A Twisted Web We Weave

CHAPTER 10

“Hold still or it’ll hurt worse.” Harry gently sponged the yellow potion across the deep gash on Draco’s cheek. It was a nasty cut, but thankfully a clean one. Draco hissed in pain as the potion immediately began to work, drawing the cut together and healing it like a burn. With a sigh Harry put aside the sponge and tipped what remained of the bloodied bowl of water down the sink before joining Draco sitting on the edge of the bath in the sixth year boy’s bathroom.

“I can’t believe they caught me.” Draco muttered as he pulled on his shirt again having taken it off to prevent it from getting bloodied like his outer robe already was. “I thought they were going to do something else.” For affect Draco glanced down at his crotch, remembering the fear that had swept over his body when his fellow housemates had cornered him in the bathroom while he was taking a leak.

“You’re lucky they didn’t.” Harry looked sympathetically over at Draco who sighed with relief. “You should really report it.” Harry whispered having re-capped his potions bottle and stuffed it back into his locker.

“Nah, Snape won’t do anything about it, there’s no point pissing him off by bothering with it. Besides he’s already moved me into the book room on my own because the first years are turning on me as well.” Draco shrugged his shoulders idly wincing a little in pain at his split lip.

“You really have fucked up haven’t you?” Harry whispered, as there was a roar from outside on the Quidditch pitch. It was midday and the first match of the season would have just started. Draco huffed a contemptible laugh and glanced across at Harry sarcastically.

“No shit.” Draco muttered as he turned to glance out of the window where he could just see the Slytherin and Gryfindor players zooming past. “I haven’t really done anything either all I did was choose my mentor and now they’ve kicked me off the team too.” Draco watched longingly at the fleeting glances his got of his ex-team mates flying about the pitch. Harry wasn’t surprised. Over the past week rumors had begun to spread about the Slytherin’s disowning Draco Malfoy. Like always there were the sensational stories about why, none true of course but it was obvious to everyone now that Draco was no longer Slytherin’s golden boy.

“So how did the ‘mentor’ meeting with Snape go last night?” Harry sarcastically rolled his eyes at the word mentor, knowing himself that Snape wasn’t ever likely to be a good role model for anyone. Draco shrugged his shoulders not really knowing what to say.

“It was strange. He sat me down in front of his desk in his office and began asking me all these questions about school life, my homework, what I did over the summer, my dad, what I want to do after school and then he asked me like, totally out of the blue if I’d ever had sex.” Draco looked expectantly to Harry who all but burst out laughing, at the image of Snape even talking about sex, let alone actually having it. “Yeah that was pretty much my reaction too. He flew off his brain then, going on about maturity and responsibility, preaching to me about making the right decisions in life. So I told him straight that I got laid in first year, second semester just to shut him up.” Harry stopped laughing and looked at Draco a little uncomfortably, having himself no experience in the matter and feeling suddenly inadequate because of it.

“What did he say to that?” Harry inquired, cautiously avoiding eye contact with the blonde.

“Nothing, just fell really quiet for a minute and then told me to go and start my homework in his usual sharp manner.” Harry smiled and nodded, having not expected that sort of reaction from Snape at anytime. “So do you think you’ve worked out the curse that Julius was going to use?” Harry was glad of the change of topic, but reluctantly had to shake his head.

“Nah, I’ve looked through all my old defense texts and there’s nothing in them. I haven’t started in the library yet but we’ve got all weekend seeing as though we’re both not playing Quidditch.” Draco huffed in agreement as Harry rose from the edge of the bathtub. “We can go start looking now, the place is empty what with the match and all.” Draco nodded and rose to follow Harry out of the bathroom having spelled his robes as clean as possible before putting them back on.

“So how come you’re not playing I thought Snape canceled all punishment?” Draco fell into step beside Harry as they made their way down to the library.

“The team already replaced me this match when they found out about my detention. I didn’t really think it fair to chuck the girl out who’d been to practice instead of me.” Harry shrugged his shoulders as he led Draco into the library. Mrs. Prince was sitting at her desk in front of the restricted section; her glasses perched precariously on the end of her nose as she was writing something. The library was deserted and Harry and Draco went to make their way over to the defense section but stopped when the librarian’s voice cut through the quiet.

“Shouldn’t you two be at the game?” Harry and Draco turned around slowly and glanced at the librarian who hadn’t looked up from her work when she’d addressed them.

“Um, we didn’t fancy it today Mrs. Prince we’re just going to get ahead in our homework.” Harry smiled at the librarian who looked up dubiously from her work to the two boys, both of whom were now smiling at her innocently.

