50 Final Preparation

Gilderoy's Halloween Costume Ball was on the coming Saturday, so we had much of this to prepare and plan. It would be held in the Great Hall an hour after dinner, so we had to plan how to set up in an hour. Magic is so convenient we worked out it could take us 10 minutes to set up.

At the start of every band practice, just after study group, I would ask, "What song needs work?" and we would work on that song. It was Wednesday when I asked that question and got no reply. "Excellent, now till Saturday, just relax." I dismissed the practice.

Doing what I instructed my bandmates to do, I relaxed. I sat with Rodney alone in the dorm, Grant and Tim had headed of to the kitches for snacks. "it's almost time Rondey" I said to the rooster as I pet him "I actually a bit nervous" I laughed. Rodney, for his part, just clucked at me as to say, "You nervous! What about me?". I patted Rodney "you'll be fine" I reassured him. Grant came back with an armful of pastry. Tim shuffled in behind him with a pitcher of juice and goblets. We spent that night eating, drinking, and listening to music.

Thursday, was spent like a normal school day, afterwards I caught up with friends that I hadn't spoken to in a awhile. Like the Golden trio, when Harry explained what happened to Ron when he tried to curse Malfoy, I had to laugh, then apologise. "Sorry, but it is a funny story, not the mudblood comment." I looked at Hermione. "Blood doesn't make anybody anything. Tim and I have been getting that since we started at Hogwarts." I showed my empathy.

"Really?" Ron asked.

"Yeah, it's the reason we avoid our common room and tables," I said. "Grant doesn't get that as much, but they call him blood traitor enough."

"Yeah we get that from the malfoys all the time" Ron said.

"I recently learnt the original meaning behind that insult", I said. "One who betrays magical blood." Ron looked confused at me. "Basically, people who turned people in during the witch hunts", I explained.

"What?" Ron was outraged.

"Yup," I said.

"My family would never do that." Ron was mad.

"Not saying you would; people like the Malfoys have been changing the meaning over time. They truly believe magic should only be kept in wizarding families," I continued, "and associating or making friends with muggles or muggle-born is betraying their belief, so they copied that insult. Grant says he wears it as a badge of honour."

"Huh," the anger left Ron. I smiled and changed to lighter topics of conversation, like Quidditch; Harry brought up the Slythrins team using Nimbus 2001s. "Harry, the Malfoy family is wealthy, to a vast degree, so Lucius can spoil Draco all he wants. But have you looked into your own financial situation?" I asked.

"I've seen my vault my parents left me alot of money" Harry said abit sheepishly.

"Harry, you are the heir to the ancient house of the Potter; you might not be a sacred 28, but that's because you have a common last name, unlike, say, Longbottom. And also what your great grandfather Henry did." I told him.

"What did he do?" Asked Ron.

"Denounced the minister of magic when they decided not to get involved during the First World War", I said.

"Why would that matter," Harry said.

"Oh, he was a sitting member of the wizengamot at the time, and he Denounced the minister publicly. It caused quite a stir," I laughed. "You should really look into your family, Harry; the potters have been around for a long time and have done great things. But you should also send a letter to Gringotts asking for a full accounting of your holdings. Sometimes debts get forgotten, but Gringotts keeps very good records."

"Maybe you're right," said Harry.

"But don't spend money on silly things, like brooms to make friends." I laughed.

"Mister Carter," Professor McGonagall approached me while I wandered the halls.

"Yes, Professor?" I asked.

"The headmaster would like to speak with you," she said in that precise Scottish accent.

"Okay" I nodded, and I was led to the headmaster's office.

As I walked in, I instantly knew what this was about, Rodney was standing on Dumbledores desk pecking at a pile of seeds. Fawkes the phoenix was watching the rooster with a glare.

"Ah, Mister Carter," Dumbledore said as I walked in. "I wanted to ask you why you have a rooster in your dorm room?"

After thinking about it, I said, "sound."

"Sound?" Dumbledore asked, not understanding.

"I'm studying sound", I said. "Well, sounds that have magical effects."

Dumbledore looked at the rooster again.

"How is the rooster helping?" Dumbledore asked.

"Well it started with the mandrakes" I said "when Professor Sprout said their cry could be fatal when their adults, all I could think was how?" I sat down. Dumbledore started to look intrigued. "Then I did some research and found no answer except it does. Then I looked at other creatures, the alluring call of sirens, Augurey's cry of predicting rain, thunderbirds storm call, even phoenix can use sounds as magic." I nodded towards Fawkes "their song can enduce happiness, but I kept coming to was how?" I shook my head "obviously I couldn't safely access any of these creatures, untill I found the rooster" I said "a common bird with no magic but it's crowing can do something that even for a great wizard is difficult" I said.

"And what's that?" Asked Dumbledore.

"Well apart from wakeing you up, it is said that the crowing of a rooster is fatal towards basilisks" I looked a Rodney "Rondeny hasn't explained how he can do this yet, I'm starting to think it might have more to do with the Basilisk than the rooster"

"Rondeny?" Dumbledore asked.

"The rooster, he's hasn't been the best research assistant, but I think I've gotten his call down quite well" I let out my best cock-a-doodle-doo.

Dumbledore chuckled. "Now I believe this is one of the schools roosters correct?" I nodded sheepishly "do you know many of the schools roosters have been killed recently"

"Sir I had nothing to do with that I only took Rodney" I said with haste.

"I believe you seeing he is un harmed and well fed" Dumbledore smiled. "I'm going to leave Rodney in your care for now" Dumbledore said after a thought.

"Thank you professor" I scooped Rodney under my arm and left, it would be a funny scene for any who saw as I walked threw the halls with a rooster under my arm.