Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 24: Wood's Secret weapon.

Percy was back, the threads still hanging from his robes, and there they would stay as a mark of his shame. He was sullen, and had bags under his eyes, along with signs of male pattern balding.

“As for Hermione, Neville, and Ron, mostly Ron, all they could talk about following getting caught out of dorm by the whole dorm was getting back at Malfoy. Hermione was trying her best to not actually speak to anyone and failing at it.

“Ron, give it a rest,” Hermione scolded. “Honestly. Besides, he can hear you.”

“She’s got a point,” Fred added.

“OK, so whose idea was it to turn out the whole dorm to wait for us to come back?” Ron snapped back accusingly.

“Oh that wasn’t Fred,” offered a six-year boy with dirty brown hair. His robes were unkempt, and yet he now sported a prefect badge. “That’s just something we do anytime someone turns up missing.”

Hermione for her part suspected that her fellow first-year girls had ratted her out for being missing. Which was technically true.

“Hermione, I do a bed check before I turn in,” Idda pointed out. “I would have noticed in plenty of time to get everyone downstairs.”

“Oh, did Wood tell you he wants to see me out at the quidditch field after dinner?” Aerie asked Idda.

“Yes, you are good.”

“Why does she get to go out? What, is it a date?” Hermione asked in a rather condescending manner.

“For your information Miss Granger, it’s for a tryout,” Wood scolded.

“Why, because of that broom? Bet I could have flown just as good with that broom.”

“That a serious bet?” Draco asked from the Slytherin table.

“You but out!” Hermione shot back causing the Slytherins to laugh.

“Hermione, you were so intimidated by the idea of flying on a broom, you could barely get the one you had off the ground,” Aerie reminded her. Her keen ears heard someone at the Slytherin table make a crude joke.

Aerie turned in the direction of the speaker, “Not only is that not helpful, but it’s also rather crass. Even for a Slytherin.”

“That’s not a denial,” One of the Slytherin girls pointed out.

“Well, no, I suppose it’s not. Not my place to be making such judgments.” Aerie turned back to her face and chose to try to ignore the giggling behind her.

Whether or not Hermione had heard she hadn’t indicated that she had and had at least chosen to not say anything more. After dinner Aerie went up to the dorm, fetched what was now considered her broom, and headed back downstairs where she met Wood.

“Madam Hooch suggested that I should escort you.”

“Any chance we can fly down to the pitch?” Aerie asked as they made their way through the castle.

“Unfortunately no,” He offered as they exited the building Gryffindor tower was in and crossed a footbridge to the Astronomy wing. From there they made their way to the bailey they’d had their broom lesson at.

“Any idea what’s with Hermione?” Wood asked a short time later as they made their way down to the gate that would take them to the path that lead to the Quidditch pitch.

“Who knows? The onset of puberty?”

Wood let loose an unbidden laugh.

“She’s always been difficult.”

“Hey?!” Wood called on seeing Fred and George waiting at the gate. They both had brooms over their shoulders.

“Katie, Angelina, and Cormack already headed out,” Fred offered.

“So it’s true, that thing actually lets you fly it?” George asked.

“Same basic components as my wand,” Aerie offered as they passed through the gate. “To be honest it’s a wizard staff with a sweep on it.”

“Ah, that would explain it then,” Fred offered. “Only instead of the wand choosing the wizard, it’s the broom choosing the witch.”

“Say, if we were to make brooms that matched our magical signature,” George mused.

“How would we afford everything we’d need though?”

“You could ask Madam Hooch if she can get you a pegasus feather?”

“That’s true, there are pegasi living in the attics,” Wood offered. “Takes more than a feather to make a broom though.”

“I’ve already met a Miss Lea,” Aerie offered as a familiar gray glided silently off to their left. Her almond-shaped pupils and tufted ears indicated she was a pony of mixed linage. “She wasn’t feeling well, so she wasn’t very talkative.”

“Ah yes, the English Pegasi, behaving pretty much like everything British, and that’s defying all convention every chance they get. Would you believe that they’ve been classified as beings?”

“Yes, I would. I’m well aware of it. You may have forgotten that I read nearly as much as Hermione.”

“Perish the thought… hang on?” Wood stopped walking on spotting the gray.

“That’s Lieutenant Mouse,” Aerie offered.

“You know that…?”

Alice dropped down to the ground and transformed into her human self. The three boys froze in astonishment. This would be the first time they’d ever witnessed a transformation.

