Later, in the Gryffindor common room, a celebration is on its way. There are mountains of cakes and flagons of pumpkin juice and butterbeer on every surface, Lee Jordan went and let off some Filibuster's Fireworks, so that the air is thick with stars and sparks, and Dean Thomas, who is very good at drawing, put up some impressive new banners, most of which depicts Harry zooming around the Horntail's head on his Firebolt, though a couple shows Cedric with his head on fire. Though those Zarif felt are in very poor taste.
Zarif squawks as he stays in his animagus form to just relax while everyone parties and celebrates around. Plus, it keeps others from bothering him. Unless it is Hermione who notices him and tries to feed him some treats for birds and owls once in a while as she passes by or Autumn who is sitting next to him, watching them all.
"A waste of energy," Autumn remarks and Zarif rolls his eyes at her.
"Blimey, this is heavy," Lee Jordan says, picking up the golden egg, which Harry had left on a table, and weighing it in his hands. "Open it, Harry, go on! Let's just see what's inside it!" Lee insists.
"He's supposed to work out the clue on his own," Hermione said swiftly. "It's in the tournament rules…"
Hearing that, Zarif transforms back. "Rules that none of the schools follow," Zarif reminds, using his arm to move Autumn from the perch to his shoulder by letting her ride on it.
"I find that highly doubtful," Hermione notes, turning her head towards him.
"Harry, do they?" Zarif asks, looking at the champion with Autumn.
"No, Karkaroff snuck around to find out about the dragons and then told Krum and Maxime got Hagrid to show her them before she told Fleur," Harry admits under Zarif and Autumn's avian gazes. He looks around and spots Zarif already changed back to his bird form and on Hermione's shoulder with Autumn on the other side.
"Yeah, go on, Harry, open it!" several people echo out before this can continue.
Lee passes Harry the egg, and Harry digs his fingernails into the groove that runs around it and pries it open. It is hollow and empty, but the moment Harry opens it, the most horrible noise, a loud and screechy wailing, fills the room. The nearest thing Harry, Zarif, Ron, and Hermione have ever heard is the ghost orchestra at Nearly Headless Nick's deathday party, who have all been playing the musical saw.
"Shut it!" Fred bellows, his hands over his ears.
"Arg!" Zarif cries out in pain from the loud noise as he is forced to transform back from the shock.
"What was that?" yells Seamus Finnigan, staring at the egg as Harry slams it shut again. "Sounded like a banshee. Maybe you've got to get past one of those next, Harry!"
Zarif isn't paying attention now as he is holding his aching head. Slowly getting up, he heads for the entrance with Autumn following after as he heads out into the hallway. Zarif holds his head as he makes his way to the hospital wing where he gets treated by Madam Pomfrey. Zarif has discovered a downside to being an animagus that night. Very loud sounds close to him affect him very badly with his enhanced hearing as an eagle.
Zarif groans, rubbing his ear as he walks the hall to give himself some air and quiet. "Okay…don't stick around with Harry while he figures out the egg clue," he notes to himself as Autumn chirps at him in agreement.
Zarif keeps walking before he feels a familiar slithering up his pants leg. "What do you have?" Zarif asks in parseltongue as Elixir's heads emerge from his collar.
"We searched around but couldn't find anything useful," Critic informs.
"If it was so easy to find the rat or rats, the headmaster would have probably sniffed him out by now," Zarif replies, stopping in front of Merlin's portrait and smiling at it.
Elixir smirks at him before Zarif realizes something. "Wait, how did you get here and find me?" he asks before hearing some stone being scratched. He turns his head and looks to see Dracona peeking around a corner before she ducks back out of sight. "Oh…right. Forgot to pick you up," Zarif mutters as he walks over to the blushing girl. "Want to join me?" Zarif offers, nodding his head down the hall.
Dracona squeaks quietly before pausing and nodding her head. "Sure," she answers, following him on his walk.
Zarif walks back to the portrait of his first master. "Someone, to aspire to be like?" Zarif asks.
Dracona smiles as she glances at the portrait. "We all try to be. Merlin is the most famous of us all so, of course, we want to be like him. Smart…cunning, and a lot of power."
"Even the muggles know him. If he had succeeded, then maybe we wouldn't need to hide. We would be living together with the muggles," Zarif says, referring to Camelot.
