Child Of Grace: Chapter 26 - Semper Fidelius (Part 2)
ZeldaQueen: Ladies and gentlemen, I am in a Bad Mood. Why? I read ahead in this fanfiction. I now am quite ready to storm ahead and get to several points, just so I can rip into the sheer fuckwittery that they are. So, let us proceed
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 26: Semper Fidelius (Part 2)
The next morning, Holly awoke very slowly with only a hint of lingering stiffness.
ZeldaQueen: ...I'd make a joke involving a three-way between herself, Riddle, and Sirius, but she's not the right sex for it to work. Unless she had that...erm changed at some point during the scene break
She ordered breakfast from the innkeeper when he knocked on her door and was provided with enough to more than feed both Sirius and her with half of it still left over. She showered and dressed next, while her male companions kept each other entertained in the room proper. The girl wasn't entirely sure what they did or said, but a great deal of the tension between the two was gone when she rejoined them.
ZeldaQueen: I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS! TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR A CHANGE! THIS IS HARRY POTTER, THAT SHOULDN'T BE SO DIFFICULT!
Afterwards, Holly insisted that she go out into Diagon Alley, and though neither of her companions was very pleased with it, they finally agreed.
ZeldaQueen: *weary* Why would they be bothered by her going into Diagon Alley? The only reason that everyone was worried about Harry going places was because they thought a crazed serial killer was after him. We've firmly established that Sirius is not a murderer, thus there is no reason for anyone in on that secret (read, both of Holly's room mates) to be worried
Tom transfigured Sirius back into the statuette, as there was a risk he would be discovered if left behind, before he went back into his diary.
ZeldaQueen: "Risk" my bum. Why a statuette? Why not change his physical appearance to look like someone different? Hermione was able to Transfigure Ron to look like a foreign wizard, after all. Just change his hair color, his physique, his facial features, something like that? Huh?
Finally, about an hour after she woke up, Holly left her room and ventured downstairs.
ZeldaQueen: And I'm such a better person for knowing that
She greeted the innkeeper, who beamed toothlessly at her, and inquired about sending a message to the Zabinis since Hedwig was currently with them. She wanted to let them know that they would have to pick her up there instead of at Privet Drive, but Tom the elder told her that they had already been informed about her stay at the Leaky Cauldron, although they didn't know why, and that they would arrive tomorrow morning.
ZeldaQueen: Get on with it!
The Slytherin thanked him and left, arriving at the gateway a moment later. It was easy enough to enter since she had watched Hagrid do it two years earlier, memorising his motions for future reference. The Alley itself was just like she remembered, though the crowds looked more subdued than before. Holly attributed it to the fact that the supposedly insane Sirius Black was on the loose, and her suspicion was all but confirmed when she noticed the close watch the shopkeepers were keeping on her as she ambled down the street.
ZeldaQueen: *singing to the Star Wars theme* Boooo-ring! This is so boooo-ring! I am so bored! Get on with the show!
Apparently, the Ministry had instructed them to do so.
ZeldaQueen: No, really? I always thought that when an insane murderer was on the loose, you should let the object of their obsession wander around without anyone making the slightest effort to protect her!
Seriously, what is with this chick and being annoyed that people are actively making an effort to look out for her well being? And no, don't tell me "she knows Sirius isn't really dangerous", bull hockey. Harry was still grateful for the efforts people put in to helping him, no matter what he knew.
Oh, and the suethor has no right to make it look like the Ministry doesn't give a flip about Holly, since they're clearing making a fairly decent effort here to keep her safe
Regardless of the myriad of eyes on her throughout her wanderings, the Slytherin still managed to enjoy her trip.
ZeldaQueen: Oh poor her! How does she put up with the attention of people making sure she's safe?
She went to Madam Malkin's and a few other clothing stores, picking up a number of robes, dresses, etc. Then, she sauntered over to the Apothecary, refilling her Potions kit and obtaining several other ingredients the owner recommended. Holly picked up her parchment, ink, and quills next and was on her way to the bookstore when a group of people in a shop caught her attention.
ZeldaQueen: I wish something in this fic would catch my attention. God in heaven, this is boring!
She strolled inside and over to the edge of the crowd, peering around a taller boy.
Just in front of her, mounted on a newly erect
ZeldaQueen: ACK!
ed podium, was the most beautiful broom Holly had ever seen. It was smooth and streamlined with an almost golden sheen and perfectly aligned birch twigs in the tail, and even from several feet away, she could feel the tingle of magic in it… feel its desire to be in the sky, flying as fast as it could.
ZeldaQueen: You know, this still just feels like the suethor is going through the motions. I never particularly got the feeling that Holly liked Quiddich. And am I the only one annoyed that she went and Sue-ed the Firebolt? It's a frigging broomstick! It doesn't have "desire"!
Around her, Holly could hear the various members of the crowd exclaiming that it was a prototype, the fastest broom in the world, and so on.
ZeldaQueen: Well, since the suethor can't be bothered to actually have them tell us...
She titled her head to the side to get a better look, actually managing to read the nearby sign when a particularly large witch stepped out of the way.
ZeldaQueen: Why is it that she makes even the most casual remarks sound bitchy?
THE FIREBOLT
This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a stream-lined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 250 mph in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable Braking charm. Price on request.
Exhaling, the Slytherin all but gaped at it for a few more minutes before managing to pull herself away.
ZeldaQueen: Yeah, what the heck? That was pretty much just a non sequitor. There's no talk about how she wants it. No mention of how she's tempted to buy it, even though it's probably ungodly expensive. None of the canon description of how her Nimbus is perfectly fine, establishing that she has a connection with her current broom. Nope, it's just trotted in and trotted out. What the heck?
With one final look, she headed off to Flourish and Blotts, which thankfully was Lockhart-free this year.
ZeldaQueen: Will you leave him alone?
She pulled out her list and wandered over to a cage full of The Monster Book of Monsters, which were snapping and snarling at one another. A manager came over a minute later, obviously peeved when he saw what she was looking at, and pulled on a thick pair of gloves. However, the pushy man gave an audible sigh of relief when she told him that she already had a copy and was happy enough to answer her question about how to open it.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, way to gloss over that and just suck all of the humor in the situation out.
Second of all, the manager didn't know how to open it! That's why they were all shoved in a cage! When you stroked their spines, they turned into ordinary books! Did you think the manager was letting them snarl and chew up each other for the amusement value? Bah, we all know why the suethor included that. She just didn't want her little Sue to look ignorant about it, like Harry did. Heaven forbid that happen
His good cheer continued as he handed Holly her three other course books, noticing that she was impressed by the size of her Arithmancy and Ancient Runes volumes.
ZeldaQueen: Because she's just so smart
Of course, she had to give a small laugh at one of the books from the Divination table as it featured a black dog that looked very similar to Sirius. The manager called the canine a Grim, mistaking her facial expression for unease. The girl simply shrugged at that and picked up several additional books, including the one on death omens, despite the manager's objections.
Luna, at least, would get a kick out of it.
ZeldaQueen: You know, I just wrote about how many similarities there are between this fic and the Twilight series. This is uncannily like that scene where Mike says that Edward looks at Bella like she's "something to eat" and Bella just laughs it off because, implications be damned, she knows better! Doesn't that just make her look so clever?
Yeah, it doesn't work any better here, plus it completely misses the point of introducing the Grim. Harry was worried that he was somehow cursed and fated to die soon, and thus it fit in with the overall theme in the books, that there is not fate. He wasn't destined to die and there was a mundane solution (or as mundane as things got in the books) for the "Grim" showing up. The suethor here seems to have missed that point. Are we surprised? No, we are not
Holly finished off her shopping with a quick stop at the candy store and the joke shop before heading back to her room.
