Chapter Nine - The Long Way Round
The luggage cart had passed through the veiled portal that led to platform #9 3/4. Gabrielle had not. The handle of the cart had not quite passed through, because her fingers had not and so were crushed between the apparent brick and said handle. Gabrielle stumbled back, stunned, and fell to the ground, tucking her injured hands under her arms as if that would help.
"Mummy, a witch! Look Mummy!"
"Cynthia! You know better than to run off."
"Hullo Miss Witch. My name is Cyndi. What's your name?"
Gabrielle looked up at the child. She had straight, light brown hair, wore a light blue dress with a pattern of little flowers, and was missing at least two teeth. "What makes you zink zat I, eh, am a witch?"
"Katie, go and fetch your sister." Gabrielle knew the mother's expression without having to look.
"You are dressed all in black," explained Cynthia.
"I, eh, like black," lied Gabrielle. Past the little girl she could see a bit of the wall start to take the shape of a man. A wizard. This would be an incident.
"My favorite color is yellow." Cynthia held the sides of her blue dress out as if that reinforced her declaration. "And you have that hu-u-u-ge witch's hat too!"
"What hat?" asked Gabrielle, reaching a still stinging hand up. She felt the ridiculous brim and grimaced. This would be hard to explain.
"Cyndi, come away," ordered the older sister. Same straight brown hair, but taller and with spots on her face.
"Katie, she's a witch!"
"No, she isn't. It's just, just cosplay - I read about it," said Katie a little smugly. "Her friend is a Japanese shrine maiden, I think."
"But… she made her hat appear. From nowhere! I saw - "
"Hai! I am dressed as Kagome," announced Sukiya. She helped Gabrielle to her feet. While Suki-chan and this Katie discussed the cosplay, whatever that was, Gabrielle could not help but notice that the older sister was also taller than she was.
"She's not a witch?" asked little Cyndi, whom Gabrielle -was- taller than.
"No. She's only dressed like a witch, like you're dressed as a little girl who'll be in trouble if she doesn't come away," scolded Katie.
"Goodbye Miss Witch!" shouted Cynthia after making a face at her older sister. She started to run back to her mother, then switched to skipping.
"Sorry about that. Are you really Japanese?" asked Katie. Suki-chan nodded. "That's so cool. Ah, but I have to go."
Suki-chan bowed, which made the older girl giggle. Gabrielle waved, but was worried that she had heard a train's whistle.
"Gigi-chan, are you hurt? What happened?"
"I am fine but I, eh, do not know what is wrong," replied Gabrielle. She stepped closer to eye the brickwork which was not supposed to be brickwork for her. Maybe there was one of Stanislaw's kerflumps.
"'S no good now girls. You've left it too long." This was from the wizard who was no longer part of the wall. He shook his head resignedly. "No matter how many times you tell 'em…"
"Eh, what? What you mean? We 'ave missed ze train?!" asked Gabrielle in rising panic.
"No point getting your knickers in a twist when you should be seeing to your own way there," gruffly advised the wizard, one of the nasty sort in Gabrielle's estimation. "Now hurry off to those detentions. Me, I'm off to the pub."
"Gigi-chan, my, my, my owl! How can we get help from -"
"It is okay, Suki-chan. I have a way, but, eh, we need to find somewhere wizzout muggles."
v - v - v - v - v
The journey to Hogwarts began with a short stay in the extra-large stall at the far end of a women's public toilet, where Gabrielle was able to use her beetle. Her beetle was connected to George's, but there were times when Gabrielle wished she could contact someone else with it. For instance, when there was a crisis where, in the midst of, she should be getting pledges of aid instead of being chastised because he had lost ten galleons to Fred on a wager of how quickly she would get a detention. Especially since she had not actually received one and should not anyway since it was not her fault the stupid barrier was defective. Maybe, thought Gabrielle, it was one of those Waving fields. No one had ever explained why students were not allowed to use the Floo, like normal.
Gabrielle could also not understand why George could not just walk back through the barrier to meet her and Suki-chan. Though obviously not in the women's toilet. The poorly done barrier spell, Gabrielle thought, probably had a lot to do with that. Someone should have been checking the spell instead of, just as an example, pretending to be part of a wall. George's directions had to be transcribed from the beetle to parchment, no easy task since they were not exactly sitting at a study carrel in a library. Her nearly fiancé wanted to meet in Regent's Park, just outside the London Zoo, where the monkey smell was strongest. This was definitely not the start she had imagined. What did a monkey smell like?
The walk to Regent's Park was long and not much fun. Her sister transfer student was a worrier, and fretted about being lost in muggle London as soon as no street sign was visible. And, because they were dressed oddly - the stupid hat would not come off again - half of London was learning it was cosplay. That was short for 'costume play' - Gabrielle had asked, just in case it was weird. The rising popularity of it Japan meant that Japanese witches and wizards could go out as they pleased. Gabrielle supposed that was good for them, but she normally wore robes only for special occasions.
Suki-chan calmed down once Gabrielle showed her the little arrow, which pointed to George's beetle and, presumably, the park. And the monkeys. She did not pull the metal bug out often, though, since to look at it in front of the muggle shops meant huddling together as if embracing, with Suki-chan's voluminous sleeves creating a sort of tent. Cosplay or not, Gabrielle was sure it made them a strange sight. Suki-chan really liked the articulated legs.
Monkeys smelled a lot like jarveys, thought Gabrielle. Jarveys, with a little moldy vegetation mixed in. Gabrielle lifted her nose, trying to discern in which direction the odor was strongest. There was the smell of leaves, the youngest and greenest at the very top of the ocean of trees, and the scent of the clusters of pink flowers with the thin, feather-like petals that the rest of the troop was eating. The dew from the night had not yet turned into the steaminess of midday; there might be enough to put off a visit to the place where the stream widened, where the dark shapes of death lurked. She was getting too far from the others, but a new, sweet fragrance caught her senses. This was a full, round sweetness that promised an equally full belly. She had to taste it, and began to climb along through the treetops. The enticing scent was getting stronger - there, in the tallest of the trees, like a cresting wave in the green sea. She reached this behemoth and began to clamber up the thick branch. Then, disaster! Something had grabbed her, pulling her back, pulling her down. She had to warn the others! There was death here. She howled, struggled frantically, and howled her warning again. It had to be a coiling nightmare! She knew it was useless, but she turned with fangs bared and - smack!
"Gomen nasai! Wakarimasen! It is cosplay! I am sorry!"
Gabrielle looked up from the ground at Suki-chan, who was pulling at her arm, trying to drag her. Gabrielle's face stung. She tried to get up, but that only succeeded in letting the Asian girl yank her forwards. "Stop!"
"You'll get used to her," said a voice that made Gabrielle nearly forget she was being dragged. "I'm guessing she's a bit peckish." It was George, and he was waving a white paper sack over her head, as if teasing a cat.
Rather unhelpfully, Gabrielle's stomach then growled loudly. This she blamed on her mother, who had made her wait in the car instead of getting breakfast. She blushed anyway. "Zis, zis is George," she said to Sukiya, hoping that the girl would stop tugging.
v - v - v - v - v
"George, we are to…," began Gabrielle before clearing her throat. Her question had started out a little whiny. "Eh, Hogwarts, it is in Scotland, no? We are going to walk zere?"
