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If you asked anyone living in the town of Biggleswade about a boy named Liam Wren, they would tell you he was a normal boy in most every respect. His grade school teachers found him average at best - not deficient in any one subject, but not exemplary either. His coach, a Mr. Morgan Jones, called him "a fine footballer, and a decent keeper for his size," but he might have said as much about any of the boys who played for him. No, if anyone from Biggleswade remembers Liam Wren at all, and there are few these days that do, they would say he was an average, thoroughly normal boy.Yet, there had been an incident, back around 2002, when Liam called a bit of attention to himself. He came to school one morning claiming he could make his toy car move just by pointing at it. He even made a demonstration out on the yard during recess. But afterwards, the whole story was debunked. It was a mechanical car, or radio controlled, something of that sort. It had to have been. After all, toy cars do not move on their own unless they have some sort of engine. The whole thing was an elaborate prank by a boy craving a bit of attention.If young Liam was feeling a bit neglected, well, who could blame him? His parents had recently separated. They may not have even been married. Polite people try not to pry into such matters, but one does hear things. Perhaps he felt slighted by all the turmoil in his house, or maybe that day his younger brother had received the lion's share of their mother's attention. So, Liam staged this prank as a way of getting people to notice him.Hardly anyone recalls this incident these days anyway, and nobody held it against the boy. He was young at the time, only eight years old, or so.If you were passing by Liam's house in Biggleswade on the day this story begins, (which happens to be a Saturday in June of 2005), and you were nosy enough to peer into his bedroom window, you would have seen a fairly typical scene: two boys, sitting on the floor of the room, playing with toy cars. The boys were brothers and looked it - one was just a smaller version of the other. Both had short tawny hair and a splash of freckles across the cheeks.But, if you looked carefully, you would have noticed the cars, plain little matchbox cars with no motors whatsoever, racing at great speed along a thin plastic track. Each boy gazed at his own car with fierce concentration. Liam seemed to be guiding his car with his left index finger, while his brother guided his with his right. Neither finger was touching the car. Liam had been able to make his toys move by pointing at them with his left index finger since he was very young. (He was, incidentally, left-handed.) He'd been doing it for so long, he couldn't remember a time when he couldn't do it. When his brother Patrick, who was three years Liam's junior, was old enough, Liam taught him the trick, too. It had taken a few tries before Liam thought to have Patrick use his right hand instead of his left. Once Patrick tried his right index finger, he could make toys move, too.As far as Liam knew, he and Patrick were the only two people in the world who could make their toys move just by pointing at them. None of their friends could do it, and neither could Mum or Uncle Charlie who was their mother's younger brother. Liam's friends would get frightened by such exhibitions, so he soon learned not to show off. His mother, Annie, would shake her head in wonder when she saw her boys do their tricks, and Uncle Charlie would say things like, "Isn't that the damnedest thing!" Neither had ever seen anything like it.Liam hadn't taught Patrick every trick he knew. One cold morning the previous winter, his mother had served him some hot cocoa that was a little too hot. Liam stared hard at the cup, and the cocoa in it cooled rapidly - too rapidly, in fact, so that it was almost cold when he took a testing sip. Slowly, with concentration, he was able to raise the temperature until it was to his liking.He found the trick would work on people, too. He first tried it on himself. Despite the snow that morning, Liam found that, with focus, he could keep himself warm. Later in the day, Roger, who was always borrowing pencils he never returned and begging for money he never paid back, came 'round with an expectant look on his face. Liam sent a cold thought Roger's way, then watched, pleasantly surprised, as Roger shivered and crossed his arms over his chest. Even better, Roger changed course and went to bother someone else.There were times when Liam's powers gave him a bit of a fright. One stiflingly hot day the previous summer, a fly had been loudly buzzing 'round Liam's room. He couldn't seem to drive it off. In anger, he pointed at it. The fly dropped immediately to the floor, dead. Now, if Liam had simply bashed the thing with a flyswatter, he would not have felt at all remorseful. But cursing a living thing to death was something else entirely, and it quite upset him. He couldn't confess what he'd done to his mother, but he did confide in his Uncle Charlie.Charlie listened patiently to the story and, seeing the look of worry in his nephew's eyes, tried a lighthearted tact. "Well Liam-lad, what it takes to kill a fly is a whole lot less than what it would take to kill a person, right? Still, we probably don't want to test that theory now, do we? Not on another kid, anyway. Perhaps if a bill collector came 'round . . . ."A year had passed, and Liam had not pointed at another living thing in anger since. He mostly just used his magic on his toys. That Saturday in June as the boys played with their cars, their mother came into the room, momentarily disrupting the concentration of both of her sons. The cars careened at a high speed off the track. Patrick's blue car crashed hard into the far wall, while Liam's red one made a sharp U-turn in midair and flew straight into his left hand."You've got some mail, Liam-lad," she said. "More school brochures. This one looks nice." She showed him the front of one of the brochures, which had a picture of a lake lined with trees. "Lakewood Prep," she read from the caption. "'By invitation only.' Sounds expensive. You must have done really well on that standard exam."Liam shrugged. He didn't remember doing all that well on any exams he had taken recently. When his mother had left, he got up and looked at the brochure. He gazed at the photo and the words without picking it up. Feeling a bit discouraged, he grabbed a comic book instead and plopped back down on the floor.His mother's comment, "sounds expensive," had struck him deeply. She was often complaining about lack of funds, and the prospect of sending Liam to a decent prep school seemed daunting to her. She worked long hours and took what little Uncle Charlie could give her in exchange for meals and an occasional night's lodging. If Liam and Patrick's father were still around, if he was contributing more to the family, things might be different.Liam's friend Tim was going to Thursgood's, an old prep school in the country. "You should apply," Tim had urged Liam. "They take everybody." But even a place like that seemed out of reach, financially. Without some sort of scholarship, Liam would be going to the local comprehensive for sure. And, he was simply too ordinary, both as a student and as an athlete, to earn a full scholarship anywhere.Patrick was more removed from the prospect of secondary school, and so, much more fascinated by it. As soon as he was certain Liam wasn't going to look at it, he snatched the brochure off the desk and sat on Liam's bed to read it.The bed was supposed to be off limits to the little brother, but it was a rule he broke regularly, and Liam often let him. That day, Liam glared at Patrick but said nothing. The younger boy, gazing at the front panel, remarked, "That's a grand castle."Liam, who had just looked back down at his comic book, raised his head again and said, "What castle?""The one on the front." Patrick turned the panel Liam's way, but not quite the right angle for Liam to see properly."Give it here," snapped the elder brother."Oh, now that I'm looking at it, you want to see it!""Give it here!" Liam said again."Fine!" Patrick tossed the brochure towards his brother. Liam reached for it, but it floated away from him down onto the carpet."There's no castle," said Liam contemptuously. There wasn't - just lake and forest. Patrick gazed, curious, over the edge of the bed. He reached for the brochure once more. Liam snatched it up instead.As soon as he looked at it again, sure enough, there was a grand castle on the lakeside. It sat on a hill which he hadn't noticed before. It was as if the whole photo had slid to the left slightly, so that something that was out of the frame was now visible.Under the photo, another change had come to the brochure: the caption now read "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.""Will you look at this?" asked Liam."Will you let me?" answered Patrick.Liam opened the brochure, pressed it flat to the carpet and let go. The inside page had three panels. Each panel had a picture, and captions like, "Come to Lakewood Prep. We inspire Learning." One picture showed students studying outdoors, under a tree. Another showed a student sitting in a desk, raising her hand.Certain of what to do now, Liam set his hands down on the corners. Immediately, all of the pictures changed. The girl raising her hand turned into a boy wearing some strange costume. He was holding a red ball and looked to be riding a broomstick. In the other frame, instead of students under a tree, there was now two students gazing expectantly down into what was unmistakably a cauldron."You seeing this?" Liam asked Patrick."Uh-huh.""I think I better show this to Mum."The boys got up and scampered back down the hallway to their mother. She was sitting on the sofa, reading the newspaper. "Mum, will you look at this?"She took the brochure from Liam. "Oh, this is the Lakewood brochure. I saw this one already."Liam could see it was still the Lakewood brochure when his mother was holding it. "Wait," said Liam. He sat next to her and touched the corner of the brochure. He watched, pleased, as his mother's eyes widened."What's this?" She looked over at him and asked, "Are you doing that?""No. I mean, it changes when me and Patty touch it, but it's doing it on its own. We're not making it change."Annie inspected the front panel. "The name has changed, too. 'Hogwarts.' What a peculiar name for a school!" With a laugh, she added, "I rather like 'Lakewood' better."Patrick squeezed onto the sofa on Annie's other side. "What does it say?" he asked. Patrick could read just fine, but avoided doing so whenever he could.So, Annie opened the brochure and read the captions to her sons. "Come to Hogwarts, now fully restored to its former glory. Study under the finest teachers in Britain all the traditional magical disciplines: Potions, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and more. Play Quidditch for your House, and make friendships that will last a lifetime!""What's Quidditch?" asked Patrick."Haven't the foggiest," Annie answered. Liam shrugged, too. "Defense Against the Dark Arts," she mused. "What kind of a world do they think we're living in?""Do you think it's some kind of a prank?" asked Liam, remembering what people said about his open display of magic.Annie shook her head. "If you let go, it goes back to being a Lakewood brochure?" Liam nodded. "I'd call that magic." She pursed her lips. "You know, I think there was a letter that went with this. Run and get it, will you? It should be right on top of your desk."Liam ran and got the letter. He checked that it said 'Lakewood' on the letterhead, before picking it up. As soon as he touched it, the words changed to 'Hogwarts.' There was a coat of arms, a lion, an eagle, a badger and a snake surrounding a large letter 'H.' He brought it to the sofa and sat down next to his mother. "Do you want to read it? It's a Hogwarts letter, now.""Why don't you read it to us, dear."So, Liam read out loud to his mother and brother: HOGWARTS SCHOOL OF WITCHCRAFT AND WIZARDRYHeadmistress: Minerva McGonagall (Order of Merlin, First Class,
Mugwump Emeritus, International Conf. of Wizards)Dear Mr. Wren,We are pleased to inform you that you have a place at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Your aptitude for magic has been clear to us for some time, and we look forward to developing your abilities to their fullest potential.An Orientation Specialist from the Ministry of Magic's Department of Non- Magical Persons Relations has been assigned to assist you in your transition into the Magical World. Said official shall be visiting your place of residence on Sunday, June 12th to answer any questions that you and your parents may have.Yours sincerely,Franz Gregor
Deputy Headmaster Liam lowered the letter and gave his mother a long look. Her eyes were wide, and she was very still. It was Patrick who broke the silence:"Sunday the 12th? Isn't that tomorrow?"
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Annie stayed still on the sofa for a moment, a quiet, distant look in her eyes. Both boys watched her carefully. Finally, she rose and said, "If we're having company tomorrow, I guess I'd better get started on the laundry."Washing clothes was, traditionally, a Sunday chore. But, when company was expected, a grandmother's visit, for instance, they would start the process Saturday afternoon. Patrick shot a questioning look over to his older brother. "Does that mean you're going to this wizard school?"Liam shrugged. "I don't think she's made up her mind yet. Looks like she's thinking about it.""Do you want to go?" Liam shrugged again, not wanting to get his hopes up."I want to go," said Patrick decisively. "I can do everything you can do. When I'm eleven, they'd better invite me."Liam didn't answer but got up and went to find his mother. He helped her gather and sort the clothes. When the first load was started, he also worked alongside her preparing supper.Liam was a good cook - he had a knack for it. He was always curious as to how spices and sauces interacted with different meats and vegetables. When Annie turned her back, he would often add an extra dash of something to the pot. The times his experiments went badly were rare - he most often improved upon the original recipe. While he stirred a pot of sauce for the noodles boiling alongside, his mother made a quick call. "Charlie? It's Ann. There's someone coming over tomorrow to see Liam. Yes, from one of the schools. Lakewood Prep. It's a very prestigious school, I hear. I was wondering if you'd come over and hear the presentation, too . . . Oh, I see. Well, we'll fill you in when you get back then." The call wrapped up abruptly."Is he traveling?" asked Liam."Yes. I knew he'd gone to the Continent for business, but I thought he was coming back last night. I don't see why he couldn't make the effort to be here," she added with an edge of bitterness in her voice.Patrick, who'd just come into the kitchen to check on the progress of the meal, asked, "Is he with a French girl?""Patrick, that's none of your business," she snapped, which to the boys was as good as a 'yes.'"How come you said 'Lakewood,'" asked Liam quietly, "and not 'Hogwarts?'""I don't know why I did. It didn't seem right too. They're so secretive, with their magic paper, and their fake school name . . .." She was lost in thought again."Do you really think there are people out there, people like me and Patty, who can do real magic?""I guess I've always known that there were," she answered. She shook away her distant thoughts. "Let's not talk about this now. Patty, set the table. It's time for supper."They had a quiet dinner, just the three of them. Afterwards, Liam and Patrick washed the dishes, then returned to their racing game. It was later that night, as Annie was tucking him into bed, that Liam was able to broach the subject again."Did you know any magic people when you were younger?""I don't know, Liam. When Charlie and I were little, there was this eccentric uncle of ours, sort of a black sheep of the family, but I don't think he was anything other than a dotty old man." She let out a heavy sigh. "When you were just a toddler, and Patty was a baby, there was . . . a bad year. Some strange things happened - sad, terrible things. People don't talk about it anymore. I guess they've forgotten . . ..""Forgotten what?"She smiled and ran her hand through her son's hair. "Not tonight, Liam. I don't want to trouble your sleep with all of this. Get some rest, and we'll see what the morning brings us."Liam's sleep was filled with the images from the secret brochure. He dreamed of flying on a broomstick around the castle and the lake, and in another, he gazed into a steaming cauldron, which turned into a crystal ball which showed him hazy figures, shrouded in mist. In the morning after breakfast, the three of them bustled around, cleaning the house. Liam even put away his race track. In the event that the visitor wanted to see his room, Liam wanted to make a good impression.This did not take all morning, however, and there was a good bit of time in which Liam and his mother were sitting around, nervously watching the clock. Patrick quickly gave up on them and found a football game to watch. The two brothers might have gone for a walk, but it was pelting rain outside.Around twelve, Annie asked, "Shall I feed you two lunch, or are we waiting for this visitor?"Liam shrugged, but Patrick spoke right up. "I'm hungry. I would like my lunch now, please!"It was just the distraction they were needing. Annie made sandwiches while Liam set the table. By the time they were done eating and everything was cleaned up, it was nearly one. Liam went to the front room to wait. There was a worn sofa overlooking a plate glass window, showing a view of the front yard and the walkway up to the door. The rain fell in great bursts, followed by moments of sunlight.Patrick joined him on the sofa. "Do you think he'll fly here on a broom?""I don't think so. Like Mum said, these people are awfully secretive.""An Aston Martin, then?" suggested the younger brother. "Or maybe a Bentley?"The boys were both disappointed when the car that pulled up to their drive was a dilapidated Toyota hatchback. The man who got out was in a plain grey suit, and he had a attaché case. He looked for all the world like a traveling salesman."No style at all, that one," said Patrick, referring more to the car than the man."It's a disguise," said Liam as he watched the man make his way up the walk. "I bet if we touch it, it'll turn to a Lotus Elise."As the man approached the door, the boys ran to the entryway. Patrick opened the door just as the man pushed the bell. "Hello there!" said the man in a loud, jolly voice.The two boys stared at the man suspiciously. Even up close, there was nothing about him that seemed at all magical. He was a balding, slightly overweight middle-aged man. "Are you from Hogwarts?" asked Liam."No, I'm from Ministry. But, it's good to know you've cracked our little code,” he added with a twinkle in his eye. “Turned the trick, as we say. Well, done. You must be Liam.""And I'm Patrick and I can do everything he can do!""Yes, Patrick," said the man, nodding. "You're in our file." Annie came down the hallway just then. She had been washing dishes, and she was drying her hands on a towel as she walked. "Mrs. Wren," said the man, nodding his head to her. "Good afternoon. Glyn Harkenborough, at your service."This was not her name, but nobody corrected him. "Good afternoon," she answered. "Please come in.""Yes, thank you. These things are best discussed indoors." He stepped over the threshold, and Patrick closed the door behind him.As soon as he had, the younger boy blurted out, "Does your car fly? Does it turn into a sports car? Do you fly on a broom?""Heavens, lad!" said Harkenborough chuckling. "Can't be flying about on a broom, right in the middle of a Muggle village, now can we? What would the neighbors think? As for the car, well, it's standard Ministry issue. A fancy sports car would be out of the question, budgets being as they are."No one had extended a hand in greeting to the man. Liam thought his mother looked nervous, but she was putting on a good show for the stranger. "Would you like some tea?" she asked."Yes, please," he said. "That would be splendid.""Would you prefer Earl Grey or Lemon Ginger?""Earl Grey would be fine, thank you."The four of them went back to the kitchen. Annie had a pot ready, along with some cream and sugar. Harkenborough sat down at one of the ends and, setting his attaché case on the floor beside him, took from it a thin file. He set the file on the table in front of him and took a quick look at its contents before closing it again. Annie poured him a cupful. Harkenborough spent a moment pressing his tea bag, then he took a sip without adding any cream or sugar. The boys sat on either side of him and Annie, with a steaming cup in her own hand, sat at the opposite end.There was a nervous alertness in Annie's eyes, but she did not speak. Harkenborough looked around the table and asked, "Is this everyone? The father, a Mr. Sean Wren, I believe? Will he be coming?""No," answered Annie, curtly."Does the father possess any magical abilities that you know of?""No.""I didn't believe so, but I thought I should ask." He took a quick peek at his file again. "The record also mentions a Charles Keats.""He will not be here, either.""He's spending the weekend with a French girl," added Patrick, earning dark looks from his mother and brother.The stranger gracefully ignored this comment. "Well, then, let's begin." Turning to Liam, he said, "Mr. Liam Wren, I am here to recommend to you Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the finest Wizarding school in the world. It is also my great honour to formally welcome you into the Magical Community of Great Britain."Liam was silent a moment longer as he weighed which of his questions to ask first. "Did you go to this school, too?""Of course, I did. I was there during Dippet's tenure, a long many years ago. Like many who go on to careers in government, I was a Ravenclaw. And that brings me to my next topic. Though there didn't appear to be any magical lineage here, I did an extra bit of research and turned up someone. He also went to Hogwarts, Class of '33, I believe. Incidentally, he too was a Ravenclaw: Barnabus Hexwood.""Uncle Barney?" exclaimed Annie."You remember old Hexwood, do you?" said Harkenborough. "Excellent. Makes things easier." The man reached into his attaché case and drew out a worn book and a long leather pouch. "He's been gone for many years now, of course. Most of Hexwood's possessions went to his friends. He was never married, nor did he have any known offspring. He did, however, have relatives outside the Magical Community, so he left a provision in his will that the first wizard to come from that line shall get these items here."The man handed the book to Liam. The cover was sturdy but worn, and the pages had a well-turned look. Liam glanced at the title, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, before setting it aside.With a flourish, the man drew from the leather pouch a long wooden stick. "Hexwood's wand," he said, presenting it to Liam. "I haven't had the time to research it properly, but if we asked the right people the right questions, we may discover its elements. The wood is spruce, clearly, and it's ten inches long, but what lies at its core I simply couldn't tell you."Liam looked at the wand with some suspicion. He thought of the phony magician that came to friend Tim's birthday party years ago. That man had a magic wand, too, but all of his magic was fake. Liam picked it up and looked at it briefly before setting it aside.The man bent down into his case one last time and drew out a small leather bag. "And finally, a bit of a legacy. Have you ever seen wizard coins, Mrs. Wren?""Possibly," she said softly.Harkenborough reached into the bag and drew out three different coins. "Gold Galleons, Silver Sickles, and Copper Knuts."Annie reached across the table and took the small Knut from him. "These I have seen," she said, a wistful smile on her lips. "Uncle Barny gave me one when I was just a girl. I may still have it somewhere."Liam looked doubtfully at the small bag of coins. "How much money is that?""There's enough Galleons here to put you through school, certainly.""What about my other son?" asked Annie. "Patrick has abilities that are similar to Liam's.""Yes, he's down in the file as well. When he turns eleven, he'll be getting his letter, no doubt about that.""I can't be certain that my circumstances will be all that different three years from now. I don't think I could afford to pay any sort of tuition for my sons to go to this school. And, aren't there books and things to buy, as well?""I'm not really the one to ask, but I believe there are still scholarships available. The endowment isn't what it was, but we're building it back up. The castle was refurbished recently, you see."Leaning forward on her elbows, her hands up by her chin, Annie asked, "Was it damaged in the war?"The question caught everyone by surprise, particularly Harkenborough. "You recall the war?" he exclaimed. "Goodness me. That is certainly not in the records." He opened the file and make a note on the paper. "Yes, there was a war, and yes, the castle was damaged in one of the battles. But, it's long over, and the good guys won, as we say. Nothing to worry about! The campus is perfectly safe, now.""And what exactly is in that file?" asked Annie, a sharp edge in her voice now. "How long have you people been spying on my sons?""Mrs. Wren, please!" said Harkenborough. "Spying is such a harsh word. We do keep an eye out for magical children so that, when they are old enough, like Liam here, they can be brought into the fold. But there's nothing nefarious about it.""So, how long have you been 'keeping an eye out' for Liam?"Harkenborough checked his records. "He came to our attention in 2002."Something occurred to Liam just then, and he was about to speak, but a look from his mother quelled him. "I see," she said. "Yet, you waited until now to reach out to us?""It's traditional to do so, when a magical child is growing up in a Muggle, or non-magical family.""Why all the secrecy? What if we had thrown that Lakewood brochure out before one of the boys had handled it?""Well," said Harkenborough with a chuckle, "I would have had some explaining to do.""So, you were coming anyway. Today, ready or not, here you come, Mr. Rumpelstiltskin! Now that my son's eleven, you want to take him from me!""Mrs. Wren!" pleaded Harkenborough, "it's not like that at all. Liam will have to go to secondary school somewhere. At Hogwarts, his talents will be developed to the fullest. But, he will always be your son. He will come home at holidays and for the summer, just as he would if he were going to any secondary school."He tried to blunt the angry look in her eyes with a kindly smile. "There's an Orientation Day at Diagon Alley, in London, on July 9th." He pushed a paper across the table to her. "There are directions on this sheet on how to get there. It may help you put your mind at ease if you met some of the other mothers, and saw the children gathering their supplies, preparing for school."Annie took the paper and looked at it without saying anything. "Will you consider coming?" asked Harkenborough."Yes, I'll consider it."Harkenborough seemed to realize that this was all the assurance he was going to get from Liam's mother. He rose and gathered his things. "Thank you for the tea, Mrs. Wren. There is a number on the paper there, if you have any questions, but I do encourage you to come to orientation.""I will consider it," she answered, her voice cool and stern.Harkenborough gave Liam a nod. "Either way, lad, those things are yours.""Thank you, sir.""Good day to you all." Harkenborough slipped out of the house and drove away in his dilapidated Toyota.
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Uncle Charlie came the following evening, just in time for dinner. Charlie Keats had brown hair which always looked wind-blown or rumpled. He had big brown eyes and a warm smile. He had shed the slacks and tie he wore to work in favor of blue jeans, but he kept his button-down Oxford and blazer, which, to his sister's eyes, gave him a professorial look. The boys were both very fond of him - he was more of a father to them than Sean Wren ever had been. As soon as he came through the door they ran to see him.Liam and Annie had discussed waiting until after dinner to bring up the subject of Hogwarts. But, as soon as his uncle had greeted him with a warm bear hug, Patrick burst out, "Wait 'til you see the Hogwarts brochure. It's mad!""All right," said Charlie, amiably. "Let's see it." So, Liam ran and got it. He set it on the counter, and his uncle picked it up. "This one says 'Lakewood.'""It's part of the trick," said Liam. "Let me hold a corner of it." Liam took hold, and all the pictures changed."Isn't that the damnedest thing!""It happens when I touch it, too!" added Patrick.Charlie read through the brochure, then looked over at his sister, in the kitchen preparing supper. "Is there really a school for wizards and witches? This isn't just some fancy piece of advertising?""Oh, it's a very fancy piece of advertising, Charlie," said Annie, "but the school is, apparently, real.""Who's this bloke who came by on Sunday, then? He was from this school?""Yes," said Liam. "And he brought me a book and a wand and a big bag of money!""From old Uncle Barney!" said Patrick, as if he had ever known the man."Uncle Barney?" Charlie asked Annie."That's what the man said. We were going to wait until after dinner to discuss all this," answered Annie, "but I guess it couldn't wait."Wrapping Liam in a sturdy hug, Charlie asked, "How much money, Liam lad?""Well, it's funny money.""If it came from old Barney, I bet it is.""It's not Euros or Pounds or something proper like that, but a big bunch of it is gold.""Real gold?" asked Charlie. Liam shrugged. "Let's go see."The two went back to Liam's room. Patrick trailed along behind. Liam pulled the bag out from the closet and picked from it one of each type of coin. Like his sister had, Charlie reached for the small Knut first."Mum said Uncle Barney gave her one of those when she was a girl.""He gave me one, too. I bet I lost mine within five minutes of him giving it to me, but I know I got one. Show me a gold one, now." Charlie handled the round gold coin in his hand, examining it carefully. "You see," said Charlie, holding the coin low so both boys could see it, "it's got a sailing ship on it. That's why it's called a Galleon."Charlie reached into his shirt and pulled out a ring hanging from a sturdy chain. He carefully compared the feel of the ring and the coin. "I'm no expert," he said finally, "but I'd say, from the look and feel, that this is the same metal. It's gold, as far as I can tell. Keep it safe, Liam lad.""How come you don't wear that ring?" asked Liam.A wistful look came over his uncle. "Alice gave it to me," he said softly.Liam knew not to ask any further questions. Charlie had once been engaged to a girl named Alice, but something happened that no one ever talked about. Liam figured that she had died, but no one had ever told him from what."Boys!" called Annie. "Time for dinner."Annie served beef stew over potatoes. Charlie had brought a bottle of wine. He poured a glass for his sister and one for himself. They talked for a while about Charlie's work, and how the economy was doing, and whether anything the politicians were doing was helping or just making things worse.When everyone was done eating, Liam cleared the plates away and started washing the dishes. Annie ran her hand through her younger son's hair and said, "Patty, dear, why don't you find yourself a show on the telly." Patrick happily scampered off.Liam, still at the sink, turned and gave his mother a long look. She said nothing back to him, but Charlie answered for her. "I think you'd better stick around, Liam lad. This is your life we'll be talking about."This was not necessarily what his mother wanted, but it was what Liam wanted. He didn't like to be sent away while the grownups discussed important things, especially now, when the subject was where he would be going to school in the fall. Liam dried his hands and sat down at the table next to his uncle. He sat as still as possible, so that his mother might forget he was there and finally confess what had been weighing so heavily on her mind. Charlie poured himself another glass of wine. He offered some to Annie, who nodded.She held the glass in her hand without taking a sip. "I've been thinking about Uncle Barney.""I bet you have.""He was such a funny old man! The rest of the family treated him as if he were mad. But, he was always very kind to me. Is that how the family is going to treat Liam? Like he's autistic or something?""Who do you mean by 'family?' We certainly won't be treating him that way.""I mean Myrtle and Bernice and the rest of that clan." Myrtle and Bernice were the cousins of Annie and Charlie, their mother’s sister’s children.Charlie laughed. "When's the last time you spent the day with Bernice and Myrtle?""At Christmas."Charlie took a deep drink of wine. "That's not what's keeping you up at night, Annie, and we both know it." Annie gazed at Liam, a sad, distant look in her eyes. "He's old enough, sis. He's got to walk into this with his eyes open. Let him hear it." Still, she would not speak, so he gave her one last prompt. "You've been thinking about Alice."She nodded and took a sip of her wine. "I keep thinking about that day, the day they found her body. There had been a slew of suicides in her apartment building, and the police were suspecting foul play. While the police questioned you, I went up to her room, but I couldn't go in. The whole place was taped off."As I stood there, staring at the door, I felt this wave of hopelessness wash over me. It was like I would never be happy again. I ran out of there and stood outside in the sun, shivering. An old woman passed me by and said, 'The magic people are having a war. God help us all if the wrong side wins.'"There had been so many strange and terrible things that year - murders, tornados, the bridge collapsing. Some people said it was terrorists, but I heard more than once that it was the magic people. And now, hardly anyone remembers it! How can you forget a bridge collapsing! Twelve people died!""People don't want to remember the bad times, Annie.""But, you remember these things, don't you Charlie?""Of course! How could I forget Alice?""That man, Harkenborough. I quite startled him when I brought up the war. I think they've made people forget about it. They must have missed us. We weren't in their records!" she added, bitterly."Bureaucratic oversight, I'm sure," said Charlie, bemused."What if the wrong side won! How can I hand my son off to these people?"Liam burst out with: "But mum, he said the good guys won!"Annie gazed tenderly at her son, and set a hand on his shoulder. "But, we don't know that, Liam. We don't know if we can trust him.""We do know, Anne," said Charlie earnestly. "Things got better! The murders stopped. The suicides and the tornados, too. The good guys must have won. We've had seven good years. Yes, I miss Alice. I miss her every day. But these magic people might not have had anything to do with her dying. She was a troubled girl; she'd been through a lot before I met her.""Whatever was in that hallway with me," said Annie with a shudder, "wasn't natural."The conversation was interrupted just then by a knock on the door. No doorbell, just two firm wraps on the door. Liam shot up out of his chair, his heart in his throat. He ran to the door and looked through the peephole. On the other side, a man stood, holding a box and bag in his arms. Liam turned and called down the hallway. "Patty! It's father!""Open the door, son," said Annie, but Liam was already turning the lock and turning the handle. He swung the door wide just as Patrick ran down the hallway."Hello father!" cried Patrick. "Have you brought us something?"Sean Wren strolled into the foyer. He was a taller, older version of his sons, a dashing Irishman with short tawny hair and a twinkle in his blue eyes. He called out a warm, "Hello all," as he wrapped his younger son in a quick hug.Annie and Charlie came into the foyer. Annie’s arms were crossed tight against her chest. She offered him a light, "Hello, Sean, this is quite a surprise." Charlie offered a hand to shake, but Sean had his right hand full, clutching a long plastic bag."Let me set all this stuff down." He slipped by Annie and set his hands on the table. His hands free, he quickly set them on Annie's hips and gave her a quick kiss. Liam watched her shoulders tense as she backed away. He's set the water to boil right there, thought Liam. Just a matter of time 'fore she blows the lid off."How are you, Liam lad?" Sean gazed keenly into his son's eyes. "Given any thought yet to where you'll go to school next year?" Liam nodded. "So have I. I've asked around, surfed the web, and I think I've hit on a great option for you."Turning back to the table, he drew from the box a flat straw hat, a boater. Liam looked at it suspiciously. Annie asked, "Did you bring one of those for Patrick, too?""Oh, he'll get his when he's old enough," answered Sean, breezily. Liam spared his younger brother a quick look. Patrick had a jealous pout on his face. Sean didn't seem to notice, however. He went right into his monologue."You see, Anne, everyone talks about Eton being the school, and of course it is, if you can get in, if you can afford the tuition. But from what I hear, the leaders of industry, the cream of the middle classes, send their sons to Smeltings! It's a top-rated school, excellent test scores and all that, and it's very economical, especially considering some of the other options."And come on, you know what those local comprehensives are like! We don't want our son hanging around that lot, now do we?""Who's paying for this school?" asked Annie, coldly."I can. It's my idea. I've got a good job these days. Besides, this is important."As happy as he was to see his father, Liam had a terrible sinking feeling in his stomach. His chance to go to Hogwarts seemed to be slipping from him. He was sure that what his father was saying was making sense to the other adults in the room.Liam took a quick glance at his mother. She still had her arms across her chest, and her teeth were digging down into her lower lip. Patrick, still with a glum look on his face, said, "Isn't that the school where the boys have to wear orange knickerbockers?"Liam did his best to suppress a shudder. Orange knickerbockers? Orange was his least favorite colour. And, though Liam had mostly ignored the letters and brochures that had come for him over the last few months, Patrick had poured over all of them. If Patrick thought the boys from Smeltings wore orange knickerbockers, he was likely to be right.Liam shot another glance at his mother. Their eyes met, then Annie spoke, her voice cold and firm. "Thank you for your input, Sean. We will take it all under consideration and keep you informed as to our decision.""Annie! The boy hasn't said a word yet.""Sean, I know my son well enough. He doesn't want to hurt your feelings, but I'm not sensing a great deal of enthusiasm from him on this idea.""But, I haven't showed him the walking stick yet!"One of Sean Wren's many faults was never noticing when Annie Keats was near her boiling point. Her jaw clenched, her breath shallow, she said softly. "Please take these things away.""Not until I hear one word from Liam about this.""Sean! Take these things away and leave before I club you with them!""Annie, be reasonable!"Right then, the pot boiled over. Annie’s arms detached from her chest and started flailing around. Face flushed, brow furrowed, she shouted, "Don't talk to me about being reasonable! You haven't given me one bloody farthing in six months! Now you come strolling in here, with a fancy new job, promising to pay for some school you heard about at your pub!“Get out! You don't have the right to be here and be part of this decision. Take the stupid hat and get out!"Sean swept the room with his eyes. Annie brought her arms tight against her chest once more. Charlie had come behind Patrick and draped his arms around the boy. Liam said nothing, but he gave his head a little shake. Gaining no support, Sean gathered up the hat and the bag with the staff. "I still have the receipt," he muttered. With a nod to Liam, he closed the front door behind him.A blush spread across Annie's cheeks. "I'm sorry everyone," she said. "I rather lost my temper, there." She reached out a hand and touched Liam's cheek. "Orange knickerbockers! Over my dead body will he force you into clothes like that! Send you to that wizard school before I send you there!"Liam's face brightened suddenly. "Can I go to Hogwarts?" he asked eagerly. "Can I?"
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About a month later, Liam found himself on the train to London with his mother and brother. It had been a nervous wait - Annie Keats had seemed perpetually on the verge of changing her mind about the whole thing. Liam could see that she regretted her assenting to Liam's request to go to Hogwarts almost immediately. The only thing that kept her from calling it off was the fact that Liam's father was opposed to the idea.They had told him the name "Lakewood Prep" instead of "Hogwarts." Both Liam and his mother agreed that this was best. No one had told them not to use the word "Hogwarts," but there was so much secrecy inherent in the brochure, and in Harkenborough's visit with his plain clothes and shabby car, that Annie and Liam agreed they had better keep this quiet.Sean Wren had not heard the name of Lakewood Prep before - it wasn't discussed in his regular pub, nor were any of his work acquaintances sending their children there. Mostly though, because Annie seemed to be in favour of Lakewood, Sean was opposed to it. And likewise, because Sean was opposed to Liam going there, Annie in turn had to be for it, despite her grave misgivings.This was played out over the phone. Liam would sit in the hallway and listen to his mother's side of the conversation. "I know you've never heard of it, but that doesn't mean it isn't a top school . . . The reviews I've heard are all for the good . . . As a matter of fact, they don't wear orange knickerbockers at Lakewood . . . You may think it insignificant, but Liam doesn't . . .." He waited with bated breath for any sign that his mother was wavering, but the arguments with Liam's father only strengthened her resolve. Still, July 10th could not come soon enough. Liam spent hours gazing at the paper Harkenborough had given him, stating the address and cross streets of the entrance to Diagon Alley. The last words were, "Enter through the Leaky Cauldron." What sort of a place is that? Liam wondered.The direction sheet told them at which station they should disembark. Through the turnstiles they went, and out into the bright London morning. Annie found the right street, and she led the boys down it, past one ordinary looking store after another. Suddenly, there it was, a dingy looking pub with the name "Leaky Cauldron" over the door.Annie was nearly past it when Liam called out, "Mum, it's right here!"She looked back at Liam and said, "That's just a music shop, Liam-lad."Patrick could see it too. "Next to the music store, Mum!"She turned and looked, puzzled, in the direction Patrick was pointing. At that moment, Liam understood. "She can't see it, Patty," he said.Taking his mother's hand, he said, "Close your eyes, Mum. We'll get you there."Patrick took Annie's other hand. She gazed down at Liam and said, "Taking me down the rabbit hole, are you now?" She drew in a deep breath and closed her eyes. Liam and Patrick pulled her forward. Liam turned the handle on the door and opened it wide as he and his brother eased their mother through it.The room was dark, which was just as well, for what Liam could see of the decor was old and shabby. He felt his mother's hand tighten in his as she whispered, "What sort of a place is this?"An ugly looking woman with a great wart on her nose gazed curiously at them. "Tom," she called, "you've got a customer."The barman looked up. His head was bald and his skin wrinkled. "Come on in," he said. "You're blocking the door." The trio didn't move right away, but stayed still, eyes darting nervously about. The barman stared keenly back at them. He called out, "Ned. Ned! Go get Granger. We've got some Muggleborns 'ere."From a back room came a woman in a flowing black cloak. Her brown hair was cut short, and she had a wide warm smile on her lips. "Oh hello there! We weren't sure you were coming, but I wanted to be here just in case." The woman had an odd waddle when she walked. She looked first to Liam and said, "Are you, by chance, Liam Wren?""Yes 'm.""Then you must be Patrick Wren.""Yes, and I want to come here too!""In time," said Granger, with a laugh. She extended a hand to Annie and said, "How do you do, Mrs. Wren, I'm Hermione Granger.""My name is Annie. Annie Keats.""I kept my maiden name, too," said Hermione brightly. "I've been Mrs. Ronald Weasley for some time now, but professionally I'm still Hermione Granger." As Hermione spoke, she ran her hand idly across her stomach, pressing the robe she wore flat against it, revealing a prominent bulge."Are you expecting?" asked Annie."Yes," said Hermione with a blush. "I'm due in October.""Your first?""Yes!"That magic people got married and had babies in the normal way seemed to put Annie greatly at ease. Hermione was able to lead them away from the door to a brick wall that was off to the side. She drew her wand from a pocket of her cloak and tapped one of the bricks. A hole appeared in the wall, which grew until the wall had become a grand brick archway, beyond which was a narrow alleyway lined with shops. In front of the nearest store, brightly polished cauldrons stood in a teetering stack."Here's your list of supplies," said Hermione. She handed Liam a paper with a long list of items. As he gave the list a quick scan, she asked, "Did you bring your wizard money with you?" He nodded. "Then, I think, the first place we ought to go is to Ollivanders, to get you a wand.""Oh," said Liam. "Got one.""You do?" asked Hermione, surprised. "Well then, let's go off to Madam Malkin's to get your uniform."As they walked, Hermione said, "Glyn mentioned that you remembered the war. That wasn't in our records, though it isn't too surprising. You must have lost someone dear to you.""Yes. My brother lost his fiancée. She died in '96."Hermione set her hand on Annie's arm. "I'm terribly sorry. I lost some close friends, too. It really was a hard time for all of us. Have you ever wondered why so many people have forgotten all the terrible things that happened during those years?""You made them forget, didn't you?" said Annie, darkly."That was the decision, yes, though I was really too young at the time to be part of the process. What we found, though, was that our spells worked only on a certain percentage of the population. If the non-magical person had lost a loved one during the war, that person would still remember. And that's how it should be, I think. Love truly is the most potent form of magic, after all. It over-rode anything that we could do."They had reached the shop. Hermione said, "My husband, Ron, told me today, when I said that I might be meeting you here, that eleven-year-old boys do not always like their mothers hanging around while they're trying on clothes. Shall we stay out here, then?" she asked Liam.Liam nodded. "I'll be all right.""Well then, if it's all right with you, Annie, why don't we take young Patrick here over to the pet shop for a few minutes, while Liam gets fitted."Liam walked into the shop and shut the door behind him. As he did, a little bell rang and a woman's voice called out from the back of the shop, "Be with you in a moment!"A dark-haired boy, right around Liam's height, was peering out the window. "Was that Hermione Granger out there?" he asked."Um, yes.""Do you know her?" asked the other boy."Not really. We're here for orientation.""Oh, you must be Muggleborn.""I guess so.""Not that there's anything wrong with bein' Muggleborn,” said the boy. “Some people will still hold their noses up at you, but they're just as likely to hold their noses up at the likes of me, too. I just ignore people like that."Liam shrugged. "What's so special about her?""Who, Granger? I guess you wouldn't know. She fought in the war. She was at the Battle of Hogwarts."Feeling he should contribute something to the conversation, Liam said, "I heard the castle was damaged in the war, but they fixed it up after.""I took a tour there last week with my cousin Archie. It's as good as new." The boy stuck out his hand. "I'm Mike, by the way. Mike Bendrix.""Liam Wren." The two boys shook hands."You a First Year, like me?" asked Michael. Liam nodded. "You bought much of your things yet?""No. This is my first stop.""How 'bout, when we're done here, I show you 'round the place?"A woman, who Liam assumed was Madam Malkin, although she didn't wear a name tag, took the boys back behind the counter for their fitting. As she worked, Michael kept up a steady stream of information."First thing, once we get to the castle, we'll be sorted into Houses. Don't know how it's done, but it's pretty important, 'cause that's where you'll live an' all. All the guys I know want to be in Gryffindor, of course. All the great heroes came from Gryffindor - Potter, Dumbledore. Granger out there, she was a Gryffindor, and so's the Headmistress."But, the way I see it, that's a lot of pressure, don't you think? Having to live up to all that? Now, there's plenty of people who think Hufflepuffs are duffers, you know? No better than squibs, right? But, my cousin Archie's a Hufflepuff, so I think that's all bunk."Liam nodded. He didn't know what a squib was, but he certainly knew about people looking down on other people for no good reason."All the smart kids end up in Ravenclaw," continued Michael, "so that about counts me out. There've been a ton of bad dudes that came out of Slytherin. But, I don't know what it's like these days. It may be totally different, you know, after the war. Archie told me not to worry about it. He says I'm not Slytherin material."Well, that's it - Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw and Slytherin. We'll be sorted into Houses, and then there'll be a big meal. The food's really good there, I hear.""That's good," said Liam. "I like eating good food."On and on the conversation went. Michael jumped from topic to topic - the Forbidden Forest, the nearby town of Hogsmeade, wizard candy, the Weasley joke shop. It was really more than Liam could keep in his head. But, he was happy. He was a full-fledged member of the Magical Community of Great Britain, and he'd already made a friend."We'll have your clothes ready in an hour," the woman told them when she was finished. "Mr. Bendrix, shall we be putting this on your grandmother's account?""Yes 'm.""Sir," she said, turning to Liam, "you're new. I'll have to ask you to pay now.""I've got money for you," said Liam, drawing out the leather bag from his pocket. "How much I owe you?"Once Liam had settled the bill, the two boys went outside. Liam ran up to his mother, then called out, "Hey Mike, come here." Mike followed, but hung back a little, suddenly shy. "This is my Mum, and my brother, Patty." Liam followed his new friend's eyes and realized what was making him so bashful. "And this here," he added with a wry grin, "is Hermione Granger. Michael here tells me you're a war hero - that you fought in the Battle of Hogwarts.""Yes, I did," she said, blushing too, "but I don't think I did anything really heroic. It was a dark and scary night for all of us."Patrick interrupted to say, "They sell broomsticks here, Liam! People really fly on them! Wizards, too, not just witches.""Just so you know," added Hermione, "First Years are not allowed their own broomsticks.""I know," said Liam. "It says that on my paper. We're gonna go buy some more stuff on the list. Come on Mike. What's next?""Bookstore," said Mike, finally finding his voice again.As they scampered away, a shrill voice called out, "Maurice!"Michael cringed and turned slowly around. "Yes, Grand-mum?"A hunched old woman was standing near one of the shops. "Did you put the clothes on my account?""Yes 'm.""Where are you off to next?""The book store.""Keep to the list, mind you. I don't want you running up the bill on me.""Yes 'm." He waited a beat for her to give another instruction. When she didn't, he added, "I'm showing me mate Liam 'round. We'll see you later, alright?" She nodded, and the two boys scampered off."Maurice?" asked Liam slyly."Maurice Michael Graham Bendrix, at your service," answered Michael glumly. "I've got four names, and only one is worth a Knut."In the bookstore, Liam and Mike went right down the list and bought all of the same books, except that Liam didn't buy One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, because he had his uncle's copy and he wanted to stretch his money as far as he could. Next door, the boys each bought a small telescope. Michael then led Liam to the apothecary to buy their potion kits. Liam picked up his brass scale there, too (Michael had inherited one from an older cousin.) He also priced the glass phials against the crystal ones and settled on glass (the difference was considerable). At a nearby shop, the two boys bought pewter cauldrons. (Liam just shook his head at the solid gold one worth 10,000 galleons.)Bags full, the key items purchased, Michael brought Liam finally over to the Magical Menagerie. Inside was a bewildering array of animals - purple toads, poisonous orange snails, owls and snakes of every size and color. In a box by the window was a litter of black cats. Liam looked fondly down upon them and wished that he didn't have to pinch his pennies quite so tightly. Michael dragged him by the sleeve away from the yellow eyed beauties. "Bad luck, those," he said. "Come on, you've got to see this."At the back of the store was a glass case that looked to be empty except for a pile of rubbish in one of the corners. Michael tapped the glass. "Come on," he urged. "Come out.""What's in there?" asked Liam."You'll see," answered Michael. A clerk was passing by in a stained robe. His hair was matted, and he had a bad case of acne. "Hey," said Michael to the clerk. He pointed to the glass case and asked, "Can we feed it?""Alright," said the clerk, reluctantly. The boy reached up to a shelf above the glass case and brought down a large jar full of fat crickets, each over two inches long. "There's a slot in the top of the case. Just open the little one," said the boy, sternly. Michael did so, as the pimply boy drew out a cricket from the jar. Its legs wriggled frantically in the air. Liam drew back a step, then watched with fascination as the black insect fell into the soft sand at the base of the cage.Its tiny legs clawed desperately at the glass wall for a moment, and then the thing got perfectly still. "Come on," urged Micheal.And then, out it came - a spider almost as large as the kittens at the front of the store, with long legs and eerie, bulbous eyes. It pounced on the cricket and drew the meal quickly back into its lair.Liam recoiled in horror. As the clerk walked away, Liam whispered to Michael, "What was that thing?""A baby Acromantula," said Michael, with awe in his voice."A baby!" cried Liam. "How big do the grown ones get?""About as big as a car!""Who's gonna keep a thing like that as a pet?" asked Liam, alarmed."You don't keep it as a pet," answered Michael. "They're for guarding buried treasure or protecting a remote estate from squatters. They eat people when they're grown."Outside the shop, the two boys were greeted by an excited Patrick. "Liam!" he cried. "Did you see the spider?""Yes.""I got to feed it!" said Patrick. "I got to drop the cricket in myself!"Liam gave a quick shudder. Looking up at his mother, he asked, "Did you see it?""I didn't dare," said Annie. "We have your gowns. If you're ready, we'll get going."From behind them, there was another shrill cry, "Maurice!""I've got to go," said Michael. "See you on the train, alright?""See you. Thanks for being a pal."Michael nodded, then turned and ran over to his grandmother.Hermione was sitting on a bench nearby. She called out, "Before you leave, let me have a quick word with Liam."Liam brought his bag of supplies over to where she was sitting. She looked tired, and she stroked her stomach as she sat. "I've given your mother your train ticket, and the instructions on how to get on the train platform. I'll try to be there to help you - it can be confusing your first time. But, everyone will be coming through the same way, so if I'm not there, another witch or wizard should be glad to help you."She took his hand in hers and held it a moment. "You're part of us, now, Liam. You're a member of the Magical Community. And as a member, you'll have to start following our rules. That means no displays of magic in front of non-magical people. I don't mean your mother and uncle, but anyone else shouldn't see it."Your mother tells me that you've already started using the name 'Lakewood' instead of 'Hogwarts.' That's for the best. If any of your friends and relatives want to know where you're going to school, there's a Lakewood website for them to visit. If the word 'Hogwarts' does slip out, that's the name of the dormitory where the Lakewood First Years stay. Have you got that?""Yes 'm.""I know this can be overwhelming. My parents were Muggles, too. I was so worried as girl that I wouldn't fit in, that I would be all alone. Here you are on your first day, and you've already made a friend. You're going to be a fine wizard, Liam.""Thank you, " he said. He turned and left the pregnant hero sitting quietly on the bench and led his family back towards the Leaky Cauldron.
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Biggleswade, a tiny village well north of the London suburbs, had been a quiet town for centuries. In the weeks that followed his visit to Diagon Alley, Liam found it exceedingly dull. There was nothing around him to rival the excitement of that crowded street, with its strange shops and dangerous fare. He found himself thinking more and more about the deadly spider, growing ever larger. What if no one bought it? he wondered. What would the shop-keeper do with it if it got full grown? What would he feed it? Where would he keep it?Tim, his closest friend from his grade school days, also seemed dull and uninteresting when compared with Michael Bendrix. Michael seemed so knowledgeable about the Magical World. Liam longed to question his new friend and learn as much as he could before he started school. Instead, he was stuck in this old forgotten town with his old best friend. To Liam's great irritation, Tim could not seem to remember anything Liam had told him recently."Where are you going to school?" asked Tim one day, as the two boys walked in the shade of the trees by the old polo grounds."I told you already. Lakewood," said Liam. "Lakewood Prep.""Where is it, again?""Up in Scotland, somewhere.""I still don't know why you don't just come to Thursgood's with me.""I told you, I got a scholarship.""But, you didn't do any better on those tests than I did!""It's the questions! It's how I answered them. It's like a psychology test." Liam wasn't making this bit up off the top of his head. He had recently read the Lakewood Prep letter, without touching it, as it lay on his desk, and it said something very similar. He had even read those words, over the phone, to his father."I've half a mind to believe you're making the whole thing up," said Tim. "I better not come home this fall and find out you've been here the whole time.""You shan't," said Liam coldly, "because I shan't be." Liam gazed across the wide grass field. His left hand itched. He longed to do some magic. Instead, he crammed his hand in his pocket.The boys were nearing the end of their friendship, and they both could sense it. They both had one foot in their past and the other in their future. Liam was happier when he was at home, for there he felt he could still perform magic. Instead of pushing his cars around the plastic track in his room, he would lie on his bed and make them fly. He would make his little red car dive bomb his desk, then rise suddenly and make a great arc around the room.At night, he would drag out the books and other items he had purchased at Diagon Alley. On a clear, warm night, Uncle Charlie helped him set up the small telescope, and the three of them (including Patrick) gazed up at the stars until it was well past the boy's bedtime.Liam was also very interested in his apothecary kit. He was careful to bring it out only when Patrick was out of the house, for he knew his brother would scatter the ingredients about. He gazed at each item and looked them all up in his books - thinly sliced death-cap mushrooms, powdered root of asphodel, black ground scarab beetles, and a sweet-smelling herb called jasmine heather.Looking through his Potions book, having skipped past sleeping draughts and love potions, he found a chapter titled "Common Poisons." These recipes he poured over, looking back and forth between the words and the apothecary kit. "Young wizards and witches," read the book's disclaimer, "should keep some bezoars at the ready, and should not attempt any of the following without strict adult supervision."Brilliant! thought Liam.The Standard Book of Spells, Grade 1, on the other hand, gave him pause. All the spells seemed to require an incantation, and each was a mouthful: Wingardium Leviosa, Alohomora, Petrificus Totalus. Worse, each spell also required some sort of wand motion to make it work, some combination of twirling, swishing or flicking.Can't these people just do magic? he wondered.Patrick had picked up on the fact that Liam had been neglecting Hexwood's wand. One afternoon, while their mother was working, and Liam was pouring over his books, Patrick asked him, "Are you ever going to use that thing?"Knowing that the next question would be, "Can I have it?" Liam picked up the wand and tried the Wingardium Leviosa charm on his toy car. He kept mangling the words, however, and he couldn't get the right combination of swishing and flicking.Patrick watched his brother struggle with curiosity. Liam had always been good at magic, but now he seemed flummoxed. "Let's try another," said Patrick after a few minutes, in which the car had yet to even move.They poured through the book and settled on the "opening locked doors" charm. The incantation was simpler, by contrast, to the levitation charm, and all one needed to do with the wand is give the handle a tap.The two boys first went to the front door, but then, Liam had some doubts. "What if I unlock it and we can't get it locked again?""Let's try it on the loo first," suggested Patrick. "We can always say we were horsing around, and the lock just broke."With two rambunctious boys in the house, this was an entirely plausible story. The two brothers went to the water closet. Patrick went into the room, closed the door and pushed in the privacy lock. Liam had Hexwood's wand in his left hand while struggling to keep the spell book open to the right page with his right. He took one more look at the directions before setting the book face down on the floor. "Alohomora!" he whispered, and gave the handle at tap.On his second try, he heard the door handle pop. "That did it!" said Patrick."Now lock it again," said Liam. He heard his brother push in the button. Liam tried the handle with his right hand. "It's locked. We didn't break it."Patrick opened the door. "Let's try it on the front door, now!"Liam went outside, but quickly had second thoughts. He remembered Granger's warning about keeping his magic secret. Before Patrick could shut the door, Liam said, "Wait, Pat. Let's try the back door, instead."Liam went around through the gate to the backyard, while Patrick stayed in the house. Once in the backyard, Liam took a quick look around. None of the neighbors seemed to be paying them any mind. He tried the handle. It turned, but the bolt held the door fast. Gazing at the door, he wondered, "Should I tap the handle or the lock?" This wasn't a simple privacy lock, but a bolt meant to keep out intruders.He concentrated hard on the bolt, said the incantation, and tapped the lock. To his surprise, on his first try, the bolt slid back and the door opened slightly. "Nice work!" said Patrick. "Can I try it?"Liam gave his brother a hard stare. "Be careful. You can't break it. I'm sure they're really expensive, and I'd have to go back to Diagon Alley to get another."Patrick shrugged. Liam kept staring at him until finally he said, "All right, I 'll be careful!" Liam handed the wand over, and his little brother spent the next hour locking and unlocking the doors of the house. Liam continued reading about poisons. When he heard the television on, he went into the room where his brother was sitting and took back the wand. Patrick had left it lying on the floor. The summer waned, and Patrick started school. Liam grew increasingly impatient, waiting to go to Hogwarts. Tim had left for Thursgood's already. Liam had gone to see him off, but it was raining, and the two boys said very little to one another before Liam went back home.September the first was a Wednesday. Annie took the day off work to see her eldest son off. Patrick begged to come and after some resistance from his mother, was allowed to make the journey by rail to King's Cross Station in London.The morning Liam left home, it was raining steadily. His belongings were packed neatly in a sturdy trunk with a pair of wheels on one end, and a handle on the other, so that he could pull it. His mother drove the two boys to the station in Biggleswade, and the three of them rode into London, much as they had on the day Liam visited Diagon Alley."It seems silly," said Annie, "to be riding south to catch this train, when it's just going to take you north again. You should be able just to catch it as it rides by the house."Liam shrugged. "I guess it doesn't stop.""I've never seen or heard of a Hogwarts Express train before. You'd think, with twelve million people about, someone might have noticed it.""It's a magic train," said Liam quietly. "You can't see it.""Then why hasn't anyone been run over by it?""They're bright people. I'm sure they've fixed things so that doesn't happen."Soon the three of them were walking through King's Cross Station, which was bustling with people. They made their way to platforms nine and ten. Liam had expected to be able to see the entrance to Platform Nine and Three Quarters, much as he had been able to see the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. Instead, there was nothing but a blank brick wall."Do you see the entrance?" Annie asked. Liam shook his head. "How 'bout you, Patty?""No," said Patrick. "It's just a wall."They stared at the wall for a minute, giving nervous glances to each other. Annie checked her watch. "It's quarter to eleven, boys. We've got to figure this out, or Liam will miss his train.""Excuse me," said a voice behind them. "Are you trying to get on the platform?"They turned with a start. Another family had approached while they were standing there, a woman with two daughters. The girls both had trunks on trolleys. On top of one of the trunks was a cage with a large brown owl inside.The woman smiled kindly at Liam. "Off to Hogwarts, are we?" She extended a hand to Annie. "How do you do. I'm Tania Guishar, and these are my daughters, Lucida and Lara." The woman had a thick accent which sounded vaguely French. (Liam would learn much later it was a mix of French and Russian.) "Lucy is a prefect this year, we are so proud of her. And my little Lara is a First Year. Just like you, no?""Um, yes, I'm a First Year," answered Liam.Lara was hanging back, trying to keep in the shadow of her older sister. Lucida wrapped her arm around her sister and pushed her forward. "Come on, Lara, don't be shy. Say hello to the boy."Liam had not shown much interest in girls up to that point, but he knew a pretty girl when he saw one, and Lara was pretty. She had golden brown hair that went down to her shoulders. Her face was pale. Wide brown gazed warily back at him. She reluctantly took the hand that Liam offered her and let it go almost immediately."What's come over you?" chided Lucy. "Honestly, she's not usually this shy." Lucy held out her hand to Liam. "My name is Lucy, and I'm a prefect. So, if you need anything, if you get lost or something, and you see me, just come right up to me and I'll help you. The castle is pretty big. It's easy to get turned around, but the older kids are always willing to help a younger student.""It's nearly eleven, girls," said Mrs. Guishar. "Shall we go? Lucy, take the First Years through to the platform.""Come on," said Lucy. She reached out and took both Liam and Lara's hand. "Keep one hand on my trolley. Just walk towards the barrier and you'll pass right through it!" They walked together, Liam and Lara pulling their trunks behind them with their free hands. Just before they hit the barrier, Liam blinked. When his eyes opened, he was on the other side.Before him was a grand engine of scarlet and chrome, wreathed in steam. The platform was crowded with people, some in jeans, slacks and dresses, others in flowing black robes and pointed hats."There you are," said Lucy. "Welcome to Platform Nine and Three Quarters!"Liam gave Lara another glance. She was still watching him with a strange look, a mix of suspicion and fear. Liam smiled at her, trying to put her at ease, and fished for something to say. Before he could think of anything, Mrs. Guishar came through the barrier, along with Liam's mother and brother."Whoah!" exclaimed Patrick. "Nice train!"The Guishar sisters quickly found friends among the crowd. Lucy eased up to a tall boy with a pointy hat, who had a shiny letter "P" pinned to his black cloak. Lara huddled with another girl with wavy, dark blond hair. The two girls were whispering to each other and casting dark looks at Liam. Farther down the platform, Hermione Granger stood, speaking to a tall thin boy with blond hair.Liam decided to ignore them all. He pulled his trunk along the side of the train until he was away from the crowds of students. He boarded the train, found an empty compartment and stashed away his trunk. Then, he went outside to find his family.His mother and brother had followed him. They stood waiting for him as he disembarked. "You fit right in here, don't you?" said Annie.Liam nodded. "These are my people now. I'm a member."She wrapped his arm around him. There were tears in her eyes and a crack in her voice as she spoke. " You have a good term, now. We'll miss you.""Will you write me?" he asked her."Tania said you should send me a note with one of the school owls, and I'll send it back with a letter.""I'll write you. I promise.""You're a brave boy, Liam.""I'm not afraid." To prove the point, Liam pulled away from his mother, and looked up at the train car. He pulled in a deep breath and fixed a look of resolve on his face. It was time to put those words into action.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
In front of Liam, a small boy was struggling with a heavy trunk. The boy had reached the foot of the train steps, but he could bring the trunk no further. Liam quickly stepped forward. "Here, mate," he said, "let me give you a hand with that."The small boy looked to be on the verge of tears. "If I could cast a decent spell, this wouldn't be so much work. But, I'm miserable at magic. I'll be a Hufflepuff for sure!"An older boy came over to them just then. He was tall and broad shouldered, and his hair was reddish blond and wavy. "Nothing wrong with being a Hufflepuff!" he said loudly. Taking one of the handles, the tall boy said to Liam, "Here sport, take the other end." The two of them lifted the trunk and carried it up the train steps."Bring it in here," said Liam. He led the way into the compartment he had chosen, and the two slid the trunk next to Liam's."The porters will take care of it once we get to Hogwarts," said the tall boy. He brushed his hands together, then stuck his right one out for Liam. "Names Archie. Archie Stollencroft.""Liam Wren." The boy gave Liam a firm shake."You a First Year, kid?""Yes.""We try to keep an eye out for the First Years. You look like a good 'un. See you around."Liam went back down to the platform, where the small thin boy was still standing there. "We put your trunk next to mine on the train," Liam told him."Thank you. I don't know how I was going to get it up those steps.""Where're your parents?"The boy shrugged. "They're around."Just then, Michael Bendrix walked up to them, dragging his trunk. "Oi mate," he said. "What compartment are you in?""That one there!" Liam helped Michael get his trunk into the right compartment."Saw you talking with my cousin, Archie," said Michael."Was that who that was? I thought so. Seems like a great guy.""He is."Back onto the platform one last time for a final goodbye. Liam got another hug from his mother, and he ran his hand roughly through Patrick's hair. "See you 'round Christmas time," he told them.Michael was saying goodbye to his mother. She had dark hair like he did, though it was streaked with grey. It flowed in locks down to her lap. She was sitting in a wheelchair.Beside Liam, the short thin boy was looking around forlornly for a parent who was not there. Liam called to him. "Hey kid, come here. You're with us, okay?" The boy nodded. "Do you know Mike Bendrix?" He boy nodded again. "What happened to his mum?" Liam asked quietly.The boy shrugged. "Dark wizards, during the war.""Can't they fix it with magic?"The boy shook his head. "It's hard to fix hurts done with Dark Magic."Liam nodded. Mike was heading in their direction now, a look on his face that let Liam know he was still burying his pain. "What's your name, kid?""Philip."Mike was to them now. It was one minute past eleven. The train whistle sounded. "Come, on," said Liam, "let's go."The boys still had the compartment to themselves. Mike took one of the window seats and Liam sat next to him. Philip took a spot across from them. The train lurched and then started forward.Mike had an easy smile on his face again. He looked across the compartment and said, "You're Philip, aren't you? Philip Harkenborough?"The boy nodded. "Harkenborough?" asked Liam. "I think I met your father. He came to my house back in June.""That wasn't my father," said Philip quietly. "That was my uncle Glyn. He works in Muggle Relations. You must be Muggleborn.""What's your dad do?""My father works in International Commerce. He saw a client on the platform and went to speak with him," Philip added, answering a question neither boy had asked."Where's your mum?"Philip didn't answer, but turned and looked out the window. "She died," answered Michael."Sorry," said Liam."You didn't know," said Philip."I hope the food cart comes 'round soon," said Michael. "I'm starving." The boys were sitting near the back of the train, however, so the cart took it's time getting down to them. Michael spent the next half hour describing Chocolate Frogs and Every Flavoured Beans to Liam. Outside, the city of London slowly gave way, first to the suburbs, then to the countryside.Though it wasn't cold in the compartment, Philip gave a shiver. His cheeks looked wan and sickly. Liam said to him, "You know, Philip, there's a warm draught coming down from the ceiling. If you scoot over a bit, you'll feel it."Philip complied, and Liam cast his warming spell over the boy. "You're right!" said Philip, amiably. "It's much warmer on this seat. I don't know why I didn't notice it before."Michael gave Liam a queer look, but he didn't say anything. Liam figured Michael knew there was no heater vent in the ceiling blowing warm air into that part of the cabin, that the heat must be coming from Liam. Liam kept it up until Philip looked comfortable, then he let it go.Casting magic for such a sustained time was draining, however, so by the time the cart did reach them, Liam was quite hungry. The first cart down the aisle sold sandwiches and bottles of drink, and each boy bought something for his lunch. Liam bought a roast beef sandwich and, on Michael's recommendation, a bottle of pumpkin juice. The next cart sold candy. Liam spent his loose Knuts on some chocolate frogs.As soon as Liam had opened the first package, Philip asked, "Who did you get?""What do you mean?""There's a card in the pack," answered Michael. "Some people collect them."Liam looked at the card. There was a picture of an old man who looked to be asleep. "Merlin," said Liam, reading aloud the caption."He's quite common," said Philip."What would a rare card be?" asked Liam."I saw a 'Gorthaur' card in a shop once. The keeper wanted ten whole Galleons for it."Out of curiosity, Liam opened the next pack up, though he was no longer hungry, and peeked at the card. A dark faced wizard with red eyes glared up at him. He was brandishing a whip. "This one's 'Gothmog.'"Philip's face brightened. "He's worth a Sickle!"Just then, the compartment door opened, and a short boy with blond hair entered. Behind him was a taller, fatter boy with closely cropped hair. The blond boy said in a sneering voice, "What do have there, Hark? If it's anything good, you'd better hand it over."Philip looked very frightened, but Michael shouted right away, "Clear out, Kane! He's with us. You're not wanted, and neither is your pet gorilla." Liam stayed quiet. He put his whole concentration into casting the strongest cold spell he could muster onto the two boys.The blond boy snapped back at Michael, "Watch your mouth, Bendrix, if you know what's good for you." The boy turned and considered Liam for a moment. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the blond boy drew his wand.A shock ran through Liam as his spell shattered and fell back in pieces upon him. "Where's your wand?" asked the boy, idly. Liam's wand was, incidentally, safely packed away in his trunk. He had not considered carrying it on his person any more than he would have carried a pen with him. The boy Kane, however, didn't wait for an answer, but continued his monologue."I bet it's not as fine as mine. Father paid a pretty penny for it, but as they say, 'the wand chooses the wizard.' Lebanese cedar, a ring of Anatolian silver, and at its core, the heartstring of a Madagascan Red."The wand was a deep brown in color. The silver ring was set into the wand, just in front of Kane's thumb, and Liam could see an etching of a dragon on it. Liam could feel the magic emanating from the wand, weighing on him oppressively. He buried his fear and said with as much bravado as he could muster, "A Madagascan Red what?""Dragon, you fool," answered Kane. "Didn't you learn dragon lore in grade school?""He's Muggleborn," said Philip, softly."I see," said Kane, his face twisted in a condescending sneer. "That must have been why Granger was on the platform. Father says her lot is ruining Ministry. It's nothing like the old days, now.""You gonna do magic with that thing?" snapped Michael, "Or are just gonna shove it up our noses?"Kane turned his head and pointed at Michael. "I told you to watch your mouth!" Liam, free of the weight of the wand's magic, quickly gathered himself. He gazed at the wand and made a sudden flinch with his left hand.Kane's arm was suddenly wrenched backwards. His wand flew out of his hand, hit the top of the compartment and fell neatly into Liam's left hand. In an instant, Kane haughtiness was gone; he was just a frightened, spoiled child. "Give that back!" he cried. "It's mine! Give it back!" The other boy was startled, too. He stood, wide-eyed and helpless, in the doorway.Liam gazed at them contemptuously. The wand was warm in his hand, and he could feel the magic running up and down his arm like a circuit. "You ought to be more careful with this thing," he said slyly. "You might lose it."Kane was in tears now. "Give it back!"Liam let Kane snatch back the wand, but he snarled menacingly, "You better get out of here, before I do you and your friend some real harm."The two boys quickly left the compartment. As the door slammed shut, Michael gave out a loud laugh. "Did you see that, Philip? Disarmed him, he did! Without a wand, without even an incantation!""You just pulled it right out of his hand," said Philip with awe."What was that punk's name?" asked Liam."Cyrus Kane," said Philip."Is he a First Year like us?""Yes, but his friend's a bit older than he is." Philip blushed and added, "They bullied me all through grade school.""Those days are over," said Liam. "Stick with me and Mike, and they won't bother you again." Michael nodded in agreement. "I hate bullies like that, picking on the littlest kid in the room. I was serious. I could have hurt him. If he comes at me again, I just might.""His friend's in Slytherin," said Michael. "I saw the badge on his cloak. Kane seems the type, too. I bet that's where he'll land.""Where do you think we'll end up?" asked Philip.Michael gave the same breakdown that he gave Liam at Madam Malkin's. It helped Liam to hear it again.Philip nodded in agreement. "I think Gryffindor would be a nightmare for me. I'd be trampled my first day. All the Harkenboroughs, Father, my uncles, and my grandfather were in Ravenclaw. My Mum, though, was a Hufflepuff. That'll be where I end up, for sure. Father will be very disappointed, but then again, he usually is."Philip's low esteem of himself frustrated Liam. He changed the topic. "What was all that about Kane's wand having a dragon heart in it?""Wands all have some powerful magical substance in its core," said Michael. "Mine's got a phoenix feather in it.""The type of wood and the length of the wand are all part of what makes a wand special," said Philip, "but the core is what most people focus on. My wand has a unicorn hair in it. How 'bout yours, Liam?""I don't know," said Liam sheepishly. "It's an old family wand, and we don't know what it's got inside it."The train rode ever northward. On the opposite side of the train, the sun was setting against the windows, but the boys saw only the blue sky deepening. Vistas of farmland gave way to hills and forest clad mountainsides.They had been sitting in silence for some time when Michael spoke, "We're nearly there."Liam nodded. He thought he sensed the train slowing. "We should get in our robes," said Philip.The three boys went to their trunks. Liam gathered his robe and pointed hat. For good measure, he dug into his trunk until he found his wand. He wasn't sure what good it would do him on his first night at Hogwarts, but it was clear now that wands were something wizards carried at all times.The train was decelerating noticeably now. Outside the compartment, other students were moving into the corridors. A voice echoed through the train, much clearer than the train announcements Liam was used to hearing. "We shall be arriving at Hogwarts in five minutes time. Please leave your luggage on the train. It shall be brought to your room.""How will they know where to put it?" wondered Philip, aloud."They'll wait on the First Year's stuff 'til after sorting," said Michael. "Sorting's first thing anyway. That's what Archie told me."Philip looked quite nervous about the prospect of being sorted, and Liam thought, despite Michael's steady voice, that he was a bit nervous about it, too.Liam pulled in a deep breath. Sorting was something he hadn't given much thought to. He simply didn't know enough to be nervous about it. Long as I don't end up with that Kane kid, I'll be fine, he thought.The train pulled into the station and slowed to a halt. The other boys were pale and wide-eyed. Liam stood, a stern look on his face. "All right boys, let's go!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The boys joined the queue of students filing out of the train. Most of the students were going one way, towards some waiting carriages, but a voice cried out, "Firs'-years! Firs'-years over here!"Liam followed the voice, beyond the platform cover and into a heavy mist. When he was clear of the crowd, he came to an abrupt halt. The man calling out for the First Year students was by far the largest man Liam had ever seen. The man was tall, a head taller at least than the tallest basketball player from the American sports league, but while basketball players tended to be tall and skinny, this man was broad, too. He had a shaggy mane of black hair and a wild tangle of a beard which resembled more of a bush than anything.Michael said softly to Liam, "That's Hagrid. He's the caretaker, and he teaches the Advanced Magical Creatures classes. Archie said he's a good guy."Liam took in another deep breath and let his fear seep out of him. "Well, if Archie says he's all right, that's good enough for me."The giant man was counting heads. "Thir'y five, Thir'y six. That's the lot. Come on, follow me. Down the path, this way. Mind yer step." Hagrid led them with long strides down a dark narrow path, slick with rain. The others followed as best they could. Michael was in the lead now. Little Philip was doing his best to keep at Liam's heels. Around him were other students that he didn't recognize. He looked for blond Lara in the crowd, but he couldn't pick her out. Everyone had cloaks and hats on.Hagrid turned his head and called back to the group, "You'll get yer firs' look o' the castle in jus' a minute." The mist was too thick to see the castle, however. All that Liam could see was a slate grey lake below a curtain of mist.Liam had doubted he would ever see a man as large as Hagrid, yet, there on the lakeside was someone even bigger - eighteen feet tall and covered in an odd assortment of pelts. Several of the young children started and huddled together at the sight of him. Michael was one of the few who didn't seem afraid."Who's that?" whispered Liam."Oh, it's just Mr. Grawp," said Michael, easily. "They're brothers, him and Hagrid, from what I hear. He's a friendly bloke by all accounts.""Brothers? How did that one get so bloody tall?""He's a giant, o'course."Before them, on the edge of the lake were several small boats. "Go on, now," urged Hagrid. "No more 'n four to a boat."The children were beginning to fan out across the edge of the lake to choose their boat. Liam took a quick look to his left and tried again to spot Lara in the crowd. He had a fleeting notion that it would be nice to sit next to her during the ride across the lake, but it was not to be. Instead, Liam helped Philip into the boat, then stepped in himself, with Michael following. The bench seats were slick with rain, but their cloaks kept the boys' pants from getting wet.Right after them clambered another boy. Liam joined Philip on the bow bench to make room. The other two seemed to know the newcomer. "Oi Fortney," said Michael."Hey, Mike, Philip." The boy extended a hand to Liam. "I'm John Fortney.""Liam Wren.""There's a bunch of us from Godric’s Hollow named John," said Fortney. "Grew up together, we all did. Been going by my last name for years."Liam nodded. "How we going to get across the lake?" he asked. "There's no oars." But just then, the boats started moving on their own."Who would row across a lake?" asked Fortney, puzzled."Crew teams do," said Liam coolly, not wanting to explain that he was Muggleborn."Oh, yeah," said Fortney, though Liam wasn't sure the boy knew what a crew team was. "How 'bout sorting, eh? Right around the corner now, isn't it?"Michael once again said his spiel about the four Hogwarts Houses. Liam had it down pat, now: Gryffindors were heroes, Hufflepuffs were duffers but that was bunk, Ravenclaws were smart and Slytherins used to be evil but may not be anymore. "If that kid Cyrus Kane ends up in Slytherin," said Liam, "'I reckon they're all still evil."The other boys laughed. "You met Kane, did you?" asked Fortney."Got the better of that spoiled little brat, he did," said Michael with a wide grin. "Liam put him right in his place.""Good!" said Fortney. "'Bout time someone did."Liam could make out the far shore now, a great stone cliff face. The castle was still shrouded for the most part in mist. A few of the tower lights blinked in the darkness. The lake water was smooth, save for the little rings left by the raindrops. Liam tested the water with his hand. It was cold, but not quite as cold as he thought it might be."Be careful," said Philip. "There's Merpeople down there.""Mermaids?" asked Liam. Philip nodded. "Any cute ones?"Philip laughed. "I don't think so. I saw a mermaid in a Muggle movie once. Merpeople don't look at all like that.""How do the older kids get up to the castle?""In a carriage," Philip answered."A carriage? And we're stuck out here in the rain?"Philip shrugged. "It's tradition."The great cliff drew nigh. Liam looked up, trying to get a better view of the castle, but he could see nothing but the rain falling down upon his cheeks. The boat in front of them was swallowed by the cliff face. They passed through a veil of ivy into a dark tunnel, dank and smelling of algae but they were finally free of the mist.Up they came to a stone wharf. Hagrid was waiting for them with the first of the students. When the boat came astride, Liam leapt easily onto the stone platform, then helped Philip. Michael disembarked without mishap, but Fortney missed a step and nearly tumbled into the water."Easy there, now," said Hagrid. "Watch yer step."Beside him the next boat drew up, and there was Lara. Liam offered her his hand. She blushed and stared at it without moving. "Come on," he urged. "I owe you the favour from earlier."Reluctantly, she took his hand, and he pulled her up to the pier. Her friends followed, but neither Michael or Fortney rushed forward to help them. Her feet on solid ground again, Lara deftly pulled her hand from Liam and scurried away from him.Hagrid made a quick count again. "Thir'y six. Good. No one drowned." There was a twinkle in his dark eyes as he said that, though Liam didn't think it particularly funny. Beside Hagrid, a lantern was hanging from a post. He took it in his great hands. "Follow me, now, up the stairs we go."He led them up a narrow, winding stone staircase, leading to a soft, damp lawn. The rain had stopped, and all was still and quiet. Before them was a great wooden door. Hagrid gave it three firm knocks. The sounds echoed in the still night air.The door opened, and there stood a thin bald man. He was tall, but Hagrid made him look average-sized. "The Firs' Years, Professor Gregor," said Hagrid."Thank you, Hagrid," said the man in a low voice. "I shall take them from here."Professor Gregor led the children into the Entrance Hall, a room as grand and airy as a cathedral. Before them was a magnificent marble staircase. To their left were two grand wooden doors, firmly shut. Behind them, Liam could hear the clatter of many voices. The rest of the students were there already and waiting for them.Professor Gregor did not lead the First Years through the door, but to a small chamber off to the side. "The Start of Term Banquet is about to begin," said Professor Gregor, his voice low and strong. "But first, you must be sorted into Houses. The House to which you are sorted will be your family while you are here at Hogwarts. Some of you will have the privilege of joining me in Slytherin, but each of the Houses have produced their share of great wizards. Wherever you land, you should be proud, and know that you belong."Please wait here. When we are ready, I shall return for you."The children had been bunched tightly together. Once the professor left, they began to spread out some, and to separate, with the girls ending up on one side of the chamber and the boys on the other.Liam found Cyrus Kane in the crowd, standing beside another of the boys. Kane didn’t look nearly as confident without his older friend. Liam gave him a warning glare and then turned his back on him.Lara was watching him. He flashed her a smile, a copy of the roguish grin his father often wore. She blushed and turned away from him."You fancy that one, do ya?" Michael commented, quietly."Yeah, but I don't think she fancies me." Liam figured he would say it before Michael did."There's a platinum blond 'round here somewhere," said Michael. "She's a real looker, you know, for eleven."Professor Gregor was back. His dark eyes swept the room, and settled on a tall boy in the back, leaning against the stone wall, a black hood over his head. "You there," said Gregor, pointing. "Your head should be uncovered. It is not raining here in the castle. He stared and waited for the boy to comply, then swept the room once more. Satisfied, he said, "Follow me." The students fell into two more or less equal lines of boys and girls, and followed the professor into the Great Hall.At first, all Liam noticed was the hundreds of faces gazing curiously at him and the others. Some of the students looked as young and small as Philip. Others were as grown-up looking as Michael's cousin, Archie. The gazes were friendly, for the most part, yet it was still intimidating to be in front of everyone.The students gathered in two rows in front of the teacher's table, with the girls in front and the boys behind them. The girl in front of Liam was fairly short. He could easily see past her to the students seated on their four long tables.Directly in front of them was a stool, on which sat a tattered hat. A rip opened at the base of the hat, and suddenly, the hat was singing a funny little song about the Hogwarts founders. The older students clapped along and nodded their heads as the hat sang, and when it was done, they all burst into applause.They quickly fell silent, however, as Professor Gregor stood before them with a long scroll. "Listen for your name," he intoned deeply. "When I call for you, please sit on the stool and place the hat on your head." He gazed at the list and called out in a loud voice, "Ables, Vanessa."Here was the platinum blond that Michael had noticed earlier. She was indeed beautiful, with white blond hair flowing halfway down her back. She had a graceful, dainty walk and did not seem to be at all intimidated by being first. She set the hat lightly on her head and waited. There was a moment of hushed silence, and then the hat cried out, "Slytherin!"Liam watched the girl walk over to the Slytherin table, where she was greeted warmly by the prefects, their cloaks trimmed in green and silver. "Like a veela, she is," whispered Michael. Liam nodded in agreement, though he had no idea what a veela was. Vanessa was so captivating, in fact, that Liam entirely missed the next name. He was only aware that another girl had taken Vanessa's place when the hat cried out, "Ravenclaw!"As this girl took her place among the Ravenclaws, trimmed in midnight blue, Professor Gregor called out, "Bendrix, Michael."Michael made his way up to the stool, sat down and plopped the hat awkwardly down on his head. It was hardly there a moment when the hat called out, "Hufflepuff!" This caused a murmur of laughter amongst the students, but Michael ignored it, or simply didn't hear it at all. He happily took a seat at the Hufflepuff table next to his cousin.As the names were called one by one, Liam took the time to examine his surroundings. The hall looked for all the world to be open to the night sky, but this was clearly not the case. The rain was falling again, but none fell onto the floor. Nice bit of magic, that, he thought to himself. Another thing that impressed him were the candles floating in mid-air. Bet they don't have none of this at Smeltings or Thursgood's."Guishar, Lara." This snapped Liam back to attention. Lara fell out of the line and went over to the stool. The hat sunk down onto her head, right to her eyebrows. She sat perfectly still on her stool, but gave a start when the hat called out, "Hufflepuff!"Lara for a moment sat glued to the stool. Slowly, she rose, set the hat down, and walked to the table where Michael and John Fortney were already sitting.The next name was Harkenborough, Philip, and he too was quickly placed into Hufflepuff. Everyone I've met so far has been a Hufflepuff, Liam mused to himself.Kane, Cyrus was the one exception. The hat had barely settled on his head when it called out, "Slytherin!"The only other name amongst the middle students that stuck out in Liam's mind was the tall surly boy who had been scolded for wearing his hood indoors. His head now uncovered, Liam could see that McLaggen, Roan, had shaggy blond hair and slightly bucked teeth. He went to Gryffindor.Soon, there were only a handful left. Two girls, a dark blond, Pitchfork, Desdemona, and a brunette, Poysenberry, Sally, went to Ravenclaw, as did an owl faced boy with round spectacles, Reuel, Ronald.A spirited red-haired girl, Roycester, Gillian, was next. She ran up to the hat with a wide grin on her freckled face and set it on her head without sitting down. The hat called out immediately, "Gryffindor!" The girl jumped and shot her fist into the air as the Gryffindor table broke out in applause. There were even some wolf whistles. Gillian just did remember to put down the hat before she ran over to the Gryffindor table, where she was given hugs by several tall, red-haired freckled boys. Her brothers, I hope, thought Liam.After Gillian was Sumner, Gordon, who Liam recognized as the boy that Hermione Granger was speaking to on the train platform. He went to Slytherin. And then there were two.Thompson, Sadie, was the short girl with dark brown hair who had been standing in front of Liam the whole time. When Sumner's name was called, she turned and gave Liam a nervous smile. He smiled encouragingly back at her. The hat made a quick call on her, too: Ravenclaw."Wren, Liam."Liam walked slowly up to the stool. He was sure at this point that most of the students had lost interest in the proceedings and were simply impatient for the feast to begin. He sat down and set the hat on his head.Immediately, he heard a soft voice in his ear, "The last one, and finally, a bit of a challenge. The others have been so easy to place. But, what have we here? Some decent brains, good nerves, and a strong affinity with magic. I sense a hint of ambition, too. So, where shall I put you?"Liam had a ready answer. "I would like to go to Hufflepuff, please."The hat was quite taken aback by this request. "Hufflepuff? Why there?""My friends, the boys on the train, they're all in Hufflepuff." And Lara too, he thought to himself, though he was too shy to say it.It crossed Liam's mind just then that, if the hat knew about his brains and ambition and all that, it might know about Lara, too. If the hat had read his thoughts, however, it gave no indication. "You haven't known those boys very long," said the hat, evenly. "I could put you in Gryffindor, and you'd have new friends by the end of the night.""I like my old friends fine, thank you," answered Liam, nervously."So," said the hat softly, "above all, you are loyal." In a loud voice it called out, "Hufflepuff!"