ZeldaQueen: This pointlessness, brought to you by Child of Grace!
There, Tom transfigured the Animagus back into a regular dog and helped his friend shrink her things and organise her trunk. The rest of the day was spent in relative ease as Holly and Sirius talked and learned about each other with occasional comments from Tom when he wasn't absorbed in one of her new books.
ZeldaQueen: This is boring! Tell a story! This is even more boring than My Inner Life! At least that had the hilarious misspellings to make things interesting!
Holly spoke mostly about her time at Hogwarts, a few of her less dangerous escapades, her friends, and being Seeker on the Quidditch team. Sirius, in turn, talked of his own schooldays, telling her about several of the pranks he and his friends had pulled.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, pranks like hanging people who were minding their own business up by their ankles or tricking people into going into buildings with werewolves. I love how this is glossed over.
And yes, I know Sirius isn't an evil person. I just hate how every bad thing a person the suethor likes is quickly ignored
Altogether, it was a rather nice conversation, though it didn't occur to the girl until much later that she had neglected to mention she was a Slytherin. However, truthfully, the man hadn't asked either.
ZeldaQueen: Why would he care? He came from a family of Dark witches and wizards! He of all people ought to know that there are exceptions to rules for things like that!
That evening, they transfigured Sirius a few clothes to go with the shirt and pants Tom had made him the night before to sleep in. They were simple but serviceable and much better than his prison robes.
ZeldaQueen: Okay, what's the point of taking time to tell us this?
Further, Holly used her wand to great effect, trimming his hair. It was something she saw as a necessity, especially since he had spent almost an hour attempting to detangle his long mane after his bath. It was now roughly shoulder-length, though it was still a bit greasy and stringy from years of neglect. Sirius himself took care of his beard, now completely clean shaven, and that simple act made him look years younger, much closer to his true age.
ZeldaQueen: ... She just Sue-ed up Sirius. Shoot me now!
The only real problems he had left to deal with were his teeth and supreme thinness. His mouth he would take care of in the morning, and a few weeks of regular meals would cure his emaciation with a little help from a few potions. Regardless, he looked much better than before, and his transformation from half-starved criminal to semi-respectable looking wizard was nothing short of miraculous.
ZeldaQueen: HE WAS SUE-ED! And to top it off, this is another lame attempt to make Holly look better! Look, she got Sirius all fixed up! Isn't she nice? No, I don't think she is! I remember how she treated Ginny and Colin. I know how she continues to treat Ron and Hermione. Shut up!
The next day, the three of them were up and about at sunrise. The Zabinis were supposed to arrive at eight, and Holly could barely contain herself. While she had missed all the members of the family, it was Blaise that she longed to see the most. He was her best friend, so it was understandable that she would miss him greatly. Still, it almost felt like there was more to it than that. She missed Luna, Draco, and all the others, but not the way she missed Blaise. And she couldn't quite figure out what was different.
ZeldaQueen: Heavy-handed romance, ahoy!
And I guess we technically can't pull the age card anymore, since this was the year when Harry started to crush on Cho. Still, that was just butterflies in the stomach
Shaking her head at that, she set about getting rid of the extra bed Tom had made for Sirius and packing her things, which had mysteriously become scattered about her room the night before.
ZeldaQueen: Oh my God, they were having a three-way!!!
The Slytherin was just about finished with only her Pocket Sneakoscope left, but she couldn't seem to find it anywhere. Already, Holly had already been searching for five minutes, and she knew for a fact that it wasn't in her trunk as Tom had been looking at it the night before. The girl had a sneaking suspicion that he had done so to confirm that Sirius was indeed trustworthy, not that she could really blame him for his scepticism.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, this is just pointless. You don't need to devote this much detail to a simple search for an item.
Second of all, why is he still so suspicious? By now, Holly's read his mind, I'm pretty sure Riddle's read his mind, and Sirius pretty much gave a full confession to them all!
And the final judge is going to be a cheap Dark magic detector. Which can be fooled. Right
Nevertheless, Holly was becoming rather frustrated. In fact, she was on the verge of asking Sirius, who was spelling his teeth back to some semblance of normalcy with her wand, to summon it.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, if Sirius could use magic to fix his own teeth, why didn't he do that in canon? It's not like wands are hard to get a hold of.
Second of all, why can't she do the Summoning? She's in a place full of magic folk, so the Ministry shouldn't notice or care if she does magic herself. I'm sick of how she never does anything herself!
The girl was in the process of doing so, growling to herself and fiercely wishing that she could just find the blasted thing…
When like magic, there it was. The Sneakoscope all but flew out from under the bed, landing neatly in the palm of her hand. Both of the male occupants of the room instantly whirled around, eyes riveting to her and all but demanding an explanation.
ZeldaQueen: How utterly strange! Here they are in a magical place, full of magical people, and the Sneakoscope appears, just like magic! I really don't see how this can be explained!
However, one wasn't forthcoming.
ZeldaQueen: Otherwise, the Sue couldn't angst
The unexpected tingling in Holly's brain immediately let her know that her telekinesis was once more making itself known, but she wasn't about to say that. Her magic had settled some directly after the Marge incident, but apparently, it was back in full force now, churning throughout her. Still, she really couldn't say anything about it at the moment as only one of her companions had any idea what was going on. It wasn't that she distrusted Sirius, but her Mind Magic was something very personal that she had only shared with her closest confidants. Plus, she wanted to get to know the man a bit better before she dropped the bombshell.
ZeldaQueen: The Angst Alert has been turned off. You may remove your helmets and undo your seatbelts. We shall let you know when the Alert is back on, probably in the next few seconds
As such, she merely brushed off the incident, pointedly ignoring the anxious looks she was receiving. Tom picked up on her unspoken message and went back to his book, occasionally glancing at her over the top. Sirius just continued watching for several more moments, a strange and thoughtful expression on his face.
ZeldaQueen: For the love of fuck, this shouldn't be getting so much attention!
By the time eight rolled around, everything was in order, though there was an edge of tension to the room. Holly was practically dancing from foot to foot, a rather unusual thing for her, as she tried to contain both her magic and her excitement at seeing Blaise again.
ZeldaQueen: Maybe she should trying taking a pee. That works wonders
Nonetheless, she did finally settle down when Tom threatened to force feed her one of the Calming draughts they had brewed earlier in the summer.
ZeldaQueen: How charming, he's basically threatening to medicate her against her will. This is almost as charming as Edward telling the nurses to medicate Bella when she clearly doesn't want to be
Putting on her best Slytherin mask,
ZeldaQueen: *rolls eyes so hard she nearly injures the muscles*
she did the final checks on all her trunk, making sure everything was in place. Sirius was already in miniature form, tucked into a pocket of her robe, and Tom was just about to enter the diary.
ZeldaQueen: Is that like entering the Twilight Zone?
Nodding to herself, Holly was all ready to head downstairs when there was a loud knock on the door. Tom instantly disappeared as the girl motioned to him and wandered over to the entrance, wondering who it could be. She reached out with her mental senses as she opened the door, but the entire exercise became rather moot when she was immediately grabbed, arms circling around her. Surprise surged through her, but she successfully conquered the impulse to struggle as she realised just who her attacker was. Her magic, which had blazed up at her shock, instantly calmed.
ZeldaQueen: If anyone can give me a satisfactory explanation for that sentence, including what, precisely, it meant, why it was dragged out so long, and why Holly is suspicious of a knock on the door when she's expecting company, I'll give them a cookie
"Hi, Blaise," Holly said, though her voice was rather muffled due to the fact her face was pressed into the boy's shoulder.