“Gentlemen, Miss Aerie. I hope you don’t mind if I tag along. There’s an alert tonight.”

“Are they tracking him?” Aerie asked.

“The thestral guard was trying to but lost him.”

“Thestral guard?” Fred asked.

“You, I mean, you are real?” George asked.

“Akkadian,” LT Mouse offered. “And yes, we are half beast.”

“What’s this about an alert? Tracking who?” Wood asked.

“Individual by the name of Tom Riddle,” LT Mouse informed him. “I’d advise you not to say anything to anyone. Including the instructors.”

“How come Aerie seems to know?” Fred asked.

“He's a former follower of You Know Who. He’s out there poaching animals, and there was some concern he might try to come after me,” Aerie explained just as another gray pegasus landed nearby them but opposite LT Mouse.

“Hi Miss Lea, I see you are feeling better,” Aerie offered cheerfully.

“Miss, I think you should know that that pony isn’t a member of our little community,” Lea cautioned softly.

“She can talk?” George asked. He was genuinely astonished. As if watching one pegasi transform hadn’t already clued him in that the ponies were far more intelligent than he’d ever given them credit for.

“I’d imagine that if the two of you were capable of hosting pegasi you’d already know that they are every bit as intelligent as humans. Even more so in some cases,” Aerie scolded, and then turned to Lea, her tone softening.

“Yes, I know, She’s a Shadowbolt.”

“A Shadowbolt? A real Shadowbolt? Wow.” Lea said sounding delighted.

“Her Royal Highness, Princess Luna’s own,” Mouse offered proudly.

“Shadowbolt?” Fred asked.

“Think pony elite Auror team,” Aerie offered as a way of explanation.

“Seriously?” All three boys chimed.

“Come on, let’s get to the Quidditch pitch,” Aerie prompted.

They found Katie Bell, Angelina Johnson, and Alicia Spinnet hiding inside the Team’s changing room.

“Come here, quick!” Alicia shouted.

“Lieutenant…” Aerie said. She didn’t need to say what she wanted.

“On it,” Lt Mouse said, transformed, and launched into the air. Lea wasn’t far behind. Moments later the sound of many wings could be heard filling the stadium.

“What’s going on?” Wood asked. He was understandably confused and a little concerned.

“Why are you hiding in there like a bunch of scared girls?” Fred asked.

“Because we are a bunch of scared girls!” Katie shot back. “There was something out there!

“Aerie? Where are you going?!”

Aerie was walking towards a large trunk that had been left out on the pitch. Her broom at the ready like it was a rifle, the sweep the muzzle, and perhaps in her hands, it was.

“I’ll be fine,” Aerie called back as an all too familiar black and white Alicorn dropped down near her.

“Fennik has scorched talons,” The alicorn informed her.

“I had her drop our primary target in the lake for eavesdropping,” Aerie explained. “I guess that’s why she went to Aurora when she came back.

“I think it did something to him. Forced him to go hunting to restore himself.”

Lt Mouse landed nearby. “Whatever the girls saw seems to be gone now.”

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” Nova Silverwood replied. “I wonder if Professor Dumbledore can be moved to make the appropriate adjustments to the wards.”

“Be faster if I just ask Aurora,” Aerie whispered as Wood slowly approached. He stopped when Mrs Silverwood transformed into human form.

“It’s quite alright. Mr Wood was it?”

“Ah, yes mam. Who are you?”

“Nova Silverwood-Swan, Matron of the Silverwood clan. There was something rather nasty loose in the forest this afternoon, but you should be good to go. I’ll leave some ponies to watch your back.”

“Thank you,” Wood replied. “Um, if you don’t mind my saying so, you two look a lot alike. You and Aerie.”

“Distant cousins.” Mrs Silverwood spread out her wings while still in human form and with a powerful downstroke lifted up into the air transforming the rest of the way as she went.

Wood waited a moment as he watched her go, and then turned to shout at the twins. “Let the girls know it’s safe to come out! Where’s Cormack?”

Cormack had also been in the team room, and he was probably more freaked out than the girls in that he’d gotten a good look at the creature that had been stalking them.

“I don’t know what it was?” Cormack said once he’d been persuaded to come out. “It was some kind of hooded serpent.”

“Well, it’s gone now,” Wood offered. Come on, let's get a little exercise. He then headed for the big trunk while motioning for Aerie to follow. The trunk was ornately decorated with bronze latches, hinges, and bracing. Wood took but a moment to open it up.

