Left Behind (Snowbaz fic)

Chapter: 4

SIMON
Baz explained everything to Headmistress Bunce. When he finished the room was silent. An eerie chill hung in the air and the smell of rain flooded into my nose. All I could hear was the raindrops beginning to drum quietly against the roof.
Headmistress Bunce looked at Baz. But it was like she was looking right through him instead of actually at him.
"Can I see the mark?" She said reaching for Baz's arm. He rolled up his sleeve, revealing the scars, and offered it to her.
She studied it carefully and touched the skin around the deep gashes. But Baz didn't flinch. He just stared intently at his arm.
"I don't know what to say, Basil, I've never seen anything like this." No one said a word. I could hear a clap of thunder in the distance.
"From what I can tell it looks like magic. Old, dark magic that I've never seen before." Baz nodded and held his arm to his chest.
"Is there anyone you know of that could help?" Asked Penelope.
Headmistress Bunce pondered for a moment and then nodded.
"One of the new professors we took on this year might be able to help. She brought old books with her that I've never seen before."
Penelope's eyes light up at the mention of new books. Headmistress Bunce scribbled the name of the professor and where we could find her on a piece of paper and held it out to her daughter. As Penny took the paper her mother grabbed her arm and pulled her close. She spoke in a low voice in Penelope's ear.
"If this leads you down a dangerous path, Penelope, you tell me right away. You hear me? I will not have these boys put you in danger again. Understood?"
"Yes, miss," she squeaked. I have never heard Penny's mum sound so serious before. It made me shiver.
Before letting her go Headmistress Bunce pulled out her wand and hovered over Penelope's head.
"Do as you're told." The words were dripping with magic and the spell was cast.
Penelope groaned and pulled her arm away from her mother. She grabbed me by the collar of my shirt and pulled me out of the room. Baz thanked the Headmistress and quickly followed us down the stairs.
Penny still gripped my collar tightly; I was afraid I would fall down the remaining stairs. She muttered to herself the whole way down but I couldn't make out exactly what she was saying.
When we finally were at the bottom she let me go and kicked the last step letting out a groan of frustration.
"Why would she do that?!" She yelled, "It's like she doesn't want me to help at all!"
"She just wants you to be safe, Penny." I said. She rolled her eyes and threw her hands up in the air.
"I'm still alive aren't I? I've been doing something right obviously!"
"It doesn't matter anymore, Bunce," said Baz, "The spell is over and done with. Can we just find this professor and get on with it?!" His voice boomed all around us making Penny and I jump. He then grabbed the scrap of paper from her hands and stormed off into the pouring rain.
Penny and I stared at each other in disbelief for a second before running after him.
"Baz, wait!" I called. But he wouldn't slow down.
We ran after him in the rain. Cold water splashing my legs with every step. Baz ran far ahead of us towards the gardens. The grey, thundering sky seemed to swallow him whole the farther he got. The only thing I could make out was his black jacket flapping behind him in the wind.
When Penny and I finally caught up to him he was standing on top of one of the rolling hills surrounding the school. The gardens were tucked at the bottom; away from everything else on the school grounds. Throughout my school days I often forgot they were even there. They probably wanted to protect the plants from the goats.
Baz heard us panting after him and looked back at us. His black hair hung in wet ringlets over his face and his clothes were soaked all the way through. Neither Baz or Penny thought to use an umbrella spell.
I looked to Penny and shouted over the pounding of the rain. "Why would your mother tell us to come here?" Before Penny could respond Baz pointed to one of the tiny greenhouses at the bottom of the hill.
"Look!" He said, "In there," I focused on the greenhouse and saw slight movement among one of the many rows of plants and flowers. It was so subtle that I thought I imagined it.
Baz swiftly ran down the steep hill with ease and trotted to the greenhouse. He motioned for us to follow. I took a single step down the hill and my foot slipped against thick mud. Sending me slipping all the way down.
I felt Baz's hand on my shoulder before I even realized I came to a complete stop. He smiled down at me suppressing his laughter.
"What am I going to do with you, Snow?" A chuckle escaped his lips. He knelt down next to me wiping away some of the muck from my face. I smiled and pushed his hand away.
I got to my feet and tried to scrape the mud off my jeans but it was useless. The muck and dirt covered me from head to toe.
"Could you help me out a little, Baz?" I motioned towards his pocket where he kept his wand.
"No, it's a good change of pace. I think this look suits you." He laughed again, "You can't look perfect all the time."
I rolled my eyes and flicked mud in his direction. He deflected it with his wand, that I didn't even realize he was holding, and sent it flying back at me. The mud blast collided with the already existing mud on my face.
I looked to the top of the hill where I had left Penny but she was nowhere to be seen. I whirled my head around, flicking mud everywhere as I did, and looked to the greenhouse. Penny was already standing in the doorway taking small steps inside.
"You're useless without magic, Simon. Come on," Baz grabbed my hand and lead me into the tiny greenhouse.
I was relieved to finally be out of the rain but the mud soaking through my clothes made me shiver.
"Clean as a whistle!" Said Baz with a flourish of his wand. In an instant the cold, uncomfortable feeling of mud coating my body was gone and replaced with warm dryness. It was as if my clothes were fresh out of the dryer. Still warm and smelling of fabric softener.
Penny dried herself as she came in. I could tell she was still enjoying the warm, cozy feeling of her clothes. When I turned around Baz was dry too. I couldn't help but smile at how fluffy and soft his hair looked. Like someone brushed and blow dried his hair for hours before coming here.
"Hush, Snow!" He ran his fingers through his long raven hair, "You too, Bunce!"
Penny was covering her mouth with her hands and tried to hold in her giggles.
Penny finally stopped but the laughing went on. It wasn't anything like I've heard Penelope or Baz muster before. It was a cackle almost. Short, loud bursts separated by sharp, quick breaths.
The evidence of a smile disintegrated from Baz's face. We both stood at attention ready for anything that might jump out at us.
"Professor Tawny?" Baz said towards the laughter. His voice was apprehensive but stern at the same time.
The cackling stopped and the plants at the far end of the greenhouse rustled in the darkness. I saw her hair before I saw the rest of her face. Long, frizzy hair that extended in a chaotic halo around her head. To be honest I couldn't decide exactly what color her hair was. At first I thought it was red but the longer I stared the darker it got. Now I was sure it was brown. Or is it black? Her face was covered completely with thick, round glasses hanging on the end of her narrow nose.
"Y-yes?" She spoke in a small voice. It wasn't I would have expected to come from her. Such a small, delicate voice to come from a wild and rugged looking woman.
"Headmistress Bunce said you could help us," Baz's voice trailed off at the end of his sentence. I think he was staring at her hair too.
"Yes, I was hoping to see you, Tyrannus," The name was still foreign to my ears. It didn't register in my mind that she was referring to Baz. I think Baz had the same reaction I did he was surprised to hear his first name. Especially coming from someone that was a total strangers to him.
"Come, come. Don't waste time!" She grabbed Baz by the collar of his jacket and pulled him out the door.