ZeldaQueen: Well that's odd! She was expecting Blaise to come pick her up at any second, yet there's Blaise at the door! I'm baffled
"Holly," he breathed, squeezing her even tighter. The girl was about to protest, claiming that she needed air, when he pulled back to look at her. "I'm so glad that you're all right. I was so worried."
ZeldaQueen: And she's not freaking out at this huge violation of space and contact after a summer of being beaten and nearly molested, why?
"I'm fine, Blaise. Perfectly fine," she replied, smiling up at him and belatedly noticing that he had grown over the summer. Holly glanced over to the side, noting the other person there. "Hello, Mr. Zabini… Dante."
ZeldaQueen: It's the guy with the peake that goes volcanic! Hey dude, the people who live in your town are total morons
She moved to greet him, but Blaise held her tight.
ZeldaQueen: Seriously, this is creepy. Why are these people constantly clinging to her?
"Hello, Holly," the older male returned, beaming at her as she finally extricated herself from Blaise.
But instead of shaking her hand, Dante gave her another embrace.
ZeldaQueen: Considering that she probably hasn't known this guy personally for very long, that seems rather inappropriate
Holly flushed with embarrassment and more than a hint of happiness, but she didn't have time to do much of anything else as Blaise immediately grabbed her hand and led her back into her room. The door clicked shut behind his father, and her friend led her to the bed, all but pushing her to sit on it and moving down next to her.
ZeldaQueen: Stop pawing her up! This is creepier than Edward carrying Bella everywhere!
"Are you sure that you're fine, Holly," the boy inquired with concern, carefully looking her over.
ZeldaQueen: But not with enough concern to use a question mark
"The Auror sent us a message, saying that you had runaway from the Dursleys, and I can't see you doing that unless something awful happened."
ZeldaQueen: So the Auror could locate them to send a message, but couldn't send Holly directly there. Right.
And he can't see her being an angsty little drama queen? He clearly doesn't know her very well
Holly's lingering blush turned an even deeper red. "Er… not really. Look, I'll explain after we leave. I don't want to repeat myself, and Eren's sure to ask as well," she deftly brushed off the rest of the conversation, not really wanting to explain and citing the fact that she'd only have to tell everything again.
ZeldaQueen: I'm fairly certain that Holly's motives for not explaining are repeated twice there. I'm really certain that it's stupid and redundant
The others seemed to accept this, backing off.
ZeldaQueen: And yet he can't back off and stop grabbing her like a five-year-old with a teddy bear
Knowing they weren't about to get more out of her, Blaise questioned. "Well, then… are you ready to go, Holly?"
ZeldaQueen: You know, "'Well then, are you ready to go, Holly?' questioned Blaise, knowing they weren't about to get more out of her'" would have been a lot less awkward
"Yes, we must be going," Dante added, shrinking her trunk and stowing it in his pocket. "Eren's told me that she has exciting news to share, and she wouldn't tell us until you came."
ZeldaQueen: Wait, Eren's Blaise's mom? Holly's thirteen years old and refers to her friend's parents by their first names? Is it weird that I still used "Mister" and "Missus" at that time?
Holly lounged on Blaise's bed that evening.
ZeldaQueen: Evidently he'd left to get the cigarettes
She had been right when she had thought that she would only have to repeat her tell of woe, and the brief respite she been allowed had given her the opportunity to get it straight.
ZeldaQueen: *states* She...actually used the phrase "tale of woe". Or rather, tell of woe. I'm not sure whether to laugh, scream, sob, or make a Romeo and Juliet joke
She couldn't exactly mention Tom's part in all of it or Sirius', so the girl was forced to abbreviate her story quite a bit.
ZeldaQueen: Um, yeah. What's left?
She had basically told them that she'd had an argument with Vernon's sister and that she had left when Marge seemed ready for violence. Tom, the tattle-tell that he was, had unfortunately told Blaise a more complete version, including the part about her broken wrist.
ZeldaQueen: Why would she care if Riddle told Blaise that? Isn't Blaise her darling dearest who she keeps no secrets from?
And inversely, if she doesn't want to tell him something, that's her own fucking business and that ghost-memory bastard should mind his own business
The only thing he left out was mention of Sirius as Holly didn't feel it was the proper time yet, especially with so many people popping in and out all day.
ZeldaQueen: Or, she's an angsty little toad who wants to milk that drama llama for all it's worth
Tom had actually been forced to remain in his diary most of the morning and afternoon since the other members of the family and the house-elves had been around, and he was only now able to come out. Regardless, the two had agreed to tell Blaise the entire story after nightfall when there would a lower chance of them being overheard.
ZeldaQueen: That's nice. Why don't you repeat this for someone who cares?
Aside from the last two points, Holly's day had been hitch free and rather enjoyable, especially with the fact that Eren Zabini had some interesting and exciting news of her own.
ZeldaQueen: She's really a man?
"I can't believe your mum is having another baby," Holly said, leaning against the pillows. "And I can't believe she waited until I was there to tell everyone."
ZeldaQueen: Yeah, why would she wait? Her son only started dragging this chick over to the house two years ago, it's not like she's a close family friend
Blaise beamed from beside her. "Well, she's sort of like your mum, too, so it's only fair that she announce it when you were here.
ZeldaQueen: Two years, suethor. Two years
Though honestly, I can scarcely comprehend it myself."
ZeldaQueen: Well Blaise, when a man loves a woman and she loves him back, there's some powerful urges between the two...
"It is kind of hard to believe," Tom said from the chair in the corner, his diary nearby just in case someone decided to pop in on them.
ZeldaQueen: Oh. He doesn't need The Talk? *puts away knitted sock bag and rubber chicken with some disappointment*
"Most wizarding families don't have more than three children, if they even get that far to begin with. Truthfully, it isn't that unusual to only have two."
ZeldaQueen: What? Why? *suspicious* Is this a jab at the Weasleys?
He idly fingered
ZeldaQueen: STOP USING THAT WORD!
the wand Blaise had found for him, which had once belonged to his grandfather. It wasn't a perfect match, but it was more than acceptable, not to mention that he didn't have any other options.
ZeldaQueen: So apparently the family just has unused wands out the wazoo lying around. Whatever
"I can't really think of anyone with more than that many," the oldest Slytherin added after a second.
"Except the Weasleys," Holly laughed, but then, her face took on a more serious expression.
ZeldaQueen: Yep, I knew it. And why did she suddenly become serious? Is she trying to pass herself as being respectful? Because it's not working
"Well, they've always been a fertile lot," Blaise put in with a grin of his own. "I think it's part of their family magic."
ZeldaQueen: Leave the Weasleys alone! They're a million times better than any of you!
And considering that Blaise's mother is the one having another kid, it's pretty rich of him to laugh at a family for being "fertile"
He continued to smile, only to notice that neither of his friends seemed to be doing the same. Instead, they were exchanging strange looks.
"What?" He eyed both of them. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
"Well," Holly began, turning to him, "not wrong per se."
Her eyes flickered to Tom and then back to the other boy. She took a deep breath before launching into an explanation about their newest addition.
ZeldaQueen: Okay, how did the topic of the size of the Weasley family lead to them telling about Sirius? I could understand if Holly saw them as a surrogate family, like Harry did, but she hates them!
To say that Blaise was shocked was an understatement, but he surprisingly seemed to take the news rather well. All it took was for Holly to say that she believed Sirius' story; her friend trusted her judgement that much. Of course, it was rather hard to lie to someone who read minds, so it was rather understandable.
ZeldaQueen: Except for Tom, who's a sneaky, suspicious bastard, but that's ignored.
