I Solemnly Swear

Chapter 44: Up To No Good

Rose was one of the very few students to pass through the hallowed halls of the magical institution who actually enjoyed their History of Magic class. There was something actually interesting about all the revolts, uprisings, battles and even the tedium that intrigued her. Which was why, naturally, she was one of only twelve students who applied to take the class after finishing their Ordinary Wizarding Levels. It was Rose, Caradoc Dearborn, Emmeline, Edgar Bones, several Ravenclaws who took the class for no other reason than it made them sound more intelligent, Kentich, and - though Rose hated every second he decided to turn up, Snivellus Snape. The usual dozen (actually eight today due to clashing schedules - Care of Magical Creatures was currently scheduled outside in the sunny grounds) wandered into class, settling themselves in their usual isolated fashion. Rose was surprised but not entirely unprepared for Emmeline, Caradoc and Edgar dropping down into seats very close to Rose's own usual window-side seat. Edgar got out a pillow, conveniently stashed in his bag, and settled down for a well-deserved nap. Rose didn't blame him at all. Binns had been lecturing on the same chapter of their textbook for the past three months, never seeming to realise that he'd already covered most of the material in his long, monotonous lectures. Emmeline glanced at Edgar, nodded to herself and pillowed her head on her arms, content to get in a decent hour's sleep before getting down to the serious business of lunch. Caradoc shrugged at Rose's inquiring frown, raising a book in sheepish explanation. Judging by the cover, inadvisable as that might be, Caradoc was catching up on some ancient runes reading that he probably should have done during the holidays. It seemed that there was hope for him yet, if he was neglecting to maintain the swottish ideal upheld by so many of his fellow Ravenclaws.

Binns started droning on about what was actually the most interesting and catastrophic battle of the goblin revolts, his droning voice making it seem about as interesting as dried toe nail clippings. Rose had long since given up trying to follow the lesson at all, and had followed Caradoc's example for a nice change. It was perhaps a bit childish of her to still be reading The Hobbit, but she had very fond memories of her father reading it to them when she was very young, and the urge to read it again had struck her suddenly around midnight last night. It was so easy to lose herself in the fantasy world that had populated her innocent and unknowingly magical childhood. In the back of her mind something niggled, a pointed reminder that perhaps something was out of place, but Bilbo's adventures with Thorin Oakenshield and his company drowned it out until the niggle stopped niggling entirely. Besides, as a Marauder she got dozens of niggles like that a day; things they observed but never entirely processed, like a portrait figure in the wrong frame, or a House Elf on a different cleaning route than usual. Little things that never really meant anything but were noticed as being out of place just the same. It was just part and parcel of the Hogwarts experience. Nothing amiss really at all. Of course, she had been known to be wrong.

The first sign Rose had of what was amiss came from Caradoc. It wasn't something she was necessarily proud to admit, observant as she had long prided herself on being, but nonetheless it was true. Caradoc had been reading a thick volume on Ancient Runes, the sound of it closing registered briefly in Rose's peripheral awareness. "Rose" Caradoc whispered, a frown audible in the low register of his voice. Rose huffed, ignoring the disturbance as if Caradoc was little more than a fly buzzing irritatingly around her. "Rose" Caradoc whispered again, slightly louder and more insistent. Rose growled and shook him off again. "For Merlin's sake" Caradoc groaned, muttering something about stubbornness and mulish tendencies. If Rose had actually heard him, she imagined she might be quite miffed about it. "Rose!"

Rose snapped her head towards him, burning him with the fire in her violet gaze. "What?!"

Caradoc held up his hands in the universal way of meaning no harm, warm amusement glittering in his bright blue eyes. Whatever he might have said at that moment, teasing as it undoubtedly would have been, he never got the chance to say. Edgar, roused a little by the whisper-shouts of his fellow students, stirred at his desk. His eyes opened, still unfocused with sleep. "We may have to resort to cannibalism" he announced, promptly dropping his head back onto his pillow with a loud snore in punctuation.