Agents of Discord

by KittyrinnAiko

Chapter 97: A Good Boy

January had been plagued with snow storms keeping most sensible folks indoors. Hagrid was often seen out and about, clearing snow from the Quidditch pitch, or clearing snow from the pens and shelters for the various creatures he had. The month had gone by fairly quietly save for a little mischief their four musketeers had gotten into. No doubt Snape was scratching his head trying to figure out how Sweetie had managed to produce tentacles from such a simple potion. She’d been doing so well too. Why it’d been a whole week without her potion bubbling up looking like it had turned to molten lava.

And yet Aerie had a bad feeling that night. Sure there was a full moon predicted but didn’t there need to be clear weather for the moonlight to shine through?

“Oh…” Aerie said softly as she looked out the window. The clouds had cleared while she’d been working on her reports. Outside the window, snow blanketed everything, and everything shone brightly, illuminated with moonlight.

“What’s that?” Aurora asked as she too looked up from her work. The beauty of the sight had her momentarily mesmerized unaware of the four young girls entering the portrait hole and the standoff they were about to cause.

“Big Sis!” Louise called.

“Yes?” Aurora turned, and her expression turned to befuddlement at the sight of the four girls plus one rather large gray wolf. Its ears were down in dismay and fright and Apple Bloom had it tethered with a stout bit of golden drapery cord that was perhaps an inch in diameter. Adding to everyone’s confusion was Kaida riding on the back of the wolf-like she hadn’t a care in the world. Sitting there, just sitting like a hen on a nest.

“We found him in the corridors. Can we keep him?”

“Please…” all four girls chimed while completely oblivious to the sudden silence that fell on the room.

“No.”

“But why not?”

“Because that’s your DADA teacher,” Aerie informed the girls along with everyone in the room. Her tone was completely neutral. “That and he technically belongs to Hoshiko.”

“Awwww,” Chimed the girls.

“Girls, that’s a werewolf,” Alicia Spinnet said softly.

“I’ll have you know that he’s a very good boy,” Apple Bloom countered.

“What say we put him to the test,” Aerie offered as she got up.

“Aerie don’t,” Wood hissed.

“Wood, relax. If I was in any danger there’d be a Night Mare in here.
“Alright then, Professor, sit boy.”

The Wolf sat. Kaida on the other hand slid off onto the floor.

“Lay down… roll over, good boy. Sit up…” With each command the wolf dutifully obeyed. Kaida who’d been momentarily fine with just sitting where she was had been forced to get up and hop away to avoid flailing legs when the good boy rolled over. “Beg, good boy. Play dead. Awe, you are such a precious darling.” Aerie reached out and dared to rub the ravenous beast on the belly while the tail wagged.

“What’s going on?” Percy asked in a tone of utter befuddlement.

“Verdict, not a man killer. He’s a good boy,” Aerie proclaimed as she straightened out.

“But how?” chimed several of the older students.

“It’s the necklace,” Hermione informed everyone.

“I thought there was a possibility Dumbledore would hire him,” Aerie began as she turned to address the common room. “Mr Tsuki provided the necklace. It’s for managing troublesome Yokai.”

“Well I’ll be,” Wood said softly.

“I should probably get him back to his apartment.” Aerie took up the makeshift leash just to be sure Lupin didn’t take off on his own. Kaida on the other hand decided to launch herself into the air, flew over to Louise, and landed on her right shoulder.

“Curfew is in three minutes,” Percy pointed out. “Perhaps I should go.”

“You can accompany me.”

“No, I think-”

“I don’t care what you think. I’m the one most like Hoshiko. I’m the one who’ll have the most authority over him. In short, he’s far less likely to obey you than me.” Lupin the wolf had got up and sat by her side. Percy seeing this reluctantly relents with the three heading out a short time later.

The two made their way through the castle, an odd silence having passed between them. Not that Aerie cared all that much. Nor was she too surprised to find Professor Dumbledore rounding a corner on them with his wand in his hand.

“Sir?” Aerie asked.

“Professor Dumbledore. We were just seeing the professor back to his rooms.”

“I… see. Not out walking the dog then.”

“It’s the necklace,” Aerie offered with a smile. “Makes a good boy out of him.”