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Liam let out a long sigh of relief. He set the hat down on the stool and hurried over to the Hufflepuff table. Michael was saying excitedly to his cousin, "That's the guy I was telling you about! Disarmed Cyrus Kane without even an incantation! Just ripped the wand right out of his hand!" At this news, a few of the older students gave Liam appraising glances. Liam, blushing modestly, squeezed in between Michael and Philip.Archie gazed at Liam and nodded. "Knew you were a good 'un the minute I saw you." Just then, a hush fell over the hall. Professor McGonagall had risen to speak.Even from a distance, Liam could see she was very old, yet her voice carried to the far reaches of the hall. "Thank you, Professor Gregor. Welcome First Years, and welcome back, returning students. I thank you all for your patience during this ritual. There will be time for announcements later. We are all hungry. Let us begin."Liam barely had a moment to notice the table before it was suddenly full of food, and an astounding variety of food as well: lamb chops with mint sauce, Cornish game hens baked in herbs and butter, boiled red potatoes, mashed potatoes, asparagus, green beans, red and yellow peppers, and a spinach salad with hard boiled eggs mixed into it. Liam, a decent cook, always appreciated a well-cooked meal. He eager took some lamb chops, half a game hen, a red potato and some green beans with almonds and butter.The First Year boys were on one side of the table, and the First Year Girls on another. The Prefects sat at the ends. It was the prefect Randal, then Fortney, Philip Liam and Michael. Across from Michael sat Stephanie. Her face was thin, with prominent cheekbones. Her brown hair was long and straight. Next to her was Monique, had light brown skin and black curly hair bunched with little bands. Lara sat between Monique and Stacy. Next to Stacy was the other prefect, Cheryl.Liam noticed that Lara was only picking at her food. Her chin was lowered, and she had a wounded look on her face. "What's the matter with Lara?" Liam asked. When no one answered him, he reached across the table and touched her arm. She flinched and looked angrily back at him, a tear still on her cheek."Her sister is in Ravenclaw," said Monique. "She thought she'd be in Ravenclaw, too.""They must think I'm rubbish," Lara whispered."You don't believe that, do you?" asked Liam, angrily. "All that talk about Hufflepuffs bein' duffers? That's all bunk!" He looked to the older students around him, to see if anyone would second what he said. They were all watching and listening to the exchange, but none of them made any comment. "I don't know about the rest of you," Liam continued loudly, "but I chose to be here.""You didn't choose!" snapped Stephanie. "The hat put you here.""No, I had a choice! The hat wanted me in Gryffindor, and I said no. I want to be here, with Mike and Philip." He stared the next line over to Lara, silently: And you.She looked up just then as if she had heard him say it. Her brown eyes were wide, and she looked like she might start crying again.Finally, Archie spoke. He reached around Michael, gave Liam a firm pat on the shoulder blade. "What did I say about this kid? He's a good 'un. Nothing wrong with bein' in Hufflepuff!"But, across from Archie, another boy was laughing. "You chose to be in Hufflepuff?" he asked. "You've got to be Muggleborn."Liam said nothing back to this. He went back to his meal, savoring each bite of the wonderful food. Though he continued to look up at Lara, she didn't meet his eye, and he didn't say anything to her the rest of the evening.Liam was scraping the last of the custard off his plate when the room, which had been buzzing with the chatter of the entire school, suddenly fell silent again. Professor McGonagall had stood once more and was facing the students. Liam saw her tap her throat with her wand. When she spoke, her voice was amplified again, as if she were speaking in a microphone."Now that you are all well fed, I have a few important announcements. Though we have no new staff appointments, we have some staff members stepping into new roles. Professor Sprout, though she will remain as Herbology teacher, will be stepping down as Head of Hufflepuff House." This news caused a buzz of whispers amongst the older students. "Likewise," continued McGonagall, "Professor Flitwick, though he continues on as Charms instructor, will step down as Head of Ravenclaw House." A similar hiss of whispers broke out at the nearby Ravenclaw table. "Professors Sprout and Flitwick are two of our most tenured instructors, and they will remain on hand to guide their successors in their new roles. Please join with me and congratulating Professor Meadows, the new Head of Hufflepuff House, and Professor DeVere, the new Head of Ravenclaw."Archie immediately began to clap heartily, and the rest of the Hufflepuffs broke into a warm round of applause. The reaction from the Ravenclaw table was even more enthusiastic. "DeVere favours the Ravenclaws in class," whispered Michael. "That's what Archie always says. He goes easy on them and hard on the Hufflepuffs."McGonagall raised her hand, and the chatter died away again. "As always, the forest in the grounds is forbidden to all students," she continued. "There will be a dueling club this year, meeting on Wednesday evenings at seven and Saturday afternoons at two o'clock. Students wishing to improve their skills are encouraged to come to the club."Magical contests outside of this supervised forum," she added, sternly, "is strictly prohibited. Any skirmishes, in the hallways or elsewhere in the castle or the grounds, will result in punishments up to and including expulsion.“To our new students, let me say that you should think of your Houses as your home, and the friends you meet there as being part of your family. Yet, I always encourage students to reach across the classroom and meet new friends, in the Spirit of Inter-House Cooperation."The castle, as you can see, looks better than ever. We have a great staff in place. I expect all of you to do your best, and to make this school proud." There was the slightest hint of a smile on the old woman's face as these words were met with loud cheers.Then, the prefects were standing. "First Years," called Randal, "stay with us. The older students will go on ahead, and we will follow after.""There's more to do before we send you off to bed," added Cheryl.So, the First Year Hufflepuffs waited, four boys and four girls, as the Great Hall cleared. Then, with Randal in the lead and Cheryl behind, they walked in two lines out into the Entrance Hall. To their left, away from both the main doors and the grand staircase was a door. Archie Stollencroft stood by, his arms crossed over his chest, and his wand in his hand, while the other Hufflepuffs walked past him through the door.Liam, at the back of the line of First Years, watched as first the girls and then the boys went through the door and down a narrow set of stairs. One of the older girls waited at the bottom step. She too had her wand drawn.Michael turned and whispered to Liam, “Those are Badger Guards. They protect the entrance from spies. Archie got to be one last year, too.”Right below the level of the Great Hall was a wide corridor. The Hufflepuffs were gathered around a stack of barrels that lay against one wall. Apart from the others stood another pair of Badger Guards, a boy and a girl. They stood with their backs to the group and stared off into the gloom.Liam watched with interest as groups of Hufflepuffs approached the barrels. One of them was a small round door. Liam watched one of the girls go up to the barrel and tap a pattern onto the rim with her wand. “Tap, tap, tap-tap-tap.” The door opened, and she crawled in and disappeared. A boy followed her, repeating the tapping pattern on the rim before crawling into the hole.Just then, Cheryl said, "Oh, good evening Friar!"A shimmering, translucent figure floated past them. Liam wasn't the only one to shirk away. A ghost! he thought. "Good evening, Cheryl," said the ghost. "Are these the new First Years?""Yes! Say hello to the Friar, kids!"Michael gave an enthusiastic, "Hi Friar!" The others' greetings were more subdued. Liam was not the only First Year to be wary of the ghost. The Friar floated past them, pushed headlong into the wall of barrels and disappeared.Most everyone had gone through. Cheryl said, “Okay First Years. It’s your turn now.”Randal twirled his wand around the barrel opening and whispered an incantation. "All right," said Randal, when he'd finished. "Ladies first, shall we?" The girls all looked shyly back at him. Finally, Stacy, who had been holding hands with Lara and whispering comforting words to her along the way, stepped forward. "First, say your name aloud," said the Randal.She pulled in a breath and said clearly, "Stacy Hind."Cheryl asked, “Did you hear the tapping pattern the others were using?”“Yes.”“Go ahead,” urged Cheryl. She put a gentle hand on Stacy’s shoulder. Stacy tapped out the pattern, “Tap, tap, tap-tap-tap.” The door opened, and Stacy crawled into the hole.Lara stepped up next, eager to be reunited with her friend. She said clearly, "Lara Guishar,” and tapped out the pattern with her wand. The door opened again, and she disappeared from sight.Monique followed Lara, then Stephanie, with Cheryl on her heels. Philip was the first of the boys to go through, followed by John Fortney, and then Michael. Liam once again went last. He spoke his name clearly, "Liam Wren,” and tapped the pattern with his wand, “Tap, tap, tap-tap-tap.” The door opened, and he bent down. He crawled through a stone passageway and dropped into a warm and brightly lit room.Cheryl was waiting for him. "Welcome to the Badger's Den, Liam!" she said.The ceiling was low. In many places there were plants hanging from the ceiling in burnished copper pots. The air smelled of coffee and cinnamon.Several chairs and tables had been pushed back and stacked haphazardly against the far wall. Around the hearth all the Hufflepuffs were seated on a large braided rug, with the older students towards the back and the younger ones in front. The ghostly Friar hovered near the back of the room. Behind Liam, the Badger Guards were coming through the entrance. Liam made his way to the edge of the circle and was about to sit down, but the older students made way for him and urged him forward until he was at the very front, next to Michael.Standing in front of the group were two women. One had wrinkled skin and wiry gray hair. There was a twinkle in her dark eyes. The other was much younger, with long reddish-brown hair and a kind smile. The older woman, who Liam guessed correctly was Professor Sprout, spoke first."All right then, we're all here. Another year, another crop of great, brave and loyal Hufflepuffs. Welcome children." At this, some of the older girls gave warm hugs to Lara and the other First Year girls, while Liam and the others got firm pats on the back from the older boys."Now, as you may have noticed, I'm getting old." This was met with loud protest from the other students, particularly Archie. "Now, now, don't try to flatter me. It won't do you any good. I'm getting too old to be up in the night with the likes of you, too old to be chasing you down when you try and sneak off to the kitchens. Me and Flitwick are in agreement on this - it's time to pass the baton to the next generation."So, with that, I'm going to bed. I'm leaving you in good hands, as you well know. I expect you to give Sonja here all the respect you've given me theses many years. She's a smart girl and she'll do you right.""Thank you," said Professor Meadows, blushing slightly. Professor Sprout headed off down the hallway to her room. Meadows waited until the door had closed before speaking again. "When I was a girl here at Hogwarts, I dreamed of one day becoming one of the teachers. But I never in my life thought I would be Head of Hufflepuff! This is a great honour!"If Professor Sprout was another grandmother for all of you, I want to be your big sister. I am here to help you, if you're sick, if you're scared, if you need someone to talk to. And, I'm supposed to keep you out of trouble. There, I'm going to need your help, all of you. I'm not stern like Professor McGonagall or wise like Professor Sprout. I know I couldn't be Head of Gryffindor. Those kids would run right over me."But you’ll behave for me, won’t you? You won’t be talking back or carrying on in the middle of the night. And, must I say, no cohabitating?" This call was answered by a titter of giggles. "I don't want to have to be having that conversation with any of your parents."There was some louder laughter now, but none, Liam noted, from either the eldest or the youngest students. Meadows raised her hand, and the room quickly quieted. "I'll need you to be good Hufflepuffs, brave and loyal and hardworking. Look out for each other, take care of each other. That will make my life and this new job much easier."Now, it's getting late, and we all ought to get off to bed. Older students, you know the rules. I know you haven't seen each other all summer, and you want to catch up, but the weekend is just two days away. There will be time for talking, for games and for romances later. Get in bed and lights out! We have classes tomorrow!"The older students stood and began filing down the hallways. A few went up and gave hugs to Professor Meadows, not just girls but some of the boys, too. Liam and Michael stayed seated until Randal called for them. "First Year Boys, this way."The four boys got up and followed Randal down one of the corridors to a dorm room, lit by a burnished copper lamp hung from the ceiling. There were four beds, each with their own canopy which provided a bit of privacy. Beside each bed was a trunk. Liam found his trunk, sat down on his bed and took off his shoes. The bedcover was a patchwork quilt, soft and inviting to the touch.Philip whispered something to Randal, who nodded. He left the room briefly, returning with a saucer. Randal set the saucer on the floor by Philip's bed. Then, with a tap of his wand, he created a little blue flame which flickered and danced above the saucer.After Randal had left, Fortney sneered, "A night light?""Leave him be," said Liam in a warning voice. He gave Fortney a stern look. The other boy turned sheepishly away and drew the curtains 'round his bed.Liam pulled his pajamas out of his trunk, then began to unbutton his shirt. In the breast pocket, he found the cards that he had pulled from the chocolate frog packs, Merlin and Gothmog. He got up and crossed the room to Philip's bed."Hey, Philip, do you want these?""Both cards?" asked Philip. "The Gothmog card, too?""Don't have much use for it," said Liam. "Won't be collecting 'em. Don't really have the money to do it properly, you see."Philip nodded. "I was just estimating the value of that card on the train. I'll send an owl off tomorrow to get a proper price list.""You don't need to do that," said Liam. "You can just have it.""No," argued Philip. "It's a valuable card. I know it is! It wouldn't be honest to just take it from you."Liam shrugged. "You think it's worth a Sickle?""Yes," Philip answered. "A Gothmog card in near mint condition is worth at least that much.""All right then, give me a Sickle for it."Philip went to his nightstand drawer and pulled out a silver coin. He set it in Liam's palm and received the two cards in return. "You better not hand it over to the likes of Cyrus Kane," warned Liam."I shan't."Liam turned and went back to his bed. As he reached up to draw the curtain, Philip called to him. "Liam?""Yeah?""You're the best friend I've ever had."Liam grinned and nodded. "G'night, Philip."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That night, Liam had an anxious dream. He was on a ship at sea; the deck at his feet rose and fell with the waves. He was gazing apprehensively at the horizon. The dark shape of a bird was visible against the grey, pre-dawn sky.Liam awoke with a start. His heart was racing. It took him a minute to remember where he was. To his left, he could see the flicker of Philip's night light. He rolled over, away from it, and thought about his dream.When was the last time he had been on a boat? Uncle Charlie had taken him on a boat ride on the Thames once, when Patrick was sick with the flu. The river had been pretty placid that day, though. Liam had never been out in the Channel. So, what am I remembering? What was it about that bird that was making me afraid?Slowly, he calmed himself back to sleep. In the morning, he had forgotten about the dream, and it did not shadow his sleep again for several days. Randal, the prefect, came 'round at seven o'clock to rouse them up. When Liam reached for his cloak, he found that it now had a badge on the left breast, a picture of a badger against a black and yellow field, with the word "Hufflepuff" below in fancy letters. Someone must have sewn it on in the night.He got dressed and met Michael and Philip in the common room. The rug that they had all been sitting on the night before was now full of furniture. A large sofa, worn but still plush, sat right in front of the hearth. Beside and around it were several other chairs and sofas, each with their own side tables."Are we going down to breakfast?" asked Philip."No," said Michael, "we're going up to breakfast. We’re downstairs from the Great Hall, remember?"Liam asked, "Do we have classes today?""Meadows seemed to think so," answered Philip. "Though, we haven't got our schedules yet."When Fortney was ready, they followed a group of Fifth Years up to the Great Hall and had a hearty breakfast of eggs, ham and French toast. While they ate, Meadows came around with the schedules. "Let's see," she said pleasantly, "you look like First Year boys." She flipped through her stack of schedules, then called each boy by name. "Not that there's any difference between them. It won't be until your third year that you start to take electives.""Where do we go today?" asked Michael."Well, it is Thursday," said Meadows, "so you'll be taking your Thursday schedule."Liam looked down at his paper. There were seven classes listed, but only three were down for Tuesdays and Thursdays. They would have History of Magic and Potions in the morning, followed by Herbology in the afternoon.Archie was sitting next to Michael. He said, "What you got this morning, Mikey?” He read aloud, over Michael’s shoulder. “Eight o'clock, History of Magic, Binns, Room 328. Starting your career off with a bang, aren't we?" The boy across from Archie laughed. "Binns is the worst teacher on the staff. He bored himself to death about 30 years back, but he's still teaching. And after that you've got DeVere, who hates Hufflepuffs, generally.""Where's room 328?" asked Liam."I bet it's on the third floor," said Michael."Yes it's on the third floor," said Archie. "It's the big lecture hall right off the main staircase. All of Binns classes are there.""Look," said Liam, "there's twenty minutes passing period between classes!""You'll need it," said Archie, "'specially when you're huffing it out to the greenhouse for Herbology."As they got up to leave, Archie said, "Oh, one more piece of advice: Don't sit between the Gyrffindors and the Slytherins. It's pretty early in the year for shenanigans, but you can never be too careful! You don't want to be caught in a crossfire.""What about the Ravenclaw boys?" asked Liam."I saw the lot of them," said Archie, contemptuously. "They won't get their noses out of their books long enough to bother the likes of you."The boys went back to the common room after breakfast. Liam loaded his books for Potions, Herbology and History of Magic into his bag, plus his scales and potion kit. It made for a heavy load, especially once they started hiking up five flights of stairs. By the second floor above the entrance hall, Philip was really struggling."Come on," urged Liam. "Almost there, just one more flight.""Yeah, said Michael, "it's all downhill from here." He and Fortney had taken Liam's hint the night before. There would be no teasing of Philip.Outside of the classroom, a crowd of students were already gathered. Liam picked out the tall shaggy-haired Gryff boy, Roan, then Vanessa, the beautiful blond from Slytherin, before settling his eyes on Cyrus. The two boys stared crossly at each other. Liam was the first one to look away.The door opened, and the students began to file in. Girls from Ravenclaw and Slytherin filled the first row. Lara and her friends sat in the second row, in the middle of the auditorium, and Liam and his friends took seats behind them. The five Gryffindor boys headed straight for the back of the room. Roan stuck his feet up on the chair in front of his, as did another boy. The Slytherin boys took seats in the back as well, but across the room from the Gryffindor boys.Here we are, right between the two groups, thought Liam. Well, if there's any shenanigans, better it hit us than one of the girls. Right away, Liam understood Archie's joke about Binns boring himself to death. He was, apparently, already dead. The class was taught by a ghost who droned on in a sleep inducing monotone. After a few minutes, Liam slipped the text book out of his bag and started reading it. Unfortunately, the book was dense with detail and thick with names. He stopped after reading the same paragraph over three times. He spent the rest of the period making doodles on his parchment.This was not a complete waste of time, however. Unlike his grade school classes, in which he used pencils and ball point pens to write with, students at Hogwarts were expected to write with feather quills and ink wells. Nor did Hogwarts students write on ruled paper. They wrote on sheets of parchment which never stayed all the way flat once they had been rolled. Liam spent his time pressing flat his parchment and making lines with the quill pen without blotching the ink.Finally, the period was over. Liam gathered up his things and filed out of the class with the other students. The Gryffindor boys ran down the stairways for their next class. Everyone else walked. The Gryffindor and Slytherin students had Herbology together out by the greenhouse while the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw First Years headed for the dungeon for Potions.The dungeon had been re-made into an auditorium style classroom, with all the seats in an arch around the front podium. On a large chalkboard was written in a flowing hand, "Beginning Potions, Edward DeVere, Potion Master." The class split down the middle, with the Ravenclaws on one side of the room and the Hufflepuffs on the other. The Hufflepuffs were further divided, with the girls in the front rows and the boys behind them. The Ravenclaws, however, were mixed. None of the Ravenclaw boys were too cool for the front row.DeVere entered from his office, off to the left. He was an average sized man, less than six feet tall by the look of him. His hair was brown, and there was a thin mustache on his upper lip. All of the students on Liam's right leaned forward as the professor entered. Before he even spoke, DeVere had the Ravenclaws waiting to hang on his every word. He surveyed the class briefly and then took roll, something Binns had not bothered to do."This class," he began, "for most of you, will be an exercise in following directions. You follow the recipe, and in the end, you have the desired potion. But for the rare few, this class will be the beginning of something special, something magical. There is power in your cauldrons and in your fingertips, if you have what it takes."Did any of you bother to open up your texts or look at your potion kits before you got here?" All of the hands on the Ravenclaw side of the room quickly shot into the air. DeVere smiled at then and said, "Oh, I know you did. I want to see if anyone over here made the same effort."No one on Liam's side of the classroom had as much as moved. Liam spoke out without raising his hand, "I did, sir."DeVere fixed him with a stare and said, "And you are, again?""Wren.""Well, Mr. Wren, why don't you tell us some of your observations?"The whole of the class was staring at him now, but he did bring this on himself, the self-proclaimed Defender of Hufflepuff Honour. And, he actually had an answer ready. "Well, I did take a fancy to this sweet-smelling stuff, Jasmine Heather. I had half a mind to put a pinch of it in my stew."Beside him, Michael was doing a very poor job of trying not to laugh. He was snorting and trembling all over. There were titters of laughter on the other side of the classroom as well.DeVere ignored all of this, his eyes fixed on Liam. "Did you, by chance, put any of it in your stew?""No."The Professor smiled. "What stayed your hand?""The fact that Jasmine Heather is a main ingredient in about a half-dozen poisons."The laughter was louder now. With a wave of his hand, DeVere hushed it. "All right, Mr. Wren, now for the hard part. Given my utter lack of surprise that you are still with us, tell me, what purpose does Jasmine Heather serve in poisons?"There was no laughter now, only the sound, an "Oo-oo-oo!" coming from one of the Ravenclaw girls, who was popping up and down on her chair, her hand as high in the air as she could put it. DeVere turned to her and said, "No, no, let him work it out."Liam lowered his eyes and pulled in a deep breath. He ran DeVere's hint over in his mind. ". . . utter lack of surprise . . . still with us." Jasmine Heather, then, wouldn't have hurt him. So, what purpose does it serve? He thought about it some more, about the sweet smell that first drew him to it. "It's a mask," he said finally.To his right, the girl slumped in her chair. "A mask," said DeVere. "Yes, that's close enough. Five points to Hufflepuff."Jasmine Heather absorbs some of the bitterness of the other, more harmful ingredients, and masks the odors with its pleasant scent. The Potion Master, detecting the scent of Jasmine Heather in his food or drink, should at once be on his guard. But, if you are foolish enough to use it in your cooking, to acclimate yourself to its smell and flavour in your everyday dishes, you could be putting yourself at grave risk."You are getting all of this down, aren't you?"There was a quick scramble for parchment and quills on the Hufflepuff side of the room. Liam was thinking that DeVere wasn't so bad after all, but Michael hissed, "All that, for five lousy points? Told you he favours the Ravenclaws."DeVere lectured for a few minutes more on the properties of Jasmine Heather and the functions that it serves in poisons before moving on to the topics to be covered in the class and the grading policy.The Beginning Potions class was divided into two parts, an hour lecture followed by a lab. For the first day, their lab assignment was deceptively simple - he asked them to divide into pairs and, in one of their cauldrons, boil water. The trick to the assignment was this: there was no stove, nor was there a source of water in the room. The students would have to conjure both fire and water to complete the task.DeVere was kind enough to write the incantations on the chalkboard, Aguamenti for water and Incendio for fire, but that took the students only part of the way. Water and Fire are both difficult for the inexperienced to control.Liam had paired with Michael. Michael worked on starting the fire while Liam worked on coaxing water out of Hexwood's wand. His left hand cramped and ached with the magic backing up into it, but the wand would not let it flow out. He had better luck when he switched to his right hand. That way, he was able to get a steady trickle of water spouting from the tip.On the Ravenclaw side, Ronald Reuel, paired with Sadie Thompson, sprayed their table with water, soaking his notes and cloaks of the pair in front of him. Thompson shouted at him, her voice high and shrill, before drawing her wand to mop up.Lara and Stacy, who both grew up in magical households and had been assisting their mothers in the kitchen for some years now, completed the assignment with ease. They finished before any of the others, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw.Michael could not get a steady flame under the cauldron, even when he offered it a scrap of parchment for kindling. Liam, who had some experience with cooking, remember that it is quicker to boil a small pot of water than a large one, stopped his flow of magical water at a quarter cauldronful. Sticking his wand in his belt, he focused his warming spell on the water. To urge things on, he held his left hand above the water. Out the magic came in a great flow, sloshing the water around the base of the cauldron."Blimey, mate, you're doing it," whispered Michael.After a few minutes, Liam slumped back in his chair. "I can make it warm," he said, "but I don't know if I can boil it." The effort had exhausted him. Air bubbles had formed in the water, but there was no steam yet.Michael continued to work on the fire. With ten minutes left in the period, they got a little flame burning under their cauldron, and they finished the assignment with a few minutes to spare.The long class took them right up to their lunch break. Liam and his friends made a quick stop at their dorm rooms to ditch their History book as well as the Potion book and supplies, before heading upstairs for lunch. As the four Hufflepuff boys crossed the Entrance Hall, they stopped at the giant hourglasses that recorded the points earned for each house. Ravenclaw had jumped to an early lead with 60 points on the day. Slytherin was close behind at 55. The Gryffindors had earned 40, while the Hufflepuffs had only managed a mere 15 points.Fortney, Michael and Philip looked dejectedly at the hourglasses. Liam, though, broke out a grin and shouted, "Fifteen points! and five of those are mine!"
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Chapter Ten:
Formal Magic After lunch, the boys hiked out to the Greenhouse for Herbology. It was a fine Autumn day. The air was crisp and the trees along the path still glistened from the rain. In front of them were a group of Ravenclaws. The Slytherins and Gryffindors were now heading to the dungeons for Potions.The greenhouse/classroom had several tables set with chairs. Professor Sprout stood before a chalkboard, a sturdy looking pair of gloves on her hands. "Go and sit where you'd like, today," she told them. "I'll set the seating chart later." The Hufflepuff girls sat down quickly at one of the tables. Liam led his boys to a table that was nearest to where Lara was sitting. The Ravenclaws again sat on the other side of the room. Four of the girls sat together at one table, but Sadie Thompson chose to sit with the boys.Professor Sprout questioned the class about what they knew already of magical plants. She didn't play the two sides of the room off against one another as DeVere had, nor did she seem to favour the Hufflepuffs over the Ravenclaws. She drew several students into the conversation, working both sides of the room and mixing in comments from both boys and girls. Liam didn't volunteer information this time, but sat back and listened.After spending several minutes discussing exotic types of mushrooms, Sprout gave them an assignment to look up information in their textbooks and take some notes. As the students worked, she quietly roamed the classroom to check their progress. She stopped in front of Liam and turned the pages of his book."Where did you get this? This was the edition when I was a girl.""Got it from my uncle.""We're using the Fifty-Seventh Edition now, you know. Not that the lore has changed much in all this time - certainly not what we teach to First Years. But you do need to be careful. The book publishers, they like to move things 'round a bit. If I give you some pages to read for homework, you need to be sure you're covering the same topic as the rest of us.""Yes 'm."She smiled kindly at him. "Carry on."In the second hour, Sprout took them on a tour of the greenhouse and showed them the variety of amazing plants there. When they came to a patch of Jasmine Heather, Calliope, the tall Ravenclaw girl who had tried to upstage Liam in Potions, called out, "Oh look, it's Wren's favourite plant. Are you going to be down in the kitchens later, to help the elves with the cooking?"Several of the students laughed. Before Liam could think of a retort, Sprout intervened. "Hush," she scolded. "I won't have any of that Inter-House nonsense here. There are plants in this room which are quite dangerous. You need to be alert at all times." Soon, Liam and his friends were walking back towards the castle. It was the middle of the afternoon. They had small bits of homework from all three of their classes, but as it wasn't due until the following Tuesday, there didn't seem to be an impetus to get it done. Instead, after they had stashed their books away, they roamed the grounds. Michael led them out to the Quiddich pitch, but no one was practising yet. Liam asked about the school owls, so they hiked up to the owlry next. They had such a grand time exploring that they nearly forgot to come back for dinner. They dashed into the Great Hall just after six, but were sent right out again by the Prefect, Cheryl, and made to wash their hands. The next day was Friday, and they had a full slate of classes once again, starting with Defense Against the Dark Arts. This class was on the third floor. This class was taught by the Deputy Headmaster, Professor Gregor. He began his class by saying, "Students, please take out your wand. When I call your name, please tell us what you know about it."A sudden dread came over Liam. He patted his pockets and quickly rifled through his bag, but it was no good. His wand was not there."What are you looking for?" whispered Michael."My wand! I don't have it!"Veronica Ables was already speaking about her wand. Michael said, "I think you'd better tell him." Liam shot his hand in the air, and Gregor called on him before going on to the next name."Yes?""Um, I forgot something in my common room. Something important. Can I go get it?"Gregor fixed him with a stern glare and asked, "What, pray tell, did you forget?""Um, my wand."This admission was greeted with hushed laughter across the classroom. Several students turned and sniggered at him. With a hand, Gregor silenced them. "I do recall you being towards the end of the alphabet.""Yes sir.""Go and get your wand. If you can make it back here before I call your name, you will escape punishment.""Yes sir." Liam quickly crossed the classroom and then sprinted down the stairs, skimming the wooden rail with his hand to keep from falling. He was breathless by the time he reached barrels.How do I get in? I’ve got to tap the barrel with my wand!Not knowing what else to do, he tapped out the pattern with his left hand. To his great relief, the door opened. He crawled as quickly as possible down the passage to the common room.His feet back on the ground once again, Liam ran to his dormitory. The beds were made, and the rooms much tidier than the boys had left them. Liam had no time to consider this, further. He opened his trunk and dug in with his hand. His wand was sticking out of the pocket of the pants he had worn the day before. Grasping it firmly, he raced again through the common room and down the hallway to the stairs.Before, he had been running down. Now, he had to go up. He took the stairs as fast as he could, with long strides, though his thighs ached and his chest was burning, back up to the third floor.When he opened the door to Gregor's class, Sadie Thompson was standing and holding her wand out in front of her. "It's really a lovely part of the country. If you ever get out to California, you must go out to the Santa Cruz Mountains." She flashed Liam a bright, blushing smile. "Well, that's where I got my wand."All eyes turned to Liam as he crept back to his seat. "And now, we come to Liam Wren," said Professor Gregor, firmly. "What can you tell us of your forlorn, forgotten wand, Mr. Wren?""Well," said Liam with a nervous grin, "it's made of spruce, and it's this long." He held it out in front of him.There were more hushed giggles before Gregor asked, "That looks like an Ollivander wand. Do you know what's in its core?""No sir. I got it from my uncle.""Your uncle?" asked Gregor. "I thought you were Muggleborn.""Uh, I am. There hasn't been a wizard in my family for a long while. He was my Great Great Uncle, I guess.""I see. Thank you, Mr. Wren, you may sit down."Gregor stood in front of the class and surveyed them momentarily before speaking again. "I don't expect that any of you will be staring down Dark Wizards in your First Year, or even in your Seventh." At this, some of the Gryffindor boys sat up straighter, as if to show that they were fully capable of such things at that very moment. "The Magical World is, however, full of unexpected dangers. What I will be teaching you over the next few years will be the tools that can help you survive an encounter with such dangers. To survive, you will need focus, heart, and a strong connection with your wand."Oh brother, thought Liam. We can't just do magic, can we? Gregor lectured them for the full hour, and then gave them a homework assignment before sending them on their way. The next class on the schedule was Charms, taught by Professor Flitwick. The two classes were very near one another, so the First Years had a twenty- minute break. Some wandered away, but most congregated in the hallway by Flitwick's room, where there were bathrooms.As Liam and his friends came around the corner to that hallway, Philip said, "You'd better thank Sadie. She saved you back there.""Yeah," added Michael, "she went on and on about living in America and bein' taught by some Native shaman. Soon as you got back in the door, she shut up."Sadie was standing alone, leaning against the wall near to the girl's bathroom. "Wait here," Liam said to his friends. He went alone up to the girl. As she watched him approach, she blushed and bit down on her lip."Hey," he said, "thanks for saving me back there."Her voice came out in a little squeak. "You're welcome.""Did you really live in the States?"Her blush was deepening. She nodded her head, then squeaked out a "Excuse me," and dashed into the bathroom.Liam turned around and headed back to his mates. As he did so, he noticed Lara and Stacy standing on the opposite wall. Though they had never been particularly friendly to him, they looked positively venomous now. He shrugged this off as being part of the unfathomable nature of girls. He didn't give it another thought.When he got back to his group, Liam asked, "Did Cyrus go on and on about his wand again?""Oh, I think he was tempted to," said Michael. "Torn, really, between boasting about it . . .""Which is one of his favourite things to do," interjected Philip." . . . and going fast and getting you in trouble. The Ravenclaws, too, were keen to see you lose those House Points you earned from DeVere. They all rushed through their talk, except that one that you were just talking to. The dark-haired girl.""Sadie," said Liam.Fortney picked up the narrative. "But when Gregor got to Kane, he just said, 'Oh, I've heard about your wand already,' and moved on. He seemed quite unimpressed by it, actually."Down the hall from them, nearer to Gregor's room than to Flitwick's, stood Kane with one of the other Slytherin boys. Liam gave him a sly smirk. Kane glared back at him.At least with a bloke like that, Liam mused, you know why he's mad at you. Finally, it was time for Charms. The students filed into the room, which was large, airy and full of books. There were six rows of six desks each. The five Ravenclaw witches took the front row, joined by Ronald Reuel. The Slytherin girls sat directly behind the Ravenclaws, and the Hufflepuff girls behind them. The entire back row were the Gryffindor boys, plus red-haired Gillian. The other students filled in as best they could, in close set, homogenous groups.Flitwick was very short, and he looked to be quite old. He was so short that he had to stand on a wooden platform to address the class. Michael whispered, "He used to stand on a pile of books, but McGonagall said he was getting to old for that. She had someone build the platform for him."Flitwick climbed up the stairs at the back of his platform, surveyed the class and then took roll. Beside the lectern was a small vase packed with wildflowers. The little man paused after each name and looked the student in the eye before moving on. He began his lecture this way:"Charms may lack the glamour of Defense Against the Dark Arts and the rigor of Transfiguration. Charms is, however, the most practical of the magical disciplines. You will use the spells I teach you far more regularly than those taught in the other classes. In fact, the spells you learn here will become so integral to your everyday life, that you may eventually take them for granted."Success in this class will depend on you being focused and prepared for the lesson on each day. Your wand will take care of the rest. Trust it - it's your best friend." With a swish of his wand, Flitwick had each of the flowers in the vase floating in the air. They fluttered like butterflies over to the students. With a graceful ease, they settled into the hair of each girl and the buttonhole of each boy.Liam hardly noticed. He was gazing down at his wand, cold and still in his hand. My best friend? he mused. Not bloody likely.Professor Meadow's Transfiguration classroom was on the third floor, a few doors down from their Charms classroom. . The class split into the same groups in which they had been sitting all day. However, before starting her lesson, Meadows had all the students stand up against the back wall. As she called roll, she told each student where to sit. By the time Liam's name was called, the class was all mixed up.He was glad that the seating chart was not strictly alphabetical, for that would have placed him in the far back corner of the room. Instead, he was in the middle of the room, between the Slytherin boy, Gordon, and a Gryffindor girl named Alma. Michael was in the front row, sitting next to Gillian, whereas Philip had landed in the enviable spot next to Vanessa.Her chart set, Meadows perched herself on a tall stool in the front of the room. She was by far the youngest teacher on the staff, and though she had been teaching for a few years now, she still seemed a little nervous as she gazed out on the class. But, she had a kind smile and a warm and lovely voice. Liam very much wanted to do well by her. "Transfiguration," she began, "is one of the most difficult and dangerous magical disciplines. As a young girl, I struggled with it terribly. But then, 'round the middle of my Third Year, things began to click, and by the end of my time here at Hogwarts, it was my best subject."The reason that I mixed you up so, is that I wanted you to be focused on what you are doing while you're in here. I can't have any chit-chat. If you miss even the subtlest of instructions, your spell will go wrong, and someone could get badly hurt in the process."Besides, I think it's good for you to start getting to know the students from the other houses. You may even make a new friend, after which I may have to move you 'round again," she added with a laugh."To make a successful Transfiguration, you will need to do a bit of reading, and some note-taking. But most of all, you will need a strong connection with your wand. It really must become an extension of yourself, the focus of your thought, the center of your magical energies."Liam slumped a little in his chair. It's going to be a long year.By the end of the third class, Liam's head was full of information, and his hand hurt from taking the copious notes on the requirements for making successful Transfigurations. He met up with his mates in the hall outside the classroom, and the four boys headed back down the stairs."Lucky you," remarked Michael to Philip. "You got to sit next to Vanessa.""I didn't feel very lucky, honestly," said Philip. "She didn't look in my direction once. If I have to sit next to a girl, I'd rather sit by someone like Stacy, who's always been nice to me.""Mind you," said Michael, "Gillian didn't say a word to me the whole time I was sitting with her, either.""I'd rather not sit next to a girl, if I like her," said Fortney. "I'd rather be 'cross the classroom from her. That way, I could look over at her and make it seem like I was looking at the teacher.""What about you, Liam?" asked Philip. "Would you rather sit next to a girl you liked, or sit across the class from her?"Liam shrugged. There was a crowd of students in the Entrance Hall that was causing a traffic jam for the students heading down the stairs. Ahead of them, Lara and Stacy were standing on the second-floor landing, waiting for the crowd to thin. Liam said loud enough for the girls to hear him, "I wouldn't mind sitting next to a girl that I liked, if she'd just give me a smile every now and again."Lara turned at the sound of his voice. He gave her a cool stare. She blushed and lowered her eyes, but she gave him a small demure smile.The girls hung back and let the boys go on ahead of them. As they headed down the stairs, Philip said quietly to Liam, "I think Lara likes you."Liam shook his head. "I got her to smile at me just then, 'cause I pushed the issue, but an hour ago, she was glarin' at me like she hated my guts." He sighed heavily. "Mental, that's what she is. Completely mental."At the Badger's Den, they stashed their bags. In the common room, they met up with Archie. "Hey Mikey, you had a full slate this morning, didn't you? DADA, Charms, and 'Fig.""Yeah. We got a load of homework for the first weekend, too.""Don't let the Fifth Years hear you say that. They'll be buried through May.""You know," said Liam, "Magic used to be something I did for fun, you know, with my brother. Now it's work. Now it's school," he added, disdainfully."Don't worry, kid," Archie told him. "It'll get fun again soon enough."
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The First Years had no class Friday afternoons. On Monday and Wednesdays, they would have Astronomy, with the Astronomy lab being Wednesday evenings from eleven to midnight. The expectation was that on Fridays, the First Years could catch up on their homework. That was certainly how Lara and her friends spent their free time that day.The Hufflepuff boys, however, had no intention of wasting such fine weather cooped up inside doing homework. "They'll be plenty of time to be inside when it's raining," Michael reasoned, and this made perfect sense to the other three. So, they spent the afternoons wandering the grounds.Michael showed them the Whomping Willow, and they took turns provoking it with stones. Next, they walked out to the hut where Hagrid lived. They didn't go too close, just far enough to see the hut and the giant pumpkins growing in the front yard. Out at the Quidditch pitch, there was still no teams practising. Michael, Philip and Fortney each had a go trying to explain Quidditch to Liam, but it was simply too complicated for him to take it all in. "Let me see it," Liam told them. "I'm sure it'll make sense when I'm watching it."Once again, the boys were late coming in to dinner, and again, Cheryl sent them immediately out of the Great Hall to wash their hands.After dinner, Randal made sure that the First Year boys had a shower. (None of them had taken one yet, and it was beginning to show.) After he was dried and dressed, Liam decided it was time he wrote a letter to his family. He pulled a quill, his ink bottle, and a roll of parchment, and carried it to the Common Room.There was a certain pecking order to the room. The Seventh Years sat on the soft sofa nearest the fire, and the younger students fanned out around them, with the older students getting the more comfortable chairs. Liam found a squashy chair near the wall. By it was a wobbly side table. He set the ink bottle on the table and began to compose his letter in his spidery, left-handed scrawl. The table rocked back and forth as he wrote, however, making his writing even more difficult to read. Soon, he went back to his room for his History book, which, when placed on his lap, made for a sturdier surface.He told his family most of what he had experienced. He focused on the friends that he had made, and he gave brief descriptions of his classes. There were a few items that he judiciously omitted: any mention of Cyrus Kane; the fact that Professor Binns was a ghost; and forgetting to bring his wand to DADA. There was also, in that first letter, no mention of the girls he had met.When he was finished, he went up to Cheryl as she sat in a plush chair with a book open in her lap. She was reading her Transfiguration textbook and taking notes. She looked up as he approached and smiled at him. "Did you need something?" she asked."Um, I've got a letter for my family, but I don't have a proper envelope.""Oh, just roll it up and give it to the owl. He'll know what to do with it.""I don't have an owl," Liam said, "but, I've been up to the Owlry. Is it okay to use one of those owls?""Of course.""Is there a fee?"She laughed, lightly. "No, but, if you bring the owl a bit of bacon from breakfast, that usually helps get your letter delivered promptly."He woke early in the morning and caught a quick breakfast of bacon and eggs before going alone up to the Owlry. It was quite cold, and a stiff breeze ran through the roost. He spent some time walking up and down the perches, looking at all the different birds. He didn't realize there were so many types of owls.Unsure of what to do, he finally called out, "Oi! Any of you know the way to Biggleswade?" A barn owl swooped off its perch and landed in front of him. "Here you go, then," he said. The owl clasped his letter in its claw. It did not immediately fly away, however, but waited expectantly. "Oh, I nearly forgot," said Liam. Digging into the pocket of his cloak, he pulled out a scrap of bacon he had saved from breakfast. The owl plucked it straight out of Liam's hand, swallowed it down, and then, with a beat of its wide wings, took to the air.As he turned to go, he noticed someone sitting in a corner, gazing through the wrought iron fence down onto the grounds below. "Oh, hey," said Liam, "I didn't see you there."It was Sadie. She flinched at the sound of his call and cowered down as if to make herself as inconspicuous as possible. Liam came and sat down beside her. She was shivering, and it looked like she had been crying. "You all right?" he asked her. "Did you fall?"She looked at him crossly, as if he were teasing her. "No.""I was just up here mailing a letter. Did you mail one?"She nodded, then pulled the hood of her cloak up tight around her, shielding her face from him."You all right?" he asked again. Once more, she nodded.If it had been anyone else, he might have left right then. But, this was Sadie, and she had saved him. She was due some loyalty and affection. He gazed at her knee and her ankle. She wasn't rubbing anything, so he decided that she must not have fallen and hurt herself. The tears must be for some other reason. He continued on in his conversational tone, "Bit draughty up 'ere, don't you think? Didja have breakfast?" She shook her head no. "Bet some hot cocoa'd do you good. You wanna come down?"She made no response. Liam stood and offered her his hand. He thought she might be reluctant to take his hand, as Lara was. Sadie, though, quickly took his hand and clutched it tightly. He pulled her to his feet. She seemed flustered now, as well as upset. He let go of her hand, and they walked together to the steps.Sadie still had said nothing. Liam fished around for something to say. "This school magic, it's weird, you know? A bunch of note-taking and big mouthfuls of stuff to say. That's not what magic is to me. Magic is here . . . ." He pointed to his chest. " . . . and here," indicating his left hand. "Not in some stupid book."Finally, she smiled. Her voice wasn't high and squeaky like it had been before, but low and rough. "I happen to agree with you. But, most Ravenclaws would be appalled by talk like that. 'Magic has to be in books! How ever are we to learn it, otherwise?'" Liam laughed. Sadie's face brightened, and her voice gained some strength. "You're right. Magic comes from your heart, from the earth, and from the air around us, not from any book. That's what my Shaman taught me.""You've really been to America?""Yes! I spent two years there."They were at the bottom of the stairs now. Sadie held back, hidden from the hall by the alcove. Her moment of happiness suddenly faded. "They hate me, you know.""Who hates you?""Everyone. Most everyone, anyway.""Come on, you don't know that many people. They can't all hate you.""You're the only person who'll speak to me right now." She brushed a tear out of her eye."Are people teasing you? Some of the lads were teasing little Philip 'til I put a stop to it.""Maybe I should have been a Hufflepuff," she said, wistfully. With a bite of anger in her voice, she added, "Ravenclaws are supposed to be smart! But they're so utterly conventional! They don't have an original thought in their heads, the lot of them!" She crossed her arms tight over her chest. "They certainly didn't like me stalling the other day until you got back to class. Calliope wanted to stick it to you after you showed her up in Potions and Herbology, but I fouled that up. So, now she's mad at me. I yelled at Ronald for getting water over everything during Potions lab, so he and his friends avoid me now. And, I might add, there are certain Hufflepuffs that don't like that you talk to me, either.""None of my mates are giving you trouble, are they?""No, none of your mates are giving me trouble," she answered, bitterly.It's the girls, then, he thought, remembering their angry glares the previous day. "You going to breakfast?"She nodded. "I need to wash my face first. Go on ahead. I'll see you later, okay?"He nodded and went on his way without a look back. But her sad eyes and ragged voice stayed in his thoughts the rest of the day. Saturday evening, Liam sat with his friends in the common room after a long day of wandering the grounds. Stephanie and Monique came up to them, both looking smug. "Are you four ever going to do your homework?" asked Stephanie tartly."I hope you're not expecting to copy from us," added Monique.Cheryl, who was sitting nearby, looked over reprovingly at them. "You boys haven't done your homework yet?""There's not much," said Liam. "Just a spot of note-taking for Charms and 'Fig.""Don't forget the reading for History of Magic," snapped Stephanie, "and the assignment in Potions that was assigned on Thursday that I doubt very much if you have even started."Cheryl was appalled. "You boys have an assignment from Thursday that you haven't even started yet? Get your books this instant! You better have half of that work done before you go to bed. And, you shan't take a single step out doors tomorrow until the lot is done. Do you understand? Now get cracking!" As the four boys got up, she added, "Randal has got to keep better tabs on you."As the four boys hurried to their dormitory, Michael said, "There's our loyal Hufflepuff sisters for us.""They just don't want us to get in trouble with the teachers," reasoned Philip."But, what is the point of us all doing the same assignments?" argued Michael. "We ought to spread it 'round a bit. Be more efficient that way.""How are we supposed to pass all our tests if we only did some of the assignments?" answered Philip."You're sounding like a Ravenclaw, there," said Michael darkly."You can reform the education system later," said Liam. "Let's get this work done tonight, so we can have a day tomorrow."Liam grabbed his History of Magic text and started reading about the first Wizarding communities, and Melkor, who became the first Dark Lord. It was slow going at first, for the text was stilted and full of names. A few pages in, however, his mind seemed to make some sort of adjustment and it started coming easier. He wrote some notes on the passages and then moved on to Potions. Since it was Saturday night, they were allowed to stay up until nine o'clock (not sent to bed at 8:30 as was usual). By that time, the boys had finished most of the work they had to do. Cheryl reviewed their progress before they left the common room, and they assured her that what they had left, they would finish right after breakfast in the morning.It took less than an hour Sunday morning after breakfast to finish their homework. The boys enjoyed another fine Autumn day roaming the grounds. It was cloudy overhead, and the wind whipped the leaves along the stone pathways. Still, it wasn’t raining, and the boys could yell and run around without bothering anyone.< /p>
After dinner, Randal made them take another shower. As Liam came into the common room afterwards, he found Lara and the other girls sitting in a corner gossiping. They stopped talking immediately when he walked up to him."Did you finally get all the homework done?" asked Stephanie, tartly."We managed just fine." Learning on the back of Monique's chair and staring right at Lara, he said "Hey, you know Sadie Thompson, from Ravenclaw?""Yes," hissed Lara. Liam turned away from her furious glare and made the rest of his entreaty to Stacy."She saved my arse the other day. Now, I'm not saying that you have to be her friend, but please, don't give her a hard time."Stephanie asked, "Do you like her, Liam?"As young as he was, Liam could still sense that this was a trap. He dodged it as best that he could. "She stuck her neck out for me. I'm just returning the favour.""The loyal Hufflepuff, in other words," said Stacy. The girls debated this request silently amongst the four of them. Liam watched their eyes dart from one to the other, but their subtle signs were an enigma to him. When the decision was made, it was Stacy once more who spoke. "We'll be civil to her," she said."That's all I'm asking," said Liam, and he left to join his mates who were gathered in another corner of the room.That night, Liam and the other First Years went to bed early and without complaint. It had been a full weekend, and they were all tired. Monday morning came quickly. Liam and the other boys dressed early. To save a trip, they brought their book bags with them to breakfast. As they sat, the owl post came. A great flock of owls entered the hall, bringing letters. Some owls stayed only for a moment, to pick up a scrap of bacon before heading up to the Owlry. Others stayed a while at the tables, enjoying the company of their owners.To Liam's delight, the barn owl he had sent off Saturday morning had returned, and he carried with him not one, but three letters for Liam. His mother wrote that she was glad to hear that he was enjoying the food. She had been worried that he wasn't getting enough to eat. Uncle Charlie was interested to know what he thought of the instructors. "The one's I had in school were all old and cruel," he wrote. "I hope you're faring better in that department."Liam smiled, imagining what Uncle Charlie would think of Professor Meadows.Finally, there was a short note from Patrick, in his rough, block style scrawl, demanding to be taught everything Liam learned, so that when Patrick goes to Hogwarts, he will be tops in his class. Liam showed the note to Michael, who remarked, "Sounding like a Slytherin right there."Liam's happy feeling carried through the morning's first lesson, though all Gregor did was lecture them and give more homework. Right after class, the boys headed for the alcove on the fourth floor to wait with the others for the start of Charms.As they waited, leaning against the wall, Cyrus Kane came by with another of the Slytherin boys. He called out to Liam, "Did you forget your wand again today, Wren? God, you're such a joke."Liam did in fact have his wand with him, but he didn't draw it. Instead, he snapped back in a loud voice, "You know the difference between us, Kane? I don't need a wand to do magic, but you can't do magic even with your fancy wand!""Oh yeah?" said Kane, his face an angry sneer. He drew his wand with a flourish.
