Serenity Silverwing & The Hogwarts Five

Chapter Two

Uncovered Truth

Last Seen: Serenity was innocently flying on her broom when the Slytherin Blood Gang decided she was flying too well. Who cast the total petrifying charm on them? Will Serenity be all right?

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Professor Dumbledore was turning away from the hospital when he saw a staggering Liz pass Professor Snape in the corridor with a stretcher that held a battered, bloodied and broken young girl floating along side him.

"What in all of Heaven´s name happened to her?" Dumbledore exclaims.

"The Slytherins have been taking out their anger on one of their own," Liz answers tiredly, "and it looks like their anger is occurring more often nowadays. Ah, Poppy!"

Madam Pomfrey had looked out the door to see what the commotion was then gasps, "Oh dear! Not Serenity again! What´d she slip on this time?"

"The Slytherin Blood gang." Liz answers weakly. "I saw it while I was talking with Harry."

Dumbledore eyes flash dangerously then calls, "Severus! Get back here now!"

Snape had been well down the corridor, but upon hearing his name bellowed from the hospital wing, he turned around slowly. "Now, what do you want, Dumbledore?" he mutters but nevertheless, he walks very slowly back to the infirmary.

"Liz, how long has this been going on?" Dumbledore asks, eyes still flashing.

"Three months or three years. You can take your pick." Liz answers, and Dumbledore looked, if possible, more frighteningly powerful. "Can we get Serenity in here so I can fix her up?" Poppy asks motioning to the door.

"Of course, Poppy." Dumbledore answers, and Madam Pomfrey, being the closest, opened the door and she and Dumbledore and Liz preceded Snape into the wing.

Professors Dumbledore and Snape and Liz went into Madam Pomfrey´s office to have a discussion while Madam Pomfrey saw to Serenity.

"Serenity Silverwing: Third year, considered muggle-born, Slytherin; excellent at charms and transfigurations and wonderful at flying but does poorly in participation and doesn´t show off at all. She´s been teaching the third year Shamanism class for the past month and a half in Tradrin´s absence." Liz summarizes from memory.

"Thank you, Liz. Now, Severus, do you have any idea why Serenity has to have an entire filing cabinet just for her medical records?" Dumbledore asks while looking into the scrying mirror that Madam Pomfrey kept in her office to check in on her patients.

Just then, Madam Pomfrey looked into the air exasperated. "Well, she´s broken a couple of medical records, I´m sure of that. That and she broke both her wrists and a rib, and bruises galore, cuts and lacerations of all shapes and sizes, not to mention a strained tendon and a badly sprained ankle and that´s only the stuff I can see from the outside. And I could use a power boost here for some fine tuning." Madam Pomfrey said with a sigh.

"Would you also care to explain why, Severus," Liz calmly starts while Dumbledore was touching the mirror, highly enjoying this chance to blow Snape into hot water, "Serenity is the only Slytherin that has poor grades in all but one of her classes yet excels so far to be able to teach a class and has such a medical history at the hands of her OWN HOUSEMATES?!?!" Liz finishes at a yell, unable to keep neither her voice nor her temper down.

"Liz! Will you control yourself!? Serenity needs her rest just as much as Hermione, Ron, and Harry usually do put together, if not more!" Madam Pomfrey scolds, looking at the door to her office.

"Of course she will, Poppy. Severus, since it seems that you´ve not enough time to control your house," Dumbledore said, almost able to see Snape flushing from a pale peach to a dark pink, "teaching such a difficult and time-consuming subject such as Defense Against the Dark Arts, I´m afraid, will not be an option." Dumbledore continues and saw that Snape was turning almost the same shade of red that was on Liz´s face earlier. "You now have the time to finish your current duties." Dumbledore finishes, keeping his voice level. "Poppy, I´ll be back in the morning to check on Serenity. Do you think she´ll be able to move by then?"

Snape storms out of the hospital wing, slamming the doors shut behind him.

"Now see here, Albus!" Madam Pomfrey calls into the air, "You´re not to ask this girl about anything that happened to her for a week, if that´s what you´re planning."

"No, no, Poppy. I want to..." Dumbledore starts but was interrupted by Liz saying, "Maybe I´d better go too. Take care of her, Poppy."

"Yes. I need to talk with Poppy alone. I´ll see you out." Dumbledore answers and follows Liz out of Madam Pomfrey´s office.

Liz bid the two good night and disappeared, no doubt, to her room.

"I´m planning on moving her out of Slytherin. Just for a while though." Dumbledore tells Madam Pomfrey in a low whisper. Madam Pomfrey gasps at the idea.

"But... It´s never been..." Madam Pomfrey stutters.