"Don't be daft," laughed George. "Even with seven-league boots that'd take all day. This is just a spot of sightseeing before you two need to leave."
"Oh, eh, zank you. But, eh, how are we-"
"You aren't hungry again, are you? We're fresh out of those Chelsea buns. And what will I tell Fred? After being so generous with his winnings for once too."
"No, I am not hungry," replied Gabrielle calmly, since George was trying to get a rise out of her. The sticky spirals of yeasted dough and currants had been just the thing. Sauveret had liked them too, but had only got two pieces since he had hid the second one in the crook of her arm. The crumbs were already starting to make her itch.
"Energy needs would be greatest in that form," stated Sukiya knowledgably.
Gabrielle sighed, and turned back to the tall column with the statue. "I was not possessed by a monkey god. I have said zis. It was zee Seer's Trance."
"Pretty loud for a trance," commented George. "Really set off the other monkeys too." Mentally, Gabrielle began a new list for George. It would have reminders not to refer to her, even 'unintentionally', as a monkey.
"Devoted servants," nodded Suki-chan. Was this, wondered Gabrielle, something that actually happened in Japan? Or was she teasing as well, even though it was Gabrielle who was solving their shared problem?
"Who is zat?" asked Gabrielle to change the topic. She did not really care who the statue was of.
"Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, of the British Navy. Had a bit of a knack for sinking ships of the Fren- er, enemy," replied George nearly diplomatically. "Former enemy. Ages ago. There's a mad hatter's shop nearby, but I suppose you're covered for mad hats. Or -by- mad hats? He's not really mad anyway. More like... joyless."
"Can we visit the Tower of London?" asked Suki-chan.
"Come again?"
The Towe-r- of L-l-ondon," repeated Sukiya carefully.
"Ah, right. Not a connoisseur of towels, then, hoping to see a set once used to dry the royal bum? Towels are important to -some-. Might even be a museum for them somewhere in the city," said George. "People can get a bit obsessed with them."
"Nani?" A baffled Sukiya looked to Gabrielle for an explanation. Gabrielle looked at her shoes, trying not to blush. Or cry. This, this was a disaster!
No, rescued a second thought. There was no way that the Lieutenant could have completed the delivery already. He would definitely stop in the parks they had passed to check for mice, of that Gabrielle was certain. This, this was only coincidence.
No, argued the first thought, this was still disaster. George's words might be a coincidence, but it was not a good one. Especially with eight paragraphs of advice, recommendations, and, oh mon Dieu, a discussion of color schemes on the way to him right now. This, this was at least the prelude to disaster!
Pranks, inserted a third thought. The bizarrely long and detailed scroll should be laughed off as a prank. George loved pranks, and so, Gabrielle could see that this was a bit of a stretch, he might even appreciate a lame attempt. Or perhaps his words now were just a joke, as a way to cover the faux pas of not understanding Suki-chan.
"Sad," said George.
"Eh, what?" asked Gabrielle. She tried to raise her head, but found she could not. Someone had hold of the tip of the stupid hat.
"Happy."
"Ah!" yelped Gabrielle as the hat, and therefore the head it was stuck to, twisted around. Instead of looking down, now she looked into the London sky.
"Sad."
Another twist and Gabrielle was looking down again. What was George doing? "Eh, George, what are-"
"Happy. Mood En-hat-ment? En-hats-er? Change your mood with a change of hats? I dunno… might be something there…"
"It is cosplay," recited Sukiya. Gabrielle could not see to whom she spoke, unless they were to pass overhead on a broom, but they were probably attracting attention.
v - v - v - v - v
You're going to have to give that back," warned George. Again.
Gabrielle sighed. Was he really worried? She had not taken what concerned George so, which was a large raven. Therefore, she could not give it back; the bird would have to give itself back. "Zere are ozzers ravens to keep England from, eh, falling. You know zis."
"Right, right. But suppose it calls its mates and they all want a ride?" asked George. "That's a pretty big hat. I'd go so far as to call it very big. Auld Albion is one conspiracy from disaster."
The hat was stupid, and big, but so was the bird. At least Gabrielle thought the raven was large. She could not normally see her avion passenger since it was perched on top of the hat, but when she had seen it, after shaking her head vigorously, the annoyed eyes and beak looking upside down at her from over the brim had seemed large. But it may have been that these had merely been very close. Which, when it came to beaks, was something to pay attention to.
"That hat is so big, in fact," continued George unnecessarily, "that this defender of the realm might think it never left the Black Tower at all. May not know to go back."
The Black Tower was the centerpiece of the White Tower, which was itself the centerpiece of the Tower of London. Which, Gabrielle thought, should really be the Numerous Short Towers of London. The Black Tower was the only true tower there - at least for wizards and witches. It was hidden from muggles, who had no idea that a nondescript door at the back of a groundskeeper closet led to a more elaborate door with an incised circle of runes that opened the heavy door at the touch of a wand. The view from the wizarding tower was impressive, except for all the muggle towers that they could not see past.
A movement caught Gabrielle's eye, and she sighed again. The raven might have left already if Suki-chan would stop feeding it owl treats pulled from somewhere in her, eh, hakama? Hakamama? It was because she no longer had to explain cosplay, Gabrielle supposed. George had cast simple anti-muggle charms on them before the bus arrived. A muggle bus, since the Knight bus had, eh, issues. There was no way that Gabrielle was going back into those Tubes, and George said that taking a taxi was not going to be possible without confunding the driver a bit. A lack of muggle money was the problem.
The bus that took them on the excursion was a lot like the Knight bus, but more crowded. That was probably due it only having two levels instead of three, and there being more muggles. The red vehicle was completely covered with pictures, belched smoke, and was definitely slower. It made up for any deficiencies, in Gabrielle's opinion, by being a less jarring ride and also by not stopping to throw her off after only a minute.
The return trip had been a little worrisome. It was the raven - would the muggles see it? George had not wanted to even try casting on the bird. Gabrielle was almost certain that she could get rid of the hat again, and, therefore, presumably, the avian interloper as well. Except, well, running headlong into walls… There just had to be a less ridiculous way.
The feathered passenger had gone unnoticed, though, and now it, Gabrielle, George, and Sukiya stood at the entrance of the Leaky Cauldron. This was the last stop, and the one Gabrielle was looking forward to, because the Leaky Cauldron led to Diagon Alley and George's shop. And his flat, but that was probably an unlikely destination with Suki-chan along.
Gabrielle realized that she had not said anything in awhile, which sometimes resulted in something hitting her head. That was not so much of a concern with the tall black cone she was again afflicted with, but it had been George who had addressed her. "I, eh, zink zat if we go inside, zen, eh, zen ze bird will know," reasoned Gabrielle. That was logical. Although, if the creature was so stupid that it mistook the hat for its tower, then it might think the indoors was just a cloudy sky.
v - v - v - v - v
Gabrielle had been to the Leaky Cauldron years ago, and the weariness of its decor had not changed. What was different lately was the mood and demeanor of the patrons; there was less lurking and more laughing. And, more wizards and witches in general for the afternoon tea. That was about as interesting as the place could hope for, especially when a visit to what was beyond was in the offing. Gabrielle was excited, and hooked her arm through George's because he had not yet thought of that. She was nearly pulled off her feet when he stopped suddenly; her attention had been on the argument with herself about why he had not thought of it and if he ever would.
