Chapter last modified: 25/May/2015

Song suggestion for this chapter: youtube dot com/watch?v=DzWl24F_-YQ

Welcome, to Harry Potter and the Act of Disappearance.


~~ THE WORLD I ONCE KNEW ~~

Roses are red,

Violets are blue,

Where is the world,

I once knew?

My muscles are not listening to anything my brain has to say. All of my limbs are frozen, my mind paralyzed and frankly I don't want to budge an inch. All I need is to collapse right here and now. I touch the stones underneath my knees, expecting my hand to go through, feel her wrist, grab it and draw her back into the visible world.

Ron and Hermione are struggling to lift me up and get us safely back into the tower. Students are running in all directions, panicking, acting on their animal instinct, this situation getting the worst out of them as well. The Fat Lady and all other portrait inhabitants have disappeared shortly after the professor... as if from far away I heard the Fat Lady plead to me with her last strength.

"Please take care of my lions"

Someone stepped over my hand, but it felt numb. Sensing another pressure, I thought someone else stepped on me, but this time it's a gentle touch and a whisper that reaches my most inner thoughts, pushing through and dragging me out of my state of shock.

"It's me.. I'm here, Harry. Let's go inside"

It's Daphne of course. Her calming words give me enough strength to get up and walk. What is she doing here? We are several levels above the Slytherin dungeon and travelling through the hallways in this chaos? We walked inside the Gryffindor common room and sat down on the empty couch, everyone much too busy running around. We hear girls screaming and boys shouting after their friends, people knocking things all around. My brain cannot formulate any thoughts or words whatsoever. Blank.

"What happened, Ron?"

Hermione is crying heavily in his embrace and I'm like a puppet with no strings. Ron remains the sole person who can shed a bit of light on the situation for Daphne.

"McGonagall is… gone"

Daphne didn't know what to make out of this. She had heard the screams and made a run for it to our tower. The more she closed in the louder it got and to her surprise she recognized me, kneeling right at the entrance.

What the hell is happening here? What does gone even mean? Left? Dead? Kidnapped? Harry seems so out of it, what happened to them? The Gryffindors act as if they've seen death itself.. it doesn't seem like we're under attack. Daphne thought, confused.

"Ron.. you have to tell me what happened"

"Gone.. She.. disappeared.. simply.. faded away." Ron elaborated, failing to satisfy Daphne's need to find out what's going on.

"What?!" she pushed.

"I don' know.. I'm telling you that's what happened.. I don't.." Ron looked at me for help in explaining to Daphne.

The room is succumbed to darkness except for a small orb Ron conjured and thrown in a corner. As Ron burst out the last few words, the light faded out and back in, mimicking the distress in Ron's mind. I stared blankly into the extinguished fireplace, terribly interested in the dissipating warmth of the charcoal.

I stared blankly into the extinguished fireplace, terribly interested in the dissipating warmth of the charcoal.


In the Slytherin's common room, Malfoy is infuriated and eager to get some answers. Daphne has left when he had explicitly told her to stay after they all woke up from a terrifying scream. He knew she must've gone to check on the Potter brat. Everyone else followed his lead and she dared to take her leave, challenging his authority in front of the other Slytherins.

She's such a no-brainer. Never listens to me. I don't know how Potter managed to soften the Ice Queen, but I hope she'll give him hell. If I can't have her then he definitely will not. But back to the matters at hand. How did that scream even reach the dungeons? It somehow felt it wasn't from nearby.

"Pansy, Crabbe, Goyle, you're with me. We're going to get Snape. Everyone else stay put and DO NOT push me! Greengrass isn't going to have her way either"

The four Slytherins attempted to find professor Snape, but he's nowhere to be seen, his dungeon office abandoned. They had blow his door only to find a deserted office and a some broken recipients scattered around his desk. His chair pushed back onto the floor like some sort of struggle had taken place. Draco found writing carved into the wood of the desk and presumed Snape tried to leave a message. Only the letters V, O and L are distinguishable so the boy assumed he had wanted to say something about Lord Voldemort.

