Chapter 94:
The air was thick with rumor and suspicion in Hogwarts. Each house pinning it on the other with Aerie’s staunchest supporters among the Slytherins of all people. After all, theirs was the first house to lose someone, and it followed right on the heels of the attack on Aerie Potter. First through fourth years moved about in large groups should they venture forth alone. After all, there was safety in numbers. Little did they know that that safety was in the fact that one of their own now found their movements constrained. As for who was doing it, it was anyone’s guess and no way to know whether or not they were even aware of their involvement.
As for Aerie’s Moonie, she transited to the school late at night to patrol and returned to Aerie’s side in the mornings to lounge about in the sun all day. Like Aerie, lounging about in the sun was a great way to recharge.
Monday Morning Dumbledore received a note informing him that Aerie would be fit to return on the following Monday. By Monday evening he was forced to make an announcement at dinner letting everyone know that because of her unique heritage, her healing was simply going to take a little longer.
“Aerie…” Moonee called softly as she cuddled up between her front legs while in her cat form. It was Thursday morning.
“Given how lovey-dovey you are being I’m guessing something happened,” Aerie replied.
“Well, the good news is that the creature has been contained to the second-floor girl’s toilets.”
“Aurora was able to do it, that’s great… I’m sensing a but.”
“Percy got it into his head to tell off whoever it was who was trashing the place.”
“Moonie…”
“Fortunately he looked away and slammed the door the moment he caught a glimpse of it. Myrtle is fine too. Says she saw the whole thing. The girl has an interesting sense of humor.”
“Given that he’s safe I’d say it’s OK to laugh after the fact. How’s Myrtle holding up otherwise?”
“Don’t you want to know about…”
“Short of you figured out who the culprit is, it can wait.”
“Fine, she’s alright. And by the size of the perp, I think we can narrow it down to a first year. In other bad news, Lockhart is starting a dueling club.”
“I imagine it should be an interesting diversion.”
When Aerie came walking into the great hall Monday morning back in human form she saw beleaguered faces brighten at her return. “Come on, cheer up,” Aerie offered as she sat in her usual spot. Their four musketeers looked bedraggled and nearly everyone in the hall was sporting odd little trinkets.
“Good morning and welcome back,” Aurora offered. She reached around and gave her a one-armed hug. “Um… what are you wearing? And where are your glasses.”
“I have a brace under my blouse. It’s to keep everything in place. And my glasses got trampled. Mrs Silverwood is having a new pair made.
“Wood, afraid I’m grounded for a month,” Aerie called out.
“Grounded? For a month?”
“Can’t risk another accident. I need the time to heal up.”
“So why is it that you can’t heal up faster? Can’t say Akkadian healing methods are all they’re cracked up to be.”
“The standard wizard bone knitting potion causes bone spurs in Akkadians. I could lose my ability to play quidditch if I try to speed up the healing process by using it.”
“If we don’t catch the person who’s responsible for the attacks, they might cancel Quidditch altogether,” Percy announced.
“Cancel Quidditch?!” Wood stated indignantly.
“Afraid that’s the scuttlebutt.”
“Speaking of which, my Moonie tells me that you stuck your nose into a girl’s toilet room and nearly saw a bit too much. Do have a care,” Aerie admonished.
“It was Moaning Myrtle’s toilets and she was trashing the place. Honestly Aerie, you’ll have people thinking I’m a peeping tom.” Aerie smiled. The boy was at least quick on his feet. “Anyway, Ron happened on an interesting theory…”
“I did?”
“You suggested I watch out for giant turds.”
“Ah, oh right. But what’s the theory?”
“Why Percy, you’re a genius and we never knew it,” Fred stated as a big grin formed on his face.
“I seem to be missing something?” Aerie asked a bit befuddled.
“I’d say it’d be obvious,” Percy continued. “If it’s a giant turd it’s obviously a Slytherin who’s responsible.”
Aerie just looked at him with open-mouthed surprise as the boys around him began to laugh. Several girls joined in.
“You better not be laughing about us,” Kester Harper shouted from the Slytherin table.
“They said that the monster is a giant turd,” Aerie informed him. “Surely that’s nothing to do with you?”
“Might be something Flint left behind,” Miles called, which resulted in several Slytherins joining in on the laughter. And it probably goes without saying that the first-year Slytherins who knew nothing of the young man who was universally despised to include his own house were considerably confused.
Potions were first that morning where they were set to the task of making a solution that would cause swelling. Though why anyone would want to make a potion specifically for that was beyond her. As for her solution, it was turning out far too runny. But then again, she had that damned book on her mind and whether or not Isolde had it or not. If she did, she was actively hiding it.