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A hushed excitement filled the corridor as the boys from all four houses formed a ring around Liam and Cyrus. Liam slowly eased his bag of books down onto the floor without taking his eyes off his opponent. He didn't draw his wand. Instead, he stretched out his bare left hand. He could feel the magic crackling between him and Cyrus' wand. He didn't feel cowed by it this time, only a tense eagerness as he waited for Cyrus to make the first move.The two boys eyed each other silently. Paul, one of the Gryffindor boys, called out, "Well, get on with it."Immediately, Cyrus pointed his wand at Liam and called out, "Aquamento!" The boys all laughed, as absolutely nothing happened. "Aquamenti!" he cried, but again, there was only laughter."I don't think you have that quite right, Cyrus," called another of the boys."Wingardium Leviosa!"This one had Liam worried enough that he pushed out with his left hand, sending a wave of magic towards Cyrus, knocking him off balance and turning his swish into a slash. The spell ruffled the hem of Liam's robes, but that was all."Expelliarmus!"This spell hit Liam square in the chest, forcing him back a step and unfastening two of the buttons on his shirt. (Hexwood's wand, incidentally, stayed safe and dormant in his belt.)"All right," said Liam. "Now it's my turn."He stretched out his left hand, and again, he felt the crackle of energy between him and Cyrus' wand. Liam raised his hand suddenly, and across from him, Cyrus's hand was forced upwards also. To gales of laughter from the other boys, Liam forced Cyrus', stumbling, clinging desperately to his wand, first to his left and then to his right. Liam squared the other boy up, so the two were eye to eye again. Cyrus clutched his wand with both hands, but it was to no avail. Liam made a sharp jerk with his hand, and the wand flew out of Cyrus' grasp and into Liam's.The boys cheered, and Paul shouted, "Hufflepuff 1, Slytherin Nil!""No!" cried Michael, "That's twice he's done that!"Suddenly, over the ring of boys loomed Professor Gregor. His dark eyes burned with anger. "Give him back his wand this instant!" Liam held out the wand, and Cyrus snatched it from him. "I believe the Headmistress has warned you about fighting in the hallways. You will serve detention with me this evening. Come to my office straight after supper." Cyrus had a gleeful look of triumph on his face, but it was quickly wiped away by Gregor's next words. "Both of you."Gregor swept away back towards his class, and the two boys separated. Philip was wide-eyed. "Detention," he said, forlornly.Liam shrugged. "Least I didn't lose House Points," he said with a wry grin. "We didn't have that much to begin with."Lara stormed up to him, her face red, and slapped him hard across the chest. "You fool!" she yelled. "You could have been expelled!""They don't expel you for your first fight," said Michael crossly. "Lay off him."Stacy was right behind Lara, looking wise and smug. "You might want to button your shirt, Wren.""Thanks," said Liam. He fixed his shirt and picked up his bag. The other students were filing into Charms. The girls turned and walked away, towards the open door. Lara's angry words, though, had stung Liam worse than anything that Cyrus had said or done. He turned to Philip and said, "See? She hates me."Philip shook his head. "She was worried about you!" he said. "She didn't want you to get hurt! She didn't want you to get in trouble!"Paul from Gryffindor had hung back. "When was the first time you fought Kane?""On the train on the way up," Liam answered."Beat him the same way, too," added Michael. "Ripped the wand right out of his hand.""Wicked," said Paul. "Never seen anyone fight like that."The boys hurried to class, getting to their seats just as Flitwick was climbing his pedestal.Liam took notes as best that he could, given his excited and distracted state. When it was time to practice the spell of the day, he found Hexwood's wand to be particularly unresponsive. It was some consolation to him that, across the room, Cyrus seemed to be having the same problems.Sadie had looked over at him during class, worried and curious. She was too shy to come over to him, which was fine by Liam. He gave her a calm, unconcerned look, and went back to trying force magic out of the stubborn wand.The other Slytherins had suddenly taken an interest in him, also. As class was wrapping up, Liam noticed Vanessa Ables huddling with Gordon Sumner and another Slytherin boy, Umberto Calais. All three gazed in Liam's direction. He met their stares with one of his own, and tried to judge their mood. He expected them to be angry with him, but they didn't seem to be. In fact, if he let himself believe it, they looked impressed, perhaps even pleased.As for casting magic with Hexwood's wand, Liam didn't fare any better in Transfiguration. The class's first assignment was turning porcupine quills into sewing needles. On Friday, they had taken a long series of complicated notes, and today, they were making their first attempt at transfiguring their quills. By the end of the period, very few students had made much progress. Lara's quill was still brown, but it now had an eye. Philip's was looking glossy, as if it were starting to turn to steel. Liam's was still very much a quill. Nothing at all seemed to be coming out from his wand, from either hand.As Professor Meadows dismissed the class, she called out, "Liam Wren, please come and see me."Michael and Philip hung back, but Liam shook his head. "Go on," he told them. "I'll see you at lunch."He turned to face the Professor, and it pained him to see the look of disappointment in her eyes. "I received a note from Professor Gregor earlier. Apparently, you and Cyrus Kane were fighting today?"All his arguments and rebuttals were swallowed up by her blue eyes. "I'm sorry, Professor," he said softly."You are going to serve detention tonight, is that right?" Liam nodded. "You are fortunate. He was quite lenient with you. Next time, if there is a next time, expect him to be more severe.""Yes 'm.""I'll be sending a letter home to your parents tonight, but I'll want to hear from some of the other students first, to get a clearer picture of what happened." Liam nodded. Finally, she gave a small smile. "On you go, now. Get some lunch." All the way to Astronomy class in the North Tower, there were whispers in the hallway."How can he do magic without a wand?""I've seen my House-elf do stuff like that."Calliope's voice cut through the noise of the crowd. "It's just Juvenile Magic. It's not as powerful or as potent as Formal Magic.""Seemed potent enough back there," said Ronald, one of Ravenclaw boys."He couldn't do that to a trained wizard," she argued."Shall I give her what for?" asked Michael."Let it go," said Liam. He added softly, "She's gonna write me mum.""Who?""Meadows.""Your mum going to be mad?""Don't know. Didn't get in fights much in grade school. But, she'll know I didn't start it.""Least she's not a witch," said Michael. "If I get in trouble, my grand-mum'll send me a howler.""Oh, those are bad," said Philip. "They blow up and make a terrible racket."The best thing that could be said about Astronomy was that it didn't involve any wand work. Otherwise, it was another lecture with more note-taking, and a spot of homework. There was no notion amongst the boys that they ought to waste the afternoon this time. With Liam facing detention in the evening, he knew he'd better get his homework done before dinner. The other three boys set up shop around him and got straight to work. A few Fifth Years joined them, with stacks of books and yards of parchment to write on. As the other students came in through the door and crossed the common room on their way to the dormitories, they kept quiet. When Liam next looked up, he noticed that the room had filled with people working steadily, including Lara and the other girls.By quarter 'til six, the boys had finished their work. They put away their books and washed their hands. Other students were getting ready to go to dinner as well, but the Fifth Years stayed where they were. Liam heard one ask Archie, "Grab us a plate of something, would you mind?""It's O.W.L. year for them," Archie explained as they walked up the steps together. "Toughest year by far."While at dinner, Liam sat in a spot at which he could see Cyrus, sitting at the Slytherin table. At six thirty, he watched Professor Gregor rise from his seat at the staff table and cross the Hall to where Cyrus sat. As the pair made their way to the door, Liam rose and joined them. Gregor gave Liam a curt nod, but said nothing.Professor Gregor had a long stride, but he slowed his gait purposefully so that the young boys could keep up. As he led them up the stairs, he spoke to Cyrus in a voice that was clear and deep."There are points to being a Slytherin, Kane, that you have yet to grasp. The Slytherin watches his opponent, learns his weaknesses, and strikes only when he is sure he has the advantage. Observation also gives you the opportunity to learn from the mistakes of others. In this, you could follow the example of Calais." Cyrus gave a soft, offended huff, which Gregor ignored. "Umberto is always watching - there is little that goes on in the Common Room that escapes his attention, and everything he learns, he is teaching to Sumner."Cyrus gave another huff, and this time, Gregor looked sternly down at him. "Because you do not observe, you are having to learn everything the hard way. One of the things that you had better learn is that there is more to Muggleborns than you were taught to believe. Had Wren here been raised in a Magical Household, his aptitude for magic would have been molded into traditional forms. Thus, you would have a pretty good idea, going in to a duel, what he might be capable of."Instead, Wren was raised in isolation from the rest of us, and the magical forms that he developed are unique to himself. In two skirmishes, you have yet to find a suitable counter for them. And, I doubt very much that he has shown you all that he can do."You simply must stop challenging him."All the while that he spoke, they had been climbing stairs. Now they turned off the stairwell onto the fifth floor. Gregor led them to a locked door, to which he drew out a large iron key. The door led to a small foyer with a few wooden chairs. Beyond it was another door, which was open, leading to the professor’s office. There was a great oak desk, a bookshelf full of odd-sized books, and a large window. Gregor’s office enjoyed a long vista of the forest and the lake, but it was dark, and the boys could see nothing of it. Gregor didn't offer them a seat. He leaned against the oak desk and faced them."Wren, give me a reason why we prohibit fighting in the hallways.""You want to keep us safe," answered Liam promptly."Exactly. You are our charges, our wards. Your parents are trusting us to keep you safe from the dangers inherent in the magical world. And to that trust, we are committed."There are consequences of violence that even you can foresee - that one or both of you could get badly hurt, or that a bystander, one of your friends, could be hurt as well."But, there is a danger here that neither of you have foreseen, and it has everything to do with this wand of Kane’s. I voiced my reservations to his father the moment I knew of the thing. It is not a student's wand."Cyrus began to argue, "But the wand . . .""The wand chooses the wizard?" snapped Professor Gregor, silencing the boy with a furious glare. "And so it does. Yet, it is the shopkeeper who chooses the buyer, and few could have afforded such a wand. Fewer still with the arrogance to buy it for his son!"This wand, with its mix of powerful and exotic elements, has proven difficult for you to master. You have muddled things further by losing, not just one, but two duels with it!"Turning sharply to Liam, he said, "One thing is clear to me - you must not handle this wand again. It is not just Kane's magical development that has been disrupted by all this. The fact that you have touched Kane's wand, not just physically, but with your magic, has disrupted your affinity with your own wand."Forgetting to bring it with you to class - I took that as an ominous sign. Professor Flitwick has observed you struggling in Charms with spells, switching your wand from hand to hand. So has Professor Meadows. You will never master Formal Magic until you learn to use your wand properly. And you will never master your own wand if you continue to meddle with Kane's."The solution to this is simple: I forbid both of you from dueling each other, in any circumstance, for the rest of the year. In fact, I will go one step farther - you two are forbidden from dueling anyone, even in the dueling club, until the beginning of your Second Year."Have I made myself clear?"Cyrus had a shocked, wide-eyed expression on his face, as if he had never been spoken to so harshly by anyone before. Liam chimed in with a prompt, "Yes, sir," then watched as Cyrus blushed, lowered his eyes, and mumbled the same."Come," said the Professor, "we have a long week ahead of us."In silence, Gregor led the boys back down the stairs to the main level. There, he bid Liam farewell. "Your common room is not far from this spot. Go directly there. I want you well rested for tomorrow's classes.""Yes sir." Liam continued alone down the rest of the steps to the hallway where the barrels and the door to the Badger's Den lay.On the other side, he was greeted first by Randal, and then by Michael and Philip. They each said much the same thing. "He didn't keep you that long.""He just talked to us," said Liam."Told you," said Michael. "Nobody gets expelled for his first fight." Liam spent the rest of the night in the warm and cozy common room, talking quietly to his friends. The girls were huddled in a circle nearby, and every so often Liam would look over and try to catch Lara's eye, but she assiduously avoided him. At quarter til nine, Randal rounded them up and sent them all to bed.That night, the dream returned. The deck of the boat rolled with the sea. Dread filled Liam's chest as the bird, black against the pre-dawn sky, drew ever closer.Except, it wasn't a bird. It was a dragon!
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The dragon circled the ship in a wide arc, like a vulture hovering over a dead thing. Her wings were black and bat-like, but her scales, which from a distance looked black, were now clearly bright red. Slowly she lowered, and dropped to the deck like a gigantic bird.She had a high crest on the top of her head, but otherwise, her red coat was smooth and unadorned. Her limbs, hands and body were thin and delicate. From the tip of her nose to the sharp, poisoned point of her tail, she was not more than twelve feet long.She stared at Liam with her bright eyes, yellow like two tongues of fire. Her mouth opened, showing of an impressive pair of fangs, and her voice, shaking with rage and hatred, turned his blood to ice."Wizard . . . " she hissed. "Where are the egg theives?" Liam awoke with a start. His nightshirt was soaked with sweat, and he was breathing heavily. He checked his clock. It was just after midnight. The dormitory was dark and quiet. The only light was the flickering candle by Philip's bedside.What the Bloody Hell was all that? he wondered.He got up and changed his nightshirt, then walked down to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face. The warm, peaceful comfort of the Badger's Den slowly calmed him.Back in his bed, he wondered more about the dream. His mind was full of questions that he couldn't answer. He had never seen a dragon before, nor was this from any movie or book that he had ever seen or read. Where was this boat anyway? And what was that bit about egg thieves? Dragons, to Liam's mind, should be the size of whales or dinosaurs. This one seemed small, somehow. Twelve feet wasn't very long, and a quarter of that was her tail. Though fearsome with her poisoned tail and fangs, she had also seemed vulnerable, almost fragile.How did he know the fangs were poisonous? Why was he so certain the dragon was female? He couldn't say. He only knew that they were, and she was."How did all this get in my head?" he murmured aloud. In the darkness, there was no answer.He slept fitfully the rest of the night. The dragon did not trouble his sleep again, but in the morning, the memory of her voice made him shiver. He woke early and showered. When he came back to the dormitory, in his robe, still rubbing dry his hair, the other boys were just rising. Liam came to Philip and said, "You know much about dragons?""Sure," said Philip. "We learned about them in grade school.""You wouldn't have a book on them, would you?""I do have a book," said Philip, "a big one with pictures. I read it every day when I was younger. It's at home, though. I could send an owl for it.""Would you?" asked Liam. "You wouldn't mind?""Of course not. Curious, are you now?" continued Philip, as he started getting dressed. "I can't imagine not learning about dragons when I was a boy. I loved looking at the pictures and reading the words, even if I couldn't understand half of what I read.""I could take you up to the Owlry," said Liam."No need," said Philip. "I'll get Owl Post this morning, and I'll just tell the owl to bring the book next time."At the breakfast table, Philip gave his owl instructions to get his book on dragons from the bookshelf in his bedroom. The boys then went to History of Magic. This time, they did not go back to the common room, nor did they bring their Potions supplies with them. They decided to retrieve them after their first class ended.Binns' lecture was as dull as ever, but Liam took the opportunity to get ahead in the reading. He even took some notes on what he read, anticipating the next assignment. Philip followed his example, but Michael and Fortney did not. Instead, Fortney had in his lap a pack of wizard cards, and the two boys were playing some sort of game with them.Liam was desperately looking forward to his next two classes, Potions and Herbology, neither of which involved wand work. There were easy parallels for these subjects in his earlier life - he had shown, as a child, aptitude for both cooking and gardening.Watching the cauldron boil, taking in the different fumes, concocting his first successful potion, the whole hour was greatly satisfying for him. After lunch having cool, moist soil between his fingers was equally soothing to him. He was at last able to put aside the troubling dream, and his struggles with his wand.As much as he enjoyed the meals at Hogwarts, he missed being part of the food preparation. Calliope had hinted earlier that elves did the cooking, here, and that it wasn't something wizards should half to bother with. Truth be told, Liam would have gladly given up a chapter of reading and note-taking to go into the kitchens and help with the cooking.Philip's owl returned Wednesday afternoon, carrying the book in a leather pouch. It was a hardcover edition of Dragons of Northern Europe, and, as Philip had promised, it was full of illustrations. That evening, after his homework was done, Liam curled up in his squashy chair to read it.He had not told his friends about the dream. He didn't want them to think he was crazy, nor did he want to be sent to some sort of counselor or psychologist. If he learned something that helped him understand his dream, then maybe he would say something about it. Otherwise, he planned to keep quiet.Deep in his gut was the feeling that the dragon he was looking for was the same kind that was in Cyrus' wand. The dreams had come on the two nights after he had dueled Cyrus and disarmed him. To be sure, Liam needed to find out all he could about "Madagascan Red" dragons. Were they as small and poisonous as the dragon in his dream?Liam thumbed through the pages, looking mostly at the pictures. He was about half way through the book before he thought to check the Table of Contents. To his disappointment, there was no mention of a "Madagascan Red" dragon. He continued on, looking for a dragon in the book that resembled the one in his dream. Proving his hunch wrong was, at this point, just as good as proving it right.One by one, the dragons went by: Hebridean Blacks, Hungarian Horntails, Norwegian Ridgebacks, Romanian Longhorns, Swedish Short-Snouts, Ukrainian Ironbellys, Welsh Greens. All of them were so much larger and more powerful looking than the delicate red dragon of the dream. They all spouted fire, too, like the dragons in fairy tales. None had poisonous fangs, and none of them, apparently, could talk (except for Welsh Greens, but they only spoke Welsh, and sometimes Gaelic.)Liam had extra time to read that evening, because this was the night of the Astronomy Lab. Randal was going to walk the eight Hufflepuff First Years to their class, and Cheryl would pick them up right afterwards. The girls had gone to the dormitories to wait, but Liam and the other boys waited in the common room. Michael and Fortney continued their game with the wizard cards, while Philip fell asleep with his Transfiguration book open on his lap.At ten fifteen, Randal woke Philip and sent the boys to their dormitory to get ready for class. "Dress warm," he told them. "Bring your telescopes and star charts." The boys quickly pulled on sweaters and cloaks, grabbed their supplies and went back to the common room. At ten thirty, Cheryl brought the girls out from their dormitories, dressed in hats and their warmest cloaks. Randal led the eight of them out of the Den and up the stairs to the Astronomy Tower.It was a clear night, but bitterly cold. With gloves on, it was hard to make the precise adjustments to his telescope, so Liam went without, though his hands ached and his muscles were tight. When not writing things down or adjusting his view, Liam kept his hands in his pocket. Professor Sinistra moved between them, assisting, speaking to all of them in a clear voice which carried all along the stone parapet.A few stations over, Liam could see Lara shivering. He wanted to cast his warming spell on her, but she was too far away.Cheryl came promptly at twelve to collect them, and the Second Years took their place at the top of the tower. Back in the Den, they shed their cloaks and got into bed straight away. Liam left his telescope and notes on top of his trunk.He slept soundly, and the dragon did not trouble his dreams at all, but morning came far too quickly. Randal roused them up at their usual hour. Liam dressed again, grabbed his book and notes for History, and headed up to the Great Hall for breakfast.History of Magic was probably the worst class to be taking on the morning after a night on the Astronomy Tower. Liam could neither read nor follow the lecture. Binns droned on in his monotone, oblivious to the tired eyes before him. Finally, Liam gave up. He put away his ink bottle, laid his head on the desk and fell asleep.Suddenly, the dreadful voice was in his ear again. "WIZARD! WHERE ARE THE EGG THEIVES?" Liam awoke with a start. Binns was still droning on and on. The rest of the class was still in their early morning stupor. No one else seemed to have heard anything, but there was no doubt that the dragon had spoken. It sounded like she was right behind him.He turned his head and found himself staring straight into the eyes of Cyrus Kane. The small boy quickly put on a proud, haughty face, then pretended to take some notes. Liam gave the other boy a hard, angry stare. Cyrus had definitely not been sitting there at the beginning of the lecture. He had moved up to cause some mischief. Not something direct, that would get him in trouble with Professor Gregor. Something subtle, deniable.When Liam had turned his head, Michael looked back, too. Now, Michael drew his wand while Liam quickly checked his bag. There was nothing amiss. Liam had awoken just in time.There was no doubt in Liam's mind what had happened. When Cyrus had drawn his wand to cast a spell, the wand woke Liam up.The lecture ended, and students started getting up out of their seats. Cyrus got up to leave, too, but as he pulled his bag off the floor, Liam grabbed it. Michael closed in on his other side, his wand still drawn. "What were you doing sneaking up on me like that!" said Liam angrily."Nothing!" snapped Cyrus, though he was clearly afraid now. Professor Binns didn't seem to notice what was going on, and no one else was rushing to Cyrus' aid. "I just wanted to hear the lecture better.""Liar!" said Michael. "What were you trying to do?""Nothing!"Still clutching Cyrus's bag, Liam asked, "Do you ever dream of dragons, Cyrus?"The question caught both Michael and Cyrus off guard. "Sure," said Cyrus, boastfully. "All the time. Big black ones with red eyes that shoot fire.""How 'bout little red ones?""Sure, and white ones too, with big blue eyes!""Do they ever talk to you?" asked Liam, casually."Dragons can't talk, you fool!"Michael looked ready to strike, but Liam shrugged off the insult. "That's right, I'm Muggleborn. What do I know?" He let go of the bag, and Cyrus rushed off."What the Bloody Hell was that all about?" asked Michael."I'll tell you later," said Liam. "In the Common Room." Liam realized then that he couldn't go on this alone. If he was going to figure out the mysterious dream, he would need some help. He would have to trust that his Hufflepuff friends would stick with him. He needn't have worried. That afternoon, in the dormitory before dinner, he told Philip and Michael everything - his dream and his suspicions about why it was happening."Cyrus is wrong about one thing," said Philip. "Dragons can talk. Some of the breeds still can, anyway.""And if Cyrus dreams of dragons, I'm a House Elf," added Michael, angrily. "He's the worst liar I've ever seen.""The dream could be a prophesy," continued Philip. "You could be seeing something that will happen to you in your future!"Michael said, "Weirdest thing I've ever heard of."Philip asked, "Did you find your dragon in my book?"Liam shook his head. "I've got a feeling in my gut that it's the same dragon that's in Cyrus' wand - a Madagascan Red.""That's a very obscure breed. I don't know anything about it. Do you, Mike?" Michael shook his head. "Then, at the risk of sounding like a Ravenclaw," said Philip with a sly look on his face, "I say our next move is to go to the library." At the same moment, in another part of the castle, the Slytherin First Years gathered. Cyrus Kane found himself in a tight circle, surrounded by angry faces . . .
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The Halls of the Serpent were wide and deep, and full of rooms. Unlike the other Houses, which had dormitories surrounding a common room, the Halls contained its own library and many lofts and salons where small groups could meet in relative privacy. There was a small study in particular where Cyrus Kane and his friend Spencer Osgood liked to gather. The two boys were roughly the same height. Cyrus’ hair was white blond, while Spencer’s was chestnut. Spencer wore glasses, though some had suggested he wore them just to make himself look smart and mature.It was here in the study that Morwena Felwich and the others found them.Though Vanessa was, on account of her beauty, the favourite of the male students, Morwena was the leader of the First Year Slytherin girls. With her sharp mind and excellent spell work, Morwena would soon command respect even amongst the older students. She had long dark brown hair. Her heavy eyebrows gave her a brooding, cross look.Beside her was Tess, another brunette. Tess was pretty and popular. She came from a well-connected family. Pauline, a pretty girl with dark blond hair and green eyes, stood beside Tess. Pauline’s mother was French, and it was said that she had gone to Beauxbatons. Next to Morwena was tall, imposing Rhiannon with her freckled face and curly orange hair.When he saw the four girls, Cyrus and Spencer got up to leave, but Umberto, Gordon and Vanessa came from another direction, cutting off his escape route. Vanessa spent more time with Umberto and Gordon than she did with the four other girls, who tended to exclude her. Gordon, who had sandy blond hair and piercing blue eyes, was the tallest of the group. He was friends with Umberto, while Spencer, had paired with Cyrus early."There you are, Cyrus," said Umberto in an offhand way that belied his stern face. "We'd like to have a word with you."The First Years made a tight circle around Cyrus and Spencer. "What were you doing with that Hufflepuff boy, today?" hissed Morwena. "You were told to stay away from him!""I didn't do anything!" snapped Cyrus."Only because he woke up!" shouted Tess."Did you really think you could get away with it?" asked Morwena coldly. "That there wasn't anyone in that room that wouldn't have ratted you out?""I didn't do anything," said Cyrus again, a little more meekly this time."Keep it that way," snapped Morwena. She and Tess stormed off to the dormitories. Pauline and Rhiannon followed. Vanessa remained, along with the four Slytherin boys - Cyrus, Spencer, Gordon and Umberto.Cyrus looked again like he wished to move to another room, but Gordon held his arm. "We're not done," he said coldly."Get your hands off me, Mudblood!""Now, Cyrus, let's not get nasty," said Umberto smoothly. "We are, after all, on the same side."This comment elicited a shriek of laughter from Vanessa. Gordon let go of Cyrus arm, but Umberto approached from the other side and put his hand gently on Cyrus' shoulder. "You had an exchange with Wren there at the end of the period. I'm curious to know what he said to you.""It was just crazy talk," said Cyrus. "Stuff about dragons.""What, exactly, did he say?""I told you. Crazy stuff. He asked me if dragons were talking to me. I made up some stuff to tell him, but he kept at it. Even Bendrix thought Wren was off his rocker."Umberto's brow was furrowed in concentration. "Did Wren mention a specific type of dragon?"Cyrus let out a snort of disgust. "He didn't name any breeds, if that's what you're asking. He doesn't have the lore for that.""What exactly did he say?" repeated Umberto sternly.The command had the force of magic behind it. Cyrus seemed to shake it off, but then meekly answered. "Red ones. He said little red ones.Umberto fell silent and for a moment seemed lost in thought. The attention of the boys began to wane. There did not seem to be any great revelation here, and no advantage to be gained by lingering over the incident further.Spencer patted Cyrus on the back and said, "Wren was just messing with you, Cy. Forget about it."Umberto looked up from his musings and said, "I wholeheartedly agree." He stepped aside to allow Cyrus a path to escape. Cyrus and Spencer hurried on their way.Gordon stood by his friend. He knew by now that there was a purpose to Umberto's questions, even if he, Gordon, could not see the point of it at all. Vanessa sat down in a nearby chair, and began to brush her hair in a slow, languid motion. As soon as Cyrus was out of hearing, she sneered, "Since when does a Hufflepuff mess with the head of a Slytherin?"Umberto smiled, and the two were now sure that his response to Spencer had been a ruse. "It does sound unlikely, doesn't it? That Wren, who can't even come up with a decent lie to cover an embarrassing mistake, could invent something this elaborate? And why? To upset Cyrus?"He leaned against the stone walls and looked both ways for eavesdroppers before continuing. "So, why is he doing it?""He wants to learn about dragons," answered Gordon."Maybe, but unlike some people at this school, Liam Wren has friends. Bendrix doesn't have much upstairs, but little Philip is quite smart. Why not ask him?""Or the little Ravenclaw witch," added Vanessa viciously, "who's just waiting to pour her heart out to the boy.""Yes," agreed Umberto, "Sadie. Perhaps he has already approached one or both of these friends with his questions. Why also question Cyrus? His only enemy?""You're forgetting Calliope," said Vanessa, idly. "She hates Wren, too."The boys ignored this comment. Gordon was still struggling to find Umberto's purpose. "Because . . ." Gordon faltered, but Umberto signaled for him to continue, " . . . because it was a question only Cyrus could answer.""And what is that question?"Vanessa let out a derisive laugh. "Are the dragons talking to Cyrus? Little Philip couldn't very well answer that question, now could he?""Correct." There was an eagerness in Umberto's voice as he peeled back the layers of the onion for his friends. "So, are the dragons talking to Cyrus?""No," said Gordon. "He said he was just making things up to tell Wren off the top of his head."Umberto nodded. "Are the dragons talking to Wren?""They must be," said Gordon. "Why else would he ask?""Exactly. For some reason, he must have thought that the dragons might also be talking to Cyrus. Wren took the first opportunity he had to find out.""I still don't get it," said Vanessa."What type of dragons are talking to Wren?" asked Umberto fervently. His eyes were wide as he drew his friends towards the revelation. "What type of dragon did Wren explicitly mention?""Little red ones," said Gordon.And then, they had it. Umberto smiled broadly as the picture formed in the heads of the other two. Gordon gasped, and Vanessa whispered, "Oh my God.""How many times did we hear Kane say it on the train, and on his first few days here?" asked Umberto. "'The heartstring of a Madagascan Red!' Such a rare breed that I had to look it up!"Gordon asked, "How is this even possible?"Umberto shrugged. "It's not important that we know how or why." He gazed down the hallway towards the girl's dormitory. "Let Morwena tell Professor Gregor about the confrontation between Liam and Cyrus. This is the information that we will bring him." Saturday morning straight after breakfast, Liam, Philip and Michael headed to the library. This was one of the largest rooms of the castle. There were shelves upon shelves of books, large wooden tables where students could work, and private rooms which could be reserved in advance for meetings and study groups. Madam Irma Pince was still the head librarian, and she had a half-dozen students working different shifts as assistants.Liam gazed across the crowded yet silent room. Though the majority of the students present were Ravenclaws, there were students here from every House. They all looked very busy. Behind them were the great stacks. "Bloody haystack, isn't it?" he muttered.Just then, Lucida Guishar came up to them, wearing her silver "P" pin next to her Ravenclaw badge. "Do you boys need any help?"Liam said, "No," but Philip said, "Yes please!"Lucida raised her eyebrows at them. "Um, I'm looking up information on dragons," said Liam, reluctantly."Didn't get dragon lore in school, see," added Michael."Follow me. I'll get you to the right section." She turned and walked quietly between the rows of tables and chairs towards the stacks, and the boys followed her.
When they were past the tables, Lucida reached her arm back and drew Liam beside her. "How's your First Year going?""Fine.""Heard you had detention with Gregor for fighting. You tangled with a Slytherin boy.""Word gets around.""Not that I heard that from Lara, mind you. Stacy told me about your fight. Lara has been strangely silent regarding you. I must say it's quite unusual.""Well, she doesn't seem to have a problem telling me off when she has a mind to.""I think she likes you.""She's got a funny way of showing it."They were deep amongst the stacks now. "Here you are," said Lucida. "This is the section. Is there a specific dragon that you would like to research?""I just want to look around.""Okay," she said. "Let me know if you'd like any more help."After Lucida had walked away, Philip asked, "Why didn't you tell her what we were looking for?""That's Lara's sister," Liam answered. "She's too nosy for her own good. Besides, we got this far. It's got to be in one of these books."Unfortunately, there were two full racks of books on dragons, nearly fifty all told. Philip quickly took The Dragon Encyclopedia off the shelf. Liam and Michael took two books each at random, and the three boys went to find an open table.Most of the tables were full, but they found some space next to two Sixth Year Hufflepuffs. Liam opened his book and began flipping through the pages. Michael and Philip followed suit.Philip was the first to get a hit. "Here we go," he whispered. "Not much there, but it's a start.""Is there a picture?" asked Liam.Philip shook his head. "You want to take a look?" Liam nodded, and Philip pushed the book over to him.The Encyclopedia had only a small entry on Madagascan dragons. The writing, however, was dense and academic. Liam pushed it back to Philip. "I don't know what any of this means."Philip gazed over the paragraph. "It says they're distantly related to Peruvian dragons . . . venomous, rather than fire breathing . . . and, they're sentient. I think that means they can talk."This was too important a point to rely on the hunch of an eleven-year-old boy. Liam turned to the girl sitting next to him and said, "Excuse me, but can you tell me, if an animal is sentient, can it talk?"The girl gave a soft laugh and took a quick look at her companion before answering. "Well, there's more to sentience than just that. But, if a creature is sentient, then yes, it should be able to communicate with others.""Shouldn't call it an animal if it's sentient," said the boy next to her. "It might get offended, see, and call its solicitor."Liam chose to overlook the sly remark. He said, "Thank you," to the girl, and turned back to Philip. "How big are they?"Philip read aloud from the text: "The males can be as much as six meters long.”Liam pursed his lips. "The one I saw was nowhere near six meters." He sighed in frustration. "Are you sure there's no picture?""I'll check the index of illustrations." There were none. Philip looked up Peruvian dragons, but they far larger than the Madagascans. There was an illustration of an Andean, but it lacked the prominent crest on the head that Liam recalled the red dragon having. The boys continued flipping through the other books. Across the library, Gordon sat at a table facing Liam while Umberto sat on the table end, watching the doors. "Hark has the Encyclopedia," said Gordon."Your eyesight's that good?" asked Umberto, impressed."Got even better after I bought my wand.""Good to know. What other books do they have?" Gordon listed them off. Umberto smiled wryly. "Clearly, they didn't ask the Prefect for help.""No sign of Sadie Thompson, either.""She doesn't seem to have joined the team. Too bad for him, that he didn't think to ask her. Too bad, also, that the book they need is still in my bag."Umberto reached into his bag and tucked the book under his arm. He carried it to the front desk and turned it in to Madam Pince. A few minutes later, Bitters, a Fifth Year Slytherin, carried it back to the shelves.Liam, though, never went back to the racks. The three boys stayed for an hour, turning through the five books they had picked, before giving up. The search for the dragon of Liam's dream had hit a standstill.
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Liam had little extra time to pursue the meaning of the dream of the red dragon. It took all his effort and concentration to keep up with his school work.His Formal Magic classes - Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Transfiguration - were all one long struggle for him. As much as he tried, he couldn't seem to form the easy connection with Hexwood's wand that the other students seemed to enjoy with their wands.Though he wanted to do well in all his classes, it particularly galled him to struggle in Transfiguration. This class was taught by Professor Meadows, his Head of House, and he wanted to make her proud of him. Instead, at the start of the fifth class, he was one of only three students that had not made any progress in transfiguring his porcupine quill.Professor Meadows lectured for most of the period. With a few minutes left, Liam was given one more chance to make headway on his project before having to turn it in. Most of the class was now taking their first crack at the next assignment, which was turning a piece of tinfoil into cloth.In Charms, Liam had felt a hint of warmth in the wand, and the spells were starting to come easier for him. But in Transfiguration, he faced the logjam once more. The magic built up in his hand, he could see in his mind the result that he wanted, but the wand simply would not let it happen.As the minutes ticked away, his frustration mounted, until finally, he reached the breaking point. He slammed down his wand and, with an angry scowl, held his bare left hand above the quill. He clenched his fingers as if squeezing an invisible ball. Suddenly, the quill began to blur and shimmer.He pressed on, straining, as the quill lit from within with a silvery white light, like starlight. Sweat formed on his creased brow as he forced the quill, now liquid metal, to take solid form again. As the eye formed in the tip, he let out a great gasp. He raised his hand and let the spell fall away. Exhausted, he slumped in his chair.He was suddenly aware of the fact that the entire room was staring at him. He lowered his eyes, ignoring all of them. Professor Meadows strolled up to him and plucked the steel sewing needle off his desktop."Wren," she said curtly, "you really must learn to control your temper." Then, she was back at her desk, and all Liam had to show for his effort was a small strip of silver laid into the desktop. (He had, apparently, transfigured a small part of it as well.)When the bell rang, Meadows called out, "Study your notes, and be prepared to work on your tinfoil on Wednesday. Class dismissed." As the students began to rise and pack up their things, she added, "Wren, please, stay a moment."Liam had yet to move. He was exhausted from his effort. Michael whispered, a bit too loudly for prudence, "She's not giving you detention for that, is she?"Calliope swept passed his desk with her nose in the air. Right behind her was Sadie, who stopped, her eyes wide, a look of awe on her face. "How did you do that?" she asked."Don't know," he answered, wearily. "I just did it."Sadie hesitated, then stepped aside and let some other students pass. Michael and Philip, too, had hung back. Liam stood up, but found he was still quite tired, and sat back down again.Meadows said, "Would the three of you run along to lunch, please? I would like to speak to Wren privately."Sadie flushed and hurried from the room. Michael and Philip reluctantly followed her. Meadows crossed the room and checked the hall to make sure that they had all really gone, before shutting the door behind her."You have such loyal friends, Liam," she said. "It's a credit to you, how fond of you they have become.""Thank you, Professor."Meadows pulled her chair from behind her desk so that she could sit next to Liam. From a pocket of her cloak, she pulled a pincushion with four pins in it."As you may recall from my first lecture, we use the O.W.L. grading system here at Hogwarts. It is expected that most students will get at least an "Acceptable" on each assignment. Some of the students will receive a score of "Exceeding Expectations" for their work. A very few First Years will receive an 'Outstanding.'"These four are my "Outstanding" sewing needles." She pointed to each in turn. "No Gryffindors amongst this batch. Just one Ravenclaw: Calliope's. Your friend Sadie, hers was still a little brown. Then, my two top Slytherins, Morwena's and Umberto's." She drew the last one from the cushion. "And this one is yours."Liam sat up a little straighter. He wanted to protest that he shouldn't receive a higher score than Sadie or Philip, or anyone else for that matter, but he couldn't find his voice.Meadows turned the pin over, rolling it between her fingers. "It really is remarkable. There's no defects whatsoever. You even have a good 'eye.' That shows attention to detail."What makes this even more amazing is that you performed this transfiguration without using your wand." She gave Liam a warm smile. "We had heard that you could do magic without using your wand, but none of us, the faculty I mean, had ever seen you do it. Now, my question is, why? Why attempt something as difficult as transfiguration without the aid of a wand?"Franz, Professor Gregor, I mean, thinks that your affinity with your wand has been disrupted by the two duels that you've had with Cyrus Kane. My guess, however, is that affinity, the natural relationship every wizard enjoys with his wand, was in your case never there to begin with."Liam shook his head. "I never needed a wand to do magic at home. I always just used my hands."Meadows pointed to the wand that still lay where Liam had slammed it down. "Where did you get that wand, again?""I got it from my uncle.""But, you're Muggleborn.""He's my great, great uncle." Liam recounted the story of Glyn Harkenborough coming to his house."That's where you got that ancient textbook Professor Sprout told me about! We were wondering where it came from. Why didn't you replace these items when you were at Diagon Alley?"Liam looked away from her, to the silver spot on his desktop. "I've got to make the money last. There's not much gold in that bag. Not seven years’ worth. And Patty's right behind me.""Oh, you poor thing." Meadows touched his hand gently. "We're not ever going to throw you out on the street, Liam. You and your brother will have a place here, no matter what."As Professor Gregor has no doubt already told you, you will not advance in Formal Magic without proper wand work. Perhaps this assignment has shown you the reason why this is true. You completed this assignment superbly, but it pushed you to the brink of exhaustion to do it."A wand, Liam, takes your natural magical abilities, gives them focus, and amplifies them with its own powerful magical substances. That amplification is typically tenfold what you could do on your own. With some wands, it's even more."We wizards have a saying which I'm sure you've heard by now: The wand chooses the wizard. Your trouble with Formal Magic, Liam, stems from the fact that this wand didn't choose you. It chose your uncle long ago, but it didn't choose you. Before next fall at the very latest, you must go and get another wand.""But the money!" Liam protested. "Wands are expensive, aren't they?""Yes, they can be." She touched his hand again. "Let us worry about the tuition and all that. You need to focus on becoming the best wizard that you can be. And that means, getting a new wand."I realize that you can't simply skip off to Diagon Alley this coming weekend. But over winter break, or at least, over the summer, you must make the trip.""Okay," he said softly. "I promise.""Come on, now. Let's get some lunch." She rose, and Liam gathered up his things, including his wand. The two of them walked down the stairs to the Great Hall together.As they walked, Meadows said, "I had a very nice chat with your mother the other day.""You did?" asked Liam. "When?""After your little tussle with Cyrus Kane. Typically, with that sort of thing, we send an owl. The Kanes, I'm sure, got an owl from Professor Gregor. But, with Non-Magical families, I do feel we need a more personal touch. So, I went down to see her.""All the way to Biggleswade?" Liam asked, amazed.Meadows laughed. "It's really not much of a problem for a grown witch like me. Anyway, I met your mother, your brother and your uncle. I told them how well you were getting on, making friends, and how your teachers, particularly Professor DeVere, have really taken a liking to you."Then, I told her about the incident. I said it was rough-housing more than anything else, and that both of you had gotten a stern talking to by the Deputy Headmaster. We consider the matter closed, but we do need to let the parents know about such things.""Was my mum mad?""She was worried, but I told her that you were not hurt. Your little brother was quite convinced at that point that you had come out on top. It was all I could do to stop myself from saying that you had. Not that I'm trying to encourage you," she added. "Ask Archie about the ways Professor Gregor has to punish unruly students."They were at the Great Hall, now. With a wave, Meadows swept past him and walked up to the staff table. Liam found a seat at the Hufflepuff table, which was now half empty, though Michael and Philip had both stayed and waited for him."It was nothing," Liam told them as he tucked into his food. "She just wanted to talk to me." Over the next few days, Hexwood's wand seemed much more responsive. It was as if it had taken the threat of being replaced seriously and started functioning again. But amongst the Hogwarts student body, the word was definitely out: there was a Hufflepuff First Year who cast spells with his hand."Wren is a House-elf," concluded Calliope. "He must have transfigured himself to look like a boy, but he's showing his true colors at last. I bet if we find a way to undo the spell, he'll have bat ears as long as my shoe.""Shall I curse her for you?" asked Michael quietly. "I've been reading up on the Bat-boogey curse. I'd love to try it out on her.""Leave it," said Liam. "We can't afford to lose any house points.""We're in last place either way," answered Michael with a laugh. "What would it matter?" One afternoon a few days later, as the boys headed for the stairwell for lunch, Lucida Guishar called to them. She drew alongside and said to Liam, "I hear you're still clinging to your Juvenile Magic. It will hold you back, you know. Formal Magic is so much more powerful, especially when you use a wand.""That's what I keep hearing.""Well, you keep hearing it because it's true."He was fed up with the teasing and all the condescending advice. On impulse, he decided to make a stand. As she walked away, Liam called out, "Oi, Lucida!" She turned and looked back at him. "I bet you've got a fine feather quill pen in that bag of yours. You think you can stop me from getting it out?"She turned and glared at him, a glare her younger sister had learned to copy. "You can't be serious.""I'm perfectly serious,” said Liam, a sly grin on his face. “Everyone's saying how I couldn't do what I do against a trained wizard. Well, you're four years older than me, and you’re a prefect." He stretched out his left hand. "Let's see what you can do."She gazed back at him, incredulous. "You're actually challenging me, a prefect, here in the middle of the hallway.""This isn't a duel, exactly," said Liam, with the wide roguish grin of his father's. "I just want your quill pen.""You may have the nerve," she said tartly, "but you don't have the ability."Liam closed his eyes a moment. In his mind, he could see the pen, a long white feather with a firm tip. Silently, he called it to him.Lucida's expression turned from amusement, to worry, to alarm, as the contents of her bag began to shift. She drew her wand and shouted, "Protego!"The spell hit Liam full in the chest, knocking him back so hard that he stumbled. Only Michael's steady hand on his arm kept him from toppling over.Lucida gave him an icy stare that reminded Liam strongly of her younger sister, then turned on her heel. Liam called after her. "Can't do magic without all that shouting? Pretty juvenile if you ask me!"Michael was wide-eyed. "I can't believe you mouthed off to at prefect and got away with it!"Liam shrugged, a mischievous grin still on his face.Philip said softly, "But, she was right, you know. The Protego spell stopped you.""Like Hell it did. Came right through the side of her bag as she raised her arm." Michael's laughter filled the hallway as Liam held out his left hand. There in his palm it lay, rudely bent and ruffled, a long white feather pen.
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As the term continued, Liam made slow progress in his Formal Magic classes. He tried his best to use his wand properly, and with repeated use, it seemed to warm to him. His best classes continued to be Potions, Herbology and History. In Defense Against the Dark Arts, Transfiguration and Charms, his most common score was "Acceptable." He did not score another "Outstanding" in any of those three classes the rest of the Autumn term. As the second week of November began, there was a buzz of excitement amongst the older students. The Saturday upcoming was to be a Hogsmeade weekend. "Third Years and above," Michael explained to Liam, "get to go into town and check out all the cool stuff - there's candy stores, the Weasley Joke Shop, and Haunted Houses like the Shrieking Shack. Archie took me 'round when we toured here last summer.""What are we going to do?" asked Liam.The boys shrugged. "Don't get too glum," said Philip slyly. "I hear the forecast calls for rain."Sure enough, Friday evening, great storm clouds blew down from the north, and in the middle of the night, the storm broke into a ferocious gale. Even tucked safely in their Den, the Hufflepuffs hear the rain pounding the castle walls.Undeterred, the older students had a warm breakfast, then returned to the dormitories to get their rain cloaks. In groups of five and six, they braved the wind and rain and went down the stone steps of the castle to the gate where the caretaker waited.Philip and Fortney had stayed behind in the Den, but Liam and Michael followed Archie and his friends up to the Entrance Hall to see them off. "Bring us back something good!" called Michael."Don't recall you giving me any money to buy you sweets," teased Archie."You know Grand-mum doesn't give me money!""I'll bring you back whatever we don't eat, how's that?" said Archie with a laugh, and he and his friends went out the front doors into the storm. Liam and Michael turned and walked back towards the stairs. Two of the Gryffindor First Years approached them, both dark haired Irish boys. "I don't know if we've been properly introduced," said one of them, extending his hand. "I'm Paul Hewson, and this is my mate, Dave Evans.""Liam Wren." Liam shook Paul's hand, and then Dave's. "You know Mike?""We know Bendrix," said Dave. Dave had brown eyes, while Paul's were brightly blue. Both had mischievous expressions, though neither, to Liam's knowledge, had gotten into trouble.Paul said, "It's seems to me that we have three choices on this fine day: We can join the Ravenclaws in the library and get ahead on our homework; we can go down to the dungeons with the Slytherins and connive and backstab to our hearts content; or, we can stay up here, and have this whole grand castle to ourselves.""What do you have in mind?" asked Liam."How 'bout a rousing game of Capture the Hat?""We'll need more people," said Michael. "You can't play with just four.""Round up your mates, and we'll round up ours. Meet us back here at the foot of the stairs . . . " he paused to look up at the large clock in the Entrance Hall, " . . . in thirty minutes."It was just after eight thirty. "All right," said Liam. "We'll see you here at nine." As they made their way back to the Badger's Den, Liam said to Michael, "Tell me about this game.""Well, there's two hats. He's trying to get our hat and we're trying to get his. We usually play it in a field or something. The hats are hidden, sometimes with enchantments. And, with the older boys, the spell work can get quite serious.""All right," said Liam. "I've played games like this before. Not with spell work, mind, but the rest of it sounds familiar, especially the part about older boys getting rough.""We shouldn't have to worry about that, now, will we? Everyone will be at Hogsmeade.""Do you think any of the Second Years will want to play?""We can ask them," said Michael, "but I doubt it." Liam and Michael had little interaction so far with the Second Year Hufflepuffs, girl or boy.Liam went straight to the dormitory and pulled his black hat out of the trunk. In the Common Room, Philip and Fortney were comparing Wizarding Cards Collections. "Oi, you two," said Liam. "The Gryffindors have challenged us to a game of Capture the Hat.""Liam," said Philip sheepishly, "I'm not very good at games like that.""Come on," he urged. "You're not in primary school anymore. I'm talking about playing for the Honour of our House!""Right," said Michael. "For the Honour of Helga Hufflepuff herself!"There were two Second Year boys sitting nearby. At this last comment, they smirked in amusement. Liam turned to them and asked, "How 'bout the two of you? We could use some more players.""Playing Capture the Hat with a bunch of First Years?" said one of them disdainfully. "I don't think so.""All right, you two," said Liam, turning back to Philip and Fortney. "You have to come with us. We need both of you. Let's fight like Badgers!"Philip sighed resignedly and began gathering up his cards. "Okay, we're coming. But no one's going to want me on their team."In ten minutes' time, the four boys were standing in the Entrance Hall at the foot of the grand staircase. The boys looked mournfully at the glass vials, displaying the House Point totals. Hufflepuff was still in last place. Gryffindor, currently third, was one hundred points ahead.Above them, there was a clatter of footsteps and voices. Paul and Dave were coming down the stairs with four more Gryffindors behind them.When Paul reached the bottom of the stairs, he and Liam shook hands. "All right," said Liam. "How are we gonna do this? You outnumber us six to four."Paul shrugged. "I could give you somebody, or we could start over and pick teams.""Let's set the rules," said Liam, "and then pick teams.""Yeah," said Michael, "how are we gonna do this without playing in a field?""Like I said before," answered Paul, "we have the whole castle.""We can't cover the whole castle with just ten people!" said Michael."How 'bout one team has one floor, and the other team has a different floor," suggested Liam.Paul nodded. "Yeah, a whole floor! That will be the territories where the hats are hidden. What about spell work?"Dave said, "You've got some interesting talents there, Wren. Puts the rest of us at a slight disadvantage.""It's not Capture the Hat without spell work," argued Michael."We're First Years," said Liam calmly. "None of us know very many spells.""How 'bout sparklers?" asked Paul. "Can you lot shoot sparklers from your wands?" There were nods all around. "You get hit with a sparkler, you go to jail.""We don't have enough players to have a jail," argued Michael."Frozen, then.""On your territory, you're frozen," suggested Liam. "In enemy territory, you have to go back.""All the way back?" asked Dave."To the steps," said Liam.The boys nodded in agreement. "The stairs are neutral ground," said Paul. "You get hit with a sparkler there, your frozen for a ten count.""For thirty!" said Michael.Liam shook him off. "Too long. We won't be able to keep track. A steady ten count, not a rush.""Ten count it is," said Paul. "But, nothing more than sparklers. No Petrificus Totalus or anything like that.""And none of the stuff you do to Cyrus Kane," added Dave."Not that it wasn't the funniest thing we've ever seen," said Paul. "We just don't want you to do it to us.""Fine," said Liam. "Let's lay the rest of it out. You capture the other teams hat, and you have to get it back to your territory.""To your base?" asked Dave."To your floor.""Soon as you set foot on your home floor, game over," said Paul."Agreed," said Liam. Michael nodded."Does that settle it?" asked Dave. The boys nodded. "Then, let's pick teams and get started."Paul and Liam were quickly made captains. Fortney had a Sickle in his pocket. Dave tossed it in the air. Liam called "Heads" while the coin was in the air. It fell heads up. "I'm picking first.""Then I get first choice of floors for territory," countered Paul.The others lined up in front of the two captains. The first round went quickly: Liam picked Michael, and Paul picked Dave.Michael whispered in his ear, "How 'bout the tall one?" Tawny-haired Roan McLaggen was looking sullen. Liam surveyed the rest of the group. He noticed for the first time that there was a girl amongst them. She had red hair, freckles, and sparkling blue eyes. Liam fished for her name.
Gillian.
"We'll take Jill," said Liam. Michael looked at him questioningly. "It's all right," he whispered. "She's a tomboy. She's got brothers. We'll be fine." A second ago, he couldn't place the girls name. He wasn't sure how he suddenly knew the things he had just told Michael, but he was certain that they were true.Gillian gave him a wide grin and took her place on his other side. She didn't say anything to him, however. She stood still, tense with excitement and anticipation.The pick, meanwhile, seemed to have thwarted Paul. Liam was sure that Gillian would have been his next move. Paul and Dave gave Gillian a dark look, as if she had consciously betrayed them. They conferred for a time before choosing Fortney.Michael again suggested that they take Roan. But suddenly, not into his ear exactly, but rather into his head, came these words:
Not McLaggen. He's a brute. Pick Larry!
It was dawning on Liam that these words were coming from Gillian. She was gazing wide-eyed at him. Her words filled his head, though her lips never moved.Larry was short, though not as short or scrawny as Philip. His blond hair was crew cut.Liam turned to Michael and said, "Hewson's had two cracks at McLaggen now. If he was any good, he'd be off the board already." More loudly, to the group, he said, "We'll go with Larry.""Adam," said Paul quickly. Curly-haired Adam went and stood next to Dave.Now the choice was between Roan and Philip. Having begged him to play, Liam couldn't leave Philip for last. "Hark.""All right Roan," said Paul, resignedly, "you're with us. We're taking the third floor.""We'll be on the second," said Liam. "Give us ten minutes to get set, then it's game on."Paul nodded. "All right, mates, let's go." He led his boys upstairs.Liam gave him a head start, before leading his group to the second floor. Gillian's words were in his head again as he walked.
You should have taken the fourth floor. We're giving him the high ground!
"I've got a plan about that," said Liam sternly. "Now, stay out of my head a moment. I need to get everybody set."Liam observed the second floor from the top of the stairs. "Wherever we set up shop," he said, "we want to be far away from any stairs." The group fanned out and began searching for the right spot to hide the hat.Philip was walking with a dazed expression on his face. "I wasn't last," he said softly."Of course, you weren't last!" said Liam. "You're my secret weapon!"Philip gazed up at him. "You really think so?""Sure, you are. You can shoot a sparkler, can't you?""I guess so.""That's all you got to do - shoot straight and dodge them when they shoot at you."The castle had several staircases, but Michael pointed out a corridor of classrooms that seemed cut off from any of them. Liam opened one of the classroom doors, and, finding it empty, tossed the hat into the middle of the floor."Now," he said, "I want to see everybody's sparkler."It was a fairly easy thing to produce sparkles out of the end of one's wand. Gillian could fire bursts of red sparkles that traveled some distance. Larry's came out in a flourish of red and blue, like a shotgun blast. Philip produced streams of yellow sparkles that shot over thirty feet.Liam gave the small boy a pat on the back. "That's what I'm talking about!" said Liam. "You're my sniper. I want you on defence."Michael demonstrated his red and green bursts. Liam drew his wand and shot a burst of yellow and blue. It didn't travel as far as he would have liked, but he was satisfied. The wand was ready to play.He turned to Larry and Gillian and asked, "All right, what's Paul likely to do? Who will he attack with, and how many will he keep back on defense?"Larry simply shrugged. Gillian, again, had a silent mouthful.
He'll want to hit you hard and fast. He'll send four and leave one behind to guard the hat. Not Fortney - he won't trust him, he'll want to keep an eye on him. Probably Roan. He'll leave Roan to guard the hat and send the rest, with himself in the lead.
Liam nodded. "Then, we'd better keep three back and send just two."
I know where he'll hide the hat. I know why he picked the third floor.
Liam turned to Michael. "Mike, you're captain on defence. Spread out and stay hidden. Do your best to keep them away from the hat."Michael nodded. "I want you in the room with the hat," said Michael to Larry. "Your burst doesn't go very far, but it'll be hard to dodge at close range.""Good," said Liam. "I've got Gillian. Hold them off the best you can. We'll come back with the hat."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Liam and Gillian walked quietly along the stone hallway. As they walked, Liam questioned Gillian, and she answered with her thoughts."Will Paul take the Grand Staircase, or one of the other ones?"
He'll want to show his courage and his confidence. He'll lead his guys right down the Grand Staircase.
"Then, let's go up one of the side stairwells. Where do you think he's hid the hat?"
There's a place on the third floor that's special to Gryffindors. It's like a shrine, almost. That's where he'll have it.
"Where is it?"
I'm not sure, but I'll know it when I see it.
"And, Roan will be there guarding it."
I think so.
"Just curious, but, can you talk?"She looked sheepishly back at him. "Yes," she answered, haltingly. She continued on with her thoughts. This is easier for me.
I've been talking this way since I was little. My family all thought it was cute, and so, they never made me talk the right way. And, I was home schooled for the most part, so I wasn't around other children much, ones that weren't part of the family. It didn't occur to me until I was here that I would have to learn to speak.
The Professors make me talk. And, I've noticed, not everyone can hear me. Your friend Michael can't, I know. I was happy that you could.
She suddenly went still, and she set her hand on his arm. They were very near the stairwell, next to a closed door to one of the classrooms. I have another talent, too. Listen!She clutched Liam's hand, and suddenly, he could hear a voice, as if an invisible person was speaking right next to him.It was Stephanie's voice. She said, "Oh, come on, Lara, everybody has dreams like that. We all do. Prince Charming comes and takes us away in the carriage to live happily ever after.""You don't understand!" answered Lara, hotly. "I was dreaming about him before I met him. But, he was older. He wasn't eleven when I first . . . ." her voice faded to a murmur. Liam, straining to hear more, took a step towards the voice, towards the wall of the classroom that he and Gillian were passing.Suddenly there was a loud screeching sound, like a siren.
Run!
Liam let go of Gillian's hand, and the two of them scampered towards the stairwell. The door behind them slammed open. Gillian turned and shot a sparkler at the girls rushing into the hallway behind them. A green and purple jet shot right between Gillian and Liam. Gillian fired one more sparkler, then she and Liam made a sharp turn onto the staircase. They ran up a flight of stairs and then listened, panting.
They're not coming. I would be able to hear them.
"What the Bloody Hell was that all about?"
That was a nasty spell she shot at us - an itching spell. It was a good thing it didn't hit us. I don't know the counter-spell. Those were some angry witches.
"None of those girls like me much."
Who were they?
"The Hufflepuff First Year girls. I heard Stephanie's voice first, then Lara's. I bet Stacy and Monique were there, too. I just didn't turn around and look."
Lara, she's the little blond girl. She was talking about you. You were the one she was dreaming about.
"How do you know?"Gillian smirked. You set off the Sneakoscope, not me. "Is that what that was? It sounded like a fire alarm. How do you know I set it off?"
It went off when you stepped towards the room.
"Well, I think that's bunk. Lara Guishar hates my guts. She doesn't dream about me, believe me."
You're just not the boy she met in her dream, that's all. Because, you're still eleven. When you get to the age you were in her dream, she'll be in love with you. Maybe then, you'll be in love with her, too.
"Mental," said Liam, shaking his head. "Let's find the hat." They climbed the rest of the way to the third floor. Liam listened, and Gillian reached out with her magical hearing. No one was nearby. They crept to the main hallway and looked around. Across the open space, they could see the Grand Staircase curving upwards."All right, we're here. Where's the hat? Where's this special place?"
There's a corridor on the right-hand side. Behind one of the doors is a room with a wooden trap door in the floor. The hat will be there, under the trap door if Paul managed to get it open.
"The right-hand side?" asked Liam. "How do we know the right-hand side from the left-hand side?"
That's what I'm not sure about.
Gillian went to the railing and looked across at the curving marble staircase. The sounds of the game carried up to them, the poof and hiss of the sparklers, and Philip's high-pitched voice. "Got you, Fortney!""Come on," urged Liam. "We've got to find it!"It must be the corridor on the right-hand side from the top step of the Grand Staircase. She pointed in the direction she meant, then, without further comment, took off running in that direction. Liam hurried after her.She led him to a corridor that had no rooms or classrooms off of it, only paintings and tapestries on the wall. At the end of the corridor there was a wooden door.Roan's waiting right on the other side of the door. Gillian grinned at Liam, a mischievous light in her eyes. I don't even need my magic to sense him. I can smell his breath from here.The door opened suddenly, and Roan McLaggen burst into the hallway. His wand was out and his arm raised, but before he could cast his spell, both Liam and Gillian had hit him with their sparklers."That'll be two ten-counts for you, McLaggen," said Liam smugly. "I'll watch this one, Jill. Go get that hat.""You treacherous witch!" shouted McLaggen after her. "Giving all our secrets away. And I do not have bad breath!""Watch your mouth," said Liam sternly, and shot him again with his sparkler.Gillian was back in the doorway.
I can't.
"Is the door locked?" Liam asked. She nodded. "The charm's Alohomora."She looked desperately back at him.
I can't say it.
Liam fired another burst of sparkles at Roan. "Fine! Cover him for me." He ran past her into the corridor beyond. There on the floor was a wooden door. He gave the iron ring a tug, but the door would not budge.With his wand, he tapped the ring. "Alohomora!" he said, and the door popped upwards. He caught the ring with his right hand and drew the door back the rest of the way.About three feet down, the hatch was boarded up. Laying flat against the boards was Paul's black hat. Liam quickly switched his wand from his left hand to his right. He reached out with his magic and called the hat to him."All right, Jill. I've got it. Let's go."
Bye, Roan. You do too have bad breath!
They both fired sparkles at him, then took off running.
Which stairs are we running to?
"The Grand Staircase," said Liam. "It's the closest." He could hear the shouts and sparkles from the game below as he drew closer. In mid-stride, he switched the hat to his right hand, and returned the wand to his left.Behind him, Gillian stopped and fired a blast towards Roan.
Down for another ten-count, Dragon-breath!
"I do not have Dragon breath!"They reached the top of the stairs. Liam made one step downward when he heard the quick tapping of feet. Around the corner came Paul, Liam's hat clenched in his fist. Liam hit him square in the chest with his sparkler.Dave was right on Paul's heels. Liam fired a second shot, but Dave dodged it and disappeared back down the stairs. Liam could hear the shouts of the other players, particularly Philip. His boys were closing in on Paul's team, cutting off their escape.Now, Liam's strategy was clear to everyone. At the end of the game, Liam had the high ground, and it was Paul and Dave who were having to look up into Liam and Gillian's barrages."Twenty feet away!" cried Paul, as Liam hit him with another sparkler. But then, Liam had to dodge as Dave fired up at him. Liam retreated behind the marble pillar. Gillian alternated between shots at Roan and shots at Paul.Adam joined Dave firing sparklers up the stairs at Liam and Gillian. Adam was hit, but in the melee, Paul was able to get through a ten-count and retreat back down the steps. The boys on the stairs were being pinched from below, too, as Michael and Philip closed in.With four players to get through, there was no hope of Liam and Gillian making down the stairs safely. Nor could he retreat to another stairwell, as Paul was just a landing away from winning the game. Roan crept ever closer, but he had to stop after each step for a ten-count.Paul and Dave tried another barrage of sparkles, but they just bounced off the marble steps. Liam shot back down at them. Adam once again took the hit.Just when there seemed to be no way to break the stalemate, a voice cried out, "What is this? Stop this at once!"Adam called out to the boys behind him, "Hold up! It's McGonagall!"Liam stood up and shoved his wand back in his belt. Gillian was already standing. "You boys there," she called down the stairs at Paul and the others. "Come here. And, you too," she added, motioning back to Roan.Seeing the Headmistress up close, Liam thought she looked thin and frail. But, there was nothing sweet or grandmotherly in her eyes - they were cold and hard as stars. "These stairs," she said sternly, "were recently repaired at great expense by the Regents of this school. They are slick and hard. You are not to be playing on them."Paul was the first to find the courage to speak. "We'd be playing outside, Professor, except that it's pouring rain, and when we'd come in, we might get wet everywhere and create a slipping hazard.""We weren't doing any real magic," added Dave. "Just sparklers. We weren't hurting anybody.""Furthermore," added Paul, setting his hand on Liam's arm, "we're playing with our Hufflepuff friends, in the Spirit of Inter-House Cooperation!"This drew a thin smile from McGonagall. "I see but one Hufflepuff here," she said. "Are there others?""Hiding downstairs," said Liam, grinning sheepishly.McGonagall surveyed the group. "You are a McLaggen," she said to Roan. "And you are the Roycester girl." Gillian nodded, blushing hotly. "What are your names again, boys?""Hewson.""Evans.""Clayton.""Wren."McGonagall gave Liam a curious glance. "Wren of Hufflepuff. Why does that name ring a bell?"Figuring this had something to do with his fights with Cyrus Kane, Liam answered, "Nothing you need to worry about, Professor.""I should hope not. Now, you all have performed valiantly. Each of you is a credit to his and her House. Your game has now concluded. Off you go." She swept passed them down the marble stairs.Paul and Liam exchanged hats. "Good game," said Liam."Likewise. Can't believe you stopped me twenty feet from the goal.""If you'd rushed me, you might have gotten past.""Not with Jill on your side, I wouldn't have.""We couldn't get past you either.""Yeah, but your mates were closing in on us. One true shot either way, and the game would have been over." Paul set his hand on Liam's shoulder and gave him a shake. "A fine game, a rousing game. You gave us a hell of a fight." Turning to the others, he said loudly, "Wait and see. Wren here'll be the most famous Hufflepuff since Cedric Diggory, he will.""May you live so long," said Dave, slyly, and the others laughed. Even Gillian laughed aloud, a soft, pretty laugh.Liam smiled, knowing the joke was on him but not wanting to show that he didn't get it.Later, at lunch, Liam asked Philip, "Who's Cedric Diggory? I heard one of Gryffs mention him.""Oh, he was a great Hufflepuff Hero. There's a plaque in the common room honouring him."After lunch, Liam and the others went back down to the common room. The four First Year girls were there, too, and they looked darkly at him as roamed about, looking for the plaque. He ignored them.Right by the mantle was a wooden plaque. Mounted to it was a brass mold, the face of a boy. Below the face was the name, Cedric Diggory, and the dates, 1976-1994. Below that was inscribed the following dedication: "Prefect, Quidditch Captain, Hogwarts Champion. We will always remember your Loyalty and Courage."Philip joined him. "He was only eighteen when he died. Hufflepuffs mark the start of the last war as the night Cedric Diggory was killed by Lord Voldemort.""Eighteen, eh?" said Liam grimly, getting the joke now."What did the Gryffs say about him?""Nothing," said Liam. "They just mentioned him."The words of the plaque put Liam in a reflective mood. He had spent all his efforts so far just fitting in, making friends, and keeping up with his school work. Titles such as Prefect and Quidditch Captain seemed remote, unattainable. The idea that there would be a memorial plaque for Liam Wren hanging in the Common Room seemed silly to him. Paul and Dave were just having a laugh, he thought to himself.But for a brief moment, he could see himself doing something really heroic, being a leader, a Captain, someone others looked up to. Paul may have made his comment as a joke, but as he gazed at the plaque, Liam embraced it as a challenge. He would be the hero, the most famous Hufflepuff since Cedric Diggory.Before he could reflect more on any of this, the Common Room door opened, and in came Archie and his friends, drenched to the skin and singing loudly a rather obscene song about a witch from Bavaria. Archie paused and, from the inside pocket of his coat, pulled a small bag. "Here you go, cousin," he said cheerfully, and tossed the bag to Michael. Then Archie and the others went off to the dormitories for a shower and a change of clothes.In the bag was some chocolate frogs and a pouch of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans. Michael called his friends over, and the boys made short work of the candy in the bag. Liam tried three beans. The first two were quite good - Apple Cobbler and Chocolate Custard, but the third was Brussell Sprout, and at that, he gave up. In his pack of chocolate frogs was a card of a rather cross-looking wizard named Feanor."Here, do you want this one?" said Liam, holding the card out to Philip."Sure, I'll take another Feanor card. Thank you.""Not a bad take, eh?" said Michael. "Nice way to top off the game.""Yeah," said Liam. "Too bad McGonagall stopped us. One lucky shot, and we might have won.""I thought you were crazy, picking the red-head," continued Michael. "But she held her own pretty well.""Jill was fantastic!" said Liam. "She had good range on her sparklers, and she led me straight to the hat. I'd have her on my team again, in a heartbeat.""Least she never says anything," said Michael. "I've never known a girl who talks as little as that one."Liam smiled, and Philip laughed out loud. "She talked Liam's ear off the whole time! You just didn't hear any of it.""Did she really?" asked Michael, surprised. Liam nodded. "She never says a damn thing to me. Not that I really want her to, but still.""Liam has a way with girls," said Philip."Not any of those girls, mind," said Liam, nodding his head in the direction of Lara and the others, and the boys all laughed. Philips comment would be remembered and repeated often in the next few weeks, as one of Liam's Girls was about to work her way into his tight circle of friends. This effort began, as such things often do, with a bit of happenstance, the following Tuesday in Potions class . . . .
