Finding Courage [Vignette][Legacy]

"Oh!" The girl let out a startled gasp, "What's a hideous little thing like you doing in here? I don't think you belong here," she knelt down, casting the light of her wand over the small creature, its pupils shrinking in response to the illumination. "It's a good way to get yourself hurt, or... worse!" she feigned a jump at her sole companion in the Artefact Room, only to be let down by its unflinching gaze. A devious grin spread across her face, "Oh? Not scared, are you? I could squish you beneath my feet like..."

*BAM*

Her boot slammed into the ground mere inches away from the lowly animal, but garnered no response - not even a wince. "Hmph, you're not dead already are you?" She poked it with the lit end of her wand, and it finally answered, with a low warbling croak. "There you are. You've got guts, I'll give you that much." She dropped into a crouch, placing her wand on the ground, and inched closer. "So, what's your deal? Someone figured you were too ugly and just threw you out? Or did they stop caring for you, and you took off on your own?"

The creature puffed up a sac below its mouth and let loose another, slower croak, before taking a short hop towards the giant in front of him. "I see... hmm. Well, can't have you sticking around here and mucking up the place," she extended her palms and found her gesture was understood, as another short hop placed the scaly thing in her hands. After a pensive glance around the room, assuring she was alone, the girl ran her fingers along the dry skin of her handheld pet. "So, you're what? A toad or something? Gotta say, you're as ugly in person as in the books." Another stroke along its back was met by a sound almost like a rumbling purr, as it narrowed its eyes.

"Which brings me back to the question: what are you doing here? Don't think anyone's got a taste for toad's legs, so definitely not from the kitchen. A pet? But, what kind of freak would want to keep you around? Ooooh, a prank then?!" She wondered aloud, half to the toad and half to herself, as she tilted her head back and forth, gazing towards the ceiling. "Nah, no one uses the live ones in their tricks anymore. Honestly, can't think of much else, but you are awfully friendly," she shuddered, "and almost clean for something so vomit-inducing."

She caught an odd look in its eyes as she continued mindlessly petting its wart-covered skin, "What? Then why am I holding you?" She scrunched her nose up and narrowed her eyes, "Maybe..." her voice dropped to a whisper, "that's my thing." Winking, she let out a soft chuckle, "Maybe, you're just a good distraction from what I was supposed to be doing."

"Speaking of..." she turned her attention to the shelving unit behind which the toad had chosen to hide. With her free hand, she began rummaging through the miscellaneous supplies left on the shelves throughout the years. An occasional croak, reminders that she was not alone in her task, caused her to pause briefly every few moments to rub the toad's back once more. While the varied jars filled with bones, pouches filled with foul-smelling sand, and tins of oddly-named oats caught her interest, frustration soon overcame her. Meanwhile, the croaks from her accomplice became more frequent, louder, and distracting.

"WHAT?!" Her fierce gaze set upon the source of her annoyance, as she yelled. "What. Do. You. Want? Can't you see I'm busy, you damned pest?" Though it had previously remained unshaken by her threats and actions, the toad hunched back on its hind legs this time. "Hah! Finally got you! You're just a weak, little sca-" Her words trailed as the toad calmly adjusted itself using its hind legs and turned in her hand, croaking once more, as if in satisfaction. "-redy... Wha- what are you up to now?" Her response was another series of croaks in quick succession.

Her interest piqued, the girl tried to read the beast's intentions, as its attention was focused back upon the location they had first noticed each other. She returned to her crouched position, and then to her knees, watching the toad move and croak as she got closer. As she neared the boot print left by her previous feigned assault on the toad, the creature leaned forward, prompting her to mimic its movements. Moving her wand near the rear of the shelf, her light unveiled a concealed metallic tin.

Another gasp escaped her lips, this time in surprised excitement. "No. Way." She grabbed the tin, reading the label on its top, and jumped in glee. "YES! You have no idea how great this is! Merula's going to be so happy to see this. Oh, and that Ymous is going to ab-so-lute-ly hate it! Wonderful!" She looked back down at her companion, who had since turned itself to gaze back at her. "You do know, don't you? You helped me out right when I need it." Unable to contain her extreme elation, and letting her mind wander back to fairy tales from her childhood, she pursed her lips, "MWAH!"

"Pttthhh aaaack ptthh!" Instant regret. She spat on the ground and wiped her mouth on the sleeves of her robe, "Gross!" After a few moments, she settled down, and turned back to the dry, scaly thing in her hand, slightly disappointed, "You're no Prince Charming, you know. But, you did have my back, so I'll forgive you this once. You and I make a great team, maybe I oughta keep you around. Give you a name. Maybe then, I'll have someone who'll listen to me for once." A frown spread across her face, before returning to a relaxed smile, "You're a good toad. Whoever abandoned you doesn't know what they lost."

The toad let out a croak and adjusted slightly to face the door behind the girl. "You're right. I got what I came for, and a little extra too," She pat its back once more, "Let's get out of here and show this to Meru-" As she turned, pleasant grin still present, her eyes set upon another surprise. A blonde student in Gryffindor robes stood in the open doorway, frozen in horror at the scene in front of him, eyes wide open. Her grin slowly faded as realization set in, and soon she too was frozen, mirroring the boy in the door.