“I know you can do better, Potter,” Snape scolded. “Give you a week off and you get sloppy.”
“I’m sorry sir. I’ll… get my mind back to the task at hand.”
“See to it.”
Suddenly Goyle’s potion exploded sending potion spraying out everywhere. Aerie didn’t hesitate and threw up a magical barrier without even bothering with her wand and closed it in on the cauldron which began to bounce about. Goyle had taken a face full and was blundering about as his face swelled up and was beginning to have issues with breathing.
“Aurora, that pen you have?”
“On it!” Aurora called, reached into her bag, pulled out a simple ballpoint pen, quickly pulled it apart, rushed over to Goyle, and inserted it into his mouth. He immediately began breathing through it.
“Silence! SILENCE!” roared Snape in fury. He grabbed up a jar and rushed over to the stricken boy and began dabbing the contents on his face. “When I find out who is responsible…” He left the threat unsaid but it was clear by the tone that suspension would be the least of the culprit’s worries.
As soon as Goyle’s face was shrunken down enough to drink something, Snape had him drink a measured dosage.
“Turn off your burners. We are done for the day,” Snape announced. “No one is to go anywhere just yet.” He had a look around. “As no one else is in any serious distress, what we are going to do is leave the lab one by one. I will inspect you for signs of potion. I will clean the potion off using a spell specifically intended for potion mishaps.”
“What’s this anyway?” Goyle asked as he examined the pen casing. “Aurora? Was that you?”
“You couldn't breathe. Aerie thought of it. It’s the casing for a muggle pen. Nowhere near as eloquent as a quill, but it gets the job done.”
“Miss Potter?” Snape inquired as he approached her. She had her right hand out, she was concentrating on the pot, and the pot was still rocking.
“When one lives with our bully one learns a trick or two… I’m not sure how long I can hold it.”
“Change of plans then. Everyone, one at a time, we will exit, and then I will deal with you. I do not want any of that potion getting spread about the school.”
Aerie would be the last to leave. She backed away slowly and saw footprints leading away from Snape’s office, her concentration dropped, and the cauldron began to spew its contents. She had no time to react but found herself being pulled backward and through the door. The door shut moments after she passed through followed by the sound of a potion hitting the door. She turned to look to discover it was Snape who’d used a levitation charm.
“Why professor, you do care.”
He dropped his hold leading her to scramble for her footing.
“Line up.”
By the time he was done dealing with the aftermath on the students, it was well into lunch time.
“Hermione,” Aerie began softly as she sat down next to the girl. “By any chance did you find the room I told you about?”
“There’s nothing up there.”
“That’s because you didn’t want it bad enough. You have to want it. It will provide what you need. I don’t know who blew up that cauldron but I can assure you that not only was it not necessary; Boyle could have suffocated.”
The two girls sat in silence for a bit. Aerie Quickly made herself a sandwich, got up, and walked out.
Aerie ate her sandwich on the way up to the dorm.
“You’re in a right mood,” Moonie offered as she appeared next to her. She was in pony form this time.
“I’ve no doubt it was Ron. Tosses something into the cauldron to cause a distraction. Hermione ducks into Snape’s office to help herself to the herbs she needs.”
“Password,” The fat lady requested on their arrival.
“Wattlebird,” Aerie replied.
“You may pass.” the painting opened up, and Aerie stepped through. Moonie stepping through gathered more than a few eyes unaccustomed as they were to seeing her in her pony form.
“Moonie, maybe you could go back to being a cat?”
“Fine,” Moonie replied and dropped down to being a cat. “Let’s not forget that you are agitated.”
“What happened in potions didn’t have to happen.”
“We heard,” Offered one of the older girls. “Do you know who did it?”
“Not really, no. I’ve my suspicions, but no. Probably a good thing I don’t.”
“You want to talk about it?”
“What say we table it? I’ve got a hunch I might just as well follow up on.” Aerie passed by everyone and made her way upstairs. All the way to the top floor.
“Look for something hidden…” she said softly as she held up her right hand. A moment later she’d produced a sizable blue flame. It took her a bit to fan it out into a screen which she then used to scan the room.
“Find anything?” Moonie asked.
“Four out of five girls keep books under their pillows,” Aerie replied.
“That would be their diaries. From Equestria.” She’d seen three of the girls using theirs and just assumed the fourth was the same thing. They were looking for something dark with black magic that it sucked in all the goodness about it and Isolde’s book just wasn’t producing any of that negative energy.
