Chapter 9- Halloween Delights
At dinner, which was a huge array of pumpkin-themed foods, Rigel asked for a simple bowl of chicken pesto pasta instead, having grown an aversion to pumpkins so strong he almost gagged at the smell.
"Hey, where's Jasmine? Neville asked, not having seen them since charms.
"With Hermione in the girls' bathroom near our Common room, where she's been crying SINCE charms." Pavarti continued, "Honestly, she doesn't stop, and every time we thought it was over, it started up again. She's like that ghost, Moaning Myrtle."
Suddenly the doors slammed open and Quirrell burst into the room. "TROLL! TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!"
Dumbledore immediately got the prefects to escort the students to their common rooms, 'Hehe, a good day not to be a Slytherin,' Rigel had mused, and when the Gryffindors were led outside the hall, he whispered to Lavender, "Lav, cover for me yeah?" before slipping off down the corridor, not wanting to have a dead Jasmine Potter to enact the prophecy.
Muffled screams came from the girl's bathroom so he drew his wand and took a deep breath to calm himself. He may have been in a duel before, but the fact was that Draco was a poncy twit, while trolls were massive, had spell-resistant skin, and the strength of…well, a troll. He slipped inside and saw the two girls' feet inside the cubicle as they sat screaming, huddled against each other. Jasmine tried casting basic spells but it did nothing but aggravate the troll.
Rigel had an issue. He had the same problem. The troll's spell-resistant hide made spells lose effect as they touched it, but inspiration flashed as he looked at the club the troll carried. 'Transfiguration, good thing I'm amazing at it.' Aiming at the club held high in the air, Rigel ripped his wand to the side, the shape of the handle shifting incredibly quickly. The wooden handle had pierced through the troll's hand like a spike, as if a splinter the size of a kitchen knife had gone through it. The troll screamed in pain and stupidly, tried to remove the club from his hand, by grabbing the club with its other hand. Another sharp swipe with the wand and an uttered spell summoned another sharp cry from the creature. Rigel knew of an imprisonment spell often used to capture dangerous beasts that would be perfect for the troll, but it wasn't in the first-year texts and he didn't have the skill to wield it.
The troll was shouting and grunting in pain, but turned to its attacker, shouting as it charged at him. Rigel sprinted out the door as it followed, squeezing slightly to fit through the door as it had to get in. This was the opportunity he's been wanting. As the creature pulled its body into a curl to fit through the door designed for humans, the club, now stuck in position due to the barbed spikes through its hands, was brought close to the troll's face.
"Sucker." The majority of the club was suddenly transfigured into a sharpened spike thicker than Rigel's arm, piercing straight through its eye and out the back of the troll's skull, causing a gross "shlick" sound to travel in the air before the troll slumped to the floor, just past inside the hallway.
"MR BLACK GET AWAY FROM THAT TROLL THIS INSTANT!!" McGonagall shouted as the group of teachers approached, Snape limping slightly and Quirrell pretending to be terrified by the troll. "Why aren't you in the common room?" she interrogated.
"I heard that Jasmine and Hermione were in the girls' bathrooms and figured they hadn't heard about the troll, so I decided to let them know. After all, the troll was in the DUNGEON correct?" Quirrell apologised in a nervous stammer, as he always does.
"And where are the girls?"
"Inside professor, they were fine when I went in to deal with it."
"Is it dead, Quirrell? She asked, referring to the troll.
"Y-y-yes. V-v-v-very m-much so." The teachers approached and examined the troll as McGonagall fetched the girls. "E-excellent t-t-transfigurations Mr B-Black."
"Indeed," came McGonagall, with Hermione and Jasmine next to her, wide-eyed at the dead troll, skull pierced through with the very same club it had been trying to kill them with earlier.
"You killed it?" Jasmine asked, confirming what she had seen earlier through the smashed cubical door.
"Yeah. Transfiguration worked better than the jinxes you were throwing." Jasmine looked furious again, but her eyes were tearing up.
"Why did you have to help us? We…I couldn't even apologise properly and you save my life. Why?" The girl wasn't looking for an answer but was instead sobbing into her hands, Hermione comforting her but looking similarly guilty.
