Chapter 1~Summer Confusions....Everywhere.
Laura felt her father's hand on her back as she was roughly guided torward the basement. Thunderous booms could be heard against their strong mahogany door.
"Quickly, children, quickly!" She heard her mother cry. Her brother, David, ran ahead with Laura's 11 year old sister, Ashley, on his back. He jerked open the door for her secret room underneath the basement. He lowered Ashley in, than helped Laura's 13 year old brother, Martin, in too. There was a crash overhead them.
"Laura" Her father cried. "Laura, GO!"
Laura was pushed forward and helped down into the underground room. Her father helped Laura's mother down. There was plenty of room for all of them, plus her father and David, but they squeezed anyway. Laura could hear shouts and screams from the upstairs of their two story home in Paris, France. She could hear her father's shouts from right about her
"David! Go!" Her father ordered.
"No Father!" David returned. "I wont leave you!"
David told them to stay calm, then closed the trapdoor. Laura could hear him pulling the rug over the chamoflaged door, just in case. A crash could be heard.
"What do you want from us?" Her father boldly demanded.
There was a loud bang overhead. Laura put her arm around Ashley and pulled her close. David's screams echoed through the basement. Above the trapdoor, Laura's father, the French Minister of Magic, was pulling out his wand.
"What is your purpose of putting the Cruciatrus Curse on my son?"
One of the masked persons stepped forward.
"We have been looking for you, Mr,Bridge." The person whispered. Jaque Bridge's wand hand twitched.
"Why? Why have you been looking for us?"
"We have a proposition for you, Mr.Minister." The Mask said slowly, calmly.
"Than take me." Jaque said. "But leave me family be."
The masked person started to speak, but there were huge explosions outside their house. The masked person and his companions turned and fled away. David stood up and ran outside. There were two redheaded men that countn't hsave been older than 19 or 20. They were each holding an empty bag. David ran up to them.
"Was it you that set off the bombs?" He asked. One of the redheads nodded.
"That was us. " He stated. "Im Charlie Weasley and this is my brother, Bill. I'm sorry, but we have to esort you and your family out of here as soon as possible."
While he was saying this, he moved quickly with long strides torwards torward their house. He took one look around, than walked to the basement. David followed closely, careful not to step on his heels. He undid the latch on the trap door, than threw it open, Ashley jumped up into David's arms.
"David, David! I heard you screaming, David! Are you okay?"
David Nodded and helped first his mom, Joneice, than Martin, and lastly, Laura. The two redheaded brothers wasted no time.
"Gather up now, and follow us. We've not alot of time."
They all followed Bill and Charlie through the very familiar streets. Laura was finally tired of being sulent; now was the time for questions.
"Sir," She pulled on Charlie's sleeve. "Who were those people?"
Charlie looked down upon her, and in his eyes was pure pity.
"Well, Laura, Bridge, those were Death Eaters. They work for the most powerful, evil, and feared wizard ever known. Your father, being the french minister of magic, is the target of his eye at the moment. We aren't certain, but our conclusion is that he beleives that if he forces the french minister of magic to be his follower, than all of France's witches and wizards will have to follow, too. We knew from the start that was what he was planning, so we have another plan ourselves."
"Mr. Bridge, Mrs. Bridge," Bill cut in. "I am afraid you two are going to have to go inot hiding until this subsides."
Mrs. Bridge's bottom lip trembled.
"Our children also, I presume?" She asked shakily.
Both Charlie and Bill looked taken-aback by this confrontment. They peered sideways at each other, than shook their heads.
"Mrs. Bridge," Charlie began slowly. "We are positive that if your children stay in the country of France, they will be hunted and found. Most likely killed. Now I know how it feels to not want to seperate from the ones you love. I've got four younger brothers and one younger one sister at home. Now, we have proposed that we have a trusted participant take Laura, David, Ashley, and Martin to England."
Mr.Bridge turned a pale sort of Green.
"You.....you arn't presuming that our children be taken away from us in this horrible situation! Im afraid I wont allow it......"