“I see… I’ll confess that I was out looking for him. Afraid he was overdue our meeting.”

“Our four musketeers seem to be the first to encounter him. The break in the storm seems to have done him in.”

“In that case, it seems we need to thank Mr Tsuki for small miracles. I hope you don’t mind, but I think I’ll accompany the two of you.”

“We will be glad of the company,” Aerie replied with a smile. Percy looked like he had mixed feelings for some reason.

The three arrived at Lupin’s apartment a short time later to find the door ajar and the inside in considerable disarray.

“Professor… did you do this before transforming or after?” Aerie asked in mild rebuke. “Now if he were a family dog I’d call this the result of separation anxiety.”

Aerie took him into the remains of his bedroom, had him lay on his bed, and removed the rope.

“I suppose clean up can wait till morning,” Dumbledore offered as Aerie gently stroked the wolf’s head. He did not expect her to start singing. Soft and kind, the notes wove a spell over Lupin, his head dropping, his eyes closing.

“Moon, high and deep in the sky
Your light sees far,
You travel around the wide world,
and see into people's homes.
Moon, stand still a while
and tell me where is my dear.
Tell him, silvery moon,
that I am embracing him.
For at least momentarily
let him recall of dreaming of me.
Illuminate him far away,
and tell him, tell him who is waiting for him…” *

There was more to the song, but Lupin was now deep in slumber. She slowly rose, and without a word, ushered the man and boy out of the room. The door was locked, Dumbledore opened his mouth, but Aerie motioned for him to remain quiet, turned, and began to walk back to the dorm. Percy remembered himself a moment later and hurried after.

Dumbledore stood still, standing unmoving, how long he could not tell. Who were these girls who could so entrance a werewolf?

“Sorry, I’m late, sir. Never happen again,” Aerie offered as she entered the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom. She’d needed to get together with Hoshiko to bring her up to date on last night’s activities.

“The lesson began ten minutes ago,” scolded Professor Snape.

The presence of Professor Snape had her so befuddled that she started to turn around to leave. Her mind registering that she was indeed in the DADA classroom she turned back around.

“Going somewhere? Potter?”

“I’m so sorry, I thought I was in the wrong room. Not only was I expecting Professor Lupin, class starts at five after and it’s only seven after.”

“This class starts on the hour. Now go sit down.”

“Yes sir,” Aerie replied and went to her seat.

“Lupin seems to be running late,” Aurora whispered as Snape’s glittering eyes gazed out over his captive audience.

“That’ll be five more points from Gryffindor,” Snape snarled. “Now, as I was saying before Potter’s interruption. Professor Lupin is feeling too ill to teach today, and given that he’s left no notes as to what he’s covered…”

“Sir, If I may, he’s covered Boggarts, Red Caps, Kappas, Grindylows, and we were-” Hermione began but found herself being shut down.

“Be quiet! I did not ask for information. I was commenting on Professor Lupin’s lack of organization.”

“He’s the best Defense Against the Dark Arts we’ve had,” Dean Thomas boldly proclaimed.

“Dean, Quirrell was possessed and Lockhart is an idiot,” Aerie countered before Snape could say anything. “Just saying.”

“It’s a miracle you’ve learned anything at all,” Snape drolled.

“Miracle we’ve learned anything…” Ron began under his breath but shut his mouth when Snape’s eyes locked on him.

“You had something to say?”

“No sir.”

“I thought not… Now, as there is no course plan today we…” Snape flipped through the book till landing on the page he wanted. “Today we will cover werewolves.”

“But sir, we were supposed to cover hinky punks,” Hermione blurted out.

“Miss Grainger, who is it that is teaching this class today?”

“You sir.”

“And as I am teaching we will cover what I want to cover. Page three-ninety-four.” He glanced about. “All of you. Now!”

One by one everyone in the class found the page and waited. And yes, they’d all figured out what he was doing.

“Which of you can tell me how to distinguish between a werewolf and a true wolf?”

“Oh, I know!” Aerie blurted out surprising everyone.

“Potter?”

“A werewolf will most definitely be more apt to want to kill me.”

“That’ll be another five points from Gryffindor.”