"There there, Potter. Girls, I'll bring you to my office for some tea, Mr Black… 50 points to Gryffindor for the noble and righteous act of helping others despite your issues, the bravery shown in facing the creature, and the excellent use of transfiguration to defeat a foe resistant to magic. Well done. Now go to the common room, and next time let someone know where you are going at the least."
The walk back was short and silent, but all Rigel could hear was the pounding of his heart against his ribs. The troll was terrifying, and luckily his fight or flight instinct was to fight rather than freeze. He had no idea how the club managed to knock the troll out in the story, because such a short fall wouldn't create that much force. Rigel was sweating heavily by the time he got to the common room, forcing him to cast a cleaning spell on himself before entering. "There he is the TROLL SLAYER!!!" The Weasley twins were standing on a table and cheering, a very roughshod makeshift banner held between them.
"How'd you know? It only took like five minutes to get here." Percy approached, chest puffed out and prefect badge shining.
"The prefects have access to a journal that recounts all of the points allocated and removed during a day, as well as what they're for. That way we can discipline students or reward them for their hard work." Lavender, Pavarti and Neville held me in a group hug, though even after Longbottom let go the girls held on.
"Describe it then," Fred said. Rigel couldn't understand how people got them confused when they each acted so differently, and while they tried to milk the whole identical thing, there were slight differences in skin tone and a small mark on one of George's hands from a prank gone wrong.
"It was about 15 feet tall and grey-skinned, carrying a wooden club as tall as him," Rigel says gesturing to one of the older students. "It smashed up the bathroom, but the girls were fine."
"You hero," started George.
"A Knight in shining armour," Fred followed.
"A noble knight."
"Saviour of damsels."
"Winner of young lady's hearts."
"Shut it both of you," Percy interrupted, for once being helpful.
"Trolls have really spell-resistant skin, right? So, how did you kill it?" a second year asked, the rest of the common room just as eager for his recount.
"Combat transfiguration. I used its club as the weapon, piercing the troll's hands and then through its eye and out the back of its skull. You can ask the girls when they get back, because I'm knackered." Rigel ignored the wide-eyed looks of some of the Gryffindor students, amazed by the application of transfiguration, and climbed up the stairs to his dorm. 'At least I'll have something fun to talk about with Dad and Grandfather,' he thought, closing his eyes and drifting off to sleep, unaware that two young girls had been desperate to talk to him.
~~~
"Rigel, good morning," a timid voice sounded out from beside his bed, the curtain drawn. "Rigel, wake up."
"Nev, what's wrong with him? He's never asleep after we wake up," a heavily accented voice asked from across the room.
"I don't know. Do you think the thing with the troll caused this?"
"Well, what else could it be Neville," a whiny voice sounded out.
"Ron, you're not being helpful," Seamus interrupted.
Neville gasped, "He's awake." Rigel opened his eyes with a groan, causing Neville to jump back in surprise. "His eyes, look at them."
"Freaky/Wicked/Awesome!" the boys reacted, Ron far more disturbed than Dean or Seamus.
"The hell are you talking about?" Rigel inquired with as much polite grace as his splitting headache would allow. He sat up and took a look in the mirror to inspect what had caused such a reaction. "Woah….They're, uh, glowing." If before his eyes looked like they were glowing, there was no denying it now. His eyes were such a strong blue that they looked like a soft neon light. Not particularly powerful, but definitely a stronger glow than before.
"Well, it's time for breakfast dude, so get your spooky eyes and hurry up." Dean had a way of making everybody like him, even when he was being slightly insulting. Though Rigel wished both he and Ron could stop having arguments about whether football or quidditch was better at eleven pm.
The group only made it to the common room before Rigel was accosted by Jasmine and Hermione. "Just go without me guys, this seems like it could take a while." Hermione went to say something before recoiling as she looked into my eyes. "They're new. No idea how, so don't bother asking." He wasn't lying. While Rigel read some fan fics that described mana exhaustion or eyes being reflections of the power of the soul, and thus magic, he truly didn't know.
Jasmine started, recovering first. "Thank you. Thanks for saving my life last night."
"I'd also like to thank you for saving us last night," Hermione added.
"Especially after we didn't apologise for what we did about those rumours the first week."
"We're sorry for how we acted, and for not apologising sooner."
"So do you think we could be friends again?" Both Jasmine and Hermione looked nervous, but Rigel couldn't really hold it against them now that they had apologised. True, it needed a troll attack to motivate them, but they HAD said sorry, and without making excuses this time.