Dracona looks curiously at him. "You believe that? I mean…even Camelot without war had problems from what I remember."
"Yeah, but it was bridging the gap with wizards and muggles. Until Arthur's incestual magical child messed everything up," Zarif adds.
"You studied magical history," Dracona mentions, smiling at his knowledge.
"You can say it's just history as it's this nation's past whether they are muggle or magical. Though I and many like me wonder about Camelot. We know Arthur will return when Britania needs him most. At least according to prophecy," Zarif says.
Dracona sighs, giving a wry smile. "Well, they say that about a lot of famous people in history and religion. Something to look forward to I guess and keep being your best."
"This is a legit prophecy though. One of the only ones that multiple seers said in near unison. That is unprecedented. The only way to throw that into jeopardy is if another seer's prophecy contradicts that one, but no seer has ever given such a prophecy," Zarif informs. "It will fall to that generation to aide the once and future king like Merlin did."
Dracona smiles, looking away. "If we are destined and chosen to help aid his quest. And also when Britain needs him most."
"I shudder at the thought of what great threat that could be. Some thought WW1 or WW2 would have been when he returns, but he didn't, so the threat will be even greater than that. But enough about this. Would you like to learn a secret of Hogwarts?" Zarif asks.
"Secret?" Dracona questions, wondering what he has under his sleeve.
"Follow me to the seventh floor," Zarif instructs heading that way. When he gets there, he turns to the left corridor and stops at a tapestry depicting the attempt of Barnabas the Barmy to teach trolls ballet. "This is where the secret is," Zarif says, starting to walk back and forth. "I was told about this place by the house elves and Dumbledore also has mentioned this room when the other schools first showed up," Zarif says.
"…a tapestry is the big secret? Does it show your inner thoughts?" Dracona asks after a while of him walking.
"It's not the tapestry. It's what is the opposite of it," Zarif says walking past it a third time. Dracona, hearing this, turns and looks to the wall opposite it. At first, she didn't get it, but soon a door starts to form out of the wall.
"What the…?" Dracona voices as she looks upon the intrinsic doorway that somehow looks like it was carved out of the stone wall and into a set of wooden doors.
"Welcome to the Room of Requirement. A room that fills itself with what the person desires most if they know how to enter it," Zarif says, opening the door and motioning for her to enter.
Dracona cautiously follows him and looks upon the huge room with three stories to it. The size alone makes her wonder what else this room can contain as she has to spin herself around in place to take in the entire new space made by the school itself. Looking around, she sees rows and rows of books lining the shelves, an area to the side with training dummies for spells, an area to plant and grow plants, a potion-making area with many vials and items, stands for owls to rest on, and even the skeletons of animals she didn't recognize set up as a display. "This is where I have been going this year to avoid the crowds to prepare, study, and practice. The bonus is no one can enter unless I allow it while it is occupied."
Dracona looks around, walking through the various areas and poking a skeleton as well to feel it. "So…you have been coming here to prepare for your tournament, haven't you?"
"Amongst other things. I have also been keeping up my dueling skills. We have a tournament to compete in two weeks, remember?" Zarif asks, going to the potion's station and flipping through one of his potion's books.
"Right," Dracona voices, still in awe over the room as she keeps looking around. "And I guess haven't let Merula in here either, huh?"
"Not yet, she has been practicing herself elsewhere," Zarif says as Autumn takes off and lands on one of the perches.
"Oh…" Dracona realizes, glancing at him for a second before quickly looking away when Zarif looks at her. "Well…I hope you show her soon. Maybe she can have her room that this place can give her like you."
"She would probably just use this one. After all," Zarif says, gesturing around. "I think I thought of everything. Even that record player over there," Zarif points out.
"Record player?" Dracona questions, quickly looking over and seeing the still player, waiting to be played. "Guess you spent a lot of time thinking of what you need," she observes, walking over and lightly touching the machine.
"Yeah, I do. Speaking of which, Dracona, I wish to have a serious conversation with you over the future of the purebloods," Zarif says, walking over and taking a seat in one of the comfortable chairs.
"Purebloods? What about them?" Dracona asks surprised, turning to him and noticing the open chair beside him. However, she makes no move to get closer for now.
