The Door to Chaos

Chapter 9 -Butterbeer and Killing Curses

Impressive.

Riddick was silently following Hagrid through the misty streets of Hogsmeade. Cold November fog was billowing through the small wizard town, distorting the distances to nearby buildings and muffling the sound of their steps. From back, and clothed in his mole-skin coat, the half-giant looked as if part of the cobblestone paved street had grown fur, legs and arms and decided to get up and have a walk about.

His slow stride was eating up the distance and Riddick actually had to hurry to keep up with the man. Riddick liked the fog and the cover it provided, but he knew that their conversation would probably stay more private if it took place in a public and noisy place. Sound travelled strangely in the mist.

It's time we have a little chat about your giant brother hidden in the forest, man.

"Blimey Professor, I think I just saw Rosmerta opening a new barrel of Firewhiskey. It's nice of you ter keep me some company," Hagrid's voice boomed like a foghorn.

So much for keeping inconspicuous.

...Nice? Me? I've been called lots of things in my time, but nice has never been one of them.

Rosy golden light and merry noise was spilling out of the windows of "The Three Broomsticks", the local pub.

No. Too crowded, too many noisy kids around. I want him drunk, that won't work here.

"Ah, Hagrid. I'd rather have a drink at The Hog's Head. I've had about all I can take for today of students."

The big guy looked disappointed. To tell the truth, Riddick was a bit disappointed as well, he liked the way that Rosmerta woman fit snugly in her clothes, but this wasn't the moment to get distracted.

They walked past the dark building of the Post Office; the other side of the street was now nearly hidden in swirling white. They must be past Zonko's Joke Shop by now. They turned right into the small side street off the main street, and yes, there was the wild boar's severed head leaking blood onto the white cloth around it hanging over the entrance to the small inn.

Candlelight, a few dark silhouettes turning to see who had entered and a strong smell of goats greeted their entrance of The Hog's Head. A grumpy-looking old man with long, grey hair and beard was wiping the bar with a dirty rag. The few customers had gone back to their own discussions. Two of them attracted Riddick's attention, by hastily covering their heads with their hoods. The third kept talking on, until one of the other two hushed him with a hissed, "Shhhh Ron. Your hood!"

Now look who we have here. Potter, Bushy Hair and Constant Vigilance. Interesting.

The old barkeeper shuffled over to take their orders.

"Whiskey, Hagrid? 'N your friend?"

"Yes please," said Hagrid.

"No thanks. Pint of butterbeer for me," said Riddick.

*Be careful what you say around here as well. Aberforth was an undercover agent for the Order of Phoenix, but he answered only to Dumbledore.*

Aberforth who?

*Aberforth Dumbledore. The barkeep. He's Albus brother. He and Mundungus may be a bit dodgy, but they get to meet people who wouldn't talk to the lot of us.*

I see.

Riddick spend the next hour talking with Hagrid about work, magical creatures and the forest, while ordering more and more Firewhiskey to keep the half-giant's glass full. Hagrid was very happy and relaxed and Riddick's conversationally question went unnoticed just long enough.

"Just how long has Grawp been in the forest then, Hagrid?"

"Not long, hardly over a year, he's a good boy, really and... WHAT?"

Hagrid bellowed and stumbled upright, hitting his head on the ceiling. He stared at Riddick.

Riddick leaned back and sipped his butterbeer, as if nothing was wrong.

"Get a grip, man. He's not exactly hiding, is he? Now sit down and drink up."

The wooden chair groaned warningly as the heavy weight settled once again on it.

"How... what do you know about Grawpie? You must not tell at school. He's not dangerous! He's done nuthing wrong, has he," mumbled Hagrid in worried drunken stupor.

"Indeed?" Riddick's voice was smooth, calm and persuasive. "You're my friend. If you say that he's not dangerous, then I believe you."

Hagrid sagged and knocked down the rest of his glass.

*What? You can't be serious! Giants are dangerous; he could hurt one of the children that keep sneaking off into the forest. He could hurt Harry!*

Shut up, Black. I know what I'm doing. Hagrid is useful. I don't give a fuck about the stupid kids. Let them fend for themselves. As for Harry, he looks smart enough not to go giant-hunting and get hurt.

Sirius' ghost voice suddenly increased in volume. *I'm saying this just once. I. will. Not. Let. Innocent. Children. Get. Hurt. Because. Of. You.*

Innocent people get hurt all the time. Trust your big friend. Besides, he didn't look very threatening to ME. The bigger the monster, the bigger the target. Going shiv-happy on his ass would be a nice change to all that stupid small-game hunting. I'm fuckin' bored.

*You really are a monster.*

Flatterer.

The sound of chairs being drawn back interrupted their conversation. Riddick silently observed the wrapped up figures of the three teenagers leave the pub.

He had just turned back to Hagrid, when the screaming outside started.

Riddick did not bother with the door. He crashed through the window, rolled, stood, and in a fluid motion whipped out his wand.

*SAVE HARRY SAVE HARRY SAVE HARRY*

Hermione's screams were nearly drowned out by the bellow in his head.

The girl was lying curled up on her side, a masked female wizard pointing her wand at her and laughing madly, "Crucio! Crucio, little mudblood ha ha ha. Does it hurt?"

Ron Weasley was lying unconscious beside her. Harry Potter was facing two other hooded silhouettes with white masks and drawn wands.

Riddick reacted without thinking and with the swiftness of a striking snake. Three steps and his right fist connected with the temple of Hermione's aggressor. The woman was still folding up, as he was already racing toward the other two men.

*My turn.* The white hot rage he had felt earlier emanating from Sirius was back.

Again the uncanny feeling of being shoved aside in his own body, watching his arm come up, hearing his voice and Harry's voice shout an incantation at the same time.