"Draco, let's owl your dad, there's something off 'bout all this"

"Oh you figure that out on your own, Goyle?"

"Don't be an ass, Draco…"

"Let's go to the Owlery. I need to send a few letters. Crabbe, go back to the common room and find me immediately if something happens, understand? Good.. Then go already"

The Ravenclaw's and the Hufflepuff's are not in a better shape and the two girl residents of the Hospital Wing found themselves alone when Madam Pomfrey, or anyone else, failed to answer their desperate calls, after being woken up.


SLAP!

"Holly Merlin, Daphne!... I needed that"

She smiled reassuringly and seemed relieved that I finally came back to my senses. She looked apologetic for slapping me so hard. Hermione calmed down after my instant recovery but continued holding Ron's hand. The two are just as scared and lost as I am. Slowly the background screams and ruckus came into focus.

"... let's go to Dumbledore.. NOW"

I got up unexpectedly and sprinted towards the headmaster's office. Ron, Hermione and Daphne quickly recovered and caught up. In less than two minutes we arrived at the entrance in the Gargoyle Corridor and paused to catch our breath. The statue opened the secret staircase without demanding a password and leaving me unsure if to go in or not. Daphne isn't aware you normally need a password as she's never been in here, but to us something is definetily feeling out of place.

I investigated the door cautiously for a moment. As long as it is closed, I can cling to the hope that the headmaster is somewhere in there with a welcoming smile and already expecting guests with a bowl of lemon drops.

Touching the shiny golden handle I pushed it down heavy heartedly.

The office is dark and unwelcoming. No one seems to be inside and the candles are all extinguished.

The sunrise throws more and more light in the room, through the huge back window. The portrait canvases circling the room are deserted. Most of the magical measurement instruments are blown to pieces and the usual agglomeration of their sounds is no more. Our feet make contact with sharp pieces of golden metal every now and then. We can see infinite particles of dust settling in streams of sunlight.

Hermione raised her wand cautiously and casted "Homenum Revelio" with a trembling voice, betraying her intense emotions and high hopes the spell will not disappoint her.

The spell, however, did confirmed there is no other presence in the room other than ourselves.

"Only a very powerful magic's aftershock could've caused all these instruments to break in this extreme way. My father has similar gadgets on his desk," Daphne stated, picking a piece of gold from the floor and then noticing a table filled with them, all that is left from Dumbledore's old collection.

I've been so many times in here. Now I don't recognise the place anymore. The empty portrait frames contributed to the dark unwelcoming atmosphere. The cold air doesn't help one bit. I noticed some of the instruments and pergaments on the desk have been pushed away on the floor. The man who has been like a father to me must have disappeared the same way as professor McGonagall, melting down into nothingness, knocking down objects from his desk. I softly placed my hand on the wood, caressing it, careful as if it might break and destroy yet another precious memory.

Heading to the headmaster chair I crashed in it, defeated, and picked one of the objects still on the desk, placing it inside of my robe.

Daphne felt unsure of how to react. She has never been close to the headmaster, never got the chance to even speak with him I believe, but she knows of my special relationship with him and she must feel helpless for not knowing how to make things better like she oftenly does.

Everyone waited in front of the desk for me to say something, anything. Hermione poked her nose around trying to find something of use, not knowing what to do or say. I don't think there is anything we can do or say to fix this.

This is way over any training we have ever received and is simply overwhelming for all of us. Are we under siege or already defeated and conquered by some unknown magic? Is this one of Voldemort's schemes? Or something even worse than him? I stare through the back window expecting an army of wizard to come marching down on us any moment.

I couldn't contain it anymore and suddenly started shouting at the top of my lungs. It isn't just a scream of pain, but of helplessness, of angriness, of unfairness and emptiness.

"WHY CAN'T WE CATCH A BREAK?" I roared, punching the desk as hard as I could. And did it again and again and again. More instruments falling to the floor, breaking apart with each strike.

With another punch, I unwillingly sent a blast wave of magic circling around the room, sending all the papers flying like inside of a storm.