"You haven't noticed?" Zarif asks, getting a confused look from her. Zarif sighs and brings out a registry of the pureblood's generations going about eight generations back. "Notice anything?" Zarif asks, giving the papers to her.
Dracona looks at the list and sees how the family tree diagrams look to be shrinking down in size instead of spreading out or being relatively the same. "All of them have fewer children…" she mentions as she notices the lines end with each of those children being half-blood.
"Correct. Take notice of the spouses as well, especially the last three generations," Zarif adds.
Dracona mumbles to herself as she reads each of the mothers down the tree. "All of these are…family members…" she spouts off, seeing how close the names are. "Wait…"
"You see the issue now?" Zarif asks. "For several generations now the Purebloods of Britannia have been interbreeding. This has caused a slew of problems for generations. Ranging from horrible disfigurement, mentally unsound, and even major medical issues. Now take notice, I am not on that list," Zarif says.
Dracona blinks and flips through the pages, trying to find any sign of his name.
"That is the so-called sacred twenty-eight. My family line has been excluded as, although we are purebloods, we haven't lived in Britania for two hundred or so years when the list was made so we aren't considered that elite," Zarif informs.
"That sounds familiar…" Dracona mentions, thinking about the numerous royal families of Europe they had to learn and what a mess they are.
"It has brought to light something to me as well…the purebloods are going extinct," Zarif informs, making Dracona fall into the seat next to him.
Dracona doesn't speak as her mind is racing to disprove this as it flies in the face of what she was brought up to believe. But as she flipped through the pages looking for an exception to this, she found none. After ten minutes, she is forced to concede. "We are a dying breed, huh?"
"In a way, but if you think about it, there are only two eventualities I see for this. First, either start marrying purebloods from other countries, or the purebloods go extinct. There is also something else I have noticed. Tell me, do you know how many registered witches and wizards there are in Britania that were born on these isles to muggle parents?" Zarif asks.
"Not…really…" Dracona mutters out, unable to keep processing this.
"Well, it's more and more every year. Look at how many of our classmates are muggle-born. Change is coming. We can either deny it and be swept away by it. Or we could embrace it and lead the way. Also, being purebloods, don't have a responsibility to lead the way. We have many years of magical heritage and knowledge supporting us. Shouldn't we be the example others strive to be like Merlin did?" Zarif asks to appeal to the pride of the purebloods or nobles.
Dracona sighs and leans back in her seat. "Yeah…"
"I want to ask for your help with this. The purebloods won't just support this if I explain this. Most will refuse it and do something foolish that will hurt us in the long run. You, like Merula, understand and now know. So will you help me change the fates of the purebloods?" Zarif asks.
"You're asking a lot from a girl like me," Dracona tries to joke, giving a small smile as she doesn't look at him.
"I have faith you can more than handle it," Zarif compliments, making her blush.
Dracona keeps smiling, pushing her hair back behind her ear as she looks to the side. "Oh…that's a cute plant," she compliments a strange veiny plant that seems to jiggle in a glass case.
"Yeah, don't open the container. That one shoots poisonous darts equal to a manticore's poison," Zarif warns, seeing what she is doing at this point.
"I take it back. That thing is horrendous to show off," Dracona corrects, now looking at him.
"Its roots also have powerful medicinal properties and have anti-venom in them though. Sometimes the most dangerous things also have the most beneficial rewards. Also worth about seven hundred galleons in knockturn alley," Zarif says chuckling.
Dracona sighs and shakes her head "Please don't end up deadbeat broke on the streets."
Zarif chuckles at that.
"How are they, you two?" Zarif asks, finishing putting on his suit-like dress robes.
"How much did these cost you?" Ron asks suspiciously as he properly tries to tie himself cleanly as he thinks of someone wearing a suit.
"Don't worry about that. This is me returning one of the favors Ron," Zarif assures.
Harry smiles as he ties his bowtie across his collar. "At least you two have it easy. I have a feeling being a champion means I have to do something special with the rest."
"Most likely you will be called to dance center stage with the others along with your date. Me though, I am just escorting Dracona and Merula to the dance," Zarif informs.
"How the bloody hell did you get two girls and we struggled to find ours at the last minute?" Ron demands, looking jealous of Zarif.
"Good looks and charms," Critic speaks from Zarif's bed which makes Harry look over and Zarif rolls his eyes amused.
