A Looping of the Scales ~ COMPLETED

Chapter 35 ~ Reviewing (Part 1)

A dark forest stood before them, speckled with moonlit areas and shadows. There was just enough light to see motion, but a lot places to hide as well as fight openly. A low-lying mist added to the eerie effect.

“What is this? The Forbidden Forest?” Ginny asked in a low voice.

”Not exactly,” Snape replied, “but I discovered something interesting about the ROR as I was musing aloud about what I wished I could add. It—listened to me.”

Hermione nodded.

”I could have told you that. Neville discovered that secret a while ago. The ROR opened up on a shop where he could get food,” she said.

Draco looked at the forest. It was very big.

”How large is it?” he asked Snape, who shrugged.

”As large as we need, I imagine. Large enough to spread out. And look—“

He pointed to the wall behind them. On it were seven large glass tubes. Above the tubes was each of their names.

”That will keep track of how well you’re doing. Jewels will drop down almost like they do when your house is awarded points, but in this case, each individual will be awarded jewels for casting effective charms and hexes. When one of them is completely filled, then the review will be over. I’m not sure exactly how the scoring goes, but I think the more effective the spell, the more jewels are received. You can only use a spell once and physical contact will subtract jewels, so brawling will cost you. Only magical ability counts.”

”Yeah, no punching, Weasley,” Draco said to Ron, who scowled at him.

”The review will begin three minutes after we take up our positions. No charms or hexes are to be fired before then or else the offender will be out of the competition. They can fight, but won’t gain any jewels because they cheated. A red flare will let you know when you can start hunting for opponents. You can work in teams but eventually will have to face off to get a good amount of jewels for yourself. Personally, to me, everyone is fair game.”

The participants all looked at each other measuringly. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to work together. But no one said anything about their plans or if their method of attack had changed.

Ron looked up at the trees with interest. They might come in handy.

”Any questions?” Snape asked.

No. No one asked anything. It was clear what had to be done.

”All right then, we enter the forest. Spread out and give yourselves space at first. If you choose to work in teams you have to find each other first. Good hunting.”

Snape walked into the forest, sticking to the shadowy areas and disappeared quickly.

Hermione took a deep breath, walked a bit further up and entered as well, her wand drawn and a determined look in her eyes.

One by one everyone entered the forest, trying to find good starting places. Ron ran to put some distance between himself and the others, then looked up, transformed and swung into a tree. Once situated, he transformed back to human form and peered through the limbs. He had hoped this would give him a vantage point the others wouldn’t have, but the limbs of the other trees got in the way. Still, he could use his animal form to move through the branches rather than on the ground, then transform back to human form when he wanted to hex someone.

They’d never see him coming.

Blaise searched about until he found a tree that was perfectly shadowed but still had adequate light around it. He stepped into the shadow, his back against the tree, his brown eyes quick and watchful.

Ginny had doubled back when she was sure everyone else was deep in the forest. She stayed on the fringe, hiding behind a tree. This way, she could be sure no one could sneak up behind her.

Draco found a clearing and positioned himself on the edge of it. There were also large boulders present, and he crouched behind one, listening for any untoward sound.

Harry walked through the forest and stopped when he saw a long box propped against a tree. It was hinged. He studied it, then tried to pull it open. He couldn’t budge it and he couldn’t use magic on it. He positioned himself behind it, sure that it meant something.

Hermione walked through the forest quietly, slightly crouched, thinking hard. She looked up at the trees and furrowed her brow. Ron might take advantage of them because of his animal form. People rarely looked up, but she’d be watching and ready.

The others, more than likely they were making use of the shadows and planned to ambush each other. Perhaps—she should stick to the lighted areas, keeping the trees at her back and lure them out. She had several spells she could use to help her and bet her broomstick that effective defensive spells cast on herself would count. She doubted anyone else had thought about that.

But of course she was wrong. Snape did. He stood stock still within a dark area, his black eyes scanning the light speckled forest before him, still as death. He’d had moments like this all through school, standing still as stone while the Marauders searched for him. They would always find him. He wished he had known about their increased sense of smell. It was something he had now. Finding his competitors wouldn’t be difficult because he didn’t need to see them.