“Please sir, the werewolf differs in that the snout-”

“I didn’t call on you. And the second time you’ve spoken out of turn.” Everyone was glaring at him now.

“You asked, and she knows the answer,” Ron blurted out. “Why ask if-”

“Detention, Weasley,” Snape stated silkily as he stepped over to Ron and leaned down to put his face uncomfortably close. “And I better not hear you criticize how I teach or you will be very sorry. Very sorry indeed.”

No one said another word. Snape set them to copying lines from the text while he poked his nose in everyone’s notebooks.

“Very poorly explained… This is incorrect, the Kappa is more commonly found in Mongolia.”

“In that, you would be dead wrong,” Lupin stated coldly from the door. He had a new suit on. The pants were just a touch on the baggy side with a watch chain hanging down, the jacket long with broad shoulders, an extra large collar on the shirt, and a cravat instead of a tie. On his head wide brimmed fedora hat jauntily tilted. “The Kappa is a lowland swamp and brackish water animal native to Japan. It rarely ventures over a thousand feet in elevation. Mongolia has an average elevation of five thousand feet.” He took a few steps inside, took off his hat, and flung it like a flying disk to have it catch on a coat hook.

Snape just stood there and glared at him.

“Good of you to cover for me, I had a bit of a wardrobe issue this morning. Thank you, but we’ll not be needing you anymore. Oh, and Mrs Silverwood contacted me to let me know that her people have developed a new treatment for my condition so I’ll not be needing your services. Thank you.”

“Lupin… given you’ve mentioned it, I bet your class would love to know what your condition is,” Snape sneered.

“He’s a werewolf,” Hermione filled in.

“We found out last night when Miss Apple drug him into the Gryffindor common room on a leash,” Alice Tolipan informed Snape as Lupin continued to his desk, there was a momentary look of embarrassment on his face.

“Professor, if you are wondering, right off hand I’d say that the most dangerous creature in this room is Miss Summers,” Lupin quipped.

Snape had lost all the wind from his sails and he’d a look of utter befuddlement on his face.

“Professor… I have a class to teach. If you don’t mind.”

Professor Snape recovered himself and hurried out of the room in a bit of a huff.

“Now… sorry about being late. Given you all seem to know, I kind of trashed my room along with the little clothing I had. Now… what say we see if we can’t recover some of what I had planned?”

“Professor?” Aurora prompted. “Most dangerous?”

“Ah, yes. Professor Dumbledore told me about the pixie incident. Apparently, the wards registered well above normal levels of magic.”

“Oh. Ah, just between us, I’d say Aerie is decidedly more dangerous.” Lupin gave her an odd look. “She seems to be rather good at acquiring dangerous toys.”

“Shush, you,” Aerie scolded playfully.

Fast forward to a beautiful Saturday morning. Outside the sun was shining and hearts were bright. They’d also received news that the Mandrakes would be mature soon and they’d be able to unpetrify Nott before too long. People still speculated about who’d been responsible

“Perfect Quidditch conditions,” Wood stated enthusiastically as he dumped piles of scrambled eggs onto the plates of his team members.

“Will you stop that!?” Aerie protested.

“Buck up there Aerie. You need to eat. Get a good breakfast in you.”

“I’ll be too sluggish to play Quidditch if I eat all that. Knock it off.”

“She’s got a point there,” Alicia stated as she looked at the pile of eggs on her plate with disgust.

Aerie ate as much as she dared and when she was finished she gathered herself up and went to go get her Quidditch gear. Spotting Mrs Norris in cat form she couldn’t help but scoop up the little cat.

“Hey!” protested the feline in the old ponish, the language being easier in cat form.

“I hear you protesting but you aren’t squirming,” Aerie replied, both using the old language as they talked.

“I have my dignity.”

“Kill… rip, tear… find way out… kill...”

Aerie and Mrs Norris froze. The voice sounded like it was in the walls itself.

“What was that?”

“Snake speech.” Mrs Norris was shaking now.

“Dear sweet Harmony and Order preserve us, it’s trying to find a way out.”

“Maybe it’ll give up? It needs someone to let it out, right?”

“I assume that it needs someone to let it out.” Aerie put Mrs Norris down. “And I’m not going down there after it.”

