The night Alicia was attacked the school went into lockdown.
Everyone was brought into the Great Hall for their own protection, the
school searched from end to end, all in vain as Sirius Black proved too
elusive escaping from them too easily.
But the search did not end there, Dumbledore also ordered a search for
the Galerian Assassin Guilder as well, not only for him but any of his
"minions" he left in the castle. They too proved elusive, frustrating
searchers who found only empty corridors and rooms.
Hours later Snape came to Professor Dumbledore empty handed, and running
out of patience. He was going to speak to Dumbledore in the Great Hall
about a topic he knew Dumbledore would not be keen on talking about,
amongst the sleeping students, but it could not be helped... they couldn't
avoid it any longer.
From the moment he drew near to the hall, however, he felt as if Potter
was awake. He knew it had to be as he would be the last capable of
sleeping with what he knew... though, he mused, it was still little that
Potter knew compared to what the truth was about Potter and Black.
He lingered in the darkness of the corridor, listening as Dumbledore
conversed with Percy.
"Any sign of him, Professor?"
"No. All is well here?"
"Everything is under control, sir."
The sharp painful image of Alicia, nude and violated in Dumbledore's arms
(body hidden by her own robes drabed about her) stabbed into Snape's
mind. "Not by a long shot is all well here." he muttered with a hiss.
"Good. There's no point moving them all now." (Dumbledore motioned for
Percy to walk to one side of the room, near the windows, so they could
talk under the illumination of the halloween pumpkins near the window.
"I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole. You'll
be able to move them back in tomorrow."
"And Alicia, sir?"
Snape strained to listen as the topic of Alicia came up.
"She's in bad shape, but recovering in the hospital wing. Apparently she
confronted Black and he caught her off guard, which is how she was
injured as she was."
"Die he..." Percy stammered, "Did Black..."
"Rape her, you imbecile." Snape hissed quietly, "Say it and be done with
it you fool. Did he rape her."
Knowing Dumbledore was not going to say the words, Snape noisely entered
drawing the attention of Percy (and no doubt Potter) from the topic of
Alicia, "Headmaster?" he "called out" silently as he "entered". "The
whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has
done the dungeons; nothing there either. It seems both of our quarries
have made good their escape."
'As expected.' Snape thought to himself, 'Neither would be dumb enough to
linger after what happened.'
"What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"
Dumbledore asked automatically, knowing the answer already. Those seemed
to be nice places to flee to, but with legions of Dementors within
earshot of the castle an aerial escape was foolish, as they would quickly
seal off the airspace above the castle in a shroud of their darkened
forms blocking any means of flight as a means to flee the school grounds.
And since he didn't come onto the grounds by the air it was doubtful that
he needed to take to the air to escape, Snape reasoned. "All searched..."
he noted.
Dumbledore - "Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect neither Black
nor that... entity... to linger."
"Not after what has been done, headmaster." Snape responded cooly,
drawing closer to Dumbledore as he did. "Have you any theory as to how
either one of them got in, Professor?"
"Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."
Dumbledore was ignoring the obvious, Snape thought to himself. Pressing
the point Snape said "You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster,
just before --" (a flicker from Percy's direction caught Snape's eye)
"--ah-- the start of the term?"
Snape, who at first tried to block Percy out of the conversation, started
talking openly drawing him in.
"I do, Severus," said Dumbledore in a graven tone, "Don't take this
route, Severus, it isn't worth..."
"It seems almost impossible that Black could have entered the school
without inside help." Snape pressed, quickly putting his thoughts out
before Dumbledore could stop him. "I did express my concerns when you
appointed..."
"I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped
Black enter it," Dumbledore retorted, attempting to ward Snape off with
his tone of voice. "In anycase I must go down to the Dementors. I said I
would inform them when our search was complete."
"And how did Black get past the Dementors I wonder." Percy suddenly said,
"Considering the chaos they've caused so far where were they when we
needed them the most."
"Intriguing." Dumbledore said suddenly, surprised Percy was suddenly
taking such a stance on the Dementors when he almost expected him to
inquire about their participation in the search. "That is something I
must bring up with them when I see them, thank you for reminding me of
their failing."
Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a
moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on
his face. "I take it that's you, Alicia." he whispered as he drew near
Percy.
"No but let's find a quiet place so you can talk to yourself in a mirror.
Listening to this pompous fool bitch to me about taking over his body is
being a pain to my persona."
* * * * * *
Snape sat at his desk in his class, staring into the handmirror and the
strange unfamiliar male face that stared back at him. He looked as grave
as Severus did at that very moment. "It would have been too good a thing
if you've managed to capture Black or Blitzkrieg while still in the
castle." he said.