”Very well but keep to the quiet reading area out of my way.” With a curt nod the two boys scurried into the stacks of books and began looking for books on the topic of curses. Harry and Draco had sat almost all night after the dueling club discussing what they’d both seen happening. Neither of them knew what curses their defense professor had been using but they had managed to remember a few of their effects on Snape. Harry was sure Julius had been trying to kill his brother and he’d also been sure that last curse the professor had muttered had been an unforgivable. Yet there was no proof, even Snape hadn’t seemed to notice how hard his brother had come down on him. Harry and Draco were sitting on the short stools between the stacks of books reading what information they could find on curses, when they both heard the door to the library open and a strong set of footsteps coming in.

“Ah, Professor, is the game over already?” Harry and Draco closed their books silently and glanced around the shelving in the stack of books to watch as Professor Julius Snape approached Madam Prince’s desk confidently. The man was still sporting a Gryfindor scarf his loyalties in the Quidditch match clear. Harry frowned as he heard the cheers of crowd outside, the match still in progress. It seemed strange that the professor would leave the game early. Draco went to say something but Harry shushed him quickly as he watched as Julius propped himself up on Madam Prince’s desk and beamed brightly at the librarian who practically melted into a pool of blushing slobber at the sight.

“No, I just have a pressing matter to attend to I’ve just remembered about.” Harry hated the way Julius’ eyes flickered with false sincerity as his smile practically ate his entire face.

“Anything that I can help with?” Harry stifled a giggle as Draco pretended to choke on his fingers at the sound of Madam Prince’s sickly sweet tone of voice.

“Actually yes. I believe there’s a book in this library about fire demon’s I was wondering if I could borrow it for an hour or two.” Harry’s scowl deepened as he listened to Julius’ conversation with the librarian. ‘Fire Demon’s weren’t part of the school syllabus as they were classed as ‘dark creatures’.

“Ah yes, it’s part of the restricted section though I’m afraid so it can’t leave the library.” Madam Prince smiled apologetically at Julius who it seemed was a little put out by this information.

“That’s unfortunate Madam Prince, but I really do need that book.” The professor tried again flashing his best winning smile at the woman. However despite how love struck the library seemed to be she was not going to be moved on the issue of the restricted book and continued to shake her head.

“Really I am sorry professor but it’s just not…..” Madam Prince never finished her sentence and Harry’s mouth hung open in shock as he watched the professor hastily point his wand at the woman and stunned her rigid where she sat in the chair. Behind him Harry heard Draco suck in a sharp burst of air at the sight but one glare over his shoulder ensured the blonde didn’t make a noise.

“Stupid old bat, should have just said yes.” With the librarian out of the way Professor Snape swept easily around the woman’s desk and after a series of flicks of his wand over the gates into the restricted section the man walked freely into the section. Harry peered further around the stack of books watching as the professor swept between the rows of restricted books. He was looking for something and it certainly wasn’t a book by the way he was pushing on certain panels along the book shelving. The professor disappeared from Harry’s limited view but not half a moment later the man reappeared a large dusty tomb resting in his arms. Exiting the restricted section Julius dropped the dusty book down onto madam prince’s desk where the woman was still sitting like a statue. Harry strained a little to see what the professor was doing as he opened the book and began flipping pages randomly. “Ah, here we go.” The professor stopped flicking pages about half way through the book and Harry watched in complete shock as the professor flicked his wand at the page. From know where a burst of silver light shot out from the crease of the page, before there was a metallic rattling sound and a sliver band of some sort appeared on top of the book pages. Harry was in complete aw as he watched the professor lift the silver band up to the light and inspect it. The band was rather thick, and had a hinge and a clasp on it. Around the outer side of the silver there seemed to be studs of some sort. If Harry wasn’t seeing things the band looked like an elaborate dog collar.

Julius stowed the collar away quickly and looked back to the book, flipping through a few more pages before stopping. “Might as well take this as well, it might come in handy.” Harry winced a little in sympathy as the professor tore three pages out of the book and stashed them into his robes as well before closing the book with a slam. “Thank-you my dear woman, your assistance was invaluable.” With a smug smirk Harry watched as the professor cast ‘obliviate’ on madam prince before unfreezing her and striding away before she could get her bearings back. Harry felt Draco breath out heavily behind him as he turned around.

“What the fuck was that about?” Draco whispered as he sat himself back down on the footstool. Harry shook his head in confusion, his own mind still reeling from what he’d just seen.

“I don’t know but what ever it was, it was obvious Professor Snape doesn’t want anyone to know about it.” Harry whispered still thinking about the silver band he’d seen and what it might be used for.

“Do you think we should tell someone?” Draco murmured the books they’d been searching through forgotten in light of this new information.

“No.” Harry shook his head quietly. “Besides who’d listen, everyone thinks he’s great and I for one don’t want to admit to knowing about this yet until we know what it’s all about.” Draco nodded in understanding. “Come on, we’ve got a curse to discover first.” Harry collected the books they’d been looking through and disappeared over to the table they’d dumped their bags on when they’d first come in. Draco followed his own arms full of books. It would prove to be a lot of reading, but Harry was determined more than before to discover the curse. Professor Julius Snape was turning out to be more intriguing than Harry had given him credit for.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>>>