Especially Hermione. She basically smelled like a library. The leathery scent of books permeated her skin as if she’d been immersed in them. She had in a way, all her life. Snape loved the smell of books, so it attracted him on a number of levels.

She wouldn’t be able to hide. None of them would.

Suddenly, Snape froze as a scent hit him. He sniffed delicately. That was an animal scent. He smiled slowly, looking up toward the trees. There were only two wizards that could transform.

Him—and Weasley.

Ron was at a disadvantage as well. Orangutans had the same facilities as humans when it came to sight, scent and sound. He didn’t have a hunter’s adaptations. He was powerful and agile, but his senses were ordinary.

Now that everyone was positioned, the ROR began running down the time. To the participants, three minutes felt like three hours as they waited for the flare that would signal the start of their “review.”

Suddenly the room flashed bright red. It was on!

Hermione cast a spell on herself quickly, one that sensitized her hearing so she could better hear people approaching. One step on a twig and she’d be able to tell where a potential assailant (or victim) was.

Ginny, who was on the perimeter, stared into the forest and had an idea. She backed up and pointed her wand.

”Solaris!” she cried, sending the blinding light through the trees. Hermione was facing away from the charm, so the light flashed around her, doing no damage, but Draco, Blaise and Snape were caught full on, temporarily blinded.

Ginny looked back with satisfaction as three scarlet jewels filled her tube.

”Good start,” she said to herself with a wicked smile.

Ron and Harry had both been protected, Harry by the box and tree, and Ron by the limbs which scattered the light and blocked his eyes.

“Gods damn it,” Snape hissed, blinking at the ground. He heard Draco shout, then let out a stream of curses. Seems he’d been hit too. Snape wondered who cast the charm. Hermione? Well, he’d stay in the shadows until he could see again. He had his other senses to warn him if anyone else approached.

”Bloody hell,” Ron hissed as the light flashed around him. He heard Draco yell, transformed into his animal form and moved through the trees in the direction the cry came from. If Draco had been blinded, he’d be an easy target.

With her enhanced hearing Hermione heard the branches giving as Ron moved through the boughs. She dipped behind a tree and pointed her wand at the noise. She saw a glimpse of the orangutan as it passed through a lighted area.

”Rictusempra!” Hermione hissed, casting the charm.

The orangutan began to scream, losing its grip on the branches as its body was magically and unmercifully tickled, Hermione snickering as she watch it lose its hold and plummet from the tree to the ground, turning back into Ron upon impact.

She ran deeper into the forest as a jewel dropped into her tube, indicating a successful spell. Ginny’s brown eyes narrowed when she saw it. Hermione was making her move.

Harry walked around the tree to study the box again. This was standard Harry. Instead of looking for his opponents, he was mucking around with something he probably had no business mucking around with. He still had that curiosity about him. He pointed his wand at the box.

”Alohamora,” he breathed.

The box began to rattle and Harry stepped back, the blood draining from his face as the box opened and Voldemort stepped out of it, walking jerkily toward him, his crimson eyes glittering.

Harry backed up, horrified as the dead wizard continued walking forward with that jerky, stiff gait, as if animated by some other force.

”No! You’re dead!” Harry gasped, his heart pounding. “Get back!”

”Harry! Harry, it’s a Boggart!” Hermione yelled at him from between the trees.

Everyone heard her. There were Boggarts in here? Shit!

Harry thrust a trembling wand tip at the thing approaching him.

”Riddikulus!” he cried, blasting it.

Voldemort dissolved into a little mound of sand which a wind blew away.

Harry turned to Hermione who was looking at him soberly.

”Hermione, thanks for—“

”Expelliarmus!”

Harry was blasted back through the trees and Hermione took off again, a wicked smile on her face. She had helped him, but they were still “reviewing.” She was in this to win.

A stunned Harry sat up on his elbows, blinking. That had been a dirty trick. He stood up and brushed himself off. Hermione wasn’t going to get away with that. He took off running in the direction she took.

Ginny frowned as another jewel dropped into Hermione’s tube. Hermione was catching up. The redhead decided standing on the perimeter wasn’t the smart thing to do. She needed to get in there and cross wands with the others. She stealthily entered the forest, sticking to the shadows.

Blaise managed to get his eyesight in order, then began to creep through the forest, keeping low and listening. He heard someone running toward him and shrank back. It was Hermione. He smiled as she ran by, then fired a blast after her.