"Mr.Bridge." Bill said firmly, than places a hand on Jaques shoulder, "Im afraid you have no choice."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Why go on vacation if you are going to be alone the whole time? Draco Malfoy thought glumly. Thsi wasn't the first time his father had lefthim alone because of "buisness." Now that stupid Voldemort was back his stupid father had to be a stupid Death Eater again. It was bad enough his father made him hate his peers at Hogwarts, and study Dark Arts by night in the summer, vacation or not, but did he really have to leave him and his mom on a pareashian beach with no way to get back to the mansion? Only one good thing came out of this.....he got a tan. No more vampire look for him! Of course, his father would be furious and make him suffer a few cruciatrus curses because of it, but he could take it. At least the tan made him look halfway normal. His mom said it made him look sharp, than scolded him for not putting enough sunblock on.
"Your father isnt going to like this! Future DE's have to be white! It's bad enough you got my hair, but i cringe to think of what he'll do when he sees this! How could you be so irresponsible....."
DE stood for Death Eater. He didnt want to be a Death eater. He wanted to be an Auror. Voldemort couldn't live forever.....or could he? He sure hoped not.
"Mother, if you are quite finished," He interrupted."I'd like to cruise for babes on my way to get a hot dog," He dramatically put on his sunglasses and stared at his mother.
"Go cruise your babes and inhale your hotdogs. Just be back by sundown. And note: your father will hear about this 'hot tan' of yours." Draco shuddered. The words 'hot' and 'tan' should never be said by any mother, anywhere, anytime. He let it slide and walked off. He had decided not to slick back his hair today, so it was loose in a regular mushroom cut. His silvery blonde hair made his tan stand out even more. He saw Bovi ad ran over to him. Bovi was his best friend. He went to Durmstrang. Together they walked to the hotdog stand, checking out girls and noticing the ones that checked them out. Bovi was a girls dream guy. He had muscles, jet black hair, and a face that his mother said was, "handsome but scary." Bovi was scary because of his eyes. He was somehow born with red eyes. None of the girls noticed this, because both Draco and Bovi were wearing sunglasses that were impossible to see their eyes through. What they did notice was the humungous physical differance between them. It wasnt that Draco was scrawny, he was pretty built, but Bovi was Arnold Swartsengegger. They finally made their way to the hotdog stand. There were three girls ahead.
"Man, why are muggle girls so fine?" Bovi asked no one in particular.
"I dunno. Maybe we were just born in darkness or something." Draco said with a laugh. The girls in front of them finished and went to sit down at a picnic table. Draco realized how pretty they all were. They were all wearing sunglasses, so you couldnt see their eyes, but you could tell they were all relatively nice. Dazed Draco stepped forward to give his order.
************************************************************************
Hermione
Hermione was glad to be with her muggle friends. Back to the way things use to be. Harry and Ron were great, but they wern't like her muggle friends for two reasons: one, they were boys. Two: neither of them had lead what people would call a normal life before they got accepted into Hogwarts. So, here she was, eating hotdogs on a muggle beach with her best friends Tajma and Jessica. She was daydreaming about her friends coming to Hogwarts with her when her dream balloon was popped by Jessica.
"OH....MY......GAWD! Look at those two hot boys that were behind us in the hotdog line!"
Hermione looked. They were attractive. She decided to send signs, like her friends told her to do, and see what happened. She casually tossed her newly straitened brown hair over her shoulder. This was sopposed to mean, I think you're hot.
To her utter surprise, the two boys walked right over and sat at their table.
"Mind if we sit here?" The blond one said, flasing a white smile.
"N...n...no...." Hermione stuttered.
For about five minutes him and his friend talked about the eiffel tower reterant, and then the blond one cut into their conversation by turning to Hermione and saying with pure, unshamed confidence,
"I think you are incredibly pretty."
Hermione looked surprised. She didnt know what to say. She realized he was still talking.
"Can I treat you to a soda?"
Hermione nodded and he took her hand and led her to the hotdog stand. "Two colas, please." He said to the keeper. As soon as he got them, he led Hermione over to an empty table.
