Foreshadowing the Past

Chapter 24

"Every problem has a gift for you in its hands." -Richard Bach

Saturday morning was dark and dreary, with frozen rain falling, mixed with snow. Thunder grumbled from within the cement colored clouds that were reflected in the ceiling of the Great Hall. Everyone just knew that this weather would make the grounds a mess, and the mood in the castle was generally gloomy, since no one in their right minds would be outside in such weather. The breakfast table was quieter than usual, since there weren't really any students making plans on how to spend their weekend or looking forward to Quidditch. Connor looked around at his friends, and hid the grin that threatened to crack his face in two, not wanting his cousins asking what he was looking so gleeful about. Ivy winked at him, a small smile playing on her mouth, and Rachel was talking in a low voice to Quentin. Zack looked impatient, and as soon as he had eaten the last of his porridge, he stood up.

"Let's go find something to do," he said significantly.

The others nodded and stood as well, leaving the Great Hall, where a lot of the students were still lingering, since there was not much else that was better to do.

"Do you think we've got this timed well enough?" Ivy asked worriedly as they walked toward the stairway leading to the dungeons.

"Quit worrying," Zack said. "We timed it all last night, didn't we? It's going to be fine.

They all stopped at the top of the stairway. "Okay, you all know what to do," Connor said confidently. Zack, Rachel, Ivy and Quentin all nodded, their eyes gleaming in anticipation. "You have to remember that it has to be the same every time, or you'll ruin it. No laughing."

"We know, Connor!" Rachel groused. "We practiced it a hundred times last night."

"Okay, then," Connor smiled. "Let's do it." Connor stood in the center of his friends, up against a wall to check the map away from prying eyes. "Snape's in his office, at his desk," he reported. "Mischief managed!"

Putting the map in his pocket, he followed the others through the corridors and down the stairs to the first floor, next to the staircase that led down to the dungeons. They checked the map once more, and then got into position and waited. It didn't take long for a first year student with a green Slytherin insignia on his robes to pass by, and Quentin called out to him.

"Hey!" he said to the younger boy. "Are you going past Snape's office?"

The boy stopped and nodded, a bit nervously, probably recognizing Quentin as Vanessa Malfoy's little brother.

"Could you do me a favor and tell him that Filch is looking for him up on the fourth floor?" Quentin asked politely. "He's in a snit about something and wants Snape up there, and I really don't fancy spending the day in detention just because I'm not a Slytherin."

The boy looked wary, as if afraid that this group of Gryffindors was about to pounce, but they all stood there looking bored. The boy paused for a moment then nodded with a small shrug.

"Thanks, mate!" Quentin said, sounding genuinely pleased. He tossed the boy a Chocolate Frog, which he caught automatically. "You're a life saver."

He motioned for the others to follow him away from the staircase as though they didn't have a care in the world and waited until they were sure the boy had gone.

"In here!" Connor hissed, tapping a tapestry, depicting several nuns standing beside a well, with his wand and saying, "Students is needing their linens!" The tapestry fell away from the wall slightly, and they pulled it back to expose a narrow passageway, which they all crowded through when no one was coming.

They had thoroughly examined the map while devising their little prank, and discovered that there was a network of narrow passageways throughout the school that Rachel had surmised were, or had once been, used by house elves to move about the school unseen.

"But can't house elves Apparate?" Connor had asked in confusion when she had stated her theory.

"Many of them can," Rachel had agreed. She was a veritable fountain of information about house elves, since her mother had always been one of their biggest crusaders. "But not all of them. It's also a talent that they only acquire once they reach a certain age, if at all. Hogwarts has so many of them, that it's a good bet that some of them would need passages like these to get around without getting underfoot."

They had checked out this particular passage the previous evening (since there was no Quidditch practice), and found it to be apparently deserted. However the students were getting their linens these days, it didn't seem to be through here; the narrow corridors were dusty and the air was stale. The tapestry sealed itself behind them, and they all lit their wands.

"It's a good thing I'm not claustrophobic," Quentin said, his shoulders lightly scraping along the rough, stone walls. "Another couple of years and we won't be able to fit in here anymore."

They could hear Connor ahead of them mutter, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good!" He was obviously checking that the student they had waylaid was performing the task they'd asked of him. "He's at Snape's door right now," he reported to the others, hurrying as fast as he dared to the end of the little hallway. He stopped to study the map, noting that there was a stairway to his right, and a passage out of where they were standing immediately to his left. "Snape's leaving his office and heading up the stairs. We need to get out of here and get into place."

Connor turned to his left, and tapped at a spot in the wall with his wand, and after a small click was heard, a portrait swung outward, expelling the students into the main corridor of the first floor, not far from the staircase that lead up to the second. They extinguished their wands, and Ivy, Rachel and Quentin stood together in a group, with Ivy facing the wall holding up her Magical Theory textbook, and Quentin and Rachel leaning against the wall. Beside them, Connor and Zack each pulled a stack of chocolate frog cards from the pockets of their robes, and they all waited. Zack had the best view off all of them of the end of the corridor where Snape would be appearing, and so he was the look out. When the Professor came around the corner, he gave the rest of them their cue by speaking to Connor.