"Has this ever happened before, my dear Poppy?" Dumbledore asks her, gesturing to the unconscious girl.

"Why..." Madam Pomfrey starts then sighs. "No... I guess it hasn´t."

"Very good. Now then, will she be able to move tomorrow?" Dumbledore asks.

"Anytime after lunch." Madam Pomfrey answers still looking at Serenity.

"Okay. I´ll get her things packed. That should take most of the morning." Dumbledore says with a laugh. "Good night, Poppy."

Dumbledore quietly shuts the door to the hospital wing and walked to his rooms knowing that tomorrow would be a long day of dodging questions.

*          *          *          *          *                      

Serenity wakes up late the next morning to find a red-haired boy sleeping in the bed beside hers. How did I get here? was the first of her confused thoughts.

She starts to sit up but an overwhelming feeling of dizziness forces her back on to the pillows.

Madam Pomfrey comes bustling out of her office with a tray of brunch items and heads straight for Serenity´s bed.

"How are you feeling, Serenity?" Madam Pomfrey asks.

"Sore all over and dizzy. How did I get here?" Serenity replies.

"Liz found you and brought you straight here." Madam Pomfrey answers. Then, moving the tray so that Serenity could access it contents, asks, "Hungry?"

Serenity laughs and graciously accepts the offer. Madam Pomfrey leaves to get the red-haired boy next to her his lunch and the house elves came up and ate lunch with her. Hidee, Rena, Cathy and Serenity sat there eating and chatting until Serenity was sure that it was time for lunch.

Serenity was contently full for the first time in all her years at Hogwarts. All the other Slytherins had taken what she was going to get. Sure the plates would refill themselves but rarely did she get a single plateful of food at each meal.

When Professor Dumbledore walks into the hospital wing, Serenity almost spills her fruit juice. "Ack! Professor Dumbledore! I didn´t know that you were coming!" Serenity squawks out. The house elves scatter, going back to their postponed tasks. Madam Pomfrey came out of her office at the same time.

"You didn´t need to. Poppy, can she walk?" Dumbledore quickly asks. He looked as if he´d just had to polish all the trophies in the Trophy Room in one morning.

"I don´t know. Can you?" Madam Pomfrey asks.

"I´ll try." Serenity answers, takes a deep breath and starts to stand up. She sets her feet on the floor and pushed herself off the bed to stand up but her right ankle gives way the moment she put pressure on it and she topples into Madam Pomfrey who deftly catches her and puts her back onto the bed.

"I guess not." Serenity says with a smile that could have passed for a wince of pain.

"I figured you might not. I wasn´t able to repair all the damage, let alone see it all. It looks to be just a light sprain now but I can´t be sure." Madam Pomfrey replies, confounded by the idea that she hadn´t been able to take care of the problem completely. It was certainly a first for her.

"Hmmm... I have and idea." Serenity says, thoughtfully. "Madam Pomfrey, do you have any... umm... Oh this´ll sound silly... Do you have any crutches?"

Madam Pomfrey gives Serenity a look of total incomprehension and she sighs, "I didn´t think so. Oh well. It was an idea..." Serenity trails off.

"Wait! If you could draw one, I´d probably be able to make one up." Madam Pomfrey suggests.

"Oh! That reminds me, where´s my wand? I made a charm for drawing. I think I remember dropping it... Oh no!" Serenity groans and falls on to the pillows.

"I was hoping this wouldn´t come up until a bit later," Dumbledore says, looking at the floor while pulling out two pieces of a wand that had a blackish look to it with silver glinting where the wand had been snapped in half.

"OH NO! This was my grandfather´s! I can´t replace it and it won´t work as well with mending. I don´t think I can afford another." with a single, big tear making a track down her cheek, Serenity starts to sob.

The racket, plus the fact that they were coming to see Ron, Hermione and Harry hurry to the door of the hospital wing and came in.

Madam Pomfrey calls quickly, "Oh! Hello Harry, Hermione. Ron just woke up. He´ll be back momentarily." In a quiet aside, she said, "Albus, would you pull the curtains?"

"Yes, Poppy. I´ll see you two later." Dumbledore answers, nodding to the two students waiting for Ron.

"I wonder what a Slytherin would be doing in here." Harry says in a low whisper.

"Well, last I checked, Slytherins aren´t immune to injuries, now are they?" Hermione retorts.

"I can´t do this anymore! I just can´t go back to Slytherin! Madam Pomfrey and Liz can tell you how badly things are for me there. Now I have absolutely no defense against Draco and his gang. This wand was all that kept me going! Knowing that my grandpère would be disappointed if I quit just because of some bully." says a tear-choked voice.

"I´ll draw you a crutch, Madam Pomfrey. I´ll need one to get home." the tearful voice says.