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That Sunday, Philip came down with a bad cold. By Monday afternoon, he was feeling so miserable that Cheryl took him up to the Hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey kept him overnight and excused him from his classes on Tuesday. This absence led to Liam Wren being temporarily without a partner for Potions lab.Professor DeVere was keenly aware of Liam's aptitude for potion making. To better assess the other Hufflepuff boys, DeVere had been rotating Liam's partners. He wanted to see how Michael, Philip and Fortney managed to complete their assignments with Liam's help compared to without it. That Tuesday, upon taking roll and realizing that Philip was absent, DeVere immediately declared, "Wren, you're on your own today. Bendrix and Fortney can partner together. And, no helping them, please. They've got to be able to follow the directions on their own.""Yes, sir," answered Liam, and the others nodded.DeVere gave his lecture, then set the group working on their potions. Liam filled his cauldron a quarter full with water and lit a small fire under it. With experience, he was getting better at these tasks. He read through the instructions on the board and began assembling the necessary ingredients for the potion.Liam was not the only student for whom DeVere regularly rotated partners. Sadie Thompson had quarreled with all of her partners. During the first class, she had dressed down Ronald Reuel for spraying the table with water and soaking her notes and book. John Dawes had angered her by being too fine with his measurements. As a result, they barely completed their potion by the end of the period.When DeVere had paired Sadie with Calliope Addlessen, the two girls had sniped at each other the entire period, and ended up completing their potions side by side in separate cauldrons.On this day, Sadie was paired once again with Ronald. The two had been working for only a few minutes when Ronald poured far too much of the Ground Wiggentree Bark into the cauldron."What are you doing?" asked Sadie, shrilly. "It says a pinch! That was a heaping tablespoonful!""Miss Thompson," said DeVere in a warning voice."Professor! Look, he's ruined it!" Her voice echoed off the stone walls."I haven't ruined it!" argued Ronald. "We just need to add a bit more water."Liam had looked up at Sadie's first cry. Now he shook his head in amusement at Ronald's comment. DeVere was equally amused as he stood and gazed into the cauldron. The Professor stirred the potion once with a spoon. It was quickly thickening into a grainy black paste."Adding water would help, Reuel, but I'm afraid that you'll need a rather larger cauldron." With a swish of his wand, the potion vanished. "Go and sit next to Addlessen and Poysenberry for the rest of the period."Ronald got up and sat next to Sally Poysenberry. Sadie said softly to DeVere, "May I please do this potion on my own?""No, Miss Thompson, you really must learn to work with others." He surveyed the class. Liam quickly looked down at his notes, but it was too late. "Yes," said DeVere, with a sly smile, "this is rather fortuitous, as if it were meant to be." He looked down at Sadie and said sternly, "Go assist Wren with his potion."Liam spared Sadie one more look. Her eyes were wide and her face deeply flushed. Slowly, she gathered up her books and supplies, crossed the room and sat down next to Liam. She sat still and quiet beside him.Liam added the next ingredient to his potion and gave the mixture a stir with his spoon. "Do you have a silver knife?" he asked. She nodded. "Mine's stainless steel, but silver works better for some reason. Can you chop the daisy roots for me, please?"Sadie gave a faint nod, so Liam pushed the roots he had set aside over in front of her. Sadie reached into her potions kit and drew her out her knife. She began to cut the roots, but her hands trembled, and she cut her thumb.She dropped the knife and put her hand quickly up to her mouth. DeVere, who was making his rounds, passed their workspace. He said smugly, "Be careful, Wren. Virgin blood is a powerful magical ingredient. It will do strange things to your potion."Liam gave the professor a curt nod. Sadie had shut her eyes tight. She was trying with all her might not to cry. Liam dug into his potion kit, where he had a small vial of healing balm."Here," he said. He pulled out the cork and offered her the vial. She held out her hand and, with a shake, he placed a dot of balm upon her cut finger.She rubbed the balm over the cut, and it quickly closed. "I'm sorry," she said, her voice a high-pitched squeak. "I don't want to wreck your potion.""Let me worry about that," he said. "Take care of your hand."Sadie was still favouring her left thumb, even though the cut had healed. She rubbed her eyes roughly with her right hand. "I hate my life," she said bitterly."Hey, none of that," said Liam sternly. The two looked at each other. Sadie's eyes were wide and deep brown.Liam took her knife and finished cutting the roots. He sprinkled them into the potion and began stirring the pot. All the while, Sadie watched him, her thumb still pressed against her lips.Slowly, Sadie seemed to relax. When she spoke again, her voice was more normal sounding. "Why are you doing that?""Why am I doing what?""You stir in a clockwise direction except for your seventh stir. Every seventh stir you make is counter-clockwise."Liam shrugged. "Don't know. I did it once last week and it seemed to make the potion better. Now I do it this way all the time.""So, it's not in the book. It's just magical intuition.""I guess so.""That's the difference between a Hufflepuff and a Ravenclaw. A Hufflepuff can follow his intuition wherever it leads him, whereas a Ravenclaw would need to ask permission. We wouldn't want to contradict the professor and deviate from the recipe."Again, Liam shrugged. "Come on," he said. "Drop the last bits in, and we're done."Sadie picked up the last of the ingredients and dropped them into the cauldron as Liam stirred. With his last counter-clockwise turn, the potion turned a clear golden color. Liam pulled out his spoon and snuffed the fire. He knew without looking at the recipe that the potion was complete.DeVere was quickly before them. He gazed into the cauldron and said, "For Golden Silence and for Golden Brew, we must Miss Thompson pair with Mr. Wren." With two fingers of his right hand, he indicated the pair of them. "I think I will keep you two as partners for the rest of the term, perhaps for the Spring term as well. Especially if the results are this good."He drew a crystal phial from his robes and dipped it into the cauldron for a sample. Once the phial was closed, he marked with a pen, "W & T." "It's mostly 'W'," he added smugly. "But then again, when is it not?""What happens when Philip comes back?" asked Liam."I'll pair him with Reuel. See if we can't spread around this happy feeling of Inter-House cooperation." The Professor moved off to check on the other potions.Liam turned to Sadie, who was sitting still and looking flushed. "Your thumb all right?" he asked her. She nodded."I'm useless," she whispered."Hey, I couldn't have done it without your silver knife." He handed it back to her with the handle facing her. "Just be careful with it."The pair cleaned up their supplies. They were the first two dismissed from the room. Out in the hallway, the two parted ways. "I'm going to put this stuff away," said Liam. "See you in Herbology." Sadie nodded.She looked as if she were about to say something. Her face became bright red, and her lips parted. Before she could speak, four other students came out of the room into the hallway. When they had passed, Sadie was gone. She had rushed off in the other direction.Liam let her go. He went back to the Common Room and swapped his potions supplies for his Herbology book. Philip was not in the dormitory, he noted. Liam waited a few minutes for Michael and Fortney to return. Then, the three boys made their way up to the Great Hall for lunch.There at the Hufflepuff table was Philip. He had a scarf around his neck and a little wool cap on his head, in yellow and black, which had, at the tip, a yarn pompom. Liam and Michael sat down at the table on either side of the small boy. "Madam Pomfrey says I'm not contagious any longer," said Philip. "I'm on the mend, but she still doesn't want me going to Herbology in this weather. How was Potions, by the way?""Liam got another 'Outstanding'," said Fortney."Better than that," added Michael, "he tamed the shrew, he did.""What do you mean?" asked Philip."You know that really annoying girl in Potions?""Calliope?""No, the brunette. The one with the voice like a banshee.""Ease off," said Liam.Philip snapped his head around to Liam. "He isn't talking about Sadie, is he?""Yeah, he's talking about Sadie.""What happened?""Like I was saying," continued Michael, "Sadie blew up at Reuel, like she always does. DeVere dressed her down and stuck her with Liam here. That shut her up good. She didn't say another word the rest of the period."Philip turned again to Liam and said pleasantly, "So, how was Potions with Sadie?"Liam shrugged. "It was alright. I didn't say much to her. She fumbled around a bit and cut herself.""Oh, the poor thing," said Philip, with genuine concern. "She must have been terribly nervous.""Why would she be nervous around me?" asked Liam puzzled. Across the table from them, Lara and her friends were sitting down. Lara smirked at him as he said this.Michael said, "I bet she was nervous that DeVere was gonna chuck her out, next.""Oh, Sadie isn't afraid of DeVere," said Philip. "Liam was the one making her nervous. She's in love with him.""What would you know about that?"snapped Liam."What would you know about it?"The retort came from Lara. There was fire in her light brown eyes."I don't recall asking for your opinion," said Liam coldly.Stephanie was the next one to jump in. "It's an open secret, Wren. Sadie Thompson is in love with you.""That's bunk," he said.Stephanie let out an offended gasp. Stacy and Monique rolled their eyes, almost simultaneously. "You may be good at Potions, Liam," said Lara coldly, "but you don't know anything about girls."Liam looked away from her, down the table at his mates. Philip was silent. Michael said, "I'm staying out of this one."Liam went back to his food without saying another word. On their way out to Herbology, Michael said to Liam, "Sorry, mate. I didn't know you were interested in that one."Liam took a look behind him. There was no one else nearby. "I don't know if I am or not," he said softly."It's not that she's bad looking, you know. I mean, she's not Vanessa, but then again, who is, right?"Liam nodded. "It could have been worse.""It's just her voice is like a banshee at a rock concert.""That's only when she's ticked off. The rest of the time, she's fine.""Well, with you as her Potions partner, she shouldn't have any reason to be flying off the handle.""That's what DeVere was thinking, too, when he paired us up." During Herbology, Liam and Michael were paired with Ronald and Niles Dawes of Ravenclaw. Sadie wasn't sitting anywhere near Liam, and Liam didn't feel compelled to cross the room and speak with her.After class, the boys returned to the Hufflepuff common room. Philip was sitting in a chair near the fire. Liam brought out his notes and books and reviewed the days lectures with Philip. While they were at it, the two boys got the homework done as well.When the work was complete, Liam gathered up his books and notes. "Help me bring these back," he said. He had Philip carry his notes back to the dormitory, while Liam carried the books.When they were by Liam's bed, stashing things away in his trunk, Liam asked, "How did you know that Sadie liked me?""Liam, it's pretty obvious. Like Stephanie said, it's an open secret.""How did you know?" Liam asked again."Well, I've seen her gazing at you when she's sure you're not going to notice her. And, her voice squeaks sometimes when she tries to talk to you. You make her nervous; you make her blush. Nobody else does that to her.""I don't know if I like her. Well, I mean, I like her well enough, but . . . ""But, you're not in love with her.""I don't think I am.""That's okay," said Philip, earnestly. "Just be nice to her.""I am.""I know." In a softer voice, he added, "I like Stacy, and she's always been kind to me. She could even make the other boys stop bullying me.""Bein' saved by a girl," said Liam, shaking his head. "That's not a good thing."“Well, Sadie saved you,” countered Philip. “So, we’re even on that point.” Philip came with them to class the next day, decked out once more in his scarf and cap. At the break between DADA and Charms, Philip spotted Sadie, standing alone near the girl's bathroom. Philip noticed straight away that Sadie was wearing tiny diamond earrings. The diamonds sparkled in the torchlight.Philip called out to her cheerily, “Good morning, Sadie!” She smiled in return and came over to where the boys were standing.Sadie avoided Liam's gaze, focusing instead on Philip. "That cap is so cute! Where did you get it?""My House-Elf made it for me. Are those new earrings?""No. I . . ." She glanced at Liam and blushed. " . . . I don't wear them very often.""Well, I think they look nice. Don't you agree, Liam?"Liam nodded, and watched as Sadie's face turned bright pink. "Excuse me," she squeaked, and rushed off to the girl's bathroom."See?" said Philip. "You make nervous.""That doesn't mean she's in love with me," he said softly."Who do you think she wore those earrings for?" retorted Philip."I don't know who she wore them for!" But, deep inside, he was beginning to believe his friends were right. At Potions on Thursday, Sadie sat with Liam from the start of the period, all through the lecture and the lab. Silently, they began to divide the chores between them.
Liam started the fire while Sadie poured water into the cauldron. Sadie set out the ingredients, while Liam did the slicing with her silver knife. They took turns dropping ingredients into the cauldron, and Sadie readily adopted Liam's habit of making a counter-clockwise turn on her seventh stir.They completed another perfect potion together, though they hardly said a word to one another. Their potion was completed before anyone else's, and they got a smile and a nod of approval from DeVere.As the lab period was drawing to a close, Sadie said, "Can I ask you something?""Sure." He waited for her to say something, but instead, she looked nervously to her right and left."Can I talk to you after class?""No one's listening," he told her."Please?" The blush was on her face again. Her deep brown eyes gazed up at him, pulling heavily on his heart. He knew right then that, whatever it was she wanted, he was going to have to do it.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Though a moment ago, he had been sure no one in Potions class was giving the two of them any mind, Liam now felt like every eye in the class was on him and Sadie. He imagined Lara's glare, Calliope's rolling eyes, Michael's dumbfounded look. Liam looked down, away from Sadie's imploring gaze, and said, "All right. We'll talk after class."So, though they had been packed and ready to go for several minutes, they waited at their desks as their classmates cleaned up their cauldrons, books and notes, and headed out the door for lunch.Liam told Michael and Philip, "Go on ahead. I'll be along in a minute."Michael looked puzzled, but Philip was pleased. "See you later, then," said Philip cheerfully.Finally, it was just Liam, Sadie, and Professor DeVere in the room. Sadie stood up abruptly. Liam rose and followed her out into the hallway."What do you want to talk to me about?" he asked, with more impatience in his voice than he meant to have.She bit down on her lip, and her face became flushed again."Don't run off on me again, all right?" he said lightly, and touched her shoulder with his hand.Sadie drew in a breath and finally found her voice. "Will you study with me?"I should have known it'd be something like this, thought Liam.She continued in a shrill, high-pitched voice. "There's exams next week, before we go home for Christmas! And, I'm utterly panicked about them!""The Potions exam?" asked Liam."I'm fine in Potions," said Sadie, her voice slowly returning to normal. "It's History of Magic that's got me worried. I'm completely lost, in fact! I can't follow one word of what that old ghost says, and the book is completely impenetrable to me!"I don't dare ask the girls for help. They're awful to me, all of them are! Ronald knows the Goblin Wars like the back of his hand, but I can't honestly expect him to help me.""Not after you blew up at him in Potions last week," said Liam with a wry grin."Then, I see you sitting there the whole period with your book open, taking notes. I just thought you could help me.""You want to copy my notes?""I think it would help me more if you taught it to me.""I can't fill you in on the whole term between here and the Great Hall. There's too much.""I know. We'll have to meet.""When?""I was thinking Saturday. I could reserve one of those study rooms in the library. We could go over your notes and show me what you know.""What time Saturday?""How 'bout right after breakfast?"That should give me the afternoon with the boys, he thought to himself. He was hungry, and he was starting to worry about what the others might be thinking about his delay. "Fine. Now, let's get some lunch." When Liam reached the Hufflepuff table, Michael exclaimed irritably, "Finally, you decide to show up.""I was talking to Sadie," he said as he ladled some hot tomato soup into a bowl."What did she want?" asked Philip pleasantly.The girls on the other side of the table abruptly ceased their conversations in order to hear the answer. "She just had some questions about History of Magic. That's all," he added forcefully in Lara's direction.That evening, as the boys headed for the stairs after dinner, a paper aeroplane flew and hit Liam in the back of the head. Liam looked around quickly for the culprit, but Philip said, "Don't crinkle it! It might be a note."Liam looked down and noticed the little smiley faces on the wings. He unfolded it and saw Sadie's big, loopy handwriting. He held it up so that Philip couldn't read the note over his shoulder. (Michael wasn't as interested.)"L, The room is reserved. I'll meet you Saturday morning right outside the Great Hall after breakfast." Under this were hearts, flowers and swirls, followed by an elaborate cursive "S."Liam folded the note and shoved it into the pocket of his cloak."What does she want?" asked Philip eagerly."Nothing," said Liam, sternly.That night, he read through his history notes. It was just as well she didn't want to try and copy them, as his spidery, left-handed scrawl was difficult even for Liam himself to read sometimes. He gazed down at the sea of words and tried to think of a way to explain all of it to Sadie.His eyes settled on the name Feanor. Where had he seen this name before? Not in his history book. In some other place . . .He straightened up his notes and set them on his rickety side table. Nearby, Philip was poking through his Transfiguration book. "Oi, Philip," said Liam softly. "Can I see your Wizard Cards for a bit?""Sure," said Philip, a little surprised. "Let me go get them."Philip came back with a stack of cards bound together with a spell, and a large book like a photo album. He set the stack of cards on the side table and opened the album. "All my important cards are in here. The rare cards, and the ones that are most collectible. The Gothmog card is in here, and all my Harry Potter cards.""How 'bout that Feanor card I gave you the other day?""It's in that stack. I have a pair of them, now. It's helpful if I want to make a trade.""Can I see it?""Go ahead." Philip tapped the deck, and the binding spell released the cards.Liam pulled the deck to his lap and began flipping quickly through the cards. Every so often, he would pull out from the deck a card with the name of a wizard that he recognized."Those are all from the Ancient Days series," said Philip."These names are in the History of Magic Textbook.""I know. Our book has the whole history of the Ancient Days. It's really very interesting.""Can I borrow these for a few days?""Do you want the Gothmog card, too?"Liam considered this for a moment before shaking his head. "Better keep that one in there. I'll be fine without it."Philip looked slyly at Liam. "I think I know why you want these cards." Softly, he added, "You've got a way with girls.""Keep it to yourself," said Liam, sternly.Friday night, there was a flurry of snow, and Saturday morning, the campus was covered in a thin white blanket. Liam rose early. He was showered and dressed before the others were out of bed. He went alone up to the Great Hall, his bag hanging on his shoulder. In it, he had his History of Magic textbook, his notes, and the stack of Philip's Ancient Days Wizard Cards.There was no one else at the Hufflepuff table when he arrived, but as he began to fill his plate, more students came and sat around him.The other First Year boys joined Liam as he was finishing the last of his marmalade toast. Michael, as he filled his plate with scrambled eggs, remarked, "We ought to challenge the Gryffs to a snowball fight this morning.""Can't this morning," said Liam. "Maybe this afternoon.""It might be gone by this afternoon," said Michael. "What have you got going this morning?""Sadie . . . .""Don't tell me you're going to waste a fine morning like this cooped up inside with your Ravenclaw girlfriend!" shouted Michael."She's not my . . . !" But, it was too late.Archie turned from his conversation and said, "Wren's got a girlfriend in Ravenclaw?"Across the table from him, Archie's friend Eric remarked, "What a brilliant idea! Why didn't we think of that when we were First Years?""Back then, all the Ravenclaws in our year thought we were a bunch of obnoxious gits,” continued Archie, sagely."Of course, we were a bunch of obnoxious gits back then," said Eric."But they should have been able to see past all that! It was very rude of them not to.""Yeah, Wren," said Eric, "how did you manage it?""Never mind that," said Archie. "We've got to give our little brother Wise and Useful Advice!"The Seventh Year boys got up and crowded around Liam. Archie put his hand on Liam's shoulder and said, "The trick with a girl, see, is to give her just enough.""Give her too much, and she'll want you to marry her," added Eric."Not enough, and she'll know you're really not interested in her," said another of the boys."Right," said Archie. "So, it's got to be just enough - just enough so she keeps feeding you answers."Liam smirked at this. If they only knew . . . he thought.Just then, Cheryl barged into the group. "All right, you guys. Stop filling his head with all your sexist nonsense!""Sexist?" cried Archie, aghast. "Au Contraire, my brave and loyal Prefect. The Wisdom of the Ages we're giving him!""Yeah," urged Eric. "Our hard-earned experience, and we're handing it over for free!""Out of the goodness of our hearts!" added Archie."Go! Leave my First Year be!"The older boys went back to their benches. Liam stayed seated for a moment, then rose. "See you guys later," he said to Michael and Philip.Cheryl said to him, "Do you really have a girlfriend in Ravenclaw?""We're just studying for the tests next week," said Liam sternly. But by the way she smiled at him, he may as well have said "Yes."Just outside the doors, Sadie stood next to a gleaming suit of armour. She had a bag around her shoulder too, and she was looking shy and flushed. Liam gazed at her without speaking and tried to figure out how he felt about this girl."Did they tease you?" she asked him.He nodded. "A little.""I saw those older boys crowd 'round you, and I figured I was the cause of it. If it makes you feel any better, they've been teasing me, too."It didn't make him feel any better, but he didn't want to say that out loud. People were coming in and out of the Great Hall. Liam nodded his head in the direction of the library. "Come on, let's go," he said.As they walked, Sadie said, "We're supposed to be natural enemies, you know, almost like Gryffindors and Slytherins.""What, the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws?" Thinking of Calliopes' condescension, Liam said, "I can see that.""Calliope and her friends have never been nice to me, but once the girls got wind of what I had planned for today, they were just awful. Calliope called you a Mudblood. I got so angry I started pulling her hair. Lucy had to cast a spell to separate us.""If Calliope were a bloke, I would've slugged her before now."The two fell silent as they crossed the threshold of the library. Lucida stopped and greeted them. "Hello there," she said to Liam. "Is there something I can help you find?"Liam said nothing. Beside him, Sadie was fuming. Lucida regarded her for a moment and then said, rather nastily, "That's right, you have a room." She beckoned them with her finger. "Follow me."She led them off to the right, passed the study tables to the private meeting rooms. The one Sadie had reserved was hardly more than a closet. There was a small table and two chairs, but had the children been any older than eleven, they would have been hard pressed to sit down in the space provided. There was a window, keeping the room from being completely claustrophobic, but this also made the room rather cool and draughty.The door to the room had a wooden frame, but otherwise, it was clear glass. Lucida called their attention to it. "Notice the glass," she said. "It's to discourage couples from coming in here and snogging. Not that this will be a problem for you two," she added with a laugh.Sadie looked darkly back at her. "Have fun!" said Lucida as she closed the door behind her.Sadie sighed. "See! Even my prefect hates me."It was hard to argue with her on that point, so Liam simply moved on. He pulled out his book and notes, then set Philip's wizard cards on the table."Why do you have those out?" asked Sadie."They're Philip's. I chose the ones I wanted. They're all in the book, see." He tapped the History book with his hand. "The trick to reading this book is, you have to memorize the family trees in the back of the book, and every time the author mentions a place, you have to find it on the map."He showed Sadie the fold-out map at the back of the book. "Where is this place?" she asked, annoyed."It's Beleriand. Wizards believe that thousands of years ago, we all used to live in a country called Beleriand.""Where is this country now? In France or something?""No. It all fell into the ocean. I think France and England are over here." He pointed to the far-right edge of the map. "Binns mentioned it in one of his first lectures.""Fell into the ocean, like Atlantis? Are we talking myth or history, here?""I think it's a little of both." Next, he turned to the dog-eared page that had the family trees on them. "Everybody you need to know about is on this list here, and half of them are all related to each other, so they end up on more than one family tree. The other thing is, some of the people start out with one name and then they change their name after a while.""That's confusing!""Well, you get used to it. Melkor becomes Morgoth, Elwe becomes Thingol, and Finrod is sometimes called Felagund.""I better start writing all this down."So, Liam read from his notes about the forming of the world, and about the two brothers, Manwe and Melkor, one who was a good guy and the other who was mean and wanted to control everyone and everything. Liam pulled from the deck the Feanor card and explained how Feanor made three beautiful jewels called the Silmarils. "Melkor stole them with the help of the first acromantula, a spider named Ungoliant. After that, everybody called him Morgoth, which means Dark Enemy, I think."Feanor declared war on Morgoth and tried to take the Silmarils back, but Morgoth had too big of an army. So the wizards broke into groups and formed the first three wizard cities, Menengroth, Nargothrond and Gondolin. Morgoth, with the help of the goblins and the dragons, eventually wrecked all the cities before Manwe came with his army and defeated Morgoth. Then the whole place fell into the ocean, I think. I haven't gotten to the end yet."The two went over the notes in more detail. They found each of the cities on the map. Liam showed Sadie all of the cards that Philip had loaned him, and he pointed out where each of them were on the family trees at the back of the book. After an hour, Liam felt that he had prepared both of them well for the test. He thought, Maybe I'll get out in the snow after all.Sadie, however, was not done. "We have practical exams next week, too. Let's practise the Wingardium Leviosa charm on these cards."Sadie quickly asserted herself as the teacher. Fortunately for Liam, he had thought to bring his wand with him. Sadie drilled Liam on every spell their professors had taught them in each of the Formal Magic classes. By the time they were finished, he was mentally exhausted.After he had cast his final Defense spell to Sadie's satisfaction, he slumped down in his chair. "I'm bloody starving," he said. "What time is it?"Sadie peered through the glass door at the clock on the wall. "Eleven-thirty. It's nearly lunchtime." She gathered up her notes. "I suppose you want to go back to your friends." Liam nodded. "Thank you for studying with me. It was nice to be with you when I wasn't having an absolutely miserable day. You know, having a cry or cutting my thumb open."The way she beamed at him was making him blush. "I guess I needed all that practise," he said, finally. "Bet we ace those tests next week."She grinned back at him. "I bet we do, too."After he said good-bye to Sadie outside the library, Liam hurried downstairs to stash his things. He was eager to find Mike and the other boys and enjoy the outdoors for a few hours. But as he scampered down the stone steps, he thought about his new study partner.Sadie was opinionated, bossy, and shrill when angered or upset. But, she was also smart and hardworking. Liam didn't like being teased about having Sadie as his girlfriend, but, he decided, it wasn't too bad having this girl for a friend. In the coming term, when the Dragon Dreams returned, Sadie would prove to be invaluable.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
On the Monday morning of the last week of the term, Liam awoke to the sight of tinsel hanging from his walls. In the bathroom, there were gold and silver balls floating in midair like bubbles. In the corner of the Common Room, there was now a large pine sitting in a stand - deep green, bushy and very fragrant. Christmas had come to the Badger's Den.In Liam’s Formal Magic classes, his professors were all reviewing for Exams later in the week. Liam was comforted to know that each spell that his teachers mentioned was one that he and Sadie had practised the Saturday before.In the break between Dark Arts and Charms, Liam and his friends gathered in the hallway by the bathrooms. Philip and Niles Fortney were both worried about the approaching exams, but Michael laughed them off. "Nobody looks at your First Year scores, lest you're aiming to be Head Boy someday. And, if you are, you're in the wrong House!""You should've been practising with me and Sadie on Saturday," said Liam. "Not that we could've fit anyone else in that broom closet Lucida stuck us in."Sadie had crept to the edge of the circle of boys. Liam gave her a smile, and she scooted closer to him. Michael looked disdainfully at her, but Philip came to her other side and said, "I wouldn't mind a little extra practise, especially for the Defense test!""'Fig's the one that’s got me worried," said Fortney."I'm sure we could find a time to meet," said Sadie, "in an empty classroom or something. Maybe after Astronomy!"The boys looked questioningly at Liam, suddenly unsure about this offer. "You're the ones that brought it up," he told them. He looked at Sadie and said, "Right after Astronomy, before dinner, we can get in about an hour.""Which classroom should we use?" asked Philip."How 'bout the one on the second floor, the empty one we hid the hat?" suggested Liam. Philip and Niles nodded. Liam turned back to Sadie and said, "We'll take you there."She said nothing back, but was blushing and grinning widely, as if she had just gotten an early Christmas present.After Astronomy, Liam and the other boys went with Sadie down to the second floor. There, in the empty classroom, Sadie put the boys through a vigorous workout of spell casting and test prep. She made each boy perform the Charms and protective spells they had learned in their Formal Magic classes. In between, she would pick a boy at random and shout a test question at him.Only Michael did not participate. He watched from the back of the room, disgusted, for a few minutes. "This must be how the Ravenclaws have fun," he sneered."You want to ace your tests, or just skate by like you always do?" asked Liam coldly."I'll do fine on my own! I don't need help, especially not from her." He stormed out and slammed the door behind him.Sadie looked nervously back at Liam. The other boys were quiet as well, not sure how to react to Michael's sudden departure. "Go on," said Liam. "It's on his head."Sadie slowly worked back up her confidence level. "Um, then John, can I see you do the Wingardium Leviosa charm again, please? And, Philip still needs to tell me the best way to transfigure aluminum foil into cotton."Liam thought of a question likely to be on the Potions exam. He called it out to John. "Fortney, tell me the purpose jasmine heather serves in poisons!"Fortney mumbled, "I don't know. Was that in the lecture today?" The others laughed."It absorbs the bitterness!" said Philip."And, it hides the odors with its pleasant scent!" said Sadie.Fortney looked crossly at Liam and said, "How come she doesn't have to do any of these spells?"Before Liam could answer, Sadie shouted,"Wingardium Leviosa!" The feather quill that they were practicing with floated up under Fortney nose and began tickling him. He back away quickly, tripped over his own bag and fell on his rear end."There's your answer," said Liam, laughing as he held out his hand for Fortney to take. That evening at dinner, Michael was still sulking when Liam sat down next to him. As Liam began to ease a pork chop onto his plate, Michael said, "Archie says I'm crazy for skipping out on a study session with your Ravenclaw girl.""Well, you were crazy. We learned a lot from Sadie.""But, it's consorting with the enemy!"This conversation was looked upon with amusement by the girls on the other side of the table. "Is Sadie the enemy because she's a Ravenclaw?" asked Stacy. "Or, because she's a girl?""Because she's a Ravenclaw, of course!" snapped Michael."If I'd been studying with Calliope, or even with Reuel, I would have said you were right," said Liam. "But Sadie's not like them. She's not stuck up like they are. And, they hate her for being my friend."She said she got into a fight with Calliope over something Calliope called me. Not House-Elf. Something else - I can't remember what now." He thought for a moment and then said, "Mudblood, it was, I think."Only then did it register with Liam how offensive the term was to the others. There was a moment of shocked silence at the table. Lara gave a little shudder, while Stephanie's mouth hung open for a moment. Stacy said coldly, "She better not call you that aroundus.""I'd slug her for that," said Michael. "I don't care if she is a girl.""I can take care of myself," said Liam sternly, "but lay off of Sadie. She's on our side." That night in the Badger's Den, the Fifth Years put away their studying, and everyone gathered in the Common room. The chairs and tables were again pushed against the far wall, and everyone sat in a big group on the floor. There were several large boxes by the hearth. Professor Meadows stood by them with a long scroll."All right everyone," she said. "It's time to decorate the tree. When I call your name, come and pick an ornament from the box and hang it on a bough."She called the Seventh Years first. Archie hung the star at the top, and the other tall boys put their ornaments on the higher boughs. There were delicate crystal ornaments, and others that looked hand-sewn. Each had some sentimental value to the person who picked it out of the box.The First Years were next. Lara was called, then Philip, then Stephanie, and then Liam. Liam looked down into the box and saw, moving around at the bottom, a little dragon. He reached in and plucked it out.It was blue-grey in color. There was a tag around its neck with a tiny number one on it. The dragon looked at him suspiciously, then began crawling up his arm.Meadows brought a hand up to her mouth. It looked for a moment as if she might cry. "That was Cedric's," she said softly. "Cedric Diggory's.""The hero?" asked Liam, impressed. He took the dragon to the tree. Around its back leg was a shred of gold string. Someone had once tied a harness to the little dragon so it could be hung on a tree, but the dragon had chewed through most of it.Instead of trying to attach it to a bough, Liam set the dragon under the tree. It immediately began to patrol back and forth, flicking its tail and glowering menacingly at anyone that got too close to it.Liam sat back down, next to Philip. "That's a Swedish Short-Snout," said Philip."It was Diggory's," said Liam. Philip looked wide-eyed back at him.Randal patted Liam on the back. "I picked that one up a few years ago, and it bit me. Seemed to like you well enough.""It's probably a girl," said Michael, dryly.The tree decorating continued on late into the evening. Each student got to hang three ornaments on the tree. For his second pick, Liam drew out an oblong object wrapped in red tissue paper.He carefully drew back the tissue to reveal a little golden faery, with blond hair and bright blue eyes. She wore a blue dress that was open in the back, allowing for her delicate transparent wings. She stretched and preened for him, then leapt from his hand. She made a circuit of the tree before settling on a high branch.His third pick went to a shiny gold ball that spun on its own, which he was finally able to bring to the tree and hang in an empty space. By the time the last Fourth Year had made his third choice, there were ornaments on every bough.With the tree decorated, the Hufflepuffs sat together on the rug and sang carols until it was well past the younger student's bedtimes. When Philip's head began to droop, Meadows sent them all to bed. Tuesday afternoon, Liam came into the common room before dinner and was suddenly pulled off his feet. He floated upwards until he was a few inches off the ground. Above him, immediately, a choir was singing, "Hark! The Herald Angels Sing.""Bloody Hell," he muttered, kicking his legs and waving his arms. Out from the dormitory came Archie and Eric."Oh, we've caught Wren," said Archie."Well, now that you've caught me, you can get me down," he said crossly."Oh, we won't get you down," said Archie, "but someone will.""Probably," added Eric."What is this?" asked Liam."It's a Mistletoe Trap," said Archie."Bought it at Weasley's, during the last Hogsmeade trip," added Eric."I don't care where you bought it!" said Liam. "How am I supposed to get down?""You know how mistletoe works, don't you?" asked Archie. "I thought Muggles knew about mistletoe.""Somebody has to kiss me?""A female somebody, to be specific," said Eric.Archie gave him the thumbs up. "See! You do know how this works."Above his head, the chorus was now singing "O Holy Night," except the words had been changed: "O Holy Cow! The Divine Bovine leaping/ Over the moon on this cold winter's night!" Liam drew his wand, but even with its help, he couldn't break the spell. Other students were coming in from their afternoon classes. They walked carefully around the Mistletoe Trap. The older girls scurried past him. A few of them gave him embarrassed smiles, while others avoided his gaze altogether.Liam kicked his feet angrily. "You're never going to get a girl that way," said Eric.By the Christmas tree, the First Year girls had gathered. They were looking in Liam's direction and conferring amongst themselves. Liam gazed at them imploringly.Lara seemed to be the obvious choice for this assignment. However, her arms were crossed tight against her chest, and she was blushing as brightly as Sadie Thompson ever had. Liam sighed in frustration as she shook her head no.The older boys were watching Lara and the others, too. Eric said, "Shall we fetch your Ravenclaw girl for you?"At this, Stacy broke from the group of girls. She marched across the common room, and, grabbing Liam by his cloak, pulled him down to her level. The song abruptly changed, and the chorus sang, "Ho! Ho! the mistletoe/ Hung where you can see/ Somebody waits for you/ Kiss her once for me!"On her tip toes, she brushed her lips quickly across his cheek. Instead of releasing him, however, the spell pulled Liam up a little higher. "You'll have to put a little more heat on it, missy," suggested Eric.Stacy looked back at Lara. Liam from his high perch, saw Lara nod her head. Stacy reached up and pulled Liam back down to her level. Turning her head to a slight angle, and hanging onto his lapels, she gave him a firm kiss on the mouth.The spell released abruptly, and Liam toppled onto Stacy. They staggered together, but Liam caught his balance and steadied Stacy before she fell. Archie and Eric cheered."Thanks," said Liam. His cheeks were flushed and hot.There was a blush on Stacy's freckled cheeks as well. "Happy Christmas, Liam," she said, before returning to the group of girls. Later, as Liam was getting ready for bed, he noticed Philip lingering nearby. Knowing that Stacy was Philip's favorite, Liam said, "Sorry, mate, about that. I didn't ask her to come over, but I really needed somebody to get me down from there.""I understand," he said. Then, more softly, "What was it like?""The kiss?" Liam thought about it for a moment. "Can't say it was like kissing my sister, 'cause I haven't got one. And, I don't kiss my girl cousins, as a rule." He thought some more. "It wasn't bad. I wished it was Lara, but then again, beggars can't be choosers.""She was brave to kiss you like that, when everyone was watching.""I guess so. Guess I owe her a favour."Liam spent the rest of the week looking up at every overhang and doorway. He made sure he didn't get caught in another Mistletoe Trap. There was no Astronomy class Wednesday night, as there were Finals in the morning. Instead, the class met earlier in the evening by the tree in the Entrance Hall for a night of caroling.The Slytherins and Hufflepuffs arrived at about the same moment from different stairwells. Liam noticed that there was no camaraderie between these groups, even between the girls. In fact, the Hufflepuff girls moved closer to Liam and his friends rather than mix with the five cold, haughty witches of Slytherin.Liam eyed the Slytherins with suspicion. He was always on edge when Cyrus was nearby. Liam thought that on this night, without an assignment to keep them busy, there was more potential for trouble from his rival. Cyrus and Spencer stood apart from the others, at the very edge of the group. They glared at Liam, and he looked away from them.Go and try something, he thought to himself. But if you hit one of these girls, you'll pay.The Gryffindors came down the Grand Staircase singing "O Holy Cow!" at the tops of their lungs. The song was much funnier, Liam decided, when he wasn't suspended in mid-air. The Gryffindors mixed in with the Hufflepuffs, while the Ravenclaws, trailing behind, joined the Slytherins.Liam shook Paul's hand, then Dave's, and got a big smile and a silent "Happy Christmas!" from Gillian. The Hufflepuff girls mingled amongst the Gryffindor girls. Liam began to relax.He felt a hand on his arm, and there was Sadie. "Happy Christmas!" she said."Happy Christmas." He smiled down on her and watched the blush spread across her cheeks.A twinge, a hint of danger, made him look up. The Slytherin girls were watching him, staring with cold precision right at him and Sadie. Before he could think any more about it, Professor Sinistra arrived."We'll have a short class tonight, everyone," she said. "I thought we could go around to the staff apartments and do a little caroling."She led her students to the ground floor classroom where Firenze the centaur lived. A hush fell over the group as they entered the room, which looked very much like a forest glen at twilight. Hagrid was there, too.Firenze, with his horse legs and body, was tall and imposing. His hair was white blond, and his eyes bright blue. Firenze and Hagrid stopped their conversation and spoke to Professor Sinistra.Liam gazed in awe at the fantastic creature. Firenze surveyed the group of students with his eyes, shining like sapphires in the dusk. Liam felt Sadie's small hands squeeze his arm as she pressed close to him. "A real centaur," whispered Liam."Firenze was exiled from his herd for helping Dumbledore during the war," answered Sadie. "He's still here, teaching Divination."Professor Sinistra led them in singing "O Little Town of Bethlehem" and "In the Bleak Mid-Winter," which Firenze seemed to enjoy very much."Earth like iron, water like stone," he said solemnly. "From simple signs come great tidings."From there, Sinistra led them to McGonagall's apartment, high on the Seventh Floor. Professor Gregor was with her, as were some other teachers that Liam did not know. Here, they sang "Angels We Have Heard on High," "The Holly and the Ivy," and "We Wish You A Merry Christmas."When they had finished, the teachers clapped. "I don't have figgy pudding for you all," said McGonagall with a twinkle in her eye, "but I do have a plate of cookies." She drew from behind the door a large plate full of sugar cookies and ginger snaps. Each student picked one.Liam picked a sugar cookie the shape of an angel, with blue sprinkles. "Thank you, Professor," he said. He had never seen the Headmistress in such good spirits.Liam stood with Sadie at his side, and the boys around him in a circle, and ate his cookie. "These are quite good," said Philip. "Do you think she made them herself?""Prob'ly got them from the kitchens," mumbled Michael, with his mouth full.When they were finished eating, Professor Sinistra dismissed the students. With a smile and a wave, Sadie went off to join the Ravenclaws, heading to their tower. Paul and the Gryffindors went another way.The Slytherins and the Hufflepuffs went down the stairs together. At the Entrance Hall, they split off and went their separate ways towards their common rooms.At the wooden door, Philip's shoe came untied. Liam waited for him while the others went on ahead. As he stood in the dim light, a deep unease came over Liam. "Hurry up, there," he said to Philip. "We ought to get going."Philip stood, but the sound of footsteps behind them made them turn sharply. Cyrus Kane was only fifty paces away. Rushing to join him were Umberto and Gordon."Get your wand out," said Liam quietly to Philip. Liam didn't draw his wand, but stretched out his left hand towards Cyrus. The power of his rival's wand was a palpable force to him, the source of his growing anxiety.It looked to be a difficult fight, three on two, but neither Umberto nor Gordon had drawn their wands. "Such a fine wand you have there, Cyrus," said Umberto."Yes," said Gordon. "Who would have thought to wrap a ring around a wand, like a finger?"Cyrus shot the two other boys a furious look. Liam knew as well as Cyrus had that it had been Umberto and Gordon's footsteps that had tipped Liam off. With Liam on alert, and without an offer of help from the other two, there was nothing for Cyrus to do but to retreat.Liam stood still and watched them go. When the sounds of their footsteps faded away, Liam and Philip hurried through the wooden door and down the stairs.Liam said nothing to the others about what had happened, but that night before bed, he conferred with Philip. "What do you know about Umberto?""His father is a lawyer for a company that imports Swiss Time Turners. My father regulates the sale of imported goods, so they often meet together. Umberto and I have been paired up before, while our fathers did business. He beat me soundly in Wizard Chess once.""What were they doing there, him and Gordon? Kane had pretty well snuck up on us. It was their footsteps I heard, not his." Philip said nothing. Liam continued thinking aloud. "If they were coming to see the fight, why didn't they egg us on?""They didn't want to see the fight," said Philip. "I think they were trying to stop it. Did you see the look on Umberto's face? He was happy he stopped Cyrus in time, before he could attack you.""But, why?"Philip shrugged. "He's probably trying to get in good with Professor Gregor. Slytherins would do anything to curry favour from a teacher.""I don't get Slytherins at all," said Liam, shaking his head. "I'm glad I didn't get stuck in that House.""Me too!" said Philip. Lying in his bed, Liam couldn't let the moment go. He kept thinking of Cyrus' furious glare, of Gordon's laugh and Umberto's gleeful sneer. Philip was right - they had spoiled the fight on purpose.Then, in the darkness, a deep craving hit him. Like the whiff of chocolate will bring on hunger, like a verse of a song will bring back whole memories, the very presence of the Dragon Wand brought out a fierce ache of longing in Liam. He wanted the chance to fight for it, to rip the wand away from Cyrus and hold it in his hand again.Liam knew, before sleep came down upon him, that he would dream of dragons that night.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That Friday afternoon, at the end of two days of exams, Liam began to pack up his trunk in preparation to returning home for Christmas. Though he had sent his family letters regularly, and gotten correspondence in return, he had tried his best not to think much about his mother, brother and uncle, and instead, focused on his school work.Now that the reunion was upon him, he found himself thinking of them more and more. The desire to see his family again was strong enough even to drive away the dreams of the red dragon.Friday evening, as Liam was finishing his meal, one of the Second Year boys, a skinny blond boy named Kiernan, came up to him. "Oi Wren, you're needed at a meeting this evening in Meadows classroom.""What meeting is this?" asked Philip. "Are we coming, too?""I didn't say you," said Kiernan, gruffly. "Just me and Wren have to go. It's an I.S.W.S. meeting."Again, Liam was conscious of the conversations around him dying down so that the people could eavesdrop. "What's an I.S. whatever you just said meeting?" he asked. "Why am I going if nobody else is?""It stands for International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy," said Kiernan importantly, as he squeezed onto the bench between Liam and Randal. "You and I have to go because we're going back into the Muggle World. They want to get us straight on the rules.""Meadows does, you mean?""It won't just be her, and it won't just be us, either," said Kiernan, enigmatically.Kiernan seemed eager to get to this meeting. To irk him, Liam served himself a large slice of red velvet cake and savored each bite, dragging out the meal as long as he could. Finally, Kiernan said, "All right you, let's go."Liam stood. "See you guys later," he said. Kiernan led him out of the Great Hall to the Grand Staircase.As they climbed, Kieran said, "It's a sensitive topic for most people, whether you have Wizard parents or Muggle parents. Not supposed to be a big deal anymore, of course, but for some people it still is. The staff tries not to single us out, but for things like this, they really have to."'Course, I've heard all this before, but they want me to hear it again. You'll have to go as a Second Year, too. After that, you're excused from future meetings unless you break the rules.""I already know not to use magic in front of Muggles," said Liam."So do I," said Kiernan. "We still have to come to the meeting."Meadows was sitting at her desk when Liam and Kiernan arrived at her classroom. "Hello boys," she said. "Please don't leave me up here by myself. Sit near the front. That will encourage the other students to do the same."Liam and Kiernan obliged her. Next in the room were three Gryffindors, a boy and a girl, both Second Years, and First Year Larry Mullin. Larry sat next to Liam."Who else is coming?" asked Larry."Don't know," Liam answered."It's not a big deal being Muggleborn in our Houses," said Kiernan to the two younger boys. "But for Ravenclaw and Slytherin, there's still a stigma. I've heard of Slytherins taking Puking Pastilles rather than showing up at something like this.""Oh Kiernan," said Meadows, "please don't say such horrible things.""There aren't Muggleborns in Slytherin, are there?" asked Larry."Sumner's one, I think," answered Liam."Which one is he?""The tall blond one."Two Ravenclaws entered, both Second Years. They looked bored and put-upon for having to come. Trailing after them was Gordon Sumner. At his side was a young girl with dark blond hair and green eyes, Pauline Langlet."She's a Muggleborn, too?" whispered Larry, in surprise.Liam didn't know what a Puking Pastille was, but it certainly looked like Pauline had taken one. Her face was pale and faintly green. She stayed close to Gordon and didn't make eye contact with the others. Gordon gave Liam a hard stare. Liam turned back to Larry."Think if she were Muggleborn, she'd give us the time of day every so often," said Larry, glumly.The last to enter was Professor Gregor. He swept the room with his eyes, silently taking roll. "That's the lot, Sonja," he said softly.Meadows stood. "All right everyone. Thank you for coming on short notice. I promise not to keep you very long tonight."You will all be returning to the Non-Magical Community tomorrow. It's important that you follow certain rules when you are staying at home. The Magical Community of Great Britain is protected by the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy. It is imperative that these laws are not breached."We have spoken to you before about not using magic in front of your friends and extended family back home. This is the main concern of the Statute: that you keep your magical abilities secret from the majority of the Muggles in your life. Obviously, your parents and siblings will know that you have special abilities and go to Hogwarts. But to everyone else, you attend Lakewood Prep, and you take an utterly ordinary curriculum."She waved her wand, and behind her, a piece of chalk began writing words on the blackboard. In one column, the chalk listed the courses from their schedule: History of Magic, Potions, Astronomy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Transfiguration.Opposite each class, the chalk now wrote another word or phrase: History of Great Britain, Chemistry, Astronomy, Home Economics, Physical Education and Algebra.Pointing to the second column, Meadows said "These are the rough equivalents, what you would be learning if you were going to Lakewood Prep. When you are back home, it is very likely that someone will ask you what you are studying in school. You need to be able to tell them something that they will understand and readily believe."No one is going to ask you to solve Algebraic equations over your Holiday. But if someone asks you if you are studying mathematics, you need to be able to say 'Yes.' And if they ask you how it's going, then you'll need to have an answer for that, too."Professor Gregor had lingered by the door. Now he strode towards the front of the room. "Let's see how well you understand the lesson." He surveyed the group and quickly settled on Liam. "Wren, tell me, what are you studying at Lakewood Prep?"Liam read the answer off the chalkboard. "History, Chemistry, Astronomy and Algebra."Gregor stepped closer to him, cutting off his view of the chalkboard. "Now say it again without looking at the board."With the Professors dark eyes glowering at him, Liam faltered. "Um, History, Chemistry . . . .""Chemistry?" interrupted Gregor. "And how is that class going?""Um, I haven't the foggiest." This answer elicited timid giggles from the group. With a glare, Gregor quickly restored silence."Yes you do," said Meadows, kindly. "How are you doing in Potions lab?""I love Potions lab!""Well then, you love Chemistry Lab, too. Talk about heating things, and making mixtures. That will be enough of an answer. Do you think you can do that?" she asked. Liam nodded.Gregor questioned a few of the others, sharpening each of their answers. When he was satisfied, he dismissed the group.As they went down the stairs, Kiernan asked, "What did you do to Gregor? He really grilled you.""Don't know," answered Liam, but then he added, "I got in a fight with a Slytherin my first week here.""That tall blond kid?"Liam shook his head. "No. Someone else." Saturday morning there was a last-minute rush to pack trunks before going up the stairs to breakfast. When Liam and his friends were finished eating, Randal the prefect led them through the Entrance Hall and down the front steps. They joined a queue of students heading up the front walkway. The snow had turned to slush, but it was quite cold that morning. Steam rose from their breaths as they walked.Randal led them to the front gate, where a line of carriages were waiting. Students were getting in the carriages in threes and fours. As soon as the door shut, the carriage started moving on its own, without any sign of motor or driver.As Liam stood in the crowd of students waiting to board the carriages, he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned to see Sadie gazing shyly up at him, red beret on her head. Her face was bright pink, and she trembled as if cold, but she didn't speak.Philip noticed her standing there and said, "Oh Sadie, that's a lovely hat you've got there.""Thank you," she squeaked."Are you going to ride with us?"She smiled at Philip and then looked imploringly up at Liam. Liam finally realized what she wanted. "Do you want to ride over to the station with us?" he asked her. She nodded her head. "You're welcome to," he said.This brought a broad smile to her face. She gave his arm another squeeze, and finally managed to speak. "Happy Christmas!"On Liam's other side, through clenched teeth, Michael whispered, "You're just encouraging her!"Liam ignored him. "So, I guess we're riding to the station in the carriages this time. No boat ride?""I don't think that would be very safe at this time of year," said Sadie with a laugh."They say it's Thestrals, pulling the carriages," said Philip."I've seen pictures of Thestrals in books," said Sadie. "They're very scary looking.""Only certain people can see them," added Philip.Now that she had regained both her confidence and her voice, Sadie began chatting animatedly with Philip, first about Thestrals, but then the conversation drifted widely to the recent Finals, family Holiday traditions and planned excursions during the weeks off.Over Sadie's shoulder was a group of Seventh Years, including Archie and Eric. Archie nodded approvingly at Liam and Sadie and mouthed the words, "Just Enough."Liam glared crossly at him. Sadie noticed the change in his expression and turned her head. She gazed up at the taller boys and gave a soft, "Hello," before turning back around and continuing her conversation with Philip.Philip and Sadie chatted all the way to the station. Michael was annoyed, and Liam was amused that Michael was annoyed. At the station, their trunks were waiting for them. They had been magically transported ahead of the students, and lay in neat rows, grouped by Houses.There was a considerable crowd around the stacks of trunks. Liam said to Philip, "Go and save us a compartment. Mike and I can get your trunk." Philip nodded and skipped on to the train. Soon, his small head, complete with stocking cap, was sticking out of the train window.Sadie lingered by Liam as the crowd thinned around the Hufflepuff trunks. "Will you help me, too?" she asked him. Liam nodded. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see Michael smirking.When Liam saw an opening, he grabbed his trunk and stashed it in the compartment Philip had secured. Michael was right behind Liam with his trunk. The two boys went back for Philip's. One last time, Liam went out to the platform and helped Sadie bring her trunk onto the train.It was just after nine-thirty in the morning when the Hogwarts Express left Hogsmeade Station, bound for London. Michael and Philip sat on one bench, while Liam and Sadie sat across, with Liam sitting opposite Michael and Sadie opposite Philip.Philip and Sadie continued their animated conversation as the train sped along the Scottish countryside. Sadie was relaxed and cheerful. She was feeling more confident of her place on Liam's team. Liam sat and listened. He didn't contribute anything, but he nodded his head every so often to something the others said. When they were about half-way home, the carts came down the aisle with food.Their meals eaten, a great fatigue overtook Philip and Sadie. The excitement of the journey had worn off. The two began to gaze dreamily towards the window at the passing scenery, and soon, both of them were asleep.Philip turned and rested his head against the window frame, while Sadie turned the other way and buried her cheek into Liam's arm. Liam gazed down at her, her dark lashes just visible beyond the rim of the beret. Once again, he tried to figure out how he felt about this girl.His stomach didn't flip when he saw her, the way it sometimes did when he was near Lara. Sadie didn't catch his eye and hold it the way Vanessa Ables could hold Michael's (any boy's eyes for that matter.) He didn't feel any great desire to kiss Sadie or hold her hand, but she was a great lab partner, and he knew he wouldn't have done nearly as well on his exams without her help.On the other bench, Michael was smirking at him. "Girlfriend," he mouthed."Shut it," Liam mouthed back. But, he grinned, too.There were other First Year boys on the train with crushes. Michael liked Vanessa, and he was not the only one. Paul Hewson had paid her a complement the other day. While in the courtyard, between DADA and Charms, Paul had said, loudly enough for her to hear, "There's no question Vanessa's Able. The real question is, will she En-able or Dis-able." For his joke, he had received a sly smirk from the girl.Philip liked Stacy. Larry seemed to like that Pauline girl, and the other Slytherin girls were also popular. As he gazed out the window, over the top of Sadie's red beret, Liam was confident knowing that he was the only First Year boy on the train with a girl asleep on his arm.In the late afternoon, the train rolled into King's Cross Station. As it shuddered to a halt Sadie woke up. She looked shyly up at Liam, embarrassed. "I'm sorry," she mumbled."It's all right," said Liam. He raised his arm to stretch it out, and she scooted closer to him. Michael gave another smirk, which he ignored. "We're home," said Liam.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
On the other side of the platform, Liam's family waited for him: his mother, brother and Uncle Charlie. Sadie was at his side as he came through the barrier, but right away she saw her father and ran to meet him. Liam went to his mother first. Annie gave him a hard hug. "Oh I've missed you, Liam-lad.""We missed your cooking mostly," said Patrick."Hey, Patty," said Liam. He ran his hand roughly through Patrick's hair, then received, first a handshake, then a hug, from his uncle.Charlie grabbed the trunk and pulled it out of the way of the other passengers. There was a twenty-minute wait for the Great Northern to take them back to Biggleswade. As Liam waited, he looked around for his wizard friends, but they seemed to vanish quickly into the crowds. He had missed a chance to say good bye to most of them.While they waited, and all the while on the train ride home, Liam told stories of his time at Hogwarts, while keeping in mind the rules and the lessons of the I.S.W.S. meeting. Though he was with his immediate family, he was conscious of being in a public place. Though he mentioned decorating the tree and caroling, he didn't mention the flying ornaments, the little dragon or the centaur.His mother asked him, "Have you had any more trouble with that boy?"Liam smirked. "No, I haven't. Every so often, he looks like he's gonna take a crack at me, but then he thinks twice about it.""You showed him what for last time, didn't you?" said Patrick, eagerly. Liam grinned and nodded.Uncle Charlie questioned him about each of his teachers. "My Po- um, I mean, my Chemistry teacher is supposed to be really tough and mean, but I'm good in his class, so he likes me. My History teacher is about as old as you can get, but you'd really like my Head of House. She's very pretty.""We saw her!" said Patrick. "She came 'round the house that time!"Charlie laughed. "Didn't have pretty professors when I was in school. Certainly not like her.""Are you getting good marks?" asked Annie."Did well on my finals," answered Liam. "Scores'll be in next week. You'll see then."“Are you playing any sports?” asked Charlie.“Well, we played this game called Capture the Hat. My friends and I were running up and down the stairs and making a ruckus. The Headmistress put a stop to it. But, we couldn’t play outside ‘cause it was raining, see. And, she really wasn’t that mad.”This seemed to put his mother more at ease, that he was making friends and having fun at school."Your father has moved to Manchester," said Annie. "He says he got transferred out there, but I think it's yet another new job. He promises to be by next week to see you.""Tomorrow, meanwhile," said Uncle Charlie, "I'm going to take you lads out shopping tomorrow for Christmas presents." After a long train ride, they arrived in Biggleswade. It was dark, and rain fell in a heavy mist. Liam felt exhausted from his long day of travel. As they exited the station, Annie said, “Let’s stop on the way and get a bite to eat.”