Silence

A Harry Potter fanfic

A/N: Hey guys! I'm back! Sorry that I haven't written anything… School can do that, you know. I promise I'll get back to my other stories as soon as this is finished… This is loosely based on a nightmare I had a few days ago, that came from a class discussion. The plot bunny has been pestering me to write this, so here I go!

"Mom, Dad, how do I look?" I twirled in front of them, my red dress floating gracefully around my legs, rubbing smooth fabric against my legs. Mom and Dad smiled, glancing at each other fondly, if a little sadly. I giggled, nervously excited for the party I was to attend.

It was a dance, a celebration of the end of our senior year. A black tie event, it was hosted by the valedictorian and promised to be the biggest event of the year. Bigger than prom, or so my fellow seniors were saying. I had no opinion on the matter. I was just excited to go.

"You look lovely, sweetheart," Dad said, getting up from the couch and enveloping me in a hug. "Go and have fun. We'll see you when you get back."

"Curfew?" I questioned, raising one eyebrow.

"None," Mom stated smoothly before Dad could say anything. He shot her a glare, but otherwise didn't offer resistance. "Go, Scarlett. Your friends are waiting!" I beamed, gave them a quick kiss, and left, headed for a night that would never be forgotten.

(insert line break here)

The man watched the girl leave, a slim figure in a classy red dress. Her black hair was curled, tumbling down her back in glistening waves. He snorted in contempt. She would be dead soon, her life over before it even began. Poor teenage girl. She held the conviction that she was immortal, as did all her foolish friends. Well, he would show them. He would make sure this would be a night they would never forget. As she got into her car, he stood, stretched, and disappeared with a twirl of his long black robes.

(insert line break here)

"Scarlett! You're here, and you look lovely!" Angel pranced up to me, blonde hair bouncing on her shoulders. She was wearing a blue dress that gave her slight frame the appearance of a fairy. I grinned, happy that she found a dress that suited her bubbly personality.

"As do you," I laughed. "You look like a fairy! It's perfect! Who all is here?" I listened as Angel rattled off names, looking around me. Her manor house was transformed, the columns on the wraparound porch strung with fairy lights, candlelight dancing in-between each column. People in long dresses and tuxedos milled in the large backyard, swaying gently to the classical music that emanated from hidden speakers. It was a large crowd, lit by candlelight and starlight, creating a beautiful atmosphere.

"Classical music?" I teased, glancing at my friend.

"It is a black tie event," she answered, straight faced. "Don't worry, it'll change later in the evening!"

"Is it Scarlett? Is the belle of the ball finally here?" Someone shouted, running towards us.

"My, my. Angel, it's that gorgeous foreign student. Catch me, I'm swooning!" I teased, letting an affected southern accent enter my voice as I swooned. There was a whoop of laughter as Derek swung into view, catching me as I fell. "Oh, thank goodness you caught me!"

"Why, I would never let an angel fall to the ground! I'll always be there to catch you!" Derek declared, grinning down at me. I laughed, and then pushed myself up.

"Lemme go! I'm glad you could make it!" I took his hand in mine, dropping the southern accent. "Where would I be without my best guy friend?"

"Come join the party! The music sucks, but the food is fantastic! And the people too, I guess." He tugged me by the hand, leading me towards the party, leaving Angel alone in the starlight to greet the guests as they arrived.

A few hours passed, and the music changed from slow to fast. More people arrived, filling the field with laughter and chatter, as we danced the night away. I caught up with my friends, discussing college plans, summer plans, and relief at high school finally being over. There was champagne for us, but nothing stronger. I sipped my glass, smiling at my friends, wishing this night could last forever. I was talking to Danielle, a shy brunette who dreamed of being on the Broadway stage, when the music stopped. For a few seconds there was a confused silence, and then a high cackling filled the air.

Screams erupted as people tried to leave, pushing past one another in a mad dash for their cars. I was frozen, holding tightly to Danielle's hands, both of us wide-eyed. We watched, shocked, as people were pushed back by invisible barriers, unable to leave from any direction. We were herded into a large circle, back-to-back, shaking, scared beyond belief at the endless cackle. Finally it ended, and a gracefully, tall, pale figure entered our midst. Spidery hands held a wooden stick, red eyes glared at us from a face with no nose. His appearance struck terror in my heart, though I found I didn't know why. Surely this was a practical joke on Angel's part. But a quick glance her way found her (no great actress) on the verge of real faint, eyes huge in a pale face.

The man stepped towards us with a gliding walk, looking at each person in turn. He circled us, twirling that wooden stick in his fingers, a gleam of delight in his red-eyed gaze. A part of me wondered what on Earth a man could do with a wooden stick as a weapon, but another part knew that the answer was not something I ever wanted to find out.

"Look at you, innocent muggles, unaware that magic exists. Yes, I can see the question in your eyes… I can cause very real pain with my 'wooden stick'. Don't believe me?" His voice was high pitched, elegant, and frightening. The man raised his stick, pointed it at someone in the crowd, and yelled, "CRUCIO!" A girl screamed, a scream full of agony, of a desire for the pain to end. I gasped, wondering who was being tortured, but unable to tear my eyes away from the man's eyes, which were alive with amusement. He abruptly waved his stick (his wand?) and the girl quit screaming. I could hear her, sobbing quietly, and I knew that the people around her were beginning to unfreeze, to bend down and comfort her. "You see?" The man continued. "Very real pain. So, sit. I have a few questions to ask. Answer wisely, and know that I can tell if you're lying. Tell a lie, and you'll die." With a flick of his wand, tables and chairs appeared from nowhere. He beckoned us towards them, and, dumbly, we marched towards them. I found my free hand held by Derek's, Angel on his other side, Together, Derek, Angel, Danielle, and I found a table, and were joined by Michael, Caroline, and Belle, all of whom were trembling with fear. I tried to smile, to think of something positive, but nothing came to mind. Only one thought echoed in my mind: magic is real. Magic is real and magic is going to kill me. Magic is real. Magic is real and magic is going to kill me. Oh God help me. Oh God, save us all.

A/N: Please read and review! I will update super soon!