And what do y'all want to bet that Ron and Hermione are going to be reasonably afraid of Sirius later and Holly's going to take the higher moral ground and look like a bitch in the process?
There was only one part of Holly's story that he really reacted to, except it wasn't anything that had to do with Sirius.
ZeldaQueen: I guess he wasn't bothered that his best friend started to drag around a guy who was arrested for murder
When she got to the part about Remus, Blaise violently shuddered, and his thoughts turned oddly blank. But he quickly shook off their questioning expressions and redirected the conversation back to the Animagus. Holly watched him closely but didn't press, deciding to ask him about it later when they were alone.
ZeldaQueen: This isn't going to launch into an aesop about tolerance via werewolves, is it? Because if Holly tries to lecture anyone on tolerance, I'm going to pitch my laptop out the window
"We have to tell my parents," Blaise insisted when she had finally finished. "After we explain, they'll be sure to help us."
ZeldaQueen: How're they going to manage that? Holly never tells anyone outside of her toadies that she's telepathic and it's their word against rather convincing evidence that Sirius is a nutter and a killer
Tom frowned, twirling his new wand. "I don't think that is a good idea. How would you explain all this?" He paused, thinking it over. "I can just imagine you trying to tell them during breakfast."
ZeldaQueen: That's actually kind of logical. Who'd a thunk it?
Holly nodded. "It'd probably be something along the lines of: 'I'm so happy you're having a baby, Eren. Isn't it wonderful? Oh, guess what. This is Sirius. He's an escaped criminal! And did I mention that he supposedly works for Voldemort? Please pass the toast.'"
ZeldaQueen: I know that's supposed to be funny, but it's not. Anyway, why wouldn't they know who Sirius was already? The entire wizarding world was looking for him. Hell, they got the entire Muggle world looking for him. They bring him into the dining room and Blaise's parents ought to be calling for the Ministry in seconds flat
"I see your point," Blaise conceded. "But what else did he say? Does he know where Pettigrew is? How did he even escape in the first place?" The boy exhaled slowly. "I mean, Dementors guard Azkaban, and they're supposed to seriously weaken people. That alone should have prevented him from leaving. And for that matter, how did he manage to keep his magic so intact? He's only been out a week or two… at most! Yet, he was recovered enough to cast already."
ZeldaQueen: *bored* Oh boy, I sense that more sources of conflict are going to be spoiled soon. The fact that they're already identifying them is bad news
Holly rubbed her hand over her face. "I'm not sure of the answers to any of those. Sirius hinted that he knows where Pettigrew is, but he won't tells us where," she said, tapping her chin with her index finger. "I tried to read his thoughts, but they were cloudy. I could get enough to know he was telling the truth, but that was about it. Everything else was shielded." She considered the problem.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, why wouldn't he tell Holly where Pettigrew is? He thinks the guy's going to try to kill her. Why wouldn't he warn her where to avoid him?
Second of all, did she just call the fact that she can't poke around in for private information in Sirius's head - information which he clearly didn't want her to know - a "problem"?
*screams in fury*
"Also," Tom picked up the conversation,
ZeldaQueen: It fell off of the table and was leaking water all over the floor
"he said he would transform in his cell. Dementors don't have the same effect on animals as they do on people. Their abilities are diluted, not as strong, so I suppose as a dog he was protected." He glanced to Holly.
ZeldaQueen: That would make a lot more sense IF WE HAD HEARD HIM TELLING THEM THAT!
Seriously, the suethor skipped it!!! How does she miss this?
"Apparently, he was visited by Fudge," the girl went on. "I guess you could say that it woke him up, gave him something to focus on… enough drive to escape. Sirius just squeezed through the bars as a dog and swam to shore." She shook her head. "But I'm not certain that's the entire story. It feels like he's leaving something out."
ZeldaQueen: (Suethor) "LOOK AT HOW SMART MY CHARACTER IS! DON'T YOU WISH HARRY WAS THIS SMART? HE NEVER FIGURED OUT ALL OF THE MYSTERIES WITHIN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS!!!"
"I agree," Tom inserted, "but there really isn't much we can do about that now. We'll just have to watch and see if he'll let anything slip."
ZeldaQueen: Like a banana peel
Blaise said, "Or hope that he'll eventually tell us."
ZeldaQueen: That's probably what'll happen. The Sue will never shut up until he caves in and gives her her way
He sighed. "Where is he now? I suppose that we should to turn him back."
ZeldaQueen: Oh yes, I guess you should turn him back from being an immobile and helpless and possibly sentient statuette! *snarls*
"Here." Holly reached into her robe pocket, producing the little, black dog. "Tom did an extended transfiguration so that we could leave him like that for a few days if need be," she informed her year-mate. "Are you sure you want us to change him back?"
ZeldaQueen: This is disturbing. I hate these people
Blaise hesitated for a minute. "Yes, if you say he's trustworthy… then he is. It's as simple as that."
ZeldaQueen: Hey, it's not like his parents are going to notice a strange, smelly adult escaped convict wandering around their home
He frowned unexpectedly.
"What is it?" Tom questioned, stopping just as he was about to cast. "Did you change your mind?"
ZeldaQueen: And did he get a better one? *snigger*
The other boy shook his head. "No… I had a quick question though." He rubbed his hand over his cheek.
ZeldaQueen: (Blaise) "Does this tanning job make my eyes pop?"
"Yes?" Holly asked.
Her friend pinched the bridge of his nose.
ZeldaQueen: (Blaise) "When was the last time you bathed? You smell like Pepe le Pew after he fell in a vat of year-old garbage!"
"Well… what are we going to tell Draco and Luna?"
ZeldaQueen: A weird hobo who looks uncannily like the murderer in the newspapers followed Holly home one day and she decided to keep him?
Semper Fidelius: Always Faithful, Always True
ZeldaQueen: Actually, it's "Semper Fidelis", with no "u"
AN: Okay, boys and girls, I need a name for Blaise's new brother/sister. I won't tell you what gender as I am not really sure myself yet. I'm willing to be swayed either way since my muse is feeling rather fickle lately, though I'm leaning more towards one than the other. Yes, the baby is a plot point for this story and is actually somewhat important.
ZeldaQueen: If the baby is so important to the plot later on, why can't you figure out this stuff?
Also, things will start to pick up next chapter… finally. They should make it all the way through the summer and back to school.
ZeldaQueen: Thank the lord almighty. Even if that cake is a lie, it's still a comforting thought
Oh, I know their reactions to Remus are a bit peculiar, but I think they fit with the characters.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, they fit perfectly with the personalities of this collection of bigoted and hateful characters
Tom and Holly are both Mind Mages, so they will tend not to be as prejudiced against others.
ZeldaQueen: They only hate people who spite them or don't do what they say
There is a specific reason for Blaise's reaction, which will come into play later on.
ZeldaQueen: *dully* Oh goody, I can't wait
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks.
ZeldaQueen: But no thanks
Special thanks to Our Catholic Faith (online) for the Latin translation.
ZeldaQueen: For the chapter title? Erm, that's a very popular Latin slogan and is the motto of the frigging United States Marines. It's hardly obscure. It'd be like crediting a translator for transcribing "E pluribus unum"
Chapter Twenty-Five: Draco Demented
ZeldaQueen: I'll say!
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZeldaQueen: On a happier note, let's all wish winki_pop a very happy birthday!
Onward to: Chapter 27: Draco Demented (Part 1)
Back to: Chapter 26: Semper Fidelius (Part 1)
Return to: Table of Contents
Projection Room Voices: Starting Media in 3...2...1...
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Chapter 26: Semper Fidelius (Part 2)
The next morning, Holly awoke very slowly with only a hint of lingering stiffness.