"Expelliarmus!"

"Protego!"

Harry was being attacked by a Death Eater. The double-spell hit his magical shield so hard, that his wand flew out of his hand. The other man whipped around and snarled, "Avada Kedavra!"

A jet of green light nearly blasted Riddick's left ear off. He felt strange, as if something huge and invisible had just rushed by.

"Silencio!" barked Sirius using Riddick's voice. The Death Eater, a tall man whose hair was escaping his hood in long, black greasy strands, opened and closed his mouth in a silent oath.

"Snivellus! I'll kill you, if it's the last thing I do. And that goes for Bella as well!"

The man's black eyes widened in obvious shock and confusion, then he vanished with a loud cracking sound.

"BLOODY DEATH EATERS ATTACKING? HOW DARE YOU!" Hagrid had finally joined them. He was standing slightly swaying in the doorframe, waving his big fists.

Riddick was only distracted by him for a second, but a second was all the remaining, now wandless Death Eater needed. The disarmed assailant lunged for his wand, which was now lying a close to Ron's left foot, grabbed the arm of the unconscious woman, whose mask had slipped, revealing a gaunt face with heavy lidded, now closed eyes, and disapparated as well.

"Harry, are you okay?"

The teenager stared at him, looking slightly dazed, then his eyes fell on his sobbing friend.

"Hermione! Ron!"

He ran over to them. Riddick felt Black retreat, leaving it up to him to follow. He cracked his head from one side to the other, before following the youngster on a more leisurely pace.

That the woman who ghosted you?

*Yes! And I had her! If not for Hagrid I would have had my revenge on Bella.*

The ghostly voice was rough with disappointment.

The way I see it, *I* had her. And now she has an open bill with me as well. What the hell has she done to Bushy Hair?

*Cruciatus curse. Unforgivable curse used by Death Eaters for torture. It causes the victim to suffer almost intolerable pain. Bella loves to keep it up until her victims are driven insane. She used it to drive Frank and Alice insane. The Longbottoms were good people, they didn't deserve that.

Longbottom? That would be that Neville boy's parents, right?

*Very dear friends, yes. And members of the Order.

Riddick had reached the group standing by the inn's door now. Hermione was huddled against Hagrid, looking impossibly tiny at his side. Harry was kneeling on the cobblestones and trying to wake his red-haired friend up.

Riddick flicked his wand at the boy on the ground.

"Enervate."

Nothing happened. The unconscious boy's skin had an unhealthy green colour.

"I, I, I have t-t-tried that already, P-P-Professor."

Smart Bushy Hair. Of course she had.

"Hmmmm. I guess I'll have to take him to Madam Pomfrey then. Hagrid, take Harry and Hermione back to the castle, I think that's all of Hogsmeade's underground they want to see for today."

He bent down and gathered the limp body in his arms.

"I hate apparating."

"Professor Riddick?" Harry stepped up to him.

"Yeah?"

Green eyes stared intently in his own, cloudy with conflicting emotions.

"Thank you for saving our lives."

"Just doing my job. I really hate apparating." Riddick vanished.

* * *

Harry turned to Hermione and Hagrid. "He called Snape "Snivellus" and Bellatrix Lestrange "Bella." And Ron told me that he saw a black dog in the castle!"

His eyes shone with hope and confusion.

"I know it sounds crazy, but do you think Professor Riddick could be... Sirius?"

"Harry! Did you listen to what you just said? Sirius is dead, Harry, we saw him die. Professor Riddick is from the Ministry; perhaps he's Auror trained or something. Of course he knows about Snape and Bellatrix. Perhaps he's talked to Professor McGonagall?"

Hermione looked worried.

But Hagrid shook his head. "I dunno Hermione, I think that Harry is right, there is somethin' strange about that man.

The Thestrals like him, even me Morrigan and she's never liked anybody, she's a nasty mare, that one. Then that business with the Hogwarts ghosts being frightened of 'm and ter tell the truth, the man is a born hunter, never seen the like before. Snatching Ashwinders out of their nest with his bare hands, just like that, and crushin' their skulls. Ye've seen him move, nobody moves that fast. But he's not Sirius, can't be, what with Sirius being dead."

"Hermione! Hagrid! He called Snape *Snivellus*! I don't know, perhaps Sirius has taken a polyjuice potion to look like the real Professor Riddick. I HAVE to know! I'll write to Remus and tell him, you know he'd want to know."

Hermione's eyes nearly crossed as she tried to follow Harry's excited gestures. Oblivious and overwrought, Harry babbled on:

"...and I'll ask Kreacher to spy on him. Kreacher has behaved very strangely as well since that business in the Great Hall. He actually obeys me now most times, but I have a bad feeling about that too. He won't even insult me anymore! He's stopped begging for getting his head cut off and put up on a wall as well, and sometimes he won't come when I call him. Perhaps he's not really MY elf anymore? Perhaps...house-elves have to come when their owner call them, no?"

Hermione looked thoughtful. "That really is strange. But you know, Kreacher is old and he went funny in his head a long time ago in that awful house. I don't think that Professor Riddick takes a polyjuice potion, we would have noticed, just think about all the double lessons with the Slytherins we've had. Besides, he would have transformed back after an hour if he didn't drink some more potion to keep the transfiguration going, and I've never seen him drink anything in his lessons. Let me know what Professor Lupin answers please Harry."

"Will you stop discussing things like that inna street! Have ye no sense of discree... of discraa...how ter keep silent? Professor Riddick said ter take ye back ter the castle an' that's what we're going to do now!"

They left. When their voices had been swallowed up by the fog, the grumpy-looking old man with a mane of long, grey hair and a matching beard quietly closed the door to his pub. Then he flicked his wand at the broken window. "Reparo." Candlelight sparkled on his glasses.