Hermione tried to stop me, but Ron's hand stopped her dead on her track. He nodded for her to stay back and she understood, still genuinely concerned for my self-harming actions.

Fawkes, Dumbledore's familiar phoenix, began singing as if sensing our.. my pain and tried to sooth me.. us.. in our time of need.

Or maybe he's singing in memory of his former owner. I can't think that! There's no way they're all gone just like that. It's not possible for me to lose both of them in mere minutes, exactly the same why my parents were taken away from me so many years ago. But I don't even remember them. However, I've spoken with McGonagall only yesterday! This can't happen again.

"That song is beautiful. It reaches my very soul" Daphne admired the fire bird. As if to please her, the bird sang even louder. Hermione is close to crying again and Daphne isn't far from it either. Ron makes an attempt to get closer to me and puts a reassuring hand on my shoulder. I don't know what to tell him.

"Harry, what's the plan?" he proceeded on asking.

"What makes you think I have a plan?" I really don't have one.

".. we need to figure something out mate.. I know we never asked for it but.." Ron tried to encourage me, but I took it differently.

"You're right, I never asked for it!"

"But, you know we have to do it," said Daphne, taking a few steps forward and coming to my right side, opposite to Ron.

I looked up at her.

She is, of course, right. If we don't, someone else might. Who knows what intentions that person will have. What if the Slytherins somehow take advantage of this situation as they surely will attempt regardless. The teachers must be back soon, or at very least some members of the Order and the Ministry.. worst case scenario the parents themselves. We have to make a stand as we wait for that to happen.

"I know.. I know… We need… we have to organise, till reinforcements get here. Go to all houses and find some representatives or someone who.. is willing to help us and collaborate with the other students and houses."

They nodded and left me to the mercy of my haunting thoughts.

"Dobby"

A small pop echoed and the house elf appeared out of nowhere in front of the desk. He looks pretty dejected himself.

"Harry Potter sir! Dobby is so happy so happy to see you sir. So happy Harry Potter has not disappeared sir," but he doesn't seem as happy as he claims.

"I told you a million times to call me Harry, Dobby. Please tell me all you know. Are there any members of staff at Hogwarts?"

"Dobby knows nothing about that, sir. Much of the house elves have heard the screams. We tried. We couldn't do anything. Teachers turned into ghosts and disappeared"

Dobby couldn't help but shed a tear as he spoke, his voice evidently shaken by the horrible event.

"It's ok, Dobby. It's not your fault, none of the elves fault. Listen, could you do me a favour, all of you, please?"

"Anything for Harry Potter sir"

"I need a kitchen inventory. We need to know how much we can resist. This is very important, I'm trusting you and only you with the job"

"Dobby will be back very soon sir. Harry Potter sir, you must know many elves have left.. there's only four of us sir"

"Alright, Dobby. Thanks for telling me. Bring the list to me as soon as you're done"

Only four left out of maybe one hundred. Who's going to take care of Hogwarts now? We're going to have to prepare our own food. Do we even have any food left?

How am I going to handle this.. no one's going to accept instructions from the Boy-who-lived and the Slytherins won't accept anything at all. Damage control is far from my area of expertise and I don't need yet another stone on my shoulders.

The door burst open and Hermione, Daphne, Luna, Neville, Ron, Terry Boot and Cho Chang from Ravenclaw, Justin Finch-Fletchley and Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff together with Draco Malfoy walked in.

"Why are you sitting there like our ruler or something, Potter?"

"Fair enough, Draco. It was the only chair in the room, alright? Now stop being a prick. We called you all because someone things we'll go down the drain very soon if we don't do something about the chaos taking over the school right now. We couldn't find any teachers and there are only four house elves left.. who knows how little food and we have no idea about the dangers lurking out there"

I paused for a moment before continuing.

