very dangerous, who can tell me why? Miss Granger?"
"Mandrake's cry is deadly to whoever hears it."
"Excellent, 10 more points to Gryffindor! Today's mandrakes are still very young so their cry won't kill but they can knock you out for several hours so grab a pair of earmuffs. Make sure your ears are completely covered, I will signal you when you can take them off."
Those words were followed by a demonstration on how to repot the ugly baby-like plant. The professor instructed them to work 4 by station and soon they were all working on the repotting, earmuffs secure on their ears. The only incident was Seamus who hadn't put his earmuffs properly and had to be brought to the hospital wing.
After lunch the Golden Trio went out where Harry met for the first time Colin Creevey who eagerly asked him for a picture.
"Can your friend take it so I can be by your side? Maybe you could sign it for me after, please?"
"Signed pictures? You are signing pictures now Potter?" came Draco's drawling voice followed by a yelp.
"Leave him be, Dray." Harry silently thanked Angela for reigning in the blond boy.
"You're just jealous Malfoy!" shot Ron making the slytherin girl facepalm.
"Could you guys stop arguing or antagonizing each other for five fucking minutes?" she asked with a sigh.
"Jealous of who? Potter? I don't need a hole in my forehead to be better than others, thank you! Maybe you should be the one to ask Potter for a signed picture, you could sell it for more money than your house is worth. Hmpf-!"
Angela was holding Draco from behind, her hand on his mouth. "Stop it, Dray." she said with a pointed look before her hair turned brown and her nose scrunched in disgust as she released him suddenly. "Ewww, did you just lick my hand!?"
"What's happening, what do I hear?" They separated quickly as Lockhart's voice closed in on them, Angela wiping her hand on Draco's robes. "Who is signing pictures?"
Before any of them had the time to reply, the wizard took in the situation with a glance and smiled brightly, his hand coming to Harry's shoulder. "I shouldn't have asked, we are together again Harry!"
Angela pushed Draco before he could mock Harry once more.
"You can take it, Creevey, a double portrait and we'll both sign it."
The young boy hastily took a picture and Harry looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there, his cheeks red in embarrassment. Ron, Hermione and Angela could only watch as the professor led their friend toward the castle. The three followed not too far, trying not to listen to Lockhart advising Harry to not give signed pictures at this point as it was too soon for him to do so.
They took place in the DADA classroom, Ron sitting by Hermione and Angela by Harry just behind the other two.
"Better hope that Creevey doesn't become friends with Ginny or they'll fund the Harry Potter fanclub." Ron whispered to them, making Harry pale drastically at the idea.
They tuned out Lockhart's pompous self-introduction, Angela groaning when he gave them the little quiz all about himself. As she didn't bother reading his books that she knew to be fiction more than facts, she didn't know any of the answer except that his favorite color was lilac so she got creative with her answers. Lockhart's dream became to be a cabaret dancer in Paris. His perfect gift was a compact mirror so that he could admire himself. His greatest accomplishment was to still be able to fit through the doors with such an inflated ego.
Half an hour later, Lockhart picked up their parchment and read through the answers. Angela snorted when the man started lamenting that they didn't know this or that answer before marveling at Hermione's sheet.
"Who is Miss Hermione Granger?"
Shyly, the bushy haired girl raised her hand.
"Excellent, simply excellent! 10 points to Gryffindor!" he exclaimed with a brilliant smile. "And now, let's get serious… "
The fraud put a cage covered in fabric on his desk.
"It is my job to prepare you against the most dangerous creature the wizarding world has to offer! Maybe you will face your biggest fear in this classroom. But fear not for nothing will befall you as long as I am here! I'm only asking you to stay calm. Do not yell, you could agitate them."
And with that he removed the fabric, revealing little blue creatures.
"Freshly caught cornish pixies!"
Seamus snorted, catching Lockhart's attention.
"They're not really dangerous, are they?"
Angela wanted nothing more than to facepalm or bang her head on her table, she wasn't sure at that point. "Why did he say that, why?" she muttered under her breath.
Lockhart looked annoyed. "Don't be so sure, they can be right little devilious creatures. Now let's see how you handle them."
In an instant it was pandemonium, the squealing creatures released attacking everyone and everything. After Lockhart got his wand stolen and flown through the broken window, Angela took her own wand and started casting stupefies, making the pixies fall to the ground unconscious soon followed by Hermione.
"10 points each to Slytherin and Gryffindor." said Lockhart from where he was hiding behind his desk when the two girls finished putting all the pixies back in their cage.
When the bell rang, Angela dashed to the door, not wishing to stay a moment longer with the teacher.