"So that's what it's name is, Blitzkrieg." Snape remarked coldly. "I
don't think it was coincidence that Black picked this night to strike,
was it. Blitzkrieg's appearance seems to be more opportune than planned,
but Black's was premeditated." Snape said as inspiration struck, "The
Dementors are the undead, and Halloween is a night for the dead and
undead..."
"I know where you're going and you're right." the voice in the mirror
agreed, "The Dementors are just coming out of a state of disassociation.
As beings of darkness at a night like this, with it's strong ties to all
things dark and dead, the Dementors form a mass "mind" and... well...
whatever it is the undead do on Halloween night." (shrugs) "I'm not dead
so I have no idea what the dead do when they're... dead..."
"But how did Black get in, I wonder." Snape picked up as his face
darkened, "If I go to Madam Pomfrey right now I am sure she'll tell me
that Alicia was sexually assaulted, that I have no doubt... but not even
Black, no matter how long he was locked away, would be monster enough to
do such a thing."
"Is he now?" the voice questioned, "I heard about your Azkaban, and then
I went to see the real thing in flesh and blood. It's not what people
think, the so called horrific dungeon of evildoers is a clean
antiseptically disturbing prison for the disturbed that makes most
people's images of Azkaban seem quite pleasant in comparison. Everything
is tiled with spellproof artifical tiling, the glass and metal are all
fused with anti-magic runes and the food is drugged with a docility drug
that keeps prisoners quiet (if they aren't already lifeless husks of
flesh from the endless torments of the Dementors)." (pauses) "If you had
to suffer the torments unleashed by those horrid walking corpses would
you pass up a golden opportunity to feel something again, even if it is
the distasteful feeling of your flesh violating innocent female flesh?"
"Black isn't a rapist." Snape repeated. "But whoever did that to her will
pay."
"Feelings for your "captor"?" the voice asked curiously, "Considering
what she's holding over your head I was wondering when you'd finally get
up and cheer the first time she was beaten down..." (stops) "...or do you
sympatize with her now?" (silence) "Those nasty boys have their way with
you when you went to..."
Snape puts his fist through the glass, breaking it. As he holds up his
bloodied hand he narrows his eyes, "Rape doesn't have to be that personal
for someone to give a damn about it's victims."
* * * * * *
Alicia was up in her sickbed the next day, but she wasn't allowed to
leave the hospital wing for three.
The first thing she remembered upon waking the first time, in half a
dreamy state, was the mysterious hooded female. She sat at the top of the
bed, Alicia's head on her lap staring into her eyes. She could barely see
anything of her, nothing to denote who she was, but she did know that she
was an adult... crying... and whispering the same words over and over again.
"I love you." "I love you." "I love you."
Snape was the first non wraithlike dream entity to visit after that,
since class was on and the others were all in class he could visit her
more easily without being spotted by anyone in Gryffindor. He brought
Alicia a report he wrote on the search for Black, and told her of her
tormentor's appearance and how it was dispatched. "I'll have to thank
Hagrid later, I suppose." she noted, reading the report. Noting Snape's
gaze she put the reports aside and looked at him, "I'm a grown woman,
Snape, you can ask me if you wish. It's not going to hurt me or anything
to answer your questions no matter how personal they are."
Silence greeted her as she waited, Snape didn't move an inch. She leaned
back in her bed and spoke.
"Let me tell you something. You may add it to my blackmail list if you
wish. When I was 16, still alive before I became..." (looks at own hands)
"...this, I was at this party with a bunch of friends... we were young and
invincible and thought nothing could stop us. That night I died choking
on my own fluids and male sperm slash urine while drugged silly, some
boys slipped me a date rape drug and had their way with me all night
long. The last memory I have of that life was being raped by three...
males... over and over until they left me there drugged and fucked out of
my mind. It was harsh, brutally harsh, and yet now that I reflect on it I
guess it wasn't the harshest thing ever to happen to me. So no..." (smiles
at Snape) "...nothing that thing that came after that, be it Black (whether
it was him or not) would phase me in the slightest. After all if I could
get over that I'll get over anything. I'm used goods, totally used to
being somebody else's bitch, being a slut suits me I think, believe you
me."
Snape, ashen faced, left quietly without another word.
Then came the parade of friends, all with condolensces and tears and
presents and whatnot. Hermione couldn't stop crying for five whole
minutes as Alicia held her, crying non stop after Pomfrey told everyone
that Alicia was going to be a bit off for awhile after what happened to
her and her sexual assault.
Nothing Alicia could say would stop her from crying, it wasn't until she
had cried herself silent that Alicia kissed her on the lips and told her
that it was going to be alright. "How can it be alright..." she hissed,
eyes red with her tears and anger, "How can it ever be alright."
"Because it has to be, otherwise that bastard beats me and I won't give
him the pleasure of that."