"I-I-I didn't-... I m-mean... I'm s-s-sorr-" Ben frantically stuttered out the few words that flew into his broken mind, but was interrupted as Ismelda's pale face soon flushed redder than the color of his own house.

"You disgusting MUDBLOOD! H-how long were you standing there, w-watching me like some sort of freak?!" Unbridled rage grew out of intense embarrassment, as she desperately hoped that he had only just arrived.

"N-no. I mean, n-not l-long. Y-you grabbed some-something a-and-" He realized too late that he should have lied, as he had just admitted to watching her plant a kiss on the toad.

She assumed an awkward dueling stance, toad in one hand and wand in the other, "I'm going to KILL you! There's no way out for you, you filthy coward!" She raised her wand, forgetting the door remained open with Ben in its way, allowing her voice to escape the small room into the hallway beyond.

"P-please d-don't. I sw-swear I won't tell anyone. I d-didn't see a thing"

"Oh, I'll make sure you won't tell a soul. I-"

"Just p-please-" Despite overwhelming fear, and certain death ahead, the boy forced out a plea to the raging witch, "D-don't hurt him." Tears escaped his eyes, as he turned his attention to Ismelda's rapidly croaking companion.

She paused as she caught up with his words, and in the silence, heard the croaks from her hand. "Wh-what? Him? Hurt who? What the hell are you talking about?" She had been disarmed, not of her wand, but her sense. The croaking grew louder and almost frantic. Ismelda swayed from the dizziness of the situation, struggling to reorient herself.

"M-my toad. I-I don't want to d-d-die, b-but pl-please just leave him b-be."

She moved her left hand in front of her, lazily lowering her wand, and looked down at her minute companion. "Th-this thing? Is yours?" The croaking settled down, as the toad seemed to return a gentle gaze towards the girl. "This thing, is yours?!" Righteous indignation set in, "This is yours, and you just abandoned it in this room, like some unwanted child?" Her fury had found a new reason to continue its existence, "I should kill you for being so incompetent! What kind of idiot-"

"I lost him. I w-was out walking him, and s-someone pushed me into the fountain."

She suddenly realized Ben's robes were soaked and a trail of water had followed him into the doorway. But confusion returned, "The floor fountains? How'd you get into the Slytherin..."

"N-no, the Clock Tower Courtyard. There's a f-fountain-"

"Shut up! Of course I knew that! That still doesn't explain why he's here."

"H-he likes hiding here with me. W-when I get s-scared by you, or Merula, or the forest, or-"

"Alright! I get it! You're a damn pansy, everyone knows."

"When I got out of the fountain he was gone. I th-thought someone took him, b-but then I remembered how much he liked it h-here."

Most of her rage had subsided, replaced by pity for this most pathetic excuse for a Gryffindor she had ever set her eyes upon. She despised this feeling, and this boy even more for causing it, and yet- "So what, you want him back or something?"

Ben's eyes lit up, and he lifted his head to meet her baleful gaze, "Y-yes. I m-mean, yes please. I just want him to be safe." He told himself not to be hopeful, knowing this was just another trick of the cruelest witch in Hogwarts.

"I could kill him right now. Squish him beneath my boot. And do the same to you."

"N-no!" He squeaked out yet another plea, but was interrupted again.

"And I will. If you ever tell anyone what you saw here, I will splatter him against the floor, feed him to you, and throw you to the beasts of the Forbidden Forest."

In spite of the gruesome description, hope returned to Ben's dread-filled heart. "I-I won't! I promise, I will forget everything! I-I hit my head real hard in the fountain." Hope granted him strength and resolve in his words.

"Good. And if I ever hear so much as an inkling about this from any other student-" She dragged her wand against her throat menacingly.

"I understand."

"You better. Now, get out of here!"

"B-but, my toad..."

"Oh..." Ismelda looked down once more towards the toad that had guided her towards her goal, that had provided a brief respite from her hellish days, that had made her smile. She left out a remorseful sigh, and quickly attempted to mask it with a threatening growl towards Ben. "Fine." She fought every instinct to hurt him, to keep up appearances perhaps, and gently set down the toad in the boy's shaking, outstretched hands.

"Th-thank you! Thankyouthankyou thankyou! I won't forget this!"

"You WHAT?!"

"Wait! I'm sorry! I m-mean I will forget this!"

"Be sure that you do. Now get out of my sight before I change my mind."

Ben nodded emphatically and quickly turned to run off, his shoes squelching with the water that had soaked them. After a few steps, he felt a strange feeling rise up in his stomach, and he turned back to the girl standing alone in the Artefact Room. He caught her eyes once more, and recognized something familiar hidden within.

From deep within, he mustered all the resolve he could and quickly stated,

"H-his name is Animo. H-he likes to take walks in the evenings in the Clock Tower Courtyard..."

And ran off.