"No, I've already got one of those. What I really need is a second edition Dumbledore."

"Second edition?" Connor scoffed, shuffling through the cards in his hand. "Good luck! How about a Morgan La Fey?"

Meanwhile, Quentin began his conversation with Ivy and Rachel. "I just don't think it makes that big of a difference," he said, as if they had been discussing something all along. "It's the force of will and intention behind the spell that's the most important."

"In theory, maybe," Rachel replied, flipping her long hair behind her dramatically. "But then why do Professors Flitwick and McGonagall always tell us to be so careful about pronouncing the words of incantations clearly and correctly?"

"No," Zack said to Connor as Snape walked past them with a sneer. They all ignored him. "I've got three of those; do you have an Agrippa?"

"Yeah," Connor said, "I think I have an extra. What will you give me for it?"

"Yes," Ivy chimed in. "But saying the words aloud and correctly helps the caster to focus properly so that the spell is.... He's gone!"

All of them looked to see that Snape had indeed turned the corner to go in the direction of the staircase that would take him to the second floor. They all turned and scrambled back through the portrait they had come out of only a couple of minutes before and sprinted up the narrow stairs to the second floor, taking a moment to check the map to make sure the coast was clear before exiting and positioning themselves once more in the corridor, not far from the staircase to the third floor. They got into the exact same positions that they had been in previously, and worked to catch their breaths and make sure that they were standing in the right places and had the book open to the same page, and the chocolate frog cards arranged correctly.

"No, I've already got one of those," Zack began, signaling the others that Snape had just turned the corner and was on his way toward them. "What I really need is a second edition Dumbledore."

"Second edition?" Connor scoffed, shuffling through the cards in his hand as he listened for the Potions Master's footsteps. "Good luck! How about a Morgan La Fey?"

Right on cue, Quentin began his conversation with Ivy and Rachel. "I just don't think it makes that big of a difference," he said, he part well memorized by now. "It's the force of will and intention behind the spell that's the most important."

"In theory, maybe," Rachel replied, she was careful to flip her hair again, with the same amount of drama as before. "But then why do Professors Flitwick and McGonagall always tell us to be so careful about pronouncing the words of incantations clearly and correctly?"

"No," Zack said to Connor as Snape walked past them again, this time eyeing them beadily, walking slowly with a furrow in his brow. They all ignored him again, this time for fear of losing their composure. "I've got three of those; do you have an Agrippa?"

"Yeah," Connor said, "I think I have an extra. What will you give me for it?"

"Yes," Ivy jumped into the conversation with Rachel and Quentin. "But saying the words aloud and correctly helps the caster to focus properly so that the spell is as accurate as possible. Very advanced wizards might be able to cast without using the actual words, especially some of the weaker spells, but for most witches and wizards, it's really necessary to.... It's all clear, let's go!"

Once again they dashed into the hidden passage and up a hidden set of stairs to the third floor, and waited for Connor to give the all clear. "This one's going to be close!" he muttered, studying the map, mentally willing the student showing up on it to hurry up and turn a corner so that they wouldn't be spotted. "Go! Go now, and hurry!"

They again emerged from behind a large portrait of King Arthur, who was currently arguing with a knight bearing a blue shield. The kids paid no attention to them as they quickly arranged themselves as they had before, and it was only moments before Zack was starting it all over again.

"No, I've already got one of those," Zack began. "What I really need is a second edition Dumbledore."

"Second edition?" Connor's voice held the same amount of scorn as before as he expertly shuffled through the cards in his hand. "Good luck! How about a Morgan La Fey?"

Meanwhile, Quentin began his conversation with Ivy and Rachel. "I just don't think it makes that big of a difference," he said, waving his hand as he had the other times. "It's the force of will and intention behind the spell that's the most important."

"In theory, maybe," Rachel replied again with the requisite hair flip. "But then why do Professors Flitwick and McGonagall always tell us to be so careful about pronouncing the words of incantations clearly and correctly?"

"No," Zack said to Connor. He was having trouble keeping a straight face, because Snape had come to a halt when he spotted the students and stared at them for a moment before looking back behind him, then staring ahead again. He finally shook his head and began to walk past them, staring at them as they pretended to be immersed in their own conversations and unaware of his presence. "I've got three of those; do you have an Agrippa?"

"Yeah," Connor said, having equal trouble, but forcing himself not to snicker as he kept up his part. "I think I have an extra. What will you give me for it?"

"Yes," Ivy voice was admirably calm and controlled as she recited her lines. "But saying the words aloud and correctly helps the caster to focus properly so that the spell is as accurate as possible. Very advanced wizards might be able to cast without using the actual words, especially some of the weaker spells, but for most witches and wizards, it's really necessary to use the words and wand together for maximum effect."