"Mister Weasley, sir," greeted the toothless old wizard sourly.
"Tom, you old fossil. You're still alive? You'll make a fortune with that longevity potion," said George heartily, slapping the man on the back enthusiastically. Gabrielle nearly did the same since the arm George had used had been the one she had held. Sukiya gasped, the raven cawed, and Sauveuret, closest to the union, chittered.
"Yes, sir. As you say, sir." Tom, the landlord of the Leaky Cauldron, was unfazed. "Are you taking tea, or just passing through?"
"Passing zerough," said Gabrielle. At the same time, George answered, "Taking tea."
"This one of them 'quarterm' things they go on about?" asked the innkeeper.
"Sort of. I'll be passing through and the young ladies will take tea. Keep an eye on them, and put everything on my tab," said George.
"Eh, what?" What, wondered Gabrielle, did George mean by this? Being called a 'young lady' bothered a little too. It meant that George did not see her as an equal.
"Right you are… Fred?"
"Well spotted, got it in one. I can see there's no fooling you anymore," said George with a sigh. The landlord gestured at a nearly clean table and headed off.
Gabrielle waited for the ancient wizard to get out of hearing range, because she liked the idea of playing a trick on Fred, then rounded on George. "What does zis mean? We are not going to ze shop?"
"Er, no. I need to arrange a few things, see to a couple of bribes, that sort of thing. Your 'ride' shouldn't be long."
"Zen we can wait at ze shop, yes? Zat is ze same."
"That charm won't take. Fred's been the potassium to Harry's water for ages now," described George, shrugging his shoulders. Gabrielle was not completely sure what that was supposed to imply, nor was she sure what potassium was, but since it was Harry Potter and Fred, she guessed that it was not a good combination.
"Harry, he does not have to come in. He, he can give ze signal with his wand," proposed Gabrielle.
George nodded, which made Gabrielle have hope, but then a pained expression spread across his face. "Er, unfortunately, well, the thing is… Fred... sort of… banned you from the shop. For a, a bit."
"Eh, what?"
"Not a lifetime ban. With the school year you'll -"
"Why?!"
"Serial mercicide. He was a little upset about -"
"Zat is not even a word," insisted Gabrielle. And if it was, then it had not been her fault anyway. If it had been her fault, then it certainly had not been her intention. "And it was not my fault! Or, I am sorry and did not mean for, eh, whatever zat was to have happened."
"Or?" wondered George aloud. He was grinning at her now, which confused Gabrielle.
"Eh… what?" asked Gabrielle, before another thought came to her. "Or, eh, you can allow zis. It is your shop aussi, yes?"
"Merlin, no. That way lies madness," said George firmly. "It's not for long, and Fred tends to forget about them anyway. Unless Verity says otherwise."
"Zen you will come back here?"
"Well that would -"
"You were just going to leave," said Gabrielle flatly. Perfect moments where two hearts intertwine were not supposed to wear off, were they? It had been years since Fleur's wedding, but -she- remembered.
George's arm went around her shoulders and he pulled her into the briefest of embraces. The brim of the hat might have had something to do with that. At least, that was what Gabrielle hoped. "'S not like it's really goodbye. I get up to Hogwarts quite often. Especially since the headmistress can't work out how."
George pulled back, and Gabrielle knew that was all she was going to get without causing a scene. She watched him walk away, then turned. Suki-chan was clutching her hands to her face. "Eh, what?"
"I am sorry! Very sorry! The Shimagina family has sworn vengeance on the Weasleys."
"Eh, what?"
v - v - v - v - v
"Look," said the witch with a rather pink face and blonde hair tied back with a black velvet band. "We don't have foie gras and we don't have matty-suka mushrooms and we don't have waggy beef - only the regular kind."
"Zen pair-haps ze oursin, if it is fresh."
"I'm sure that's not on the menu either," said the young witch crisply, "because I wrote it myself this morning. We do have other patrons, so -"
"Oui, yes, okay," said Gabrielle. "I will have anozzer six of ze pasties, please. Zeree lamb, two Cornish, and one wiz just vegetables. Oh, instead of ze plum in ze Cornish, I can have -"
"Don't start again." Gabrielle sighed.
"I will have zem wrapped, for later? Wiz ze charm to keep zem fresh?"
The witch taking her order just stared at Gabrielle for a long moment before nodding and shrugging her shoulders. Gabrielle did not care though. This was an excellent opportunity to stock her handbag with emergency supplies, and the pasties were not anywhere as bad as they looked. Also, Fred was paying for it.
"I would like the chocolate cake, please," added Sukiya.
"Should I just bring out the rest for you?"
"In a box wiz ze charm? Zat is a good idea! Oh, and two more walnuts, s'il vous plait." Sauveuret made less of a mess with those.
"Anything for the bird?"
"What bird?" asked Gabrielle in jest, because the raven always squawked when she said that.
After the witch had left the, Sukiya said, "I think she was become angry."
Annoyed, thought Gabrielle, but she did not correct her companion. "I do not see why. Ze food is not wasted and is, eh, paid for."
"I… I thought you become angry."
"Eh, what? Because of your family? No, zat, eh, happens all ze time," said Gabrielle cheerfully. Suki-chan's revelation had surprised her, but, well, Gabrielle's own father had been much the same. It helped that the vengeance sought seemed only to be some sort of official decree from the Ministry. When she thought of vengeance, Gabrielle usually imagined flames.
"What is 'oursin'?"
"It is ze sea creature zat is mostly sharp… points. Zat is, spiny," replied Gabrielle. She had only had it the one time; that was on the List of embarrassing moments and another reason Aunt Laurel disliked her.
"Ah! It is uni. That is very delicious!" gushed Suki-chan. "We ate them in Hokkaido."
"Is zat where your family's shrine is?"
"Oh. Yes, but not in the city with the same name. The shrine is to the south, near Mount Pekerebetsu," answered Sukiya before becoming quiet.
Gabrielle had noticed this before whenever the topic of the shrine came up. Suki-chan would answer a question, but it was clear that she did not want to talk about her family's situation. Which was a little disappointing since it was so interesting to Gabrielle. She had learned the place was in a remote forest, for example, which sort of explained Suki-chan's anxiety in London. Though, frankly, Gabrielle believed it easier to get lost in a forest. Streets had names; trees did not.
Instead of attempting subtle conversational gambits to pry more information from Suki-chan because, according to Fleur, and Maman, those were more annoying than subtle, Gabrielle asked about other Hokkaido specialties. Suki-chan was much more enthusiastic about that topic.
Several pieces of cake later, leaving only one to go into the handbag, a chorus of exclamations made Gabrielle look over. It seemed as if every other witch and wizard in the place were converging on the big fireplace that was the Leaky Cauldron's Floo connection. A Floo connection that, Gabrielle could not help thinking, would have gotten them to Hogwarts already. Of course, there would not have been any pasties in that case. This being Britain, she wondered if there had been an attack, or if the tea had run out.
Instead, it was neither of those. The commotion was just for Harry Potter, who was wading through the excited throng. Gabrielle wondered how he would get used to that, since every other time she had met him he had been hiding.