“Quaffle, Bludgers, and the Golden Snitch,” Aerie offered. “I’ve done my homework.”

“You’re stealing my thunder,” Wood chastised as the twins snickered. Wood then went into an abridged explanation of what Quidditch was and how it was played.

“And this,” Wood offered while holding up the golden snitch. Gold save for silver wings. “Is of course the golden Snitch. Quite possibly the most important ball in the game. Catch it, and you end the game with an extra hundred and fifty points for catching it. But it’s very hard to catch. First, you have to find it, and then you have to be fast and agile. As the Seeker you may need to weave in and out between Chasers, and Beaters while dodging Bludgers, and the Quaffle to get it before the other Seeker spots it. It’s not uncommon for Seekers to get tangled up with other players. And because the game doesn’t end until the snitch is caught games can go on forever.”

“Except here at Hogwarts where games can be called so that students can return to classes,” Angelina pointed out as she took hold of the Quaffle. “We going to get some practice in or not?”

“In a minute, in a minute,” Wood protested. “Anyway, we aren’t going to use the snitch right now.”

“Let it go,” Aerie said as she took her glasses off and put them in her handbag.

“It’s not like we can’t retrieve it,” Alicia offered. After all, what was the point of a practice Snitch if there was no way to retrieve it?

“I thought we’d play a little catch first,” He offered as he pulled a golf ball out of a pocket.

“Alright, that’ll work too,” Aerie replied, and fished out her glasses. “Hey!?”

Fred had snatched the glasses from her hand and was now trying them on. A move that immediately resulted in him falling hard.

“Owe.”

“Serves you right,” Aerie chastised.

“I swear, the whole world went upside down?” Fred complained as his brother took the glasses and tried looking through them without putting them on.

“What kind of glasses are these? Sections of the stands look like there is sunlight, one stand is upside down, Aerie is a pony, and Wood is a tree?”

“I have a magical malady that they correct. I imagine it’s just giving you random stuff simply because the prescription isn’t for you.”

“Give 'em here.” Wood took the glasses and had a peek prior to giving them back to Aerie. “Eh, pretty colors. Everything has gone pastel. Hang on, you were going to go after the snitch without them?”

“I suppose I’ll have to play with them on,” Aerie said softly. “Listen, what I’m going to tell you is so top secret, that you have to take it to your grave, and if you tell anyone you could end up having to get a new Seeker?”

“That sounds mighty ominous,” Wood mused.

“Granted it’s probably not an actual foul, but only because the Ministry has likely never encountered it before.”

“So what is this horrible affliction?” Fred asked from the ground.

“I can see the aura of magical things and living beings,” Aerie informed them. “It’s a right pain in the school without the glasses, but…”

“Let me guess,” Wood interrupted. “The snitch lights up for you.”

“In the gathering gloom of dusk,” Aerie offered with a mischievous smile. “It shines like a flare. I could probably catch the thing within the first five to ten seconds of being set loose.”

“Alright, alright, prove it,” wood said and tossed the golf ball in one direction and the Snitch in the other.

Aerie peeled after the golf ball first, catching it before it could begin its arch downward, and then peeled off in a seemingly random direction. She then looped around and glided back over to where they were all gathered with a rather odd look on her face. She handed Wood the golf ball, followed by reaching up and pulling the Snitch out of her mouth.

“I’ve only two hands you know.”

Wood began to laugh like a madman bent on world destruction. His mirth was soon echoed by his teammates.

Comments

[Raiss Icewind]

“It shines like a flair"

pretty sure you mean Flare

Anyway, enjoying the series so far, my only regret is it tastes like more. Keep up the good work

[KittyrinnAiko]

11401519
I had to look that one up. The way I'm using the word, either version could be used, but I think you are right in that flare is more correct. I was tempted to change it to flayre which would have indicated her old ponish sneaking out.

And while I was at it I caught several other errors I hadn't seen before.

[harts fire]

so troll farts is out hunting early.
this is going to be good in the long run at making him a messy smear some were.

i am really loving this story.

[Raiss Icewind]

11401569
Pretty sure if the other one was to be used it would be "shined with flaire" as that's more a style, whereas a flare is a thing that occurs in a flash of light.
But yeah, old ponish would also have been fun and then I would have to just endure it because then there is no right or wrong answer.

As it tends to go I suppose.