"Can you believe it? Releasing pixies on us while completely unable to control them." she snarled.
"He just wanted us to have a practical lesson." defended calmly Hermione.
"Hermy, practical lesson? A monkey would be a better teacher than him! His wand is somewhere in the park right now because he got it stolen by pixies not even 5 min after releasing them on us."
"He can't be that bad, didn't you read his books? Everything he accomplished…" Hermione started only to be cut by the slytherin.
"As if he did any of it, Hermy. Sorry but you're too gullible. If you take all of his books and try to connect the timeline you'll see what I mean."
oOoOo
"Flint! The pitch is ours, we booked it for the morning! So go away!" said Oliver Wood, inches apart from Marcus Flint, Slytherin's quidditch captain.
"There is enough room for everyone." replied the green and silver teen.
"But I booked it. I booked it!" claimed Wood angrily.
At this point Angela tuned them out and walked from behind the players to wave at Harry with a smile while Ron and Hermione were coming down from the stands to see what was happening.
"Why aren't you playing? And why is he here?" asked Ron with a hateful look toward Malfoy.
"I'm Slytherin's new seeker Weasley." sneered Draco, draping himself in his cloak. "And everyone is admiring the new brooms my father bought for the team."
Ron was momentarily speechless when he noticed the seven brand new Nimbus 2001.
"Not bad, eh? Maybe Gryffindor will find some gold to buy new brooms too. You could donate your Cleansweep 5, maybe a museum would be interested in them."
The slytherins laughed at Draco's comment except for Angela who sighed knowing what was coming.
"At least no one in Gryffindor had to buy their place on the team, they were all picked on skill alone." retorted Hermione curtly.
"No one asked for your opinion, Mudblood."
It happened in a heartbeat, a resounding clap echoed in the otherwise empty pitch and Draco was holding the left side of his face.
"You went too far, Dray. I've been nice all along but you know better than to use this slur." Angela's hairs were dark red and floating slightly around her head like a halo while her narrowed eyes were ice cold. Draco took a step back mumbling an apology, looking still in shock.
Flint was stopping Fred and George from going after the blond but no one was stopping Ron who had his wand in hand. He pointed it at the blond, muttered something unintelligible and a brownish green light shot from it but before it reached Draco, Angela stepped in front of him.
"Ange!" "Angie!" "Eli, no!" came the three voices of Draco, Hermione and Harry as the girl clutched her face, her eyes feeling as if they were on fire.
"My eyes…" she moaned in pain.
"Let me see Ange." asked Draco gently, pushing her hands away from her face. The black had completely overtaken the golden of her eyes, her pupils unnaturally dilated and unfocused. She closed her eyes immediately, the light hurting her. "I can't see Dray… " she whimpered, clutching the blond's arm.
"We need to take you to the hospital wing, Madam Pomfrey will be able to patch you up."
When Colin came and tried to take a picture of Angela's eyes, Harry snapped at him. "Get lost Creevey!"
"We'll bring her to the Hospital Wing." said Harry, wrapping his arms around the temporarily blind girl.
"Don't you think Weasley did enough damage as it is?" Snarled Draco before Flint put a hand on his shoulder.
"Let them go, that way you can stay here and train." declared the captain.
"But Ange is one of us! What if they hurt her more!?"
"Then we'll tell professor Snape what happened to his cousin."
Ron became whiter than a ghost.
"If he hears about that I'm screwed…" he groaned.
Harry quickly went to the locker rooms to get changed before coming back to them, wrapping his arms around Angela once more to guide her toward the Hospital wings followed by Ron and Hermione.
"What happened here!?" exclaimed the matron when she saw them enter.
"My eyes, madam Pomphrey, it was an accident."
"Well then open your eyes and let me see." The matron took a look and muttered about mispronounced spells before waving her wand around Angela and giving her a potion for the pain.
"Make yourself comfortable in one of the beds, I will have to firecall professor Snape to help treat you. You will need an eyesight restoration draught, I can't undo the damage done by myself."
Not trusting her voice yet, Angela nodded and went to the closest bed with Harry's help. The matron left the four of them the time to firecall Severus and soon enough the potion master emerged, looking furious.
"What happened?" he demanded immediately. None of them dared to speak a word so he turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, you will tell me exactly how my cousin ended up in the Hospital Wing."
Hermione looked torn between protecting Ron and obeying an authority figure. The bushy haired girl finally took a deep breath before starting. "We were on the Quidditch pitch, Malfoy called me a Mudblood so Angela slapped him. Ron didn't think it was enough retribution and tried to hex him but Angela stepped in front of the spell. Ron mispronounced whatever spell he wanted to cast and ended up affecting Angela's eyes so we brought her here as quickly as we could."