ZeldaQueen: ...I'd make a joke involving a three-way between herself, Riddle, and Sirius, but she's not the right sex for it to work. Unless she had that...erm changed at some point during the scene break
She ordered breakfast from the innkeeper when he knocked on her door and was provided with enough to more than feed both Sirius and her with half of it still left over. She showered and dressed next, while her male companions kept each other entertained in the room proper. The girl wasn't entirely sure what they did or said, but a great deal of the tension between the two was gone when she rejoined them.
ZeldaQueen: I DON'T CARE ABOUT THIS! TELL US ABOUT SOMETHING INTERESTING FOR A CHANGE! THIS IS HARRY POTTER, THAT SHOULDN'T BE SO DIFFICULT!
Afterwards, Holly insisted that she go out into Diagon Alley, and though neither of her companions was very pleased with it, they finally agreed.
ZeldaQueen: *weary* Why would they be bothered by her going into Diagon Alley? The only reason that everyone was worried about Harry going places was because they thought a crazed serial killer was after him. We've firmly established that Sirius is not a murderer, thus there is no reason for anyone in on that secret (read, both of Holly's room mates) to be worried
Tom transfigured Sirius back into the statuette, as there was a risk he would be discovered if left behind, before he went back into his diary.
ZeldaQueen: "Risk" my bum. Why a statuette? Why not change his physical appearance to look like someone different? Hermione was able to Transfigure Ron to look like a foreign wizard, after all. Just change his hair color, his physique, his facial features, something like that? Huh?
Finally, about an hour after she woke up, Holly left her room and ventured downstairs.
ZeldaQueen: And I'm such a better person for knowing that
She greeted the innkeeper, who beamed toothlessly at her, and inquired about sending a message to the Zabinis since Hedwig was currently with them. She wanted to let them know that they would have to pick her up there instead of at Privet Drive, but Tom the elder told her that they had already been informed about her stay at the Leaky Cauldron, although they didn't know why, and that they would arrive tomorrow morning.
ZeldaQueen: Get on with it!
The Slytherin thanked him and left, arriving at the gateway a moment later. It was easy enough to enter since she had watched Hagrid do it two years earlier, memorising his motions for future reference. The Alley itself was just like she remembered, though the crowds looked more subdued than before. Holly attributed it to the fact that the supposedly insane Sirius Black was on the loose, and her suspicion was all but confirmed when she noticed the close watch the shopkeepers were keeping on her as she ambled down the street.
ZeldaQueen: *singing to the Star Wars theme* Boooo-ring! This is so boooo-ring! I am so bored! Get on with the show!
Apparently, the Ministry had instructed them to do so.
ZeldaQueen: No, really? I always thought that when an insane murderer was on the loose, you should let the object of their obsession wander around without anyone making the slightest effort to protect her!
Seriously, what is with this chick and being annoyed that people are actively making an effort to look out for her well being? And no, don't tell me "she knows Sirius isn't really dangerous", bull hockey. Harry was still grateful for the efforts people put in to helping him, no matter what he knew.
Oh, and the suethor has no right to make it look like the Ministry doesn't give a flip about Holly, since they're clearing making a fairly decent effort here to keep her safe
Regardless of the myriad of eyes on her throughout her wanderings, the Slytherin still managed to enjoy her trip.
ZeldaQueen: Oh poor her! How does she put up with the attention of people making sure she's safe?
She went to Madam Malkin's and a few other clothing stores, picking up a number of robes, dresses, etc. Then, she sauntered over to the Apothecary, refilling her Potions kit and obtaining several other ingredients the owner recommended. Holly picked up her parchment, ink, and quills next and was on her way to the bookstore when a group of people in a shop caught her attention.
ZeldaQueen: I wish something in this fic would catch my attention. God in heaven, this is boring!
She strolled inside and over to the edge of the crowd, peering around a taller boy.
Just in front of her, mounted on a newly erect
ZeldaQueen: ACK!
ed podium, was the most beautiful broom Holly had ever seen. It was smooth and streamlined with an almost golden sheen and perfectly aligned birch twigs in the tail, and even from several feet away, she could feel the tingle of magic in it… feel its desire to be in the sky, flying as fast as it could.
ZeldaQueen: You know, this still just feels like the suethor is going through the motions. I never particularly got the feeling that Holly liked Quiddich. And am I the only one annoyed that she went and Sue-ed the Firebolt? It's a frigging broomstick! It doesn't have "desire"!
Around her, Holly could hear the various members of the crowd exclaiming that it was a prototype, the fastest broom in the world, and so on.
ZeldaQueen: Well, since the suethor can't be bothered to actually have them tell us...
She titled her head to the side to get a better look, actually managing to read the nearby sign when a particularly large witch stepped out of the way.
ZeldaQueen: Why is it that she makes even the most casual remarks sound bitchy?
THE FIREBOLT
This state-of-the-art racing broom sports a stream-lined, superfine handle of ash, treated with a diamond-hard polish and hand-numbered with its own registration number. Each individually selected birch twig in the broomtail has been honed to aerodynamic perfection, giving the Firebolt unsurpassable balance and pinpoint precision. The Firebolt has an acceleration of 250 mph in ten seconds and incorporates an unbreakable Braking charm. Price on request.
Exhaling, the Slytherin all but gaped at it for a few more minutes before managing to pull herself away.
ZeldaQueen: Yeah, what the heck? That was pretty much just a non sequitor. There's no talk about how she wants it. No mention of how she's tempted to buy it, even though it's probably ungodly expensive. None of the canon description of how her Nimbus is perfectly fine, establishing that she has a connection with her current broom. Nope, it's just trotted in and trotted out. What the heck?
With one final look, she headed off to Flourish and Blotts, which thankfully was Lockhart-free this year.
ZeldaQueen: Will you leave him alone?
She pulled out her list and wandered over to a cage full of The Monster Book of Monsters, which were snapping and snarling at one another. A manager came over a minute later, obviously peeved when he saw what she was looking at, and pulled on a thick pair of gloves. However, the pushy man gave an audible sigh of relief when she told him that she already had a copy and was happy enough to answer her question about how to open it.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, way to gloss over that and just suck all of the humor in the situation out.
Second of all, the manager didn't know how to open it! That's why they were all shoved in a cage! When you stroked their spines, they turned into ordinary books! Did you think the manager was letting them snarl and chew up each other for the amusement value? Bah, we all know why the suethor included that. She just didn't want her little Sue to look ignorant about it, like Harry did. Heaven forbid that happen
His good cheer continued as he handed Holly her three other course books, noticing that she was impressed by the size of her Arithmancy and Ancient Runes volumes.
ZeldaQueen: Because she's just so smart
Of course, she had to give a small laugh at one of the books from the Divination table as it featured a black dog that looked very similar to Sirius. The manager called the canine a Grim, mistaking her facial expression for unease. The girl simply shrugged at that and picked up several additional books, including the one on death omens, despite the manager's objections.
Luna, at least, would get a kick out of it.
ZeldaQueen: You know, I just wrote about how many similarities there are between this fic and the Twilight series. This is uncannily like that scene where Mike says that Edward looks at Bella like she's "something to eat" and Bella just laughs it off because, implications be damned, she knows better! Doesn't that just make her look so clever?
Yeah, it doesn't work any better here, plus it completely misses the point of introducing the Grim. Harry was worried that he was somehow cursed and fated to die soon, and thus it fit in with the overall theme in the books, that there is not fate. He wasn't destined to die and there was a mundane solution (or as mundane as things got in the books) for the "Grim" showing up. The suethor here seems to have missed that point. Are we surprised? No, we are not
Holly finished off her shopping with a quick stop at the candy store and the joke shop before heading back to her room.