"That sounds like Silverwing." Hermione comments in a low whisper.

"Who?" Harry asks.

"A Slytherin. I see her every now and then in the library making up a test and she´s in my Ancient Runes class. No wonder why she never looked happy." Hermione answers.

"Shhh, Serenity. You won´t have to go back to Slytherin just yet." Dumbledore´s comforting voice came through the curtains.

"What does he mean by that?" Harry asks in a low whisper.

"I think it´s time he heard the more truthful explanation of all those medical records." Madam Pomfrey suggests to the girl.

Serenity stared at her hands in her lap as Madame Pomfrey seated herself on the bed next to her and Dumbledore settled into an invisible chair. She started at her first day at Hogwarts.

"Hey guys! How´s it..." Ron starts but Harry and Hermione whirled around. "Shhh!!!"

In the next bed, three faces looked aghast at each other as they listened to the account of injuries, explanations and threats. As the girl in the next bed started to falter while reciting the previous evening, Ron turned to Harry; "She´s put up more than any three of us or two of you!"

Then three guilty looking faces look up to see the startling visage of Dumbledore towering over them from the suddenly open curtain.

"Hello." Dumbledore says looking at each student.

His gaze settles on Hermione. Quietly, he asks, "Miss Granger, would you, if you wouldn´t mind too terribly, take Miss Silverwing to the Gryffindor girls dormitory?"

Hermione looks at Harry and Ron and Harry and Ron look back at her with mirrored expressions of surprise.

"How long will she be staying, sir?" Hermione asks nervously.

"Until next year when we can sort a few things out." Dumbledore answers quietly, "Yes, that will do nicely. She´ll stay until then." He said with a nod.

"Yes, sir." Ron says jumping to his feet.

"Should we go to Slytherin and get her things?" Harry asks and all three grimaced at the thought.

Dumbledore looks at them quizzically then grimaced himself, "No. I´ve already taken care of that."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron all sigh in gracious relief and Dumbledore laughs.

"Albus! Severus said you might be here. I wanted to thank you for letting me come and lecture about what goes into wands for the first years. Now what was that other business that you needed me for?" Mr. Olivander says as he burst into the hospital wing carrying a large case.

"Yes, Mr. Olivander. One moment." Dumbledore calls to wand maker then turns to Harry, Hermione and Ron, "Her trunk is just outside the wing. Serenity will be along shortly."

The three Gryffindors leave and Dumbledore beckons for Mr. Olivander to come over to Serenity´s bed.

"This young lady is in need of a new wand." Dumbledore says gesturing to Serenity. Mr. Olivander immediately starts taking Serenity´s measurements.

"Now why don´t I remember you? I remember everyone I´ve fitted a wand for." Mr. Olivander says, puzzled.

"She was given a wand, from her grandfather to be precise. Plus she´s American." Dumbledore answers.

"Oh! Well, let me see here. I know I have a wand that would be perfect for you! I always do!" Mr. Olivander says grabbing his case and was rummaging through it for quite some time before he finally pulls out a wand that had little falcon wings all over it in little rows.

"Ah ha! Here it is! I found it years ago in one of my storerooms. Ebony, falcon feather, phoenix talon, and unicorn tears. Nine inches. It´s never been needed since I found it. Here. Let´s see how it likes you." Mr. Olivander says, and hands Serenity the wand.

The moment the wand touches her fingers the whole room seemed to brighten, and Serenity seems to cheer up. Serenity quickly waves the wand about and blue, red, platinum, and copper sparks fly out. Dumbledore was so shocked that his air chair collapses and he hits the floor hard.

"Now would you look at that." Dumbledore says in a low, astonished voice, ignoring the pain in his tailbone.

"Can I see your grandfather´s wand?" Mr. Olivander perks, looking at Serenity´s lap where the wand pieces lay.

Serenity hands him the two pieces of her wand with loving care.

"Oh my! What a beauty this must have been. Look at the carving!" Mr. Olivander exclaims to himself, running finger down the feather pattern of the wand. "What would you want for it?" Mr. Olivander finally asks when his head came up from the examination.

"But it´s broken." Serenity tells him falteringly.

"I collect all kinds of wands! Whether they´re broken or not." Mr. Olivander says. Serenity, convinced of his sincerity, nodded her assent.

"Would you consider it a fair trade if I kept this and you kept that one?" Mr. Olivander asks, looking Serenity in the face. "I would consider it more than fair myself." Mr. Olivander answers, still looking at the broken wand in his hands.

Serenity looks to Dumbledore, "I think your grandfather would agree that you are both getting an equitable deal." He tells her quietly.