After that, and some more holding, Hermione could finally leave with at
least a comforted mind.
The school, of course, talked of nothing but Sirius Black for the next
few days right up to the day Alicia left her hospital bed and went back
to school (thankfully Hermione tutored her day and night so she didn't
fall behind on her schoolwork). The theories about how Black had entered
were more and more exaggerated and absurd the more the time passed
between the incident, but Alicia knew there was only one way.
"Think about it." she told Snape as they sat in his office, "Only last
year everyone found out about the so called "Chamber of Secrets" and I
found out about the "Darke Raven's Lair" beneath us. And even then, in
that lair, I saw at least a half a dozen corridors leading to lord knows
where that I didn't have a chance to explore in my brief time in the lair
before it collapsed. Think of how much more of these winding dark paths
exist beneath Hogwarts that nobody knows about... well, almost nobody.
"Makes sense." Snape quietly remarked, eyes not lifting from his scroll
as he worked. "It would explain quite a few things that happened in the
past."
"A revelation?" Alicia asked, only to be met with silence. "Whatever.
Keep your secrets, Snape..." (sighs) "At least something about you is still
secret from me... by the way... how are you with names." (Snape looks up at
her oddly) "What does the name "Diggory" mean to you?"
* * * * * *
The strange female in the red riding outfit took over the position of
guardian of the Gryffindor portal, and that confused a great deal of
people who saw her. Instead of a password she simply scanned each and
everyone with her wand, a long thin beam coming out of her painting
running up and down each in turn "scanning" them until they were
"approved" for entry. "You can't be too careful, what with what happened
before and all that." she would say, occasionally batting back her pesky
broom as it tried to push it's way into her way.
"Is that even safe!?" said Seamus Finnigan, looking rather off about the
whole "scanning" thing. "I don't mind not having to memorize passwords
but... that's safe, isn't it? What she does with her "wand"..."
Speaking of things she did with her wand, her only request was that her
painting was covered every night from midnight to 6AM, a "condition" that
Alicia (upon returning) simply said "You don't want to know what's going
on between those hours. Believe you me, you don't want to know."
Strangely enough after that came to knowledge some of the students began
to complain that they felt "unclean" whenever they were scanned by the
female in red's wand.
Still, given that they had no real choice (as no other painting wanted
the job) it was better than nothing (though Alicia did bring up the
matter of a physical lock with an actual key to secure the area, which
didn't go over well with many).
That, however, turned out to be the least of Alicia's worries post
Halloween. She found herself being closely watched, with only Harry
Potter being closer watched (due to the spectre of death hovering over
him and all that). Still, that didn't stop Filch from walking behind her,
or Snape sending a few of his Slytherins of a more agreeable mood (I.e.
not under Malfoy's thumb) to walk behind her between classes. To cap it
all off she was finally called into Snape's office, and greeted by a
rather even mood Snape as she entered. "As you no doubt have already
surmised..." Snape began, motioning for her to sit down, "Professor
McGonagall wanted to speak to you but I felt it better that I do it,
since she's speaking to Potter now and it would mean you'd not have to
lie about what we both already know."
"Black wasn't my rapist." she said with finality, sitting down in front
of him. "He's only here for Potter and I got in his way. Whoever did it
came after him... but who..."
"That is a question I can't answer, but I can tell you what McGonagall
would have said in that she wants to limit Quidditch practice in the
evenings because of these events." Snape said quietly, "She feels that
you and Potter would be too exposed out there..."
"Somehow I only think my lizardry "shadow" will find the time to take
potshots at me out on the Quidditch field, since Black hasn't impressed
on me any skills towards long range sniper abilities." Alicia countered,
"And despite the fact I wasn't too hot on the season this year in anycase
I would like to stay on my game all the same, even if it puts my life at...
"risk"... if only to keep Wood from committing depression driven suicide
over him not being able to win the Quidditch Cup this year." (eyes
narrowed) "Of course you should be tickled pink by this since first match
is Saturday and we're tangling with Slytherin." (snaps fingers) "Got a
side bet for me because it seems you didn't bring me here just to brag to
me of your good fortunes."
Snape considered her cooly. She knew that Snape was actually thinking it
over. "Well I think McGonagall already has an answer to this, especially
as she has already spoken to Madam Hooch about supervising evening
practice for Gryffindor. To protect you from Blitzkrieg..."
"Lucky us... who?"
"Your "lizardry shadow"." Snape answered, a slight flicker of a smile on
his lips.
* * * * * *
The weather, like Alicia's mood, worsened steadily as the first Quidditch
match drew nearer and nearer. Undaunted, the Gryffindor team trained
harder and harder to prepare, always under the ever watchful eye of Madam
Hooch all awhile. Then, at their final training session before Saturday's
match, Oliver Wood gave the team some unwelcomed news.