"Is - is that Harry Potter-sama?" whispered Sukiya.
"Eh, yes. I zink he will marry George's sister," said Gabrielle. "Zings happen around him. Everyone knows zat."
"Ehh? You have met him?!"
"Oh, eh,oui. He was staying at ze Weasley's for my sister's wedding. He was to go wizz Ginny, zat is George's sister, but zen could not." A second thought slapped its metaphorical forehead. Details would invite questions, and how could she explain about the alley?
" - complimentary tickets, yeah, but they aren't keen on visitors to the team room," said Harry as he drew closer. He was speaking to… was that the bartender from the Mended Wand, wondered Gabrielle? It had been years since she had met him. And, really, met was an exaggeration. Gabrielle tried to remember if she had learned his name; she thought it was something strange…
"Oy, Slobbo," blurted Gabrielle with a laugh, remembering. It was not loud, but they were close now.
"Yeh?" grunted the rough-looking wizard next to Harry, looking over. "What of it?" Gabrielle shrank back in her chair.
"Er, these are the two I'm supposed to meet," said Harry. "I'll pop 'round the 'Wand with the tickets, right?"
"Right, obliged. Umm, it's me bird, she wants - she was hoping…"
"Yeah, sure. And something for her Mum too?"
Slobbo grinned, which Gabrielle thought looked a little suspicious on him, and said, "That would get me in good with 'er. Really good." The snigger that came with it made Gabrielle wrinkle her nose in disgust.
"You crup!" laughed Harry, giving the thicker man a shove. "Now do me a favor and keep that lot back?"
"No problem there," growled Slobbo, who looked like he relished the idea. He pulled out a small, formerly-white-but-now-at-best-grey towel and wrapped it around the palm of the hand he then balled into a fist. When he turned to face the crowd, the crowd turned back to their own business.
Harry dropped into a chair at the table uninvited, which was something that students did but would be considered ill-mannered otherwise. "Any tea left?"
"I can bring you some," announced the server witch. "Hello Harry."
"Hannah! It's been ages. How are things?"
"A bit better, thanks. I owe old Tom so much," replied Hannah.
Gabrielle listened as the two chatted, feeling very put upon by Maman's emphasis on manners, which were clearly only important to Maman and clearly only applied to her. When Harry reached for the last piece of cake, it was too much. "(You are being very rude, and I was saving that for later,)" admonished Gabrielle in her native tongue, because then it was like she had not said anything at all.
"Huh? Oh, er, right. Hannah, this is Gabrielle, um," said Harry, fumbling for a scrap of parchment. Gabrielle's offense grew; had he forgotten her name in just a few days? "Gabrielle, Mistress of the Mirk."
"Eh, what?"
"Ginny, she told me to be sure to, erm, reinforce your brand," explained Harry. "This is Hannah Abbott; we went to Hogwarts together."
"Like a packet of crisps?" wondered Hannah. "Who's your friend?" Was no one else, Gabrielle was disappointed to see, stunned by his rudeness? Seekers -were- plunkers, or whatever Ginny had said.
There was no need to fall to his level though. "Zis is Sukiya Shimagina. She is a transfer student from Japan. Also, I am, -properly-, Gabrielle Delacour, and zis," continued Gabrielle, addressing Suki-chan, "is Harry Potter. Please forgive his rudeness; he plays quidditch." Hannah laughed at that.
Sukiya rocketed out of her seat and bowed low. Gabrielle was certain that her friend's head had grazed the edge of the table on the act, just as she was certain that no one else would have noticed since the chair had gone tumbling.
"It is an honor to meet you, Harry Potter-sama!" said Sukiya from a level below the table.
"Oh, uh, thanks. It's, erm, nice to meet you too," said Harry, looking nonplussed. "Erm…"
Suki-chan had not come back up. Gabrielle could see her friend making an odd hand gesture under the table, sort of like a cat pawing the air. What she meant by it was a mystery, but Gabrielle worked it out when she saw the smear of blood on that hand. Suki-chan -had- hit her head, was bleeding, and was too embarrassed to show herself. That was, eh, familiar. A little. Gabrielle could see that Sukiya was being silly, but it was the kind of silly that was not so to the one who would be the center of attention. This was a mature, logical observation. And, logically, what Suki-chan needed was for someone else to be the focus. That did not seem to be difficult with Harry Potter sitting at the same table, but a way to get involved was needed.
"Is she - woah!"
"Hexing Hecate, what are you doing?"
Inspiration had struck Gabrielle. An inspiration that had gotten past any second thoughts by shouting that there was not enough time for an argument, and gone straight to her legs. She had jumped onto Suki-chan's back, flattening the bowed girl to the ground.
"Suki-chan! Oh-you-are-hurt. I am so sorry. I did not mean for zat to happen," performed Gabrielle.
"What in Merlin's -"
"Harry! You can heal her wizz your wand." Gabrielle started to help Sukiya up.
"You, sit!" ordered Hannah. "How was that appropriate behavior, even for a first year? I'll fix up your friend."
"I, eh, I am a zhird year," mumbled Gabrielle. Harry was just staring at them, bemused. Useless, without Ginny.
"It is aspect of the monkey god," explained Sukiya. Hannah closed the minor cut on Suki-chan's forehead, and cleaned away the blood. Harry could have closed the cut, but Gabrielle found herself wondering if he would have, or could have, done the cleaning.
"Monkey god?" asked Harry. "Was this on another one of those, erm, expeditions? With that German bloke? India or Brazil I suppose. Where else do they have monkeys?"
"Ze London Zoo. Also, I was -not- possessed by a monkey god."
"Showed aspects of the monkey god."
"What, like flinging poo? I think it's time for these two to leave," said Hannah. "I'll get your pasties. Harry, make sure her hands stay where you can see them."
At least, thought Gabrielle, no one is picking on Suki-chan.
v - v - v - v - v
Gabrielle and Sukiya followed Harry out into the alley behind the Leaky Cauldron. Gabrielle was certain they were not going through to Diagon Alley, but not so certain as to how they would get to Hogwarts. Her best guess was a portkey, most likely from Hermione, since it would take too long to go by broom and no one in Britain appeared interested in the Floo. She wondered what the portkey would look like. The image of a tiny, stuffed Crookshanks doll came to mind.
Harry turned suddenly and held out his hands. "Right, we should probably get going."
The two girls just stared at him. "Come on, let's have your hands."
"You have ze portkey?" asked Gabrielle. What if it was a tiny Ron doll?
"Uh, no. We're just going to apparate."
"All togezzer? Have you lost your senses?"
"Gigi-chan! It is Harry Potter-sama!"
"And I am certain, very much, zat he could splinch. Or we could," argued Gabrielle. "Why is zere no Floo?"
"I doubt the two of you combined weigh as much as Ron, and we're a bit closer to Hogsmeade here than the Burrow is," pointed out Harry. "It's a favor for George, you know. I could be practicing."
"At ze pub?" sniped Gabrielle.
"You sound just like Hermione," complained Harry, though the unknowing compliment helped his cause. A little. "Gathering intelligence from a broad cross-section of wizarding -is- part of the plan." It sounded like he had practice saying that.
Gabrielle, who was trying to work out what he was talking about, did not say anything to that. Her continued silence seemed to unsettle the Boy-Who-Plays-Quidditch, and he added, "The, erm, Mended Wand has a broad cross-section in it. Sort of, erm, pre-gathered."