"Here we can get to know each other a little better." He said, smileing the white smile again.
"So, what do you look for in a boyfriend? I soppose you have to be picky. They must be lining up for you."
Hermione stared at him. She was speechless.
"I....I....I....um....I....like your tan." She stuttered.
He smiled.
"Really? Thanks. My dad's going to kill me when he sees it, but its worth it. Its a major girl magnet, not to sound cocky or crude."
Hermione didnt know this boys name, where he lived, or where he came from, but she liked him. She meant to say something clever and wistful, but came out was,
"Whats so bad about a tan?"
The boys face faltered a bit, like she had cut a hole in his confidence.
"Oh, thats nothing. My dads big o this uh....family buisness we have. We have to be like, white as ghosts. Very unatractive. If having a tan is what attracts girls like you, than i dont care what my father does to me, ill keep it." He smiled again, but Hermione saw it was forced.
"But, uh.....thats enough about me, tell me about you."
"Well, I live in Bedfordshire, England, and um....my parents are dentists. What do your parents do?"
"Well, my mom is a sort of house-mom, since our house...I mean maid quit, shes been working around the house alot more. My father is with a secret organization called De...very classified. My dad wants me to take over being a DE, but i want to be with an open organization called the AR. I mean, dont you think he would understand that I dont want to grow up to be him? He gives me a personality, that I have to play all the time. At home, at school, with my friends, EVERYWHERE! And I....." He suddenly seemed to come out of some sort of trance."What am I doing? I'm confronting in a complete stranger whos name i dont even know! A cute stranger, but a stranger none the less."
The boy looked at her strangely.
"Can I ask you something?" He whispered.
"Sure." Hermione whispered back.
He paused than asked,
"Do you beleive in magic?"
Hermione's eyes widened as she nodded.
"Yes of course."
He smiled his white smile.
"Just checking. Because I do."
He looked up at the sky.
"The sun isnt even out anymore....no reason to wear these."
He reached up and took off his sunglasses. For a moment, Hermione couldnt grasp what she was seeing. The next second her mouth was hanging open and she heard herself stuttering,
"M....Malfoy?" Malfoy looked up, surprised.
"How do you know my name?" He asked suspiciously. "Or should I say my last name?"
Hermione reached up and pulled her sunglasses off.
"GRANGER?" Malfoy cried and jumped up so fast that he hit his knee on the table and ended up sitting back down again in pain. He started at her, than said plainly,
"Woa."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Laura
The was was moving too fast for Laura. Ashley, Martin and herself had been put on the sunway to England with a man named Severus Snape. The man was very nice, actually, despite his long, greasy hair, hooked nose, and peircing eyes. Right now he was telling Ashley a story, which gave Laura some time to think. An evil wizard named Lord Voldemort was after her father...so her parents had to go into hiding and she had to be shipped off to England to go to a differant school. David, on the other hand, had not been faltered in the least by this announcement. He insisted that he stay behind, not in hiding, to finish the rest of his schooling at Beaxbatons. Being 17, it was his last year year, and he found it totally unneccissary to change schools. Laura wished she was older than 15, so that she could stay behind, too.
"Laura?" A timid voice next to her inquired.
Laura jerked out of her thoughts and asked what Martin wanted.
"Well....what if we dont like it in England?" He asked.
The words of Charlie Weasley still echoed in her head.
Well, Mr.Bridge, I'm afraid you have no choice.
"I dont know, Martin." She said hoarsly. "I just dont know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ron
"What, Mom?" George exploded right into Ron's ear."Thats just not RIGHT!"
"yea!" Ron put in helpfully. Harry peered at him with an eyebrow cocked. He had been at the Weasleys home for sever weeks of summer, and all they had talked about was how Mrs.Weasley had volenteered to house four french children who were new to Hogwarts. The two boys would be staying in Ron's room, and Ron and Harry had to bunk with Fred and George, since they had the bigger room. There were two girls also, coincedently, so Ginny was alloud to share her room.
Mrs. Weasley was hurridly putting finishing touches on her excellant cleaning job.