"We're not playing Slytherin!" he told them, looking quite angry.
"Flint's just been to see me. We're playing Hufflepuff instead."
"Why?" chorused the rest of the team. "Flint's excuse is that Professor
Snape specifically asked for them to abstain this one time," said Wood,
grinding his teeth furiously. "Flint knows fully well why Snape did it,
even if he doesn't seem to want to acknowledge it. He doesn't want his
precious team to play in this weather because he thinks it'll damage
their chances for the cup!"
Sure there had been strong winds and heavy rain all day, but Snape has
never poked his nose into the Quidditch team's affairs before now so why
start?
"Considering we've been practicing all those moves assuming we're playing
Slytherin this couldn't be a worst blow to us!" Wood continued,
"Hufflepuff's style is quite different, dammit! They've got a new Captain
and Seeker, Cedric Diggory..."
Alicia's eyes narrowed, her face tensed.
* * * * * *
She was now outside on the Quidditch field, and the Dementors were
gathering.
They were all agitated about something, and it was making them rather
fussy.
They drifted about in a frustrated state, tension and dark aura spilling
all over the place.
Before Alicia could ask one thing floated to the top of their "minds",
and stuck there for what seemed like forever... one thing came up in the
Dementors' "minds" over and over again.
"Diggory".
* * * * * *
"Now I know what a "Diggory" is." Alicia muttered silently to herself.
Angelina and Katie suddenly giggled, catching her attention.
"What?" said Wood, frowning at this lighthearted behavior.
"He's that tall, good-looking one, isn't he?" said Angelina, "If he was
totally a woman I'd so jump him."
Alicia frowned, "That's sick."
"Very strong, very silent." Katie continued, picking off where Angelina
left off. "Totally mysterious."
"He's only silent because he's too thick to string two words together."
Fred spat impatiently, his gaze turning from Katie to Wood, "I don't know
why you're worried, Oliver, Hufflepuff is a pushover. Last time we played
them, Harry caught the Snitch in about five minutes flat!"
Alicia leaned back in her position and became lost in thought, Diggory
being at the top of her mind.
'Why the hell were the Dementors so up on him all of the sudden like
that.' she thought, mind racing over it over and over again trying to
come up with an answer. Wood had to tap her in the head a few times just
to get her back into the conversation at hand.
* * * * * *
The day before the match the winds seemed hellbent on making the day
miserable. The winds were howling outside, rain fell harder and harder as
the hour passed. It was so dark inside the corridors and classrooms that
they had to bring in extra torches and lanterns to illuminate the school.
Of course Alicia didn't have time to worry about the weather as Wood
seemed to find time between harassing Potter to drop in on her and bother
her, the third time that happened it made her late for Defense Against
the Dark Arts (though for once she didn't mind all in all). "Hufflepuff's
Chasers have a particular pattern to their movements, you Angelina and
Katie have got to work to outpace and outwork their broomwork if you're
going to score high against them..."
"Unless you plan to sit in my lap during Defense class I suggest you go
to your own class..." (opens door and pops into class) "...and STOP STALKING
ME!!" (slams door) "...Lupin..." she muttered, eyes falling upon a most
unexpected sight before her. "What the hell..."
"This lesson began ten minutes ago, Spinnet, so I think you should take
your seat and I'll have a word with Mr. Wood about his maniac obsessive
stalking later today." Snape remarked, motioning for Alicia to sit. As
she did Snape continued, "As I was saying before Spinnet's arrival,
Professor Lupin has not left any record of the topics you have covered so
far..."
Alicia huffed her breath at the words, knowing fully well Snape knew
exactly what they were learning. "Please, sir," Hermione chimed in
(inappropriately since Snape was clearly just baiting for a response out
of them) "we've done Boggarts, Red Caps, Ka..."
Alicia slams her hands down on the desk to cut Hermione off, shocking the
class out of their stupor. "If you have a class be so kind as to just
teach it already and be done with it." she hissed, "Anything that doesn't
have the monster in question oogle me, hiss at me, fear me or attempt to
date me would be nice."
Snape shrugged, and without further comment pulled the film projector
screen down and motioned with his wand to start it up. "Then turn to page
394."
Alicia, however, seemed to be the only one flipping pages as everyone
else starred in disbelief. "Today we're covering werewolves."
"But, sir." Hermione cut in again, hand raised. "we're..."
"Too old to be handling a blow topic like werewolves!" Alicia cut in over
her, "Come on. Any so called "Muggle" worth their Fangoria subscription
knows werewolves! That is one of the most talked about, covered and
theorized creatures on the planet even amongst the so called Muggle
communities!" (finishes flipping to the page) "This should be a snap."
