theshabbiestofmen | IC Contact;

Have you or your friends attempted to apparate or disapparate while aboard the ship?

Ah. No, I haven't, I've thought it was rather stupid to try-- but I believe Sirius has, once or twice.

Yes, I had the same thought. Did he splinch himself?

Thank god, no. I'm no healer, and it would have been up to James and I to fix him. Obviously, you're free to do as you wish, but I really wouldn't recommend risking it.

Do you know how far he travelled? I'd rather not risk it, but, well, in case of emergency, I'd like to know my viable options.

Ah . . . a few floors, I believe. I was rather, ah, upset at the time, so I'm honestly not certain.

I completely understand. I'd feel the same way if Harry or Ron... [ she shakes her head, though he can't see it. ] I think the nature of the ship, the constant changing of the floorplan, could be a fatal factor.

Not to mention the fact we're zooming through space-- I mean, honestly, what the hell does he think is going to happen if he miscalculates even a bit?

A splinching would be minor, comparatively. Boys are so reckless — well, not you obviously, but in general. [ dumb boys.]

[He snorts.]

I think we just happen to hang around awfully reckless people. Ron, is that another friend from the future?

Ah, yes, more than a friend, a bit. [ she coughs. ] He's a Weasley. Red hair, huge family. You might have heard of his parents, Arthur Weasley and Molly Prewett, though they're a bit older than your lot.

I-- the name rings a faint bell. I think I'd know Arthur on sight, at least-- and I think Sirius was a bit obsessed with one of the Prewett boys for a while because he played Quidditch? I'm honestly not sure, I never am when it comes to Quidditch.

Anyway! Have you-- oh! If you'd like, I could show you one of the remains of the past-- er-- events that occurred on the ship.

Her twin brothers played Quidditch, I think, but I'm never sure about Quidditch either, honestly.

And I would love that. From an academic standpoint, I mean. I could bring my books as well — one has entire chapters devoted to dark artifacts, which could be useful, given recent events.

Oh, absolutely! Here, meet me on the-- oh, what is it-- the seventh floor? Yes, seventh. Right by the elevator.

I'll be there in a moment.

[ and she's staying in Harry's room, so it's not as far away as it could be. ]

[He probably shouldn't be showing this to her-- but, well, it's better than just staying in his room and reading all day. And anyway, she won't hurt it. Her. She won't hurt her.

He flashes her a grin when he reaches the seventh floor and nods.]

Right, so-- it's in a cage, but don't get too close, because she's quite vicious and she'll bite you and you'll get quite sick-- ah, just in that room right there--

[ she stops in her tracks. you can't expect someone like hermione granger to go in unprepared. ]

Hold on, I trust you because you're you and all, but what on earth have you got in there?

[ you're starting to sound like hagrid, remus. ]

It's just a rat. A, er, rather big . . . semi poisonous rat.

[He gives her a little nonverbal welp and a shrug.]

They were released on the ship. I got bit quite a few times, and most of us got sick, but, er, Sirius kept one. Brunhilda, he calls her, heaven only knows why. But we've both put spells on the cage, so she won't get it out.

That's oddly...feminist of him, I suppose. [ uncertainty aside, she's moving forward. it's no different than Norbert or Buckbeak or Fluffy or Grawp, in a way. Hagrid would be pleased. ]

What happened to the others?

They were killed.

[He unlocks the door-- and yes, there's Brunhilda, all huge red eyes and overgrown teeth. She's a good deal larger than a regular rat, some three feet tall. Angrily she hisses at them both and slams herself against the edge of her cage.]

Yes, hello, Brunhilda, it's nice to see you too.

That's horrible.

[ and perhaps it is years spent visiting Hagrid and his creatures that makes her worry over dangerous creatures. ]

She doesn't seem too pleased.

She's never pleased, to be honest. We've tried just about everything we can think of, but she just sort of . . . hisses and tries to bite us.

[He glances over at her. A little defensively:]

It's not as if we're trying to torture her or something. I mean, she gets free run of the room most times.

No, of course not. You're not that sort.

[ a beat. ] Perhaps she wants to see other rats.

She might.

[He glances over at her.]

Would you prefer conjuring another rat or putting up a shield spell for us?

I could put up more spells, if you like, but it'd be easier if we transfigured a rat from something else. Conjuring animals out of nothing is difficult, and they don't last long, in my experience. If we transfigured one, it might even stay that way.

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