"What? What did the bloody snake say?" Ron asks, looking between them.
"It's not a date, Ron. I am just escorting them as a friend. After that, I will be slipping away. These things are not my thing," Zarif informs.
Elixir chuckles with all three heads at that. "If you need him afterward, he will be in the library studying what he needs for the tournament," Planner calls over to Harry.
"No, I think I will fly around as an eagle, but you three. You know what I asked," Zarif reminds.
"Fine…" Critic groans, bowing its head as Zarif finishes his dress up. "But we want a fat rat afterward."
"Mmmm…fat rat…" Dreamer moans, drooling before them.
"Settle for turkey," Zarif informs, causing all three heads to rise at the thought.
"You sure know how to bribe," Harry comments, smirking at him.
"Go on you three," Zarif informs.
Elixir rolls their eyes before slithering away to find what he needs. "What did you ask that snake for?" Ron wonders, trying to figure out what's important to figure out right now.
"Nothing that needs to be concerned over," Zarif assures, starting to head down to the dungeons to meet up with Merula and Dracona.
As Zarif walks down the hall, he hears the chatter from the students as they eagerly talk about how the yule ball will be and even what previous ones were like from the older students. He doesn't even regard the ones with a clear goal of getting to the Great Hall already as he sees two girls waiting near the entrance to the Slytherin common room as they look around for someone.
Zarif smiles as he looks over at Merula as she isn't wearing the school uniform anymore. Instead, it's a long black dress that hugs her form with a mess top half above her chest. A large green bowtie is around her waist, fitted as her belt. And a set of green short heels shoes and black evening gloves. 'Whoa. Didn't peg Merula to wear something like that…maybe a suit but still,' Zarif wonders as he gives a small whistle.
As for Dracona, she seems to have gone for a more classic dress. A long flowing gown that is mostly green with hints of black along the edges of the pieces. She is even wearing some green heels that are somewhat higher than Merula's and a set of green gloves. And to finalize it, a green choker collar fitted around her neck with what seems like her family crest embedded on a metal piece on the front.
"Ladies," Zarif greets.
Both girls quickly turn their heads and smile. "Hey. You are looking sharp," Merula compliments.
"I better. These weren't cheap," Zarif mutters. "Shall we go?" he asks.
"Yes. It was hard to keep rejecting other boys who wanted to take us to the dance," Dracona chuckles as she follows the two.
"So has Cedric talked to either of you about the next meeting? He said sometime around Christmas and I haven't seen him since the last dueling tournament a few weeks ago," Zarif inquires, escorting the two lovely ladies.
Merula hums and shrugs. "Only that he wants to get a meeting soon. So maybe a day or two before," she suggests.
"Must be trying to solve that riddle the egg has. Dracona, Merula, have you had the pleasure of hearing it?" Zarif asks, the sarcasm for the pleasure part was next to impossible to miss.
"Oh boy," Merula voices, hearing the tone. "What happened?"
"Banshee shriek levels. Gave me a splitting headache," Zarif informs.
"Animagus form?" Merula asks, getting a nod from him.
"Are you okay?" Dracona asks, concerned.
"I'm fine. Just as an eagle, my hearing is a lot better so amplified to me than the rest," Zarif explains.
Dracona looks worried at him before glancing at Merula who is giving the same expression. "So has Harry solved it yet or are you still trying to stay away from when he works on it?"
"The latter. Besides, I have my preparations still being made. Speaking of Merula, has Dracona informed you of joining our little project?" Zarif asks, being vague on purpose but is certain she would get what he is referring to.
Merula nods as they walk by some of the other students standing around the hallways, talking to themselves. Even a few who run past them in the opposite direction of the Great Hall. "Yeah. But I assume you will have to lead in making that project. I doubt I can think it correctly in the way you have it," she passes off smiling.
"I will leave you both to do the recruitment for now," Zarif informs as they enter the now dressed-up Great Hall. They all see the walls of the Hall have all been covered in sparkling silver frost, with hundreds of garlands of mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling. The House tables have vanished; instead, there are about a hundred smaller, lantern-lit ones, each seating about a dozen people. Three large Christmas trees in the back with what appears to be snow on them, and, at each refreshment table, is an ice sculpture of a castle with onion domes at the top.