"But we're not supposed to do werewolves yet!" Hermione countered,
turning her gaze onto Alicia, "We're due to start Hinkypunks..."
"Give the Hinkypunks a rest." Alicia sighed, idly waving her off. "You're
not going to sit there and tell me nobody in here knows an easy topic
like werewolves, are you?"
Silence. A sad, almost deafening silence greeted her. "Uh... werewolves,
people, werewolves... anyone...?" (more silence) "Anytime now people,
anytime... werewolves..." (blinks at the oppressively deafening silence)
"...you gotta be kidding me."
Snape smiled wickedly at the silence, "Apparently if we only had a
classroom full of Muggles this class would be a "blow" class, as it
were." (eyes narrowed) "Which of you can tell me how we distinguish
between the werewolf and the true wolf?"
"This is messed up." Alicia grumbled before Hermione could even raise her
hand, holding the book up, "Professor! More than half of these notes only
apply to identifying foreign werebloods as opposed to native werebloods!
And there's no distinction between the intellectual Lycanthrope Nation
and the beastial Werebloods..." (blinks) "...you do know what I'm talking
about, right?"
Snape nodded, "Somehow I think I am the only one." (silence reigned)
"Well, well, well." Snape's oily voice hummed in a foul good mood that he
was presently in. "Are you telling me that Professor Lupin hasn't even
taught you about the difference between the Lycanthrope and Werebloods?"
"We told you, Parvati spoke up, "we haven't got as far as werewolves yet,
we're still on..."
"Gimme a break!" Alicia snapped, jumping up from her chair to Parvati's
surprise. "You can't tell me after weeks and weeks of the most mind
numbing tasks that you can't even think of doing something as challenging
yet simple as werewolves, can you?" (stops, looks about at the disgusted
faces) "People! Werewolves! A topic Hollywood, Japan Anime and lord knows
what else has covered and covered to death! A topic of folklore, fiction,
fanfiction, documentaries, study in both the scientific and mystical
studies, and the reason why the people who made that franchise of gore
slickened horror movies on werewolves had employment as long as they
did!" (silence) "People come on, we're not talking DeathEaters here..."
(pauses for dramatic effect to Snape's dismay) "...werewolves, werewolves,
how much easier can this be?"
"Well I for one never thought I'd meet a third year class who wouldn't
even recognize a wereblood from a lycanthrope, let alone from a normal
wolf." Snape rolled, carrying on the momentum and building on it as he
did. "I shall make a point of informing Professor Dumbledore how very
behind you all are..."
"And what are the odds of that since you have to admit your own failings
with Slytherin." Alicia noted.
Snape looked at her severely, "Then why don't we get this class going
then, if that isn't too hard for you."
"Oh no, not me." Alicia countered, walking right up to Snape. "Lead the
way, oh fearless leader." (motioning to the board) "The Lycanthrope
Nation and Werebloods...?"
"Please sir," Hermione interrupted, "the werewolf differs from the true
wolf in several small ways. The snout of the werewolf..."
Alicia suddenly coughs out loud, and chokes out "mauling mauling" over
and over again.
At this Snape suddenly smirks, and has to take two steps back to recover
as Alicia clears her throat. Confused, Hermione turns to look at him only
for him to say "And just how do you propose to study the snout of said
creature to determine it's lineage, Miss Granger," Snape said cooly,
"Without it trying to gnaw your face off in the process."
Shellshocked, Hermione could only sit there floored (unable to comprehend
the retort) as Snape walked up to the chalkboard and wrote the words
"Lycanthrope" and "Werebloods". "Now can anyone tell me the difference
between the Lycanthrope and Werebloods..."
Silence. This time not even Hermione raised her hand.
Snape turned, tossed the chalk at Alicia (who snapped it out of the air)
and motioned towards the board. She quickly walked up and wrote
"Lycanthrope is the species of shapeshifters by genetic birth, several
species include the so-called "Werewolves", "Werecats", "Werebears",
"Werebirds" and "Werestag". They live primarily in South America under
the unified banner of the "Lycanthrope Nation"."
Under Wereblood she wrote one word : AIDS. She then turned to the class,
tapped it and said "Commonly known "lycanthrope" in the wizarding world
Werebloods are not true lycanthrope. It is a condition known for a lack
of a better term as HIV/AIDS of the lycanthrope species (aka
"Werebloods"). Werebloods are "born" from, a "viral" disease akin to AIDS
in lycanthrope which true lycanthrope pass from themselves to humans or
other lycanthrope through several means. This disease, while nonfatal to
lycanthrope, changes the human victim on genetic level creating a
"beastial" were-creature that shapeshift only during a full moon."