"But what about wandless magic?" Quentin asked, trying to sound annoyed. Professor Snape looked as though he wanted to say something to them, but none of them made eye contact with him, or acted as though they even realized his was there.

"Well that's different, isn't it?" Rachel asked smugly, scratching her nose and turning a page or two in her book as though she was looking for some fact. "There are only a handful of wizards truly accomplished in that area, like Uncle Harry. Most wizards will never even master the basics of wandless magic; it takes a singularly focused mind to manage it."

As soon as the Professor slowly turned the corner toward the staircase to the fourth floor, Connor pulled the map from his robes, and activated it. They all gathered around to watch, and laughed as they noted that he appeared to be practically running up the stairs and hurrying down the corridor to the spot they might have appeared near the staircase to the fifth floor. Instead, Connor wiped the map blank and the five of them hurried down to their first position, where Snape had first spotted them. They had taken the warning they had been given at Christmas to heart, and didn't want to risk being caught in the hallways with the map activated. They checked to make sure that no one who might ask questions was coming before checking the map again, and watched Snape search the fourth floor for Filch, who was currently standing in a broom closet on the seventh floor. Apparently giving up his search for the caretaker, Snape turned and began the descent back toward his office.

They all got into position when he reached the bottom of the steps on the first floor, and Connor wiped the map and hurriedly stuffed it in his pocket. It was all they could do not to burst into hysterical laughter when Professor Snape spotted them. He came to a dead stop at the end of the corridor and stared at them angrily, then headed toward them purposefully.

"No, I've already got one of those. What I really need is a second edition Dumbledore."

"Second edition?" Connor scoffed, shuffling through the cards in his hand, hoping that he could finish this off without cracking a rib. "Good luck! How about a Morgan La Fey?"

Quentin dutifully began his conversation with Ivy and Rachel. "I just don't think it makes that big of a difference," he said, careful to use the same hand movement as before. "It's the force of will and intention behind the spell that's the most important."

"In theory, maybe," Rachel replied, flipping her hair with a slightly shaking hand. He face was only a bit pinker that usual. "But then why do Professors Flitwick and McGonagall always tell us to be so careful about pronouncing the words of incantations clearly and correctly?"

"No," Zack said to Connor as Snape stopped only feet from them all. They all continued on, doing their best to ignore him. "I've got three of those; do you have an Agrippa?"

"Yeah," Connor said, "I think I have an extra. What will you give me for it?"

"What are you all up to?" Snape demanded suddenly, sounding absolutely furious.

Connor didn't have to fake the sudden startle reflex that made him jump at the sound of the Professor's voice. He turned around, arranging his expression to one of polite puzzlement.

"Well since there's freezing rain outside today, we can't go outdoors."

"And someone let off a whole load of dung bombs in our common room," Ivy added making a disgusted face, so we can't go there."

"And Madam Pince chased us out of the Library," Quentin added. "We need somewhere to wait until we could either go outside, or back to the common room."

"Here seemed as good as anyplace else," Connor shrugged.

"Professor?" Rachel's expression was pure innocence. "We were just discussing how important it is to clearly pronounce and incantation, could you tell us if...."

"I couldn't possibly care less about what you were discussing," Professor Snape said nastily, his eyes traveling over each of them in turn, obviously looking for something to punish them over. "Five points from Gryffindor for wasting my time. Now go back to your common room, and stay there, before I deduct even more points from you for blocking the hallway. I don't want to see any of you again today, or I'll give you a place to spend the afternoon that will be less than pleasant."

"Yes, Professor," they said in unison.

They all turned and headed back up to Gryffindor tower, and managed to hold their laughter in until they were sure they were out of earshot of the Professor. They took out the map and watched as the Professor hurried down to his office. He went to a cabinet for a moment, and then the dot bearing his name went to the desk and became stationary. No doubt he had felt the need for a potion to calm him or relieve a headache.

They were laughing so hard; it took them a full minute to manage to get enough breath to give the password to the Fat Lady, and scrambled through the portrait hole clutching their sides in their mirth.

"That was so worth having to crush rattlesnake fangs for three hours last night!" Rachel wheezed, fighting to take a breath deep enough to regain some normal color to her face.

"And missing Quidditch practice," Quentin agreed.

They all collapsed into chairs in the corner of the crowded common room, and only laughed harder at the strange looks they were receiving from their housemates. Every time they managed to calm down, one of them would snicker again, and set all them to laughing once more.

"Well now we know that the map works," Connor said quietly, still breathing heavily. "So now we know we can trust it when we need to. No more getting caught out in the hallways after hours."

"Speaking of which," Ivy said thoughtfully. "I was thinking that it might be fun to stay up late tonight and see who really prowls around the school at night."

"And the map shows the school grounds as well," Quentin said, getting into the spirit of things. "We could spy on the other house teams Quidditch practices."

"We could see who Sarah's been meeting up in the Astronomy Tower since Halloween," Rachel said with a wicked grin.