"Wow…you sure you won't stick around for at least one dance?" Dracona asks, turning to look back at him as he starts to walk away.
Zarif inhales and thinks about it for a bit as he comes to a stop. "Who is first?" Zarif questions, letting them know he is consenting to only one dance to both of them.
Both girls smile at each other before Dracona is about to step away for a bit. "Dracona can go first," Merula speaks up, making her squeak a bit like a mouse in surprise.
"We will have to wait for the champions first," Zarif relents watching with them as they wait for them.
Merula smirks as Dracona glares at her and leans close. "What the heck are you doing?" she whispers harshly to her.
Merula chuckles and smiles at her. "It's obvious. Trust me. It's better to give you the chance to talk alone…as alone as you can be."
"Hum, it seems Hermione's date is Krum. Guess he likes intelligent girls," Zarif comments, calling the two's attention to the champions as they walk into the hall with their dates.
Dracona raises an eyebrow as she glances at Merula who gives a questioning expression as well. "Maybe…or could be for good looks. This whole event is still about showing off," Dracona mentions to Zarif.
"Then why didn't he go for either of you?" Zarif teases by whispering to the two.
Both girls blush heavily with Dracona looking away embarrassed as Merula sighs and shakes her head. "Are you trying to embarrass us and find other dance partners?" Merula teases.
"You teed me up and I swung," Zarif teases as they watch the four pairs dance.
"Harry is horrible," Dracona observes as they watch Harry fumble a few times with his date for the night. "Maybe he would be better off dating the dragon," she suggests smirking.
"Well, I am not surprised this is his first dance. Was mistreated by the muggles that raised him because they knew he would have magic," Zarif informs, making her frown hard.
Merula sighs. "Too bad. Maybe Harry would have been better off with at least a noble family. Even if they weren't pureblood."
"By all accounts, he should have ended up in an orphanage in Diagon alley, but he didn't for some reason, but then again I was originally put into a muggle orphanage until my magic awakened and the ministry found me," Zarf informs surprising both girls as Zarif has never talked about his past before.
"So where did you end up next?" Dracona presses, thinking it can help her figure out how to help him further as even her father is asking for information on his sketchy past.
Zarif looks toward her, wondering if she is just curious or something else. He then sighs as he takes her hand and slowly walks her to the dance floor with everyone else joining pair by pair as she blushes up a storm. "Just a magical orphanage. All that happened is I changed those who can take care of me better," he whispers as they dance around the floor.
"You by far didn't have it easy," Dracona whispers back, making note of this so that she can write to her parents about this issue. No pureblood should end up in a muggle orphanage and be lost because of it.
Zarif smiles down at her. "If I didn't though, I wouldn't have ended up as I do now," he reassures. "So please don't attack the orphanage," he jokes.
"Oh, don't worry about that. I have something else in mind," Dracona whispers as the song ends and they bow to each other before switching out with Merula.
Merula giggles as another song comes on, letting everyone continue to dance or the ones who didn't have a chance yet to get their dance in. "Having fun now?" she whispers, eyeing Dracona going off to talk to some Slytherins Merula had seen her talking to a lot lately.
"This still isn't my thing. You know me. I am more flying around free," Zarif whispers back, spotting Morgana getting attention from the teacher's table.
Merula smirks. "And I like to run free half the time. Maybe after this when I can get free, I will join you outside for a run."
"Take a look at the teacher's table. I think that is our distraction," Zarif says smirking as they move around so it enters her field of vision.
Merula smiles along with him as they keep dancing. "Yeah…let's go. Dracona is hanging out with her friends too," she whispers as they slowly dance closer to the edge of the area.
"Time to pull a vanishing act," Zarif whispers, smirking.
A moment later, everyone loses sight of them and they are away in animal form. Zarif clicks his beak as he flies out of the Great Hall into the courtyard with Merula running through the crowd behind him. At which point, Zarif lands on top of the roof of the courtyard walkways while Merula scrambles along the edges and pillars to climb up as well shortly. Zarif shakes himself before turning to see Merula walking along the top of the roof towards him and then sits down beside him to look up at the night sky. All before they look down and notice the supposedly empty carriages shaking around. Zarif can only give a sideways glance at Merula who rolls her eyes and shakes her head.