(tosses chalk back to Snape who picks it up where she left off) "Now who
can tell me why the full moon is so important in the shapeshifting of the
diseased Werebloods...?"
And the class went on, and on, and on. While Snape managed to get his
intellectual groove on it didn't seem to impress many as they seemed to
have had pre-conceived notions of his "intelligence" long before this
class. "Pity." Alicia said on her way out, "Your class was actually the
first fun class I had all year."
"Flattery will get you nowhere with me." Snape remarked as she left,
preparing for his next class. "You still have to write a two scroll paper
on the disposition and disposal of Werebloods."
"Don't remind me." she remarked flatly.
* * * * * *
Alicia woke up early the next morning. Extremely early. So early in fact
that it was still dark.
Nothing to be done about it. Once she was up she was up, and nothing
would drag her to bed until she was worn out which wouldn't happen for
quite awhile. So left with little recourse she decided to head to the
Great Hall and wait for breakfast to be served.
As she entered the Common Room she was passed by the mischevious Peeves,
who she hastened out of the room with a small show of power. "Go on, you
git." she grumbled silently, "Go bother someone who cares."
The sound of thunder rumbled throughout the castle as Alicia slowly made
her way to the Great Hall, the burden of the day weightening on her as
she did. It was bad enough to do this on a bright sunny day, but now she
had to perform on a miserable stay indoors if you knew better day... not a
good sign of things to come overall. As much as the thought of the game
being called off seemed like a nice thing, she knew that nothing short of
the end of all reality would call the match to an end... and yes, it was
almost too much to hope for that this was a sign of the end of all things
(which she knew it wasn't). Still, one could hope.
Her breakfast got her ready for the day, even if she didn't want to be
ready for this day, as first Harry then the rest of the team showed up to
sit near her. "it's going to be a rough one," Wood said solemly, who was
only chewing on his own food under threat of death by Alicia. "You ain't
just whistling dixie there, pal." Alicia said in response. "Anyway stop
your worrying, Oliver." Alicia said in her halfhearted soothing voice,
"We don't mind a bit of rain..." (sighs) "...lord knows we don't mind that."
It was considerably more than a little bit of rain. Far more. But such
was the popularity of Quidditch that the whole school still managed to
turn out even on a lousy day like this day. They ran down the lawn
towards the gigantic Quidditch field, heads bowed against the ferocious
wind, umbrellas whipped out of hands as they went. As they entered the
Gryffindor locker room Alicia spotted Harry staring over at Malfoy,
Crabbe and Goyle (laughing at him as they walked to the stadium). She
simply grabbed him and muttered "Don't mind the weirdoes, Harry."
The team changed into their scarlet robes ("We really need streamline red
weatherproof uniforms for days like this" Alicia muttered as she felt her
robes in hand before putting her gauntlets on). As they sat and waited
for Wood's pep talk, Alicia changing into her "Raven Armor" beneath her
Quidditch robes (for added protection from the rain), they noticed Wood
wasn't up on giving a speech. He tried to speak several times, each time
failing as he made more odd noises than inspirational words. Finally he
gave up, shook his head hopelessly, and motioned for the lot to follow
him into battle.
"That's our fearless leader." George said on their way out.
The wind was strong. It was so strong that they didn't come out as much
as they staggered out, walking sideways as they walked out onto the
windswept field. If the crowd was indeed cheering, as they usually did
during a Quidditch match, they couldn't hear it over the howl of the wind
and the crack of thunder. Rain was splattering over Harry's glasses. How
on Earth was he going to see the Snitch when it probably couldn't see two
feet in front of his own nose at this rate?
From the opposite side of the field the Hufflepuff team approached,
wearing their own trademark canary yellow robes. The Captains of both
sides walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood,
but Wood now looked as though he had a bad case of lockjaw as he could
only nod in response to Diggory's pleasant demeanor. Alicia saw Madam
Hooch (Gryffindor's unofficial "sidekick" during practices for the
longest time recently) mouth form the words, "Mount your brooms."
She pulled herself onto the Nimbus 2001 she had, Madam Hooch putting her
whistle to her lips and giving it a "silent" blast though she knew that
it was blown... and they were off.
Alicia took to the air quickly, making her way towards the Quaffle and
the start of their pattern to score as many points as possible in the
game before Hufflepuff.
Within five minutes Alicia's robes were soaked but at least the Raven's
Armor was keeping the dreaded wetness off of her skin, providing a
barrier of water protection beneath the now soaked robes. It was hard
enough for her to see, forget Harry who had to wear glasses which had to
be shrouded in wetness by now. The wind was as loud as the reverberating
repulsorlifts on an atmospheric bound Frigate, even the commentary of the
game was lost to her if it wasn't for the small headset she wore (her own
personal SpellRadio that she usually listened to between classes, now
tuned into the school's private "station" which was carrying Quidditch
coverage). It was pretty tight, but somehow they managed to keep ahead of
Hufflepuff by a score of 50 points. Still that wasn't good enough as long
as the Snitch stood out of reach of both team's Seekers.
