the rise

chapter sixteen

The pair of dark haired teenagers walked through the Slytherin common room a few nights later. The room was lit by only the dying fire in the hearth.

They continued up the stairs, toward the first year dormitory.
Harry waited at the door, and through the silence he heard Tom tear the thick blankets away from Carlos. The kid woke with a start.

"Be quiet and get up."

"W-h"

"Did I not just say be quiet?"

Tom stalked out of the room, and laughing silently Harry followed him back down the stairs into the common room.

"What's so funny?" They were safe from being heard now but Tom kept his voice low.

"I have no idea... I suppose this whole situation is gathering to be quite funny to me"

"Muppet" Tom mocked.

Harry had no time to be confused about that cultural reference as Carlos stumbled out of the narrow doorway leading to the stairs.

"What's going on?"

"It is time for you to prove yourself Carlos."

The kid's eyes flicked to Harry briefly and then he nodded.

"We will meet Harry outside. Follow me"

The grass was dewey and their breath clouded around their heads in the cool air.

Harry had their victim held, suspended in the air with a complicated charm, one his mother had created.

He let Levi fall to the ground infront of Thomas and Carlos.

"Oh my..."

"You. Are going to kill him. Then you can go and all will be forgiven"

Carlos looked again at Harry, though the older boy offered nothing.

"How?"

Harry began to kick their unconsious classmate.

"He will wake up!"

"Better be quick about it then, it will be harder if he runs" Harry provided brightly.

The kid fell to his knees and fumbled with his wand, muttering useless hexes and spells.

Finally, Tom handed Carlos a small knife, and Harry backed away from Levi.

"We will be friends again?" Carlos asked.

"Yes. You will sit with us again, right beside me."

Carlos took in a shuddering breath, and raised the knife. The blade glinted in the moonlight.

The Great Hall was chaos the next morning.

"Harry! Thank God you're up!"

"What's up?" He settled down with his friends, who all looked between extreeme emotions.

There was a pause.

"A Ravenclaw was killed last night" Neville finally said.

"Yeah. Aurors are here and everything, no one's allowed outside because some kid is dangling from Dumbledore's window"

"Ron. That's just gossip. Ron heard Lavender Brown telling her friends all about what she apparently saw"

"People are saying it was Dumbledore."

"Do we know who it was?"

"Yeah, Levi Quincey. He was in our year"

"Oh... shit"