"now, now, put on happy faces! They'll be here any minute!"
They all, (except Ginny and Mrs.Weasley), put on fake cheesy grins.
"Now come on! Real smiles!"
They toned down their grins a bit, which Mrs.Wealey found acceptable.
There was a knock at the door and some muffled murmuring, than the door was shut. Mrs. Weasley tromped back into the kitchen, slowly followed by a 15 year old girl, a 13 year old boy, and an 11 year old girl. They all would have look slightly normal, if it wasnt for their silver hair with blue streaks. Mrs. Weasley didnt seem to like that either, but she smiled at them and offered them something to eat. The 15 year old looked offended and vigorously shook her head, but the 13 year old and 11 y ear old jumped at the chance.
The 13 year old sat down next to Ron. Ron looked at him for a minute than said plainly,
"Hello!"
The 13 year old stared at him for a minute also, than managed,
"hello! What is your name?" And off the conversation went, talking about anything thinkable.
************************************************************************
Laura
Laura could not beleive the naiveness of her sibllings. They did not know these people at all! Her brother and sister sat, but she remained standing. A girl with red hair, about a year younger than her, walked up to her.
"Hi! My name is Ginny! Whats yours?"
Laura stared at her for a moment, than muttered her name.
Ginny's smile never faltered.
"Do you want to see where you're staying?"
Laura shrugged and followed this so called, "Ginny." they came to a room that was circular but with angles, square with no corners. Laura was impressed.
"Your room has an interesting stratosphere!" She noted.
Ginny smiled at her. "Doesnt it?" And than motioned she could sit down. They both flopped down in beanbag chairs.
"So," Ginny started," how come you had to come to England?"
Laura blinked. "Well....." She was lost for words for a moment." We were all just, playing a game when there was a... pounding on our door. My father told us to hide, so we went to the underground room in the basement. My brother, David, didn't come and neither did my father. I was so scared! There were crashes, big booms, and David had the Cruiciatrus cruse done on him.... the people above us said they were hunting my father......when i asked Charlie Weasley, he told me they worked for the most powerful, evil, and feared wizard of all time..and Bill Weasley said we would get killed if we did not come....."
Ginny stared at Laura, then suggested they go back downstairs.
*
" You deliberately disobeyed my trust. This... this tan, the dark lord will not like it......"
Draco knew he'd be in fo rit. He knew what was comming up/
" How do you propose to be a Death Eater when you look like a model for British Surf Magaziene? Your a discrase....."
"Father, i'm sorry... I.... I just forgot to put enough suntan lotion on......."
"Dont lie to me Draco!!! CRUCIO!"
Draco fell to the ground, screaming. Pain. Painpainpainpainpain! In the midst of al the pain he screamed,
" Father, its on ly a tan!!"
Dracos mother was standing by, covering her eyes.
Lucious Malfoy's wand was outstretched. Draco shakily stood.
" It is not only a tan, my son, it is a disquise to teh Malfoy heritage!" Lucious raged. " This is a discise to prove that you do not apprechiate the heir in which your family has given you! CRUCIO!"
Draco fell down once again. Numerous pain sorts ejected into his body. He was screaming louder than he had ever screamed.
" YOu are dismissed." His father said in a discusted voice. Dracos mother helped him up. Draco quickly walked out of the room, talking to himself the whole way.
" Why cant I be like normal kids. When they get a tan, hey, their parents either wave it off or think its cool. But noooo, I get repremanded. "
Draco slowly walked from the room. Why did his father hate him so much? Was it because of his tan, or much, much more? He deciede to find out. He pointed his wand to the floor and whispered " fracre". The sound of footsteps echoed down the hallway.
There. Now they'll think I walked away. he thought.
He pointed his wand against his chest and whispered, " Wingardium Leviosa". He levitated a bit above the crack at the bottom of the door, that way his fathers scensors wouldn't go off. He pointed his wand at eh door and said, " Microson!". He heard his fathers voice magnified 1000 times to only his ear.