"For all we know, creatures from the Dark Forest can swarm inside the castle and eat us alive anytime. So how about we set all differences apart, at least for the time being, until everything settles? We have to make a stand for our own survival"

I got up, went in front of the desk and stretched my hand towards them waiting for someone to shake it. Malfoy looks a bit shocked and undecided, but after a few moments he steps forward and shakes my hand, albeit forcibly and doesn't think twice about trying to crush my hand with a strong grip.

"For the time being" he added before letting go.

I, however, didn't let him withdraw his hand and grabbed it right back.

"No hidden plans. We work together for as long as it takes"

"No promises, Potter. We'll help you while the Slytherin's have something to gain. When we don't need you any longer, we'll see"

I sighed and let him to have his way.

"I guess it will do for now"

Every other boy shook my hand with acceptance, no questions asked, and the girls nodded their approval as our eyes intersected.

This is going to work. It must work, otherwise... Especially if we don't get any help soon, we'll have to stand up for each other.

"Uhm.. ok.. let's do a bit of thinking here.. any suggestions on what we should do now?"

Just as I finished asking, a waterfall of proposals rushed over me, in an intelligible endless swirl of words.

"Maybe take care of the crops in the greenhouses for food?"

"A watch to keep us safe. Day and night shifts"

"Secure the gates and perimeter"

"Check Hogsmead if there's anyone alive and grab whatever we can put our hands on"

"Try and get to London and the Ministry"

"What do you mean still alive?! We don't know anyone died just yet!"

"Cast wards around the castle"

"A ranking hierarchy to avoid chaos amongst students.. they're all going wild now"

"How about the water supply? And medical supplies, we'll definitely need medical supplies"

"Make sure students aren't wandering around the halls"

"I have a friend in the hospital wing and I think someone else is down there as well. We need to get to them!"

They seem a bit too eager to do this.. probably most see it as some sort of adventure, but if we'll have to support ourselves for a long time they might just end up dramatically changing their viewpoints.

"Alright, everybody stop, please! Let's make a list!" Hermione suggested, taking out a quill and picking an empty piece parchment from the floor.

A couple of minutes and a parchment length increasing charm later, we had a meter long list of ideas and plans that we commenced sorting and prioritising. We unanimously agreed on security and food as our most relevant concerns. And sending someone to the patients in the Hospital Wing.

We together completed a check of the grounds, making sure nothing got in and no one is around. We found out that every single ward is down and set up temporary intrusion detection wards. Hogwarts grounds have an incredibly wide perimeter and our magic is way under what we need to protect it properly if at all. We have to tap into Hogwart's ancient source of magic and have no idea how to do it, but luckily Hermione found a few related papers amongst all the chaos in the office.

The assigned "leaders" of the houses, or the council as we decided on calling ourselves for the time being, met back in the headmaster office an hour later, at about 8 o'clock in the morning, to summarize our findings and concerns.

"So how are we going to protect the castle? I'm not comfortable knowing anything can crawl its way on us," Malfoy commented, arms crossed.

"We don't have enough power to ward the castle.. protect it even from a thrown stone. We casted a few detection charms in key places like the gate entrance"

"So no bright plans in that pretty little head of yours, Granger?"

Hermione looked offended. But, reacted in a challenging way and unpredictable.

"Actually… we could use blood magic"

"And you lost me. Are you crazy, Granger? Did you hit your head or something?"

I'm a bit confused. As far as I'm concerned I know blood magic exists, but not really what it is all about. I know I have blood protection from my mother as long as I can call Dursley's house home which might not be an option anymore. If it can give us protection, then a few drops of blood might just be worth it.

"Let me clarify for everyone what blood magic would generally mean… it does require only a few drops from very few people.. let's say four or five… and the wards would be very strong, stronger than the usual ones perhaps. However, if the wards are broken, which, again, would require an immense amount of power, it might prove fatal to those who sacrificed their blood. Their magical core will be 99.9% depleted. It would regenerate in time of course, but the instant release of magic is known to have fatal consequences in two out of three cases from what I've read in our library"

"That's right, Granger. Unless anyone is willing to sacrifice, which by the way none of the Slytherins are, this is a dead end"

"I'll do it," Daphne offered making Draco's jaw drop.