"Eh, okay. But, eh, why is zere no portkey. Why can we not use the Floo?"
"You need Ministry permission for a portkey, and the paperwork takes ages. The Floo network is controlled by the Ministry too," explained Harry. "I'd prefer staying clear of the Ministry."
"Eh, what? Zat makes no sense! Monsieur Weasley works for the Ministry, yes? And Ron?"
"Nani?" asked Suki-chan, looking worried.
"Look, if we leave now we'll meet the train in Hogsmeade," said Harry. "George figures I'll be enough of a distraction that you two can slip in unnoticed. I, erm, don't suppose you've got your uniforms?"
"Zey are wizz our zings…"
"Oh, right, of course. Erm, where are your things then?"
"On the platform. The gate stopped Gigi-chan," answered Sukiya. "Fulheim-domo, my owl, will be okay?"
"Should be. The house elves are good about lost luggage," assured Harry. "Or so I'm told. Erm, Dobby wasn't around, was he? I missed the train my second year because Dobby was trying to help. Ron and I flew Mr. Weasley's old car the whole way, following the train."
Using Mr. Weasley's car would have been an option hours ago, thought Gabrielle, and only if Papa was not the one driving. Or perhaps, not the one steering. She wondered if the current car could fly too. There were those blue buttons, the ones she had been warned to never press.
The little scene in the courtyard behind the Leaky Cauldron was becoming awkward. Harry had dropped his hands, Gabrielle looked wary and somewhat distracted, while Sukiya stood looking between the two because, though she had understood the words, the meaning was less clear. This went on until Harry started to grin and stepped between the two girls. He took something small from his trouser pocket.
"I've got an idea," Harry said brightly. "Let's try this."
Both girls leaned in to see what his cupped hands held, but suddenly those hands were around their shoulders, and even more suddenly they were no longer behind the Leaky Cauldron.
They had apparated. All together, they had apparated. Gabrielle's shock turned to outrage once it was clear that she was not outrageously splinched, though a second thought reminded her that, based on the worst kind of personal experience, the sudden loss of a limb via magical means is not always immediately painful.
"(You - you idiot! Have you lost your senses? That could have killed us! Or splinched us!)" shouted Gabrielle. Feeding her anger was the sight of the village of Hogsmeade itself. While it did have a decidedly forlorn look to it, there was clearly smoke rising from at least a couple of chimneys. They could have used the Floo.
"Hey, that's Potter. It's Harry Potter!"
"(You do not just apparate a person, you - you -) bloody plinking bloody bugger bloody bastard!" Gabrielle decided that the time had come to learn some proper British epithets, because there was the small chance that she sounded more stupid than angry. She would have to get Ginny to teach her. Especially as the effect on her target was not what she hoped for; Harry did not look cowed at all. A kick to the shins would help, particularly if she took the time to find the iron overshoes. No help was coming from Suki-chan. She was still held by Harry's draped arm, and was very red in the face.
Before Gabrielle could start to search her handbag, her arm was yanked and she was pulled away. "Leave off, firsty. He'll not play for the French National team." The speaker, and rude arm-yanker, was a weedy-looking boy with mousy brown hair that was gathered into a ponytail. If it was supposed to look cool, well, in Gabrielle's opinion, it fell short. He continued, "Could join Puddlemere, though?"
"Wot? We shall conquer. Creevey, is that you? What has your Mum been feeding you up on?" asked Harry. "Prefect I see, but not Head Boy?"
"Ah, now you sound like me Mum!" grinned Creevey. "Oy, you lot, back to the boats!"
Well, thought Gabrielle, at least this part of the plan worked. Harry did make a very effective diversion. According to her copy of 'Hogwarts: A History', she and Suki-chan should head to the line of carriages. That is, if she could rescue her friend from the crowd of students now milling around Harry.
"First years, ter me!" bellowed the huge, hairy man Gabrielle knew as Professor Hagrid. "'Ullo 'Arry. Stop by fer a bit o' tea, if yer staying."
"Of course. Erm. do you think the Headmistress would be alright with me staying for the feast? Not too, erm, distracting?" asked Harry. "I'd love to see the Sorting."
"No worry there, be good to liven the place up a little. First years, ter me. An' that means you too, lass," said Hagrid.
Gabrielle, who had been waving her arms and, though she regretted having to admit it, jumping up and down to attract Suki-chan's attention over the heads of the crowd, found herself being lifted by the back of the quidditch jersey. She flailed, "Ah, non!" This was not very persuasive, and the professor seemed to forget about her, using the arm that held her to gesture to the path to the dock.
"Professor Hagrid! I am not ze first year!"
"Fuyu arashi koriru!" shouted Suki-chan. She whirled her arm out, sending a glowing blue something toward Gabrielle's captor. Unfortunately, while the Asian girl was taller than Gabrielle, she was still quite a bit shorter than the older boys around Harry. The spell, for what else could it be, exploded when it hit them, covering three students in a flickering blue.
That did give Professor Hagrid pause, however, so Gabrielle tried again. "I am not ze first year, Professor. You know me!"
"Gomenasai! Gomenasai!"
Hagrid turned Gabrielle to him and brought her closer to his dark eyes. "Oh, tha's right, yer George's girl." Gabrielle blushed at that, which really made no sense that she could see. "Could'na tell with tha' hat. Look forward to workin' with you, Gigi," added the giant man with a twinkle in his eyes.
"Eh, what?" wondered Gabrielle has she was lowered. "Zat is, I look, eh, forward to zis as well." That was polite. Polite and vague.
"Can I have a go at steering some of the boats, Hagrid?" asked Harry.
That created a clamor among the actual first-year students, which Gabrielle ignored except for the voice that said, "You heard - it -is- her. And that's a quidditch jersey - black 'cuz she was known as the Black Widow in France." It reminded her that she had never set Fred on fire. Except once, and that had been accidental, so it did not really count.
With Harry leading the crowd away, Gabrielle hurried toward her friend. It was becoming clear that that she would need to keep an eye on Suki-chan, at least at for now. If they were both a bit grindylows out of the water, then Suki-chan was the furthest out of the water. What, thought Gabrielle, would Suki-chan have done if she had not been there in London for her?
Gotten on the train in time, answered a second thought. Her fellow transfer student and beached grindylow had waited for her, which meant that the fault really lay with… Papa. That line of thinking gladdened Gabrielle, relieving her of any guilt even as a third thought protested delusion. And, even though Harry's plan had been stupidly dangerous, it had worked. No one seemed to care that that she and Suki-chan had not been on the train.
Gabrielle then realized two things. First, that it had been George's plan all along, so of course it had worked. The second was that someone had noticed Suki-chan. A stocky boy with a dark complexion stood in front of the sagging girl with his arms folded across his chest. Mediterranean, that was the word. Perhaps, thought Gabrielle, he was Spanish, or Sicilian. He wore a shiny badge on his robes, which Gabrielle just knew was going to be trouble. She decided to attempt blithe innocence.
"Oh, Suki-chan! Zere you are! I zought zat I had lost you," gushed Gabrielle as she took Sukiya's arm to pull her away. Smile, smile, smile. "We should hurry," she added when her friend did not move.