" Thats it. I'm takeing him TONIGHT! I will not allow my son to become a rebel! Hes got to learn responsibility! He needs to know that I am in charge here!" His fathers voice bellowed.
" I think he already does." His mothers voice challenged.
" I dont care. He needs to get it done. I am in charge here!" His fathers voice bellowed.
" I think he already does." His mothers voice challenged.
" I dont care. He needs to get it done. I fear if I wait any longer he will try to run away again, like he did last time, nad I wont get another chance."
" If you see it fit, Lucious. Its ont my decision. But.... dont hurt him. Please."
" The iniciation hurts, Narcissa, what can I say? If it hurts him, it hurts him! If it kills him, it kills him. Its not my part to protect him. I am just trying to make sure he gets his future strait. I know whats best for him! I know where he belongs!"
" Of course you do. "
Draco pointed his wand at the door. he whispered " iso" and his fathers voice was gone from his head. He brought himself back down to the ground and ran to his room. His father would be comming any minute.He would have to be quick. He grabbed his backpack and ran to his dresser. Cloths. Cloths.........forget cloths. He just had to get out of there before his father came. He dashed to his trunk and picked up his broomstick. He was heading towards the window when his door banged open. He dropped his rboomstick, hopeing his father hadn't seen that he had it. If his father knew he was trying to run away again, he would be dead.
" Cummon boy! We're leaving. NOW!" He grabbed Dracos arm.
" But father, I'm still wearing my surfing shorts and muscle shirt!"
His father glared at him and said,
" They'll have to do. Now concentrate."here was a bright flash of light and suddenly they were in a dark cavern. Draco looked around and suddenly felt very cold.
" Come forward!" A hissing voice called from a tunnel. Draco followed his father inot the it. Inside was not a tunnel but a giant palace chamber. Sitting not far away, on a thrown made of rocks, was.....
" Voldemort. " Draco mumbled. He knew this was comming. He knew he should have forgotten the cloths and jumped out the window. Voldemort looked at him with evil eyes.
" Lucious.........is this your son."
It wasn't a question. It was a statement.
" Yes, my lord, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but I need to insist this be done now. "
Voldemort kept his eyes on Draco, as if stareign through him.
" I suppose I have nothing better to do." He snapped his fingers and Peter Pettigrew rushed in carying a knife. " Bring the boy forward. "
Lucious pushed Draco forward. Draco looked at him with pleading eyes. Voldemort held the knife out.
" Repeat after me. Retsam sruoy si doolb yim dna, drol yim uoy ot reverof, efil yim reffo I Retsam ruoy sa I dna, trevres tim sa eid liw uoy, htarw yim epacse uoy liw reven, enim si doolb ruoy rof, reverof em evraes."
Draco looked at his father, then started reciting." Restsam sruoy si doolb yim dna........................"
When he stopped reciting, Voldemort took the knife and pointed it at his ribs.
" drol yim uoy ot reverof............"
Voldemort shoved teh knife into Draco's stomach. Draco continued in agony.
" efil yim I retsam ruoy sa I dna............"
He leaned over and spit out blood. Voldemort twisted the knife.
" trevres tim sa eid liw uoy, htarw yim epacse uoy liw reven, enim si doolb ruoy rof.............."
Draco doubled over, moaning. The darn lord continued twisting the knife.
" REVEROF EM EVRAES!!!!" He finished. Voldemort took teh knife out of his ribs. Draco breathed deeply.
" Now its time for the fun part." Voldemort hissed.He took the knife and sliced Draco's whole left arm, shoulder to wrist, wide open. Draco cried out in pain. The dark lord moved to his other arm. He put the knife at a spot on his upper arm, a little lower than his shoulder, and started carving something into Dracos skin. Draco was breathing very heavily, trying not to scream. After Voldemort was done, he held up his wand and shouted,
" NURT STIS RAMK BACLK!"
The cut in Draco's skin suddenly deepened, and it didn'y look like a cut anymore. it looked like a tatoo. A tattoo of a snake inside a skulls head. It was a deep deep black. He screamed when he saw it, and turned towards his father.
" How could you do this to me?" he said quietly. "how?!"