BAZ
Professor Tawny gripped me by my jacket and pulled me back out into the pouring rain. But this time I was smart enough to cast the "April Showers," charm and an invisible umbrella appeared over my head. I liked to watch the rain bounce off the space above my head.
"WAIT!" Shouted professor Tawny. She let me go and ran back into the greenhouse, pushing Simon and Bunce out of the way as she went.
We watched her scan the many rows of herbs, flowers and plants on shelves. She tittered to herself as she looked. When she finally settled her bony fingers on the plant she wanted she stuffed the pot into her coat.
Professor Tawny rejoined the three of us huddled under the umbrella charm.
"Shall we then?" She motioned for us to follow her to the classrooms.
We followed her down the many corridors of classrooms until we finally stopped at room 306. The small room was covered from wall to wall in various carpets and tapestries. Not even an inch of wall peaked out from the hanging fabric. In addition to the carpets there were also many lit candles around the room. I couldn't help but feel uneasy at the sight of the candle flames just inches away from touching the carpets. But she probably spelled the carpets so they were nonflammable.
"Sit," she instructed and pointed at the many throw pillows scattered around the floor. I sat down first and Simon walked to my side to sit next me. But before he could sit professor Tawny turned around abruptly.
"Not you two!" She pointed at Simon and Bunce and then to the door. Simon obeyed and squeezed my shoulder as he left.
Once the door clicked shut professor Tawny clapped her hands together and looked to me.
"Now, let's get started!"
"Excuse me, Professor, but what exactly are we starting?" I asked
"You want to know what that mark on your arm is right? This is how we find out."
"How do you..." She cut me off before I could finish.
"How do I know? Dear boy, I'm the professor of fortune telling. You've been away from this school for too long."
I had never heard of a fortune telling class at Watford before. But by the look of the professor it was clear that she could do more than just telling the future.
It didn't take long for me to notice that her hair changes color at random. Before entering the room her hair was a very dark brown but now it was slowly turning blonde before my eyes.
"Here," she said shoving a teacup of hot water in my hands. Then she plucked a few leaves from the plant still buried underneath her coat and put it in my cup. It desolated almost instantly and the water turned a rich brown color.
I lifted the cup to my lips but she smacked my hand almost causing me to drop the cup altogether.
"Not yet! One more thing," she pulled a tiny vile of clear liquid out of her pocket. Her hand was steady as she let a single drop slide from the vile and into the cup. A blue puff of steam emerged from the cup and swirled all around me.
"What was that?" I asked. She rolled her eyes.
"Too many questions! Don't you trust me? All I need is one sip."
"Do you want me to be honest?" I asked.
She stared at me until I finally lifted the cup to my lips. The tea smelled like peppermint and cough medicine. The smell itself made my head spin.
I took a deep breath and took a sip of the tea. I didn't know what I was expecting but it wasn't that. It tasted like how the ocean smells. Salty and full of things unknown to humanity.
The professor took the cup from my hands and took a sip herself. I was shocked to see how easy it was for her to swallow. I forced the vile liquid down my throat and tried to focus on the slight peppermint aftertaste. But the discussing taste still lingered in the back of my throat.
"I'm impressed, Mr. Pitch, most people vomit the first time."
"Well I'm not most people," I responded.
Despite the protests of my stomach I felt like nothing was different.
"Just relax until it takes affect. You should probably lie down." She said as she sprawled herself out on a pile of pillows.
I still didn't know what was happening. I couldn't guess what drinking mystery tea was going to tell her what was wrong with me. But I obeyed. I leaned my back against the far wall and waited for something to happen.
I felt nothing. Then everything started to get all floaty and blurry. It was slight at first then got stronger until I was afraid I might actually vomit.
The room was spinning chaotically all around me and my eyes couldn't focus on anything. The sensation became so overwhelming that I pleaded for whoeverc could hear me to make it stop.
"Tyrannus." The voice sliced through the air like a knife.