"Excuse me," said the boy with a bit of growl in his voice.
"Eh, yes. Zank you for finding her, you are very nice. But, we do not want to be late." The compliment was more of a hope.
"You should be wearing the school uniform. I should give you a detention too."
"Eh, what? You can not do zat! We are not even at ze school yet."
"For attacking fellow students, I can. See the badge?"
Gabrielle leaned in to look. The badge said 'Head Boy'. It did not say 'Can Give Detentions For No Reason' though. Was it blithe innocence, or blithe ignorance? "It says 'Head Boy', not 'Head Girl'. And I zink it was an accident, for which she has already apologized. Come on, Suki-chan." Gabrielle tugged at Sukiya's voluminous sleeve. She might actually have to leave her.
"What?"
"We are witches, not wizards. Girls, not boys, yes?"
"That is not how it works! What is your name?"
"I am Gabrielle Delacour." Gabrielle tried for haughty. "And who are you?"
"Craig Torrae, Head Boy, Ravenclaw. You might be a special case, but I can not - Oh, now what?" His dark eyes looked past Gabrielle, so she turned to look.
The carriages, each pulled by a huge, black winged horse that looked far more dragon than Abraxon, were starting to come down the path to the Hogsmeade station. Gabrielle stared at the sight of the creatures, which were so lanky as to be nearly skeletal. They had completely white eyes, which reflected the setting sun. It was those eyes that jogged Gabrielle's memory of her Natural Arts extra credits - these were thestrals, or perhaps some kind of cross-breed since she could see them. A true thestral was invisible unless one had seen death… Oh, thought Gabrielle, shuddering a little at more memories, yes, right.
The Head Boy stepped up to Sukiya. "This your doing?"
Gabrielle absolutely jerked Sukiya's arm this time, nearly pulling the girl off her feet. There would be, Gabrielle resolved, discussions on what to do when the diversion starts, and why standing still apparently catatonic was not among any of the options. She answered for Suki-chan, "Zat is ridiculous, you know zis. It, eh, it is your fault - for, eh, for delaying us! Zey are coming to get us, you see?"
With Suki-chan at least partially in motion, Gabrielle started leading her away. Most of the carriages had not gotten far, as the space needed to reverse direction was more than the thestrals cared to allow. Several had locked wheels, and were not going to get anywhere. The Floo was so much more efficient. "What is wrong wizz you?" Gabrielle demanded of her friend.
Sukiya mumbled something in Japanese, so Gabrielle repeated the question. "Father's spell. Difficult," was the eventual reply.
That was entirely unsatisfactory, but Gabrielle saw that the Head Boy was gaining on them. It did not seem like pursuit, but once he caught up he was very likely to be a pain. There was no time to shake more life into Suki-chan, and any useful charms would need some time to cast. And, eh, a professor nearby to possibly undo her attempt. Adjust the attempt, revised a more optimistic thought.
The carriages were increasing their disarray. The thestrals, weirdly silent, were trying to converge back into a single track or on the approaching girls. The ebony horses, with their leathery wings folded over their backs, might not have been completely silent, but they were not going to be heard over the crashing, scraping, and shouts from Gabrielle's future fellow students. It was not panic; there was dismay, but mostly exhortations to take the lead.
Gabrielle watched as the two nearest thestrals veered their carriages into each other. They started bobbing their heads as they could no longer pretend to ignore each other. Behind her there was a flash, and a dancing wall of blue and yellow flames appeared. The Head Craig was silhouetted by his conjured fire. It was very pretty, but not particularly useful. Gabrielle made a mental note to learn what that spell was. The barrier formed by the flames was too close, though. There was no room for the thestrals to turn. If the creatures were anything like Abraxons, then Gabrielle knew what would be coming next.
These, thought Gabrielle, were of course not Abraxons, and therefore not her responsibility. Gabrielle dragged Suki-chan off the main path to go around the tangled carriages. This, rather neatly, in Gabrielle's opinion, made it all the Head Boy's problem. It would certainly keep him busy while she and the inert Suki-chan slipped away, however slowly. He was already ordering people around with a magical enhanced voice.
The real problem, reasoned Gabrielle, was that she and Suki-chan were not in a carriage. This was clearly the desire of the thestrals, but they did not take note of which of them had any more room for passengers. So, again, the whole of the parade began to try and turn to track her and the slow-moving Suki-chan. This actually helped for the moment, as the carriages along the edge that were tangling the middle pulled free. That would not last,unfortunately, since they would surely converge once more into a mess. Unless, Gabrielle saw, she kept Suki-chan moving in a slow wide arc. Slow was all the Japanese girl could manage anyway.
Of course, getting into a carriage would also work. As Gabrielle pulled Sukiya along, they were slowly catching up to what had once been the front of line. Since the carriages closer to the front had been furthest from the train, they would have filled last. The carriages at the very front had been filled with second-year students, though Gabrielle did not want to jump to any conclusions based on stature alone, because that was just not right. Of the nearest two carriages, the one pulled by the smaller thestral was no more than a third full.
But to say that something is smaller is also to say that something else is larger, and Gabrielle could see that the other thestral was the Montaigne of this herd. It was the way in which he approached - head high, neck poised, and his path was not intended to reach her and Suki-chan first but to intercept the other carriage. The smaller thestral was doing its best to pretend that it did not see this challenger, but -
No, thought Gabrielle, the poor thestral was not ignoring a challenger; it was trying to put off acknowledging the victor. The only advantage for the lesser beast was that it actually had space in the carriage it pulled, while, eh, eh, Montaigne-T did not. There was a sort of ledge above the front of the carriage however. It did not look as comfortable.
The smaller of the thestrals was feistier than Gabrielle would have guessed. Its path had not wavered, not by much anyway, which brought the two animals close. Too close, and it was now that the lower-ranked thestral lost its nerve. Not, however, before it half-reared in an ill-considered, aborted challenge. Which, Gabrielle was quite certain of, would need to be met with a thorough thrashing. She could already see the larger thestral tensing his hind quarters to rear.
Which was ridiculous. Thestrals were supposed to be very intelligent. Was it possible that they would forget their task? At this rate she would have to walk to the castle! Gabrielle watched as Montaigne-T's hooves, if that was the correct term for them since there were the extra, eh, hoof-lets, perhaps, left the ground. "Non! Arrete! Stop!
"Eh, s'il vous plait, bien sûr," added Gabrielle as the silver eyes turned to her. Silver eyes and the teeth of a carnivore, on a neck that could reach. "Eh, zat is, we will go in your carriage, first, yes?"
"Um, sorry, we're full up here," pointed out a boy with more freckles than Ginny.
"Who are you talking to?" asked a second of the carriage's passengers.
"Why are you not wearing your uniforms?" added a third.
"We are transfer students and we were not on ze train." replied Gabrielle. That would sound like an answer, if she jumped ahead. "You, eh, do not see ze zhestral? It is impressive, very much so." That was mostly for Montaigne-T's benefit. It never hurt to be respectful to something larger than one's self. Especially if it was sniffing about as if there was something to eat. Much larger than one's self, corrected a second thought, since, well…
"A what?"
"I think she meant to say thestral. She has zee, 'ow you say, ax-saunt." Gabrielle frowned at that.
"A thestral? Oh no, those are bad luck!"