"Hmm," Mr. Olivander mumbles, examining the wand. "My word! They´re almost exactly the same! Except for the fact that that one," Mr. Olivander continues, pointing to the wand in Serenity´s hands, "has unicorn tears and this one has a pattern that looks like a feather was wrapped around it while that one has little wings."

"Madam Pomfrey, I´ll make those drawings now." Serenity says, sitting up prouder than she had a few moments ago.

Serenity had quickly cast her charm that had neatly drawn a "muggle crutch", as Madam Pomfrey put it, in five, nearly precise views; front, back, top, bottom and side. Madam Pomfrey made up a pair of crutches especially for Serenity and was now marveling at the drawing muttering about its practical uses.

With my new wand placed carefully in my pocket, I crutch my way down the corridor to where Harry, Hermione, and Ron were waiting and, to my amazement, my trunk of books, robes and other items.

Dumbledore must have packed them for me. Good thing he did, too, because I am in absolutely NO way going back to Slytherin! I thought vehemently.

"Shall we?" Hermione asks turning to lead the way.

"By all means, let´s." I answer.

I crutch along on Hermione´s left side with Harry and Ron lugging my trunk behind them.

Hermione leads my though secret passages and hanging portraits in silence.

"So," I start, feeling rather uncomfortable in the prolonged silence, "where will I be staying if I´m not going back to Slytherin?"

"You´ll be staying with me and the other Gryffindor, third year, girls." Hermione answers, not casting the slightest of sideways glances.

"Oh," I say, feeling a trifle put out. Could this be any better? Oh... I´m SO in for it when I go back to Slytherin.

"Honestly, Harry. You´re not afraid of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named yet you can´t even talk to a little Slytherin girl." Hermione mutters, "Honestly. Boys."

I´d half a mind to tell Hermione that I wasn´t little and I could take care of myself but we finally arrive at a portrait of a fat lady in a ridiculously pink dress.

"The password´s `Bon Apitit´." Hermione says, half to the portrait and half to me. "You´ll need to remember that to get in here when you need to." Hermione continues talking to Serenity.

I clamber through the portrait hole only to be greeted by a suddenly silenced Gryffindor common room. Professor McGonagall is standing in front of the fireplace.

"Oh! You´re here earlier than I expected!" she exclaims, "Miss Patil. Help Hermione with Serenity´s things since Ron and Harry can´t go into the girls´ dormitories."

Lavender; a flimsily build girl, had nothing in common with my friend except for their name; mows a path through the common room and moved my trunk so Harry, who was currently half-way through the hole, could get in to the common room.

"Hermione," Lavender groans, "Would you mind giving me a hand here?"

"Here. Let me help." a girl, Katie Bell if I remembered right, offers, grabbing the other side of my trunk.

"Thanks." Lavender says, hefting the trunk up with Katie´s help.

"No problem." Katie replies.

Hermione turns on her heel and leads us through the room and to a door on the left-hand side of the Gryffindor Tower.

Through the door and up a few flights of stairs, we stop at a door that had a plaque on it that read `Third Years´.

"So, this is where I´ll be calling home for a while, huh?" I say, entering the round room.

"Funny. I don´t remember that one being here." Lavender comments, puzzled while pointing a relatively free hand at a four-poster bed, like the others except for the dark green drapes that varied from the others´ rich red.

"I guess that one must be mine then." I sigh, almost disappointed that my bed from Slytherin had been moved here as well.

"Good, `cause I don´t know how much longer I can hold this!" Katie groans.

Hermione dashes to help with my trunk. When Katie was sure that Lavender and Hermione could handle everything, she left with my thanks.

Hermione and Lavender lug the trunk over to the foot of my green-draped bed and they, too, leave the dorm, leaving me there, alone.

When I´m sure that no one would hear me and I stop laughing hysterically at the mental pictures of my helpers being swarmed on by the other Gryffindors, I open the window and call out, "Bluemoon!"

I see the hawk go zooming past me to the Slytherin Tower, then make a tight U-turn back towards me.

"Serenity! I thought you were in that retched Slytherin!" Bluemoon says in a panicked chirp.

"No. Dumbledore moved me here today. I´ll be sitting at the Gryffindor table for a while." I answer, trying to soothe the hawk.

"Good! Now you won´t act like prey anymore!" Bluemoon says. "Does this mean that they´re fair game now?" Bluemoon asks.

"You´re queen of the skies." I answer, smiling wickedly. After all, the only reason I didn´t allow Bluemoon to attack the Slytherins was because I would suffer the repercussions almost immediately.

"Okay, I´ll see you when you have mail!" Bluemoon calls as she flies out the window.

"Warm thermals!" I call after the hawk, which responds with a shriek.

I grab one of the fiction books I always had with me and read.