Harry’seyebrowsrose.“Happyreading,Iguess,”hefinallysaid.
“It’sreallyiingatually.ManyofourownustomswerebasedaftertheVeriaeustoms,suhasthewhole‘headofthehouse’idea,whihamefromtheVeriaeAspetus.”
“You’regoingtoneedtoexpinallthis,right?”
“Yes,it’saompliatedsystem.Harry,youlookdeadonyourfeet.Youshouldtrytosleep.”
AfterHarryhadgoneintotheboysdormitory,Hermionefrownedworriedlyandre-readtheparagraphshehadbeenabsorbedinbeforeHarryamedown.
Ittakesmonths,andinsomeasesyears,forVeriaetolearntoontroltheirwingsbeausejusthavingtheirwingsmakestheVeriaepronetorashmoodswings.TheinstintofthewingsistoprotettheVeriaeatallost,andthusforthefirstfewmonthsafterthefirstrebirththeslightestangermaysetthemoff.Butitisiingtonote,thatwhiletheVeriaemaynotbeabletoontrolthewings,theVeriae’sintendedan.ThetouhoftheVeriae’ssoulmatemakeseventhesharpest,mostangryfeathersinstantlyhangetotheirsoftformsoasnottohurttheVeriae’sintended.
“Ohmy,Harrywhathaveyougottenyourselfintonow?”Hermionewhisperedworriedly.Absorbedinherbook,thegirlontinuedreadinglongintothenight.
LuiusMalfoysatwathingthefmessputteranddie,andontinuedsittingmotionlessaftertheroomwentdark,hissightnowfousingilyonthesmallharredirlethatthering—urrentlyonhisfinger—hadleftinthefloor.
DumbledoresatabsentlystrokingFawkes’sfeathers,thinkingbaktowhenhehadfirstseenthemathingaurabetweenthetwoboys,afterFawkeshadpointeditouttohim,andwonderedhowthiswouldaffettheonomingwar.
DraoMalfoysleptsoundly,hiseyesflikeringtoaolorofsilverandgoldunderhlosedeyelids,andsleptsoundly,enlosedinhisbkaura.
AndupintheGryffindorboys’dormitory,HarryPottersleptsoundlyaswell,enlosedinprotetivebkwingsthatkeptoutallthenightmares.
Chapter5:MathingAuras
“Youlookthree-fourthsdead,”LuiusstatedasSnapemadehiswayintotheroomatseveninthem.
“Thanksforaring,”Snapeshotbakspitefully.“Seeingasyou’rethereasonIandfortyotherpeoplearelikethisrightnow.”Hewinedasheputweightonmuslesthatwereloathtodoanything.“AndwhyinMerlin’snamedidn’tyoukeepthefiregoing?”
Luiusshruggedinthedarkness(hehadn’tmindedtheoldofthedungeonroom)ashiseyeswanderedinthediretionofthefirepe.Therewasaslightshiftintheairoftheroomandfmesleaptupfromnothing,floodingtheroomwithlight.
“Ihatewhenyoudothat,”Snapemuttered,slowlymakinghiswaytotheouh.
“It’sasnaturaltomeasyourwandistoyou,”Luiusommentedasually.
“AndDrao’sgoingtolearnhowtodothat?”SnapeeasedhisCruio-batteredbodyontotheplushushionsoftheouh.“I’mgettingtoooldforthis.”