"No, you're not. Out of the question!" I declined and when she tried to protest.

"End of discussion. I'll do it and we'll ask if anyone else is willing"

Every council member of the meeting, except Daphne, casted their eyes down. They will have to see if any other student would willingly participate in this.

"So our lives are of less worth that her's, Potter? Since we are perfect sacrifices and she isn't?" Draco questioned daringly.

We stared into each other's eyes for a while, our bodily tension obviously increasing by the moment.

"Next is food." Hermione broke and silence and cut through the tension decisively.

"I'm thinking we should make a trip to Hogsmead with a small search and rescue team. Half will stay there and bring what they find back while the rest will go to the station.. check if the train is there and functional. We could use it to get to London safely. It should have some sort of protections and it's better than flying all the way there." she added.

"Why not Apparate or use the Floo?"

Suggested Malfoy, incredulous that no one has even considered it.

"We've tried that"

He turned to Hermione, expecting a more detailed explanation.

"The Floo simply doesn't work at all.. almost burned ourselves and after that we became sceptical of attempting Apparition… I'm not in the mood of getting spliced, not to mention we would need to side-apparate if we go in a larger group"

"The Ministry manages the Floo network. If there's no one there or the building is destroyed the network would crash." Malfoy agreed, seemingly thoughtful.

"And you know that thanks to your Death Eater father plans to take it over, Malfoy?"

"One more word out of you Weasel and we've got ourselves a problem!"

"Boys, timeout!" Daphne demanded and they listened, but their eyes continued to throw daggers at each other.

I asked for everyone's input on the previously mentioned plan and they nodded their agreement.

"I suggest we get everybody in the Great hall. Help the elves serve a small breakfast and make a suggestion with what we've decided. Maybe everyone will be more approving on a fuller stomach. I know I would!" Luna suggested.

Two of the boys stomachs began making noises at the simple thought of getting something to eat and we all laughed.


Back in the Gryffindor Common Room, Hermione, Ron and I tried to convince students to join us in the Great Hall.

"Let's go, we're going to have some breakfast then talk"

"Why should we listen to you? What if we get out of the tower and the same thing happens to us?"

"We've been outside of the tower for hours and nothing bad happened. Common, we need to stick together. There won't be any other chance to eat anything till tonight. The kitchen will be in lockdown. And it wouldn't hurt to make a headcount, check if your friends are ok"

"What!? There's no food! You're kidding me, right?"

"Great Hall, now, go"

"Alright, alright… let me get the others"

This were the usual way discussions in all houses. Except for Malfoy who just had to show up and give a few orders. His reputation is apparently enough to convince everyone to listen as long as they don't have anything better to do. From a military point of view, the Slytherins might have the upper hand, ready to do whatever it takes and sticking up for each other because it is to their advantage, while other houses might just panic or not do anything succumbing to disarray.

Two hours later, the Great Hall is as full as at the beginning of the year. Only the sun enlightens the place. Unexpectedly, everyone fell silent as the council went up on the stage. We thought we might have to force their voices using spells, but thankfully a little food calmed everybody to an acceptable level.

I took the initiative and had a speech on our conclusions.

"Looks like you've almost missed your calling. You're a born leader!" Daphne complimented me after our debate session with the rest of the students. Surprisingly enough, we achieved quite a bit of common ground.

"Maybe a leader born out of pain, Daphne and out of the need of people to be lead... I'm not a true leader... I never will be.. I'm not Dumbledore"

"Yes, you are. I hope one day you'll be able to see yourself as I see you, as we see you"

In the end, me, Neville, Finch and Susan Bones, daughter of the ex-Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, ended up being the donors for the blood wards. When we executed the spell, Daphne smiled at me, but I could tell her eyes are holding back tears.

If he dies from this.. I'm going to kill him. She told me later on, is what she thought at the time.

She's going to kill me if I die from this, is what I myself contemplated as Hermione described the incantations.

We decided on rationalizing if we want food to last. Waste is no longer an option. And we can't possibly prepare that much food for so many people at one time anyway every single time.