“Yes please!” said Liam.His family had come to the station in Uncle Charlie’s Saab. As soon as the two boys were in the back seat, Patrick burst out with the question he’d been holding all afternoon. “What do I need to know before I get there? I want to know all the spells!""You don't have to know anything," said Liam shortly. "Believe me, you'll get plenty of Formal Magic your First Year."They had dinner at an Italian restaurant, while his family caught him up on the local news. Patrick had played forward on his football team and scored several goals. Liam’s friend Tim had just returned from Thursgood’s. Liam listened patiently. He was pleased to be back with his family again, even though it meant keeping his magic hidden for a few weeks.When he got to his room that night, he quickly undressed and got ready for bed. In his pocket, he found the silver Sickle that Philip had paid him for the Gothmog card. Liam turned it around in his hand before shoving it in his dresser drawer. "No sense in leaving that out for Tim or Father to see," he mused.The next day, Charlie took the two boys out shopping to get gifts for their mother. Charlie paid for the gifts and guided the boys towards appropriate presents. Liam selected a hat, scarf and gloves, while Patrick picked out a set of towels and two new saucepans.Monday morning, Liam's old friend Tim came 'round, and the two went out for a walk. "How's Thursgood's?" asked Liam."It's all right. My French teacher, Mr. Prideaux, he's a bit mad. He spends half the class going on and on about the Glories of England. But, he curses in French, too, which is cool."Liam nodded. "My Chemistry teacher was supposed to be really mean, but he seems to like me all right. I'm doing well in his class.""You don't want to be the teacher's pet," warned Tim. "That's bad news all over."Liam nodded. He didn't feel like he was Professor DeVere's pet, though this was not the first time someone had made that comment. "It's not like I fawn over him. I just do well in the labs.""They don't teach us Chemistry," said Tim. "The older students get it, but not us.""Well, I'm not learning French," said Liam shortly.The two walked along in silence. They were coming up to the cricket field. It was dusted with snow, but not enough to play in. They were too old for snowmen, anyways, and there weren't enough boys about to start a snowball fight."How 'bout that Arsenal, eh?" asked Tim. "Forty-nine in a row, through October.""Yeah," said Liam. The Arsenal Football Club had been the passion of both boys since they were very young. All through the summer the two had waited impatiently for Football Season to start again. But, since he started at Hogwarts, Liam hadn't thought of Arsenal once.The only way he knew the streak was over was that neither his brother nor his uncle had mentioned it. "That was really something," he said finally."Too good to last," said Tim."Yeah. Tough loss it was, too," said Liam, trying to play along."You hate losing to Manchester United. That was the worst. They've done all right since then.""Yeah," said Liam vaguely. He didn't have the heart to tell Tim that nobody at Hogwarts paid the least bit of attention to English Premier League Football.After a long day of meandering across the fields, Liam returned home. His mother was home from work already, and she was starting to prepare dinner. Liam washed his hands and joined her in the kitchen."Got our post this evening," said Annie brightly. "Bills, mostly. And, and owl swung by the house with a letter for you."There was a twinkle in his mother's eye as she said this. Liam looked up at her, suddenly nervous. "Something from school?""It appears to be personal correspondence," said Annie, "from a Miss Thompson." Liam let out an irritated sigh. "Strange," she continued, "but since you've been back, I don't recall hearing a word about a Miss Thompson. Nor in any of your letters, either.""She's not my girlfriend!" he snapped, a little harsher than he meant to."Oh Liam," said Annie, running her hand lightly along his back. "You would hardly be your father's son if you didn't have at least one girl wrapped around your finger by this point. What's her first name?"Liam sighed heavily. Seeing no way to avoid the question, he answered it. "Sadie.""Was that the little girl with short dark hair?" Liam nodded. "She came through the barrier right beside you. I wondered about that, if it was just a coincidence, or if you were friends.""She sat in the train compartment with me and the guys. And, she's my lab partner. But, she's not my girlfriend! Everybody says she's my girlfriend but she's not!""Well, she seems to be very fond of you. I don't think that's anything to sniff your nose about."After dinner, he found Sadie's envelope on his bed. There had been no doubt in his mother's mind that it was from a girl - the envelope was pink, the handwriting delicate and loopy, embellished with flowers and swirls. Along the back flap, she had written, "S. Thompson," and an address.As he was about to open it, his mother poked her head into his room. "Be careful opening it," she told him. "You'll want to preserve the return address at least, so you can write her back.""I have to write her back?" asked Liam."I think she would be rather heartbroken if you didn't," said Annie.Liam decided that this was good advice, considering that his mother was a girl once. But, he didn't feel compelled to write something down immediately. First, he wanted to see what Sadie had written to him.It was a long letter, filled with trivial details about her life - what she ate for dinner, the movie that she saw with her parents - as well as her family's evolving Christmas plans. He wondered, if they were back at school together, if she would have told him any of this.Thankfully, there was nothing overly gushy in the letter, aside from the swirls and hearts everywhere. If someone saw it, like Tim, or his brother or one of his cousins, he wouldn't be too embarrassed.Patrick poked his head into Liam's room. "You got a letter from your girlfriend?""She's not my girlfriend!""She seems to think that she is." Liam tried ignoring Patrick, hoping that he would go away. Instead, Patrick asked, "Can I read it, then?""No!"Patrick smirked back at him. "She must be your girlfriend. Else you wouldn't care.""Clear out!"From deeper in the house, they heard the voice of their mother. "Patty, leave him be, please!" Patrick slunk reluctantly away.Liam considered throwing the letter away when he was done reading it, but he was afraid that Patrick would fish it out and read it. Also, he felt that Sadie would be displeased that he had discarded her correspondence so quickly. He decided to stash it amongst his school papers.He wasn't eager, this early in his Holiday, to begin a writing assignment, so he spent the next few hours, until he went to bed, reading his comic books and football magazines.In the morning, Liam cooked eggs and bacon for his mother before she went to work. Patrick was still sleeping, so Liam enjoyed a rare moment when he had his mother to himself."Thank you for making breakfast," she told him as she poured her coffee. "I could have done it myself of course, but it's nice to be served for once.""I didn't get to cook at all while I was at school," said Liam. "The food was good, but I didn't get to cook any of it."As she sipped her coffee, Annie asked, "Have you written your friend back yet?""No.""I think you should.""But, I don't have an owl.""We have her address. We could send it through the regular post. Or, you could wait until you get another letter from school and send it out with that owl.""What do I say?"Annie gave a soft laugh. "You don't have to write an epistle, Liam. Start with, 'Thank you for your letter' and go from there." He served the plates of eggs and bacon, and they began to eat.Annie asked, "Is there anyone else who might like to get a letter from you?" Liam shrugged. "Is there anyone who, upon learning that Sadie Thompson got a letter from you, might be upset or jealous if she didn't also get a letter?"Liam thought of Lara's cruel brown eyes glaring at him every time she saw Sadie talking with him. "Maybe.""Why don't you spend a little time this morning and write some notes to all your friends, just wishing them a Happy Holidays. The next owl that comes 'round, give them to it.""But I don't know any of the addresses!""Those are magic owls," said Annie. "I bet they have special ways of finding out addresses."Before she left, Annie had set out some stationery for him, plain blue with matching envelopes. The two brothers often used it to write thank you notes at Christmastime. After Patrick had gotten up and eaten breakfast, Liam cleaned the table and sat down to write his letters.First, Liam wrote to Sadie, and he started, just as his mother had prompted him to, with "Thank you for writing me." When he had written a paragraph full, he decided he was done. He signed his name, "Sincerely, Liam" (she of course had written "Love, Sadie"), folded the letter and put it in the envelope.Next, he wrote three short notes, nearly identical, to Michael, Philip and Fortney.The letter to Lara gave him pause. He knew that she was likely to be furious with him for writing her, that she would find it presumptuous or something of that sort. Yet, she was just as likely to be even more furious if she learned that Sadie had received Christmas greetings from him and she had not.He was staring down the Proverbial Slippery Slope. If any of the Hufflepuff girls deserved a letter, it was Stacy, for getting him out of the mistletoe trap. He couldn't write to Lara and not also write to Stacy. But, if he wrote to both of them, he would have to send letters to Monique and Stephanie, too.Liam spent a good half an hour crafting a note to Lara. After he had crumpled up two of the blue stationery sheets, he switched to parchment. The letter, when it was finished, was so full of crossed out words and phrases that it had to be carefully re-copied onto a new sheet of stationery.He was so pleased with the finished product, in fact, that he copied it out four more times, sending the very same letter out to Stacy, Stephanie, Monique, and finally, to Fortney. He addressed Lara's envelope, "Lara Guishar, Hufflepuff First Year, home address," then addressed the others similarly.Liam set the stack of envelopes on the kitchen counter and went about the rest of his day. It was the next afternoon before an owl came round the house. It swooped onto the back step as Liam was coming out the door to take out the garbage. It was quite cold, and there had been a bit of snow, so he let the bird in the house to dry off and warm up a bit.It was a Great Grey, a magnificent bird with a wingspan of nearly five feet. It sat by the fire and ate from a pouch on his leg a field mouse it had caught earlier. "I have something for you," said Liam.He offered it a piece of bacon, leftover from breakfast. The owl took it gladly, but it looked balefully at the stack of envelopes in Liam's other hand. "Will you take these for me?"The owl gave an offended hoot and turned its head away. "Do you want some more bacon? I'll have to cook some, but if you don't mind waiting . . .."The owl did seem to mind, however. It flapped its wings impatiently at Liam and flew over to the door.Patrick stuck his head around the corner. "Where'd that big thing come from?""It brought me a letter.""What are you doing, letting in the house for?""I want it to deliver my letters, but it doesn't seem to want to take them.""Have you got enough postage on it?""They don't take stamps!" said Liam, impatiently."Well, you better give it something! If it makes a mess on the carpet, it'll be on you to clean it up!"With such a large bird, this was a great concern. "I gave it some bacon.""Give it money, then," urged Patrick.Liam ran to his room. In his dresser drawer was the silver Sickle from Philip. He ran back down the hallway. "I have a Sickle," he said to the bird.The Grey Owl turned slowly around and extended one of its legs. It its claw was a leather pouch of coins. Liam put the Sickle in the purse, then gave the letters to the owl. He opened the door, and the owl flew off, leaving nothing behind but some stray feathers."Lucky break, that," he said."How much did you pay him?" asked Patrick."Enough, I guess."The letter that the owl left for him was from the school. He had received his Autumn Term marks: Outstanding in Potions and History of Magic; Exceeds Expectations in Astronomy, Herbology and Transfiguration; Acceptable in Charms and Defense Against the Dark Arts.Liam was proud of his grades. He knew the Potions score was well earned, for DeVere did not give Outstandings readily. He attributed his other scores to the studying that he had done with Sadie. Though he didn't know this at the time, he had earned a perfect score on his History Final, and he was tied for tops in that class with Ronald Reuel of Ravenclaw.As a reward, his uncle took them all out to a fancy restaurant, and Liam even ordered desert. Christmas Eve, Liam lay in his bed, waiting for sleep. Outside, a light snow was falling. When he was a child, he would often be too excited to sleep on Christmas Eve. Snowfall, with the promise of white fields to play in Christmas morning, would have had him wide awake with eager anticipation.Now, he was beginning to see the next day much as his mother did, as another day with relations that she would rather not spend time with. The snow, as she mentioned that night at dinner, would be just enough to foul the roads.But, there was something else that shadowed Liam's thoughts that evening. An unease had crept over Liam after dinner to which there seemed to be no cause. In the darkness, it seemed stronger - a foreboding sense of dread and danger.Just as irritating, a tingling itch came over his left hand. He kept picking up things without noticing that he had done so. He spent an hour that evening clutching a letter opener. When he had set it down, he felt a strange longing, but again, it was nothing he could name or express.He fell asleep, but a few hours later, shot awake again. Now, the source of his anxious mood was clear: The yellow eyes of the dragon were on him. He knew with a certainty which was beyond reason, that somewhere out there, on that cold, winter night, Cyrus Kane was plotting against him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was Christmas Eve night. Morwena Felwich stood alone against the draperies in the ballroom of the Emerald Club. She watched as guests entered the ballroom in twos and threes. The hosts, a couple in their fifties, waited to shake hands and give brief, polite hugs.The men wore tuxedoes, and some of the older men held black canes or gnarled wooden staffs. The women fluttered about in the most fashionable dresses, plucked from the runways of Paris and Milan. But, it wasn't their beauty or their elaborate gowns that were amazing - it was the fact that women were here at all. The Emerald Club had been, since its founding, males only.Not just any men, either: Slytherin Men. To become a member, you must have once gone to Hogwarts and been in Slytherin. Slytherin boys gain membership automatically if their fathers were also Slytherins.If that was not the case, they would have to be sponsored by another member and have their bloodlines verified by the Admittance Board. Those whose ancestry was found lacking could still join, but they would not be full voting members, and their range of functions and activities would be extremely limited.Women could not join the Emerald Club even if they had been in Slytherin. Recently, amongst the Necessary Changes instituted within the last few years, wives of members had been allowed to join their husbands at the Christmas party. This evening, for the first time ever, the daughters of Slytherins were also made welcome.That was why Morwena was here, standing against the draperies, waiting to see which of her peers made the journey that night. She stood strategically out of the line of sight of the newcomers. She wanted to see them before they saw her.She felt dignified and pretty in her green velvet dress, trimmed with black and silver accents. The hem went down to her calf, proper for a girl who was still a few weeks from turning twelve. Her black pumps would have been pinching her feet terribly had she been a Muggle. The interior of the shoes, however, like the hall itself, had been magically enlarged.Morwena had been obsessing over this moment for weeks. She had planned for every conceivable variation: who was likely to come; how to respond to overtures, both friendly and threatening. She was as ready as she could be; she just needed someone else to show up.The first through the door were the Ables family. Victor Ables looked dapper in Ralph Lauren. His much younger wife wore a black dress that was too short at the hem and insubstantial about her chest as well. Vanessa Ables, a miniature version of her mother, wore a blue velvet number that covered her shoulders but was far too short for a girl so young.Morwena buried her jealousy in indignation as she watched the men around the Ables witches turn and leer at them.That's what you get for dressing like tarts, she thought.Vanessa had spotted her. Morwena quickly pushed her lips into a demur smile, then watched and waited as her rival saunter over to her. "Oh Morrie, thank god you're hear. I didn't want to be the only girl."Morwena did not go by Morrie. Her family and her closest friends called her Wennie, but she made everyone else call her Morwena. At any other time, she would have retaliated against such a presumption.But, tonight was not the time for a cat fight. A peace offering from Vanessa, even an awkward one, should be accepted. She and Tess had agreed on this. It would make the rest of the evening easier."It's good to see you, too," Morwena said, as honestly as she could, and gave the girl a brief hug.Vanessa stood awkwardly on her high-heeled shoes. The extra two inches put her even with Morwena. "Where's the rest of the Coven?" she asked. Cliques of Slytherin witches were often referred to as covens, and Morwena had been quick to embrace the term when it was first applied to her and her friends."Tess's mother was a Slytherin," said Morwena, "but her father was in Ravenclaw.""So, not a member.""No.""And Rhi?""Rhiannon's mother was a Slytherin, but her father also was not." Vanessa did not ask for further details. Perhaps she already knew the shameful truth - Rhiannon's father had been a Gryffindor. He fathered two children by Meriam Ashfeld, a Slytherin woman from a long line of Slytherins, before getting himself killed in the war."Of course, Pauline is not here," continued Vanessa idly. "Her family's French." This was the euphemism Morwena herself had developed to explain Pauline's heritage, to disguise the fact that she was Muggleborn. This ruse had only recently been exposed. Vanessa knew this, of course. By drawing out this game, she was emphasizing the fact that Morwena did not have her any of her loyal allies with her tonight.That's why Morwena was playing nice. She didn't have much of a choice.Morwena was about to ask, "Is Umberto coming?" when he suddenly appeared at her side. He had snuck up on her when she was distracted by Vanessa."Ladies," he said smoothly, "you look lovely tonight.""Thank you, Umberto," the girls said, in almost perfect unison. Slowly, Morwena was relaxing. Umberto had immediately picked up on the temporary truce between the two girls, and instead of trying to undermine it, was actually encouraging it.That's the game tonight, thought Morwena. Make nice and be friends. Unite against the common threat.She turned to Umberto and asked, "Is that Pierre Cardin?"He looked behind him, an exaggerated look of confusion on his face. "Oh, you mean my tux?" he said slyly. "You'll have to check the tag.""Of course it is, you goof," said Vanessa playfully. "You picked it out yourself.""Only on your recommendation," he said. "I really don't pay attention to such things."Morwena did not believe a word of this. Umberto was exacting in his attention to detail. He knew the designer brand that he was wearing. He simply didn't want Morwena to know that he knew.Vanessa touched Morwena's arm and said, "Umberto had the funniest joke the other day. Do you want to hear it?" Morwena nodded. Vanessa looked to Umberto. "Can I tell it?""Of course," he said.Vanessa grinned and steadied herself on her high heeled shoes. "Okay, so there's three couples sitting by the fire: the two Slytherins CONspire; the two Ravenclaws INspire; the two Gryffindors PERspire."Morwena smiled indulgently. "What about the Hufflepuffs?""They're in the kitchen, baking cookies," said Vanessa, nastily."Look who's here." Umberto nodded his head in the direction of the ballroom doors. There was the Kane family - a tall, thin silver haired father, a short, plump blond mother, and short blond Cyrus trailing behind. Cyrus clung to his parents’ side until his father pointed out Umberto and the others, still standing by the wall. Reluctantly, Cyrus slouched over to them.He said sullenly to Umberto, "Why are the girls here?"Morwena bit her lip to keep from shouting, "Do you want to see my invitation?""New ways for new times, Cy," said Umberto smoothly."Some people think the old ways are best."Umberto shrugged. "I'm glad they're here."Morwena tried to redirect the conversation onto safer grounds. "Where's your friend Spencer, tonight, Cy? Is he coming?""No. Of course, his father is a member, but they're traveling and couldn't make it." Cyrus turned back to Umberto and said, "No question why your friend isn't here."What's the matter with him? thought Morwena. Can't he see we're playing nice?Umberto responded smoothly, "When I become a full member, I'll sponsor Gordon."Cyrus gave his trademarked 'offended huff.' "Father said Progs like you are ruining this country."Vanessa merely rolled her eyes. Umberto made no response to this, but he gave Cyrus a serene look that sent chills up Morena's spine. They were expecting something like this from Cyrus, thought Morwena. He better watch himself around these two. There were four Slytherin First Years Boys, and they had quickly split into opposing factions. Cyrus and Spencer had joined the Conservatives, while Umberto and Gordon had signed on with "the Progs," the Progressives. The two groups mirrored the larger factions within the Wizarding Community.The two main points of contention between the two groups were their attitude towards Muggles and Muggleborns, and their attitudes towards the fallen Dark Lord, Voldemort. Conservatives held out that Voldemort had a lot of good ideas, but he went a bit too far in implementing them. They despised Muggles and felt that Muggleborns and Half-Bloods should be kept as second-class citizens within the Wizarding World.Progressives, meanwhile, felt that Voldemort had betrayed Slytherin values. Being a Half-Blood himself, he didn't crack down on Muggleborns and Half-Bloods out of any beliefs in lineage and the purity of blood. He simply recognized the strengths of these two groups. His attacks on them were an attempt to stamp out any potential rivals.(As everybody knows, this proved to be correct. For, it was Harry Potter, whose mother was Muggleborn, who rose up to defeat Voldemort).Progressives recognize the power of Half-Bloods and Muggleborns, and rather than trying to exclude or destroy them, seek to mentor and guide them. Umberto embodied this philosophy by openly engaging Gordon and acting as the other boy's guide through the Magical World.This was also what Morwena was doing with Pauline, though Morwena's actions were much more surreptitious. She tried to keep Pauline's heritage a secret for as long as she could. (Once Pauline was ordered to join Gordon at the I.S.W.S. Meeting, the game was up).Within the larger Wizarding Community, and amongst the Slytherin community particularly, there had been heated disputes between Conservatives and Progressives. The silent majority waited in the wings, talking out of both sides of their mouths and waiting to see which side would prevail.It was understandable, in that light, for Cyrus and Umberto to be rivals. But, this was a night for temporary truces. Morwena had to convince Cyrus to get with the program. Vanessa turned to Umberto and said, "Fetch me a drink, will you dear?""Of course. Do you want anything, Morwena?""Not at the moment, thank you." With a nod, Umberto slipped away.Morwena looked back to Cyrus, standing with his hands in his pockets. "Is that a Calvin Klein tux?" she asked him. He shrugged. "It looks nice."This was his chance to say, "Thanks. You look nice too, by the way," but he didn't take the hint. He said nothing at all."Your tie is a little crooked," she told him. It was perfectly straight, in fact, but at her prompting, Cyrus grabbed it and knocked it badly askew."Here," she said in her big sister voice, "let me help you." She gently put his tie right, then gazed into his eyes and said softly, "You should be nicer to Umberto. You can disagree without being his enemy."Cyrus gave another huff. "Listen to me, Cyrus!" she hissed. "The men will question you tonight. Watch what you say to them! Don't boast and brag like you usually do. Answer their questions as quickly as you can and then stop talking! And stop provoking Umberto!"He pulled away from her abruptly. "I don't need a girl to tell me what to do."As he turned away, she said, "Yes you do!"She was visibly fuming. Her face was flushed and her jaw clenched tight. Vanessa was watching her, amused. "Let it go, Morrie," she said. "Cy's an idiot. 'Berto says it's because he's so young.""He's as old as the rest of us," countered Morwena."No, 'Berto's already twelve. You and I are turning twelve next month. Cy didn't turn eleven until August. He barely made the cut-off. Eight, nine months, it means a lot, especially for boys. That's what my mum says, and she studied Child Psychology at the University."In between lovers, thought Morwena. But, she kept quiet, respecting the truce. Besides, what Vanessa said made sense.Umberto returned with two glasses of red punch. He handed one of the glasses to Vanessa before saying, "You sure I can't get you anything, Morwena? Punch, ginger ale?""Yes please," she said with a sigh and a smile. "Some ginger ale would be lovely."The two girls passed the time making snide comments on the fashion choices of the women in the room. Umberto stood by, as silent and attentive as a butler. Cyrus returned with a drink, but he kept his distance from the other three.At quarter 'til eight, the real butler of the Emerald Club approached the four students. He was old and very tall. "Children," he said, "the Governors will be greeting you soon. You should . . . prepare yourselves."Vanessa lightly touched Morwena's hand, and the two girls nodded to each other. "Excuse us, please, 'Berto," said Vanessa. "We'll be right back."The two girls went out of the ballroom and followed two women to the Ladies Lounge. The room had been converted to this purpose especially for this event. (Since no women were allowed in the Emerald Club, typically, there was no need for a Women's loo.) The room, whatever it was before, was magically enlarged, and several toilets stalls had been added.The two girls brushed their hair. Vanessa checked her makeup in the mirror, while Morwena refreshed her lip gloss."I don't know why I'm so nervous," said Morwena. "They probably won't even speak to us girls.""We'll find out," said Vanessa. "You don't have anything to worry about. You're tops in most of our classes, anyway."When they were ready, they rejoined the boys in the ballroom and waited for their summons.This was why the children were at the Emerald Club in the first place. Every year, the Governors, the most senior members of the Club, invited the new crop of Slytherins to appear before them. (That is, assuming their fathers were already members.)For Slytherins, reputation and social connections were valued beyond price. If the Governors had a favourable first impression of the children, it would be a considerable boost to their standing within Slytherin House. But to fail, to embarrass yourself, would be a catastrophe. It would take years of hard work and alliance-building to repair the damage. All the more reason to make peace and show a united front of well-bred, well-dressed children. When he saw that they had re-assembled, the butler returned and gave the children instructions. He led them out of the ballroom to a quiet study which smelled strongly of cigar smoke. Sitting in plush leather chairs were three old men. One was tall and thin, while the other two were portly. Morwena knew the heavyset man with the beard was a Wizgamot Judge.Morwena gave a shiver as the three men gazed eagerly at her and the others. They're staring at us like we're a plate of truffles! Cyrus and Umberto stood side by side, with the girls a step behind. Morwena stood to Cyrus' left, while Vanessa stood to Umberto's right.The tall thin man spoke first. He directed his question at Cyrus. "You're Rudolpho's boy, aren't you?" Cyrus nodded. "How's the new crop?""Yes, tell us," said the Judge. "How does your class hold up? What have we got to look forward to?"Cyrus gave a dismissive huff. "There's nobody in our class that's a match for me. They're afraid of me, most of them. With good reason, too."Morwena bit her lip. She wanted to kick him. Cyrus was nowhere near the top of the class, and to suggest that anyone outside of a few sickly Ravenclaw boys were afraid of him was absurd. "A weak group, on the whole, then?" said the man with the beard."What's your opinion of McGonagall?" asked the tall man.As compared to whom? thought Morwena. Snape? Dumbledore? How are we to answer that question? We're First Years!Cyrus may have been feeling the same, for he faltered. Umberto had a ready answer. "None of us have been in so much trouble that we were sent to the Headmistress, sir." Encouraged by their kindly smiles, he continued. "Professor Gregor keeps good tabs on us, though. He's a grand Head of House."The third man spoke, "Do you share your peer’s feelings that this is a weak class, over all?""He may be overstating things a bit," said Umberto, smoothly."Who are the Gryffs this year?" the man continued."Well, there's a McLaggen," said Umberto. "His spellwork is solid, particularly in Defence. Bit of a brute though. Not doing so well in the Academic courses."The men nodded knowingly. There were generations of McLaggens. They were all in Gryffindor, and they were all dull and brutish. "Who else?" asked the man again. "Anyone we know?""Don't think you'd know the other Gryff boys," said Umberto. "They're all Irish. There's another Roycester, a girl." The men nodded. They knew this name, too.As gently as he could, Umberto set his baited hook. "Then, there's Wren."Morwena should have kicked Cyrus this time. She should have drawn her wand and hexed him. Anything to keep him from saying what he said. "Wren's nothing!""He beat you in a duel, didn't he?" answered Umberto, coolly.It was Cyrus' last chance to save himself, and he didn't take it. "That was luck!""But, he's done it twice now, hasn't he?"Ten seconds was all it took. Cyrus was doomed. "Who's this fellow?" asked the tall man. "One of the Gryff boys?""Oh no," said Umberto, "Wren's in Hufflepuff.""I see," said the tall man, gravely. The old men were all from long lines of Slytherins. To them, Hufflepuffs were barely more than squibs. They gazed disapprovingly at Cyrus. But Morwena knew Cyrus hadn't thrown the hook yet. Worse was coming."Wren, did you say?" asked the Judge. "The ones from Tottenham, are they? Or, the Yorkshire Wrens?""I don't think you'd know this family," answered Umberto, calmly. "They're all Muggles, as far as I know."Cyrus could say nothing, now. The haughty son of an Arch Conservative had been beaten, twice, by Mudblood from Hufflepuff. Cyrus had dug his own grave, and Umberto had pushed him into it.Morwena spared a quick look at Vanessa. She smiled slyly back at her. They had planned this, thought Morwena. They were ready to destroy Cyrus tonight if he didn't play along.Umberto, now holding court, took pains to praise Morwena as one of their year's top students. Soon, the children were dismissed, and the butler brought them back to the ballroom.Vanessa quickly excused herself and went to the loo. Morwena this time did not join her, but stayed in the ballroom, watching the two boys. Cyrus sulked, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed tight against his chest. He was muttering to himself, "I'll get that filthy Mudblood yet. They'll see." Umberto stood watching, a discreet distance away, a light of triumph on his face.A chill came over Morwena as she gazed at Umberto. Cy's still in the trap, she thought. He's still acting exactly as Umberto wants him to act.What is this accomplishing? she wondered. Is he trying to get Cy in trouble with Gregor, too? What punishment could be worse than what Umberto just did?There was something she was missing. Umberto, as usual, was a few moves ahead of her. She quickly reviewed her first impressions of the Hufflepuff Liam Wren. Tess had initially deemed him handsome, but once they learned Wren was Muggleborn, they decreed him unsuitable. The Coven hadn't given Wren another thought until the night of Caroling, when they had seen Sadie Thompson flirting with him.Umberto will not tell us what he finds so special about Liam Wren, reasoned Morwena. But, perhaps Sadie Thompson could be convinced . . ..For that, Morwena would need a plan. I must speak with Tess and Rhi, tonight if possible.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was now January 9, 2006, and Sadie Thompson's family was running late. This was something that they habitually did, but this time, the consequences seemed much more severe. Sadie was afraid that she might actually miss the Hogwarts Express for the trip back to school.They had woken up late, because her little brother had been up in the night with some ailment (possibly related to the fact that he was not going to Hogwarts the next day.) Mother had insisted on making Sadie a big breakfast so that she wasn't starving on the train, even though Sadie insisted that it wasn't necessary. Mother cooked slowly, especially when little Aiden was badgering her, and this put everyone further behind.Just as they were about to leave, Sadie's grandparents had shown up at the house to see her off. Getting them all in the car for the ride to King's Cross had taken forever, with Grandpa and Aiden needing to get out of the car to use the bathroom, twice each. There was traffic on the Muggle roads, which Father jumped past with a bit of magic. Grandma, though, scolded him for breaching the Statute of Secrecy, and made him drive normally the rest of the way.By the time they got through the barrier, all the students were on the train already. Her father helped her stash her trunk in an empty compartment, then he got off as the train pulled away from the station. She didn't even get a goodbye kiss.As she stood in the hallway, wondering what to do next, she realized she needed to use the bathroom. Fortunately, there were toilets at the back of each car, so she didn't need to go far to find one.When she emerged from the bathroom, there were other girls waiting outside. She was about to say, "You don't need to wait. There's more than one stall," when one of the girls set a hand on Sadie's shoulder."There you are, Sadie," said Morwena Felwich. "We've been looking for you."Sadie tensed as she gazed up at the much taller girl. Morwena and Sadie had seldom crossed paths before coming to Hogwarts. Sadie always thought her cold and snooty, a quieter, but more intimidating, version of Calliope. Since the start of school, Morwena and her Coven had never condescended to speak to Sadie.Rhiannon's hand was on Sadie's shoulder. The orange-haired girl, taller even than Liam, towered over Sadie. She eased up to Sadie until their sides were touching. Behind Morwena, on either side, were Tess and Pauline.Morwena gazed down at Sadie with her big brown eyes. Sadie could feel magic swelling around her. "We were saying, over the break, how cruel Calliope is to you. It's really unfair. She's jealous of you, I think."Sadie doubted this very much, and was about to say so, when Rhiannon whispered in her ear, "Yes, she's jealous. Jealous of your beauty, of how smart you are."Sadie squirmed away from Rhiannon, but Tess closed in from her left, cutting off her escape."Calliope hates you, Sadie," said Morwena firmly. "She's isolated you, turned the other Ravenclaw girls against you.""It must be hard, sometimes, to be without a friend," said Tess, kindly.This struck Sadie deeply. It was hard, not having a girlfriend. There had been some lonely nights that first term, and many tears. If it hadn't been for Liam, Sadie didn't know how she would have made it through."We could be your friends," said Rhiannon in her ear."Yes," said Tess. "We could be your friends."From behind Morwena, Sadie could hear Pauline say, "We could be your friends." Pauline was holding open the door to a compartment. Sadie felt suddenly tired. Her vision clouded. She needed to sit down."Come and sit with us," said Morwena. "Let us be your friends."Rhiannon whispered again in her ear, "We could be your friends."From deep within Sadie, there was a spark of resistance. This is an enchantment! They're bewitching me! "Stop it," she mumbled. Her mouth was thick. It was suddenly hard to speak."Finite!"The spell hit the Coven like an ocean wave. Morwena and Tess stumbled, and Rhiannon clung to Sadie's arm.The girls turned and shrieked in eerie unison, "Leave us! This does not concern you!"In the middle of the hallway stood Gillian Roycester. Her wand was drawn; her blue eyes burned like two bright stars. Morwena glowered at her and sneered, "So, you can talk. Let's see how well you do when we're facing you!"Slowly, Tess and Morwena drew their wands. For a moment, there was a tense standoff between the girls. Sadie despaired that Gillian could fight both girls at once. Gillian, however, was undaunted. She had a wild grin on her face. Her eyes darted from girl to girl, ready to defend herself.Tess fired off a curse, but Gillian blocked it. "Protego!" she shouted.In response to her cry, out into the hallway poured more Gryffindors, including Todd Roycester, and the Sixth Year Prefect, Sarah Miles. "What's going on, here?" said Sarah.Morwena made no answer. She sheathed her wand, and Tess followed suit. Sadie shook the last of the enchantment from her head and ran to Gillian's side. Morwena gave Sadie one more glowering stare, then turned. The Coven retreated into the far compartment.Gillian wrapped an arm around Sadie. "Are you okay?" she asked.Sadie couldn't speak. She was shaking, and tears were running down her cheeks. Gillian led her into a compartment that was already full of people. They sat down together, squeezed tightly on the bench.There was music playing, and the sound of many voices talking loudly to one another. Sadie wiped her eyes and tried to look presentable, but she was still shaking. She heard Todd say, "What's with the little Ravenclaw girl?"Sarah answered, "Shut up a minute and let me take a look at her." Sarah knelt down in front of Sadie and gazed at her. Sadie looked down at the other girl's knee, at the thick red tights peeking out from the cover of her plaid skirt. Sarah turned away and dug into her bag. She pulled something out and began to fiddle with it. Sadie's vision was still cloudy, and she was shaking all over, so she couldn't focus on what Sarah was holding.Sarah put her hand in front of Sadie's face. "Here," she said. In Sarah's hand was a round chocolate candy. Chocolate was Sadie's favourite treat, yet she hesitated. Sarah said impatiently, "Come on girl! You're plenty skinny. Don't be worrying about your thighs at a time like this. Eat the chocolate!"Sadie picked up the chocolate and popped it in her mouth. As soon as the chocolate began to melt, the shaking stopped. "See?" said Sarah, pleased. "Dark chocolate trumps Dark Magic every time." The older girl ran her hand through Sadie's hair, and looked deeply into her eyes. "You're gonna be all right, kid. But, you let me know if those girls bother you again."Sadie nodded, and suddenly she was crying again. She still could not speak. She leaned back in her chair and found that Gillian's arm was still around her. She curled up to Gillian and lay very still."I'll be your friend, Sadie," said Gillian. "And I won't even do any of those silly enchantments.""What did they want with you, anyway?" asked Sarah. "I've never had any trouble from those girls before.""I don't know," said Sadie. "I've never even spoken with them before.""Who knows why Slytherins do stuff," said Todd, loudly. "They'd send their own mothers to Azkaban if they thought it would give them an advantage."Gillian brought her head close to Sadie's and whispered, "I could hear them, in my head. I went out to see what they were doing. I looked into their minds before they were aware of me. Tess was thinking about Liam Wren."Sadie sat up. "What do they want with Liam?"Gillian shrugged. Maybe Tess just has a crush on him. She wanted to know what he was like. Maybe they thought they could learn about him through you.The thoughts came into Sadie's mind without Gillian moving her mouth. Sadie realized that Gillian had been talking to her all along this way. Sadie had only thought they were whispers."How are you doing that?" asked Sadie. Gillian shrugged. Sadie sank her head back into Gillian's shoulder. "Thank you for saving me."Gillian gave Sadie a tight squeeze. That's what Gryffindors do. We save the world from evil Slytherins.It was true what Morwena had said: Sadie had been without a girlfriend at Hogwarts after she was shunned by Calliope and the other Ravenclaw girls. The net result of Morwena's attack was that Sadie and Gillian discovered one another. By the time they got off the train that afternoon, the two were fast friends. They made for an odd pair, the brilliant but temperamental Sadie and the reckless tomboy, Jill, but their friendship was deep and lasted for years. In another part of the train, Liam sat with his friends and caught up on two weeks of news. Michael and Fortney had sent him letters over the break, in response to those that Liam had sent out. Philip had done one better: he had mailed Liam a Christmas gift: a hardbound copy of Hogwarts, A History."Thanks for the book, by the way," he said to Philip as they settled in their seats and the train pulled away from the station."Did you get a chance to read it?" asked Philip, brightly."I looked through it a bit, but I didn't get too far. My uncle was interested in it, so I left it for him. I'll read it this summer.""Hey, where's Sadie?" asked Philip.Liam shrugged. "She's around somewhere, I'm sure.""Maybe you finally shook her," said Michael.Not bloody likely, thought Liam, remembering the pink envelopes that arrived at his house every few days during the break. Though he wondered idly about Sadie, he wasn't terribly worried about her. She wasn't the only person he was looking forward to seeing.He was quite curious to see what effects, if any, his letter had made on Lara Guishar. From the moment they had first met, she had resisted him. For that reason, as much as for the fact that she was one of the prettiest girls in his year, he wanted to win her favour.He hadn't seen Lara at King's Cross Station or getting on the train, but as they disembarked at Hogsmeade, he spotted her. Snow was falling as they waited for the carriages, and it was brutally cold.Michael, his arms crossed tightly against his chest, exclaimed, "Who's idea was this, anyway, putting the school in Bloody Scotland?"Philip, missing the sarcasm, jumped in with the answer, straight out of Hogwarts, a History. Over the top of Philip's head, Michael gave Liam and exasperated look. Liam smirked back, then turned away.He looked again for Lara, but she was just getting into a carriage with Stacy and their other friends. Liam led his boys to the next one. It was cold and draughty in the carriage, but Liam cast his heating spell into the air, warming things enough to make the journey to the school more bearable.The boys didn't speak much. They gazed out the window at the falling snow. When they reached the school, there was another line at the gate as the students were checked before being let through. The ground was slick and icy. Students were standing in clumps and shivering. Steam shot from Liam's mouth every time he breathed.He spotted Lara again and eased up behind her. She wore a fur lined coat and hat, yet she too was shivering and looking miserable. He slipped his left hand out of his coat and sent his heating spell at her.She turned around abruptly. "Stop it!" she snapped."What?" said Liam, grinning."I know it's you. Stop it!"He started to say, "I'm not doing anything," when she slapped him across the cheek with her gloved hand. Before he could say anything else, she had stormed off."What was that all about?" asked Philip.Liam was too shocked to speak. Michael came right to his defense. "That one's got a temper. She's always flying off the handle over something.""I didn't do anything to her," mumbled Liam. He was furious with Lara for slapping him. What harm had he done her? What did he do to deserve that?Soon, they were in the Great Hall, sitting at the Hufflepuff table. Liam and Lara avoided eye contact with each other. Philip and Michael seemed to think the incident was over, and they happily tucked into their meal. Stacy's worried eyes, however, darted from Liam to Lara and back again.While they were eating, Cheryl said to Liam, "Sadie Thompson of Ravenclaw. Isn't that your little girlfriend, Liam?""Um, yeah?""I heard from Sarah, one of the Gryffindor prefects, that there was trouble on the train between the Slytherin and Gryffindor girls, and that Sadie was hit with a spell."Liam bit down on his lip, and Philip burst out, "Is she okay?""She's all right," said Cheryl. "Sarah's good with her remedies. I wondered if you knew anything about it.""No," said Liam. "We haven't seen Sadie yet.""You're sure she's okay?" asked Philip, again. Cheryl nodded. "What do you think that was all about?" Philip asked Liam.Michael added his two pence. "Wrong place, wrong time.""No, I don't think so," said Liam. "Those Slytherin girls, they were looking cross-eyed at Sadie on the night of Caroling.""That's it, then," said Michael. "She ran her mouth and ticked them off. That Coven's nothing to trifle with," he added sagely."And we are something you could trifle with?" asked Stephanie. The boys ignored her and continued eating.When the meal was drawing down, and the conversations along the tables began to rise in volume, Professor McGonagall stood. With her magically amplified voice, she said, "Welcome back, students and staff. I have a few brief announcements to make."Quidditch season will be starting up again soon. Students, third year and above, who wish to try out for their House teams should contact their team captains. The Quidditch Captains for this season are as follows . . ." she named four people, including Archie Stollencroft. The Captain of the Gryffindor team, Liam noted, was a Roycester."The Captains were selected by the Heads of House, on the recommendations of last year's Seventh Years. Please join me on congratulating these students on their appointment."A round of enthusiastic applause followed. Archie stood and bowed to both sides of the table."I have one further announcement," said the Headmistress, and silence quickly fell once again throughout the hall. "The forest on the grounds is, and forever has been, forbidden to students. At this time, even the eaves of the forest have become dangerous. They must be avoided."Students coming to and from the Quidditch pitch are hereby advised to stay well clear of the forest. Any infraction of this rule will be dealt with severely." She looked to the Gryffindor table as she said this."It is good to see you all again. I expect you to be in class, ready to learn, Monday morning."Professor McGonagall turned and sat down once more at the staff table. The students began to get up and go off to their common rooms. Randal led the First Year boys down the stairs to the Badger's Den. Liam stayed clear of Lara and the other girls. He went to his room in the dormitory and changed into pajama bottoms, a worn t-shirt that was very soft, and a big sweatshirt. Then he went back out to the common room and sat down in the squashy chair he had claimed as his own.For a while, he watched the bustle of the common room. Students sat in pairs and in small groups and talked. People moved to and fro, going from group to group saying hello and joining in the conversations. The fire burned merrily in the hearth.That was where Stacy found him. She was wearing a thin flannel robe over a long plaid nightgown. There were slippers on her feet. "Can I talk to you a moment?" she asked him.Liam shrugged. "Sure.""It's noisy in here," she said, idly. "Do you mind if we go outside a minute?"Liam thought this request was strange, but he made no protest. He and Stacy crawled through the barrel and went out into the dark hallway. Outside of the warm, cozy Den, it was cool and slightly damp. They wandered down the hallway, away from the barrels. They came to a stop by a torch that cast a circle of flickering yellow light on the stone floor."Did you have a nice holiday?" she asked him."It was fine." He was figured he knew why she wanted to talk to him. He was eager for her to get to the point, but, that's not the way that girls do things."Thank you for the letter, by the way," Stacy continued. "We were impressed that we all got one. And, we had a good laugh when we realized the letters were, word-for-word, exactly the same.""Hmm," said Liam, not knowing what to say to this. Though he expected the girls to share the fact that each got a letter from him, he hadn't expected them to share the contents.She leaned against the stone wall, opposite the torch. "What happened between you and Lara today?""Nothing," said Liam, crossly."It wasn't nothing! She slapped you! I saw it!""Why don't you ask her then, if you're so nosy!" snapped Liam."I did!""What did she say?""Nothing!""Well, we agree on something for once!""Liam, I am trying to help you! I got you out of that mistletoe trap. I'm trying to help you now."Liam, though, could not speak. All the anger that he had buried after Lara had slapped him had rushed up to choke him. He fought back the urge to cry. Instead, he bit his lip and looked down at his slippers.Stacy waited in silence for him. Finally, she asked, "You did one of your custom spells on her, didn't you?" He nodded. "Philip said you can make things warm with a wave of your hand. You tried to make her warm today, didn't you? She was shivering, and you tried to help her.""And she yelled at me and slapped me," said Liam. He looked up at Stacy. Her brown eyes watched him kindly. Her arms were crossed over her chest."Have you ever cast that spell on anyone before?""Sure I have! Cast it on myself sometimes. I've cast it on Philip. I even made the carriage cabin warm with it today.""Have you ever cast it on a girl before?""What difference would that make?""I don't know. Maybe it would make a difference." She came off the wall and stood a little straighter. "Cast it on me. Let's see what it does."Liam looked at her suspiciously. "You're not going to slap me, are you?""I won't! I promise."The cool hallway had been refreshing at first, compared to the stuffy common room, but now they were both getting a little uncomfortable. Stacy gave a little shiver, encouraging him onward. He stuck out his left hand and cast the spell on her.Right away a flush came to her cheeks, and she knocked her knees together. "Oh Liam," she said softly. Then, she began to laugh. "This is definitely not juvenile magic."He let the spell fall away. "What is it doing to you?" he asked.She gave him a sly smirk. "I'll let the next girl tell you that. But, you must wait. Eleven is a little young for this sort of thing.""But I don't understand!" said Liam "What is it doing to you?"She wouldn't tell him. Instead, she crossed the space between them and gave him a quick hug and a peck on the cheek. Her lips were warm. "I'll straighten things out between you and Lara, okay?" Liam nodded. "Let's go back."Liam did as he was told. He did not use the heat spell on a girl again until he was thirteen years old. The recipient that time was Sadie, during their brief romantic period. Sadie was able to describe, in great detail and with scientific precision, exactly what the heating spell did to girls. Afterwards, Liam could not look Lara or Stacy in the eye for a month.In their later years at Hogwarts, on very cold days, Stacy would beg Liam to cast the spell on her. Though reluctant, he never refused her. To her great frustration, she never found anyone else who could turn the same trick. Meanwhile, in another part of the castle, Morwena Felwich was getting a tongue lashing from her prefect . . .
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That same night, Morwena Felwich was cornered by her prefect and pulled into an unoccupied study. Rebecca Gallstone had dark hair and very pale skin. Behind her backs, the other Slytherins called her a vampire."What were you doing to that little Ravenclaw girl?" hissed Rebecca. Morwena made no answer. "Sarah said it was some sort of Dark Magic enchantment. What do you think you're doing, trying to pull off something like that! You are a First Year! A novice! I have half a mind to turn you over to Gregor this instant!"Morwena made no response. She knew Rebecca would not get Gregor involved in this. Gregor would only question why Rebecca wasn't keeping closer tabs on the First Year Girls. Morwena stayed silent and let the anger of the older girl wash over her."Stay away from that kid for the rest of the term! And, I better not hear of you dueling in the hallways with that Roycester girl, either!"Morwena gazed undaunted at the Prefect. The longer that the younger girl remained silent, the angrier the older one got. Finally, Rebecca shouted, "Get out of here!"Morwena left the room. She paused outside the door and let Rebecca storm past her, heading for the dormitory. Waiting alone, leaning against the stone wall, directly in front of Morwena, was Umberto.She eyed him cautiously. In truth, she was much more apprehensive about this encounter than she had been facing Rebecca. Morwena had tried to gain a foothold onto one of Umberto's conspiracies, but she had failed when the Gryffindor girl had suddenly shown up. It was now Umberto's turn to gloat.That's what Morwena would have done, had their roles been reversed. She would have punished the interloper severely for interfering with her plans. Umberto, however, took a different tact."You had the right idea, Morwena," he said, a touch of sympathy in his voice. "Sadie could have been a goldmine of information for you. But you underestimated her. She's too independent, too strong-willed to be bullied or enchanted. You would have never held her down. Even if Gillian had not interfered, Sadie would have fought back."You should have confided in me," he added, with a hint of rebuke in his voice now. "I would have sent Pauline, alone, and had her feed Sadie a story about the poor, abused, rejected, Muggleborn Slytherin. Sadie would have believed it without question. She would have taken Pauline in like a hungry stray. They would have become best friends, and Pauline would have been whispering Sadie's secrets to you every night."Too late for that now, unfortunately. Sadie will never trust any of you, ever again. But that's what I would have done."This made Morwena far angrier than anything that Rebecca had shouted at her. She stepped close to Umberto and took a handful of his cloak into her fist. "What are you planning?" she whispered, her voice as low and soft as a snake. "What have you set in motion? What is it about Wren that's so important?"Now it was Morwena's turn to have her anger wash over an undaunted opponent. Umberto touched her hand lightly, and she immediately released his cloak. Her hand fell to her side. "My dear, you simply give me too much credit. I didn't set these events in motion - Cyrus did. He's the one that made Wren important, not me. And, as for your next question, what will happen next? I have absolutely no idea.""You know what will happen as well as I do," hissed Morwena. "Cy is planning to attack Wren. It's the only way he can save face and win back the prestige he lost at the dinner Christmas Eve!""Yes, that's true. He will attack Wren, possibly as soon as Monday morning. But what will happen then? Cy has been warned, but I don't think he understood the warning. There is more at work here than he realizes. But it's far beyond any of us to control what is happening. I am still just learning about it myself."Umberto held up a book he had been holding in his left hand. It had been hidden in the folds of his cloak, and Morwena hadn't noticed it before. She caught just one word, "Stilgrevsen," before Umberto lowered the book back down again."Good night, Morwena," he told her. "See you in the morning."Umberto walked away, towards the boy's dormitory. For a moment, Morwena was alone. She closed her eyes and buried the rage that was just beneath her skin. Silently, out of the shadows on each side of her, came the rest of her coven. The girls were wide-eyed. Morwena knew they had overheard everything that was said between her and Umberto."Follow me," she told them, and she led them back into the small study. Rhiannon closed the door behind them and leaned against it."We heard," said Tess. "Cy will attack Wren on Monday. What shall we do?""Umberto is guessing," said Morwena, sternly. "He doesn't really know what Cyrus is planning, and neither do we."Rhiannon turned to Pauline and said, "So, if Cy does do something stupid, that's what we say - We didn't know."Morwena nodded. "But we will watch him and be ready. And when he acts, so will we." Liam and his friends spent Sunday afternoon sitting in the bleachers of the stadium, watching Quidditch practice. Liam's first experiences with a broom had not gone terribly well - his broom was reluctant to rise up off the ground, and when he did get on it, it seemed to drift slightly to the left of wherever he thought he was heading.To see the Chasers, one hundred feet in the air, racing by and tossing the Quaffle back and forth, amazed him. Archie, meanwhile, sat on his broom in front of the big rings and tossed golf balls one by one into the air. His friend Eric raced around and caught each one on the fly.The boys tried once again to explain Quidditch to Liam. It was a little easier to understand, watching everybody practice, but he still wanted to see a game in action.Monday morning, they went up the stairs for a hearty breakfast before setting off for Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Gregor lectured them, then assigned some reading for homework.As Liam headed for the hallway where everybody congregated, waiting for Charms to start, he began to feel a little uneasy. I need to see Sadie, he reminded himself. He had meant to talk to her before the start of DADA, but after breakfast he had forgotten, and he didn't remember until he saw her sitting with Gillian. By then, class had already started.Sadie looked well and happy - she smiled at him when she noticed he was looking at her. Still, he wanted to make sure she was okay.Sadie and Gillian got out of class ahead of him, however, and they went into the girl's bathroom together. Liam, with his friends in tow, went to stand and lean against the opposite wall, to wait for the girls to come out.His anxious mood was deepening, but he attributed it to the start of the new term. Liam often struggled performing charms on the first few tries.Fortney asked, "What do you think we're going to learn in Charms this week?"Liam turned to tell him, "Whatever is the next spell in the book," when something wet hit him in the back, with enough force to knock him into Fortney. His hair, neck and shoulders were covered in a green slime, thick and putrid. Some of it had splashed across Michael and Philip, but Liam had taken the brunt of it.He whirled around and saw Cyrus and Spencer laughing. There was no doubt in Liam's mind who had cast the spell. He knew the magic and power of the Dragon Wand.His rage flared, and without a second thought, he thrust out his hand and pointed at Cyrus.Cyrus abruptly stopped laughing. His eyes went wide, then he let out a loud cry. "Aaugh! Aaugh! Aaaaaaugh!"Morwena and her friends ran to Cyrus' side. Morwena pulled Cyrus out into the hallway, while Tess and Rhiannon stood between Liam and Cyrus to prevent any further violence. Liam turned his back on them and began trying to shake the slime off of himself.Gillian and Sadie ran to his side. "Oh, my goodness!" said Sadie, "What happened to you?"It's bat boogers, said Gillian. He used a bat boogie hex on you."How do you get this stuff off me?" asked Liam, angrily. Sadie, though, had already found the counter-charm. She was using her wand like a vacuum and sucking the slime off of Liam's shoulders."Thanks," muttered Liam. "Oh, hey, I was supposed to ask you if you were alright. I heard you tangled with Morwena and that group."I took care of it, said Gillian. She was cleaning the bat boogies off Michael."I noticed they were quick to act, as if they knew what was coming," said Sadie.
They sent the little French girl down to get Gregor, but not to Flitwick, who's right there.
Paul and Dave sauntered over to join them. "What did you do to Kane?" asked Paul."Cause whatever it was," said Dave, "we want to learn it.""Did I kill him?" asked Liam."No," said Paul, "but he's crying like a stuck pig." Liam could hear the moaning over the hushed chatter around him. "Look sharp! Old Baldy's joined the party."Professor Gregor had appeared. From the opposite direction, Flitwick had also come to see what was the matter. The two teachers tended first to Cyrus. Gregor bent over Cyrus, drew his wand and waved it over the wound. Gregor then directed Morwena to take Cyrus to the Hospital wing.Standing fully erect once more, Gregor strode over to Liam and the others. "Which one of you cursed Cyrus?" he asked, his dark eyes glowering down at them."I don't know," said Paul. "I thought he dropped a book on his foot.""Cyrus received a very painful sting. This was definitely a curse, not an accident. Now, which one of you did it?""Is it an accident that Liam and I are covered with bat boogers?" shot back Michael.Professor Gregor did not raise his voice, but the look on his face let them know that further cheek would not be tolerated. "I want a confession, and I want it now, or all six of you will be in detention!"For a moment, no one said a thing. Then, from behind Gillian came Lara's voice. "Professor?"Professor Gregor turned to her and said, "Yes, Miss Guishar?""It was Liam. Kane shot the bat boogers at him, and then Liam turned around and pointed at Kane with his left hand. That's the hand that he uses for his custom spells."Professor Gregor smiled. "Thank you, Miss Guishar. That account matches what Miss Felwich reported. Wren, you shall have detention with me tonight, after dinner. Bendrix, I shall see you Tuesday night, and Hewson, Thursday. I don't tolerate cheek, and when I ask for something, I had better get it!""What about Kane?" asked Michael. "Is he getting detention, too?""You two have recovered from this incident. Kane has not." To Wren, he added, "I tire of mediating the squabbles between you two, Wren. This had better be the last of it."Liam said nothing. Gregor spun on his heal and strode off to his next class. Michael whispered to his back, "Kane was the one who had a go at us! We didn't do nothing to him! And he didn't even get detention!"That fact, however, was not what was making Liam boil with anger. As soon as Professor Gregor turned out of sight, Liam spun around and stormed over to where Lara and Stacy were standing."What did you have to rat me out for?"Stacy cowered back from him, but Lara stood her ground. "You think you're better than he is, but you're not! You're just another bully!" With that, she brushed passed him and headed for Charms.Stacy held back a moment, still wide-eyed and pale. Liam closed his eyes, fighting back tears. When he opened them again, Stacy too was gone.Around him, still, were Philip, Michael and Sadie. "That wasn't fair of her to say," said Philip. "You aren't a bully.""You were just angry," said Sadie. "I'm sure you didn't know what that spell did." Gently, they coaxed him out of the hallway and to the Charms classroom.Liam couldn't focus on the lesson. He just sat and sulked. This is all pointless, he mused. My wand isn't my best friend. It isn't an extension of my arm. I didn't even draw it for my duel.
It's just a stick. It's not powerful like Cyrus' wand. It doesn't have a fancy ring. It doesn't feel warm when I touch it.
My wand hates me. Professor Gregor hates me. And Lara Guishar definitely hates me.
Sadie was smart about most things, but she was wrong about the stinging spell. Liam didn't know exactly what it would do, but he had used it before. It was the spell he had used to kill the fly two summers previous. Liam had never intended to use it on a person. Now that he had, and it had caused such obvious pain, he felt guilty. This guilt was made worse by the fact that Lara, of all the girls in the school, the one he most wanted to impress, now thought that he was a bully. Liam, however, was not one to stew in a bad mood for long. By the end of Charms, he was done sulking and ready to take notes again. His friends and Lara's friends made sure that the two didn't cross paths on the way to Transfiguration. Liam took much better notes than he had for Charms.At the end of class, Meadows said, "Wren, I need to see you for a moment. The rest of you are dismissed."The room emptied out, except for Philip, Michael and Sadie. Gillian lingered by the door and waited. Michael said, "Professor Gregor's being totally unreasonable! Liam and I got detention and Kane didn't get anything!""Liam was just protecting himself, Professor," said Sadie. "Kane attacked him and Liam countered. He didn't know what that spell would do!"Meadows sighed. "Michael, I believe your detention was for being disrespectful of Professor Gregor. I don't care what the circumstances - that behaviour will not be tolerated. As for the subject of fair treatment, you may have noticed that Kane has been held out of two classes now. He will have two lecture notes to copy plus the homework. On top of that, he was injured enough to warrant medical attention. To say that he received no punishment for his part in this is rather an overstatement."She turned to Sadie and said, "Miss Thompson, I appreciate your concern and admire your eloquence, but Liam can speak for himself. Now, I need you all to run along to lunch and let me speak with Liam privately."Sadie blushed hotly, muttered, "Yes ma'am," and hurried from the room. Michael and Philip reluctantly followed her.Meadows got up from behind her desk and sat next to Liam in one of the student desks. "So, what happened this time? I just got the curtest of notes from Professor Gregor."Liam relayed the incident to Meadows in a monotone, but straightforward and truthfully. "Tell me about this spell," she said."I didn't know what it did," said Liam.She gazed at him keenly. "Did it just come to you spontaneously? Had you ever used it before?""It came to me . . . but, I've used it before. Not on a person, though. I didn't know what it would do to a person.""What happened the first time you used it?""I used it on a fly that was buzzing around my room. I just got angry and pointed at it.""And what happened?""It died.""Oh.""But I didn't think it would kill Cyrus. I didn't want to kill him! I just wanted to hurt him. 'Cause he covered me with bat boogers!"Meadows set her hand on his forearm. "You felt angry and ashamed, and you acted on impulse." Liam nodded. Meadows leaned forward and gazed into Liam's eyes. "You are not to use that spell on a person again, do you understand? If you do, you will be in big, big trouble.""Yes 'm."She gave his hand a squeeze. "Off to lunch with you now." Liam had an uneventful afternoon. Cyrus was back for Astronomy, and he relished the attention he received from the other Slytherins. The Ravenclaws, too, were quite interested in his wound. It gave Cyrus a chance to brag."Professor Gregor thought it might be a variation on the Cruciatus Curse. Only my strong will kept me from being driven mad by the pain.""I'll be driven mad if he keeps going on," muttered Michael.Liam shoved his hands roughly into his pants pocket. Even from a distance, he could feel the Dragon Wand. He wanted to hold it again and look at it. Not that Cyrus would ever allow this.Fortunately, Michael and Fortney started talking about Quidditch. Liam focused all his attention on following the conversation, putting the terms with what he had seen at Sunday's practise. By the time class started, he had put his craving for the wand out of his mind.After Astronomy, there was nothing for it but to get on the homework. Whatever Professor Gregor had in mind, it was likely to be grueling, and there wouldn't be time or energy to do homework afterwards.So, the three boys buckled down and got to work in the common room. Fortney went with Kiernan and some of the other second years to watch the Hufflepuff Quidditch practice. The First Year girls brought their work to the library in order to keep Liam and Lara separated for as long as possible.At dinner time, Liam brought his bag up to the Great Hall with him. In it was his ink, quills, parchment, and his Defense book. Archie had told Liam to expect a writing assignment. (Archie had, apparently, experienced detention with Professor Gregor on multiple occasions during his seven years at Hogwarts).About halfway through dinner, Liam realized that Professor Gregor was not at the staff table. The last time Liam had detention, he had simply followed Cyrus and the Professor up to Gregor's office. Liam wasn't exactly sure where it was. Somewhere on the fifth floor, I think.He didn't have much appetite anyway. If he was going to get lost on the way, he might as well get started. He rose, said good-night to his friends, and went out of the Great Hall.At the foot of the Grand Staircase, he paused and drew in a breath. As he placed his foot onto the first step, a hand grabbed his shoulder and a commanding voice said, "Wait!"
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Liam spun around and found himself staring into the cold haughty eyes of Gordon Sumner. "What do you want?" asked Liam, angrily."I want you to wait," said Gordon."Well, if you didn't know, I've got detention this evening with your Head of House, and I really need to get going.""You'll get there on time," said Gordon, "if you come with us.""What do you mean, 'us?' There's only one of you." But, around the corner from the bathrooms came Umberto and Vanessa."Ah, there you are, Wren," said Umberto. "There was something I wanted to speak to Professor Gregor about. Do you mind if we walk with you?""We wouldn't want you to get lost," added Gordon.Liam looked suspiciously from one boy to the other. "So, you're just going to help me out of the goodness of your hearts, are you?"Vanessa laughed, a loud, harsh cackle. "Wren please," she said, "we're Slytherins. We don't do anything out of the goodness of our hearts.""Nevertheless," said Umberto, "it is in our best interest to see that you get to detention on time. Let's go, shall we?"Umberto walked a few steps up the stairs, then turned around. Liam had yet to move. Gordon gave him a little shove. "On you go," he said."Lay off," said Liam crossly. To Umberto, he added, "You better not be leading me into some kind of trap."Umberto smiled. "You're right to be suspicious of us, Wren, but I truly do not mean you any harm. As I said, this is in our best interest. As for what waits for us up there," he turned and gazed up the stairs a moment, "it's best, when entering uncertain circumstances, to travel in groups."Vanessa eased beside Liam and set her hand on his arm. On her lips was a smile that Mike Bendrix would have done anything to have shine on him. "Come on," she said. "I'll walk with you."Reluctantly, Liam climbed the stairs after Umberto. Vanessa walked beside him and Gordon took up the rear. Liam called up to Umberto, "Oi, Calais! Tell your friend Morwena Felwich to stay away from Sadie Thompson."Umberto turned and looked back at him. "So, you heard about that, did you? An unfortunate incident, I must say. Not at all the way I would have handled things. Believe me when I say this: I consider Sadie to be a friend. I have already scolded Morwena for attacking her.""Morrie got a tongue-lashing from our prefect, too," said Vanessa. "But, Umberto's rebuke was much more effective, from what I hear.""Still studying dragons in your spare time, Wren?" asked Gordon."Who says I am?" asked Liam."You asked Cy about them once," prompted Vanessa."Does that make it your business?" asked Liam."We were just curious," said Vanessa, gently. "Umberto and I both grew up in Magical Families. We might be able to help you. We'd be a lot more helpful to you than Cyrus would be.""I don't need any help, thanks."They let the matter drop. Gordon said, "Did you see the welt on Cy, Nessa? Big as a Sickle, and it’s oozing this grey puss that reeks to high heaven.""Couldn't have happened to a nicer boy," answered Vanessa, and she let out another loud cackle.As they reached the fifth floor, Umberto turned his head and gave his cohorts a serious look. There was no chatter after that. All three of them were tense, as if waiting for something to happen.If they're leading me into a trap, thought Liam, they're going to regret it. I'll show them what Kane was crying about today.But, even as he thought this, he doubted that he could cast the stinging spell on Vanessa. Michael, for one, would never forgive him. Not that he'd forgive me if he finds out she was hanging on my arm tonight. Up ahead of them, the hallway had gone dark. One of the torches had gone out. "Wands out," whispered Umberto."Done," whispered Gordon. Liam did not draw a wand, but his left hand was free and ready. Vanessa, rather than drawing a wand, clung to Liam's right arm and nestled her head against his shoulder."Lumos!" shouted Umberto, and the tip of his wand lit, shining a beam of white light into the shadows before him. The shape of a boy was briefly visible."It's just Stainton," said Gordon. He brushed past Liam and stood beside Umberto.Out from the shadows came the tall, chubby Third Year that had been with Cyrus back in September when Cyrus had challenged Liam and his friends in the train compartment. "Out of my way, boys," said Stainton, "I've got to teach this one a lesson.""Sorry Magnus," said Umberto, "but Professor Gregor asked us to escort Wren safely to detention, and that's what we're going to do.""Step aside!" demanded Stainton. Umberto and Gordon, however, moved closer together, blocking Stainton's view of Liam. "Where's your House loyalty?" Stainton called out, accusingly.This was too much for Gordon. "When has Cyrus Kane showed any loyalty to us? Do you know how many Mudblood jokes I've heard since I got here? How many times he's put me down, acted like I was mental? He looks down on Berto, too, for being part Swiss. Not even Nessa's good enough for him.""Shut up, Mudblood!" Stainton charged and shoved Gordon aside.Liam had his left hand ready, but Stainton didn't strike. Vanessa wrapped her arms around Liam and put her head over his heart. "No," she said coldly.The gesture shocked Liam as much as it did the older boy. Stainton had swung his arm up over his head, ready cast a spell, when he came to an abrupt stop. He made a great scowl and then shoved his wand roughly back into his belt. "Is that how it is, is it?""That's how it is," said Umberto coldly. "Though I think Nessa just saved you as much as she saved Wren.""Treacherous wench! I knew you were bad from the start!""Watch your mouth!" said Gordon. He gave Stainton a shove from behind."You watch it, Mudblood!""Professor Gregor better not hear you using language like that, Magnus," said Umberto.Stainton looked around frantically for Gregor. Vanessa laughed, and Umberto added, "He's not here, but we could get him."Stainton scowled. He pointed at Liam and said, "This isn't done!" Then, he stormed off. Vanessa's ugly cackle followed him down the hallway."I'm sorry Wren," said Umberto, finally cracking a smile. "You could have handled Stainton on your own. But, I couldn't be sure how many Cyrus would be able to rally to his cause. When I place a bet, I like to win."Vanessa was my ace in the hole. Stainton couldn't risk casting a spell with her hanging all over you."Vanessa had eased up beside Gordon, and he had put his arm around her. Liam realized she was acting on orders from Umberto, not out of any genuine feelings for him. "You see Wren," she said, "it's absolutely forbidden for Slytherins to cast a spell that harms a Little Sister!"Umberto checked his watch. "It's getting late. Let's not keep the Professor waiting."Umberto cast a spell which re-lit the torch. Then, the four students hurried down the hallway to the office door of Professor Gregor. Umberto knocked on the door. Gregor called out, "Enter!" Umberto held open the door and beckoned for Wren to enter first.In the small anteroom leading to Gregor’s main office, there stood a student’s chair and desk. Liam set his bag on the desk as if it were a classroom. Through the far door, Liam could see Professor Gregor sitting at his large oak antique desk. Behind Gregor was the window which looked out onto the night-black lake."Got him here on time, Professor," said Umberto, "just like you asked.""Thank you, Calais. Did you encounter any difficulties?""No," said Umberto, a smug grin on his face."Excellent," said Gregor. "Is there anything that I can do for the three of you?"Umberto looked to his companions, who both shook their heads. "I think we're fine, sir. Is there anything else that we can do for you?"And people say I suck up to DeVere, thought Liam."No thank you, Calais. That will be all.""Good night, sir. Good night, Wren."Liam nodded. He got another dazzling smile from Vanessa, then the three Slytherins slipped quietly away.Professor Gregor stood up and came around to the front of his desk. "You have an intriguing suite of custom spells, Wren. I warned Cyrus repeatedly not to challenge you, because I guessed that you were holding something back. Like any good duelist, you hadn't lead off with your strongest spell."Your abilities are unique, even among the Muggleborns of your year. But, you should not have the impression that you are unique within the broader history of Hogwarts. Many students have come here with a strong command of their juvenile magic. Some of them went on to become pillars of our society, while others faded quickly into anonymity."I wish to acquaint you with a particularly terrible example - a student who came to Hogwarts with a powerful intellect, a commanding presence and a well-developed suite of juvenile spells. He would go on to be Prefect, Head Boy, and the greatest tyrant of our time."His name was Tom Riddle. I did not know him personally, nor have I studied his history in any great detail. I have spent much of my adult life working against him while he was alive, and, now that he is dead, undoing the damage that he caused."There is someone on campus, however, who does know Riddle's history. I have asked him to come to my office tonight, to provide you with a personal lecture. I expect you to be attentive, and to take notes. Should I detect that your attention is waning, I shall, at the end of the lecture, give you a quiz on the material, and count the score, for good or ill, towards your grade in Defense Against the Dark Arts."Wren, may I present to you, The Baron!"Through the wall glided one of the Hogwarts ghosts. Liam saw the Hufflepuff ghost, the Fat Friar, regularly, and found him quite friendly. Twice a week, he had classes with Binns, who was boring but not particularly scary.The Baron was different; he was scary. He had blank, staring eyes, and a perpetual look of pain and anguish on his face. His robes shimmered with silver blotches. His voice was low and seemed to echo, as if it came from a great distance. It chilled Liam's blood to listen."The students of Hogwarts flow like water beneath us," he intoned. "Few ever come to our attention. Tom Riddle was different. He was distinctive, even as a First Year . . .."For two hours, Liam sat at the desk in Gregor's office and dutifully took notes on all that the Baron said about the boy, Tom Riddle, who would become Lord Voldemort. He wrote far passed the time that his hand hurt, and his neck began to ache, until he had filled all the sheets of parchment that he had brought with him.The Baron started with what was known of Riddle's childhood and covered his entire career at Hogwarts. At quarter after nine, as they were wrapping up Riddle's Seventh Year, and Professor Gregor decided that Liam had done enough."Thank you, Baron. That was most instructive.""But Franz," protested the ghost, "I was just getting started!"Liam looked pleadingly at Professor Gregor, who smiled indulgently back at him. "If I feel that Wren here needs further instruction, I will be sure to bring you back to continue the lecture.""Very well," said the ghost, and he glided through the wall.Liam rubbed his neck and stretched out his hand before gathering up his things. "I shall walk you back down," said Gregor.They walked for a time in silence. Liam's sense of gratitude, for being released from what promised to be an interminable lecture, was quickly replaced by a feeling of indignation. Yes, he had gotten into a couple of fights, and maybe this last duel he had used too potent a curse. But, he wasn't about to dig into the dark secrets of the school or frame anyone for murder. "I'm really not a bad kid, sir," he said, finally."Whether you are or not," said the Professor, "is entirely up to you. I was prepared to give you a quiz tonight, but you were attentive to the lesson. Let's see how well it sticks with you."At the Entrance Hall, they parted. "Get some sleep," said the Professor. "You've had a very long night." Liam went downstairs and crawled through the barrel into the Badger's Den. He slipped quietly passed the group of older students hanging out by the fire. He entered the dormitory and threw his bag down on top of his trunk. As he was drawing closed his curtains, Michael came over to him, dressed in striped pajamas. "Oi, what did Gregor make you do?""I got a lecture from one of the ghosts.""Which one?""The Baron.""The Slytherin ghost? The Bloody Baron?""Yeah, I guess so.""What about? What did he lecture you on?""Some mental bloke named Tom Riddle.""Seriously? Tom Riddle? That's the guy that became Lord Voldemort! What did the ghost tell you about him?""Well, I apparently got the short version - the Baron was prepared to keep going all night. Gregor made me take notes.""Can I read 'em?""If you can read my handwriting, you can read 'em," said Liam with a grin.Randal came around the corner. "All right, Bendrix, get in bed! You too, Wren. I know you had detention, but it's time for bed, now. You've got classes tomorrow." Liam got into bed and was quickly asleep. He was too tired even to be frightened by all that the Bloody Baron had told him. But, an hour later, he was sitting up, wide awake. For a moment, he had been on the ship again, and the red dragon was in the air, coming ever closer.Occasionally, over the last few months, he had dreamed of the dragon, but those dreams had been vague, indistinct. She had stared at him, silent and curious. Those dreams were not like the first two he had experienced, when he was on the boat with her and she spoke to him.This dream felt real. He could almost taste the salt air.Why is this happening now! When I'm tired and I could really use the sleep! Deep down, he knew it had something to do with Cyrus' wand. He hadn't touched it, physically, but he had felt it, connected with it, magically. Even though it was attacking him, he felt a connection to the hot core of the Dragon Wand.Liam didn't understand what was happening or why. He just knew his long night wasn't over yet.
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Liam stood at the rail of the ship, staring out at the horizon. The Indian Ocean rolled beneath his feet. Dread filled him as the dragon, black against the pre-dawn sky, drew ever closer.At last, she had overtaken him completely. She circled the ship in a wide arc, like a vulture hovering over a dead thing. Her wings were black and bat-like, but her scales, which from a distance looked black, were now clearly bright red. Slowly, she lowered, then dropped to the deck like a gigantic bird.She had a high crest on the top of her head, but otherwise, her red coat was smooth and unadorned. Her limbs, hands and body were thin and delicate. From the tip of her nose to the sharp, poisoned point of her tail, she was not more than twelve feet long.She was on all fours, now, just a few yards away from him. Her wings were furled; their spines shot up into the air like two rows of spears. She stared at Liam with her bright eyes, yellow like two tongues of fire. Her mouth opened, showing of an impressive pair of fangs, and her voice, a low, serpentine hiss, turned his blood to ice."Wizard," she asked, "where are the egg thieves?"A voice answered her, low and gruff. "They cower below, Mistress. They dare not face your wrath.""But you dare," said the dragon, dubiously. "Perhaps you fear them more than you fear me.""I despise them, Madam. I no longer wish to be in their presence."The dragon seemed not to have heard him. She was turning her head from left to right, drawing in deep breaths through her nose. "The ring! The ring!" she called, more to herself than anyone else. "It is here, too." Her eyes were back on Liam. "From Anatolia it came. A thousand years it has lain in the horde. I shall have it back!""It is a trifle, Mistress," said the voice. "You have other treasures. You are needed elsewhere. Go back to your clutch."The dragon let out a sudden cry of rage. She reared up on her hind leg. Her black wings unfurled. Her voice shook with hatred and despair. "Is that how you would counsel me, wizard?"
The fools! What have they done?