“Diaries?” Aerie went to Sweetie’s bed and pulled back the pillow to discover a dimensional diary. Closer inspection showed that it was indeed a diary from Equestria complete with answers from Princess Celestia. She checked Louise’s bed, diary, and then Bloom’s bed. Diary.
Cold rage filled her on seeing what was under Isolde’s pillow. The worst part was that she’d seen it before and had dismissed it. She was expecting that sickly pallor, that absence of light and everything good, but the silver had kept her from seeing the true nature of that object. A moment later she’d snatched up the book and tried to open it only to have it snap shut on her. At that moment she knew without a doubt, and teleported to the stone circle because she figured it’d be the best location. Right through the wards like they weren’t even there. She grabbed Moonie’s pendent, pulled it off with her free hand, cast it as far away from herself as she could, and then held the book aloft.
“What are you doing?!” Moonie called from the edge of the circle.
“Stay back, I’m going to bring down the mother of all lightning bolts!” Even as she spoke electricity began to dance all over her, and with her other hand, she forced the book to open. And yes, it was fighting her.
“Crack-a-boom!”
There was a blinding flash, Isolde collapsed at her place at the Gryffindor table right before a glass-shattering boom hit the school, and then silence. It was nearly a full minute before anyone dared to speak, and everyone's ears were ringing.
“I’m guessing that wasn’t an Equestrian diary then,” Moonie stated.
“Aerie!” Hagrid called as he ran towards her. He’d seen the bolt from where he’d been in the animal pens, seen it envelop Aerie, saw black smoke come billowing out of the book, and heard a horrible scream. He stopped a few paces away, dumbstruck. Aerie had the happiest look on her face he’d ever seen on just about anyone.
“Joy and be glad, Hagrid,” Aerie offered. “Oh… right. Mmm, I’m sort of a thunder goddess. Don’t tell anyone if you can manage it.”
“That… what is that?”
“The source of our troubles. It’s Tom Riddle’s diary. Or I should say, was Tom Riddle’s diary.” All that remained was melted silver that had draped down her arm and froze. She took a moment to extract it from her hand and drop it right where she stood. Hagrid marveled at seeing not a mark on her, not even so much as a scorch where the molten metal had been. “It had some mighty dark magic on it, and I figured that overkill would be the best way to deal with it.”
“Overkill indeed,” Moonie offered as she walked over to Aerie. She was back to being a pony and had the amulet in her magic.
“Are you sure you’re alright?” Hagrid asked as Aerie put the amulet back on.
“I’ve got a class to get to,” Aerie announced and started heading back. She met Professor Dumbledore on his way out.
“Aerie…” he was winded from his dash.
“It’s alright. I found the book. I kind of overdid it, but I wanted to be sure. I’m surprised Aurora didn’t come running out here.”
“Miss Swan fainted when the… whatever that was that hit the school.”
“She’s got an elemental ability,” Moonie offered. “She disintegrated the book with a lightning bolt. Just ask Hagrid. It’s hard to explain, but she’s near indestructible when she does that.”
“You’re serious? Lightning? Seriously? Lightning is extremely dangerous.”
“Not for her.”
“I use up manna fast when I do that, and I’m hopeful that Isolde will be fine now that the book is gone. Afraid that she was the primary target. Aside from that, all we need to do now is seal up that entrance again along with any other likely entrance.”
“Ah, yes, I’ll get on to that.” He looked and saw Hagrid standing in the middle of the stone ring. “In just a bit.”
“Professor…”
“Yes?”
“I was wondering what you had in mind regarding announcements concerning this affair?”
“I imagine I’ll just say we caught the culprit and put a stop to their activities. I’m not sure I want to say too much.”
“It was Lucius Malfoy. Of that I’m sure. Dropped Riddle’s diary in the book bag of a random student.”
“And chose Isolde. Yes, the resemblance is there. And I can’t help but think he’d have targeted Draco if he had known where he, or rather, she was.”
Aerie didn’t care what he did at this point. The book was gone and it wasn’t even Christmas yet. Without the book, there was no way to summon the creature and it could stay down in the depths of the school eating giant spiders until it died for all she cared. Nevertheless, she thought it might be a good idea to hurry along and see how Isolde was doing.
“Hey, Isolde, I hear you fainted,” Aerie called softly as she entered the room.
“Aerie, do you want to tell me what that thunder was all about?” Aurora asked in a scolding manner. The Crusaders were there as well.
“Miss Potter…” Madam Pomfrey cautioned.
“I know what it was that was afflicting Isolde and I think a little of the Kings Cure herb should have her up in no time. As for that boom, I found the item I’ve been looking for.”
“You found it?” Aurora asked.
“It was Mrs Silverwood who gave me the clue I needed. She has the same visual issue that I have. My glasses, the lenses are made from transparent silver.”