More people, besides the prefects, were appointed to help keep things in check. We decided all houses should gather and sleep in the same location to make defending and head counting easier. For the greater good as we tried to instill in their minds.

However, some of the Slytherins refused without weighing the benefits for one second, but everyone else didn't seem to have any major problem. They would've felt exposed living in four different corners of the castle anyway.

We established a force to take Hogsmead for all it has and another team, including me, Ron, Daphne, Cho, Susan, Malfoy, Crabbe, Hannah Abbott and four other students I cannot recall the name of to investigate the train station.

The plan is to take over the Hogwarts Express and try using it to get to London and back till the end of the day, in case we don't find anything useful. The faster we get there the sooner we know where we stand with this hellish situation.

Students felt safer, now that they had the wards in place. Luckily there are no after effects on the donors as long as the wards remain intact at least.

Fallen leaves prevailed over the road to Hogsmead. A small autumn breeze caressed their faces. If we would be in a happier situation, the view would've mesmerised us all, but this way it is just too much silence for my liking.

The magical town is silent. The rusted Hogsmead sign being the only thing greeting us as we approach, wands in hand.

One of the buildings seemed to be on fire. From afar it looked like like the Honeydukes shop. The roof of an adjacent building is catching fire as well. The team designated to take care of Hogsmead quickly put it out and investigated the houses, concluding there is no human presence, as the spells confirmed, and making a quick inventory of items.

Me and my team headed towards the Hogsmead Railway Station, after making sure everything is in order and the remaining group knows their priorities: food and medicine.

We were relieved to see the train hadn't left the station.

"Finally, a bit of luck"

"This entire situation is the very opposite of luck, Malfoy"

"Don't be so pessimistic, Potter. That's my job, you know?"

We smiled at each other. Perhaps keeping your friends closer and your enemies even closer could prove useful. However, I cannot fool myself into fully trust Malfoy. He would sacrifice anyone for his own purposes, I'm convinced of that.

It doesn't take us long to figure out how to start up the train. It's powered by the magic of one individual who must stay in the driving cabin for all journey time. Neville volunteered for the job, as we occupied the first wagon, where teachers and prefects usually stayed. We even managed to unhook many of the passenger wagons, hoping it will allow us to travel much faster.

"It feels weird in here. It's a very luxurious saloon. I'm not used to this in the Hogwarts express," Daphne said glancing at the dazzling place.

"Might as well take advantage of the situation. If this doesn't get fixed or I died before we get back to the castle, I'd rather I knew I lived with style," Draco commented, winking in Hermione's direction who just avoided his gaze, while Ron reddened.

We saw a few other towns in the distance from time to time, which were on fire. Towers of black smoke went up high in the sky with no one to take care of them. The train passed through only two other stations which had a ghostly atmosphere to them.. we decided on ignoring them and not stop to investigate further.

"If we assume only those under about 19 years old are left.. what happens to small children and babies?"

Hermione asked the question, but no one dared answer or even think about it. It feels inhuman but there is nothing we can do, not for all of these cases anyway. Many of them have probably already died by now already due to the lack of care and there are many other friends putting their hope on us back at Hogwarts.

After a while, we fell asleep. It took a few hours to get to London, travelling at top speed. When the train suddenly stopped everyone woke up startled.

"What? What happened?"

"Who's attacking?"

"For Merlin's sake.."

Nothing had happened, we've just arrived at their destination. After calming down we burst out into laugh at the little scare.

"Looks like we're here. And there's no welcome committee"

That lowered the temperature of the room considerably. Susan's comment is indeed correct. The platform is as empty as all the other stations we had passed through. The Homenum Revelio spell casted by Hermione confirmed it, to our utter disappointment.

King's Cross muggle platforms are crystal clear as well. None of us have ever witnessed such an event. The station has always been so full of life and agitation, people shouting, steam and luggage everywhere.

Now.. only dust prevailed.

The silence kept being broken by some kind of alarms and intermittent sounds.