”Tarantallegra!” he cried, hitting Hermione in the back and smiling as she began to dance uncontrollably, cursing as Blaise melted back into the shadows. A green emerald fell into his tube.

”Finite Incantatum,” Hermione said shakily, ending the charm just as Harry slid into view.

”There you are! Expelliarmus!” he yelled firing a blast at Hermione. She blocked it. If he hadn’t shouted, he might have hit her.

Harry was about to fire another spell at her when a cry of “Petrificus Totalus!” was shouted from the right and he was hit by the spell. He turned blue and toppled over, a smiling Draco emerging from the forest and looking down at him.

”Take that, Potter,” he said, then looked startled as Hermione shouted, “Petrificus Totalus!” and hit him with the same spell, Draco toppling and landing right next to Harry.

Both Draco and Hermione received a jewel each in their tubes.

Ron was limping through the forest angrily. He had no idea who had hexed him out of the tree, but someone was going to pay. He saw a motion and dropped down, inching up to a tree and peering around it. Blaise was sneaking through the forest. Ron’s blue eyes narrowed and he stuck his wand from around the trunk, staying out of sight.

“Confundo!” he hissed, hitting the wizard. Blaise began to stumble around, completely befuddled and confused. Two jewels dropped into Ron’s tube.

”Outstanding in Defense Against the Dark Arts, eh, Zambini?” he gloated.

”Sorry, Ron,” a familiar voice said.

Ron turned to see Ginny with her wand pointed at him.

”Ginny?”

”Ferula!” she cried, bandages flying out of her wand and wrapping Ron up like a mummy. Only his eyes and nose could be seen. He fell over.

”Just playing to win, Ron. See you later,” his sister told him before running off into the woods.

”Gods damn it,” Ron cursed in a muffled voice as he twisted and turned, slowly loosening the bandages around him.

”Need a bit of help, Weasley?” a voice purred at him. “Levicorpus!”

Ron was hoisted into the air upside down.

”Not fair,” he mumbled through the bandages as a jewel dropped into Snape’s tube. Snape directed him over to the closest tree and through the branches until he was well-balanced.

”Divesto!” Snape said, then “Whoops. A bit more uncovering than I intended.”

”You think?” Ron hissed at him, left only in his tighty-whiteys. At least he had his wand.

”Well, I’m off,” Snape said as Ron fired an Expelliarmus at him and missed.

He’d gone about a good thirty yards before he heard a hex shouted and tried to jump aside, only to fall on his face. He rolled over to see Hermione standing over him, her wand pointed between his eyes.

”Tripping spell. Simple but effective,” she said to the wizard.

Snape looked up at her, then suddenly grabbed her ankle and yanked it out from under her, making her fall on her bum, then hopping on top of her and holding her down.

His emerald disappeared.

“Hey!” Hermione cried, struggling. “I thought you said physical contact is penalized!”

”It is, but I can afford to lose one gem in order to get the advantage. And I must say, this is quite the advantage,” Snape purred down at her. They both looked up as Blaise stumbled by, still confounded. Then Snape looked back down at her.

”I’ll let you go for a kiss,” he said softly.

He didn’t see Ron watching them. He had managed to get out of the tree, but was still in his underwear. He was frowning as he looked at his former girlfriend under Snape. He couldn’t hear what he’d said however, but grimaced when he lowered his head and kissed her.

Oh, that’s how it was, was it?

Ron cast a hex and Snape started scratching terribly, rolling off of Hermione and jumping up. They could hear Ron laughing from behind the trees. Hermione shot a Stupefy in his direction but missed him as Snape managed to remove the spell. Another jewel dropped into Ron’s tube.

”Weasley,” he hissed, then listened intently, his nostrils pulsating.

Snape’s black eyes narrowed as he cast his spell.

”Imperio!” he cried, Hermione covering her mouth in shock as he cast the Unforgivable.

Ron emerged from the bushes, and Snape made him ballet dance in his underwear for a minute or two. Three jewels dropped into his tube. Then he released Ron and dashed into the forest.

The moment he recovered, Ron hexed Hermione with the Tarantallegra spell again, then ran off after Snape.

Hermione was really starting to hate that spell.

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A/N: Thanks for reading.