ZeldaQueen: This pointlessness, brought to you by Child of Grace!
There, Tom transfigured the Animagus back into a regular dog and helped his friend shrink her things and organise her trunk. The rest of the day was spent in relative ease as Holly and Sirius talked and learned about each other with occasional comments from Tom when he wasn't absorbed in one of her new books.
ZeldaQueen: This is boring! Tell a story! This is even more boring than My Inner Life! At least that had the hilarious misspellings to make things interesting!
Holly spoke mostly about her time at Hogwarts, a few of her less dangerous escapades, her friends, and being Seeker on the Quidditch team. Sirius, in turn, talked of his own schooldays, telling her about several of the pranks he and his friends had pulled.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, pranks like hanging people who were minding their own business up by their ankles or tricking people into going into buildings with werewolves. I love how this is glossed over.
And yes, I know Sirius isn't an evil person. I just hate how every bad thing a person the suethor likes is quickly ignored
Altogether, it was a rather nice conversation, though it didn't occur to the girl until much later that she had neglected to mention she was a Slytherin. However, truthfully, the man hadn't asked either.
ZeldaQueen: Why would he care? He came from a family of Dark witches and wizards! He of all people ought to know that there are exceptions to rules for things like that!
That evening, they transfigured Sirius a few clothes to go with the shirt and pants Tom had made him the night before to sleep in. They were simple but serviceable and much better than his prison robes.
ZeldaQueen: Okay, what's the point of taking time to tell us this?
Further, Holly used her wand to great effect, trimming his hair. It was something she saw as a necessity, especially since he had spent almost an hour attempting to detangle his long mane after his bath. It was now roughly shoulder-length, though it was still a bit greasy and stringy from years of neglect. Sirius himself took care of his beard, now completely clean shaven, and that simple act made him look years younger, much closer to his true age.
ZeldaQueen: ... She just Sue-ed up Sirius. Shoot me now!
The only real problems he had left to deal with were his teeth and supreme thinness. His mouth he would take care of in the morning, and a few weeks of regular meals would cure his emaciation with a little help from a few potions. Regardless, he looked much better than before, and his transformation from half-starved criminal to semi-respectable looking wizard was nothing short of miraculous.
ZeldaQueen: HE WAS SUE-ED! And to top it off, this is another lame attempt to make Holly look better! Look, she got Sirius all fixed up! Isn't she nice? No, I don't think she is! I remember how she treated Ginny and Colin. I know how she continues to treat Ron and Hermione. Shut up!
The next day, the three of them were up and about at sunrise. The Zabinis were supposed to arrive at eight, and Holly could barely contain herself. While she had missed all the members of the family, it was Blaise that she longed to see the most. He was her best friend, so it was understandable that she would miss him greatly. Still, it almost felt like there was more to it than that. She missed Luna, Draco, and all the others, but not the way she missed Blaise. And she couldn't quite figure out what was different.
ZeldaQueen: Heavy-handed romance, ahoy!
And I guess we technically can't pull the age card anymore, since this was the year when Harry started to crush on Cho. Still, that was just butterflies in the stomach
Shaking her head at that, she set about getting rid of the extra bed Tom had made for Sirius and packing her things, which had mysteriously become scattered about her room the night before.
ZeldaQueen: Oh my God, they were having a three-way!!!
The Slytherin was just about finished with only her Pocket Sneakoscope left, but she couldn't seem to find it anywhere. Already, Holly had already been searching for five minutes, and she knew for a fact that it wasn't in her trunk as Tom had been looking at it the night before. The girl had a sneaking suspicion that he had done so to confirm that Sirius was indeed trustworthy, not that she could really blame him for his scepticism.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, this is just pointless. You don't need to devote this much detail to a simple search for an item.
Second of all, why is he still so suspicious? By now, Holly's read his mind, I'm pretty sure Riddle's read his mind, and Sirius pretty much gave a full confession to them all!
And the final judge is going to be a cheap Dark magic detector. Which can be fooled. Right
Nevertheless, Holly was becoming rather frustrated. In fact, she was on the verge of asking Sirius, who was spelling his teeth back to some semblance of normalcy with her wand, to summon it.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, if Sirius could use magic to fix his own teeth, why didn't he do that in canon? It's not like wands are hard to get a hold of.
Second of all, why can't she do the Summoning? She's in a place full of magic folk, so the Ministry shouldn't notice or care if she does magic herself. I'm sick of how she never does anything herself!
The girl was in the process of doing so, growling to herself and fiercely wishing that she could just find the blasted thing…
When like magic, there it was. The Sneakoscope all but flew out from under the bed, landing neatly in the palm of her hand. Both of the male occupants of the room instantly whirled around, eyes riveting to her and all but demanding an explanation.
ZeldaQueen: How utterly strange! Here they are in a magical place, full of magical people, and the Sneakoscope appears, just like magic! I really don't see how this can be explained!
However, one wasn't forthcoming.
ZeldaQueen: Otherwise, the Sue couldn't angst
The unexpected tingling in Holly's brain immediately let her know that her telekinesis was once more making itself known, but she wasn't about to say that. Her magic had settled some directly after the Marge incident, but apparently, it was back in full force now, churning throughout her. Still, she really couldn't say anything about it at the moment as only one of her companions had any idea what was going on. It wasn't that she distrusted Sirius, but her Mind Magic was something very personal that she had only shared with her closest confidants. Plus, she wanted to get to know the man a bit better before she dropped the bombshell.
ZeldaQueen: The Angst Alert has been turned off. You may remove your helmets and undo your seatbelts. We shall let you know when the Alert is back on, probably in the next few seconds
As such, she merely brushed off the incident, pointedly ignoring the anxious looks she was receiving. Tom picked up on her unspoken message and went back to his book, occasionally glancing at her over the top. Sirius just continued watching for several more moments, a strange and thoughtful expression on his face.
ZeldaQueen: For the love of fuck, this shouldn't be getting so much attention!
By the time eight rolled around, everything was in order, though there was an edge of tension to the room. Holly was practically dancing from foot to foot, a rather unusual thing for her, as she tried to contain both her magic and her excitement at seeing Blaise again.
ZeldaQueen: Maybe she should trying taking a pee. That works wonders
Nonetheless, she did finally settle down when Tom threatened to force feed her one of the Calming draughts they had brewed earlier in the summer.
ZeldaQueen: How charming, he's basically threatening to medicate her against her will. This is almost as charming as Edward telling the nurses to medicate Bella when she clearly doesn't want to be
Putting on her best Slytherin mask,
ZeldaQueen: *rolls eyes so hard she nearly injures the muscles*
she did the final checks on all her trunk, making sure everything was in place. Sirius was already in miniature form, tucked into a pocket of her robe, and Tom was just about to enter the diary.
ZeldaQueen: Is that like entering the Twilight Zone?
Nodding to herself, Holly was all ready to head downstairs when there was a loud knock on the door. Tom instantly disappeared as the girl motioned to him and wandered over to the entrance, wondering who it could be. She reached out with her mental senses as she opened the door, but the entire exercise became rather moot when she was immediately grabbed, arms circling around her. Surprise surged through her, but she successfully conquered the impulse to struggle as she realised just who her attacker was. Her magic, which had blazed up at her shock, instantly calmed.
ZeldaQueen: If anyone can give me a satisfactory explanation for that sentence, including what, precisely, it meant, why it was dragged out so long, and why Holly is suspicious of a knock on the door when she's expecting company, I'll give them a cookie
"Hi, Blaise," Holly said, though her voice was rather muffled due to the fact her face was pressed into the boy's shoulder.
