Do or Die (HP FF)

The Grim Luck

a.n. Sorry I haven't been updating, but my weekend's been really hectic. I'm catching up on the Walking Dead, and haven't seen the third season yet, so no one spoil it! Hahaha, anyways, here's a long-awaited chapter. Enjoy!

Waking up was hard for Gaulda. The tree had sent her back into reality, and not kindly. Her torso and back ached while a brutal pounding reverberated throughout her skull. Her eyelids stung when she opened them to the blinding sunshine and white room. Gaulda's ears felt as though they were falling off the sides of her head as a cheer rang through the room.

A relieved Dumbledore sat next to her with students all around. Madame Pomfrey, the school nurse, rushed them out immediately, which Gaulda was grateful.

Dumbledore looked over at Gaulda gravely. "You are being let out today. The wounds are still fresh, but I have pulled some strings for you. I beg of you to come to my office as soon as you're able, and I am in need to go to Honeyduke's at Hogsmeade to get more Fizzing Whizbees."

Gaulda looked at Dumbledore skeptically, not understanding why she needed to be told about his personal candy stores. Shaking it off, she watched the old man leave, stealing a Chocolate Frog from her bedside table on the way out. 

Gaulda shook her head, and Madame Pomfrey came up to her. 

"Now let me tell you," the nurse said angrily while preparing Gaulda's medicine. "I don't think you should be leaving this bed at all. Just consider yourself lucky you're still alive with scratches like these."

As the nurse ranted, Gaulda shifted around uncomfortably in the bed, effectively tangling herself in the sheets. All's she wanted was to get out of there. This was her first time in a hospital, and she could already tell that she didn't like it.

Madame Pomfrey finally gave her the medicine (which tasted like cotton candy and coffee) and sent her on her way, but not before telilng her to come back every night for more medicine.

Gaulda happily walked out of the Hospital. She didn't want to go to the headmaster's office quite yet, and decided to head out to the grounds to see the Whomping Willow tree. She decided that the tree must be lonely. 

The walk outside wasn't long, and Gaulda enjoyed the feeling of having the wind to her back, and real sunshine on her face. The tree didn't look any different than in her crazy dream, but it was now shedding it's leaves. She walked up to it, and kind of expected it to attack her, as it had that reputation. But it remained completely still until she sat down at the base, facing the trunk. She gazed up into the sun at the branches, which cheerily waved in the breeze. Slowly, the branches came down and wrapped her in a gentle, but firm hug. She returned it, and when the tree released her, she noticed something looking at her from the forest. Something big and black. 

Gaulda let out a horrified scream as she realised that she was looking at the Grim.

---

Gaulda went back to teaching afterward. She wasn't in the best of shape, but she could still talk. So here she stood at the head of the class, wondering what the heck was wrong with them.

"Seriously, guys. Most people would be excited to hear about one of the goriest battles in history. I mean, it's the only thing you guys listen to, right?" Gaulda said, slightly upset that no one was listening. 

"Please, professor," Hermione Granger said. "We've just come from Dinvination."

"Ah... Which one of you will be dying this year?"

The whole class was silent, sitting in their multicolored chairs that they'd dreamed up today. After a while, the very boy that I was afraid who'd raise his hand, raised his hand. Harry Potter.

"Hmm. McGonagall told me all about how Sybill Trelawney predicts a student's death at the beginning of the year. She says it's her favorite way to greet a new class." Gaulda rolled her eyes. "Potter, you look in perfect health to me. You still have to do your homework, I'm afraid. Trust me, if you die between this class and tomorrow's, you need not hand it in." Her voice had a tone of finality in it, and the subject was dropped. 

Gaulda continued on her lecture of the goriest goblin wars while the students furiously took notes.

After class, Harry approached the teacher's desk, unsure how to tell her. He contemplated for a while, but Gaulda interrupted his train of thought.

"Is there something you wished to tell me, Potter?"

"Professor, Trelawney--"

"Professor Trelawney, Harry."

"Yes, her. She said that she saw the Grim in my tea leaves. What's a Grim?"

Gaulda sighed. She wished that she didn't have to be the one to break it to him, but seeing as they were the only ones in the room... "Harry, the Grim is a big black dog, the kind that haunts churchyards. It's an omen of death."

Silence rang through the classroom, and Gaulda began packing up her notes. "You haven't seen the Grim before this, have you?"

Harry shifted uncomfortably. "Once," he looked down while speaking, right at his shoes as though they were the greatest thing since sliced bread (and let me tell you, sliced bread is pretty great). "When I ran away from home."

Gaulda looked at Harry. It was kind of a look of skepticism and sympathy, a bit of anger mixed in. He could tell that her anger was directed elsewhere, not at him. It still made him squirm in guilt, like  he'd caused her to be angry. "We'll talk about why you'd run away from home another time, Potter. But for now, where'd you see the Grim?" Her posture and voice was stiff once more, like how she'd been when she came to Hogwarts. 

"I was getting onto the Knight Bus. It just kinda slid out of the shadows, I don't know."

Gaulda sighed and muttered goblin swears under her breath. "Alright. Come see me if you see it again, alright?"

"'Kay," he replied, packed his stuff up, and left. 

The Grim was not a good sign, and Gaulda was afraid of what it would bring. 

---

The trek to Dumbledore's office was a long one. Gaulda wasn't sure where it was, so it took her a long time to find an eagle-like gargoyle. Looking at it uncertaintly, she tipped her head to the side, like a dog would. 

"You need a password, dear," a voice sounded behind her. 

Gaulda jumped and turned around. Behind her was a picture of a man. Pictures could talk? Of course they could, it was the Wizarding World, after all.

Gaulda asked tentively, "Who're you?"

"I," he said. "Am Salazar Slytherin."

Salazar Slytherin was the opposite of what you'd expect. He looked really nice, with his light brown hair and light colored eyes. Gaulda couldn't tell the exact color of them, maybe a light grey. His smile was nice too; he looked very kind. Then again, looks can be deceiving. 

Gaulda returned Salazar's smile, nonetheless. "Thank you, Salazar." She then turned back to the gargoyle and thought long and hard. Then she realised... Dumbledore wasn't telling her about his private candy stores... He was telling her (though rather cryptically) the password to his office!

"Fizzing Whizbees!"

The gargoyle seemed to spring to life, and jump out of the way of a rotating staircase. Gaulda hopped on with no hesitation, whatsoever. The staircase lead up to a great oak door. Though, right before she knocked, she heard voices. 

"Gaulda... Parents... Gotta tell..."

"NO DUMBLEDORE, I FORBID YOU!" 

"I have to!"

The voices got louder, as if they were getting closer to the door. Gaulda still had to strain to hear, but managed. 

"NO, DUMBLEDORE."

"What if she dies? Then she'll die not knowing."

"THEN SHE'LL DIE SAFE."

Gaulda chose this moment to knock on the door, and open it. She opened it fully, and said, "I think Gaulda would like to know, as it's her business, and not your's."

She was met with gaping mouths.