The two stayed up there for a while before they hear someone semi-yelling, "It's happening again like before and soon neither you nor anyone else will be able to deny it." Looking at the source, they see Karkaroff walking after Snape.
"I told you already Igor. I see no reason to discuss it," Snape informs dismissively as Merula ducks down, being a higher profile than Zarif. Though, that doesn't stop her from wrapping her tail around the bird to protect him and warm him off. Soon Snape took off sprinting at one of the shaking carriages. "Lumos!" he cries, shining light into it, and a flustered Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw come out of it with Snape deducing ten points from both houses.
Once the two are off, Karkaroff continues. "It's a sign, Severus. You know it is," Karkaroff accuses as Snape keeps looking through the carriages.
"I don't know what you are talking about," Snape says dismissively again.
"Really? Then perhaps you won't mind rolling up your sleeves?" Karkaroff accuses before reaching for his arm which Snape pulls out of reach. "You don't fool me, Severus. You are scared! Admit it," Karkaroff accuses again.
"I have nothing to be scared of Igor. Can you say the same?" Snape questions, looking him dead in the eye and Karkaroff starts to back down and storms off before Snape leaves to make his rounds and Zarif looks to Merula.
Merula places her paws on the curved edge and pulls her head over the top, glancing at the bird in her fluffy tail. "I say things have gotten a bit more complicated," she mentions while seeing a couple sneak past Snape out further past the courtyard.
"I should talk to Dracona again," Zarif informs before spreading his wings and taking off, this time going out wide and circling the entire castle to organize his thoughts. He does spot Merula laying flat with her head on her paws on the roof where he left her and hums as he passes by.
Later that night, Zarif takes a seat and waits as he reads a book. He knows Dracona would pass by here to get back to her common room. Already several Slytherin had done so. Merula for her part had gone on ahead with Morgana back to the common room.
He then hears gentle humming and looks up to see Dracona walking down the hall smiling and stepping in certain spots on the stone floor to not step on anything. Her little fun things to do. "Dracona," Zarif calls, shaking the girl out of her thoughts and looking up in shock to see the boy sitting in the hall. "We need to talk…" he sighs, closing his book.
"Ta-Talk? About what?" Dracona asks nervously, wondering what the heck he needs to talk about with her.
"Karkaroff was a death eater who turned traitor, yes?" Zarif asks, motioning her to walk with him.
"Oh," Dracona breathes out relieved. She then steps up beside him, following along with him. "Yeah…Karkaroff was one at one point. Heard from my father that he gave information for leniency."
"What would he be talking about when discussing his arm?" Zarif inquires.
"His arm?" Dracona wonders, looking up at him confused.
"Yes and tried to pressure professor Snape to show him his arm," Zarif informs.
With that, it is as if something clicked. "The dark mark," Dracona whispers, thinking of that.
"I see. That's the reason," Zarif says thoughtfully.
Dracona looks worried at him now. "Zarif, maybe you should stay away from this. It could be worse than what you saw."
"No need. I have a pretty good idea of what that means. After all, what was left of him was here in our school our first year," Zarif informs, partially discarding her fears.
Dracona looks away, still worried but sighs. "Just observe. Don't get involved."
"I'm not, but it gives me thoughts, Dracona. Be prepared in case he does somehow return as it will not be good for any of us, even if he does forgive those who forsake him to save themselves," Zarif says plainly.
Dracona slowly nods as she keeps looking away. "And you? I doubt you would even stay nearby."
"Oh, trust me, I know how to survive. Now onto other things, how is your recruitment of the other purebloods?" Zarif inquires.
"I have talked to five who seem intrigued by the idea of leading the way for the country. I think most assume that means taking over high positions in the ministry at a later date and working towards it," Dracona says.
"We will make a meeting later for them to get them to understand this is more serious than that," Zarif says nodding.
Dracona hums. "That's if they listen to you."
"They will listen if you and Merula say to listen. Plus, giving them the data and a call to arms to do something about it is a good motivator," Zarif assures.
Dracona hums lightly, now thinking of many things of how it can go wrong. "Again, people aren't you."
"But if you approach them. I believe they will listen. After all, I put my faith in you," Zarif informs.
Dracona keeps blushing now, trying to keep her face hidden from his view. "Th-Thanks…"
"No need," Zarif mentions.