"They're not - that's just an old superstition. It's all explained in Scamander's - "
"Excuse me," interrupted Gabrielle, "but will someone help Suki-chan? She is, eh, not well."
"Gomen," mumbled the Japanese witch. She was wobbling on the step for the carriage.
"Um, well, look, the other carriage has open seats, and, um, this one doesn't?" said the freckled boy. He wore a Gryffindor crest on his robes.
"The hat," hissed a formerly silent passenger. "Remember I told you what Mags heard?"
"Pull her up," ordered Gabrielle, waving her right hand imperially. It should work better, or at all, in Britain, thought Gabrielle, as they still had a queen. "We will sit on ze front, eh, zing."
v - v - v - v - v
Gabrielle sat on the perch at the front, which was probably where a coach driver would have sat if they were needed. Since they were not, the meager leather cushion turned out to be only an illusion. Sukiya had sat next to her, but only briefly, since she had toppled over into the carriage at the first burst of speed. That was the result of Montaigne-T's need to regain his place at the front of the column. Gabrielle now sat next to a nervous-looking witch with very curly hair. It was really more near to than next to, since the girl was sitting as far from Gabrielle as she could. Perhaps 'Mags' had been involved.
The ride to the castle did not take long, so the awkward silence was fine. The carriages were met by a stern-looking witch dressed in odd formal robes covered in colored squares. Her arms were crossed and her wand was out. Gabrielle tried not to glance in the witch's direction, since that might draw attention in return. Gabrielle knew she was not wearing the school uniform, but, since it was getting dark and she was dressed all in black, she thought she might slip in. Poor Suki-chan's red and white clothing would be hard to hide, leaving Gabrielle the tiniest bit conflicted over whether to stay with her friend. Sukiya was now able to climb down on her own, so it was not completely out of the question to be swept up in the crowd and go on ahead…
Gabrielle did not because Suki-chan had waited for her at the barrier to the platform, when it would have been very reasonable to wait on the platform instead, or even to just save a seat on the train. Anyway, it was too late as the severe witch, whom Gabrielle recognized as the Head Mistress, was now heading their way.
"Miss Delacour and Miss Shimagina. I do so appreciate when the troublemakers self-identify."
"Eh, what? No - eh, you see, zere was a delay at ze station and ze zhestrals, zey -"
"The whole of the evening's events have been delayed. It seems Mister Potter has managed to capsize several of the boats, and has been ferrying those overboard to shore by broom. Which has, perhaps not unpredictably, led to more capsizing," interrupted the witch.
Gabrielle remained silent, as it seemed like this was being framed as her fault. Behind her, Montaigne-T was pivoting the carriage around to get closer. The scrapes and scuffs along the sides were more obvious now. The witch scolding her lips tightened.
"Mister Bloxham!"
"Yes, Headmistress, ma'am?"
"Take these two to my office, and inform the chairs that they are not to leave."
"Yes, Headmistress. Uh, when you say 'they' - "
"The girls are not to leave, Mister Bloxham. The furniture may do as it pleases."
v - v - v - v - v
The wait in the Headmistress' office was long, but not as dull as it should have been. Gabrielle was held firmly in a leather wingback, the arms of which folded across her lap while the wings held her shoulders. Sukiya was seated in a simple Windsor, which had disarticulated the joinery supporting the front of its arms so that it could hold both her legs as well as wrap around her chest. One of the arms dangled. A small ottoman, covered again in the colored squares, patrolled nearby. The chair behind the desk, sturdy and austere, except for its cushion in colored squares, paced in front of the captives, as if lecturing. Which was silly, as it did not have a mouth.
A house elf had arrived with a tray of food, which, because of Fred's tab, was not really needed. Gabrielle and Sukiya picked at the food without much interest while they spoke. At least until the puddings arrived, which got more attention.
Gabrielle learned that magic was very different in Japan, since she very much wanted to know what Suki-chan had done. Japanese magic was all about ceremonies, potions, and, eh, talismans. But, not the regular sort of talisman that she was familiar with. The talismans that Suki-chan described, if Gabrielle understood correctly, were special sort of card, usually larger than a playing card, that had a spell written, in a kind of code, on it. The witch or wizard would speak the incantation, and then throw the card to cast the spell. On the face of it, to Gabrielle, it seemed very inefficient, but Suki-chan explained that it was actually good since she could cast spells that others knew but she did not. The freeze spell she had used was an example of that. Why Suki-chan thought Professor Hagrid an 'oni', something like the Japanese version of a mountain troll, and one that somehow no one else had noticed, was a mystery. Suki-chan had referred to Gabrielle as a genius several times, which she had demurred because that was what one did with that sort of compliment. And, a surprisingly mean thought had hinted, she may have only earned the accolade in comparison to Suki-chan's own actions.
Gabrielle was thinking back to what had happened shortly after that Bloxham had left them incarcerated. Suki-chan had gone quiet except for deep breaths and what seemed to be growling. Or, perhaps, snoring, since the way that the wingback gripped Gabrielle had folded down the stupid brim of the stupid hat - she looked out from the end of a black fabric tunnel. Except the Asian girl had not gone to sleep, as she suddenly shouted something like "Ki-yah!" That exclamation was accompanied by the distinct sound of splintering wood, and Suki-chan apologizing again, possibly to the furniture. Gabrielle's chair turned for its own curiosity, which allowed Gabrielle to also see the regrettable results of Suki-chan's regretted actions. There was no explanation given, when Gabrielle reminded her of whose chair it was, except to assert that she did not think it would work. So many detentions, thought Gabrielle.
The other incident that made Gabrielle wonder was shen she thought of the talismans again. She knew that if she tried a spell that was beyond her, mostly nothing would happen. But from what she could understand, a talisman was a spell that had already been cast. Successfully cast, but sort of frozen or petrified. When the talisman was used, the spell then completed. It completed, taking whatever magic was needed even if it went beyond what Suki-chan could normally provide. Could, could Suki-chan have died? She could not use any more!
v - v - v - v - v
Headmistress McGonagall's arrival was heralded by a general straightening of the room. It was not as if the furniture could do much in the way of slouching, but there was a definite feeling of perking up. The wingback, Gabrielle was very sure, gripped her just a bit more tightly.
The Headmistress took a seat at her desk and spent some time writing notes on a series of scrolls without saying anything. Gabrielle could see this because her imprisoning chair had managed to aim the hat tube just so. She knew the Headmistress was purposely ignoring them, which might or might not be a bad thing. If she had dealt with them immediately, then, in Gabrielle's experience, the offense would be considered minor. Not that there had been any offense, and not that she had that much experience. Well, no offense except for the spell, Gabrielle supposed. Now the question was how long she and Suki-chan would ignored. If it went on long enough, then it was very likely that the worry and dread they were supposed to be feeling would be considered punishment enough!
It then occurred to Gabrielle that, since the hat's collapsed brim was hiding her face in shadow, Professor McGonagall could not see her carefully arranged look of, at least hoped for look of, quiet terror. Would whimpering a little help? Gabrielle wondered if Sukiya could look as if she were suffering enough for the both of them.