“That’s good to hear,” Moonie announced.

Both jumped a bit on hearing Moonie’s voice. Moonie had appeared right there in full Night Mare mode all armored up.

“Moonie, I hate to ask…”

“I’ll track it.” Nearby a Halberd vanished.

“Thank you.”

“I think I’m going to talk Filch into going out and watching the game,” Mrs Norris announced and scampered off.

“Not like I can blame her,” Aerie said softly. “Alright then…” Moonie was already gone. Aerie let out a sigh, put her right hand on the amulet momentarily, and then continued. Aerie let a wicked smile cross her face, transformed into pony mode, and raced up to the tower past several startled students, gave the password at the portrait, and transformed back to being a human as she stepped through.

On her way out, now fully equipped with a broom in hand, she couldn't help but laugh as people excitedly talked about the pony.

“Aerie, did you see a pony in the halls? Do you know where I might find it?” Collin asked excitedly.

“Try out at the quidditch pitch. They like to watch the game too.”

“No, there was a pony inside the school?”

“Was it black and white?” Aurora asked pointedly as she walked up to them.

“Maybe…” Aerie offered slyly. “I need to go.” And with that, she dashed out the door and raced downstairs.

“Aerie!” Aurora called and then laughed.

A short time later the teams were walking out onto the pitch. Gryffindor in their scarlet robes, and Hufflepuff in yellow. Each went to their perspective places to discuss tactics.

“I’m sorry Wood, but I’m going to go for the Snitch right off.”

“Now hang on.” Wood was just a little annoyed, and he was more than likely underestimating Hufflepuff’s chances.

“I’m sorry. You do you, but… well, it’s just that I’ve got a bad feeling.” The idea that that damned monster might find its way out lurked in the back of her mind. Getting the game over with as soon as possible was the right thing to do, wasn’t it? Then again, what if it found its way out into the school? Maybe keeping the game going as long as possible was what she should do. Either way, grabbing the snitch fast was the best tactic for her.

“Like what?”

“Come on Aerie, if you think something’s going to happen you should tell us,” Fred pressed.

“That’s just it, I can’t really say.”

“Line up please,” Professor Lupin called. “Don’t give me that look, Madam Hooch is a Hufflepuff alumnus and can’t referee a game that Hufflepuff is playing. Or would you prefer Professor Snape?”

“We’re good,” nearly everyone chimed and then laughed. Moments later Lupin had blown the whistle and the game was underway.

Aerie quickly gained altitude, her old nemesis mocking her with its bright sunlight. Aerie didn’t want to say anything to Wood, but bright sunlight effectively washed out the slight aura that emanated from the Snitch. Gaining altitude and getting the sun behind her just seemed the right thing to do. Cedric Diggory, the Hufflepuff Seeker seemed to have a similar idea. The downside is that the Snitch typically loitered near other players which meant it’d be somewhere where all the action was.

Diggory hovered near Aerie as she let her broom drift. He scanned for the snitch, cast his eyes on Aerie, and then back to looking for the snitch. Gryffindor scored a point and Aerie sped up. Diggery made sure to keep up. Just in case. He knew that if Aerie saw the Snitch first the game was as good as over unless he could undercut her in a turn and get to it first. When Aerie began to slide back he slid back. When Aerie drifted left, he drifted left. When Aerie slid right, he slid right. Before long she had him sashaying back and forth across the sky all the while oblivious to her subtle manipulation.

Suddenly Aerie spun and dropped racing away, Diggery hot on her tail. Left, right, up, and over into a loop. Diggery stuck with her fearing that she might have seen the snitch. It alluded him, and when Aerie repeated a series of maneuvers he became convinced that she was just trying to lose him.

To the people on the ground, it looked like an aerial dance. Suddenly Aerie was streaking through the air past the players… she’d seen the snitch! Diggery saw it too and raced after her.

Author's Note:

*Song to the Moon, Aria from Dvorak's Popular Opera Rusalka.

Comments

[harts fire]

i am happy to see Snape put in his place...
love the chapter.

[Da Fennec]

What happened with Lupin doesn't overly surprise me especially considering who 'captured' him