ZeldaQueen: Well that's odd! She was expecting Blaise to come pick her up at any second, yet there's Blaise at the door! I'm baffled
"Holly," he breathed, squeezing her even tighter. The girl was about to protest, claiming that she needed air, when he pulled back to look at her. "I'm so glad that you're all right. I was so worried."
ZeldaQueen: And she's not freaking out at this huge violation of space and contact after a summer of being beaten and nearly molested, why?
"I'm fine, Blaise. Perfectly fine," she replied, smiling up at him and belatedly noticing that he had grown over the summer. Holly glanced over to the side, noting the other person there. "Hello, Mr. Zabini… Dante."
ZeldaQueen: It's the guy with the peake that goes volcanic! Hey dude, the people who live in your town are total morons
She moved to greet him, but Blaise held her tight.
ZeldaQueen: Seriously, this is creepy. Why are these people constantly clinging to her?
"Hello, Holly," the older male returned, beaming at her as she finally extricated herself from Blaise.
But instead of shaking her hand, Dante gave her another embrace.
ZeldaQueen: Considering that she probably hasn't known this guy personally for very long, that seems rather inappropriate
Holly flushed with embarrassment and more than a hint of happiness, but she didn't have time to do much of anything else as Blaise immediately grabbed her hand and led her back into her room. The door clicked shut behind his father, and her friend led her to the bed, all but pushing her to sit on it and moving down next to her.
ZeldaQueen: Stop pawing her up! This is creepier than Edward carrying Bella everywhere!
"Are you sure that you're fine, Holly," the boy inquired with concern, carefully looking her over.
ZeldaQueen: But not with enough concern to use a question mark
"The Auror sent us a message, saying that you had runaway from the Dursleys, and I can't see you doing that unless something awful happened."
ZeldaQueen: So the Auror could locate them to send a message, but couldn't send Holly directly there. Right.
And he can't see her being an angsty little drama queen? He clearly doesn't know her very well
Holly's lingering blush turned an even deeper red. "Er… not really. Look, I'll explain after we leave. I don't want to repeat myself, and Eren's sure to ask as well," she deftly brushed off the rest of the conversation, not really wanting to explain and citing the fact that she'd only have to tell everything again.
ZeldaQueen: I'm fairly certain that Holly's motives for not explaining are repeated twice there. I'm really certain that it's stupid and redundant
The others seemed to accept this, backing off.
ZeldaQueen: And yet he can't back off and stop grabbing her like a five-year-old with a teddy bear
Knowing they weren't about to get more out of her, Blaise questioned. "Well, then… are you ready to go, Holly?"
ZeldaQueen: You know, "'Well then, are you ready to go, Holly?' questioned Blaise, knowing they weren't about to get more out of her'" would have been a lot less awkward
"Yes, we must be going," Dante added, shrinking her trunk and stowing it in his pocket. "Eren's told me that she has exciting news to share, and she wouldn't tell us until you came."
ZeldaQueen: Wait, Eren's Blaise's mom? Holly's thirteen years old and refers to her friend's parents by their first names? Is it weird that I still used "Mister" and "Missus" at that time?
Holly lounged on Blaise's bed that evening.
ZeldaQueen: Evidently he'd left to get the cigarettes
She had been right when she had thought that she would only have to repeat her tell of woe, and the brief respite she been allowed had given her the opportunity to get it straight.
ZeldaQueen: *states* She...actually used the phrase "tale of woe". Or rather, tell of woe. I'm not sure whether to laugh, scream, sob, or make a Romeo and Juliet joke
She couldn't exactly mention Tom's part in all of it or Sirius', so the girl was forced to abbreviate her story quite a bit.
ZeldaQueen: Um, yeah. What's left?
She had basically told them that she'd had an argument with Vernon's sister and that she had left when Marge seemed ready for violence. Tom, the tattle-tell that he was, had unfortunately told Blaise a more complete version, including the part about her broken wrist.
ZeldaQueen: Why would she care if Riddle told Blaise that? Isn't Blaise her darling dearest who she keeps no secrets from?
And inversely, if she doesn't want to tell him something, that's her own fucking business and that ghost-memory bastard should mind his own business
The only thing he left out was mention of Sirius as Holly didn't feel it was the proper time yet, especially with so many people popping in and out all day.
ZeldaQueen: Or, she's an angsty little toad who wants to milk that drama llama for all it's worth
Tom had actually been forced to remain in his diary most of the morning and afternoon since the other members of the family and the house-elves had been around, and he was only now able to come out. Regardless, the two had agreed to tell Blaise the entire story after nightfall when there would a lower chance of them being overheard.
ZeldaQueen: That's nice. Why don't you repeat this for someone who cares?
Aside from the last two points, Holly's day had been hitch free and rather enjoyable, especially with the fact that Eren Zabini had some interesting and exciting news of her own.
ZeldaQueen: She's really a man?
"I can't believe your mum is having another baby," Holly said, leaning against the pillows. "And I can't believe she waited until I was there to tell everyone."
ZeldaQueen: Yeah, why would she wait? Her son only started dragging this chick over to the house two years ago, it's not like she's a close family friend
Blaise beamed from beside her. "Well, she's sort of like your mum, too, so it's only fair that she announce it when you were here.
ZeldaQueen: Two years, suethor. Two years
Though honestly, I can scarcely comprehend it myself."
ZeldaQueen: Well Blaise, when a man loves a woman and she loves him back, there's some powerful urges between the two...
"It is kind of hard to believe," Tom said from the chair in the corner, his diary nearby just in case someone decided to pop in on them.
ZeldaQueen: Oh. He doesn't need The Talk? *puts away knitted sock bag and rubber chicken with some disappointment*
"Most wizarding families don't have more than three children, if they even get that far to begin with. Truthfully, it isn't that unusual to only have two."
ZeldaQueen: What? Why? *suspicious* Is this a jab at the Weasleys?
He idly fingered
ZeldaQueen: STOP USING THAT WORD!
the wand Blaise had found for him, which had once belonged to his grandfather. It wasn't a perfect match, but it was more than acceptable, not to mention that he didn't have any other options.
ZeldaQueen: So apparently the family just has unused wands out the wazoo lying around. Whatever
"I can't really think of anyone with more than that many," the oldest Slytherin added after a second.
"Except the Weasleys," Holly laughed, but then, her face took on a more serious expression.
ZeldaQueen: Yep, I knew it. And why did she suddenly become serious? Is she trying to pass herself as being respectful? Because it's not working
"Well, they've always been a fertile lot," Blaise put in with a grin of his own. "I think it's part of their family magic."
ZeldaQueen: Leave the Weasleys alone! They're a million times better than any of you!
And considering that Blaise's mother is the one having another kid, it's pretty rich of him to laugh at a family for being "fertile"
He continued to smile, only to notice that neither of his friends seemed to be doing the same. Instead, they were exchanging strange looks.
"What?" He eyed both of them. "What is it? Is something wrong?"
"Well," Holly began, turning to him, "not wrong per se."
Her eyes flickered to Tom and then back to the other boy. She took a deep breath before launching into an explanation about their newest addition.
ZeldaQueen: Okay, how did the topic of the size of the Weasley family lead to them telling about Sirius? I could understand if Holly saw them as a surrogate family, like Harry did, but she hates them!
To say that Blaise was shocked was an understatement, but he surprisingly seemed to take the news rather well. All it took was for Holly to say that she believed Sirius' story; her friend trusted her judgement that much. Of course, it was rather hard to lie to someone who read minds, so it was rather understandable.
ZeldaQueen: Except for Tom, who's a sneaky, suspicious bastard, but that's ignored.