With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle
(barely audible over the howling wind if not for the fact that it was
reported over the radio Alicia was listening to). She could barely see
everyone as they touched down in the hard rain, the whole team splashing
into the mud as they landed.
"I called for time-out!" Wood roared at the team, gesturing for them to
follow him. "Come on, under here!"
The group quickly huddled at the end of the field, under an oversized
umbrella anchored down on several key points like a tent. As Alicia shook
off the moisture she watched Harry remove his glasses, hastily wiping
them on his soaked robes ineffectively. "What's the score?"
"We're up fifty points," Wood said, "but unless we get the Snitch soon,
we'll be playing into the night."
"Now there's a cheery thought." Alicia muttered under her breath, wearily
glancing about the rainy field looking if she could spot the crowd that
came to watch them. "I've had an idea, Harry!"
Suddenly, as if out of nowhere, Hermione popped over Harry's shoulder
holding her cloak over her head to shield her from the rain, "Give me
your glasses, quick!"
He handed them to her, and as everyone watched in amazement she tapped
them with her wand and said "Impervius!" (silence as the magic flowed
over his glasses briefly, causing the lenses to glitter in the darkened
environment) "There!" she said proudly, handing the glasses back quickly,
"They'll repel water!"
Wood looked as though he could have kissed her.
Alicia beat him to it, grabbing her and kissing her full out in front of
the team. As she let go, pushing Hermione back the way she came gently,
she looked at Alicia with a very red face (but no horrible shocked
expression, just a full out, possibly body glowing reddish tint to her
skin) before heading back the way she came, with a slight wobble in her
pace. "Brilliant!" (Wood called out after snapping out of his shock)
"Okay, team, let's go for it!"
Alicia couldn't tell if the spell really worked or not, but it looked as
if it did the job as Harry was moving abit better now in the pelting rain
(from what few glances she could spare between playing the quaffle and
working to retrieve the quaffle from Hufflepuff). Still that kiss seemed
to have sparked abit of energy in her, even if she caught Hermione
completely off guard by it, which translated into a renewed vigor in
chasing the quaffle (all the while dodging bludgers here and there).
There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked
lightning which nearly strucky Angelina's broom (if Katie wasn't there to
nudge her out of the way). This was getting more and more dangerous for
everyone, and the sooner the game was shut down one way or another the
better.
She turned, noticing Harry was in pursuit of the golden snitch, then
noticed something moving below them... something that felt unlike any
living being that was supposed to be in the stadium. Quickly she glanced
downwards and noticed the field was now filled with Dementors, at least a
hundred.
"What the hell..." she muttered in anger, turning her gaze downwards
breaking off from the play for a brief bit she yelled downwards "WHAT THE
HELL ARE YOU..."
The rest of the words didn't come out as a heavy weight dropped onto her
back, knocking her loose of her broom. As he body spun about she came
face to face with a killcrazed drone unit of Blitzkrieg, it's jaws wide
open to snap shut on her throat. Instinctively she swung her arm
outwards, unleashing a short plasma blade out of her clenched fist
cutting the Galerian's upper body apart as it tried to grab ahold of her
falling body. That was a mistake.
Upon the cut it's body surged and energy burst forth in a flash, stunning
her.
She was numb when the Galerian's body exploded a few feet distance, the
heat and flame missing her but the shockwave hitting full on battering
her quicker towards the ground and completely knocking her for a loop in
the process.
The last thing she remembers was a voice in the back of her mind chanting
a spell... and nothing.
* * * * * *
"Lucky Dumbledore stopped them when he did."
"I thought they were dead for sure."
"But Harry didn't even break his glasses."
Weakly Alicia opened her eyes, knowing already from the all too familiar
feel of the bedding to the newly placed "décor" above her now opening
eyes that she was back, once again, in the infirmary. "At this point I
might as well serve the rest of my year here." she muttered absently.
"That was the scariest thing I've ever seen in my life." somebody said.
Scariest... the scariest thing... guess she missed the Dementors what with
having that Galerian in her face.
Alicia lolled her head to stare at her teammates, noticing a detached and
shellshocked Harry staring at something on his bed (out of sight). Ron
and Hermione were there as well, looking as though they'd just climbed
out of a washing machine at full tilt. "Hey Alicia." said Fred, who
looked extremely white underneath the mud on his face, "How're you
feeling?"
"Living, I suppose, but that's a good thing I guess." she muttered, "So
since I guess you're all here what the hell happened out ther.. Ouch..."