He smiled and offered a handshake that the two girls took swiftly, as if worried he'd retract it if they hesitated for even a moment. "Sure."
~~~
The two girls were taken back into the group and the Gryffindor first-years were one collective for the first time in two months, much to the joy of McGonagall. As it was the start of November, Jasmine had her first quidditch match that weekend against Slytherin, which meant Rigel had to increase his training in the Room of Requirements. He had asked Professor Flitwick if the duelling club could be reinstated, but it was deemed too dangerous. The only good news he had received from a teacher this year was from McGonagall herself, who would once a week spend some time tutoring him on his transfiguration.
He had endured the lectures and stern precision she demanded as he worked control, speed and shaping. While he was FAR from a 3rd or fourth-year standard, he could manage the second-year techniques, which allowed him to shape small pieces of metal or stone, but not with any complexity. Living creatures to inanimate objects, however, did seem useful if only for restraining an opponent, turning them into a cup, or a shoe.
"I've got the match tomorrow, Rigel, what if I screw up? The team's put their hopes on me, and I can't afford to lose in my first match."
The two sat with Hermione in the library, as Rigel still needed to pretend that he came here often. "Grab the shiny yellow ball and avoid the bludgers. Or if you can't see it yet, assist with the quaffle until you do. I don't get what you're complaining about."
"I know that. I'm just nervous I guess."
Hermione hugged her green-eyed friend as she comforted her, "Jasmine, you are one of the best fliers in the school, its in your blood."
Rigel hadn't interrupted during the match, allowing Hermione to sneak off and set fire to Snape, if mainly because he found it amusing. Though when she returned with a smirk he informed her that Snape wasn't the only member of staff muttering a spell under his breath, as Quirrell was also unblinkingly chanting on the stands, bumped when Snape flapped his robes to put out the fire. He wasn't going to identify the person, in case Jasmine or Hermione tell Dumbledore or another professor about his conclusions, assisting them, without becoming a target. Jasmine was apparently a better seeker than Harry, as she dove and turned parallel with the floor, hand outstretched, as flat on the broom as she could possibly be. Instead of tumbling and swallowing it, she caught it by the tips of her fingers, preventing Rigel from making jokes about swallowing, spitting or having balls in her mouth in his head.
'Apparently changing realities hasn't affected my sense of humour,' Rigel thought. 'I've got a list for when I see Voldemort in a few years.'
Rigel was invited to have tea at Hagrid's for the first time this year, not that he had really been hoping for it. The giant was kind, nurturing and gentle, but he was also inconsiderate, stupidly loyal and an idiot for some of his ideas. Hermione set down her cup, explaining to Hagrid, "It was Snape. Though Rigel said he saw Quirrell doing the same thing. Either way, ONE of them was casting a jinx on Jasmine."
"It couldn't have been them, Hermione," the groundskeeper refuted quietly. "They're both excellent teachers and Dumbledore hired them."
"Neither are GOOD teachers, Hagrid," Jasmine said. "Quirrell can barely get the words out of his mouth, and Snape would be better if he never spoke again. And Snape has a bite on his leg, I saw it yesterday when I was retrieving a Quidditch tip guide. He said he'd been bitten by that three-headed dog."
"Fluffy? Hmmm. What do you know about Fluffy?"
Hermione sighed, unable for once to provide a spiel of information on a topic, "Just what the Weasley twins told everyone. A giant three-headed dog guarding a trap door."
"You named a three-headed dog Fluffy?" Jasmine asked astounded.
"Yeah, he's mine. Bought him off a Greek chap I met in the pub last year. I lent him to Dumbledore to guard the…"
"Yes?" prompted Jasmine eagerly.
"Don't ask me anymore," said Hagrid gruffly. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Snape tried to get past it."
"Rubbish," said Hagrid again. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher, he'd do nothin' of the sort."
"So why did he just try and kill Jasmine?" cried Hermione.
"Still could have been Quirrell," Rigel interjected.
Hermione was on a roll though, "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid, I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"
"I'm telling you, you're wrong!" said Hagrid hotly. "I don't know why her broom acted like that, but they wouldn't try and kill a student! Now, listen to me, all three of you — you're meddling in things that don't concern you. It's dangerous. You forget that dog, and you forget what it's guarding', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel —"
"AHA!" Jasmine shouted.