Liam sat up in bed, panting. He was covered in sweat. He gazed at the clock until he had oriented himself. I'm back at Hogwarts. I'm not on the ship anymore. It's midnight now. In eight hours, I have History with Binns.He pulled in a deep breath. Slowly, his heart was calming. That one was the worst yet. I'd never seen any of that in the other dreams.The voice puzzled him. He had heard the dragon speak before, but who had been talking to her? Is that how my voice will sound when I'm older? Somehow, that didn't seem right. I always thought I'd end up sounding like my dad.He felt cold and clammy from the sweat. He got up and changed his pajama top. Then, he went to the bathroom to get a little water. As he sipped water from the palm of his hand, Philip came into the bathroom, too, wearing pajamas with brooms and snitches on them."You're having nightmares again, aren't you?" asked Philip, sternly. Liam nodded. "You've been thrashing around in your bed. I could hear you.""I'm sorry," said Liam."You've got to get some help, Liam. Mike and I, we don't know what this is! Go to Meadows and tell her what's going on.""No. She'll think I'm mad.""She won't!" Liam shook his head. "What about DeVere? He'd help you. He might know what this is.""I'm not going to a teacher over a couple of weird dreams!""Randal might be able to help you." Liam let out a derisive snort. "Well, he might!" argued Philip."No."Philip tried one last time. "What about Sadie? She's smart. Smarter than all of us, probably. And she'd do anything for you!"Liam stood still a moment. The memory of the dragon's rage made him shiver. Is that how I die? Facing an angry dragon? he wondered.Philip touched Liam's arm. "Will you ask her? Tomorrow, at Potions, maybe?"Seeing the look of concern in his friend's face, Liam relented. "Okay, I'll ask her. Tomorrow, before Potions." The rest of the night, the red dragon shadowed Liam's dreams, but none of the visions were as vividly real as the scene on the ship. At breakfast, he kept to himself while the table conversation swirled around him.Binns' class was tough to sit through when he lacked sleep. He tried to read the text book, but it was too dry, and he couldn't concentrate. He ended up making crude sketches of the dragon on his parchment.Finally, it was time for Potions. As usual, he waited for the Gryffindors and Slytherins to leave the room - they had the long walk out to the greenhouses for Herbology. He caught Sadie's eye, and she came over to him."Hi!" she said brightly. "Did you do okay in detention?""Yeah, it was alright." She clearly expected him to say more than this, but he didn't feel like getting into it with her. Instead, he walked out of the classroom, and she followed at his side."I saw you talking with Umberto last night," she said. "You really ought to be careful around him.""I am.""I'm serious, Liam! He's not like your other friends. He's a real chess-player.""What do you mean by that?" he asked."It means he thinks ahead! Four, five moves in advance! Everything he does, he's like that. Nothing is spontaneous with him.""He just wanted to get in good with Gregor.""That may not be his only goal. Just be careful around him, okay?""I will be."Philip passed by and looked sternly at Liam. Sadie noticed it, and the fact that Philip did not greet her as he usually would have. She looked from Philip to Liam and waited.Liam sighed. "I'm supposed to be asking you for help," he said.Sadie's eyes went wide. "You need help with something?"He nodded. "I can't go into it now," he told her. "Let's talk after class." All through the lecture and the lab, the pair was distracted. Liam silently debated how much to tell Sadie, while Sadie sat and tried to guess what it was that Liam needed help with. The result was, their potion was not as good as it might have been. There was an air of disappointment about DeVere as he checked their cauldron at the end of the period."Looks like we're a bit rusty," he said. "Still on Holiday, mentally, are we? It is better than some, but not up to your standards.""We'll do better next week," said Sadie meekly. "We promise."DeVere moved on. Liam still had not said anything to Sadie. She cleaned up her supplies and the cauldron, then waited with her hands in her lap for him to speak. Finally, he said, "Let's let this group clear out, then we can talk a bit in the hall, on our way to lunch." She nodded.I'll start with the dragon, he figured. No sense getting her worked up over everything like Philip is.When the class was dismissed, the students began to file out of the lecture hall. Philip tugged on Michael's sleeve to keep him from going over to Liam's table. When Sadie and Liam were the last two students in the classroom, they walked outside and stood in the hallway.Liam leaned against the stone wall, while Sadie stood in the center of the passageway, her bag on the floor beside her, her arms crossed over her chest. "What do you know about dragons?" he asked her.She shrugged. "Not much. I had a little dragon-lore in Primary School. I didn't obsess over them like some of the boys do. I bet Philip could tell you more than I could.""He didn't know anything about this dragon."Sadie's smile brightened as she asked, "What kind of dragon are we studying?""Madagascan Reds.""I've never even heard of that breed! We can check in the library though. We'll find the right book there, I bet.""We checked already. Me and Philip, and Mike. We didn't find much.""Did you ask for help?""I'm asking for help!" he snapped.She gazed up at him with a wounded look. "I'm trying to help you," she said softly.Liam gave her a tentative pat on the arm. "Look, I'm sorry. I didn't get a lot of sleep last night.""How come?" She drew a step closer to him, her brown eyes like pools of coffee.Liam looked away, down the empty hallway. "I've been dreaming about her," he said.Sadie's face went pale, and her voice was barely more than a whisper. "Who?""The dragon.""Oh." Her color rushed back, as did her voice. "You know it's a girl dragon?""Yeah. She's looking for the blokes who stole her eggs.""How do you know that someone took her eggs?""She told me.""She can talk?" Liam nodded. "Then she's sentient. Not many breeds are, anymore. That's a good clue.""She's mad as hell," continued Liam, "and it looks like she's about one second from killing me.""Must be a very scary dream.""When I wake up, I'm all sweaty. I have to change my shirt." She crinkled her nose at this. "I'm sorry, but I do.""So, you think this dragon is a . . . what did you call it again?""Madagascan Red.""And, why do we think this is a Madagascan Dragon?"Liam pulled in a breath. I've told her this much. I might as well tell her the rest. "That's the kind of dragon that's in Cyrus Kane's wand.""There's a heartstring of a Madagascan Red dragon in Kane’s wand?" Liam nodded. "How do you know this?""He told me once. He was bragging about it, actually.""Well, that makes perfect sense," agreed Sadie. "About the only part of this that does. But it still doesn't answer the question: Why this dragon?""Those two times I dueled him last Autumn, I had the dream afterwards. And last night, I had it. I didn't touch the wand yesterday, but it touched me, if you get my meaning. I felt it. I knew which wand had thrown the hex at me.""This is a lot to take in. Let me think a minute." She picked up her bag. "Let's walk to lunch. I can think and walk at the same time.""Is that a Ravenclaw skill?" asked Liam, slyly. She grinned back at him.Up the stairs they climbed, in silence, until they were on the landing below the main floor. There, Sadie stopped and leaned against the rail. Above them, students were streaming into the Great Hall for lunch."There's so many questions and problems here to work out," she said. "It may seem like one big puzzle, but it's actually a series of little questions: What kind of a dream is this? Is this really a Madagascan Dragon, and if so, is it really the wand that's causing you to have these dreams? If it is the wand, is Cyrus having these dreams, too?"We'll have to answer the questions one by one. Let's start with the dragon. Do you know much about dragons?""Not really. We looked in the library, but like I said, we didn't find much.""But, you didn't ask for help, and I wasn't with you." Liam shook his head. "Next time, I will be, and we'll find something." She gave his arm a squeeze. "Thank you for asking me. Thank you for trusting me."He looked down in wonder at the gaze of admiration glowing on her face. It's like I asked her to go to the movies with me, he thought. I guess, if you want to impress a Ravenclaw girl, you ask her to go to the library with you and study something.The two climbed the rest of the stairs together. At the doorway of the Great Hall, he touched her arm and said, "Thanks, Sadie."Her face suddenly went bright pink, and her voice became a high-pitched squeak. "I'll see you later, okay?"Liam sat down at the Hufflepuff table between Mike and Philip. "It's about time you got here," said Michael. "Did you break up with her, finally?""No," said Liam as he helped himself to a ham sandwich and some tomato soup."Wishful thinking, I guess," said Michael.Across the table from him, Lara and the others had stopped talking. They were waiting for the explanation of why Liam had stayed back to talk with Sadie. He didn't give them one. Instead, he started eating.Michael gave them enough of a clue. "Why do I have the feeling you're gonna be wasting another Saturday morning, cooped up in the library.""I might not wait that long," said Liam. "I was thinking, Friday afternoon. Get it over with.""I was joking!""I'm not," said Liam, and continued eating."You're hopeless. You'll never get rid of her now. She's gonna be hanging on your every word for the next seven years. It's like you broke a bloody mirror!"Liam shrugged, but deep down, he knew that Sadie was anything but bad luck.
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On one point, they were all in agreement - the matter could not wait until Saturday. On Friday afternoon, Liam, Sadie and Philip met at the door of the library, determined to get to the bottom of Liam's mysterious dream.Liam had not been troubled by the dreams since Monday night, but on the other hand, he had not tangled with Cyrus again, either. Morwena had taken it upon herself and her Coven to keep the two boys separated. Whether in the classroom or in the hallway, waiting for Charms to start, there were always at least two Slytherin witches between Liam and Cyrus.Liam now had his bag over his shoulder, containing pen, ink and some parchment. Sadie was waiting at the threshold, a light in her brown eyes and a wide grin on her face. Michael had not come, choosing instead to watch the Hufflepuff Quidditch practice with Fortney, but Liam had asked Philip to come along. "You know about dragons,"
Liam told him in the dormitory as he was stashing his Astronomy text. "It may help to have you there." Liam was also eager to lessen the idea that this was a date.Despite Philip's presence, however, Sadie was beaming and shivering with excitement. "Let's get started, shall we?" she said as the boys approached."After you," said Liam. He and Philip followed Sadie into the library, past the tables of studying students (mostly Fifth Years, cramming for O.W.L.s), to the shelf of books on Dragons. Sadie quickly began scanning the titles.Liam pointed out Dragons of Northern Europe. "I borrowed this one from Philip. My dragon wasn't in there, though.""Liam, your dragon isn't going to be in a book like that," said Sadie, exasperatedly. "Madagascar is in Africa! It's a large island off the coast of the main continent. Not in Northern Europe!" She continued scanning titles, running her fingers quickly over each spine. "Here!"She plucked a book off the shelf. "Dragons of the Southern Hemisphere. And, it's by Helene Scamander, so you know it's authoritative. Let's find a quiet table, shall we?"As she walked, Sadie caressed the cover with her fingers. "The Scamander family are experts on magical creatures," she told Liam. "Whole generations of them have dedicated their lives to studying different species. Most of them were home schooled, out in the field, I think. Helene was one of the few that were educated at Hogwarts.""Let me guess," said Liam. "She was a Ravenclaw.""I think she was, actually."They found an empty table in a corner, away from other students. Sadie let the book fall open to a page about a quarter of the way from the end. There on the facing page was a full color illustration of a red dragon. "Look at that," mused Sadie. "I opened right to it.""Let me see," said Liam. He turned the book so he could see the dragon better. The dragon had a high crest on its head. Its scales were smooth and red. In the picture, its wings were furled, and the spines shot up into the air like spears. The eyes were bright and blue."This is it," said Liam, "except for the blue eyes, it's exactly right."Philip pointed to a phrase in the caption. "Eyes can be blue, yellow, or black."Sadie was twirling a strip of green ribbon around her finger. "Have you ever seen this picture before?""No.""You're sure? You've never seen a picture or a movie or anything else that had this dragon in it?""No. Just in my dream.""May I see the book a minute?" she asked. Liam pushed the book over to Sadie, and she began to read aloud in a stage whisper, trying not to disturb the other students."'For centuries thought to be two breeds, Pygmy Greens and Petite Reds, the Scamander family' - I told you they were authoritative - 'has determined that this is just one. The Madagascan dragon, in its juvenile form, has bright green scales. Out of the egg, it is barely half a foot in length. It can fly within minutes of breaking through the shell. It lives on jungle fruit, and, as it grows, it begins to add small animals to its diet. When it reaches a length of about a meter, it sheds its green scales and takes on a bright red coat. It relocates to higher elevations where it keeps nests and feeds on dolphin and other sea creatures.'The Madagascans are hording dragons. The juvenile greens are known to steal coins, jewelry and other trinkets from nearby villages. The adult reds often sit on huge hoards that are centuries old. The dragons live only 50 years, typically, in the wild, though there is one known case of a female living over 80 years. The hordes pass from dragon to dragon, through the millennia.'They are an endangered breed, and thus are protected by the Endangered Magical Creatures Act as well as the Treaty for the Mutual Respect of Sentient Creatures. Their eggs are defined as Class A Non-Tradeable Goods.''Intelligent, sentient, magical, Madagascans can speak to humans in whatever language their guest happens to speak. They can be quite conversational, with a sly sense of humour (though also with a short fuse and a terrible temper).'They are poisonous, rather than fire breathing. Their fangs and tail are capable of dispensing heavy doses of potent venom. Anti-venom does exist, however, it often goes for naught - the bites are usually so vicious that the victim dies of blood-loss before anti-venom can be administered. They will also, in tight spaces, such as caves, spew clouds of toxic fumes from their mouths at their prey.'Of their treasure, they are obsessive and vindictive. Madagascans are known to travel hundreds of miles in pursuit of thieves of even the smallest trinket.'"They stole her eggs," said Liam, "and she's mad as hell.""I would be, too," said Sadie. "The last bit is about the eyes, which Philip read already.""Pretty amazing that we opened the book right to it," said Philip. "I thought we'd be looking all day for this thing.""It wasn't luck," said Sadie. She stretched out the length of green ribbon she had been twirling on her finger. "Somebody left this bookmark behind. It has an enchantment on it, so it would open right to this page when we set it down.""Handy, that," mused Liam."Too handy," said Sadie. "It makes me suspicious. For one thing, this ribbon is Slytherin Green." She set the ribbon into the book in a spot some hundred pages from where it had been. She closed the book, then passed it to Philip. "You try it."Philip pulled the book into his lap, and it opened right to the page with the red dragon. "Let me try it," said Liam."I know it will work for you," said Sadie, impatiently. "I want to find someone it won't work for." She took the book from Philip. Standing up, she scanned the room for a familiar face. "Follow me," she said.She crossed the room to where some Sixth Year Ravenclaw girls sat. Their table was full of books and scattered rolls of parchment. "Excuse me," said Sadie. They looked suspiciously up at Liam and Philip. "I think this book is enchanted. Can you open it?"One of the girls, with heavy eyebrows and glossy black hair, took the book from Sadie. The girl opened the book more near the middle of the volume to a picture of a tiny dragon flying around a person's hand. "There's nothing wrong with this book, Sadie," said the girl."Maybe not," said Sadie, taking the book back. "One more try," she said to the boys as she walked away from the other table.At another part of the library, Ronald Reuel and John Dawes were looking up the prices of Wizard cards in a Collector's book. Sadie set the Dragon book on the table and said, "Will you take a look at this book? There's some interesting pictures in it."Ronald was reluctant to touch anything that came from Sadie's hand, but Dawes opened the book to a picture of a silvery white dragon with bright blue eyes. The two boys peered at the picture. "That's a nice one," said Dawes.Sadie closed the book again. "You try it, Liam." As he reached out for it, she said, "Close your eyes."Liam did as he was told. He had barely touched the book when it popped open to the page of the red dragon."A Madagascan," said Dawes. "A rare breed, that."Sadie closed the book again. "Thank you, boys. That's what I wanted to know."She walked back to the table from which they had started. "What did we do all that for, exactly?" asked Liam."The bookmark works for the three of us, but especially for you, Liam," said Sadie. "It didn't work for Margot and it didn't work for Dawes. Don't you think that's interesting?"Liam was still mystified, but Philip said, "It's almost as if someone put the bookmark there so that Liam would come to the right page.""Yes. I wonder who was kind enough to do us the favour," said Sadie. "Let's see if we can find out."She brought the book up to the desk, where a haughty, sallow looking Slytherin boy waited. "I'd like to check out this book," Sadie told him.As he filled out the slip, she continued amiably, " Can you tell me who else this term has checked out this book?" The boy looked up at her suspiciously. "My friends and I are thinking of forming a dragon club. It would be helpful if we knew who else had, you know, similar interests.""We're not supposed to release information like that," said the boy, coldly."It's for a club," urged Sadie. "Can you at least tell me if there was another First Year who checked it out recently?"The boy relented. "No one's checked this book out recently," he said. "The last one to have it was a First Year, however. Calais. He had it for a few weeks back in September." He handed the book back to Sadie. "Do you know who that is?""Yes, I do. Thank you." She took the book from the boy, then strode out of the library. Liam and Philip followed her.As soon as she cleared the threshold, she let out a heavy, angry sigh. "I hate chasing after him!""Who?" asked Philip."Umberto had the book last," said Liam."What did I tell you about him, Liam?" said Sadie. "He was four months ahead of us!""How would he know anything about this?" asked Philip."I don't know," said Liam, "but he does. Vanessa asked me if I was studying dragons, still. When we were on the way to my detention, she asked me."Sadie nodded. "It came from her mouth, but you can bet it came from Umberto's head." Students were passing them as they stood in the hallway. They were still very near the library. They ran the risk of Madam Pince coming out and scolding them for talking too loudly. "Let's find someplace where we can talk about this in private."They made their way to the empty classroom on the second floor, where Liam had hidden the hat during the Capture the Hat game, and where Sadie had conducted the study session right before exams. There were no desks or chairs, but Philip sat down anyway, on the floor. He took out the quill, ink and parchment from Liam's bag and began jotting down some notes. Liam stood and leaned against the wall while Sadie nervously paced the floor."How does Umberto know about the Dragon Dreams?" she asked."He must have heard about it from Kane.""How does Kane know about them?" asked Sadie, exasperated."I asked him once.""That's right!" piped in Philip. "That day after the first Astronomy lab. He tried to have a go at you, but you turned around in time. And after class, you grabbed his bag and started asking him about dragons. Mike thought you'd lost your rocker.""What did you ask Kane?""I asked him if he dreamed of dragons. He started saying crazy stuff, so I knew he wasn't.""Did you mention the Madagascan Reds, specifically?""I don't think so." He thought for a moment. "I mentioned red dragons.""Afterwards, Kane told Umberto," said Sadie, "and Umberto must have put it together. That was back in September. Right after that, Umberto checked the book out.""They were real keen to find out if I was still studying dragons. I told them to mind their own business.""I wonder if Kane is dreaming of these dragons now," said Sadie. "But, let's try to stay focused! This is our Working Hypothesis: that Kane's wand is causing you to have these dreams. The fact that the dragon in your dream is a Madagascan dragon is a strong piece of evidence, but we need more to be sure. And, we need to know what kind of dream this is: is it a prophesy, or something else.""What do we do next?" asked Philip."I would like to hear this dream," said Sadie. "Will you tell it to me?"Liam relayed the dream once more. He put in as many details as he could remember. Philip listened, wide-eyed, but Sadie stared off at the wall with a distant, focused look. At the end, he asked, "Dou you think I'm mad?""No," said Sadie. She turned and gazed at him, her face still and serious. "It's not madness, Liam. It's Magic."Madagascans are protected by treaties," she continued. "Those men are, were, or will be in violation of those treaties for stealing her eggs. That's bad trouble.""Though not as bad as her giving them vicious bites with her poisonous fangs," said Liam, "starting with me.""We don't know what this is yet," said Sadie. "We don't know if that's you speaking to the dragon. We need to do more research." Turning to Philip, she asked, "Dream Interpretation. What Magical Discipline does that fall under?""Divination," answered Philip, promptly."That's the next place to start - with a Divination Textbook."
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It was late in the afternoon. As Liam, Sadie and Philip exited the classroom, they could hear the sounds of voices and feet in the Entrance Hall below. In the Great Hall, students were already gathering to eat. They went downstairs to join them."Divination," said Philip, "is an elective class, offered to Third Years and above. It's taught by Firenze, the Centaur.""But we're not going to wait until we're Third Years to find the answer to this question," said Sadie. "All I need is the name of the textbook. I should be able to borrow a copy from the library. I don't even need to check it out - I'll just read the chapter on Dream Interpretations and take some notes."As they approached the entrance to the Hall, Liam said, "Hey, Sadie? Thanks."The blush was on her cheeks again, and her voice squeaked as she said, "You're welcome!"They crossed the threshold of the hall and parted. Liam sat down next to Michael, while Philip squeezed in between Liam and Fortney."Finally, you're back," said Michael. "What took so long?"Liam wasn't sure how to start answering this question. Philip, though, made a prompt reply. "Sadie is very thorough.""You can say that again," said Liam."Well, you missed a bang-up practice," said Michael. "The Badgers are gonna win it all this year, I'm telling you.""That's the spirit, cousin!" said Archie, and he gave Michael a hearty pat on the back."Yeah," said Archie's friend, Eric. "Just don't bet any money on us." Liam checked in with Sadie after breakfast the next morning. He met with her in the Entrance Hall, at the foot of the Grand Staircase, and he walked her up to the second floor. "Professor Firenze doesn't use a textbook," said Sadie."That's what we heard last night. We asked one of the Third Year Girls.""Firenze hasn't always been the instructor, though," said Sadie. "He was hired during the war, I think. Somebody taught the class before he did. We need to find out who that was.""How does that help us?""Because that person almost certainly did use a textbook, and that book, if it was in use for several years, is probably still at the library. I could check it out and read it, or at least take some notes.""You're not letting go of this thing, are you?" said Liam."Of course not!""How are we going to find out who was teaching Divination before Firenze?""One of the other teachers would know.""I really don't want to go to a teacher about this," said Liam."You don't need to go into the whole long story. Just say that you were curious about Dream Interpretation, and you wanted to read up on it.""It would sound more convincing coming from you."She smiled at this. "Yes, but I was thinking we should ask your Head of House.""Why Meadows?""Because she's the youngest member of the staff, and she was a student here. She would probably remember who the Divination Teacher was even if she never took the class, and if she did, she's likely to remember the name of the textbook."Liam didn't like the idea of putting this question to Meadows, but he didn't want to let Sadie down when she was working so hard to solve this problem. If it were up to Liam, he would have let the matter go again, as he had the previous Autumn. He could see that Sadie was not so easily deterred. They were going to find the answer to this question, whatever it was. Liam walked Sadie part of the way back to Ravenclaw Tower, before returning to the ground floor. He had promised Michael that he would spend some time wandering the grounds. They hiked out to the Quidditch pitch, where the Gryffindor team was practising. Liam and Michael sat with Paul and his friends (including Gillian) and watched the players race around on their brooms.The Gryffindor players were faster on their brooms and more reckless with their maneuvers. Liam was still learning Quidditch, but he could tell this was the superior team. Even Michael was forced to admit it."We might catch them on an off day," Michael said when they were on their own again."They're not practising like that so they can have an off day on the first game of the season," said Liam."It could happen!" Liam gave Michael an amused smirk. "All right," he conceded. "It's not bloody likely, but it could happen!" After dinner, when they were down in the dormitories, Liam put the idea to Philip. "Sadie thinks we should ask Meadows who taught Divination before Firenze. She's the youngest teacher. She may remember.""You want me to ask her?""Yes. I don't want her to get suspicious of me."Philip laughed. "All right. I'll ask her.""And find out what book they used. That's what Sadie really wants to know."It took him but a minute. Philip walked right up to Meadows as she was passing through the common room and asked her. He brought the answer straight to Liam."The teacher was Professor Tralawny, and the book she taught from was Unfogging the Future. And yes, she thinks there's still a few copies of it in the library."Liam wrote down the information on a scrap of parchment. In the morning, he passed the note to Sadie as he went into the Great Hall for breakfast. "Good," she said. "We'll talk after lunch, okay?"After breakfast, the boys finished some lingering homework assignments, then roamed the grounds until lunch time. When they returned to the Entrance Hall (having finally learned to wash their hands before the meal without prompting from their prefect), Sadie was waiting for them.Liam sent the others ahead. "We haven't eaten yet," he told her."I can wait," she said, "but I'd like to speak to you as soon as you're done. I've answered one of my many questions.""Good." He wasn't sure what else to do, so he gave her a little pat on the arm before going into the Great Hall."She's not going to take your whole day, is she?" asked Michael."I don't know." If Lara and the others had been sitting across the table from him, that may have been all Liam said. But the girls had gotten to the Great Hall earlier than Liam and his friends, and they had since departed. "This is important," he said sternly. "It'll take as long as it takes."Sadie was still waiting, leaning against the wall by the Grand Staircase, when Liam exited the Great Hall some twenty minutes later. The Divination book was open in front of her. She looked up from her reading and smiled at him. "Let's find someplace where we can talk, shall we?"They walked up to the second floor and settled into chairs in an empty classroom. Without any preamble, Sadie began to read aloud from Unfogging the Future.
Prophetic dreams are difficult even for the wise to interpret properly. They are couched in symbols whose meanings and purpose are often not fully known until years afterwards. The visions shown can be vague and full of contradictions or impossibilities. By attempting to bring the vision to fulfillment, one may be led astray into a completely different future; by attempting to avoid one's fate, one may bring his doom more rapidly upon himself.
"What the heck is there to interpret?" asked Liam impatiently. "The dragon is about to bite my head off! What kind of symbol is that?""I agree!" said Sadie, grinning."It's not vague!" Liam continued. "The dragon's right there! I can almost feel her breath!" Sadie was nodding, a happy grin still on her face. "I thought you said you had an answer!""I do!" She closed the book with a sharp slap. "This isn't a prophetic dream! I didn't think it was, and once I read that paragraph, I was sure. Your dream is too specific, and the words you're hearing aren't the words of an Oracle. It's just two people talking.""So, what the heck is it?"His anger and frustration daunted her, but she pressed on. "Liam, when you're having that dream, does it feel like you're on the boat?"He drew in a deep breath. "Yeah. I can feel the waves rocking the boat. I can even taste the sea air.""And what you just said, that you could feel the dragon's breath. It's like you were really there, on the boat with the dragon."Do you have a song that brings back memories for you?" Her sudden shift of direction took him such by surprise that he didn't answer. "There's a certain song that make me think of being in California. When I hear it, I can almost smell the redwoods."And, when my mother makes ginger snaps, it makes me think of Christmas. Even if it's October, if she makes them, I think of trees and carols and presents. It's like I'm there again."Do you feel that way sometimes?""I guess so,” said Liam, still puzzled. “But what does this have to do with me and this dragon?""This dream, this thing in your head, it's a memory. Not your memory; it's somebody else's. And, it's not a happy memory either, like Christmastime. It's a scary memory - a near-death experience - the time this man, the man who's speaking in your dream, was almost killed by a dragon.""So, the dragon isn't going to bite my head off?""I don't think so," said Sadie with a nervous laugh. "Not this dragon, at any rate.""How did somebody else's memory get in my head?""Well, Wizards can use a spell that preserves their memories. They drop them into a thing called a Pensieve and watch them, like watching a program on the telly. My father showed one to me once, of him and mother when they were younger.""But, I'm not looking at a . . . what-ever-you-just-said.""I know. It's coming to you in a dream. It's like the memory transferred, somehow, into your head.""How?""I don't know. But we think it's coming from the wand, right? That's still our hypothesis. So, we just need to ask someone how to get a memory onto a wand.""Who are we going to ask this time?""Any book I look up, any student I ask, is going to point me towards Pensieves. But we know this isn't from a Pensieve. You haven't even seen one. This isn't a run-of-the-mill problem. We're going to have to go to a teacher.""Not Meadows,” said Liam, urgently. “I already asked her a weird question. Philip did, actually, but I don't want her to be suspicious.""Suspicious of what? We're just asking questions? Anyway, I wasn't thinking of her.""Who, then?""Professor Gregor will know.""Not him!" said Liam. "He'll know for sure what we're up to! He was mad that Cyrus had this wand in the first place. He didn't want me touching it again.""When was this?" Liam told Sadie all he could remember about his first detention with Professor Gregor. Months had passed, though, and his memory was foggy. "He was worried. He kept talking about affinity. Affinity of wands."Sadie's brow furrowed. "That's troublesome. But I think it concerns Cyrus more than it concerns us. Still, I'll respect your wishes. Let's ask DeVere."Liam gave her a worried look, but she pressed on before he could voice a rebuttal. "He's very smart! You have to be, to be Head of Ravenclaw. And, he likes you! He'll answer your question the best that he can."Who else were they to ask? Liam had to agree, this was their best chance. "All right. Let's ask him." The following Tuesday, Liam and Sadie put all their concentration into making the best possible potion. At the end of the period, there was a look of immense pride on Professor DeVere's face as he reviewed their potion."That's what I expect from the two of you," he told them."Professor," said Sadie, "after class, would you have a moment? Liam and I had a question. We have a little side project we're working on.""Splendid! I would be happy to help."Once again, though they were the first ones finished, Liam and Sadie waited with their bags packed for everyone else to clear out of the classroom. Then, they went down to the front of the room to speak to DeVere.The Professor sat down at a chair near his lectern. "What can I do for the two of you?""We were researching memories," said Sadie, "specifically, how wizards preserve them.""I suppose you already know about Pensieves.""Yes," said Sadie, and Liam nodded. "Are there other ways to capture and preserve a memory?"DeVere nodded. "There are certain objects which make ideal receptacles for memories. I would recommend a diary or a journal - not an empty one, but one that was already full of written recollections. Such objects are full of sentiment. The magical memories attach to that embodied sentiment and are preserved, often for many decades. The only word of caution is this: that the transfer to another wizard from such a receptacle is also very easy."Sadie and Liam exchanged glances. Liam figured it was his turn to ask the next question. "What about using something else?" he asked."For instance?""What about a wand?"Professor DeVere looked very keenly at him. "A wand?" DeVere got up and pulled an empty phial from the shelves behind his lectern. From his belt, he drew his wand. "You use your wand to extract the memory, like this." He tapped his head and pulled from his hair a silvery thread. With care, he dropped the thread into the vial. " That was a memory. From here, I can place the memory into a Pensieve or set it in a diary.""But," said Sadie, "you wouldn't use a wand to actually hold the memory?""No. Wands are utterly inappropriate for such tasks. They are conduits of magic, not receptacles. Imagine taking something delicate, a piece of fine China, for instance, and trying to store it in the middle of a big motorway. Memories are fragile things - you saw the thin thread just now. The first spell you cast would destroy it."Liam bit down on his lip, trying to hide his disappointment. "Is there anything else that you would use, Professor?" asked Sadie."It would need to be an object of great sentimental value. Something precious, valued more for its sentiment than its monetary value. An heirloom of some kind. A piece of jewelry, perhaps, like a necklace or a ring."Liam and Sadie exchanged glances. Liam shrugged, and Sadie nodded. "Thank you, Professor. That was very helpful.""Let me know when you have settled on your precious object and are ready to make your transfer. I can give you some pointers there, too."Sadie blushed hotly. "Right now, we're just researching," said Liam. "Thank again, Professor."The two made a hasty exit. Half way up the stairs to the main floor, they stopped on the landing."We're stuck," said Sadie."It's got to be the wand," said Liam "I know it is.""But he said it's impossible! It must be something else that you touched.""No! The dragon is a Madagascan Red! Same as in the wand."Sadie pulled in a deep breath and stared off into space. "Did Cyrus ever mention the wandmaker?"Liam shook his head."Then we still have one more question we can try to answer.""Who's gonna know? We can't just ask Kane. He won't tell us.""There's someone else who'll know. But you're not going to like me asking him. And honestly, I don't like the idea either. But I know he knows.""Not Gregor.""Not Gregor. Umberto." In the staff room, Professor Gregor was pouring himself a cup of coffee, when Professor DeVere entered the room. "Ah," said DeVere. "Just the man I was looking for. You told Sonja and I to keep an ear out for Liam Wren, or one of his proxies, coming 'round with a strange question well outside the scope of his studies? Well, I got a real winner from him today . . ."
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Chapter Thirty
The Ferrari of Wands Professor Gregor had just poured himself a cup of coffee when Edward DeVere came into the Hogwarts staff room. "Ah, Franz," said DeVere, "just the man I was looking for."Gregor sat down in a plush leather chair and took a sip of his coffee. "What can I do for you, Edward?""You know how you were telling Sonja and I too keep an ear out for young Liam Wren asking a question far outside the scope of his studies? Well, I got a real winner from him today.""What did he ask you?""Well, Miss Thompson did most of the talking. They're lab partners, you know.""I didn't know that.""I detect a bit of romantic attraction between them, as well. Completely innocent at this age, of course.""Of course," said Gregor patiently. "What was the question?""They started off by asking about memory captures. You know, Pensieves and the like. Wren asked specifically if a memory could be grafted to a wand."Professor Gregor stayed very still, but the creases of his brow deepened, rising high upon his forehead, the only sign that betrayed how unsettling he found the question. "What did you tell him?""I told him it was impossible.""It's practically impossible.""Not to mention pointless, considering the array of more suitable options.""Stilgrevsen," muttered Gregor. "If anyone could do it, he could.""Sure, Stilgrevsen," agreed DeVere, "but that's a bit far outside the scope of a First-Year inquiry, don't you think?""I wholeheartedly agree.""Wren's not in some sort of trouble, is he?""No." Gregor took another sip of his coffee. "He's an unconventional thinker. I just wanted to keep track of the direction in which his thoughts were leading him.""He's a subtle and instinctive potion-maker. Best of his year by far.""I'm glad to hear that."Gregor sat and finished his coffee, then took a stroll down to the library, where Bitters, a Slytherin Fifth Year, worked behind the counter, checking out books. "Ah, Bitters," said Gregor. "Could you look something up for me?""Of course, Professor.""Has anyone checked out Dragons of the Southern Hemisphere lately?""Let me check." Bitters flipped through the cards. "Sorry sir. It is checked out.""Who has it now?""S. Thompson, R-1."Gregor nodded. "Who had it before that?""Calais. Now that you mention it, sir, I recall Miss Thompson asking that same question. She said she was forming a club or something.""Interesting.""Shall I see if we can get you another copy?""No thank you. It's not urgent that I read that book this minute. There's one other book that I'm interested in - I believe the library has a biography of Lars Stilgrevsen?"Bitters looked quickly through his files. "Yes, that book is available for checkout, sir.""Who had it last?""Calais, again sir.""I see. When was this?""He checked it out before he left on Holiday, sir. He just returned it.""The next time that book leaves the library, I want to know who checked it out. Can you do that for me?""Yes. I'll put a trace on it, sir. I'll let you know as soon as possible.""Very good." Gregor turned and went up to his office, overlooking the lake. One of the house elves brought him his lunch. He ate his sandwich and enjoyed another cup of coffee while staring down at the green water, sparkling in the sunlight.Without the clue from DeVere, Gregor would not have made the connection between Wren and Thompson. He would have overlooked the significance of Thompson checking out Dragons of the Southern Hemisphere, the one book in the library collection that would give the reader the best information on Madagascan Dragons. Earlier that day, Meadows had mentioned to him that Philip Harkenborough, a better-known associate of Wren's, had asked her about dream interpretations.DeVere is right, thought Gregor. Wren is subtle. He works through intermediaries, hiding his inquiries from the staff, and leaning on two bright students for help. He would have made a good Slytherin.The three pieces of information were, taken separately, insignificant. Even collectively, they didn't amount to much, unless one added the first clue: Wren had, earlier in the term, asked Cyrus Kane if he was dreaming of dragons.This tidbit came from Calais, and Gregor had, on first hearing, dismissed it out of hand. Gregor was Head of Slytherin, after all. It was not the first time a precocious young student tried to impress him with a bit of innuendo.But, after he had dismissed Umberto, the worries began to grow. Wren had handled Cyrus' wand twice that Autumn, and this new inquiry was on the heels of a third incident involving the two boys. This was a Stilgrevsen wand, after all - mysterious, exotic, and notoriously difficult to master.
Had Wren triggered something when he wrenched the thing from Kane's hand? Is this the Secret Key, manifesting itself?
Something was plaguing Wren's sleep, driving him to research dragons, memory capture and dream interpretations. The question that Wren and Thompson put to DeVere was startling. How does one put a memory on a wand?How had he done it? Like DeVere said, it was impossible. But, Stilgrevsen must have found a way . . .Gregor was eager to know exactly what the children knew and didn't know about this experience, but he knew they wouldn't tell him. With a bit of luck, they'll go to Calais. He has already offered to help them. And, what he learns, he will tell me. By Friday morning, Liam and Sadie had not come to any agreement as to whether they should ask Umberto for help. Sadie was intensely curious about what Umberto could tell them. Both Liam and Sadie were fearful, however, about the price they would pay for such information. They had several arguments about it over the next few days."Umberto won't tell Cyrus," said Sadie. "There's bad blood between those two. But we can't trust him to keep this quiet. Believe me, he'll tell someone. And, he'll have his own questions he wants answered. He's had a lot of time to think this over.""What if he goes to Gregor?" asked Liam."Professor Gregor can't stop us from asking questions and reading books," said Sadie sternly. "As long as we're keeping up on our regular work, I can't see him interfering.""He doesn't like me.""You just say that because he gave you detention. He's really not out to get you.""Yes, he is!"But in the end, they decided it was the only way forward. Sadie and Umberto sat close to one another during DADA. That Friday, before Professor Gregor got started with his lecture, Sadie passed Umberto a note. The Slytherin boy took it without surprise or protest. He pocketed it without reading it.After class, Sadie and Liam came together. Sadie smiled up at Liam but didn't say anything. Liam looked away, in the direction of Umberto. He caught Umberto's eye, and the other boy came over to where they were standing."Good morning, Wren.""Calais."Umberto turned to Sadie and set a hand gently on her arm. "Sadie, I've been meaning to talk to you. I hope you weren't hurt in anyway by that nonsense of Morwena's a few weeks back. I must say, I didn't have anything to do with it.""I'm fine, thank you," said Sadie softly. The blush was faintly on her cheeks."I'm glad. I was furious with Morwena afterwards. It was not at all what I would have done."This was too much for Liam. As much as he tried to downplay his relationship with Sadie, the rest of the First Year students assumed they were a couple. Liam wasn't about to stand idly by while another boy flirted with his girl.He stepped closer to Sadie and put a hand on her back. "That's not what we wanted to talk to you about."Umberto let go of Sadie's arm and backed up a step, but there was a calm expression on his face. "I would be happy to help you, Wren," he answered, "but this is not the time or place for such a discussion.""There's some empty classrooms on the second floor. We could meet there after lunch."Umberto nodded. "Would you mind if Gordon came with me?"Sadie had pressed herself against Liam's side. She gazed up at him, but he didn't look down at her. Instead he shrugged, but then added, "Just him.""Of course. See you then." With a nod to Sadie, he retreated.Nervously, Liam and Sadie moved apart. "I guess we're going through with it," said Sadie."He's the only one who'll tell us what we need to know," said Liam. "Let's just get it over with." He looked sternly at Sadie and said, "He was hitting on you, acting like he was your boyfriend or something."Sadie blushed hotly but said nothing back. Right after lunch, during their open period, Liam and Sadie met Umberto and Gordon outside the Great Hall. Liam led the others up to the second floor, to their favourite empty classroom. When they were all inside, Gordon closed the door and leaned back against it."There's a spell for that, you know," said Sadie. "It keeps doors closed and locked.""Yes," said Umberto, "but spells like that attract attention, and they can be broken. A closed door is always less conspicuous. What was it that you wanted to ask me?"Sadie held up the green ribbon. "Was this yours?""You found my bookmark! Did it work?" asked Umberto, eagerly."It opened for me, Sadie and Hark," said Liam, "but nobody else.""It should have worked for Bendrix, too," said Umberto. "I didn't have an opportunity to test it beforehand, so I wasn't sure. You found the page then. The picture of the red dragon." Liam nodded in answer. "Is that the dragon from your dream?"Liam wanted to snap back, "I'm the one asking the questions!" But, Sadie had warned him. "Umberto will have his price," she said. "He will ask his own questions. And he's good about picking up clues. He'll figure out more than just what you tell him.""Yes," said Liam finally."Is Cyrus having the same dream?" asked Sadie.Umberto smiled. "Believe me, my dear, Brother Cyrus is not nearly as subtle as Wren."Gordon added, "If Cy were having these dreams, he would be broadcasting it from the rafters. The whole school would know about it.""My thoughts exactly," concurred Umberto."So, 'no,' in other words," said Liam."No, he is not.""We think Liam's dreams are being caused by Cyrus' wand," said Sadie.This was more than Liam wanted said, but Umberto answered quickly, "So do I.""Who's the wand maker? Do you know?""Stilgrevsen."Sadie’s eyes went wide, and she burst out in a high-pitched voice, "What? Are you serious?""Believe me, I didn't take Cy at his word. I had it independently verified.""But, that's absurd," Sadie sputtered. “It’s more than that. It’s madness! Completely irresponsible!”"What's the big deal?" asked Liam.Umberto spoke. "Do you like cars, Wren?""Sure, I do!""Stilgrevesen wands are like Ferraris: exotic, powerful, temperamental and expensive.""It would be like your dad buying you a Ferrari for your first car," said Gordon."Not my dad," said Liam.“Not mine, either,” said Gordon."I thought Stilgrevsen's wands blew up when you used them," said Sadie."His first attempts did in fact blow up at first use," concurred Umberto, "but his technique improved with practise and experimentation. There's a fascinating biography on Stilgrevsen in the library, if you're interested.""You telling me that wand is worth a hundred thousand pounds?" asked Liam."Not that expensive, Wren," said Umberto. "Think about the cost of a Ferrari in comparison to an average car. The Ferrari is ten to fifteen times more.""So," continued Sadie, "a wand from Ollivander's is usually about 10 galleons. Stilgrevsen's wands must run 100 to 150.""Still a lot of money," said Liam. Umberto nodded.Sadie shook her head. "Well, the wand chooses the wizard, right?""That's not what Professor Gregor thinks," said Liam."What do you mean?" asked Sadie, alarmed."Please," said Umberto, a wide grin on his face, "tell us what Professor Gregor thinks."Liam thought back over his first detention with the Deputy Headmaster. "He said the shopkeeper chooses the buyer. I didn't understand what he meant at first. I guess the guy in the shop pushed the wand onto somebody who could afford to buy it.""But, that's totally unethical!" cried Sadie."Must have been a Slytherin," quipped Gordon."Cyrus has got to have affinity with his wand," Sadie argued. "He uses it every day! His marks aren't that bad."Umberto was silent, but the wide grin was still there: a glowing look of triumph that gave Liam the creeps. "If Kane has affinity with the wand," said Liam slowly, "why do I have this dream?""That's the Hundred Galleon Question, isn't it?" said Umberto smoothly.For a moment, no one said anything. Sadie broke the silence. "Is there anything else you can tell us? I still have the feeling that I'm five moves behind you.""Sadie," said Umberto kindly, "you know much more about this than I do. I don't know the contents of the dream, for one thing."Turning to Liam, he said, "As much as I would like to know, if I were you, I would keep it to myself. Here's some free advice: don't tell anyone else about this dream, especially not Cyrus Kane."Liam and Sadie exchanged glances. Sadie shook her head. Liam turned to Umberto and said, "Thanks for your help.""Of course." Umberto nodded to Sadie, then he and Gordon took their leave.As soon as the door closed, Sadie said, "A Stilgrevsen! Utterly mad!""What's the next move?" asked Liam."Back to the library," said Sadie. "I better read that book." As Professor Gregor came into the Great Hall for dinner that evening, Bitters approached him. Without a word, the boy passed Gregor a note, then returned to the Slytherin table. Gregor waited until he was seated at the staff table before glancing at the contents. On a small strip of parchment, in Bitters' masculine script, were the words: "Stilgrevsen bio, S. Thompson R-1, 14:35 today." Gregor folded the note and slipped it into his pocket.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
All the next week, every chance she got, Sadie fed Liam information on the wandmaker, Lars Stilgrevsen. "Stilgrevsen apprenticed briefly under the wandmaker Gregorovich, but he caused trouble and was fired. Stilgrevsen wouldn't follow instructions, and he kept making dangerous experiments with his wands.""His wands would blow up?" asked Liam."Yes, many of them did. One of them blew off the hand of one of the other apprentices. At that point, Gregorovich let him go. Stilgrevsen drifted for some years, living mostly amongst Muggles. He continued his wand making efforts in secret. He gravitated towards places like Greece, Egypt and Palestine, where ancient and powerful artifacts are in abundance."Eventually, he became employed by the Dark Wizard Duragan of Turkey. He made a wand for Duragan that was very powerful. Duragan had Stilgrevsen outfit his entire operation with wands. By the time the Wizarding Community of Ankara rallied to defeat Duragan, Stilgrevsen had moved on. His reputation as a premier wandmaker was established."Stilgrevsen's main concern, besides mixing uncommon and volatile elements together in his wands, was the issue of wand ownership. During his apprenticeship with Gregorovich, he had learned of the Elder Wand, a powerful wand that had changed hands many times through the centuries. Stilgrevsen didn't like how such a powerful weapon could move so easily from wizard to wizard. He certainly didn't want his best customers to be killed for their wands."He set about trying to strengthen the connection between the wand and the wizard. His goal was to make the connection so deep that only one wizard could ever use the wand. He accomplished this by way of a Magic Key.""A real key? For turning a lock?" asked Liam."I don't think so. I think the term is figurative. The book isn't really clear. It assumes that we know about the Keys already, and it just talks about why they were formed, not how. There's nothing at all about what they are, either.""Lot of help that is.""Well, the Keys are supposed to be secret, right? If you found the key to the wand, and it worked only for you now, then you wouldn't want to tell someone else what the key was. That person could take the wand from you, or claim that you stole it from him."Lowering his voice to a whisper, Liam said, "You think my crazy dream is part of this Magic Key thing?"She nodded. "That's what Umberto thinks, too. That's why he told you not to share the contents of the dream with anyone else.""Anything else I need to know?""I looked to see if the book mentioned Stilgrevsen making a trip to Madagascar, but it doesn't. There is a mention of Cyrus' wand, however, in the index. Stilgrevsen will make a prototype of a wand, with a specific core and wood. In this case, the core is Madagascan Dragon heartstring and the wood is Lebanese Cedar. Once he has a powerful but compatible combination, he will make several wands based on that prototype. Each will have subtle differences - the length of the wands, the thickness of the wood, the amount of magical ingredients will all be different. But, they will all be variations of the prototype.""Car makers do that, too," said Liam.Sadie shrugged. "Well, look here." She had the green ribbon set into a place in the book, near the back. There was a list of wands from the year 1979. The third entry was underlined. It read "Dragon hrtstrg (MG), cedar (LB), 11"." In the margin, in a tight script, was the words, "Cy's Wand.""Who wrote that?" asked Liam. "That's not your writing, is it?""No. It's Umberto's.""You sure?""Yes. I know his handwriting.""How well do you know this guy, anyway?" asked Liam. "I've never seen you talking to him before this week, but he acts like you and him are old chums.""I have known him for a long time, Liam. I knew him before I came to Hogwarts.""Did he live in America, too?""No," said Sadie with a laugh. "I knew him before my family moved to California. The Wizarding Community of Great Britain is one big club, Liam. Half the kids here knew each other before they got here. I'd crossed paths with Caliope, Morwena and Philip, too, before last September."Liam smirked. "Somehow I get the feeling you and Umberto did more than just play chess together."Sadie blushed hotly. "That's mostly what we did.""What else did you do?"Sadie had a wounded look on her face now, and Liam was immediately sorry that he pressed the issue. "I told him something, once, that I had hoped he would keep secret. But he told someone else almost right away. I was very hurt by it. Even though it was years ago, I still don't completely trust him.""Then why are we still talking to him?" asked Liam."I needed his help," said Sadie, sternly. "I wouldn't have gotten this far without him. I had no idea that wand was a Stilgrevsen. I still can't believe it, actually, but it appears to be one. If Umberto is right, Cyrus' wand is the prototype of the Madagascan series. It's probably more valuable for that reason.""So, not just a Ferrari, but a rare, prototype Ferrari. Completely mental.""My thoughts exactly.""Thanks for your help, by the way," said Liam."You're welcome.""I still don't know if we're getting anywhere, though."Sadie closed the book. "I want to see this wand for myself. I've never gotten a good look at it.""I could always challenge Kane to another duel.""No! You'll get into bad trouble with Gregor if you do!""Alright, I was just joking.""The Coven is watching him like a hawk, too. I can't get near him without going through Morwena's fence. I just hope that, sometime during practicals, I can get close enough to Cyrus to spy on him." The opportunity presented itself just two weeks later. In DADA, Professor Gregor split the class up into nine groups of four. Liam and Sadie, who didn't sit anywhere near one another in class, found themselves in the same group, paired with Larry and Adam from Gryffindor. Cyrus was in the next group over, along with two Ravenclaws and Lara Guishar.They couldn't have asked for a better grouping to spy on Cyrus. None of Morwena's Coven was anywhere near Cyrus, and neither was Cyrus' one friend, Spencer. The two Gyffindor boys paired up right away and began practicing the spell. Liam bent down to tie his shoe, which gave Sadie a chance to watch Cyrus.When his shoe was tied, Liam stood for a moment to watch his rival. The wand's magic was like a magnetic field, pulling on him. Cyrus made a swish with his wand, and the light from the chandelier glinted off the wand. Revelation hit Liam him like a thunderclap. "That's it!" he whispered. "The ring!"Sadie clutched the hem of his shirt. "The Precious Object!"Images were flooding into Liam's conscious mind. He strained to keep them back, to stay focused. "We better start practising," he mumbled.Cyrus had lowered his wand, and he stared at the two of them with contempt. "What are you looking at, Mudblood?" he called.Immediately, the Gryffindor boys came to Liam's side. "You're not gonna take that, are you?" asked Larry."Don't!" said Sadie, and she grabbed Liam's left arm.Before anyone could do anything else, however, Lara Guishar strode up to Cyrus and slapped him across the face. "Watch your mouth!" she snapped.Professor Gregor swept down upon them like a dark cloud. Looking first to Liam's group, he said, "You four, that way!" He pointed towards the far corner of the room. Liam nodded, and the four of them retreated."Guishar got him good," said Adam, approvingly."That's Hufflepuff loyalty for you," agreed Larry. "You imagine Alma doing that for one of us?""Jill would," added Sadie."Well, sure, Jill," said Adam. "She's one of the guys!"Larry and Adam continued practicing. Sadie and Liam huddled together once more. "The memory isn't in the wand," whispered Sadie. "It's in the ring! Professor DeVere was right, after all!""'From Anatolia, it came. A thousand years it has lain in the horde.' That's what the dragon told me.""Anatolia is now Turkey. Stilgrevsen spent a lot of time in that part of the world.""She wanted that ring back," said Liam, as the images filled his mind again. "They had tried to steal her eggs, but they just broke them. They took the ring from the treasure horde. She chased them down to get it." A horror was rising in him. He found himself on the verge of tears. "But she didn't get it back. They killed her. This rare, endangered, intelligent dragon. They killed her and put her heart in that wand."He closed his eyes tight, fighting the tears. He felt Sadie's hand on his chest, right above his heart. "No more questions," he said finally. "I don't want to know any more." At the end of class, Liam disappeared. He slipped away from his friends and wandered alone along empty corridors, re-appearing again just before the start of Charms. And so, he did not realize until lunchtime that Lara Guishar had been given detention for slapping Cyrus Kane.He was sitting at the table, still lost in thought, when he heard Michael say, "Don't worry. They don't expel you for your first fight."Liam looked up to see whom Michael was addressing. He saw Lara's face darken. "You didn't get detention, did you?" asked Liam."Where have you been?" asked Stephanie.Liam ignored Stephanie. Lara was gazing at him, something that she never did, except when she was angry at him for something. She didn't seem angry this time, but other than that, Liam had no clue how she was feeling. She clearly expected him to say something."Um, thanks, by the way," he said finally. "Not that I couldn't handle that punk on my own, but I appreciate it.""You're welcome."The look was still on her face, an expectation that was almost a plea, but Liam had no idea what she wanted him to say.Stacy intervened. "What were you and Thompson conspiring about?""She's helping me with something," said Liam."Why didn't you come to one of us?" asked Stacy.Liam shrugged. He really didn't want to get into the subject of the Dragon Wand with Stacy. Philip came to his rescue. "He asked me, and I suggested Sadie. She's been very helpful, hasn't she, Liam?""So, it was an academic question, was it?" asked Stephanie, her voice heavy with skepticism.Liam nodded. The girls exchanged looks, silently communicating amongst themselves. Lara stared down at her plate, slowly eating the last of her lunch. Liam gazed at her once more and wished for the hundredth time that year that he knew what she was thinking. After Astronomy, Lara, Stacy, Stephanie and Monique went down to the Badger's Den and immediately got working on their homework. This was something they usually did anyway, but there was a special impetus to get it all done early. There was no telling how long Professor Gregor would keep Lara in detention.Lara was hoping that her older sister Lucida would not hear about the incident. After all, it didn't involve anyone from Ravenclaw. But it was too much to hope for.
When Lara and the other girls approached the Great Hall for dinner, Lucida was waiting by the entrance. Lara gestured for the others to go ahead. Stephanie and Monique entered the Great Hall and took their seats at the Hufflepuff table. Stacy, however, lingered by the doorway and waited.Lucida put her hands on her hips and said, "What's this I hear about you getting detention from Gregor?""If you know about it already," snapped Lara, "then I don't need to tell you anything.""What happened? Rebecca didn't know. Gregor just told her to escort you to his office after dinner.""If you must know, I slapped a Slytherin boy today.""Why?""He called one of the other Hufflepuffs a Mudblood."Lucida gazed keenly at her sister. "A boy Hufflepuff, by chance? Maybe the one you've had a crush on all year?""I don't have a crush on Liam!" Lara's cheeks were burning. Lucida stared back at her. More softly, Lara added, "But yes, it was him.""You really ought to watch out," said Lucida, in her annoying, know-it-all voice. "Most people don't think that the first year counts for much, but it really does. The staff's first impressions of you are very important. I can spot a future prefect three years out, and I bet McGonagall can do better than that. Just don't blow your chances.""My friends and I are not obsessing about which one of us will be Prefect four years from now, believe me. And, this isn't Professor Gregor's first impression of me. I've been in his class all year. I get very good marks.""I would hope so. Now get in there and get something to eat."Lara strode past her sister into the Great Hall. Lucida tried to put her arm around her as she walked by, but Lara bolted away from her. Together, Lara and Stacy walked to the Hufflepuff table.Lara ate in silence. Across the table, Liam was watching her. All I need him to say is one word, she thought to herself. Why can't he just come out and say it? Why does he have to be so dense?At five-thirty, Rebecca Gallstone came by the Hufflepuff table with Cyrus Kane in tow. "All right, Guishar," she said, "let's get this over with."Stacy gave Lara a worried look. Lara found her friend's hand under the table and gave it a squeeze before standing up. Gallstone led her and Cyrus out of the Great Hall.At the foot of the stairs, Gallstone looked back. "I don't want to hear a word out of either of you." Cyrus gave his Prefect a dirty look. Lara just shrugged.Up the stairs they went to Professor Gregor's Fifth Floor office. At the entrance, Gallstone called out, "Professor, I have Kane and Guishar."Gregor's deep voice rolled back, "Thank you, Rebecca. I'll take them one at a time. Send in Miss Guishar first."Lara entered, and Rebecca pushed the door closed behind her. Lara took a quick look around the office. Professor Gregor stood, leaning against his desk. In front of him was a small chair, from one of the classrooms, but since Gregor made no motion or command, Lara remained standing. She expected the Bloody Baron to be there too, for some reason, but he wasn't."Loyalty and Courage," he said. "These are the hallmarks of the Hufflepuff. By Courage, I do not mean the reckless bravado of the Gryffindor. Hufflepuff Courage is veiled. It supplements Loyalty, and is used only to strengthen and defend friends and loved ones. That is precisely how you used it today. With your swift action, you not only efended a fellow Hufflepuff but prevented him from getting into deeper trouble. You know all of this already. I wanted you to know that I understand this as well."However, in my classroom, it is I who maintain discipline, and it is I who deal out judgments and punishments. Do you understand me?""Yes, Professor," said Lara, softly."I doubt very much that I will continue to have trouble with you, Miss Guishar. Your sister Lucida is an exemplary student, and none of the staff could recall any similar incident from her past. Only when one considers Hufflepuff traits are your actions explicable."Lara gritted her teeth. If there was one thing she hated, it was being compared to her older sister Lucida. Lucy would have just let Liam get in trouble, she thought. She wouldn't understand why I had to intervene. Nobody will."I think we've come to an understanding," continued Professor Gregor. "I consider the matter closed. Rebecca!"The dark-haired witch stuck her head in the doorway. "Yes, Professor?""Send in Kane, and please escort Miss Guishar back to her common room."Lara watched Cyrus cautiously as they exchanged places. Their shoulders brushed one another, but it was a tight space. Cyrus kept his eyes down. He had a sullen look on his face, but there was no hint of anger or retribution directed towards Lara.As the two girls walked to the stairwell, Rebecca said, "You're Lucy's little sister.""Yes.""Hmm." The older girl said nothing else. Lara knew that this was one of Lucida's friends. They were both prefects, and they often studied together.The two girls walked down the stairs in silence. At the Entrance Hall, Lara expected Rebecca to release her, but the prefect stayed at Lara’s side all the way to the wooden door. As they went side by side down the narrow stairway, however, Rebecca became more and more agitated. She paused on the landing, just above the floor where lay the entrance to the Den and gently took ahold of Lara's arm. Rebeccca turned her head and looked behind her, then peered into the shadowy gloom below.To Lara's great surprise the older girl suddenly drew her wand and shouted, "I'm a Prefect!"Out of the shadows came five Hufflepuff boys with wands drawn, all Sixth and Seventh Years. They bounded up the stairs with Archie Stollencroft in the lead. "Right you are, Miss Prefect," he said cheerfully. "That’s why you’re not covered in bat boogers.”“You wouldn’t dare,” snapped Rebecca.“Mmm, I wouldn’t test that, if I were you,” said Archie. “Thank you very much for walking our little sister home. We'll take things from here."Rebecca gave them all her cold, imperious stare, but they smirked back at her. "Run along now, Miss Cheerful," said Eric. Rebecca gave a loud huff, turned on her heels and marched back up the stairs.As soon as she was out of sight, Archie set his arm on Lara's shoulder and led her down the last flight of stairs. "Why are your wands drawn?" she asked him."We're Badger Guards, young one. Once a non-Hufflepuff gets too close to the entrance to the Den, it sets off an alarm. Then the Badger Guards, basically whoever's around at the time, run the trespasser off.""She's a prefect and she was escorting me here on Professor Gregor's orders," said Lara sternly."That's why she didn't get a Bat-boogey shower," said Eric.I don't care if she's Head Girl!” said Archie. She's not allowed in the corridor!" Tenderly, he added, “Besides, we wouldn’t have wanted to get any bat boogers on you!” Inside the Common Room, the Badger Guard dispersed. Lara gazed at the students sitting in chairs, reading or talking. By the wall, Liam sat in his squashy chair. He looked up, and, seeing that she was watching him, stood and came over to her."Hey, um, thanks again." He seemed nervous or sheepish.Where is the confident cad from September? she wondered. "You're welcome," she answered.She gazed up at him, imploring him, and waited for him to say the right words, but he would not. Instead, he said "Well, um, good night," and turned to go.Lara reached out and grabbed the sleeve of his sweatshirt. "Am I forgiven?" she asked, anxiously.He gazed, puzzled, back at her. "For what?" She sighed heavily, the air pushing through her teeth in an angry hiss. Finally, there was some recognition in his eyes. "You mean about that time you ratted me out to Gregor?" She nodded. "Sure.""Sure?" she echoed, angrily.He looked both perplexed and amused. "Yes, you're forgiven."She let go of his sleeve. "I really am sorry," she said softly. "I felt bad afterwards.""It's okay." He gave her a nervous tap on the forearm. "I'll see you in the morning, all right?"Lara nodded, turned, and headed for the girls’ dormitory. Liam went the other direction, and began laying out his books for the next day's classes. Michael came to him and asked, "What did Lara want?""Nothing," said Liam."She doesn't usually give you the time of day," continued Michael. "Whatever she said, it looked like her life depended on it."Liam shrugged. Michael, realizing he wasn't going to get more of an answer, started talking about Quidditch.Michael didn't know about Lara Guishar's Gift of Prophesy. Liam had heard rumour of it, but he hadn't believed it, and by this time, he had forgotten. But both boys would remember this incident in light of what happened later. If Lara Guishar thinks her life depends on something, they would decide, it probably does . . .
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Cyrus Kane took a seat in the chair in front of Professor Gregor's desk. The door to the hallway beyond pushed closed, as Rebecca Gallstone escorted Lara Guishar down the hallway to the stairs.Gregor stared down at his young charge and mulled where to begin. Kane, undaunted, asked, "How come Wren and Thompson didn't get detention? They were goofing off and spying on me when they should've been doing the assignment."Such the only child, Gregor mused, speaking to me as if he were an adult. "Since you brought them up," said Gregor, "let's begin there: Why do you think Wren and Thompson were spying on you?""They were looking right at me!""I agree that they were watching you. I want to know if you know why.""How should I know what they're up to?""You should always know what your enemies are doing, and why. It's part of being a Slytherin.""Wren and Thompson are always hanging around one another," said Kane, easily. "They're in love with each other, from what I hear. Shows incredibly bad taste on both their parts, in my opinion.""Would it worry you to know that they have also been meeting with Umberto?"Kane gave one of his now trademarked huffs. "Unlike most people around here, I don't worry about the Blood Traitor and all his clever schemes. He gets everybody all worked up, and then nothing ever comes of it.""You underestimate Umberto at your peril, Cyrus. I've warned you before: your prejudices blind you."Cyrus continued with steady haughtiness. "By the way, Professor, could you tell Morwena Felwich to mind her own bloody business? I'm tripping over her and her nosy wanna-be coven everywhere I go.""Is that all that concerns you? That Morwena is watching over you?" snapped Gregor. "Morwena acts on her own initiative, and not on my orders. However, I think she has done an excellent job of keeping you and Wren separated.""I don't need her help!" snapped Cyrus. "I've got it all worked out. Wren has another go at me and he's a goner."Gregor looked sternly down at Cyrus but did not contradict him. Cyrus continued, "Wren's no Potter. He's not a Gryff. He won't get special privileges from McGonagall. He crosses the line one more time and she'll chuck him out."It was a common complaint of Slytherins that McGonagall allowed, even encouraged, Gryffindor rule-breaking while holding the other three houses to much higher standards of conduct."Is that your strategy?" asked Gregor. "To provoke Wren until he does something that gets him suspended? That may cost you more than you know. But at least you have a strategy. I was beginning to wonder if you had any Slytherin traits besides your obvious prejudices."Cyrus flushed at this. Gregor continued heatedly. "If I were you, I would take note when I learned that two of my rivals were working together. You made both of these boys your enemies unnecessarily. Umberto particularly would have been a strong ally for you. Now Umberto and Wren conspire against you."Cyrus gave another huff. "Listen to me, Kane!" said Gregor, "Events are in motion over which you have neither knowledge nor control. Assistance that Umberto could be giving you he is giving to Wren instead. Morwena is trying to help you, freely, of her own initiative, and yet you spurn her! Your complacency is appalling!"Professor Gregor fell silent, and let his words sink in to the young boy's head. Outside, there was the patter of footsteps. Rebecca Gallstone burst into the room. She looked surprised to see that Cyrus was still sitting there. "I'm sorry, Professor. Were you finished? I was accosted by a pack of Hufflepuffs downstairs!"Professor Gregor pulled in a deep breath and gazed at the girl. His mind still bent on Cyrus, it took him a moment to process what Rebecca had said. "The Badger Guards," he said, finally. "Forgive me, Rebecca, I was pre-occupied, and forgot to mention that the Hufflepuff's corridor is zealously protected by its inhabitants. I trust you were not harmed?"She looked demurely back at him. "No, I wasn't harmed.""Your ego bruised, perhaps?" he said gently. Rebecca nodded. "Who were the offenders?""Stollencroft, Blair. That lot.""Stollencroft and Blair are in my NEWT class. I will speak with them Wednesday afternoon."Turning to Cyrus, Gregor asked, "Do you have anything more to say?" He looked keenly down at the boy, hoping in vain for some flicker of doubt or fear, but there was nothing but arrogant calm."Take him away, Rebecca. See that he gets to bed on time.""Yes, Professor. Come, you," she added harshly to Cyrus. Gregor waited in empty room and listened for the retreating footsteps of his students. Then we walked to an ornate wooden cabinet near his desk with two French doors with wrought iron pulls. He opened the doors to reveal a stone bowl with carved runes along the edge. Gently, he lifted the bowl off the shelf and set it on his desk.An odd light flickered and swirled within the bowl. Gregor tapped the bowl with his wand, and the light became smooth and flat, like liquid. Out of the bowl rose two tiny figures, huddled together. In the middle of class, from across the room, Gregor could only watch them. But, with the help of the Pensieve, he could actually hear what was said. He tapped the bowl, and the figures began to move and speak."The memory isn't in the wand. It's in the ring! Professor DeVere was right, after all!""'From Anatolia, it came. A thousand years it has lain in the horde.' That's what the dragon told me."It was one thing to hear rumour of a conspiracy. It was another to see that conspiracy in action. Professor Gregor had designed the classroom activity with this in mind - he wanted to see Wren and Thompson at work. He had deliberately put them together, in a group adjacent to the one Kane was in, and he had scattered Morwena's guard around the room. There were no Slytherins nearby to assist Kane.Instead of working on the assignment, Wren and Thompson had taken the opportunity to spy on Kane, and in doing so, had come to a revelation about Kane's wand. For the first time, Gregor had direct testimony to what had once seemed preposterous: there was a memory captured in the ring that wrapped around the base of Kane's wand, and that memory had transferred into Wren's head, most likely during the duels he and Kane had fought the previous term.Gregor wondered once again, This memory, this dream of Wren's, is it the Secret Key? There was only one person in the world who could answer that question: Lars Stilgrevsen himself. Stilgrevsen was a private, secretive man, and since he made few wands these days, he had little need to meet with his public.Gregor, however, had connections. It will take some time, but it can be done. I must see him as soon as possible.It took two weeks to work out the logistics. Stilgrevsen agreed to a meeting on a Friday evening. The wandmaker had a workshop on Mykonos. There was a safe and secluded apparation point. If all went well, Gregor would be gone from campus less than an hour. On that Friday, Gregor apparated into a shadowy ring of trees on the outskirts of the town. He stood on a stone platform, onto which someone had drawn a pentagram. The symbol meant nothing to Gregor, but he knew the locals had some superstition about it. Likely, the star kept them away from this spot.Gregor had on slacks and a dress shirt, over which he wore a black cloak. The sea air was damp and cool on his cheeks. The streets were dark. No one was about.On a piece of parchment in his hand were the directions to Stilgrevsen's workshop. It stood nearby on a bluff overlooking the sea. Gregor strode to the door and knocked.The door opened part way, and a young woman slipped into the space. Her hair was long and dark. She wore a peasant blouse and a calf-length skirt. The girl stared at Gregor with piercing green eyes. "Yes?""I'm here to see Stilgrevsen. I have an appointment.""Wait a moment." She left the door ajar and disappeared into the house. Gregor wondered for a moment if this were a daughter, a servant, or an apprentice, but thought it impolite to ask. A moment later, she was back. Beckoning him with her hand, she said, "Follow me."She led him down the hallway to a dining nook overlooking the sea. Stilgrevsen sat in a wooden chair, a bottle of ouzo on the table in front of him. He had a weathered face, with grey hair cropped close to his scalp. His eyes were brightly blue. He wore a simple white shirt. His legs were crossed, and his foot, laying across his knee, was bare.Stilgrevsen gazed keenly at Gregor and said, "Have a seat." His voice was low and rough. As Gregor took a chair opposite, Stilgrevsen motioned towards the bottle. "Would you like a drink?""No thank you," said Gregor. "I like to keep a clear head when apparating.""Smart." Stilgrvensen poured some of the ouzo into a small glass and took a sip."We met at a conference once. I don't know if you remember.""I remember quite a bit." Stilgrevsen gave a wry grin. "Franz Gregor," said the wand-maker, "son of Tobias, younger brother of Forsythe. Your father and I were at Durmstrang around the same time. Forsyth also went to Durmstrang. But you," adopting a mocking tone, "went to Hogwarts.""My father didn't like Karkaroff."Stilgrevsen laughed a harsh bark. "He wasn't the only one. You teach there, now? At Hogwarts?""I am Deputy Headmaster, and Head of Slytherin House.""Slytherins make for interesting company.""I've always thought so.""I suppose you're after one of my wands," said Stilgrevsen. "I don't make as many as I used to, but I still have a few 2005s left.""I am interested in one of your wands, but my interest is purely academic.""Academic, eh?" said Stilgrevsen, his voice heavy with skepticism. "Any wand in particular you're curious about?""Specifically, the prototype of the Madagascan series."Stilgrevsen was quiet for a full minute. Ollivander, it was said, could remember every wand he ever made. Gregor imagined that Stilgrevsen could do this too, and at that moment, he was recalling the specifics of the Madagascan prototype from his cavernous memory. "I don't have that wand anymore," he said, finally. "I sold it to a dealer years ago. I don't know who has it now.""I know who has it."Stilgrevsen's eyes were keenly alert. "A colleague? A former student, maybe?""A current student."Stilgrevsen's face darkened. He leaned back in his chair. "How old is this kid?""He is still eleven.""Eleven!" Stilgrevsen leaned forward and pounded his fist on the table. "Come on, Gregor! This isn't one of Ollivander's benevolent sticks! That wand can magnify latent magical energy a thousand-fold! It's a deadly weapon!""I have made that perfectly clear to the boy's father.""How long has the boy had the wand?""Since August. I understand it was a birthday present.""What's his marks like?""Completely within normal ranges. Not excelling, but not abysmal, either.""She's holding back, then. Not coming on at full strength.""Possibly." There was an awkward silence, as each man waited for the other to ask the next question. Finally, Gregor prodded, "What can you tell me about the Key?"The wry grin was back on Stilgrevsen's face. "That's not how this works, Franz. You tell me about the Key, and I tell you if you're right or not."Gregor took in a deep breath. "I have a student researching Madagascan Dragons, and asking his professors how one might graft a memory onto a wand."Stilgrevsen was silent for a moment. He leaned back in his chair and stared at Gregor. "Well, I'm impressed. He's there, or nearly there. I still don't get why his marks are average. That wand is a powder keg. With it, he should either be brilliant or awful."Gregor sighed. "The student making the inquiries is not the student whose father bought the wand."A mischievous grin crept up the old man's face. "His buddy? A step-brother, maybe?""His rival. The first boy challenged another student twice last Autumn. He was disarmed both times. It is the second boy who is making the inquiries."Stilgrevsen laughed, a low harsh cackle. "Well, you've got your hands full then, Franz. I better let you get back to it."Gregor leaned forward and said in a commanding voice, "How can we undo this? We must set the key back to zero, so that the right boy gets the wand."Stilgrevsen shook his head. "Can't be done. Believe me, Franz, she didn't listen to me when she was alive. She's not going to listen to me now. Even if the second boy were to die, the process can't be stopped.""But the first boy is able to use the wand," pressed Gregor. "It hasn't fully rejected him.""She hasn't made a choice between them," said Stilgrevsen. "Though it's clear which way she's leaning. I wonder why that is? The second kid must be doing something that confuses the wand." Stilgrevsen took another sip of his drink. "When she makes her choice, there won't be a damn thing you or I or anyone else will be able to do about it."Gregor stood. "Thank you for your time. I shan't keep you any longer."Stilgrevsen toasted Gregor with his glass of ouzo. "Good luck," he said. Over the next few days, Gregor was heartened by the signs that came to him. According to Umberto, Wren and Thompson were spending less time around one another. The inquiry into Cyrus' wand seemed to have stopped. Morwena's fence kept Wren away from Cyrus, and, now that he knew that she had Gregor's blessing, Cyrus had decided to endure this measure.Gregor chose not to tell McGonagall. The Headmistress had many things on her plate. She didn't need another worry. This situation could simply fade out altogether.
