Nicole Stevens: Dragons and Deceit

Chapter Six

As I walked into the common room I saw Ron hurrying towards me. I backed away, shaking my head. "Oh, no. You're not getting me to help you with anything. I already told you, Harry can take care of himself. He's being doing it for a little over sixteen years now."

Ron shook his head, pulling me by the arm towards the stairs leading to the boys' dormitories. "No, no, no. You're not helping him, you're helping me. Harry's locked up out of the dorm room and we can't get in. He's destroying the room, and our stuff is as good as gone. We've all tried to get him to open the door, but he won't do it. So..."

"So what? I'm not your personal helper. If you want him to open the door, ask him nicely. You never know, maybe politeness will get you somewhere. But I can assure you that I'm not the person Harry will listen to. Or, better yet, find Dumbledore and get him to make Harry open the door."

Ron stopped, "He will listen to you. He loves you. Why won't you just try to help us? Help me. Get him to open the door, and I'll never ask you for another favour. I promise, Nicole. I promise. Just help me!"

I sighed deeply, nodding. "Fine. But you have to promise me that it's the last thing you'll ever ask me to do. Okay? Because if it's not, then I'll hurt you. I promise you I'll injure you severely if you try to get me to help you with Harry again. Am I clear?"

"Yeah. Now come on!" Ron led me up the stairs to the boys' dormitories.

All I wanted to do was to go to my room and sleep, but instead, here I was being taken to solve a problem that I hadn't been a part of. Was there no end to the punishment that was my life? Apparently not.

We stopped at a landing, where three boys sat, twiddling their thumbs and looking worried. Neville looked up hopefully, smiling. He was hoping I could fix it. Dean stared down at the floor, looking upset. Not that it was a surprise, or anything. The other boy, Seamus, was frowning at the door, and gazing intensely at it, as if he had mind powers that could unlock it. Ron pushed me towards the door, nodding quickly. I had best hurry and get it over with. Ron was obviously not going to allow me to leave until I had tried.

"Uh," I was unsure of how to start. "Harry, open up. Can we talk for a second? I heard about the Quidditch game, and I think we should discuss some things. Will you please let me in?"

There were some muffled thumps, and the sound of something glass shattering. Then the sound of ripping. "Harry? What are you doing?"

"I just decapitated Neville's teacup collection, and shredded Dean's Sky and Belle books."

"Sky and Belle?" I wondered aloud.

Dean sighed, "Sky and Belle--they're characters in a book. Sky's a really vibrant girl who loves to party, and she meets Belle, another girl. But Belle's quieter, and she likes Everclear, the Muggle band. So, they go through all these experiences, and learn a lot from each other, and in the end Sky and Belle are separated because Sky's moving away and Belle's really sad. There's also this crazy girl Heather, and she's--"

"Okay, okay, Dean. I get the point. Look, Harry. I really want to talk to you. Won't you just open the door?"

"Here's a poster of Viktor Krum," he shouted through the door, sounding disgusted. "It's signed! Oh well." I could hear him ripping up the poster. Seamus groaned, pounding his head with his fist.

I took a deep breath, before knocking on the door. "Harry Potter, stop having a temper tantrum and open this door so we can talk! You're acting like a two-year-old!"

Muffled thumps came from behind the door. It opened barely, and I pushed through. Once inside, I turned to face Harry. He was leaning against the door, looking at the floor. I sighed, sitting on one of the beds. The room was a wreckage of paper and some broken glass.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" I asked.

"I'm sorry if I don't take rejection well. Surprising, as I've had so much practice over the last three years," he hissed, not looking at me.

"I didn't reject you."

"You kissed him."

"Oh, grow up. Not everything is about kissing."

"Yeah, with Malfoy, some stuff's about groping," Harry shot back.

"You're determined to be stubborn about this, aren't you?"

"Not necessarily. To me it seems as if you're just determined to be a slut."

I blushed bright red. Harry was scowling at the floor, and twiddling his thumbs. He didn't even seem to notice that my cheeks were now as red as the sheets on the bed. Or if he noticed, he didn't care. Never mind. This was the cold-hearted Harry. He didn't care.

"All right," I replied sadly. "If that's the way you feel, then I guess we don't have anything else to talk about. I'll just go. But you might want to know that Ron's really worried about you. He thinks there's something wrong. And I think so too. I know you're capable of taking care of yourself, Harry. But there's something you're not telling everyone, I know it. So until you're ready to talk, goodbye."

I walked to the door, but he didn't move to let me through. Instead, he stood firm, gazing pensively at the floor. Shaking my head, I pushed him gently out of the way. But he didn't move. "Harry, let me out."

He raised his eyes to mine. "Why should I?"

