(Coeus Black - PoV)
You know the little eye twitch thing that some people do sometimes, when really...whatevered, by something? I see it often enough that I don't really think about it too much, but on Dora it can really stand out.
On a completely unrelated note, the scenery outside the window is really pretty right now. Lots of, uh, grass and stuff. That is absolutely the reason that I am staring out it, it has nothing to do with avoiding Dora's glare while half her face rubber bands, or...inflates and deflates? Snaps back and forth? It is really hard to describe and I would prefer not to think about it.
...
It is a bit worrying how long she has remained silent since Daphne finished happily explaining everything, the traitor.
"Coeus," she finally speaks, causing me to flinch slightly. Damnit!
"I left you alone...not even alone, but with the others, for not even an hour." Her voice is completely level. Dead even. I don't like it, I don't like it at all.
"Not. Even. An. Hour. I didn't even go anywhere, I was still on the train."
I mean, given how the Express seems to work that could actually be really far away I think. A quick glance out of the side of my eye now shows a temptingly distracting view of craggy seaside cliffs, rather than open plains.
"And you...and you..."
...
The carriage descends into silence once more as she simply stares at me...while still sitting in our laps, which doesn't help matters.
I might fidget a bit under her stare.
Still, I...didn't. So it's ok. Right?
"Phoebe..." No! Stop it! "You're sure?" Dora asks. "That he..."
Squeezing Phoebe, I grab Dora's arm with my other hand, and...what?
I do...what?
My attention fully turns towards Phoebe as she replies.
"He doesn't come back out. If he goes all the way in, he rarely ever comes back out," she repeats firmly, her eyes locked on Dora, who is still looking at me.
Phoebe...
Closing her eyes at last (When I say staring I mean staring. Cheating bloody Metamorphs...), Dora slowly takes a deep breath, then cuffs me upside the head.
Ow!
"You bloody twat! What did I tell you right before I left? What did I tell you?"
"I...What?" I ask, rubbing my head.
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do! And you know what I wouldn't do? I wouldn't go chasing after something completely unknown and unexpected, by myself, with no preparation, pretty much no training or experience, in a massively enchanted object unexpectedly offered by a mysterious, incredibly old magical figure that everyone knows but no one can figure out."
I blink slowly while Dora stares at me, eyes manic, breathing heavily.
Wincing I...can't meet her gaze. And all looking away does is allow me to see Daphne's "I told you so" look.
Merlin damn it all. I really don't have any defense here, I have no idea what I was thinking.
Well, I mean, I guess I sorta do but, as they said, it was just so stupid.
*Guh*
My thought process is interrupted when Dora wraps me in a crushing hug.
"Arrogant little gobshite," she mutters, as a feeling of dread wells up in me. "I thought our little duel would teach you you weren't invincible, but I guess not. I think I'm going to have to train that out of you."
I don't want to say no to more training, but I get the feeling I really should object here.
"That's, uh, not necessary," I say. "This is your NEWT year, after all, wouldn't wan-"
Her hand somehow covers my mouth without breaking the hug. With her still in our laps as well.
I don't want to think about how contorted her body is right now, or what this looks like from everyone else's perspective.
"No objections. Hogwarts may be safer than the rest of the magical world, but that is only if you follow the rules, and don't go looking for trouble."
...
A few moments pass before, with a great sigh, she untangles herself from me and pulls back.
Still sitting on our laps, torso rotated almost entirely opposite her legs, she gives me a look of resignation.
"I should have known better, with you coming to Hogwarts."
She shakes her head while I frown.
Hey, I'm not that bad.
But for some reason, everyone else nods! Daphne, Draco, Iris, P-Phoebe? What the hell?
This time it's Phoebe's turn to sign in exasperation.
"Brother, I constantly have to stop you from incredibly bad ideas. What part of "No, that would lead to the apocalypse...again." do you have trouble understanding?"
"Really, really should have known better..." Dora mutters.
No, now it's my turn to shake my head.
"Maybe, but it doesn't count! At least part of what you said earlier is true, you are my other half," I tell her. lightly poking her shoulder for good measure.
Turning back to Dora, I cross my arms and hold my head up.
"She totally proves my point. We don't make terrible choices all the time. Phoebe steers me clear from any real problems, so we should be good."
I give a firm nod.
Yes, this is good.
"And besides, what's the big deal with a potential apocalypse? It's only a problem if you are crazy enough to carry through after being warned."
Dora's eyes narrow.
"You are not getting out of this. I am beating you into the ground until you are less of an idiot."
Damn.
My poise crumbles and I slump back against Phoebe and the seat,
"Unfortunately, as a Seventh year, I only have one year to work on you before I graduate, and move on to a career," Dora admits, morosely.
Only one year, she says, as if that is a short time...
My wariness grows as her face sprouts a vicious smile.
"Of course, that was before someone spent significant time convincing me that I don't need to become an Auror, especially not right away!"
...Wait.