“Silver…” Isolde said softly as a sickening feeling came over her and her color went off. “I’m going to be…” Isolde twisted around to be sick over the side of the bed.
“Bucket!” Aerie called, Madam Pomfrey dashed for a bucket, and threw it to Aerie who tossed it to Aurora who managed to get it in place in time.
Aerie waited for the heaves to stop.
“I’m sorry.”
“That bastard,” Isolde choked out and began to cry.
“I don’t understand?” Louise asked.
“Her father gave her a cursed book.”
“She had it?” Aurora asked as she held Isolde. “She had it the whole time?”
“You remember how I’d start glowing like I did anytime I got too close to Quarrel? I realized it meant the book had to be close by. The fact that you could never find anything meant that I was waking up when the event that triggered it was already over.”
“Book? What book?” Madam Pomfrey asked.
“A book that had belonged to Tom Riddle. He figured out how to control people when he wasn’t there.”
“And my father gave it to me,” Isolde spat out. “That bastard. That… It means Nott, it means it’s my fault… sure, he’s an ass, but I never wanted… anything even remotely like what happened.”
“I don’t understand,” Madam Pomfrey said as she came closer to the group. “Surely her father wouldn't… not knowingly?”
“Yes, he would. Yes, he would.”
“Isolde, we’ve no way of knowing if he even recognized you?”
“I don’t see why not. Go on, tell her who my father is.”
“You sure?” Aerie asked.
“Go on, tell her.”
“She’s Draco’s twin sister,” Aerie offered hoping to spare her embarrassment.
“But how is that even possible?” Madam Pomfrey asked. “She’s an Akkadian?”
“Salmacis Thorn toxin mixed with unicorn blood,” Aurora said softly.
“What? What did they… Oh. Oh my. Draco?”
“By any chance can you never speak of this to anyone? Especially that last bit.” Aerie pleaded.
“I’ll keep quiet. It wouldn't do her any favors for that to get out. Salmacis Thorn toxin mixed with unicorn blood. Could that have something to do with the origins of the Akkadians?”
“According to our most ancient records,” Aurora began. “Imparted to me by my mother. Long ago there was a brilliant wizard named Grogar who was always keen to see if he could but never asked if he should. He is remembered as the father of monsters, so there is no telling. It’s possible he wanted to create a super race.”
“Seems I’ve heard that before.”
“He forgot that we still had free will. Our ancient ancestors turned against him.”
“Served him right.”
“Well, let’s see if I can do for Mr Nott what I did for Mrs Norris. Where is he?” Aerie offered as she looked about.
“Curtained off area in the corner,” Mrs Pomfrey informed her. “What you did for Mrs Norris? Does that mean you figured out how she was revived?”
“We suspect it was her little hammer.”
“All I can do is try,” Aerie offered as she took off the hammer pendent let out a sigh, and started walking over to where the petrified form of Mr Nott rested. “The trouble is, it’s entirely possible I need to want to revive him. I’m not so sure I want to.”
“We do have a restorative in the works,” Madam Pomfrey informed Aerie. “Just as soon as the Mandrake has matured, Professor Snape can begin brewing the potion. And quite frankly, from what I hear tell of his behavior…”
“He’s worse than I was and it probably wouldn't hurt if he had to do first year all over again.”
“In that case, I think it best I leave it alone. That and the way I feel about him, it might be for the best.”
That night Professor Dumbledore announced that the perpetrators responsible for the petrifications and the rogue bludger had been found out and dealt with. No further explanation was given.
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Line edited out. Always fun to get a new chapter.
Now if ol' Dumblebutt would get off his and find that ring under the floorboards of the Gaunt Shack Aerie can bring the matter of the horcruxes to a close...I think. I've been looking through so many HP crossovers that I don't know what horcruxes are left anymore.
wow amazing chapter.
11883885
Just the ring.
11883814
"I've plans for him," she said with a malevolent smile.
Seriously though, he's still the DADA teacher. No reason the curse on the position can't claim one more victim.
11883955
Yeah well he'll have to last more than a year before anyone else would be willing besides the crazy and desperate people. The curse unfortunately got Snape not that he wasn't a good teacher but I think he was wasted as a teacher even if he played favorites. The werewolf would have been lucky to get a job anywhere else. The celebrities one didn't have any actual talent and the other just wanted to ride on others coattails of fame.
11883885
I just thought of something what about the piece of soul in the real Harry. Don't they have to get rid of it too.
11886689
Discord transferred it to Aerie. That was the first bit she destroyed.
11886689
That was dealt with at the beginning of the story.