"The alchemist?" Rigel added, knowing that the information would have little to no impact on the plot. Hagrid was pale-faced as if he'd just watched someone die.
"Who?" Hermione questioned, excited for new knowledge and the answer to their current riddle.
"Nicolas Flamel, the supposed creator of the philosopher's stone. A rock filled with enough magical energy to power near-impossible transmutations, like lead to gold. But it can also provide the elixir of life, which is how he has lived over 600 years." If Hagrid looked scared and a little guilty before, it was now like he was nauseous due to his failure to keep Dumbledore's secret, the guilt making him look severely tired and ill.
"That's it, that's what you took from the vault. He's after the stone," Jasmine exclaimed excitedly, glad now that they at least knew what the dog was guarding.
"Don't go looking for it. Promise me you won't go looking for trouble."
"Sure/Promise/ Definitely." Not a single person in the hut believed those words, but Rigel was only staying for another month and a half before returning home. The following few weeks were monotonous, the same cycle of classes, training in the Room of Requirement, and occasionally spending time in the library or common room when he felt the need to be sociable. He'd even managed to get some of the boys to play a game of rugby, joined in predominantly by muggle-borns and half-bloods, though the Weasley twins and Ron were determined to try it. Normally, Rigel would have been irritated by additional time with Ron, but it gave him the opportunity to tackle him into the mud a few times which definitely helped keep him happier.
With a few days left before the Christmas holidays, Jasmine opened a letter written in high-quality parchment. "What is this? Rigel, did you know about this?" The boy skimmed over its contents before sighing. The release of Sirius is already causing minor issues with the plot.
"I knew that he was trying to legally become reinstated as your rightful magical guardian. He'd been waiting for a check from Mungo's so that no one could say he was dangerous. The choice is still yours of course. You can stay here over Christmas, or you can meet my family, well the living ones."
"Absolutely, that's terrific." Jasmine jumped from her position at the table and hugged Rigel, then sprinted off, mumbling frantically about packing. After she left, McGonagall arrived at the table, no doubt sent by Dumbledore to determine why on earth his sacrificial lamb was happy. When Rigel gave her the letter she smiled slightly, the corners of her mouth lifting just a fraction.
"I will of course need to inform the headmaster, but I'm glad the two of you are getting along now Mr Black."
"How could we not after she spent time with the wisest witch in Hogwarts after the Halloween incident?" Rigel had spent a significant amount of time being taught, or lectured to by the Scottish witch, and could honestly say that the scorn he held for her absolute faith in Dumbledore notwithstanding, she was a fabulous person and a better witch.
So, worried about canon shifting with him unawares, Rigel spent more time in the common room, which came in handy as a package was left with a note for Jasmine, marking it as an early Christmas present. Only four people were awake that early in the morning, Rigel, Ron, who'd been woken up by Rigel for annoying him with his snoring while he dressed, Jasmine and Hermione, who was spending as much time as possible reading before the two-week break.
"Do you know what this is? It was left on my trunk this morning. Rigel, is it from your family?"
"Not that I'm aware of, and knowing Sirius, he'd give you something ridiculous like a rocket-powered broom or something. Maybe a dangerous creature as a pet." Jasmine bit her cheeks and opened it, causing both Rigel and Ron to gasp in exclamation, though for entirely different reasons. Rigel knew what the cloak was. Far better than anyone, disregarding Dumbledore and Grindelwald, so his surprise came not from the cloak itself, but the hazy glow that surrounded the cloak of immense magical power. He rubbed his eyes and looked again, but the dark greyish glow still clung to the cloak. 'Mage sight. Fucking Mage sight. YES!' Rigel's mental shock and celebration went mostly unnoticed, though Hermione could have sworn she saw his pupils swirl like a gelatinous shape.
"I know what that is. That's an invisibility cloak…They are meant to be really rare, and REALLY expensive," Ron said, transfixed by the cloak that would be worth more than his entire house doubled, even if it weren't a piece of the Deathly Hallows.
"Weird that there's no name left on the note." Hermione, the only one not completely obsessed with the cloak, understanding that there are spells that do something similar, was observing the note. Jasmine spent the next few minutes fooling around with the cloak, while Rigel wondered how Dumbledore was going to get her to the classroom with the mirror of Erised.
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