Black Plague

Chapter 8

Mr Hagrid had been trying to get me alone. I would hear him call me and try to reach me whenever he sees me. But I slip through the throngs of people. One of the benefits of being small. I don't want to talk to him. He's talked to me a couple times. Always acting like my best friend. I'm sure he's a lovely guy. But he is so annoying. The last few weeks he's been trying to I get me to come visit his little hut. I'm sure he's playing messenger  for the Headmaster. I always give him excuses about tests and studying. He always seems so sad, so now I am just avoiding him. Then, I don't have to look at his pitifully sad face.

Eventually he grabbed my wrist, while I'm leaving his class. I don't know how he got to me so quick. I always stand in the way back. I tried to pull from his hand. My heart began pounding a thousand beats a minute.
He smiled. "you're a hard one to catch." I wanted to roll my eyes and say 'that's the point'. But he's so friendly it's impossible to be mean to him. But he has me feeling trapped. And my nerves are through the roof. I gave a shaky smile. "Sorry about that"
"Come have tea and rock cakes with me." "Sure. When do you want me over." Knowing I'm not going to show up. He begins pulling me to his hut. Ok. I guess now. So much for getting away.
He set me at the table and turned to make tea. I noticed a news article from a couple months ago.  I didn't know what he was trying to do, but it was clearly a set up. When he saw me looking at it, he grabbed it and began acting suspiciously. Clearly trying to get me to ask questions. Well, I refuse. I don't think he's smart enough to have this as an entire act. He's probably been fed info and things from Dumbles. I looked at a baby dragon Walk around the small house. He was clearly going to burn his hut down. Not my problem either.
He kept slipping into conversation about some stone, the bank robbery, and the third floor. If I didn't know better, I would think Dumbles wanted me to go to the third floor, and try to get myself killed. That would never happen. I didn't know what they were up to, but I refused to get involved. Maybe I would talk to Snape about it. He was quickly becoming my favorite teacher. Ironically enough.

I gave Hagrid a fake smile and waved goodbye.
I walked to the potion room and knocked. When he called me to come in, I walked in and sat in the front table.
"So, Hagrid's been trying to suddenly get my attention. He's been trying to meet with me and shit. But today he dragged me to his little hut. He kept talking about a three headed dog, the third floor,.and some stone. If I didn't know better, I would think he and Dumbles are trying to entice me into killing myself. Over some stone. No thank you." I rolled my eyes. This whole thing was super annoying.
"What all did he say?" I sighed. "Just a bunch if random information. Like something about a sorcerer stone. And how fluffy falls asleep if you play music. And other random shit.
It's like he got all flustered when I didn't ask questions or care, and started just spewing all the info he was supposed to slyly tell me." I rolled my eyes. "I'm not suicidal and don't care, thank you. If it's in danger right now, that's not my problem. The adults know far more magic than I do. And even if they didn't, I don't give a shit. It's their job to protect the stone. It shouldn't be the responsibility of a fucking first year." I huffed.
Snape was livid. "Why would he tell you all of that?" I laughed. "you don't seriously think he randomly decided to tell me all of that himself do you? He's too dumb to have the article and everything set up perfectly. Trying to set me up, and make me curious. He was clearly directed to do it. Don't get mad at the poor idiot. He was just the messenger."
Snape looked at me warley, "are you going to try to get the stone?" I laughed. A full laughed. "Fuck no! I'm not here to die. I'm perfectly fine ignoring the whole thing. My main objective in life has always been survival. This sounds like plain stupidity. No thanks" he sighed in relief. "Nope, I'd make a deal with the devil, before letting myself get hurt. I'm no hero. Nor will I ever be." I shrugged. My eyebrow raised. "The world will be lucky if I even become the antihero. I want nothing to do with any of this."
Snape smirked "you planning on being the villain?" I shrugged. "Maybe, haven't decided yet. But I'm not a hero that's for curtain. A villain might be fun. I might just walk away and let the world burn. Don't know. If your people's hero is Dumbles, I'm not quite sure I'm evil enough to be a villain. But if you're wise, you won't be expecting me to save you, like everyone else seems to think I will. Maybe I'll just take Voldie's place, we'll see." I shrugged.
Snape just nodded. Like he was contemplating everything I said. Good.
"You know The Dark Lord will return, right?" I shrugged. "well, if he leaves me alone, I'll leave him alone. I don't care about him one way or another" He seemed annoyed. "He killed your mom!"
I scoffed "ya? And I don't know a thing about her except that she had lots of lovers. Making me a bastard. I never had a family. You can't miss what you never had.  I'm sure she was lovely. If you want to avenge her, go right ahead. But I ended up with a shit life because she decided to have me in the middle of a fucking war, and got killed. I want nothing to do with any of this shit. It's not my fight. And I refuse to insert myself in the middle of it. Everyone wants to push me into it. If I were to chose a side, I'll tell you right now, I'd be more likely to chose Voldies. Morals mean nothing to me. But, ultimately, I just want to be left alone." I was kind of mad. I grabbed my wand and let the Jasper calm me down. "Look. I get that's he's bad. Killed innocent people indiscriminately. Turned into a monster. But from the small bits I've heard, I agree more with his side. I'm definitely not on the side of the light. If I were to have to kill him, god forbid, I'd more than likely just take over his army." I shrugged again. I knew that would probably piss him off, but I didn't care. It's the truth. "But I need to continue studying my magic just in case he does decide he still wants to kill me. I need to get ready. And I will be. That I will make sure of. But I won't be a pawn. And I won't be anyone's hero. If I am forced to join the fight. You better believe I'm going to get all the glory and respect that comes with it. And I will use that to rule everyone's pathetic asses. If they can't fight for themselves, and want to force a child to fight for them, It's the least they deserve." My eyes darkened with malice. My voice ice cold.
I watched as a slighted shiver went through him. And I internally smirked. Outwardly, I showed nothing.
I was pretty sure he wouldn't run to Dumbles with this information. If he was smart, he wouldn't side with the light at all. Because they would never win. There just wasn't the appetite for war. Everyone wanted to sit back and let someone else fight. Even in the history books the war was fought with an army on Voldies side and a handful of families on the other side. Now, half of them were dead. And people didn't want to get their hands dirty. And I was financially paying for the side of the light. When they had no monetary incentive, they would fall away too. And as soon as I was able, I would be pulling that from them.
I focused back on Snape. "Hey, do you still have my bank statements. I would like to have those back at some point." His face jerked up to look back at me. "Yes. I will bring it for your next class." I nodded.
I gave a small smile. "Well, as fun as this conversation was, I need to get back to studying. If you want to write another list of good books for me, I would love that. I still have a bunch to read, But hopefully by the start of next year I'll be through them all."
I gave him a nod and I walked away.