"They even set up funding for me and my own training! So I can spend plenty of time after graduation helping you work on your issues."
Oh no.
"Hopefully, we can see at least some improvement before you finish Hogwarts."
I stare blankly at the viciously smiling Dora for a time, before turning to Phoebe.
Why was I not warned of this?
She shrugs.
How is it a good thing?!
I jerk back as her eyes lock onto me properly, actual anger in them.
"If you are better I don't have to worry as much about you not coming back out of a murder box," she says out loud.
...
Closing my eyes, I slump once more.
I'm sorry.
I'm so sorry Phoebe.
"There are more dangers than that at Hogwarts, you know," Dora speaks up, getting our attention.
Everyone's attention, it looks like.
She sighs, running a hand through her hair.
"I wasn't talking out of my ass earlier. The castle is actually pretty safe compared to most of the world...if you follow all the rules, all the time."
She looks around the compartment.
"No one does. None of you will."
"I am really good at following the rules!" Hermione objects.
Dora shakes her head.
"You'll see. Anyway, once you break the rules? Things can get deadly, fast. Just a couple years ago...well. The Forbidden Forest has always been dangerous. There's a reason it is "Forbidden". That said, there was never anything actually stopping anyone from going in, so plenty of people did."
Dora shrugs.
"I've been in myself a few times. And as long as you don't go too deep, it wasn't bad, the Centaurs aren't overly hostile, not to kids at least, and tended to keep the worst creatures clear around the school. But there was a problem, one that no one realized how bad it was."
Dora looks around the compartment.
"Who knows what an Acromantula is?"
Oh. Shit.
"I do!" Hermione's hand shoots into the air. "Giant spiders, famed for their incredible tough silk, fast breeding rates, and incredibly long lives." Yadda yadda, incredibly dangerous invasive magical species, yadda yadda, can quickly form huge colonies if not carefully managed.
Dora smiles at her, indulgently.
"Impressive, you really memorized the book. But now I want you to stop and actually think about that. All of that. What do you think happens when a kid that doesn't know any better lets one loose into a mostly wild, unchecked, incredibly magical forest for a few decades?"
...
That certainly doesn't sound good.
Dora's smile dies.
"What happens, is that a couple of adventurous students out exploring the deeper parts of the forest vanish. And then a student on the grounds vanishes. Then a couple days later the teachers suddenly rush out of the Great Hall during dinner to save a pair of students on the grounds being dragged into the forest by spiders the size of horses."
Dora blows out her next breath, leaning back into us, facing the rest of the compartment.
"Once the staff finally knew what was going on the Ministry was contacted, and the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, what a mouthful, came out in force, along with...well, everyone else. Most of the Auror Department, the hitwizards, and every wand they could find that would volunteer on short notice. It was essentially a bloody army."
She flicks her wand into her hand, starting up her habit of idly spinning it.
"We watched from the castle as Dumbledore stepped out before them, gave a short speech, then he and Hagrid led them into the forest. It was like a scene from a movie. You can probably find some old papers and such with the stories if you want, but from what I remember it was bad. There were thousands of them, at least. Thousands of smart, giant, spiders. They get bigger, stronger, smarter, and magically resistant as they get older."
The wand continues to spin, shifting back and forth from hand to hand as she continues, not looking at anyone in particular.
"People died. They won, but people died. I don't remember how many, but they went in with hundreds of wizards. Trained, prepared combat wizards. Going against an expected enemy, with specialists on their side, and led by frigging Dumbledore. And they still lost people. More than a few."
...
"That," Dora breaks the short moment of silence, her wand disappearing once more, "is why the Forbidden Forest now actually lives up to its name. After that incident they put up wards and such, to actually prevent students from entering, instead of just telling everyone it isn't allowed."
She gives a short, hollow laugh.
"Of course, finding out that at least three of our classmates were eaten alive by giant spiders, and then watching the great army of wizards return bloodied and half broken certainly did a lot to dampen everyone's enthusiasm for exploring, even if they hadn't taken extra measures."
She shakes her head.
"Even Dumbledore had to be carried out of there."
What? Seriously?
Glancing around, everyone seems shocked at the events, Draco especially. I hate to imagine what it is doing to his worldview, hearing about the might of wizarding Britain being humbled by a spider infestation.
"Yeah. That is how dangerous some of the things in the forest are." She shrugs. "Apparently Hagrid saved his life? I don't know, everyone is pretty tight-lipped on the actual details of what actually happened."
Sighing, she shakes her head once more.
"Anyhow, enough doom and gloom. There will be plenty of time for that later, when I am kicking the midget's asses all over the school."
My eyes narrow, glaring at the back of her head.
If that's how you want it then so be it. To war, one more.
"Let's try a new topic, shall we?" she suggest/demands. "How about you, blondie? How goes things with you and stabberific barbie?"
Daphne sighs in annoyance as the nicknames come out and Dora appears to settle in for the long haul.