Gabrielle had just decided that whimpering was one newt too many, but a sniffle or two might work, when Headmistress McGonagall set down her quill and took up her wand. The chair released its hold on her, which allowed the hat to resume its normal, oversized shape. The broken piece of Sukiya's chair clattered to the ground, earning a glare from McGonagall for the girl in the damaged chair, before it bounced back up to reattach itself. Without saying a word, the Headmistress placed a polished stone monolith, with what might have been antlers, on the desk and directed those toward Gabrielle.
"I wish to know, Miss Delacour, if Potter explained the conditions under which you were admitted to Hogwarts," said the Headmistress sternly. She touched her wand to the stone. The antlers quivered slightly.
Gabrielle looked at the weird stone. From the context of the situation, she could guess that it was some sort of lie detector, which worried her some. Not because there was any reason to lie at the moment, but because there might need to be the slightest bit of truth-bending in the future. How sensitive was it? "Eh, yes, he did. He said zat I would have to, eh, help him."
McGonagall looked the polished mass carefully. "That is what he said, was it?"
"Eh, it might have been Ron Weasley zat said zat, but, eh, ze ozzers told him to stop when he did."
"Hmm. How fortunate for you, and Miss Shimagina, then. A warning, this time, for her as I gather she was with you. I will not, however, tolerate further abuses of privilege, especially those that have not been earned."
"Eh, what?" asked Gabrielle. She could not yet tell if the course of events was going well or not. "Privilege?"
"Yes, privilege. Students are allowed one animal as a familiar or pet. Professor Hagrid vouchsafed that an exception for you might need to be made. The house elves found three toads in your trunk, an owl arrived a short time ago, and then there is whatever creature it is that is squirming within your clothing."
"Oh, eh, Sauveuret is ze familiar. The Lieutenant is un Postal owl, not ze pet. And ze toads belong, I zink, to Poisseux," explained Gabrielle. "He is ze zombie, you see, and zombies do not count."
How, interrupted a second thought, was the Lieutenant already here? She had been with George for most of the day, and there had been no sign of the owl. There was no way the Lieutenant could have made a delivery after George had left her in the Leaky Cauldron, then have gotten here so soon. Had he given up? Or had he gotten into a fight with another faucet and forgotten?
McGonagall stared at Gabrielle, who smiled back reassuringly because that might help, then muttered something Gabrielle did not catch. "Just be warned. Now, remove that rather extraordinary hat."
"Eh, what?"
"I have been assured, Miss Delacour, that both you and Miss Shimagina are sufficiently fluent in English as to make possible furthering your education."
"Hai! Yes! I speak English," declared Suki-chan.
"Very good. And, if you have communicated with both Potter and Weasley, then I am reasonably certain that you do as well," said the Headmistress, turning from Sukiya to Gabrielle. "Remove your hat."
Did Suki-chan not, thought Gabrielle peevishly, both use the talisman *and* somehow break the chair? Why was the Headmistress acting like this is my fault? "Ze hat, eh, zat is, I can not take it off." She pulled violently at the brim to demonstrate this. Gabrielle was not going to run head first into a wall here in front of McGonagall.
"Oh dear Merlin, has no one taught you to properly remove a hat? Lift it off your head by the puggaree."
Gabrielle hesitated, then said, "I zought zat was ze small bird?"
"Ah! There was a bird before, but it was a raven," added Suki-chan. "It came with us from the Tower of London, Headmistress-sensei."
"Headmistress McGonagall, please," corrected the witch.
"Headmistress McGonagall-sensei."
Gabrielle frowned a little. Suki-chan must have realized that she was not going to get in trouble. That was why she was cheerful now, and that certainly did not seem fair. She wondered if that Head Boy person had complained about her. He seemed like the type.
"The puggaree is the reinforcing band around the base of the cone. It is not a true puggaree in the original sense of the word, but no one was using the word all that much anyway," lectured McGonagall.
The only thing that Gabrielle knew for certain about the appearance of the hat was how ridiculous it made her look. And the color - she knew what color the hat was. She attempted to lift the thing as instructed, but the oversized brim prevented her from even touching the cone directly.
"Perhaps choosing function over form next time?" suggested the Headmistress with a sigh tinged with scorn for the fashion-obsessed youth of today. She stepped behind Gabrielle and pulled the hat off. "Speaking of choosing…"
Gabrielle's moment of joy at learning that the hat could be removed without violent humiliation, even if she had to find someone to help her, was short-lived as the hat was dropped back onto her head and over her eyes. Which was odd, because she had just shown the Headmistress that she could not remove it herself, so why put it back on her head?
At the same time, though, her hands could feel it was not the same hat. It was much smaller, at least when it came to the brim. Gabrielle had the sudden thought that perhaps Maman had erred on the choice of hairstyle for her, since hats were constantly being foisted on her. That was definitely something to sort out, after deciding where to go. Eh, what?
"Yes, which house to place you in is the question."
Ah, thought Gabrielle, she had read about this, and had thought a bit about it.
"Quite some ambition, I see, and a manipulative nature. Slytherin might be the place to help you achieve your goals."
Memories of exaggerations, non sequiturs, and partial truths came to Gabrielle's mind. What? No, thought Gabrielle, George had been in Gryffindor, and Slytherin were the rivals. That would not work. And, added a second thought, there were very good justifications for not telling Maman, Papa, many professors, several friends, and even a few Weasleys everything.
"There is a history of foolhardiness too, when it comes to protecting friends." The scene where she stabbed the terrible witch advancing on Hermione came to mind, and the one where she threw rocks at the horrible Tibault. "Gryffindor is a fine choice as well."
No, thought Gabrielle again. Harry Potter had been in Gryffindor too, and if she was put there then she would be expected to help him a lot. That would lead to more foolhardy behavior, and even expulsion. She did not want to be an apprentice again. Also, a second thought argued, it was more a series of unfortunate circumstances that were not completely her fault than foolish actions.
"I did say foolhardy, not -"
Anyway, another thought pointed out, that was all because of Harry. Things happened around him - everyone knew that. That was logic, which was a talent of hers. One of her talents.
"If I might get a word in -"
This was not all that hard, thought Gabrielle. Gryffindor and Slytherin were easily taken off the list. After that, it was really just a matter of color.
"Dear child, color? Academic efforts aside, perhaps -"
The blue of Ravenclaw was too close to that of her earlier school, and well, as a blonde who was cursed to always wear black…
"I am certain that over the centuries there have been worse reasons. I will try hard to recall one later. Now, if you are sure?"
Sure, thought Gabrielle, of what?
"No, never mind, I am quite certain now. Hufflepuff!"
The last was said in a booming voice, which startled Gabrielle.
"Hufflepuff?" asked McGonagall. "Really? I rather thought… Hmm. Well, I suppose I'll need to warn Sprout, then."
The office reappeared as the hat was removed. Gabrielle could now see that it was very old, and very… old. Ah, guessed a thought that had remained silent, and it brought up the memory of the chapter from 'Hogwarts: A History'. The Sorting Hat. It was supposed to sing. "Eh, what?"
The Headmistress did not seem to be addressing her though, but the hat, which did not seem to have anything to say. McGonagall stepped up behind Suki-chan. It occurred to Gabrielle that she might have missed her own Sorting.
The hat was barely seated over Sukiya's smooth black hair when it boomed Hufflepuff again. Gabrielle was happy for that, since it meant Suki-chan had at least one friend.