If I can just get the two boys to the Summer Break without fighting again, he reasoned, Cyrus will have three months alone with the wand, and during that time, she will reveal herself to him. He will master it. There is just enough time . . .
The weeks ticked by, and there was no incident. The Quidditch season started, which proved a great distraction. Between the matches and his schoolwork, Wren had plenty to occupy his mind. Gregor heard no more rumours of dragon dreams.But there were too many days before the end of term. It was just enough time for something to go wrong . . .
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Quidditch was once played year-round at Hogwarts. When McGonagall became headmistress, however, she promised to eliminate the academic distractions that had plagued previous administrations. One way to do this, she felt, was to condense the Hogwarts Quidditch games into a six-week season.The first games would be played in mid-April, with one match on Saturday and another on Sunday. There would then be a full week off for both teams, allowing for recovery from injuries, as well as for a renewed focus on academics. Practises would resume the following week, with the second matches coming two weeks after the first.The season would conclude the last week in May with Rivalry Week. Gryffindor would play Slytherin, and Hufflepuff would play Ravenclaw. The event served as a sort of homecoming, with alumni returning to campus to see one or both of the matches, and to see the awarding of the House Cup. With the House Cup awarded, the students could once again focus on their studies, as there would be just two weeks to go before final exams.The first match of the 2006 season, held on Saturday, April 15, was between Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. Amongst the Hufflepuffs, there was a rare sense of optimism. After all, the Badgers were returning six of seven players from the previous year. The core of the team, Chasers Sabeau and Kinsel, Keeper Archie Stollencroft and Seeker Eric Blair, had been starters since their fifth year. The previous year, McLaughlin had emerged as a superb shot from the right wing. Lui was uncannily accurate with his Bludger hits, and Beck, a reserve the previous two years, was ready to join the starters as the second Beater. It was, by all accounts, the best team the Badgers had flown since the days of Diggory.This was not to say that they were favourites to win the House Cup, only that they were a far better team than Hufflepuff usually offered. Gryffindor countered with a solid, experienced team, anchored by three Roycester brothers, Brad, Todd and Bryan (Keeper, Chaser and Beater, respectively). At Center Chaser was blond, muscular Hart, a seventh year and three-year starter. Michelotti, Seeker for the second straight year, was ranked tops in the school. Scouts from the Harpies had come to watch her play.The Lions were, above all else, extremely fast. Each player flew a top-of-the-line Nimbus. They played at a break-neck pace and took chances that no other team would risk. The previous summer, this same squad had thoroughly trounced a squad from Durmstrang, 350-40. They would be the favourites of any match they played.The match started promptly at one o'clock, with the stadium full to the brim and rocking with excitement. Through the first half, the Badgers kept pace with the Lions, matching them score for score. 10-10 became 50-50. Stollencroft was having a rough day in goal, saving only three shots while giving up five, but Brad Roycester had fared no better. The Lions defense had chosen to double-team McLaughlin. They kept him scoreless through the first hour, but he had four assists. As soon as he drew the extra defender, he would pass the off the Quaffle to Sabeau, and either he or Kinsel would rifle it home.In the second hour, the Lions picked up the pace even further, and at last, the Badgers began to falter. Most of them flew Comets, and they simply could not keep up with the Nimbus' of Gryffindor. As the score stretched to 90-50, there was still hope, however. Blair on his Comet could not match Michelotti's speed, but he was wiley and clever with feints. Moreover, Lui kept Michelotti on her toes, sending Bludger after Bludger her way. If Blair caught the Snitch soon, the Badgers would score a tremendous upset.At last, his sharp eyes spotted it, twinkling in the distance, just passed the right hoop of Gryffindor. Blair coasted slowly in the right direction, and continued craning his neck, as if he were still looking. Michelotti had not yet seen it.The longer he ambled along, however, the greater the risk that another player, or someone in the crowd, would see the Snitch and alert Michelotti. When he felt he couldn't risk it any longer, he made a sharp feint to the left. Michelloti bit, shooting far past him in search of the Snitch. Then, Blair pulled his Comet around and began to race for the little winged ball. Michelloti, warned by Todd Roycester of the feint, turned on a dime. She spotted the Snitch, and raced towards it, her body flat against the handle of her broom. The distance between the two Seekers evaporated.The action was now wholly on the Gryffindor side of the pitch. Kinsel scored for the Badgers, making it 90-60. Lui shot a Bludger at Michelotti, but she corkscrewed out of the way, keeping her eye firmly on the tiny ball. Beck quickly rebounded and fired the Bludger back at her. Brad Roycester swooped down from his Keeper position and grabbed the Bludger. In the process he ceded another goal, this time to McLaughlin.Unhindered, Michelotti swept past Blair and grabbed the Snitch ending the match and giving Gryffindor another 150 points. The final score, 240-70, failed to show how close the contest had been.The Sunday game lacked the drama of the previous day, as Ravenclaw fell meekly to Slytherin, 190-0. The next day, as the students queued for DADA, Umberto called out to the group, "Any wagers on the Slytherin/Hufflepuff match? I say the Snakes go 2-0."Michael called back, "No way! We lost that game by twenty feet. A second later and that Snitch would have been ours. We'll win next time for sure!""For sure?" asked Umberto, evenly. "Are you willing to risk a Galleon on it?""Yeah, I am!" said Michael hotly."Don't!" said Liam. "Don't waste your money. 'Berto doesn't place bets unless he thinks he can win.""The Badgers will put up more of a fight than the Eagles did!" argued Michael."Of course they will!" said Liam. "But, will they win? The Snakes had it easy the last match, but we don't know how good they really are." Michael was still unconvinced. "Do you want to explain to your Grand-mum why you're short a Galleon? Or for that matter, why you're up a Galleon?""She doesn't have to know," mumbled Michael, but he was beaten, now. He knew deep down that his Grand-mum would not approve of him gambling, and she would find out.Umberto watched the exchange with amusement. Michael didn't place the bet, and Umberto didn't get any other takers, either. No one even placed odds on Ravenclaw upsetting Gryffindor in the Sunday game. At the next game day, the stadium was again buzzing in anticipation of a competitive match. With the exception of Seeker Wu, a petite, dark-haired girl, the Slytherins were a team of hulking brutes. Hunched over their brooms, they looked like trolls. Despite their lightning-fast Nimbus', the Snakes were generally slow to react. Their Chasers made poor passes, and their Beaters whiffed on the first few Bludgers that flew their way.The Badgers, flying at the quick pace set in the earlier game, went on the offensive. Within the first ten minutes, they were up 40-0. Then, the game started to get rough.Beardsley, a Beater for the Snakes, clobbered McLaughlin with his bat as the Chaser flew passed. It was a clear penalty - there was no Bludger even near them. Sabeau took the penalty throw while McLaughlin cleared his head. He scored, making it 50-0. But, as Sabeau flew back on defense, he took a Bludger shot to the ribs.With two of their best players hurting, the Badgers could not mount another attack. They pulled back as the Snakes brought their offense to the Hufflepuff side of the pitch.Stollencroft blocked two shots. On the third scoring chance, Stone, the Slytherin's Center Chaser, crashed into him. This drew another penalty from Madam Malkin, and a warning to the Snakes to behave themselvesStollencroft took the throw and heaved the Quaffle out of Hufflepuff end. Kinsel caught it, but he was quickly surrounded by opposing players. His pass to Sabeau fell short, and the Snakes were on the move again.Bludgers flew fiercely back and forth as the Snakes mounted their attack. Lui paid back Stone with a fearsome Bludger shot to the ribs. The Wings, though were tall, and their arms shot the Quaffle like rockets. Stollencroft made another stop, but the next shot went through. 50-10.Still, there was hope. If Blair could catch the Snitch, the Badgers would win decisively. Finally, he spotted it, floating along the far end of the pitch. There was no feint this time - Blair went straight for it, and so did Wu.Beck took a shot, and this time, his aim was true - he hit Wu in the shoulder, knocking her off course. A Slytherin beater caught the Bludger and hammered it towards Blair. It hit Blair's arm with a sickening crunch as he reached out for the Snitch. Blair gasped in pain and pulled his arm close to his chest. Leaning forward on his broom, he reached out again with his left hand.But the moment's delay was all Wu needed to recover. She shot towards the Snitch and clutched it ahead of Blair's feeble heave. Slytherin had won, 160-50. Liam's caution had saved his friend a Galleon.It was just as well that the teams had a week off between matches. McLaughlin had a mild concussion, Blair a broken arm and both team's Center Chasers had cracked ribs.The Sunday game was another yawner, as the Eagles fell to the Lions by a score of 280-10. The Lions could have kept playing and running up the score all afternoon, but Michelloti saw the Snitch early and put the Eagles out of their misery.The Saturday game of Rivalry Week, played on May 27, would feature two undefeated teams with very different styles of play. The Cup would go to the winner. Anticipation was high, and alums from all over Britain and the Continent made plans to come back to Hogwarts to see the match.There was no interest whatsoever in the Sunday game between the winless Badgers and Eagles. Unless, of course, one was in Hufflepuff. At breakfast, on the morning of Monday, May 22rd, Archie Stollencroft stood and held his hand in the air. Everyone from the Hufflepuff table looked up and gave him their attention. "I'm not much for speeches," he said solemnly, "so I'll keep this short. One day pays for all."There were nods and grins around the table. "One day pays for all!" called out Eric. Others from around the table answered the call. When Archie looked towards the First Years, Liam and Michael said it in unison.Archie sat down, but the phrase rattled back and forth across the table for the rest of the meal. As the day progressed, whenever a Ravenclaw would cross the path of one of the Hufflepuffs, the Hufflepuff would say quietly, "One day pays for all."The phrase was repeated so often over the next few days, that it peaked the curiosity of Sadie Thompson. At Gillian's urging, she approached Liam about it. Sadie had been dismayed when Liam had told her that he no longer wanted to pursue the mystery of the Dragon Wand. She was certain there was more to discover about the mysterious wand, but Liam was adamant. He no longer wanted anything to do with it."They killed her," he kept saying. "They killed the dragon and put her heart in that wand. I don't want any part of it. I don't want to be one of them. I don't want to be a dragon killer.""Liam," she argued, "it happened ages ago! It's not like you were an accomplice. You weren't even born! Your mother was still a child in 1979. You didn't have anything to do with what happened to that dragon."But Liam would not be dissuaded, and Sadie was forced to let the matter drop. Her deep fear was that, without a mystery to solve, Liam would have very little interaction with Sadie outside of Potions lab. This, unfortunately for her, was exactly what happened. Liam began attending Quidditch practices regularly, soaking up the game as much as he could. Sadie in turn paired up with the cheerful and daring Gillian Roycester.This particular Wednesday was the first time the two had spoken outside of Potions class in several weeks. Sadie wouldn't have asked the question at all, except for Gillian's urging.
Ask him.
"I'm sure he doesn't want to talk to me!"Liam had his interest piqued by the exchange. He walked over to the two girls and said, "What did you want to ask me?"Sadie faltered, blushing deeply. Gillian prodded again. Ask him."Well, um, Jill and I, we were wondering what was meant by that phrase, 'One day pays for all.'"Liam shrugged. "It's just a catch phrase is all."
Liar.
"Okay, it's more of a rally cry.""Oh, about the Quidditch game Sunday?"
Told you.
"Well, I wasn't sure!" To Liam, Sadie added, "It sounds rather ominous to me.""It's not like anyone's going to hurt you," said Liam.
Tell her you want to study with her.
This earned Jill another exasperated glare from Sadie. If Sadie could have apparated away from that spot, she would have.Liam picked up the hint and said, "Hey, that's right. I have to get you ready for your History of Magic Final. You know Binns is going to make us write at least six inches on the Fall of Numenor."Sadie gazed up at Liam. "Are you sure you want to study with me? It wouldn't be a bother?"
She worries too much. She thought you didn't like her anymore.
Liam, grateful for the extra information from Gillian, said, "Of course it's not a bother! Your still my lab partner," he added gently, "and you're still my study partner, too.""Okay." She gave him a big smile, one that he hadn't seen in weeks.He nodded to her, then looked to Gillian. "Thanks," he said. She winked at him.As the two girls walked away, Liam said, "But the Eagles - they're going to get bludgeoned on Sunday." Hufflepuffs were very rarely at the tops of their classes. Liam's success in Potions was quite the anomaly. Much more commonly, Hufflepuffs were "middle-of-the-pack" or worse. What made Diggory so rare and memorable was the fact that he was from Hufflepuff. It had been so very long since that House had produced anything like him, and it might be another two hundred years before it did so again.The Hufflepuffs of Liam's day were gently teased or cruelly mocked, depending on who was doing the teasing or mocking. "Squib" was a common insult. Draco Malfoy's famous comment, that he would rather go back home than to be assigned to Hufflepuff, was a widely held sentiment.Though the Slytherins could be cruel to Hufflepuffs, they saved the best part of their malice for the Gryffindors. It was the Ravenclaws that gave the Hufflepuffs the hardest time. The Ravenclaws were always tops in their classes. When a professor would ask a question, they were the first ones with their hand in the air. They read chapters more quickly, and they wrote more profusely and more elegantly. On a daily basis, they let the other students in the class know that they were the smartest. They lorded over the Hufflepuffs as if the Badgers were second-class members of the student body.There was one area of Hogwarts life, however, where Ravenclaw intelligence was of little help. One cannot learn to fly a broom from reading a book. As much as they looked down upon the other students in the school, the Ravenclaws were also intensely competitive amongst themselves. It was very difficult for them to put that individual striving aside and work as a team.That one area of Hogwarts life, where Hufflepuff traits of hard work, determination, and above all, loyal cooperation and teamwork, ruled the day, was at Quidditch. The Ravenclaw flyers were all good at their individual positions, but they didn't work well collectively. Ravenclaw Chasers threw accurately, but they couldn't make the instinctive, no-look passes that the Hufflepuff Chasers made. Foster, the Ravenclaw Seeker, was nimble and fast, but he couldn't count on his teammates tipping him off to a feint or the location of the Snitch. He couldn't count on them protecting him from Bludgers. Moreover, the Eagles, when facing adversity, couldn't bear down collectively and fight. They had all the skills, but they lacked the will to win.Stollencroft's teams had never lost a match to Ravenclaw, and this year, he was determined, not just to win, but to pay back every insult that Hufflepuffs had endured the entire year. One day would pay for all. First, however, there was the matter of the House Cup. The annual duel between the Gryffindor Lions and the Slytherin Silver Serpents was always a tightly contested affair. In years during which the House Cup was at stake, these contests were even more fierce. Amongst the student body, and the Wizarding Community of Great Britain, this was the match that everyone was talking about.The Lions came into the match with a clear strategy. Though they felt that Michelloti was superior to Slytherin's Wu, they grudgingly acknowledged that Wu flew well enough to catch a Snitch. One never knew which way the Snitch would go, after all. Wu could get lucky.So, the Lion's Chasers planned to build up an insurmountable 160-point lead. They would play at such a fast pace that the Snakes could not catch up, and they would run the score to the point that it wouldn't matter who caught the Snitch. The Lions would win either way.At the start of the match, the Lions executed their plan. They controlled the Quaffle from the start, raced down the field and scored, 10-0. But then, the Slytherins started their counter-measures.Stone took the Quaffle under his arm and made his way slowly up the pitch. Though his two fellow Chasers were beside him, he did not attempt to pass. When the Gryffindor Beaters shot Bludgers at him, he merely turned aside and continued his slow advance. Hart swept down and tried to strip the Quaffle away, but Stone was too strong. Hart couldn't make the steal.The Gryffindor Beaters controlled one of the Bludgers and began to shoot it back and forth between them, as if they were playing tennis. They trapped Stone between them and pelted him with the Bludger. The Slytherin Beaters flew over and roughly cleared away the two Gryffindor Beaters. Still, the Center held onto the Quaffle. He had yet to make a pass or take a shot.The Slytherins had slowed the pace of the game down to a crawl. Their plan was clear. They would attempt to win the match 150-10. To free the Quaffle, the Gryffindor Chasers would have to get rough, and the larger, stronger Slytherins would respond in kind. The game was about to become a long, bloody battle.Hart took his broom up high into the bright sky, then dived down onto Stone and punched the Quaffle out of Stone's grasp. Beardsley, the Slytherin Beater, sent a Bludger at Hart's head. Hart dodged it, but the Quaffle fell to the Slytherin left wing, and they were at stalemate again.Hart dove and once again knocked the Quaffle loose. This time, there was a mid-air tussle between two of the Chasers. Slytherin regained control, and a brutal Bludger shot sent the Lion in retreat.
Hart dived a third time, but at the last second swerved to avoid a Bludger. The ball whizzed by his right ear and struck Wu in the back of the head as she searched for the Snitch. She let out a cry and nearly fell off her broom. Bleeding profusely, the Seeker was forced land and seek medical attention.There was a tense moment above the pitch. No one was sure who had hit the Bludger that struck Wu. Hart was convinced it came from a Slytherin, that they had hurt their own Seeker. The Slytherins were sure it had been Todd Roycester who had targeted Wu. The game continued while Wu's head was wrapped in a bandage.Michelloti continued her circuit of the pitch. A bludger shot drove her towards the middle of the field. Beardsley hit her with his bat as she flew past him. She tumbled and fell off the back of her broom.Brian Roycester caught her before she hit the ground. The other Lions cried for a foul. But, before Madam Hooch could even blow her whistle, Hart swooped down and broke Beardsley's nose with a hard punch. Hooch flew up and sent the two teams back to their hoops. Then, she ejected both Hart and Beardsley. Both teams would play the rest of the match short-handed.When Wu and Michelloti were both ready to fly again, the game resumed. The Slytherins maintained control of the Quaffle. Short their Center, the two remaining Lions Chasers could not go on the offensive. When they tried to strip the Quaffle away, more fisticuffs ensued.The Lions had the advantage with Beaters, however. Brian Roycester and his partner, Guertin, pummeled the Slytherin Chasers with Bludgers. They also sent a few Wu's way. Though none came too close, they were enough to un-nerve her. The sudden, earlier hit on Wu had made her gun-shy. Though she was only a Sixth Year, she never flew for the Silver Serpents again.There had been nothing but punches and Bludger shots for an hour, and the score was still 10-0 Gryffindor. Finally, Michelloti spotted the Snitch down by the Slytherin end. She raced towards it. The Slytherin Chasers fell back to try and block her, but she was far too fast for them. She darted passed Grundberg, the Snakes Keeper, and clutched the Snitch. Gryffindor had won the match, 160-0.Later that afternoon, there was a ceremony awarding the House Cup. Wu and Michelotti gave each other a warm hug, but the rest of the players didn't even shake hands. There was anger in the audience, too, as students on both sides felt the game had been too rough, that too many injustices had not been righted.There was little enthusiasm for the Sunday game between the winless Eagles and Badgers, outside of Hufflepuff, that is. Amongst the Hufflepuffs, there was cheer and a growing sense of excitement. Their great game had yet to be played. On Sunday, May 28th, Lara Guishar turned twelve. At breakfast, she received a large parcel from her owl - a hat box containing a white, wide-brimmed hat. Set all along the crown were pink and purple orchids. The scent of them filled the entire table. Lara received many hugs and congratulations from the other girls. Archie set a firm hand on her shoulder and said, "You're our good luck charm today. We'll win for sure, now." Lara beamed up at him.It was a beautiful, warm day, with a bright sky feathered with distant clouds. Only the firm breeze off the lake kept it from being hot. Though the stadium filled up before game time, the crowd was quiet and listless. There was a tense silence between the Gryffindor and Slytherin camps. The anger and resentment from the day before had yet to ebb; in fact, it had grown in the night, a smoldering pile of embers waiting for a gust of wind to have it burst into a wildfire.The Badgers planned to use the same strategy that the Lions had intended for their match. They would fly as fast as their brooms would carry them in an attempt to run up an early lead. Unlike the Silver Serpents with their strong, broad-shouldered boys, the Eagles were utterly unprepared to counter this attack.Within twenty minutes time, the Badgers had built a 50-0 lead. The action had been entirely on the Eagles side of the pitch. Stollencroft had yet to face a single scoring chance. It was just after the Badgers scored their fifth goal that the first trouble between Gryffindor and Slytherin began - a tussle between two third years that quickly went to wands. Professor Gregor hauled both boys out of the stadium.Ten minutes later, it was 70-0. Ten minutes after that, it was 110-0. Only a capture of the Snitch could save the Eagles now. But their Seeker, Foster, faced a constant barrage of Bludgers from Beck and Lui, while Blair had free reign to search for the Snitch. He coasted along the ring of the stadium unhindered.Blair was not about to get the Snitch this early, however - not unless he absolutely had to. The team was in agreement on this point. The Badgers were out for a complete victory - an insurmountable 160-point lead.It was not long in coming. By the seventy-fifth minute, they had it. 160-0. As McLaughlin fired the sixteenth goal through the left post, the restless crowd began to stream out of the stadium. In the crush to leave, there were more pushing and shoving between Gryffindors and Slytherins.Out on the lawn between the Quidditch stadium and the castle, curses and counter-charms began to fly between the groups of scarlet and emerald. The rest of the teachers in attendance quickly exited to quell the growing riot. Soon, the only staff member in the stadium was Madam Hooch. She called out, "All right, Blair, let's end it!"The Badger Chasers had been playing keep-away for the last few minutes, not bothering to score any more, but not letting the Eagles Chasers have a go, either. Blair began to search in earnest for the Snitch. He and Foster spotted it about the same time. There was a race to the tiny ball. It wouldn't have mattered much, though if Foster caught the Snitch, the Eagles could have saved some face. He might have turned the trick, too, but while still a hundred feet from the Snitch, he had to pull off to dodge a Bludger shot from Lui.Blair swept down upon the tiny ball and held it aloft. There was a great cheer from the Hufflepuff end that echoed across the otherwise empty stadium. The Badgers had managed their complete victory. The final score was 310-0. The Badgers floated slowly down onto the grass, and the Hufflepuffs swarmed onto the pitch to greet them. There were many cheers and hugs. Beck showed Liam and Michael the proper technique for hitting a Bludger, and they each got a brief moment to hold the Snitch. Liam made a cage with his hands and peered through the gaps between his fingers at the tiny, fluttering ball. Archie led the group in a singing of the Badger's Fight Song as well as the Hogwarts School Song. Finally, everyone helped gather the balls and bring them back to the locker room. Even Madam Hooch had gone home by this point.At last, the group began their slow triumphant march back to the castle. They spread out in a wide fan. The wind was gusting strongly, but otherwise, it was a clear and beautiful day. Liam and Michael ran ahead of the group, singing and laughing. Liam had never been happier. It was the best day of his life.Then, he heard something that made him stop in his tracks. A high-pitched scream had pierced the warm spring air. Without a second thought or even a look back at his friend, Liam ran as fast as he could back towards the group, towards the sound of the scream. He knew, before he could even see her, that it was Lara.
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As Lara walked with her friends, at the edge of the crowd of Hufflepuffs meandering back to the castle after the Quidditch match, the white hat she wore blew off her head. It was beautiful and rimmed with orchids. She loved it dearly. The hat hit the damp grass and tumbled towards the trees at the edge of the Forbidden Forest. Lara scrambled after it.Another gust of wind pushed the hat closer still to the trees. As she ran, Lara heard the calls of her friends to come back. But, she couldn't come back without her hat. It’s my birthday present!She stepped in something that caught her foot and held it so tightly that she pulled her stocking feet right out of her shoe. She dangled her foot in the air and gently set it back down in the shoe. The grass was thick where she stood. She couldn't tell what she had stepped in.Up to her strode Archie Stollencroft. "You're getting a little too close to the trees there, lass," he said to her.Lara gazed up at him and was caught in a sudden panic. Archie! she thought. The prophecy! Her eyes grew wide and her face became pale."Don't worry about your hat," he said easily. "I'll fetch it." He drew his wand and called out, "Accio hat!" The hat lifted off the grass and flew in the air, dropping into his left hand. He plopped it down on her head. "There you go.""My shoe's stuck, too," she said. "But we need to leave. It's dangerous.""We're fine. It's the middle of the day. We're twenty yards from the trees. Nothing's going to come and get us. Now, what have you stuck your foot in?"He pushed back the tall grass with his wand, exposing the ground below. There was a thick, white band stretching out from the trees. "What's this?" he wondered aloud.Lara didn't look down. She kept scanning the trees. It will come from the Forest. She didn't know what it would be, but she knew, whatever it was, was capable of killing both of them.Archie tried a spell to break the white substance holding Lara's shoe to the ground. It had little effect on the shoe, but the spell sent a tremour down the white line into the darkness of the trees.And in response, there lit in the shadows two pale, glowing orbs. Lara pulled in a deep breath and screamed as loud as she possibly could. Liam sprinted back toward the crowd, in the direction of Lara's scream. He heard the gasps of the other students, and a few of the older ones drew wands. Thinking, instinctively, that someone might try and stop him, he skirted the crowd and came into a clearing of tall grass between the trees and the group of students. There, he skidded to a stop.Out from the eaves of the forest came a full grown acromantula. It walked with an awkward gait, and Liam realized with a shock that it had only seven legs. There was a gaping hole where the eighth had been.What could have shorn the leg from a thing that big? There was no time to contemplate that question. The creature bore down on Archie and Lara. Archie picked up Lara and carried her away, but the spider was gaining on them. Red jets shot from the wands of the older students, but they seemed to have no effect on the giant spider.Liam ran closer still, then fired his stinging spell from his finger. His second shot hit the gaping hole in the spider's abdomen. A shiver of pain swept over the great arachnid.The spider turned and looked at him. Liam pointed again and sent a stinging spell straight through the hairy legs, above the hard, gruesome pinchers, right into one of the spider's bulbous eyes.Now you've done it, he thought. The spider abandoned Archie and Lara, and it started coming towards him. Fifty yards away and closing. Liam fired away with his stinging spell, hitting the spider's eyes again and again. The pain, rather than daunting the creature, seemed to spur it on. Closer it came with its awkward, lop-sided steps.Someone called, "Draw your wand, kid!"My wand! I need my wand! But he didn't have it with him. Though he had been getting on better recently with Hexwood's old wand, Liam still seldom brought it anywhere other than to class. He saw no need to bring it to the Quidditch match.The image of a wand flashed before his eyes, but in a blink, it was gone. At last, Liam understood what Meadows, Gregor and the others had been trying to tell him. His magic was not strong enough on its own. It needed the amplification that only a wand could provide.There was nothing he could do about it then.The spider drew closer. Thirty yards, twenty-five. "Run, Liam!" called someone else. Run where, exactly? he thought. Behind him was a crowd of people, any one of which could be a meal for the spider. Better to hold his ground. A teacher could come along any time now, he thought, as he fired off another sting.The teachers, however, had left the Quidditch pitch long before to break up the quarrels between Slytherins and Gryffindors. Even Madam Hooch had gone back to the castle ahead of the Hufflepuffs.Twenty yards became fifteen. The spider loomed in front of him, larger than Liam had ever imagined they would grow. Ten yards, five.Something whizzed by his ear and struck his left hand. He grasped at it with his right before it hit the ground.Finally, ten feet away, the spider stopped. For the little morsel with its painful stings had finally drawn his wand.Liam slowly switched the wand from his right hand to his left. His fingers curled around the wood, which was strangely warm to his touch."Go back!" he cried. His voice, suddenly amplified, rolled across the grass like a gust of wind. "Go back!"But the spider would not retreat. It took another eager step towards him. Eight feet. Liam steadied himself, then fired the stinging spell through the wand.There was a horrible hissing scream. Venom spat from the spider's fangs. Liam leapt back from the spray, but droplets began to burn holes in his shirt. He looked up at the spider. One of the great bulbous eyes had gone black. A reeking, grey puss oozed down from it."Go back!" cried Liam once again. The spider took a tentative step forward. Liam leapt back another pace. He flicked his wrist, then watched in grim satisfaction as his stinging spell, amplified a thousand times by the power of the wand, wracked the spider once again.Liam raised his arm, lifting the spell, and finally, the great creature turned. Keeping its open leg socket away from Liam, it scurried, stumbling, shaking, towards the shadows of the trees.Archie was quickly at his side. "Nice wand work there, when you finally got around to it." Liam nodded, clutching the wand, still warm with magic, tightly in his hand. He gazed up at the Seventh-Year boy he so admired. "What spell did you use, anyway?" asked Archie."Don't know."Archie patted him on the back. "Best kind of magic, that. There when you need it. Come on, in case it's got a friend." The two boys ran back towards the crowd of Hufflepuffs."Where's Lara?" asked Liam, but then, he saw her, standing by Cheryl and Stacy. Liam ran up to her. Tears were streaming down her face. "You okay?" he asked her.She wrapped him in a sudden, tight hug. "You came," she whispered. "I was so afraid you wouldn't come.""Of course, I came," said Liam, and he gave her a nervous pat on the back with his right hand. "Came as fast as I could."Allison, one of the Seventh-Year girls, was standing nearby. She said, "Hey, Liam's got venom on him!" Allison and Cheryl pulled the two young students apart."Lara's got it on her now, too," said Cheryl."Come on," said Allison, a former prefect. "Let's get them to the Hospital Wing."There was a low rumbling across the grass. Liam tensed for another confrontation, but it was only Mr. Grawp coming around the corner, dressed in his odd assortment of pelts. He bent down and spoke in a voice that was impossibly deep."Children, you are too close to the Forest. It is dangerous!""We know!" snapped Archie. "We were just attacked by an acromantula. It came out of the woods at us. Liam here fought it off."Grawp studied Liam and Lara. "Take the children to the castle," he intoned. "Then report to your Head of House." He rose up to his full height, and with a stern expression added, "I will deal with the spider." The Hufflepuffs moved quickly towards the castle now. Liam's skin was beginning to burn and sting, and gaping holes were appearing in his shirt. They were met by a smaller group who had ran to get help. Archie filled them in as to what happened.As they neared the castle steps, Meadows ran out to meet them. Her face was pale, and her red hair was coming out of its tight bun. "I heard that you were attacked by one of the Forest creatures. Is everyone all right?""It was an acromantula," said Allison. "Liam fought it off, but he has venom on him, and so does Lara.""Heavens. Come on!" Meadows urged them.Other students were coming over to see what was the matter. Over the din of voices came Cyrus Kane's shrill cry. "There he is, the thief! He's got it in his hand!""What are you going on about!" shouted Blair back at him."He has my wand!" Cyrus was in a large group of Slytherins, including some of the Quidditch team, and the Prefect, Rebecca Gallstone.Rebecca stepped forward and said, "Professor, Wren has Cy's wand."All eyes were now on the wand in Liam's hand. Liam looked down on it, too. Deep down, he had known all along what he held. There, just above his thumb, was the silver ring with the etching of the dragon upon it.With a feeling of sadness and great reluctance, he held out his left hand. Cyrus snatched the wand back. "Thief!" he said again."I have to get these children to the Hospital Wing," said Meadows. "We'll sort this out later. Until then, I want these two camps far apart. We've had enough fighting today."The Hufflepuffs stood in a tight group, arms crossed, and waited for the Slytherins to retreat with their prize. Meadows rushed Liam and Lara up the steps to the castle, then up the Grand Staircase to the Hospital Wing.As they walked, Meadows asked, "Liam, how did you get that wand?""It came to me. I guess, I called, it and it came to me. I used it to fight off the spider.""You summoned it?" asked Meadows, incredulous. "And it came?"There was no time for further explanations. As they reached the threshold of the Hospital Wing, Meadows called out, "Poppy! I've two children with acromantula venom on them!""Heavens!" came the response. "It's already been quite a day in here!"Liam was rushed one way and Lara the other. He was taken to a shower enclosure where a male nurse, a Seventh-Year Healing Arts student, stripped off his clothes. The older boy turned the water on and gave Liam a quick rinse.Liam quickly dried and dressed. Madam Pomfrey came into the enclosure and began to slather a balm over his chest. The burning immediately cooled."How long was this on your skin?" asked Pomfrey as she worked."I don't know. Ten minutes, maybe.""How on Earth did this happen?"Liam shrugged. "It spit at me.""What spit at you? An acromantula?""Yes.""I look forward to reading the report." To her assistant, she added, "Put a robe on him and stick him in bed. Watch his temperature. The difference between five and ten minutes exposure is significant."Off she went, presumably to check on Lara. Liam soon found himself in a hospital bed. Since he was not the least bit tired, he propped up the pillows and sat up. The curtains were not drawn, so he was able to look around. Next to him was a Third-Year boy, a Slytherin, with mushrooms growing out of his nose."What happened to you?""Nub ub your bubby biznez."Liam turned away from the boy. On his other side, a nurse was easing Lara Guishar into bed. He smiled at her, but she didn't look over at him. Typical, he thought. That was how Meadows found him, an hour later - sitting up and watching the bustle around him. Meadows checked on Lara first, then came and sat on the edge of Liam's bed. "Oh Liam," she said, "I've heard nothing but amazing things about you for the last hour. However did you manage it all?"Liam simply shrugged."Professor McGonagall will be coming soon," she told him. "She's had a very long and trying day, with the fights breaking out between Slytherins and Gryffindors. Then that horrible spider! Grawp was against Hagrid keeping it, and so were the rest of us, but Hagrid felt so sorry for it. He couldn't bear to see it put down. None of us really expected it would come after a child."A hush fell over the room, as Headmistress McGonagall entered. Meadows bent her head and whispered, "She's going to be angry. Not with you, but with everything that's happened. But for goodness sake, when she questions you, tell the truth!""I will," said Liam.McGonagall was at Lara's bed now. Meadows got up and joined her. Liam sat still and waited. The sounds of the Hospital wing had returned to a low murmur. Liam was not the only one trying to eavesdrop.At last, the two women got up and came over to Liam's bed. Professor McGonagall was old and thin. Her hair was white, and, despite the excitement of the day, it was still tightly in its bun. She surveyed him for a moment before speaking, her gaze cold and hard."How are you feeling, Wren?" she asked."I'm fine, Professor. You could send me down to the Common Room at any time."A thin smile crossed the old woman's lips. "I trust Madam Pomfrey implicitly in these matters, Wren. If she says she needs to keep you overnight, then that’s where you will stay." There was a hint of warmth in her voice now as she said, "You showed great courage today. You and Stollencroft both will receive House Points and a Special Commendation from the School.""Thank you, Professor."The warmth on the old woman's face was fading fast. She drew her wand and gave the air a casual swish. "A little precaution against eavesdroppers," said McGonagall. "This wing is not usually so crowded."McGonagall stepped closer and gazed deeply into Liam's eyes. "I understand that you used another student's wand to drive off the acromantula.""Yes, Professor.""Where is your usual wand?""In my bag. In the dorm." McGonagall's gaze was piercing. Liam struggled to keep his voice steady. "Didn't think I needed it at a Quidditch match.""You'll not make that mistake again," said McGonagall, curtly."No, Professor, I won't.""When did you obtain this wand? During the match?""No, Professor!" protested Liam, hotly. "When the spider came. My own magic, it wasn't strong enough. I had to have a wand."McGonagall looked to Meadows. "Where was Cyrus Kane at this point?""Milling around the lawn in front of the castle.""Five hundred yards or more away, in other words.""I know it sounds impossible," pressed Meadows, "but I think Liam is being truthful. It matches what I heard from some of the other students.""Difficult, but not impossible. It suggests affinity. I wonder how affinity could have been established, considering these two were not even in the same House."She gazed down at Liam again and said, "So, Wren, you needed a wand and were able to summon one in your hour of need. Why this wand? Why not one closer at hand?""Well, it had to be the Dragon Wand," said Liam, earnestly. "It's not like everyone else was standing around. They were trying stuff with their wands too, but the Spider was just too tough. The Dragon Wand, though, it's crazy strong. It's a Stilgrevsen, you know.""I did not know that," said McGonagall, curtly. One look at Meadows wide eyes told Liam that she didn't know this, either.To Liam, she said, "You seem to know quite a bit about this wand, Wren. I need to know why this is so.""It's a long story, Professor," said Liam, sheepishly.McGonagall pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. Crossing her legs, she said, "Well, Wren, let's hear it. You will be here all night."So, for the next hour, Liam told Meadows and McGonagall everything that had happened between him and the Dragon Wand - the fights with Cyrus, the dreams, the research with Sadie. He left nothing out."I wonder how much Franz knows about all this," mused McGonagall when he had finished. "Probably much more than he's let on so far." McGonagall stood. "Thank you, Wren, that was most instructive. I must now go find my Deputy Headmaster."As she turned to leave, Liam called out, "Professor, may I ask a question?"She turned sharply back to him. For a moment, she looked angry that he had interrupted her thoughts. Then, a faint smile crossed her lips."Obviously," she said, "you have just done so. But you may ask another.""The spider, what happened to it?"There was a silent exchange between the two adults. "It is dead," said McGonagall finally."Oh. Good. Mr. Grawp killed it, then?"McGonagall considered him a moment longer. "No, Wren. The spider was dead when Grawp found it. It was your spell that killed it."She turned away without another word, and swept from the Hospital Wing, leaving Liam shocked into silence, sitting in his bed.
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After Professors Meadows and McGonagall left, Liam sat in his bed and watched the bustle around him. Because of the fights that had broken out during the Quidditch match, there were many students that needed tending. The boy next to Liam was a Slytherin Third Year with mushrooms growing out of his nose. He had apparently tried to curse one of the Gryffindor boys, only to have his curse reflected back onto his own face. It took one of Madam Pomfrey's aides an hour to locate the proper counter-charm. Once cured, Mushroom Face was sent on his way.A nurse came around regularly to Liam's bed to check his temperature. At one point, she felt it was rising, and gave him a potion to drink. He was prepared for an awful tasting mouthful, but he was pleasantly surprised. It went down rather easily, tasting vaguely of peppermint.Liam reflected that, had there not been all the fighting during the Quidditch match, there would have been teachers around when the spider came out of the forest. Then, perhaps, many things would have been different. You'd think that, since I did save her life, Lara'd look my way ever so often, he mused. She kept head turned away from him.He tried to ignore the itch in his left hand. When he did think about it, he attributed it to the acromantula venom, and made sure the nurse gave him a little extra balm for it. But he knew deep down it wasn't the venom that was affecting him. He missed the Dragon Wand. Stop thinking about it, he told himself. You're never gonna own a wand like that. A nurse came around with a tray of food, brought up from the kitchens. It proved to be the perfect distraction. The entree was roast beef with gravy, mashed potatoes, and herbed carrots. Off to the side was a dish of apple cobbler. To wash it all down was a small pitcher of pumpkin juice, just for himself. Fortunately for Liam, exposure to acromantula venom does not hamper one's appetite. He was quite hungry after the day's adventures, and tucked right in.At last, after dinner, the Hufflepuffs were allowed to come in to the hall in groups of threes and fours to visit Liam and Lara. Michael and Philip camped down beside Liam's bed. "Got some dark looks from the Slytherin table during dinner," said Michael."Not that they'll start anything," reasoned Philip. "It's too close to the end of the term. They care about their House Points almost as much as the Ravenclaws do.""Yeah," said Michael, "and they don't want a two-front war against Gryffindor and Hufflepuff.""They mad I took Kane's wand, then?" asked Liam."You bet!" said Michael. "They keep saying you nicked it during the match, which is complete bunk. You didn't get the wand until the spider was right on top of you.""Meadows said she has two Ravenclaw witnesses who say they saw the wand flying across the lawn after the match," said Philip. "They wondered what was going on, and how you did it. They wouldn't stick up for us, normally.""Not after the pounding we gave them today in Quidditch," added Michael."How did you get Kane's wand, anyway?" asked Philip."I don't know.""Is it part of the research you've been doing with Sadie?"Liam shrugged. He didn't know how to say all the things he was thinking about the Dragon Wand.Archie and Eric stopped by Liam's bed to tell jokes. They were quickly followed by Allison, Cheryl and Randal. Cheryl told Michael and Philip not to stay too long. "He's not going to die," she told them. "They're just keeping overnight as a precaution."Liam faced the same few questions over and over: What spell did you use to drive off the spider? How did you get that boy's wand? What's going to happen now? The answer to each question was the same: I don't know.Michael and Philip stayed for a little while longer. Stacy, Stephanie and Monique made a brief stop at Liam's bed. When they turned to go, the two boys joined them for the walk back down to the dormitory.It was nearly eight o'clock, now, and Liam found himself alone. He looked over at the Lara's bed. Her parents were there now, along with her older sister Lucida. Lucy was crying. Her mother was patting her on the back and whispering. Lara and her father were speaking quietly to one another.Liam looked away, not meaning to intrude on a private family moment. Good thing MY Mum doesn't know how close I came to being eaten by a giant spider today.He heard soft footsteps and turned his head back around. Mr. Guishar had come to his bed. He had the same golden blond hair as his daughter, and he had the same keen brown eyes. "You're the lad, then? You saved my Larisa?""Yes, sir.""We won't forget this, lad. I've spoken to Sonja already, and I'll talk to McGonagall too. We'll set you right. The Guishars, we'll take care of you.""Thank you, sir," said Liam politely, though he didn't have any idea what the man meant."I hear there's some trouble between you and Rudolpho Kane's boy." Liam nodded. "Kane's a vindictive son-of-a-bitch. We'll keep an eye out for you. As soon as we get home, I'm firing off some owls.""Thank you, sir."There was a twinkle in the man's eyes, now. "You like my Larisa, don't you?"Liam blushed, and nodded. "She's very pretty.""That she is." He gave Liam a pat on the arm, then returned to his family. The last visitors of the night were Sadie and Gillian. They came in right before nine o'clock. Gillian stopped at Lara's bed, giving Sadie and Liam a private moment."Oh, my goodness, Liam! Are you okay?"Her eyes were red. She looked much worse than he felt. "I'm fine," he said."When I heard that an acromantula had attacked the Hufflepuffs, I was so worried! I was sure you would be right in the middle of it! And then there were the rumours that a Slytherin boy had lost his wand, that someone had stolen it. I had a dreadful feeling when I heard that. I knew they were talking about you and Cyrus.""I didn't steal Kane's wand," said Liam coolly. "But I did fight off the spider with it.""Liam, Stilgrevsen wands are very particular," said Sadie, sternly. "You're not supposed to be able to use it if you're not the owner."Liam shrugged. "It worked fine for me.""That's what worries me.""What's to worry about? I gave it back."Sadie didn't answer. She looked back over her shoulder. Gillian was still at Lara's bedside. "Lucy was beside herself when she heard her sister was in the Hospital Wing. How did you get venom on you?"Liam recounted what happened while Sadie stood, ashen-faced, at his bedside. "You saved her life. She's so cold to you . . .." She rubbed her eye roughly with her knuckle.Gillian came up to Sadie and ran her hand along her friend's back. Liam was surprised to hear her speak aloud. "It's time to go." Sadie nodded, but could not yet move away.Why'd you make her cry? Gillian's thoughts were in his head again."I didn't mean to!"Gillian touched Sadie's cheek, and a thought passed between them that Liam couldn't hear. Oh Liam, you're such a git."After all I've done today," he snapped, "you're calling me a git!"Would it have killed you to tell her what she wanted to hear for once? He could hear the exasperation in her tone as clearly as if she had voiced it."How am I supposed to know what she wants to hear?" he mumbled.Gillian had her left arm around Sadie. With her right, she reached out and touched Liam's hand. "That's why you're a git," she said, carefully forming her words. "A big brave git." She laughed, a soft, pretty laugh. "You would have made a great Gryff."The nurse was coming over to shoo them off. Gillian led Sadie away. The nurse showed Jill and Sadie to the door, then began lowering the lights in the Wing. Liam was still ruffled by Jill's comment. "What the heck was I supposed to tell her?" he muttered aloud.Lara responded in a matter-of-fact voice. "You were supposed to tell her that you only saved me because I'm in Hufflepuff. That you don't really like me. That Sadie's really still your favourite.""How would you know what she wanted me to tell her?" Liam asked, irritably."Because I'm a girl."The nurse called out, "Hush, you two, it's time for bed!" Lara, who had been sitting up, settled right down in her covers and turned away from Liam. The nurse lowered the lights, then disappeared into another room. It was after nine o'clock, now. There were no other patients still in the wing. Liam lay at his side and gazed at the blond head across from him in the next bed. I do like you, he thought to himself. Even if you ignore me. Even though you're an annoying know-it-all. Even if you think I'm a git.Seeing Lara and Gillian together had sparked something in his head - something from earlier in the term that he had all but forgotten."Hey, Lara!" he whispered. "Lara!" There was no answer. "Larisa!"At this, she rolled over and glared at him. "What?""You knew, didn't you? About the spider?"Lara sighed heavily. "I don't like people to know that I can see into the future, because they ask me all sorts of stupid questions. 'Who's going to win the World Cup?' 'Is it going to rain on my birthday?' The Future isn't like a book. You can't skip to the end and find out how it's all going to end. It's . . ..” She let out an irritated sigh. “I can't explain it. I didn't know about the spider. I didn't know what or when or how. I just knew you had to forgive me for betraying you to Gregor. If you didn't forgive me, then you wouldn't come. And I would die, and Archie too, if you didn't come.""Is it like a dream?" asked Liam, thinking of his own strange dreams."Sometimes. Other times, it's just a hunch. But usually, it's in a dream.""You had another dream about me once.""You're not supposed to know about that!"The nurse called out, "Enough talking, you two. Go to sleep!"Liam and Lara gazed at each other across the dark space between their beds. "Do you still hate me?" he asked."Oh Liam. How can I hate you? You saved my life!"This made him smile, but then, she rolled over and didn't say another word to him the rest of the night. Liam was sure that he would have another dream about the dragon. He prepared himself - he was even looking forward to hearing and seeing more of the story. But nothing came. His hand itched, his whole left arm ached with a longing that he could not express in words. He tossed and turned, sleeping fitfully. Yet, the dream would not come. The wand held it back. In the morning, after a night of fitful sleep, Liam found a change of clothes lying on the chair by his bed. His bag was there too, packed with the books for his Monday classes. And resting on top was Hexwood's wand.Liam got up, drew the curtains around his bed, and got dressed. After he had opened the curtains once more, he picked up Hexwood's wand. It was cold and still in his hand. He felt none of the warmth that would emanate from the Dragon Wand, nor could he feel the swell of magic in his left arm."Some help you've been this year," he said, bitterly.On an impulse, he flicked his wrist and tried to force some sparks from the wand's tip. Nothing happened. He focused on an empty glass by his bedside. Flicking his wrist again, he tried to summon it, but the glass stayed where it was.Maybe it needs the incantation, he thought. He hadn't learned the Formal Magic Summoning Charm yet, so he called out, "Wingardium Leviosa." He swished and flicked, bearing all his concentration on the glass. Nothing whatsoever happened."Try it again." Liam flinched. He hadn't realized that Lara was watching him."I did okay before. I passed this spell last autumn.""I know you did. Try it again."He pulled in a breath and then shouted, "Wingardium Leviosa!"Her brow was furrowed in concentration as she watched him. "The technique was right, and so was the incantation. What were you trying to lift?""The stupid glass over there."Lara nodded. "There should have at least been a shudder." She drew her wand and called out, "Wingardium Leviosa!" The glass lifted easily off the tray and began to float towards the ceiling. Liam snatched it with his right hand and set it hard down on the desk."It's this stupid wand!" he said, holding out his left hand. "It's not doing a bloody thing. It's just a stick."Lara continued in her level, matter-of-fact tone. "It's a week before Finals, and your wand isn't working. You'd better tell Meadows at breakfast. We have practicals today."Liam swallowed hard. Even without the gift of prophesy, he could tell this was going to be a long and stressful day.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Liam and Lara walked down to breakfast together. They were met in the Entrance Hall by the rest of the First Year Hufflepuffs. Lara received hugs from her friends; Liam, handshakes and backslaps.Lara said, "Liam's wand has stopped working."There were gasps and stares. Liam, his voice heavy with frustration, said, "It's happened before. It doesn't like me using the Dragon Wand.""Well, you'd better get it together," snapped Stephanie. "We have practicals today.""I know." He stared coldly at the girls until they turned and went into the Great Hall for breakfast. The boys trailed slowly behind them."What are you going to do?" asked Philip.Liam shrugged. "Maybe it will warm up." Even as he said this, he doubted that it would. The wand had never felt so cold; he had never felt so disconnected from it.He and his friends had a quick breakfast. While they ate, Meadows came by and checked on Liam and Lara. It was Philip this time who broke the news. "Liam's wand isn't working!""It'll warm up," Liam said again. "It'll come around."Meadow's eyes were full of worry. "Professor Gregor was concerned about this. He was afraid that both you and Cyrus will be affected by yesterday's events.""Great," said Liam sullenly. "I have Gregor first." As expected, right away in DADA, the First Years were divided into pairs. Gregor wanted them to review Alta, a basic defense spell he had taught them the previous month. The Alta spell forces the wand arm of one's opponent upward, throwing off the aim of any spell or curse. Liam had received an Acceptable on his Alta back in late April, but that was when he and his wand were getting along.Gregor assigned the pairs this morning, and this time, there were no mixing of Rival Houses. The Slytherins and Ravenclaws were on one side of the room, while the Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors were on the other. Liam was paired with Philip this morning. Previously, Philip's Alta had been particularly weak. It had taken him seven tries to raise Ronald's arm last time.Liam held out his left arm, wand in hand. "You have a go first," he said."Are you sure?" asked Philip."Come on," urged Liam, "you'll be loads better this time."Philip pointed his wand at Liam and shouted, "Alta!" The spell caused a tremor in Liam's arm, but not enough to raise it. "You see, I'm lousy at this," said Philip, morosely."You just need confidence," said Liam. "Try again."On the third try, Philip hit Liam with enough force to push his wand hand up level with his shoulder. "Okay," said Philip, "you try."Philip held his arm out and waited. Liam gazed down at the wand and tried to spark the flow of magic down from his arm into it. There was nothing. No reaction, no hint of warmth. He flicked his wand angrily towards Philip and shouted, "Alta!"Philip stood still, his eyes wide. "Nothing happened! I didn't feel a thing!"Liam tried two more times, but again, got no response. He couldn't even ruffle the sleeve of Philip's robe. Professor Gregor, moving amongst the students, stopped to observe. "A dismal pairing," he muttered."It's the wand, Professor," complained Liam. "I can't get it to do anything.""Give me the wand," said Gregor. He took Liam's wand and held it a moment, examining it carefully. Then, he gave it a testing wave. "There's nothing wrong with the wand," he said, handing it back to Liam."What am I supposed to do, then, Professor?""Try again."Liam tried the spell one more time. Nothing again happened."Give the wand to Harkenborough," said Gregor. The boys swapped wands. "Now, try again, both of you."Liam and Philip pointed the wands at each other. In unison, they shouted "Alta!" Both their arms shot in the air."Trade back," said Gregor gruffly. "At least you know the spell," he muttered as he walked away. During the break, as the boys walked to the courtyard, Sadie joined them. "How was your practice?" she asked Liam."Lousy.""I'm sorry. But, if it's any comfort, Cyrus seemed to be having a dreadful time of it, too."Liam looked keenly at her. "The wand has always worked for him.""It isn't today. I was in the next pairing over. He was waving his arm in the air and using the most foul language. He couldn't get it to do anything!"Liam shrugged. He couldn't think too much about Cyrus' problems. He had his own worries. ,i>How am I going to get through the rest of my classes? If my wand doesn't come around, how am I going to get through my Finals?When they reached the courtyard, Liam leaned against the railing, and his friends fell in around him, Sadie close to his side. As he looked down at her, he thought of the things Lara had told him he should say to Sadie. Before he could think of the right words, however, Morwena walked past, her Coven in tow."Thief!" she hissed at him."I'm not a thief!" Liam shouted back at her. Morwena and her friends were already retreating towards the girl's bathroom. Liam called out loudly to their backs, "I didn't steal Kane's wand. I just borrowed it for a bit, because I needed it!"His outburst had drawn the attention of the Gryffindors. Paul and the other boys joined them, along with Gillian. Sadie slipped quietly over to Jill, while Paul took her place at Liam's side . "Well said, my friend," said Paul."Like to see Kane fight off an acromantula," said Michael. He was taking these accusations as hard as Liam had been. "Or Felwich for that matter," he added, nodding his head towards the girl's bathroom.There were nods of agreement all around. "Your problem, Wren," said Dave, "is that you keep giving the thing back to the little git." Everyone laughed. The jokes and snide remarks continued throughout the break. When it was time, the group began to make their way over to Flitwick's classroom. Liam took his usual seat, next to Michael. As he eased into his chair, he noticed Umberto was watching him.Liam met the other boy's stare. Umberto looked away, but as he did so, a wide Cheshire Cat grin crept up his face.Michael noticed it too. "He looks like he's died and gone to Heaven.""He and Kane don't get along," said Liam quietly. "He knows Kane's having a rough day, and I'm the cause of it. I just hope the worst is over with."Unfortunately for Liam, it was not. His wand continued to be unresponsive. Liam struggled through another class period of practices he could no longer perform.Transfiguration was more of the same. They were reviewing turning tinfoil into silk handkerchiefs. Liam had earned and Acceptable on this skill, too, back in April, but on this day, he could do nothing but stare at the foil in disgust.His only comfort was the fact that he knew Cyrus Kane was having the same problem. From where he sat, he could watch Kane struggling a few seats away. It took all of Liam's willpower not to summon the wand again, right out of his rival's hand.I bet I could make a fine hanky with the Dragon Wand, he mused to himself as he jabbed at the rag once more with his own wand. A fine one, yellow and black, with little badgers on it.Meadows passed by, making her rounds, a look of worry on her face. She bent her head low and said softly to him, "Neither of you are having any luck, are you?" Liam shook his head. "It's such a puzzle! Both of you did well on this skill before."Meadows moved on. Liam spared another glance at his rival. Why can't he make the transfiguration? That wand's plenty powerful enough. Remembering Umberto's wide grin, he mused, Why does the Dragon Wand likes me better than Kane? That's the Hundred Galleon Question, alright. After lunch, Astronomy was a relief - just a dull lecture on the movement of the planets, all review for next week's Final. With the stress of the day put aside for an hour, Liam was able to relax a little. He took notes dutifully, and carefully copied Professor Sinistra's diagrams.When class was dismissed, the First Years filed out into the hall beyond. Outside, an Office Page waited, a Ravenclaw Third Year boy with dark hair and a haughty expression. "Kane of Slytherin, and Wren of Hufflepuff!" he called out."What is it?" snapped Kane.The page held out a tiny scroll. "A note.""About what?" asked Kane, irritably."I don't read the notes," said the boy in an offended tone. "I hand them out."Kane snatched his out of the page's hand, then took a fierce look at Liam, who had hung back, giving his rival some space. Liam waited until Kane walked away before approaching the page and taking his scroll.Michael and Philip were quickly at his side. Sadie and Gillian were lingering a discrete distance away. Liam popped the seal and unrolled the little scroll.It was from Meadows. Her hand was light and flowing. "Liam, please get any homework done this afternoon. We'll be meeting with Professor McGonagall tonight. I'll take you to her office straightaway after dinner." The post script was meant to make him feel at ease, but instead made him more nervous. "Please don't be anxious!" she wrote. "I will be with you the whole time. You've done nothing wrong and have acted quite bravely through this whole thing. Just be ready! Fondly, S. Meadows.""What's going to happen?" asked Philip, who had been trying to read the note upside down."I have to meet with Meadows and McGonagall tonight. And, since we know Kane got one of these notes, it's a good bet he'll be there, too." There was a bit of reading to do for Astronomy, so the boys went straight to the Badger's Den and got it done before dinner. Lara and the other girls, though they had not hung around to read the note, had sensed what was going on. They too did their reading. Stacy kept a nervous watch on Liam while the others pretended to ignore him. At five o'clock, Liam stood up and put his books away. When he returned to the Common Room, the others, girls and boys, were ready to join him. They went up to the Great Hall together.The sky above was grey with dusk. They sat down, the eight Hufflepuff First Years, in their usual corner of the table, and quietly began to eat.At quarter til six, Meadows rose from her place at the staff table and walked slowly to where Liam was sitting. He did not look up at her until she touched his shoulder. "Come, Liam," she said gently. "Let's not keep the Headmistress waiting."Liam nodded and stood. Across the hall, Professor Gregor was gathering Kane. The two students and two professors climbed the stairs together to McGonagall's office. The two adults were on the inside of the foursome, and the students on the outside, which was fine with Liam, for Cyrus looked utterly murderous.A password was given at a door which led to a moving staircase. At the top of the steps, Gregor knocked with a firm, heavy hand."Enter," said Professor McGonagall.She was seated at her desk, wrapped in a heavy cloak, though Liam did not think it particularly cold. Though Liam, of course, did not know this, the Office of the Headmaster had changed quite a bit from Dumbledore's day. The curious objects were gone. There was no phoenix sitting on a perch. The pensieve was tucked away in its cupboard. The only the portraits remained, and these were what caught Liam's eye.He had gotten used to the idea by now that, at Hogwarts, the people in picture frames moved around a bit, and sometimes talked to you. As he gazed up at the assortment of portraits, all the former Headmasters of Hogwarts, he saw many empty frames. A few old men were sleeping. Only in one frame, a large gold one just above McGonagall's chair, was there someone who was awake. This man, with a long white beard, and keen blue eyes gazing over half-moon spectacles, was watching the proceedings with interest.The Headmistress cleared her throat, bringing Liam's attention back down to her. "I understand you two boys are having some difficulty with your wands. You have both been capable students, according to your marks, and yet today you have both been stymied. Your professors have observed you, but I would like to make some observations for myself."Before you are two feathers. I believe both of you have learned the Levitation Charm, Wingardium Leviosa?" Liam gave a slight nod. He did not dare cast a sideways glance at Cyrus, though he dearly wanted to. "Please demonstrate."Liam felt a sinking sensation in his stomach. He had failed this spell only this morning, and the wand was still dead and cold to his touch. Not wanting to appear cowardly, however, Liam drew his wand with a flourish.Now Liam risked a peek at Cyrus. The other boy had yet to move. Liam set his feet, pulled in a deep breath, reminded himself to swish and then flick, then called out, "Wingardium Leviosa!"The feather rolled over, but that may have been from the movement of his arm. It did not lift off the desk. He set his face, burying his disappointment, and said to McGonagall, "Would you like me to try again, Professor?"She gave her head a slight shake. "No, Wren, that was sufficient." At this, Liam sheathed his wand. Turning to Cyrus, McGonagall asked, "Kane?"Slowly, reluctantly, Cyrus drew the Dragon Wand. Once again, Liam felt its power palpably, a heavy weight of magic pressing against him. His whole person ached with the longing to hold it in his hand again. He fought the mad urge to summon it.Cyrus gave Liam an ugly glare, then turned his gaze on the feather. He mumbled the incantation and gave the wand a half-hearted flick.Professor Gregor was on him in an instant. "You'll not shame your House or your family here. Stand up straight! Breathe deeply, as Wren did, and try again!"His face flushed, Cyrus did as he was told. He straightened up, pulled in a deep breath and called out the incantation loud and clear. And still, nothing happened.Without being asked to, Cyrus tried a third time. His voice was shrill, but he said the words right, and his technique, to Liam's eyes, was perfect. But the feather would not move.Several things happened in quick succession: Cyrus let out a loud cry, "Stupid thing!" and made to slam the wand down onto the desk. As soon as it left his hand, however, the wand fled straight to Liam. Liam caught it in his left hand, and as he wrapped his fingers around the wood and touched the silver ring, the wand began to spout yellow and red sparks from its tip.Cyrus shouted, "Give it back you thief!" Gregor's hand restrained him from lunging at Liam. Instead, he cried shrilly, "See, Professor! He's always doing that!"Professor McGonagall stood. She snapped, "Mr. Kane, you will control your temper in my presence!" Cyrus looked for a moment like he would argue, but this was no kindly old woman he was facing. McGonagall was a powerful and imposing witch when she needed to be. Cyrus swallowed his words and turned away, so that Liam would not see his tears."Take him to your office, Franz," she said coolly. With a firm hand, Gregor led Cyrus away.The room continued to fill with sparkles. McGonagall glared at Liam, and Meadows whispered in his ear, "Put the wand down on the desk." Liam set down the wand at the far corner of the desk, as far away from the door as he could. The sparks immediately stopped."I will be back to speak with you momentarily." With that, she swept from the room. When he heard the door click closed, Liam picked up the Dragon Wand. Once more, there was a flourish of sparks from the tip. "They didn't take this with them," he said quietly."No, they didn't," answered Meadows. Neither wanted to raise hopes that Liam might actually be able to keep this wand. "It seems to like you.""I bet I could make a grand handkerchief with this, Professor."Meadows allowed herself a small smile. "I bet you could, too."It was a long walk up the stairs to Gregor's office, and another walk back down again for McGonagall. In between, she would have to say whatever she was going to say to Cyrus Kane. Despite McGonagall's assurance that she would be right back, both Liam and his Head of House knew they were in for a wait. Meadows found a chair and sat down, while Liam waved the wand back and forth, filling the room with sparks that glinted briefly before fading out.At last, they heard the hum of the stairs, and the turning of the door handle. Liam set the wand back down, and the last of the sparks faded out. Meadows stood up and took her place at Liam's side. McGonagall entered, looking weary. She sat back down at her desk without looking at Liam or Meadows.McGonagall leaned back in her chair, with her hands pressed close together, her fingertips resting just in front of her lips. " 'The wand chooses the wizard.' This is an adage of our society that I have never questioned. Not in all my years have I seen a wand make a clearer choice between two wizards. According to Professor Gregor, once this wand, which you correctly identified as a Stilgrevsen, makes a choice, it sticks with it for the life of the wizard. Even decades after the owner's death, Stilgrevsen's wands will refuse another wizard to handle it."It stands to reason that this will be the case with you as well. The wand before you took an entire school year to make its choice. Now that it has made its decision, it will work for no one but you. Cyrus Kane will never be able to perform magic with this wand again. I have listened to your account of your dreams and your research, and I have validated that account with the testimony of Thompson and Harkenborough. I believe you pursued this wand innocently, without malicious intent towards Cyrus Kane, but with a natural sense of curiosity which we at this school should be fostering."You never established affinity with the wand you brought from home. I see no reason why you should not be able to use the Stilgrevsen wand to complete your school work. Obviously, this wand was expensive, and the Kane's are entitled to some form of compensation. The simplest solution will be for you to take command of the Stilgrevsen wand. The School Trust Fund will be able to compensate the Kane's for the cost they incurred in purchasing it originally. Cyrus will be given time to obtain a new wand and become comfortable with it before he takes his exams."McGonagall sighed heavily. "But I fear it will not be that easy. Rudolpho Kane is a difficult man in the best of circumstances. I expect him to vigorously fight any decision I make of which he does not entirely approve. And I doubt very much that he will approve of the solution that I have just outlined."She gazed at Liam, and her voice was tight and stern. "Let me make this perfectly clear - This will be one big headache for me, Wren. I'm sticking my neck out for you, on the recommendations of your teachers, particularly Sonja here, and Professor DeVere, who is quite fond of you."But, if at any time during your academic career here at Hogwarts, should another student lose his or her wand to you, the consequences will be severe."She gave Liam a long stare. He nodded his assent. Pointing at the wand, she said, "Keep this here, for now. You will not need it tomorrow." With a wave, she dismissed him.Meadows tugged at Liam's shoulder, but he held his ground. McGonagall's words had stung. He could not take another unjust accusation. "I'm a good lad, Professor! I promise, I won't be causing you any more headaches."McGonagall gazed at him coolly. "Goodnight, Wren."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
