[Nite_Narration TDP contest]
It was a cold, shadowy afternoon. The sun was hidden amongst dreary clouds that hung in the air, casting gloom over the countryside. East Wales was always like this. I crawled through the undergrowth, looking for something. There was a distant pop and I sprung to my feet. I started the sprint through the dense forest towards the noise. It was very important I was there within minutes of the sound, it was my only chance.
I came the clearing, stopping the catch my breathe for a moment. That when I saw them; the tall, lanky, dark-haired boy had sat down on a boulder, too his right, a brunette girl was casting spells, a red-headed boy with her. I could see that the girl was almost finished. Now was my last attempt to contact them.
"Harry!" I screeched, running out from behind a tree. I collapsed in his arms; Harry looked bewildered. Hermione raise her wand to disarm me, though Ron lowered her hand, seeing there was no wand to take from me. I breathed heavily, hugging Harry hard. "I'm so glad I found you."
Ron and Hermione exchanged glances of fear and unhappiness that Harry hadn't told them who I was. But they needn't have worried about their trust of Harry, because he didn't know me either.
"I'm so sorry, Harry. I'll introduce myself." I sniffed, releasing Harry. I rubbed my tired eyes and wiped my hands on my jeans before continuing. "My name is Rhiannon and I'm here to help you."
Hermione and Ron raised their wands immediately. I let out a small sob of pain and snatched my own unicorn hair wand from my back pocket. I pressed it into Harry's hand, leaving myself unarmed. Ron's wand dropped a little, though Hermione's stayed firmly fixed, pointing at my chest.
"I've given you my wand and you still don't trust me? I'm not a bad person. I'm a very good person. I work for Dumbledore." I told them, sinking down onto the floor. I decided not to tell them about Snape, the shock would instantly put me into their bad books. "I've been trying to find you, to give you these…"
I held up a small golden cup and a tiara. Hermione's wand wavered slightly, an odd expression appearing on her face. Ron seemed confused too, wondering why I'd come so far to give them a cup and a headdress. But Harry seemed to know, to understand.
"They're Horcruxes. You-know-who's Horcruxes." Harry said in a low voice. It was filled with fear and hatred. I dropped them on the ground in front of Harry. Nobody spoke and nobody moved. They were in shock. They thought I was crazy. Well, Hermione and Ron did, at least. Finally, I pulled out a black, crumpled, slightly pointy hat. Hermione raised her eyebrows.
"Is that…?" Hermione started, pointing a shaky finger at the hat.
"Yes, it's the Sorting Hat of Hogwarts. I tried to get Gryffindor's sword, but being a Ravenclaw girl myself, it would come out." I spoke with sorrow wavering through the words. I put a hand through my crinkled brown hair, which was so much like Hermione's. I thrust the hat at Harry, whom grasped all his energy and reached into the bottomless hat. A few moments later, his hands emerged, holding the sword. It glittered eerily in the light, perfect in every way, making us look scrawny and grubby, especially me.
"Of course you were Ravenclaw." the hat growled as I laid it on the boulder, which Harry had previously been sitting on. "You are a bright girl. You found the Potter boy. Uncle Albus will be pleased."
"Uncle Albus?" Ron and Hermione yelled at the same time. Harry, however, was absorbed by the sword and barely noticed.
"My family is complicated. Uncle you-know-who and Uncle Albus as just a few of the many rivals that are related. Didn't I mention Uncle you-know-who? There are so many, I can't remember them all. The hat makes me call Albus 'Uncle', but I am sure he is not my uncle." the others looked at me with confused faces, all wondering about my story. I sighed and gave a sad sort of smile. "You'd better put the tent up. This could take a long time."
When the tent was put up, I was still in awe of the inside. Naturally, I'd been in one before, but never as cosy as this. I enjoyed the smell most, I think. It was tobacco-y, musty but flowery too. I settled in a warm, comfortable chair, while Ron and Hermione sat on the bottom bunk of the bed and Harry in another chair. I waited a moment, before I continued my story, to see if they were listening. They were and I began.
"I grew up in an orphanage, with no family. I was 10 when I first contacted by the magic world in which we live in. Albus came to me, at the orphanage, and do you know what he said? 'You look just like your mother' and almost burst into tears. He took me to Hogwarts, to start a year earlier. He wanted me under his wing, he said. It must have been guilt, I'm sure. And I'm definite he's my father. He wanted me to stay at school until I was 17, even though I'd finished my final year. I didn't so he gave me this mission. He taught me all he knew about Horcruxes, like he taught you, Harry." I glowered at Harry, whom seemed alarmed, if not horrified. But somehow, Harry still looked hotter than the Bahamas during summer. I smirked slightly "I found you quickly, though without magic. I've only just turned 17 today. I never imagined it this way, yet, it's better than anything."
"Happy Birthday, Rhiannon." Harry spoke breathlessly, content to just watch me.
"Thank you Harry." I smiled back. "It's nice to know you care."
"Well, if it's a birthday, then we should celebrate!" Ron said suddenly, severing the moment between Harry and I.
"Well, ok. I think I have the ingredients for a cake." Hermione said, a little less enthusiastically, more do-we-have-to. Ron grinned at Hermione, who managed a weak smile back and left to the kitchen. Ron followed her, muttering about an old radio somewhere and about finding it.
I was left alone with Harry. I glanced at him many times, he seemed just as nervously. I really thought we had something, but maybe he was just too shy. I wiggled my chair a little closer to his, so they were almost touching. I noticed him fiddling with two wands. I spotted that one was mine.
"Harry, you've got my wand." I said softly in his ear, so only he could hear. He lifted my wand onto the arm of his chair and I touched his hand. I felt sparks of electricity vault through my body and found myself grinning unbearably. Harry caught my eye and found myself dropping into those vast green spheres. As I took my wand, Harry leaned towards me. Golden sparks shot from my wand tip as we came closer and closer ...
"Rhiannon." there was a muffled voice, getting louder and louder. "Rhiannon!"
I flew from the pillows with such force that little white dots appeared in front of my eyes. I shock my head slightly, looking through my brunette tresses. I sighed unhappily as I glanced around my plain bedroom. I was not in the magical world. I was not about to kiss the gorgeous Harry Potter. I was about to get shouted at by my mum for missing the bus on the first day back to school.
"Damn!" I yelled to the world, falling back down and rolling the covers back over my head, muffling my deep breathing. "Every damn time I get close, I have to wake up!"