And what do y'all want to bet that Ron and Hermione are going to be reasonably afraid of Sirius later and Holly's going to take the higher moral ground and look like a bitch in the process?
There was only one part of Holly's story that he really reacted to, except it wasn't anything that had to do with Sirius.
ZeldaQueen: I guess he wasn't bothered that his best friend started to drag around a guy who was arrested for murder
When she got to the part about Remus, Blaise violently shuddered, and his thoughts turned oddly blank. But he quickly shook off their questioning expressions and redirected the conversation back to the Animagus. Holly watched him closely but didn't press, deciding to ask him about it later when they were alone.
ZeldaQueen: This isn't going to launch into an aesop about tolerance via werewolves, is it? Because if Holly tries to lecture anyone on tolerance, I'm going to pitch my laptop out the window
"We have to tell my parents," Blaise insisted when she had finally finished. "After we explain, they'll be sure to help us."
ZeldaQueen: How're they going to manage that? Holly never tells anyone outside of her toadies that she's telepathic and it's their word against rather convincing evidence that Sirius is a nutter and a killer
Tom frowned, twirling his new wand. "I don't think that is a good idea. How would you explain all this?" He paused, thinking it over. "I can just imagine you trying to tell them during breakfast."
ZeldaQueen: That's actually kind of logical. Who'd a thunk it?
Holly nodded. "It'd probably be something along the lines of: 'I'm so happy you're having a baby, Eren. Isn't it wonderful? Oh, guess what. This is Sirius. He's an escaped criminal! And did I mention that he supposedly works for Voldemort? Please pass the toast.'"
ZeldaQueen: I know that's supposed to be funny, but it's not. Anyway, why wouldn't they know who Sirius was already? The entire wizarding world was looking for him. Hell, they got the entire Muggle world looking for him. They bring him into the dining room and Blaise's parents ought to be calling for the Ministry in seconds flat
"I see your point," Blaise conceded. "But what else did he say? Does he know where Pettigrew is? How did he even escape in the first place?" The boy exhaled slowly. "I mean, Dementors guard Azkaban, and they're supposed to seriously weaken people. That alone should have prevented him from leaving. And for that matter, how did he manage to keep his magic so intact? He's only been out a week or two… at most! Yet, he was recovered enough to cast already."
ZeldaQueen: *bored* Oh boy, I sense that more sources of conflict are going to be spoiled soon. The fact that they're already identifying them is bad news
Holly rubbed her hand over her face. "I'm not sure of the answers to any of those. Sirius hinted that he knows where Pettigrew is, but he won't tells us where," she said, tapping her chin with her index finger. "I tried to read his thoughts, but they were cloudy. I could get enough to know he was telling the truth, but that was about it. Everything else was shielded." She considered the problem.
ZeldaQueen: First of all, why wouldn't he tell Holly where Pettigrew is? He thinks the guy's going to try to kill her. Why wouldn't he warn her where to avoid him?
Second of all, did she just call the fact that she can't poke around in for private information in Sirius's head - information which he clearly didn't want her to know - a "problem"?
*screams in fury*
"Also," Tom picked up the conversation,
ZeldaQueen: It fell off of the table and was leaking water all over the floor
"he said he would transform in his cell. Dementors don't have the same effect on animals as they do on people. Their abilities are diluted, not as strong, so I suppose as a dog he was protected." He glanced to Holly.
ZeldaQueen: That would make a lot more sense IF WE HAD HEARD HIM TELLING THEM THAT!
Seriously, the suethor skipped it!!! How does she miss this?
"Apparently, he was visited by Fudge," the girl went on. "I guess you could say that it woke him up, gave him something to focus on… enough drive to escape. Sirius just squeezed through the bars as a dog and swam to shore." She shook her head. "But I'm not certain that's the entire story. It feels like he's leaving something out."
ZeldaQueen: (Suethor) "LOOK AT HOW SMART MY CHARACTER IS! DON'T YOU WISH HARRY WAS THIS SMART? HE NEVER FIGURED OUT ALL OF THE MYSTERIES WITHIN THE FIRST THREE CHAPTERS!!!"
"I agree," Tom inserted, "but there really isn't much we can do about that now. We'll just have to watch and see if he'll let anything slip."
ZeldaQueen: Like a banana peel
Blaise said, "Or hope that he'll eventually tell us."
ZeldaQueen: That's probably what'll happen. The Sue will never shut up until he caves in and gives her her way
He sighed. "Where is he now? I suppose that we should to turn him back."
ZeldaQueen: Oh yes, I guess you should turn him back from being an immobile and helpless and possibly sentient statuette! *snarls*
"Here." Holly reached into her robe pocket, producing the little, black dog. "Tom did an extended transfiguration so that we could leave him like that for a few days if need be," she informed her year-mate. "Are you sure you want us to change him back?"
ZeldaQueen: This is disturbing. I hate these people
Blaise hesitated for a minute. "Yes, if you say he's trustworthy… then he is. It's as simple as that."
ZeldaQueen: Hey, it's not like his parents are going to notice a strange, smelly adult escaped convict wandering around their home
He frowned unexpectedly.
"What is it?" Tom questioned, stopping just as he was about to cast. "Did you change your mind?"
ZeldaQueen: And did he get a better one? *snigger*
The other boy shook his head. "No… I had a quick question though." He rubbed his hand over his cheek.
ZeldaQueen: (Blaise) "Does this tanning job make my eyes pop?"
"Yes?" Holly asked.
Her friend pinched the bridge of his nose.
ZeldaQueen: (Blaise) "When was the last time you bathed? You smell like Pepe le Pew after he fell in a vat of year-old garbage!"
"Well… what are we going to tell Draco and Luna?"
ZeldaQueen: A weird hobo who looks uncannily like the murderer in the newspapers followed Holly home one day and she decided to keep him?
Semper Fidelius: Always Faithful, Always True
ZeldaQueen: Actually, it's "Semper Fidelis", with no "u"
AN: Okay, boys and girls, I need a name for Blaise's new brother/sister. I won't tell you what gender as I am not really sure myself yet. I'm willing to be swayed either way since my muse is feeling rather fickle lately, though I'm leaning more towards one than the other. Yes, the baby is a plot point for this story and is actually somewhat important.
ZeldaQueen: If the baby is so important to the plot later on, why can't you figure out this stuff?
Also, things will start to pick up next chapter… finally. They should make it all the way through the summer and back to school.
ZeldaQueen: Thank the lord almighty. Even if that cake is a lie, it's still a comforting thought
Oh, I know their reactions to Remus are a bit peculiar, but I think they fit with the characters.
ZeldaQueen: Yes, they fit perfectly with the personalities of this collection of bigoted and hateful characters
Tom and Holly are both Mind Mages, so they will tend not to be as prejudiced against others.
ZeldaQueen: They only hate people who spite them or don't do what they say
There is a specific reason for Blaise's reaction, which will come into play later on.
ZeldaQueen: *dully* Oh goody, I can't wait
To everyone who reviewed: Thanks.
ZeldaQueen: But no thanks
Special thanks to Our Catholic Faith (online) for the Latin translation.
ZeldaQueen: For the chapter title? Erm, that's a very popular Latin slogan and is the motto of the frigging United States Marines. It's hardly obscure. It'd be like crediting a translator for transcribing "E pluribus unum"
Chapter Twenty-Five: Draco Demented
ZeldaQueen: I'll say!
Ever Hopeful,
Azar
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
ZeldaQueen: On a happier note, let's all wish winki_pop a very happy birthday!
Onward to: Chapter 27: Draco Demented (Part 1)
Back to: Chapter 26: Semper Fidelius (Part 1)
Return to: Table of Contents