That night, as Liam slept, the dream returned to him. This time, it was as if Stilgrevsen himself were in the room with him, telling him a story. In the seventies, I had a workshop in Beirut, Lebanon. Before war tore it all to hell, Beirut was a nice place, cosmopolitan, but close to the ancient magical artifacts I loved and brought into my work.It was there that Draaker found me. He had been a follower of Duragan, a low-ranking thug when I was there, making wands for that group. Like me, he had slipped the net when the Wizards of Ankara brought Duragan down. I hadn't kept track of him - I wasn't interested - but I learned later that he had been living in England.He was tall, with brown eyes and shaggy brown hair. He came into my shop, sat down in a corner on a little wooden stool and waited while I worked and met with my customers. I had an apprentice at that time, too, and I was giving him instructions, having him do little tasks for me.I let Draaker sit on that stool for a good hour before approaching him. "What do you want?""Do you remember me, Stil?""Yeah, I remember you.""I've got a proposition for you.""I bet you do. What is it?""Treasure. A fortune to be had, for those with the strength and the guts to go get it."I snorted in disgust. "If it were that easy," I snapped, "somebody else probably has it by now.""I didn't say it was easy," said Draaker, earnestly. "It will take guts.""Where is this treasure?"He leaned against the wall of my shop. "Are you in?""You haven't even told me what we're doing, where we're going!""I can't have you double-crossing me, trying to get there on your own, ahead of me.""At least tell me a direction.""South.""Africa?""Yes."Africa is a big place, but the best-known treasure troves were plundered long ago. The remainders are walled in with powerful curses and watched by deadly guardians. Draaker was trying to be secretive with me, but I figured, if I could get him talking, he would tell me more than he meant to."What do you need an old wand-maker for?""You're not so old, Stil. You know your spells. Besides, you have a boat."Now we were getting somewhere. "Why do you need my boat?""We'll need a home base. A safe place to launch our brooms."So, the interior of Africa was out. The target was on the coast, or within a broomstick's ride. That cut the possibilities down some. Now, though, I had other questions. "We can't leave the boat just drifting in the sea while we hunt for treasure," I told him. "We're going to need a crew.""I've got a couple more fellows in mind.""Wizards?""Yes."So, he had his crew picked out. He had sold at least one other person on this story of treasure. All he really needed was my boat, and an extra wizard around in case things went bad."I need to think about it."Draaker stood up. "Don't think too long.""I'll be in touch.""When?""Tomorrow."He nodded and left the shop. As soon as the door shut, I called for my apprentice. "Get over here. Bring tweezers and a specimen bag." We use little clear pouches to keep the magical ingredients in when we're making wands. He brought one to me and handed me the tweezers.I bent down and plucked from the stone floor a single strand of hair, long and brown. I set it carefully in the bag. "I'm going out," I told my apprentice.Down the street was a fortune teller, an old woman who wore a head scarf and black, shapeless clothes. She read palms and tarot cards, and wrote star charts for people. Mostly, she tells people what they want to hear, but I was a regular of hers. She told me the truth, and I trusted her. I went into her shop and set the bag on the counter. "This guy has a proposition for me," I told her."But you do not trust him," she said. She looked disdainfully at the hair in the bag. "Such long hair, for a man. He is vain.""He wants me to go on a trip with him."At this, she smiled and held out her hand. "Show me your palm." She held my right hand and gazed at it intently. She made a soft 'hmm,' then, looking in my eyes, said, "The journey will be profitable for you.""What about him?"She pushed the bag towards me. "I cannot tell such things from one greasy hair. Bring him here and let me read his palm.""It's all right. You told me what I need to know." I slipped her fifty francs and left. The next evening, I had dinner and drinks with Draaker and his two companions. They were English. Fallburke was as tall as Draaker. He was boastful, loud and brash, especially after a few beers. The other, Paulson, was a short, bald man with shifty eyes, quiet and watchful. Both had been educated at Hogwarts. Fallburke was a Gryffindor, while Paulson had been in Slytherin. The two of them made for an odd pair.Draaker and Fallburke drank and made wild boasts about the treasure they would uncover, and what they would do with their new-found wealth. Paulson and I stayed mostly quiet. Finally, Draaker got to the point. "But, we've got to have you, Stil. You're cool in a fight, and we could really use your boat.""You can get a boat just about anywhere," I said smoothly."Yes," said Paulson, finally deciding to speak. His voice was low and sly. "Muggle boats are easy to come by. But who will man this boat? Wizard sailors are rare, these days."This was the heart of the matter. I gave Paulson my full attention. "You could navigate us to where we need to go," he continued. "The rest of us are not so skilled.""Eventually, you'll have to tell me where we're going.""Not yet," said Draaker. "I'll need a commitment from you."I leaned back in my chair. "I want a full share of the take. And, I'm staying on the boat."Fallburke objected immediately. "You want a full share, but you won't risk your neck with the rest of us?""Who said I'm not risking my neck? You think trouble can't follow you?" We glared at each other.Draaker settled the argument. "Stil gets a full share. When can we leave?""We'll need provisions," I said, turning my attention back to the ringleader. "And, I'll need a week or so to tie up loose ends at the shop.""A week!" hissed Fallburke."Look, kid, I work for a living.""Take the time you need," said Draaker. I was his man. Fallburke was going to have to live with that. I took a look at Paulson. He was pleased that I was sparring with the Gryff. Why did I decide to go with them? I asked myself that question many times since. It had been eight years since the fall of Duragan. Maybe the life of a shopkeeper, even in a city like Beirut, was beginning to bore me. Besides, I trusted my fortune-teller. I didn't expect to make it rich, but I was confident about making a profit on the venture.It took ten days to wrap up my business and gather the provisions we needed for the trip. On a grey morning, we left Beirut and headed south. We traveled through the Suez and into the Red Sea. Arabia stretched out on our starboard side, Egypt to our port. In a few days, we were in the Gulf of Aden.We fished and talked like fraternity brothers. In these times, we did not speak of the treasure. As we were in Muggle lands, surrounded by ships of all sizes, we hid our brooms and wands. We dressed like Muggles.It's possible, on land, to use magic to speed your journey, to make your vehicle go faster than normally possible. On the water, however, things are different. The Power of the Sea is greater than any wand. Poseidon will rise up and drag you to the depths if you aren't respectful. So, we made our way south, trolling our lines and stopping in little towns like Sawakin, Fatma and Seylac. The days slipped by beneath the hull of the ship.Draaker still had not told me where we were going, but as we kept going south, our options were becoming fewer and fewer. In fact, Suez was a good clue. There aren't many treasure hordes on the East Coast of Africa. Once we got around the tip of Somalia, there was only one place that we could be going.Finally, I got Paulson alone, late at night while the other two were below decks, sleeping off their cheap Middle Eastern ale. "You're heading for Madagascar," I told him."Yes," he answered eagerly. "I shouldn't tell you, but of course that's where we are going. I knew you would guess," he added, flatteringly."There are treasure troves in Madagascar," I said, "but they are not unguarded. They're called Dragon Hordes for a reason.""The Reds are in decline," said Paulson smoothly. "I have researched this extensively. The lower halls are vast, and guarded by large, fearsome males. But the upper halls, they have abandoned.""If they've left, they brought the treasure with them, down to the deeper halls.""Perhaps, perhaps not. There may be a young dragon trying to establish a horde in an old hall.""And you think you can just walk in and take what you wish?""We have ideas," said Paulson, his eyes glinting greedily in the dark. We were East of the Seychelles when Draaker finally copped to me. "Madagascar, Stil. That's where we're going.""I was beginning to suspect.""Of course, you were. It was past time I told you.""I think you're crazy.""I told you it would take guts.""This isn't courage. It's stupidity."At this, he bridled. "Then why are you here?""I have my reasons.""Bring us to Maroansetra," he told me coolly. "We'll take on supplies there."Two days later, we coasted into the great bay, Helodrano Antongila. We purchased food and fuel. The money was already running low. If these guys didn't find some treasure soon, it was going to be a long trip back. The next day, we headed south again, out of the bay, in to open waters. South of Sainte-Marie, three mountains rose suddenly upwards out of the jungle. Shafts of sunlight shown between the peaks. The eastern sea was growing dark. I set the anchor, while the other three readied their brooms."Are you sure you won't come with us?" said Draaker."I'm fine," I told him. "Have fun with the dragons.""We will," said Fallburke, confidently. The three of them pushed off into the sky. I fished off the port bow, with my back to the mountains, and waited. It grew steadily darker. During the third hour, I heard a distant hiss growing steadily louder. I moved to the other side of the boat and peered with my binoculars into the dusky sky.Two brooms were heading towards me, barely skimming the water. I could pick out Paulson's bald head and Draaker's long mane. I scanned the skies above for the third rider, and for the red bird that might be tailing them. I saw nothing.I used my wand to draw up the anchor, so by the time Draaker hit the deck, the boat was ready to go."Time to clear out, Stil," he said.He and Paulson were winded, and Paulson looked a little green. "Where's Fallburke?" I asked, though I could guess the answer."He won't be coming," said Draaker, as if he could somehow keep this a secret."I'm starting the boat and heading North. But then you're going to tell me what the Hell is going on."Paulson didn't wait. As soon as I fired up the engine, he was in my ear. "There was a dragon in the Upper Halls," he said, "a small female. She left to hunt for fish, and we had an hour or so to inspect her lair. We had anti-venom, so we were not afraid. There were little more than trifles. Draaker took a ring. Fallburke and I refrained. We knew where the true value was."There, in the deepest part of the cave, were her eggs. Six of them, each worth a small fortune. We both had sacks. I offered to carry my share, but Fallburke took them all. He didn't trust me."So, the two Hogwarts classmates were after Dragon Eggs from the start. They hadn't believed Draaker's story of unguarded treasure for a minute."Let me guess," I said coldly. "While you were making your escape, she came back.""Yes, She came back. She went for Fallburke first, and what an angry young mother she was. He drew his wand, prepared to fight her." His eyes were wide; his face trembled in fear, and with the pleasure of remembering his rival's fall. "But, she disarmed him. Quite literally."Reds have sharp claws, and large, poisonous fangs. "Did she get her eggs back?""She recovered them, yes," said Paulson. "That was how Draaker and I escaped."Fallburke made it to the shore. Lying in the sand, between the ocean and the jungle, he tried, left-handed and wand-less, to cast some healing spells. His meager charms had little effect on his wounds, and his life was running from him fast. The natives didn't go anywhere near him, and neither did the jungle animals. They all knew what had happened to him. The dragon came while he was still alive. She sat in the sand and watched him die.I didn't learn that part from Paulson. I learned it from her. Draaker went below deck and grabbed a beer. He seemed unconcerned, but I was worried. Reds are vindictive, and they have a superb sense of smell. She got Fallburke, but she would know there were two other riders. We needed to put some miles between us and this mountain.It was time to risk a little magic of my own. I cast a spell, and the boat picked up speed. I cast another spell to block the view of the boat from Muggle eyes. On the way south, we had passed on the western side of Sainte-Marie. Now, I steered us east, into the Indian Ocean.We had traveled less than a hundred miles when my luck ran out. The sea turned against us. Great rolling waves pushed us west, back towards the coast. I had to break my spells and ride out the storm.The sky was black, but a premonition deeper than fear told me the red bird was in the air and searching for us. The magic I used left a trail in the water she could follow. And, her sense of smell was uncanny. She knew the scent of those who had defiled her nest.Finally, I caught a glimpse of her in the moonlight. She was miles away, but the swells had slowed my progress to a crawl. She was gaining with every flap of her wings.Paulson was puttering about on deck, nervous, useless. "Get Draaker," I told him. "I need to talk to him."Paulson went below. It took some time to get the young thug back up into the fresh air. When he finally approached me, he was pretty grumpy. "What is it?""We're going to have company. She's gaining on us. She'll be here by morning.""Good," he sneered. "We'll get her and her eggs.""That's what Fallburke thought," I snapped, "and he's dead.""Be a good host for our guest, Stil," he told me, smugly. "I'll be below decks." He went down the wooden steps. Paulson went with him.I kept up the chase for another hour, but I could not lengthen the gap. It was time to gather my strength, and my wits. I killed the engine and spent a long hour standing at the rail of the ship, staring out at the horizon. The Indian Ocean rolled beneath my feet. My dread deepened as the dragon, black against the pre-dawn sky, drew ever closer.At last, she had overtaken us completely. She circled the boat in a wide arc, like a vulture hovering over a dead thing. Her wings were black and bat-like, but her scales, which from a distance looked black, were now clearly bright red. Slowly, she lowered, then dropped to the deck like a gigantic bird.She had a high crest on the top of her head, but otherwise, her red coat was smooth and unadorned. Her limbs, hands and body were thin and delicate. From the tip of her nose to the sharp, poisoned point of her tail, she was not more than twelve feet long.She was on all fours, now, just a few yards away from me. Her wings were furled; their spines shot up into the air like two rows of spears. She stared at me with her bright eyes, yellow like two tongues of fire. Her mouth opened, showing of an impressive pair of fangs, and her voice, a low, serpentine hiss, turned my blood to ice."Wizard," she asked, "where are the egg thieves?"When speaking to dragons, it's best to be polite. "They cower below, Mistress. They dare not face your wrath.""But you dare," said the dragon, dubiously. "Perhaps you fear them more than you fear me.""I despise them, Madam. I no longer wish to be in their presence."The dragon was momentarily distracted. She was turning her head from left to right, drawing in deep breaths through her nose. "The ring! The ring!" she called, more to herself than anyone else. "It is here, too." Her eyes were back on me. "From Anatolia it came. A thousand years it has lain in the horde. I shall have it back!""It is a trifle, Mistress," I told her, gently. "You have other treasures. You are needed elsewhere. Go back to your clutch."The dragon let out a sudden cry of rage. She reared up on her hind leg. Her black wings unfurled. Her voice shook with hatred and despair. "Is that how you would counsel me, Wizard?"The fools! I thought. What have they done?Instinctively, I fell to my knees and pressed my forehead down onto the boards. The act of subjugation saved me. Her jaws snapped right above my head.I felt her breath on my neck. "Please, Mistress," I said, "I didn't know. They told me you had won back your eggs. I see now this is not so. I am sorry."My head filled with images from her mind. I saw the attack on Fallburke. The bag dropped. She swooped down after it, but she was too late. The eggs were dashed on the rocky mountainside. She traced Fallburke to the shore and watched him suffer and bleed. Then she took to the air after the boat."Where are they?" she asked, quietly."They are below. There are two rooms, a kitchen, and head, a small room for bathing."I felt her move away from me. Taking a chance, I raised my head. "Please, Mistress, if I may presume to counsel you."Her tail flicked dangerously. "What is it, Wizard, that you would keep me from my vengeance?""I do not plead for their sake, or for mine. I plead only for you, Mistress. Go back! I grieve the loss of your eggs, but you are young! Go back to your Lord. You will bear another clutch. Leave the thieves cowering with their little ring."Her tail flicked again. "You doubt me.""They are Wizards, Mistress, like myself. They are dangerous. They could kill you.""I am not defenseless!" she snapped. "Wait here, counselor, and we shall see who is the stronger." She turned and went to the steps.Draaker was counting on a large dragon not fitting down the gangway. But this little cave-dweller was skilled at fighting in close quarters. She stuck her head down the gangplank, drew in a deep breath and then exhaled, pushing a green cloud of poisoned gas into the rooms below.My first thought was, There goes the provisions. Everything would have to be thrown overboard, even the canned food. One drop of that poison would be enough to make you violently ill.They anticipated the poisoned gas, of course, and countered with the bubble-head charm, but the gas burned their skin. Slowly, she crept down the stairs, blowing her poisoned clouds as she went.I heard a cry - Paulson had cracked first and rushed her. Then, Draaker bellowed the dreaded curse, "Avada Kedavra!"A terrible silence followed. I waited, kneeling on the deck, for somebody to come up those steps. No one did. Ten minutes I sat there, feeling the waves rock the boat. Finally, I got up and stretched my legs. Skirting the port side of the ship, I made my way to a hatch on the prow. I pushed it open, and a great cloud of gas escaped into the morning air. Then, I set my own bubble-head charm and went below decks, opening hatches as I went.The dragon lay on the floor at the end of the little hallway. Beneath her was Paulson. Draaker was in the doorway of one of the bedrooms. All three of them were dead.I inspected Draaker and saw a large rip in his shirt. Strangely, there was no blood, just a black mark on his chest.Paulson, his skin burning from the poison, was the first to break. He bolted into the gangway, and the dragon had finished him with a swift bite.Draaker had held back and waited. When the dragon struck Paulson, he had fired his curse. Now, you can throw that curse without using the incantation, and it's still enough to kill a man. Dragons, though, are tough to kill. He had used the full incantation, and likely all the wand movements as well, to cast the most potent spell possible.It had cost him an extra two seconds, maybe. Those extra two seconds was all it took for her to flick her tail and drive the poisoned tip right into his heart.I felt in Draaker's pockets until I found the silver ring he had stolen from the dragon's cave. From Anatolia it came. I slipped it into my own pocket. It was time for a burial at sea.Draaker went overboard first. It took longer to extract Paulson from the clutches of the dragon, but then he too was swallowed by the sea. That left just me and the dragon on the boat. A full-grown dragon's carcass is, honestly, an apothecary's dream. From nose to tail, every part of a dragon is valuable in some way. The words of my oracle came back to me, It will be profitable for you. This would be my profit.I found some money that Paulson had hidden amongst his things. With that, I was able to buy fuel and provisions and make the journey back to Beirut. The dragon skin, eyes, teeth and venom I sold to an apothecary in the old part of town. With the proceeds, I purchased Lebanese cedar for making wands from the Dragon's heartstrings.I had the idea of incorporating the silver ring from the cave into the wand. The ring was too small to encircle my prototype, however, so I had it re-forged and grafted to the wood. On the silver band, I etched an image of the slender red who had nearly taken my life.The design worked so well, I purchased other rings for each wand in the series. Onto each ring, I embedded a memory of the dragon.I didn't grieve too much for my lost comrades. They took a deadly risk and lost. But, the death of the dragon, and the loss of her eggs, weighed on me. For a species in decline, it was a bitter blow to lose a young female and a clutch of eggs. That I had played some part in her death troubled me. I longed to capture her strength and spirit in the wands, as a way to atone for what I had done.Her soul does not haunt me. It has passed on, as have those of Paulson, Fallburke and Draaker. But her memory is with me still. And now, it is with you . . . When the story ended, Liam awoke. He stared up at the ceiling and thought about the words of Stilgrevsen. Liam was certain that he had found the Secret Key. All he needed now was the wand.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The next morning, Liam tried to have a quiet breakfast, but he kept being interrupted with questions about the previous night's meeting with McGonagall. Most of them came from Stephanie, the nosiest of the Hufflepuff First Years. "Why do you keep getting dragged in front of the Headmistress? Are you going to be expelled? What about you and Cyrus?"His answers were terse. "I'm not in trouble. I'm still here, aren't I? All I did is save Lara's life." He took another bite of eggs before continuing. "I still don't have a wand that works."This last admission failed to elicit any sympathy from Stephanie. "You better not be costing us House points. We don't have that many to begin with." As he was not particularly hungry, Liam left the Great Hall early, and headed for Binns lecture hall. Michael and Philip walked with him. On their way, they walked past Morwena and her friends, who were lingering at the foot of the stairs. Morwena once again hissed, "Thief!" This time, Liam ignored her."Got some evil looks from those witches back there," mused Michael."It's really too bad," remarked Philip, "because they're all very pretty.""None of them are as pretty as Vanessa," said Michael. "I noticed she hasn't been hanging around that lot much."They took their seats in Binns’ lecture hall, towards the front. Liam put his book on the desk in front of him and laid out his parchment. Binns was a terrible lecturer, but Liam found that if he took notes, the time seemed to pass more quickly, and it would take his mind of his other troubles. Not for the first time, he was looking forward to Potions and Herbology.As it got closer to eight o'clock, the lecture hall behind him began to fill. Just before the start of class, Paul and Dave crept up to the empty seat behind Liam. (They usually sat in the very back of the room.) "What did you do to the little git?" whispered Paul."Not that we miss him, exactly," added Dave."What you mean?" asked Liam."Haven't you noticed?" asked Paul. "Kane's not here."Liam turned around. Looking past Paul and Dave, he swept the hall. Spencer there, as were Umberto and Gordon. But not Cyrus."Maybe he's sick," said Liam."He seemed fine yesterday," said Paul.You didn't see him last night, thought Liam. "Maybe he's running late.""Well if he is, he's really late now."Binns floated through the wall. The Gryffindors retreated to their perch at the very back of the lecture hall. After the lecture, Liam, Michael and Philip waited for the rest of the class to empty out of the hall before making their way to Potions. Just outside the door, Sadie stood waiting. Liam motioned for Michael and Philip to go ahead.As soon as the other two boys were out of sight, Sadie gave Liam a firm hug. "I was so worried about you!""I'm fine," said Liam, embarrassed, and grateful that there was no one around to see this.Sadie kept her hand on Liam's arm as they began to walk down to the dungeons. "I have news," she told him."What is it?""I spoke to Umberto this morning. Cyrus has been pulled out of school! His father came last night and took him away. None of the Slytherins know what's going on, not even Spencer, but they know it has to do with the wand."Liam nodded. "McGonagall wants to give me the Dragon Wand. She was going to offer to pay the Kane's for it. But she didn't think Mr. Kane would like the idea much.""So, he's pulled his kid out of school? What is that going to accomplish?" Sadie's temper built as they kept walking. "What's he going to do, protest the decision to the Board of Trustees? They're not going to overrule a witch of McGonagall's stature!"Walking the other way were two older Slytherin boys. They gave the two younger students an evil look as they passed. "You don't think I'm a thief, do you?" asked Liam quietly."No, of course not!" She gripped his arm again and gazed up at him with her brown eyes wide."Okay." He felt a rush of affection for this girl who was so loyal and who had worked so hard for him this term. But he was just twelve, and eloquence eluded him. "Um, we'd better get to class." Cyrus Kane was not back in school on Wednesday. Liam merely noted this, without dwelling on it too much. He was worried how he was going to get through another day of Formal Magic without a wand. Fortunately, in DADA and Charms, his instructors gave review lectures in preparation for finals. Liam gratefully took notes on all that was said.When they arrived at Meadows classroom for Transfiguration, the First Years found her speaking to a man in a business suit and glasses. His robe hung casually on his arm.Lara recognized him immediately. "Mr. Pemberton! What a surprise!""Hello, Lara!" She walked up to the man and shook his hand. He gave her a brief embrace. "I say, you've grown a meter since I've seen you last.""I haven't!" she said with a laugh. Leaning up on her tip-toes, she whispered something in his ear, and he nodded.Liam took his seat, but he was watching this exchange with interest. He wished he had that easy familiarity with Lara Guishar. As she went back to her seat, she flashed Liam a smile, the first one he had seen from her all term."Good morning class," said Meadows, when they had all sat down. "We have a visitor today. This is Frank Pemberton. He's a Hogwarts alum, Class of '88, isn't it?""That's right!" said Pemberton, cheerfully. "Don't mind me, though. I'll just sit in the back of the room and observe for a little while."Meadows lectured for half the period, reviewing proper techniques for transfigurations. When she finished, the students were given a chance to work on their review project, transfiguring tinfoil into a silk handkerchief.Liam reluctantly pulled his tinfoil from between the pages of his textbook, where he had stashed it after Monday's class. But, before he could draw his wand, Meadows said to him, "Liam, why don't you speak to Mr. Pemberton for a few minutes about your Hogwarts experiences?"Liam shrugged, and put away his supplies. He thought the request strange - the man obviously knew Lara. Anything he needed to know he could learn from her. But he was grateful for the chance to escape from a frustrating assignment. He went with the man out into the hallway."What would you like to know, sir?" Liam asked when they were beyond earshot of the classroom."Well, let's start with, 'What's a nice lad like you getting mixed up with a lousy rat like Rodolpho Kane?'" He set an arm gently on Liam's shoulder and steered him into an empty classroom.Pemberton shut the door and leaned back against it. "Okay, kid, I'll level with you. I'm not here to see my old school chums. I'm here to see you. I'm Frank Pemberton, an associate at the firm Craft and Witchley.""What's an associate?""I'm a lawyer, kid. A solicitor.""You're a solicitor?" said Liam puzzled. "Is somebody suing me?""The Kanes are suing the school. But, you're a party to the action, and you need representation. I'm doing this pro bono - that means 'for free' - as a favour to my friend, Alex Guishar. But when I told my managing partner we'd have a chance to stick it to Rodolpho Kane, he was all for it. We've tangled with Kane before, see, and usually, we've come out on the shallow end of the cauldron. If we can beat him here, it will help even the score a bit. Besides, I'm a Hufflepuff. Us Badgers have to stick together, right?""Right!" said Liam eagerly."Now, I've read McGonagall's brief, so I know that this whole thing is over a wand, this exotic wand that Kane bought for his son, but now only works for you.""I saved Lara's life with it!"Pemberton nodded, his face solemn. "I heard about that part, too. One more reason for me to help you. It's a Stilgrevsen, they tell me. I'm not an expert on wands, but I've been reading up on Stilgrevsen wands. Tricky little buggers, aren't they? You can't just pick them up and use them. You've got to win them over.""You've got to have the Magic Key!""Well, have you got it?" Liam nodded. "Tell me about it, kid. Just like you'd tell it to the judge."So, Liam told Pemberton the whole long story about Stilgrevsen and the dragon. When he was finally finished, Pemberton said, "That's good, kid. You've convinced me. We'll need to tighten it up a little bit. Judges have a lot on their minds. He'll need you to get to the point quickly."Go over it in your head for the next few days. Just give us the juicy parts. Let's try and get it in under five minutes. There's a hearing on Friday. Usually, when someone disputes a decision by the Headmaster, it goes to the Board of Trustees. Kane, however, is insisting on an independent arbiter, a member of the Wizgamot. He's got his man picked out already - a Hogwarts alum, and an expert on wands.""The judge went here too? What House was he in?""Good. You're using your head. Yes, the judge was a Slytherin.""But then he's just going to side with the Kanes!""Maybe," Pemberton admitted. "But, if you really have the Key to this wand, the judge will be hard pressed to give it back to the Kanes. Besides, these aren't Hufflepuffs we're talking about. They're Slytherins. Loyalty is not their strong suit. In the meantime, don't say another word about that dream to anyone, you hear me? If Slytherins are good at anything, it's sneaking and spying. You don't want any of those details coming out of Cyrus Kane's mouth.""Okay."Pemberton checked his watch. "All right, kid. Your class ended ten minutes ago. Go get lunch. I'll see you Friday." That evening, as he sat in his chair and waited for the last Astronomy Lab of the term, Liam tried thinking about the story of the dragon, what part he should cut out and what part he should keep in. It all seemed so important, though. Liam didn't know where to start.Liam understood Pemberton's concern about sharing the details of the Dragon Dream. Yet, if he was supposed to tell the judge the story in a convincing way, he was going to have to practice in front of an audience. Someone who knew what was going on, so he wouldn't have to explain much. Someone he trusted.Philip or Sadie? he wondered. Philip is too nice. He won't tell me if he thinks I'm wrong. It's got to be Sadie.Liam could always count on a few minutes of conversation with Sadie during Potions Lab, but he didn't want to waste any more time. Despite the presence of Slytherins in the room, he would approach her during Astronomy Lab.At quarter 'til eleven, Randal led the First Years up the stairs to the North Tower. As soon as they were out in the cold night air, Liam went over to Sadie. She met him half way, so that they were out of earshot of the other Ravenclaws. "What is it?" she whispered."I'll need your help again.""With what?""There's going to be a hearing on Friday about the wand. I'll probably have to talk."There were red woolen mittens on her hands. She brushed his arm with one. "I'll help you," she said.As Liam took his place at his usual spot on the parapet, Michael said, "You just can't keep away from that one, can you?" The next morning, while they mixed their review potion, Liam told Sadie of the meeting with Pemberton. "He said I have to keep all this a secret, so Cyrus doesn't find out what I'm going to say beforehand.""That's smart," Sadie agreed. "Let's switch rooms." Liam looked at her, puzzled. "You've been to that room on the second floor once too often. If Spencer or Morwena want to spy on you, that's the first place they'll check. I'll find us a room. I already have an idea. Just meet me outside the dining hall tonight, and I'll take you there." That night, without telling anyone where he was going, Liam met Sadie at the foot of the Grand Staircase and followed her up to the vicinity of Ravenclaw Tower. There were study rooms, some with desks and chairs, others with sofas and fireplaces. Sadie had secured a small room with two chairs and a single table. "It's the best I could do on short notice. Everyone's studying for Finals."Liam went over the story of the dragon with Sadie, and right away, she was telling him things to cut out. "Don't talk so much about those gangsters. Focus on the dragon. That part is really convincing." It could be frustrating, trying to remember what to say when she kept interrupting him, but deep down, Liam knew he had made the right choice of helpers. Later that night, when he returned to the Badger's Den, Cheryl was waiting for him. "Where have you been?""Studying," he told her."We've been turning the castle upside down looking for you. No one has seen you since dinner!""I told you, I was studying!""Where? You weren't here. You weren't in the library or the room on the second floor that Philip said was your favourite hiding spot.""I was up by Ravenclaw Tower.""Oh." Cheryl gave him a queer look. "Aren't you a little young to be running off with your Ravenclaw girlfriend?""We were studying!" said Liam, blushing hotly."Come this way. Meadows wants to see you." She led him down a hallway to Meadows private apartment. At the door, Cheryl knocked and said, "I've found him, Professor."The door opened, and there was Meadows, in comfortable clothes, and with her hair down. Liam blushed, thinking she was lovely, and feeling it was inappropriate for him to be there. "Thank you, Cheryl. I need to have a quick word with Liam."She led Liam inside the door to her parlor. "Where did you run off to this evening? I had several people looking for you.""I'm sorry. Sadie and I were practicing.""Practicing for what? Exams?""Um, no. For the hearing.""That's probably wise. Of all the friends you've made this year, I think Miss Thompson was the most unlikely, and yet, the most invaluable."Liam nodded. "I never would have figured any of this out without her help.""Well, the hearing is what I wanted to tell you about. Lawyers like to have loads of time to hash things out, but McGonagall has been strict with all of them. Exams are next week. This situation must be resolved before then. So, the hearing will be tomorrow, here at Hogwarts, in the conference room. That was the other thing she insisted on. There was some thought of having the hearing in London, at one of the Ministry offices. But McGonagall shot that down, too. If your testimony is required, and it seems like it shall be, then they will have to come up here. She absolutely refused to have you transported down to London. (Meadows perfectly mimicked McGonagall's stern delivery) 'Wren is in our care,' she told them, 'and in our care, he shall stay.'"The conference room is in the administrative office on the first floor of the castle. The arbiter will be here around nine. Pemberton will be here by eight. The Kanes are coming, too, of course, as are a few others. We've tried to keep this out of the news, but it's possible that a member of the press will be here as well. You've been excused from your classes tomorrow. Just understand that, win or lose, you're taking your exams on Monday morning with everyone else."Liam nodded. "Got it. Thanks Professor.""One more thing, while I have you on your own. Alex Guishar, Lara's father, has been asking about you. He's very keen to do something kind for you, for saving Lara from the Acromantula. He's not sure what to offer you, though, since he doesn't know you or your family well. There are things I could tell him, but they're confidential, details one should keep private. I wanted to ask your permission before I told him anything.""What would you tell him?""Well, for instance, I know that your mother is a single parent, and that she sometimes struggles to pay her bills. You have been pinching your pennies, too. That's why you didn't buy a wand for yourself in the first place. I could tell Alex this. It might be just the information he needs to make his decision. But I need your permission first. It's your family. If you don't want your private matters known to the Guishars, I won't disclose them.""You think he might give me money?" asked Liam. "I didn't save Lara for the money!""Of course, you didn't. You did a brave thing, something that can't really ever be repaid. But he wants to do something for you in return for your heroism."Liam shrugged. "You can tell him, I guess." She gave him a pat on the shoulder and led him to the door."Get a good night's sleep, Liam. Tomorrow will be, quite literally, a trial."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Friday morning, Liam met Frank Pemberton outside the Great Hall. Instead of going with his friends to Professor Gregor's classroom, Liam went with Pemberton across the Entrance Hall to the Administrative office. There was a counter dividing the entrance from the main part of the office. Beyond the counter were several desks where witches and wizards sat writing memos. There were owls in cages, hanging from the ceiling. Though the room was small and somewhat stuffy, there were three fireplaces.A clerk, a Ravenclaw boy that Liam didn’t know, led him and Pemberton behind the counter to the conference room. In the center of the room was a long wooden table. Chairs lined both sides of the table, and at the head, at the far end of the room, was large armchair with an ornately carved high back.“That’s where the Judge will sit,” said Pemberton.Pemberton lead Liam down the left side of the table. Though there were open chairs at the table, Liam noticed that a few people were sitting in chairs against the wall towards the door.Pemberton sat down, leaving a few empty spaces between him and where the Judge would sit.Liam figured that the Kanes, when they arrived, would sit on the opposite side of the table from him and Pemberton. He wondered if the sides of the table, and even, the sides of the room, would indicate who was on whose side at the hearing.Liam thought of a wedding he had attended the previous summer. The bride's family sat on one side of the church while the grooms family sat on the other. He looked to see if his “sides of the room” idea held up as people took their seats.Slowly the room began to fill. Pemberton pointed out to Liam the people he recognized. "That tall man there, Hereford, he's the lawyer for the school. I expect McGonagall up here any minute." As soon as he said that, she strode into the room. McGonagall went straight for the lawyer, spoke to him briefly before taking a seat between the lawyer and Pemberton. She did not look at Liam. At least, she's on my side of the table."Against the wall there, the woman in the blue robes, that's Prudence Pym. She's the Education Columnist for Witch Weekly." Another woman came and sat down in a chair just inside the door, but on Liam’s side of the room. She had long, dark hair and green eyes. "Not sure who that is,” said Pemberton. “She's not one of the new staff, is she?""I've never seen her before," Liam answered. "But, she's on our side of the room, right?" Just as he said this, the woman gave him a piercing stare. Liam blushed and looked away from her.Pemberton noticed the stare, too, and set his hand on Liam's shoulder. "That she is, lad. That she is." Into the room came Rodolpho Kane and his son, Cyrus. As Liam expected, the Kanes came down the other side of the table, closer to the Judge’s chair than where Liam and Pemberton sat. They sat across from McGonagall and the school lawyer. Prudence Pym looked up and made a note in her notebook. The green-eyed witch by the door, on the other hand, gave the Kanes hardly a glance.This was the first time, to Liam's knowledge, that Cyrus had returned to Hogwarts since Monday evening. Liam watched his rival closely. Cyrus gazed down at the floor as he walked. He looked cowed, already defeated. For the first time, Liam began to pity the boy.A page entered the room, carrying the Dragon Wand on a wide silk pillow. He set the pillow on the table at the head, in front of the high-backed chair. All the eyes of the room were on the wand."The Dragon Wand," whispered Liam. "I can't feel it at all!"Pemberton nodded. "There's an enchantment on it that only the judge can lift. He doesn't want anyone taking matters into their own hands."Just before nine, the judge entered the room. He was a portly man with a neatly trimmed beard. His black robes had gold embroidery around his shoulders. He walked at a slow, deliberate pace, catching the eye of everyone in the room. He came into the room on the Kanes side and took his seat at the head of the table, in front of the wand.Rodolpho Kane grinned widely when he saw the judge, but that was not his son's reaction, Liam noticed. Cyrus' eyes went wide at the sight of the old judge from the Wizgamot, and his face turned faintly green. Liam could tell that, despite the fact that the judge was hand-picked by his father, Cyrus was not happy to see him. Umberto was in class, but he could have told Liam why this was so - the arbiter was indeed one of the three old men who had appraised Cyrus and the other Slytherins at the Christmas party five months earlier. Cyrus had failed at that meeting, and his failure spurred him to attack Wren in an effort to win back some of the prestige he had lost. Those attacks had cost him dearly, as Professor Gregor had said they would.Cyrus had left the negotiations to his father, assuming that he knew best. He didn't realize who his father had picked until that moment when he set eyes on the man. What seemed to him to be a mere formality, with the judge siding with the Kanes without question or comment, now was a precarious chance.Liam knew none of this, but he sensed that his rival, for whatever reason, had just been given a bit of bad news, and that was good news for him. The arbiter sat down in the plush chair and surveyed the room. "So many lawyers," he mused, "for such a little matter. Rodolpho, I expected, and Hereford is here, of course, as this is a school matter. Pemberton, what are you doing here?""I'm representing Liam Wren of Hufflepuff, your honour, a party to the action.""Does old Craft know about this?""Of course, your honour.""I see. It's going to be an interesting morning. Let's get started, shall we?"Mr. Hereford, the lawyer for the school, began to speak in a dull voice, barely better than Binns drone. "This is, by all accounts, an unusual situation - one student losing a wand to another. Yet, in the long history of Hogwarts, not unheard of." Hereford proceeded to list five such previous cases, and the outcomes of each. Liam tried to pay attention, but Hereford was so dull and used so many big words that Liam could hardly understand what he was saying.Mr. Kane followed. In contrast to Hereford, Kane was almost Shakespearean in his rhetoric. Liam could follow his arguments only a little better. Much of what Kane had to say dealt with Property Laws. There were references to multiple court cases and to arcane rules of law. Liam, who knew little of the law, found it quite convincing, despite the circumstances.Kane then began a rehash of the clashes between Liam and Cyrus during the school term. Kane kept referring to "the Muggleborn." It dawned on Liam that this term referred to him. He whispered to Pemberton, "Why does he keep calling me 'The Muggleborn?'"Pemberton whispered back, "Because he knows if he calls you 'Mudblood' McGonagall will chuck him out."Kane was saying, "The Muggleborn continued to harass my son until my dear Cyrus finally lost his wand to the bully. Not even in Dumbledore's day were Muggleborns treated so indulgently by the Headmaster."Pemberton spoke up. "If I may interrupt, your honour. The Discipline Report filed by the Deputy Headmaster clearly states that both boys were punished for their infractions of the school's Code of Conduct, and that it was Cyrus Kane, and not Liam Wren, who was the instigator in each case."Pemberton then went through the Discipline Report, detailing the detentions that Liam had endured after his scuffles with Cyrus. "A two-hour lecture from the Bloody Baron, your honour? Hardly a slap on the wrist. And though this is not in the report, my client tells me he received a stern talking to from the Headmistress herself on the issue of this wand.""Duly noted, Pemberton," said the judge evenly.Kane continued, undeterred. "There were fictions in that Report, your honour. None more egregious than the suggestion that the theft of the wand occurred thirty minutes or more after the Quidditch match on May 29th, when the two boys were as much as five hundred yards apart. There is no way the Muggleborn could have summoned the wand over such a distance without being even in eye contact with my son. The theft must have occurred during the match, when the two boys were in close proximity. The regrettable incident with the Guishar girl has only provided a convenient cover for this elaborate lie."Again, Pemberton interrupted. "Impossible, your honour? I don't think so. I was here in '94 when, during the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Potter summoned his broomstick from the top of Gryffindor tower to the dragon enclosure. That was estimated to be a distance of 600 yards.""I was at that event as well," said the Judge, smiling."I imagine you had better seats than I did. We could barely see a thing, though Potter did fly over our heads at one point. Again, Potter had his wand, but he could not have made eye contact with his broom before he summoned it. Even more important than his wand, however, was the affinity he had with the broomstick."As you know, magical objects are not like inanimate ones. They have opinions, and they respond differently to their regular handlers than they do for other people. Potter was a top Seeker in his day. His connection to his broomstick was a big part of that success. On the day of the first task, that broom wanted to answer the summons. It wanted to face off against the dragon."Likewise, over the course of the year, Liam established affinity with the Stilgrevsen wand. Through each incident detailed in the Discipline Report, even when the wand was used against Liam, his connection to it grew stronger. When Liam called for it, staring down the Acromantula, that wand came eagerly. Here was a proper test of its strength. It wanted to come and fight the great spider."When Pemberton was finished, the Judge waived his hands. "All right, you blunderbusses have had your say. I don't want to hear any more from the lawyers. No more talk of Property Law and Discipline Reports. This is a magical object we're discussing here, specifically, a wand. As we say, 'the wand chooses the wizard.' So, what is the will of this wand? That is what I have come here to decide."I have studied wands for fifty years, and if I may say so myself, I am considered by many to be an expert on them. There is no more secretive a wandmaker than Stilgrevsen, and there are few who can match his inventiveness, the daring with which he matches his elements."The wand at hand, as we all know by now, is a Stilgrevsen, the prototype of the Madagascan Series: eleven inches of Lebanese Cedar, an ancient silver ring, and at the core, a long thick heartstring from a Madagascan Red."Those are the elements that are generally known about this wand, but there is another element too, which to this point has remained a secret. Which one of you children is prepared to speak on the matter of the Secret Key?"A sudden flutter of nerves made Liam pause. With a nudge from his father, Cyrus Kane said meekly, "I am, your honour."Liam flushed and recovered quickly. "So am I, sir," he said, a bite of anger in his voice.The old man nodded. "All right, then," he said. "Let's hear it. Cyrus spoke first, so let's start with him."Cyrus reluctantly got to his feet. He was fidgeting with his hands. For the first time that morning, he looked at Liam. Gazing at his rival, Cyrus' feelings of doom and defeat left him. He sneered at Liam, and, in a confident voice, said, "I had a dream about a dragon."It was clear to Liam that Cyrus had been coached on what to say, and that over the last few days he had gone over the same ground as Liam and his friends had earlier in the term. "It was a big red dragon, with blue eyes and great big fangs. He was six meters long and blowing big clouds of poisonous steam from his mouth. Stilgrevsen fought him and killed him and put the heart in that wand there." He pointed back towards the Dragon Wand, sitting peacefully on its pillow. "My wand!"The old man was watching Cyrus closely as he spoke. Then, his grey eyes slipped to Liam, who sat fuming, with his fists clenched. Finally, his gaze turned. The Judge gazed off down the table for a moment. Finally, he said, "That was a very entertaining story, young Cyrus. Please, take your seat."When Cyrus was back beside his father, the judge looked at Liam again. "'And then there's Wren,'" he mused. "I've wanted to meet you, boy, for months now. I've heard quite a bit about you. Please stand and tell us what you have to say."Liam slowly rose to his feet. He looked nervously at Pemberton, who gave him a bracing smile. Over the top of Pemberton’s head, Liam could see the witch sitting by the door, the one neither he nor Pemberton knew. She was gazing intently at him with her striking green eyes.The piercing gaze of the beautiful, mysterious woman flustered Liam. He took another moment to gather himself. As he turned towards the judge, his eyes fell briefly on Cyrus Kane, sitting smug in his seat. Liam’s anger at Cyrus' lies rushed back, and he snapped, "It was a female dragon, not a male. She wasn't anywhere near six meters. And, her eyes were yellow, not blue!"He looked over at the Judge, enduring as he did so the haughty stares of Cyrus and Mr. Kane. "She was a skinny little thing, about twelve feet long. Some blokes had tried to steal her eggs, but they broke them instead. She was mad as hell and went to kill them all. She killed most of them, but they killed her, too."The speech he prepared was all out of order now. He looked away from the Judge, and from the Kanes. His eyes settled on the green-eyed woman in the audience who was watching him so intently. He set aside what he had planned to say and just spoke from his heart."When I figured out what happened to the dragon, that she was dead, I didn't want the wand anymore. I felt guilty, like it was my fault that the dragon died. But, that's what he wanted me to feel, isn't it? That's how he felt. He felt guilty that he went on this trip with these thugs, and they killed a dragon. This special, smart, rare dragon. I think that's the Key - that I felt the way he did."Anyway, I want the wand now. I saved a friend's life with it. It came when I called it. It picked me. Maybe one time, it picked Cyrus, but now it picks me."Liam turned back to the Judge. The old man's eyes were on him for a moment, but then he looked away. Liam followed his gaze right to the green-eyed witch. She was looking at the judge. Liam saw her give a brief nod.It was some sort of signal between them, for right away, the Judge said, "Thank you, young man, you may return to your seat."Pemberton gave Liam a pat on the shoulder as he sat down. "Good job, kid," he whispered. Liam wanted to tell Pemberton about the signal between the woman and the Judge, but as soon as Liam was seated, the Judge spoke."I don't like being lied to," he said casually. "I suppose no one does. But in my profession, it happens quite frequently, despite the oaths each witness takes. It was predictable, given the stakes, that I would be faced with two plausible stories and have to judge between them."But how was I to judge the matter of this Secret Key? I suppose I could make a guess, go with my instincts as to which boy was telling the truth, but how would I know if I were right? I'm an expert in wands, but no one is an expert in Stilgrevsen's Secret Keys except Stilgrevsen himself. He's an old man now, too old to travel so far on such short notice."Yet, he was kind enough to send his assistant here with the information that I needed. And she has just confirmed what my instincts were telling me - it is the Hufflepuff boy who truly holds the Key to the Wand."Turning to the Kanes, the Judge said, "Rodolpho, I have known you for a long time; I hope this does not damage our friendship. But, you asked me to settle this matter, and I have. Your son tells tall tales, but he also has my sympathy, for this is a loss that few have had to endure while so young. You, on the other hand, were offered compensation from the school for the Stilgrevsen wand. I recommend that you take them up on their offer."Rodolpho Kane rose abruptly. His eyes swept the room with an angry glare. Then, he yanked Cyrus to his feet and stormed from the room, dragging his son behind him.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Liam was so startled by the Kanes’ abrupt departure that he failed to grasp at first that he had won. The old man looked kindly at him and said, "Come, son, and take your wand."Suddenly, Liam could feel again the magic emanating from the Dragon Wand. A threatening menace no longer, it beckoned to him. Liam stood and reached out his hand. The wand came up off of its pillow and flew right to him.As his fingers wrapped around it, a great burst of sparks erupted from the tip. The sparks continued in a flow, covering the table in front of him and spilling out onto the floor. They rose into the air like blue and yellow fairies."Sorry," he said, abashed. "It does this sometimes.""Only for you, Wren," said the Judge.Pemberton gave him a hearty slap on the back. "Well done, kid. You beat them! You beat Rodolpho Kane, fair and square. I can't wait to tell old Craft. And Alex, he'll be tickled, too."The sparks continued to flow out of the wand's tip. Liam finally switched it to his right hand, so it would stop.The green-eyed witch stepped forward. "Lars Stilgrevsen sends his congratulations," she said."Thank you," said Liam. "Thanks for sticking up for me.""Lars did not think that one so young would have the wisdom to master this wand, but you have proved him wrong." She gazed down on him with her piercing green eyes. "Is it true that you used this wand to kill an acromantula?""I did it to save a friend," said Liam, quickly.The woman nodded. "You know what this wand can do, what it is capable of doing. Let that knowledge guide you. You must learn to temper its strength. To use it for mundane tasks will require focus, and a gentle hand. Good luck." She gave a polite nod to Pemberton, and then walked from the room.McGonagall had left already. Only a few people remained in the room now. One of them was Prudence Pym, the reporter from Witch Weekly. "Excuse me, Liam," she said, "would you care to make a statement?""I think he's said quite enough already today," said Pemberton, sternly."I'll make a statement," said Liam with a grin. "When's lunch? I'm starving!" It was, in fact, a quarter passed eleven. His classmates were halfway through Transfiguration. Liam walked with Pemberton down to the Entrance Hall. At the great front doors, the two shook hands. Pemberton strolled out the door into the warm spring air. Liam wondered if he were going to take the train back to London, or if he had a more efficient way of getting there.Liam idled around the doors of the Great Hall until he heard above him the clatter of footsteps, as one class after another was dismissed for lunch. He heard Philip's voice before he saw him. "Look, it's Liam!"Soon, Michael, Philip and Sadie were gathered around him. "What happened?" asked Sadie. "Is the hearing over?""Yes. Look!" The Dragon Wand was at his belt. He pulled it out far enough so that the silver ring was visible. "It's mine now."Sadie gasped. Philip said, "What about Cyrus?""Don't know. They left right after the judge made his decision."Michael said, "How 'bout after lunch, you show us what that thing can do!"Sadie was right on his heels. "We have to get you ready for Finals! You missed a week of practicals! We'll have to go over everything."Liam set his hand on her shoulder, and she beamed up at him. He had never been so eager to practice Formal Magic. "You're right - I've got to practice with this thing. Let's get a bite to eat first. Meet us here in half an hour."As the three boys walked to the Hufflepuff table, Michael said, "I'm sticking with you, this time. Grand-mum wasn't too pleased when she learned I'd skipped out on some study sessions last term."At the lunch table, Liam got just a single question, from Stacy. "Everything all right?""Everything's fine, thank you." Liam answered with a smile. Lara gave him just a glance.Though he was hungry, Liam was eager to use the Dragon Wand again. He and his friends ate a quick lunch, then met Sadie outside the Great Hall. They went up to the second floor, but instead of going to Liam's usual spot, the room which had no furniture in it whatsoever, they sought out an unused classroom with some furnishings.Sadie had spent her lunch break mapping out a curriculum on a piece of parchment. She had Liam stand at the front of the room and set a feather quill in front of him. "Let's try the levitation charm first."Liam nodded. This was the last charm he had attempted with Hexwood's wand. He set his feet, then drew the Dragon Wand. He could feel the swell of magic in his arm straight away. He gave a dramatic flick and swish and shouted the incantation: "Wingardium Leviosa!"It was as if a great gust of wind had blown in from the window. Feather and desk flew up into the air. The desk banged against the ceiling and fell in a clatter to the floor.There was a shocked silence amongst the four of them. Michael was the first to speak. "That one, it doesn't want to lift the feather; it wants to burn down the village."There was nervous laughter from the others. "Look at the desk!" said Philip. "You broke the leg."Sadie quickly mended it. "Let's try that again, but with a little less gusto."Remembering what the green-eyed woman had told him, Liam tried again. He made his flick a little more gently. Though the wand swept the feather high into the air, it did not take the desk along with it.Sadie made him practice every charm Flitwick had taught them that spring, and a few from the Autumn Term as well. After a dozen charms, she was satisfied. "All right, that's better. Every time, your wand is a little more controlled.""Are we done, then?" asked Michael."No, we just started!" said Sadie. "Next is DADA. He needs to practice 'Alta.'""You mean, one of us has got to stand there and have our arm blown off by that thing?""Yes. I'll do it if you're afraid to."Michael had to do it, then. He couldn't be shown up by a girl from Ravenclaw. He drew his wand and stood a few paces from Liam. "All right, get it over with.""Why don't I try it right-handed?" asked Liam. He switched hands and then fired a quick 'Alta' at Michael. The spell pushed Michael's wand arm high into the air."That was plenty strong enough," said Michael.Liam nodded. "What's next, Sadie?""Transfiguration. I know you never finished your handkerchief. I'd also like to see you do the basic Potions charms - you know, fire and water."So, Liam went back down to the Common Room to fetch his cauldron and his tin foil. Michael went with him, while Philip and Sadie stayed up in the room and reviewed their History of Magic notes.When he returned, Sadie had him start with the tinfoil. Liam closed his eyes, envisioning the finished product with its smooth silk and black and yellow checked pattern. With a flick of his wrist, he started work on the foil. He was using his left hand again, however, and the spell quickly got away from him. The foil tranfigured into silk, but it began to expand in size until it was tumbling off the sides of the desk. When he finally lifted his arm to break the spell, it stretched to the floor."You engorged it!" said Sadie."It's as big as a tablecloth," said Philip, holding up an end."Well, I know what my mum's getting for her birthday," said Liam with a grin.Sadie set the cauldron on the stone floor and had Liam pour in water and then start a magical fire. The water from his wand sloshed everywhere, and they all pitched in to clean it up before he tried making a fire. Again, the wand came on strong and had the cauldron simmering within a few minutes time."I've got to be careful with this thing," he said, more to himself than to the others. "The lady told me I needed to temper it. I didn't know what she meant, but I think I do now.""Which lady is this?" asked Sadie."Stilgrevsen sent an assistant to the hearing. She verified that I had the Magic Key." Liam then backtracked and told the others the whole story of the hearing."And the Kanes’ just stormed out at the end?" asked Philip.Liam nodded. "I don't think they even got the money from the school for the wand.""Mental," muttered Michael."But, what about Cyrus?" asked Sadie. "Is he coming back to take his finals?""That's a Ravenclaw question if I ever heard one," said Michael.Liam gazed down at the wand, with its dark wood and silver ring. "I don't know," he said softly. Cyrus Kane did not return to Hogwarts to take his finals. Spencer got word, early the following week, that Cyrus would be transferring to Durmstrang for the next Autumn Term.The Slytherins found it too much to bear that one of their own had been brought down by a Muggleborn from Hufflepuff (from Biggleswade, no less!) And so, an alternative explanation was quickly offered: Wren had been but the instrument, the weapon. It was Umberto who had laid Cyrus low.After all, it was Umberto who first recognized the significance of Wren's dragon dreams. Umberto was the one who had embarrassed Cyrus in front of the Old Men at the Christmas Party. This forced Cyrus to attack Wren again, publicly, in an attempt to regain his lost prestige, re-igniting a conflict that Gregor had all but smothered. Umberto had thwarted Stainton as well, so that Wren's stinging curse went unanswered.Umberto quietly guided Wren and Thompson to the Stilgrevsen book, and to Dragons of the Southern Hemisphere. Without Umberto's help, the two would not have been able to crack the mystery of the dreams and find the Key to the Wand.Cyrus, upon joining Slytherin House, quickly threw his lot with the Conservatives. He despised Umberto for befriending the Muggleborn Gordon Sumner, and was unrelenting in his cruel comments to both boys. Umberto endured these taunts silently, but when he found his opponent's weakness, he ruthlessly exploited it.There was one more piece of evidence that the Slytherins quietly pondered - the fact that Umberto was never questioned by the Headmistress for his role in the matter. Some took this to mean that Umberto's part had in truth been rather small and peripheral.Others, however, said this was a sign of a true genius. They marveled at how Umberto, in only his First Year, could destroy a rival without ever falling under the suspicion of the school administration. This accomplishment lifted the small, clever boy in the eyes of the other Slytherins. Afterwards, his prestige was such that even older students were respectful to him. In later years, Liam would come to understand that Umberto had become a powerful and influential wizard within Slytherin House, and that he had played a part in Umberto's ascension. But at the moment, Liam's only concern was passing his finals.He was well prepared for the written portions of his exams, as he had been given some extra days of study while his peers were practicing spells. Despite the hours of practicing with Sadie, however, Liam was still nervous as to how the Dragon Wand would respond during a test.Yet, he was already getting the hang of the temperamental wand. When he felt a surge of magic coming, he would quickly switch the wand from his left hand to his right, and that kept the spell from getting seriously out of hand. He scored an "Outstanding" in his practicals for Charms and Transfiguration, and even coaxed an "Exceeds Expectations" out of Gregor, a notoriously strict assessor.At last, it was time for the End of Term Feast. The Seventh Years donned special robes to the Feast. Allison and Eric put on their prefect pins once more. Eric wore a special pin, marking him as a Seeker. It showed a figure on a broomstick with its hand outstretched. Along the broomstick was three blue stones, signifying three consecutive victories over Ravenclaw on the Quidditch pitch.But it was Archie Stollencroft who looked transformed for the occasion. He wore a broomstick pin like Eric's, but Archie's had a star on it as well, marking him as Quidditch Captain. Over his left breast was a heavy golden badge, marked with the Hogwarts "H," his service medal for helping save Lara Guishar from the rogue acromantula.Archie showed it to Liam in the common room, before the group went up the stairs to the Feast. "You'll get one of these too, kid. But, they're going to make you wait. Who knows? You're young enough - you might win another one."As the Hufflepuffs walked through the Entrance Hall on their way to the Great Hall, they passed the four hourglasses showing the House Points. Ravenclaw had finished the year in the top spot, but that was due in part to the precipitous fall of Slytherin. Both Slytherin and Gryffindor had lost two hundred and fifty points each for infractions during the May 28th riot.Meanwhile, Liam and Archie had earned one hundred and fifty points each for saving Lara Guishar. The late three-hundred-point surge had catapulted the Badgers into second place.Despite his detentions and the headaches he caused the Headmistress, Liam had not cost the Badgers a single point. With his regular points from Professor DeVere and his one hundred fifty point bonus, Liam accounted for a nearly a third of the Hufflepuff total.Into the Great Hall they marched, with Archie in the lead. Michael and Liam were both at his heels. They sat down in their usual places at the Hufflepuff table. The Hall was decked in midnight blue, and great banners of Eagles and Ravens hung from the rafters. The Ravenclaw ghost was sitting proudly at the table with her students. The haughty look on Calliope's face was almost more than Liam could bear.The rest of the school filed in, and McGonagall said a quick word before giving way to food and merriment. But as the Feast truly got started, an odd change came over the room.The Ravenclaws were proud and smug in their victory, but they were a quiet, studious bunch, and it was their habit to speak softly at the table. They thought that loud carrying on was rude, crass, beneath them. The Slytherins brooded silently over the fall of Cyrus Kane and what the portends of that fall were. The Gyffindors were quiet, too. Though they had won the House Cup, they had landed in last place in points after the riot. McGonagall had given them all a tongue-lashing that had left them cowed.Only the Hufflepuff table was cheerful and boisterous. They, after all, had been in last place the entire year. To find themselves second in points at the end was a happy surprise. They had won their Quidditch match against Ravenclaw, but the attack of the spider had cut their celebration short. Now, the Hufflepuffs toasted their brave Badgers. There were salutes and speeches, hugs and kisses, and near the end of the evening, loud and happy singing.Professors Meadows and Sprout came down from the staff table to join in the festivities. Archie, Eric and the other Seventh Year boys began to sing a bawdy song about a waitress named Sonja, which caused embarrassed laughter all around.The Hufflepuffs were the last group to leave the Hall. One would have thought that the feast was for them. Perhaps, in the end, it was. In the morning, the tired, happy Hufflepuffs arose to their final day at Hogwarts for that term. Liam made a quick search of his area to make sure all his belongings were in his trunk before going out into the common room.Lara Guishar was there, sitting by herself in a chair by the fire. Her hair was still damp from her shower. When she saw him, she rose and came right over to him. "Oh, Liam, I wanted to give you this." She pulled from a pocket of her robe an envelope. "It's from my father. It's his way of saying thanks for saving my life."Of all the girls in the school, Lara was the only one who made him nervous. He wanted to say something clever, but all he could manage was, "Oh. Um, thanks."He took the envelope from her and ran his thumb along the flap, but she said, "Don't open it here. It might be better if you wait until you're on your own." Liam looked at her, curious and confused. She added, "I know what it says, but nobody else does. Not even Stacy.""Um, okay." He slipped the note in his pocket.She gave him a warm smile, one he had waited the whole school year for. "Have a good summer.""You too. See you in September."She nodded and then turned and walked back to the girl's dormitory. Liam didn't get a chance to look at the note from Alex Guishar, for into the common room came Philip, Michael and Fortney. Behind them came a crowd of older boys, including Archie and Eric. "Let's go up, shall we?" said Archie, and he led the group out into the hall.When they were on the stairs, they began singing again the song about the waitress named Sonja. The group tucked in to a cheerful breakfast. Liam felt relaxed and happy. He wanted to savor the moment with his friends, but time was slipping quickly from him. Soon, he was in the queue for a carriage for the ride down to the station.It was just the four "nearly Second Year" boys in the carriage this time, but on the platform, they were met by Sadie and Gillian, and the four Irish boys from Gryffindor, Paul, Dave, Adam and Larry. The ten of them crammed into a single compartment.There was no quiet moment on that train ride for Liam to read the note in his pocket. He often forgot about it, except that a corner of it kept poking his thigh. He had no idea what the letter might say, but if Lara was keen about keeping it a secret, he figured he ought to be, too.No one slept on the ride home, with the Gryffindor boys in the car. They all wanted to see the Dragon Wand and hear the story of Liam's battle with the spider. Paul wanted to know more about Liam's quarrels with Cyrus from earlier in the term. Then Dave said he'd heard a rumour that Liam had been lectured by the Bloody Baron, so Liam had to tell that story, too.Before he knew it, they were at King's Cross. There were handshakes and backslaps all around. The Irish boys piled out into the hallway, Michael and Philip followed them, but Liam held back. He wanted to say his goodbyes to Sadie. Gillian too, had stayed behind. Her blue eyes flashed between the two.Sadie gazed up at him, and Liam was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "Hey, you all right?" he asked.
Give her a hug, stupid.
Liam put an arm around Sadie and said, "Have a good summer."She was crying now. She turned and nuzzled her face into his shirt. "You, too," she managed to say."I'll send you an owl," he told her, echoing another prompt from Gillian.Sadie slipped away and dried her eyes on a handkerchief. Gillian, with a sudden motion, gave Liam a firm hug. He found himself with a face full of red hair. She held him tightly and let out a long and beautiful laugh."What?" he asked.
Nothing. Something Lara told me.
"When?" he asked again, thinking of the note in his pocket.When I visited her in the hospital. I'll tell you later. But it would be years before she did so.Out of the compartment they came. Liam helped Sadie with her trunk, and then got his own. (The Roycester brothers had already retrieved Gillian's trunk.)Sadie and Liam walked through the barrier together, the last pair to do so. Around them were their friends, greeting family members and saying goodbye one last time.Sadie stopped short. There was a look of sad resignation on her face. Liam followed her eyes and saw his own family. There in the center of the group was Lara Guishar, and her father.Liam turned to Sadie and gave her a gentle pat on the back. "Have a good summer, okay? I will write you, I promise."Finally, she smiled. "Okay. I'll write you, too. Have a good summer." Her voice cracked, and she turned away and rushed to where her family was waiting.Liam made his way towards his family. Around him, he heard several calls of "Bye Wren! Have a good summer!" He waved but didn't see who was speaking to him. He got a firm hug from his mother, and a hearty handshake from his Uncle Charlie.Alex Guishar stood nearby with his hand on Lara's shoulder. "There's the lad," he said. "He saved my Larisa." He held out his hand, and Liam gave it a firm shake.Though he had yet to read the note, Liam said, "Thank you sir," for it seemed the right thing to say."A good day to you, Mrs. Wren," said Alex to Annie. Then, he led his daughter away into the crowd.Annie draped his arm around Liam and said, "That man, Alex, says that you saved his daughter's life, and that he's going to pay your tuition and books for the rest of your years at Hogwarts."That's what the note says, thought Liam. Then - She must know about the spider.Sure enough, Annie said, "We got a series of owls a few weeks ago. One saying that there had been an incident involving some students and one of the forest creatures, and that two students received minor injuries but that there was nothing to worry about. And then we got another saying that you were one of those students, and that you were not in any trouble but had acted quite bravely."It still didn't seem like you had been in any danger, but then we heard from the Guishars that you had saved their daughter's life, and that the creature was a . . . what was the word, Patrick?""Acromantula!" said Patrick eagerly. "A giant spider! and Liam killed it they said!""How big was this spider?" asked Annie.Charlie said, "Don't ask a question that you don't want to know the answer to, Annie." He put his arm around his sister and pulled her in the direction of the escalator. "Come on, let's go."Liam and his family walked to Platform Six for the train back to Biggleswade. Annie said, "Larisa, that's Alex's daughter's name.""Lara. Everybody calls her Lara.""I see. Is that the girl who was writing you at Christmas time?""No, that was Sadie.""That's right, Miss Thompson. Have we met her yet?""No. She came through the barrier with me.""The cute little brunette?" asked Charlie."Yeah.""And who was the redhead?" asked Charlie. "I saw her turn and wish you a happy summer.""Gillian.""So," said Annie, "there's Lara, Sadie and Gillian. Are there any other girls in your life?""I think that's one of those questions, Annie, that you don't want to know the answer to," said Charlie.Liam grinned, and Annie said, "You are your father's son."There were still no other Muggles about. Liam dug into his pocket for the note from Alex Guishar. His wrist brushed against the Dragon Wand. "Oh," said Liam. "I have a new wand.""Cool!" said Patrick.“I’ll show it to you when we get home. It’s got a little ring on it with a picture of a dragon.""Can I have your old one?" asked Patrick."Sure," said Liam. "Maybe it'll like you better," he added with a laugh.