(sighs as she rubs her bad arm, grimacing at it) "...goddess not again."
"Well, Alicia..." Fred stammered abit, "You fell off your broom... knocked
off actually by that reptile thing, must've been -- what -- fifty feet?"
"You thought I'd died, didn't you." Alicia whispered, shaking a little as
she felt her arm. At that Hermione made a soft sqeualing noise, her eyes
bloodshot as if she had just recovered from crying for a long time.
"How'd we do in the match? Harry did catch the Snitch before whatever
happened to him... right?" (nobody spoke) "OK then, we ARE going to get a
replay... right?" (again, nothing) "Oh damn... don't tell me, please don't
tell me we..."
"Diggory got the Snitch." George confirmed. "Just after Harry fell. He
didn't realize what had happened until that lizard thing blew up and
caught his attention, when he looked back to see what made the noise he
saw Harry on the ground and tried to call it off. Wanted a rematch."
"Awfully nice of him." Alicia noted with a sour tone. "But they won fair
and square, didn't they."
"Even Wood admits it." George finished.
"And speaking of Wood..." Alicia's attention turned, "Where is fearless
leader?"
"Still in the showers." Fred answered dimly, "We think he's trying to
drown himself."
"He needs to stand outside, stick his head up and open his mouth to do
that... it'll go faster." Alicia offered, rolling over in bed to lie
sideways, starring at Harry. "I can't believe it. Harry missed?"
"We know how you feel." Katie noted with a sigh, "Harry never missed the
Snitch before."
"But there had to be one time that it'd happen, right?" (Angelina)
"Anyway we lost only by a hundred points right? So if Hufflepuff loses to
Ravenclaw..."
"And we beat BOTH Ravenclaw and Slytherin..." (Fred picked up and ran with
it) "...that might be doable, and even I'd bet on odds like that."
"But Hufflepuff..." (George) "...would have to lose by at least two hundred
points. But if they beat Ravenclaw..."
"No, no, no." (Katie) "Ravenclaw is way too good. But if Slytherin loses
against Hufflepuff, and the points play out the right way, then we could
be looking at better odds. A margain of a hundred points either way."
The topic of what happened came up next.
* * * * * *
Alicia's handblade sliced through it's body, cutting it apart in a shower
of blood. However it was raining hard, so hard that Alicia barely noticed
the mix of dark blood and cleansing water, but she did notice her mistake
immedately as the core's energy sparked and flashed before her. The
charge knocked her for a loop, numbing her mind as she fell downwards.
She could barely register the explosion but felt the bone jarring rattle
as it finished knocking her out.
Dumbledore, enraged, rushed out onto the field angry as heck. As he hit
the field he quickly waved his wand to slow the descent of both Alicia
and Harry. As the touched the ground he spun on the Dementors, rage
filling his eyes as he raised his wand and screamed "EXPECTO PATRONUM!!",
unleashing a strong silver force onto them which drove them away
forthwith.
From the stands a new voice rang out "Shatterius!" as a powerful bolt of
energy shot out over the field, catching a newly arrived drone unit as it
fell towards the prone Alicia, cutting through it's midsection (breeching
it's inner core) causing it to explode in midair.
As Snape (who fired the shot) came onto the field Dumbledore had already
levitated both downed Gryffindors onto stretchers, walking up with Snape
delivering the two to the infirmary.
* * * * * *
Alicia caught their attention by waving a free hand upwards in their
directions. "Where is my broom?"
Everyone exchanged worried glances.
"That can't be good."
"Well..." Hermione muttered, now blushing again though not as brightly as
when Alicia stole that kiss from her eariler, "...when you and Harry fell
off your brooms they were blown away and..."
Alicia - "And?"
Hermione - "And they both hit the... who-Whomping Willow..."
Alicia gritted her teeth and shut her eyes, "I suppose you have what's
left of my broom."
Sure enough...
"Professor Flitwick brought it back just before you two came around,"
said Hermione softly.
Slowly she reached down for a bag at her feet, turning it upside down,
tipping a dozen bits of splintered wood and twig that was once a
Prototype Nimbus 2001 she got on her first year at Hogwarts.
"Guess it's too much to ask that there'll be a Nimbus 2002, right?"
Alicia muttered.
"Alicia." Wood called from the entrance to the infirmary, "Nimbus
Corporation signed a no competition agreement with the creators of the
FireBolt for it's first year of release. With the exception of team
orders and a few prototypes there'll be no mass release of Nimbus racing
brooms in 2002."
Alicia - "Perfect." (teeth clenched" The perfect end to a perfect day."
To Be Continued.
Back to Azkaban Index - Back to Non-Anime Fanfiction Shoujo-Ai Fanfiction