"Well, it doesn't seem like you particularly want me here. And I don't really want to stay here with someone who's determined to make me feel inferior. So move out of my way, or I'll make you."

He chuckled. "You don't need me to make you feel inferior. You should be able to do that by yourself."

"I don't need you at all."

Shrugging, he stepped aside. His passive-aggressiveness was almost palpable. I returned the shrug and opened the door. The other boys stood outside, looking hopeful. I waved at the door, as I headed down the stairs.

They headed inside. Good. He could deal with them now. As for me, I was going to my bedroom and collapsing onto my bed.

*~*~*~*Dream*~*~*~*

Draco was chained to the wall, preventing him from moving. He had struggled, and now his wrists were chafed and raw. The stone wall was cold against his bare back. So there he was, shivering and cold, with blood trickling down his back.

He looked down at his wrists, seeing the bloody rings around them. Some were from the whip, and some were from the leather bindings that kept him secured to the wall. Shivering, he wondered if he could slip out of them. Even though he knew he couldn't, he could not bear the thought of standing here all night.

The door opened. Narcissa entered, looking apprehensive. Her son smiled gently at her, and she flinched, shaking her head. She unlocked the shackles and he thanked her.

"When will you learn," she sighed. "Don't make your father angry. I don't understand why you won't learn."

"I didn't do anything," he said quietly. "He stormed in, and... I don't know what he thinks I did. But whatever it is, I didn't do it. Mother, you know I would never...not intentionally."

She sighed again. "I know it all too well. But intentions are funny things. Now, come on. Lets get you cleaned up for dinner."

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The next day, I felt horrible. My head pounded and I cursed the sunlight that poured in through the window. Looking at my clock, I saw that it was almost eleven. Well, it seemed as if I should have caught up on any sleep I was lacking. But I felt tired, and it was almost as if I had the flu.

The other girls were not to be found in the dorm, so I figured that they were down in the common room, talking about make-up. It would be like them.

There was a knock on the door. I flinched. The noise sent a sharp pain through my head. I yelled hoarsely, "Come in." Professor Dumbledore stepped inside. I frowned, wondering why he was there. "Hello, Professor." I sat up, propping pillows behind my back.

"Good morning, Miss Stevens. If you'll excuse me for disturbing you, I thought you might like to take a look at this. It was sent to me, along with a letter. Do not ask who it is from, for I have no answer, only speculation."

I nodded slowly and took the envelope from his hands. It was heavy and made of a rich vellum material. There was a sense of foreboding lurking in my head, but I had no idea why. Opening the envelope, I picked up the first thing my fingers touched. It was a clipping from today's Daily Prophet.

---Missing Couple's House Explored

by Rita Skeeter

It is a warm day in the cosy nook that is Godric's Hollow. But all here is not well, the house remains empty, and everything inside is covered with a thin layer of dust broken by nothing but my footsteps from exploring the house. The house belonging to the Stevens family has not yet been investigated by the Ministry of Magic.

Having explored the house, I am certain that it has been empty for many months. The rooms are tidy, and there is nothing to suggest that the house was burglarised. Only one clue has been left; the master bedroom in the upstairs of the house has spots of blood spattering the floor. Though the bed is not made, it seems as if there was no struggle getting the couple out of the bed. However, it would appear that some foul play did occur.

While the daughter of the missing couple has declined my request for an interview, a close friend of hers said that there was something she was hiding from everyone. It would seem, based on the evidence, that all clues point towards the one daughter of the Stevens family: Nicole.

Though some sources say she has been at school for the past few months, clues have led us to believe that she left school during a weekend and went home. What happened while she was there, however, is unknown. Until the Ministry chooses to investigate the home, we may never know what happened to the Stevens.---

My jaw dropped. It couldn't be true! Rita Skeeter was blaming me for something I had not done. She didn't even know what happened, and here she was, saying that I had committed a crime. I tried to blink back the tears that threatened to fall onto the page. I dropped the article and rummaged through the envelope for a letter. I found what I was looking for.

---The Ministry of Magic---

Professor Dumbledore,

As Minister of Magic, it is my duty to inform you that one of your students, Nicole Stevens, has been accused of kidnapping and/or murder by the following party/parties: Sir Lucius Malfoy. He bases his claims on the evidence found in the home of said student. I have reviewed the evidence, and it would seem that there is sufficient evidence to prove their theory that the accused left school on September the 6th, kidnapping and/or murdering her parents in their home in Godric's Hollow.

To be fair to the student, there will be a trial held on October 30th. The accused will testify, and if available, others may testify for or against the alleged kidnapper and/or murderer. The student will be excused from any and all classes for that day to appear before her accuser/accusers and myself. Any witness and/or alibis will also be excused from classes for the entire day to make preparations for the trial.