I am sure I completely unsettled him. Who expects an 11 year old to talk about taking over for the Dark Lord. Maybe it wasn't wise to tell him my thoughts. But some part of him probably won't take me entirely seriously. Who would? And I won't be telling him this again. This is his one and only warning. If he stands by me in the end, maybe he'll be my second. He seems really powerful. And he's already helped me so much. I wouldn't be near as knowledgeable without his help.

I studied the rest of the night, then climbed into bed after all my homework was finished.

The rest of the year went by quickly. Yes, Hagrid tried to entice me to get the stone a few more times. Dumbles called me into his office once. And I just answered politely. But I never made a move for it. He wanted to warn me he was leaving for the day tomorrow. I nodded and acted interested. I couldn't care less.
Then Hagrid grabbed me after class and moaned about how he hoped the stone didn't get stolen tomorrow while Dumbles was gone. I raised an eyebrow and assure him it was probably fine. I patted his arm and walked away. I rolled my eyes. They were so obvious and ridiculous. And clearly getting desperate with my indifference.
I walked to Snape's room and sat down. "I just thought I'd let you know, the stone is going to be stolen tomorrow. Dumbles and Hagrid both made that very clear." I rolled my eyes. Gods, they were dumb. Why did they want me to get it. Ok. I get it, Voldies can come back with it. If they are smart, they would have a decoy stone there, and move the real stone somewhere else. And maybe get real security on it this time. If a first year can get it, it obviously isn't very safe. It's like they want Voldie to come back. Maybe they do. For all I know, Dumbles wants me to die so he can rally people. I wouldn't put it past him.
Snape raised an eyebrow at me. "Aren't you worried the Dark Lord will come after you if he uses it to come back?" I shrug. I feel like I shrug  a lot with him. "Not really. If Dumbles is the brilliant mastermind everyone says he is, then that isn't the real stone. He's trying to put me through a series of life threatening test. Make sure I'm worthy and brave. At least I assume. What idiot would make a priceless stone easy enough for a first year to get. And basically tell everyone where it is? And then actually leave it there just waiting for it to be stolen."
Maybe I should bring my invisibility cloak and watch this fiasco. It might be fun. I am curious how dumb the Headmaster is.