Snape's eyes narrowed toward the redhead who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but here. "Detention with me for a week Mr Weasley." He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Minus 10 points from Slytherin for the use of a slur and minus 10 points for the use of physical violence. 10 points to Slytherin for protecting another student."
The potion master ruffled the young metamorphmagus's hair. "Don't be such a Gryffindor next time and don't step in front of a spell Angela. I know you can do better than that. I'll go brew your potion so don't get in any more trouble."
Angela nodded. "Don't worry cousin Severus, I won't move from here."
"You better not, young lady." commented madam Pomphrey. "You will be staying with me tonight in observation, in case there is another effect from that spell that we missed."
"Before I leave, Angela from now on you will always have Morte with you. If anything happens to you, send the blasted bird to fetch me."
"Cousin Severus, I'm not sure I need to go that far…" she stammered.
"It's not up for discussion Angela." the potion master insisted, only satisfied after the girl gave him a weak nod.
In the evening Severus came back with the eyesight restoration draught that she drank without a fuss and got her eyes back to normal. Harry and Hermione visited her, bringing Morte with them while Ron was in detention, polishing trophies in the Trophy room.
"Kill… rip, tear… kill…"
"Did you guys hear that?" asked the green eyed boy. Both girls shook their heads.
Curfew soon came and with that Harry and Hermione had to leave as Angela got ready for the night.
oOoOo
"Eli, I had a question about Filch."
"What is it, Ry'?" asked the girl.
"Is he not a proper wizard? I mean I was in his office and there was that letter from the Kwikspell course and… well I couldn't exactly ask him…"
Angela pursed her lips. "It's not really a secret but Filch is a squib, meaning he has parents who are wix but he himself doesn't have enough magic to be one too. Unlike a muggle he can still see magical places like Hogwarts or use potions but that's about it." She paused a bit and resumed. "Being a squib is something considered very shameful by a lot of old families, they would usually disown the child and abandon it somewhere in the muggle world. Filch is lucky that professor Dumbledore doesn't care about that and hires him. Life as a squib in the wizarding world is very hard, as much as life as a creature."
"Creature?"
"Yes, werewolf, veela, vampire, centaurus, goblin and other sentient creatures have a hard time because wizards think themselves as superior.
"Oh, ok I see, thank you for explaining." he smiled and she beamed at him.
"Don't worry, you can always come to me with any question that you have! I won't always have the answer but I can try!"
"Before I forget Eli, I promised Nick to go to his death day party on Halloween, do you want to come too?" asked Harry, looking hopeful.
She chuckled "Sure, let's bring Ron and Hermy too!"
oOoOo
The four teenagers had just left Nick's party when Harry stopped them.
"Rip… tear… kill…"
"That voice again, shush…"
"So hungry… it's been so long…"
"Listen!"
"Kill… it's time to kill…"
Harry took Angela's hand and dragged her to follow the voice, Ron and Hermione running after them. Angela's small heeled shoes clicking against the stone floor.
"I smell blood… THE SMELL OF BLOOD!"
"Someone is going to get killed!" exclaimed the green eyed gryffindor.
"Wait Ry'! You're not going to like what you're going to find and I have to send Morte to fetch cousin Severus ahead of time!"
The boy paused only long enough for her to send the raven. Soon they came face to face with a puddle of water on the ground and a terrifying writing in blood on the wall.
The chamber of secrets has been opened. Enemies of the heir, beware!
"Filch will be here soon." said Angela, pointing at the frozen form of Mrs Norris.
"Let's get away from here!" demanded Ron, visibly scared.
"No point, the feast will end soon and I already sent Morte anyway so cousin Severus should get there soon too."
"We'll be in trouble if we're found here Angela!"
"I don't see why. We didn't do anything, Ron!" she retorted, her hands on her hips, her black dress's skirt flaring around her.
As she had predicted the corridor was soon filled with students and professor, Severus leading.
"Angela, what happened!"
Before she could reply, Draco had wormed his way to the front and he exclaimed "Enemies of the heir beware! You'll be next, Mudbloods!"
A resounding clap later and 10 points less each, Angela was holding her right hand while Draco was holding his face.
"You bloody idiot Dray! It's not a funny joke nor is it time for joking!"
"Miss Schiffer! It's not your place to chastise the other students!" It was professor McGonagall who reprimanded her while Filch wailed that Harry had killed Mrs Norris.