Enclosed you will find a list of evidence, a newspaper article, several photographs, and a written statement from the accuser. Please read and/or inspect these things before disclosing them to the student. I will require a formal written statement from the student, stating guilty or innocent of any and all crimes.

Cornelius Fudge

Minister of Magic---

"Professor," I said weakly, "I didn't do it. How could I have done it? I was here--I was at school. Malfoy, he framed me. I know it. Why on earth would I do that?"

Professor Dumbledore sighed, "I do not know how they think that you were in two places at once. I am well aware that you were attending school. But they have substantial proof to convict you. You need an alibi, and witnesses who saw you here at school."

"I need some way to prove that I didn't do it. Does Fudge not know that Lucius Malfoy is a slimy, Death Eater bovine?" I stopped, as something occurred to me. The Dark Mark was branded on my arm from my fifth year. How would I explain something like that? "Professor, the Dark Mark--if they do a physical inspection, they'll find it. I'll be convicted for sure, then. Damn it. Why didn't I just let myself be killed then?"

Dumbledore shook his head sadly, "You will need an alibi, as I said. Who saw you at school that weekend?"

"Lots of people," I said. "Harry, Ron, Hermione...even Draco. Snape saw me, too."

"Unfortunately, three of those people will not be fit as an alibi. Mister Potter is considered to be unstable by the Minister. Draco Malfoy will not testify against his father's defence. The consequences are too great. Professor Snape, though cleared of charges, was once a Death Eater. Fudge would not allow him as an alibi."

"That leaves Ron and Hermione. Ron owes me a favour. I'll let him do it. But...there's one more person. Pansy Parkinson. She saw me on Monday."

Dumbledore nodded.

"I need some time to read the rest of this, and to take it all in. If it wouldn't be too much of a hassle, could you send Ron, Harry, and Hermione up here. I need to tell them first."

He agreed and left me with my thoughts. If I were to be convicted, I would be sentenced to Azkaban, the infamous Wizarding prison. The very thought made me shiver. I dressed and went through the envelope, waiting for them to arrive.

A knock on the door signalled their coming. Harry came inside, looking at anything but me. Ron and Hermione entered, shooting glances at each other. They knew something was happening.

"Okay," I took a deep breath, and motioned for them to sit in the chairs by the fireplace. "I've been accused of kidnapping, and murdering my parents."

Harry looked up quickly. His eyes searched mine, and he sighed, knowing it was true. "I'm to stand trial on the 30th of October. Lucius Malfoy is who accused me. He investigated my house, and apparently there's enough information to convict me."

"Lucius Malfoy is a git," Ron said. "I can't believe Fudge is believing that maniac!"

At least they thought I was innocent. It was slightly reassuring. "I need an alibi who saw me at school during the first weekend in September. Ron, you saw me, right?"

He nodded.

"Well, then, you're my alibi. Hermione, if you would, I'd like you to testify for me. Tell them that you saw me and I was present at school."

"And what about me?" Harry asked quietly.

"I would have you testify, but Fudge seems to think you're unstable. I can't let you. Here's an article Rita Skeeter wrote about the disappearance," I handed it to him. "Here are the written statements from my accusers, and this is the letter from Fudge." I gave them to Hermione and Ron. "If you want to read them, go ahead. I've already read them and reread them."

"I'm going to the library to look for something helpful," Hermione told me.

"Ron, come on."

"But..."

"Come on, Ron," she grabbed his arm and dragged him out the door, leaving me alone with Harry. He stood, pulling me into a hug. I rested my head on his shoulder, as he caressed my cheek. A great sadness exuded from him, but also power and strength. He wanted me to win almost as much as I did.

"You'll shove Malfoy's accusations down his throat," he said. I laughed.

"Nice thoughts. I wish I believed it. But I don't see any way for me to win. They have such a strong case. If only I had some way to prove it for certain."

Harry kissed the top of my head, whispering reassurances. After a while, I started to think that maybe there was a possibility that I could win. It would take a lot of preparing in a short amount of time. I only had about two weeks to prepare. I would have to make good use of what little time I had.

"I never thought it could be this bad," I said. "Sometimes I wish I had never come to England. I mean, face it, my life's sucked since I came here."

"All of it?"

"No, but a lot of it."

"Do you realise that if you hadn't come here, Malfoy would still be emotionally incompetent? Not that he isn't still incompetent, but...You've made so many people's lives better, just by being here. My life's certainly been improved since Voldemort's started directing all his focus on you," he joked. I socked him on the arm, laughing. "But it's been one hell of a ride. Are you sure you want to get off here? Or do you want to finish this thing?"

"I'll finish it...I have to."

"All right then. Now come on, you need to get a little bit of food to keep from starving yourself." He took my hand and we headed down to the Great Hall.