"Aren't those car alarms or something?" I asked. Hermione is the only one with the faintest idea what a car alarm is or sounds like.

"I think they are and I think I can hear an ambulance and shop security alarms as well"

"Everyone stick together, in a tight formation with the girls in the centre. Malfoy and Ron at the back, make sure you keep watching for anything trying to sneak up on us. I'll be at front and the others on the sides"

No one commented as we decided on our approach in the train, before dozing off.

Once outside, my and Hermione's guess proved to be correct. Cars are scattered everywhere, some crashed in shops or into each other. Pillars of smoke visible all around the city, high above even the tallest buildings.

"I've seen the smokes since twenty minutes before we got here. They're spread city wide. It looks like the end of the world when you see it from the distance," Neville said.

"Let's keep walking towards the Ministry. I'll lead the way, my mom has taken me there countless times"

Susan took the lead and guided us through London's streets until we reached what most of us recognised as the phone cabin which gives access into the Ministry lobby. Usually, you would pick up the phone, talk to a nice lady, receive a badge and then the cabin would descend into the Ministry, as another one magically replaced it above the ground.

"Not good. No one's answering!" Cho shouted.

"Alright, come back"

"Ok, Harry"

"Do you think we should try and get in?"

"I thought you were the smart one, Granger. Aren't there apparition wards in place? And I don't think we can blast our way in either, can we now?"

"If you would've let me finish, Malfoy, I would've added that since the Hogwarts wards are down… then maybe the Ministry's protections have fallen too, just like the Floo network"

"So just splice ourselves in?" Malfoy's pessimistic questioning proceeded.

"I didn't say it would be safe... our concerns regarding the current unstableness of magic energy in remain.." Hermione halfheartedly agreed.

"You two done? What's the plan then?" Ron asked impatiently.

"We're going to try Apparition," I called to the group.

"Grab each others hand. It's going to be side-Apparition as most of us can't Apparate yet. Hold on tight and concentrate on the destination," I said as Hermione nodded her agreement.

"On your mark, Hermione"

"3, 2, 1, Apparate!"

The sensation of being squeezed through the smallest possible tube when being pulled ahead with the speed of light took over. I really hope we won't all turn into pieces of meat.

And then I felt like hitting an iron wall and we all regained our vision, still outside of the Ministry, on the ground, some pushed into the cars on the street and some emptying their stomachs.

"Argh.." Ron complained.

"Anti-Apparition wards are up.. strong ones.. good choice, Potter"

"Any other ideas?" I asked approaching the cabin and receiving a "This cabin is currently unavailable" message from the device just like Cho had.

"Bones.. you try the cabin. You should have the same magical signature as your mother so that might trick it. And everyone grab onto her"

I am impressed by Malfoy's willingness to help, but I must stay alert.

Susan Bones approached the cabin and picked up the phone from my hand. I couldn't distinguish the words, but the sentence the woman in the phone spoke to here was certainly different from mine.

"It sounds like a recording... she says the Ministry is under quarantine, but we can go in... Malfoy is probably right"

With many doubts, we decided on going in and not long after, we were transported inside the Ministry's lobby.. blackness. An endless void presented itself to us. We heard water dripping into a fountain not too far away.

"Lumox maxima," Susan casted. A big orb of light, just like the one I've seen from the Gryffindor tower, sprung up high up from her wand. We could make out the countless levels of the Ministry, glass windows revealing a network of offices. A golden statue stands before us, the fountain we hear. There's no sign of movement. It's the afternoon of a working day and no one is present in the Ministry. Not a good omen.

A female voice kept repeating the same message in the background "Beta protocol in effect. Emergency quarantine. Please evacuate the building through the security checkpoints in orderly fashion"

"Something is seriously wrong." Hermione said, her own wand lit, approaching the fountain.

"I hope you don't want to go further inside, right?" Daphne asked, obviously terrified at the thought of having to investigate the Ministry in this darkness.

"Daphne, shh." I gestured for her to be silent and concentrated on something I thought I heard.

"You hear that too?" Draco asked.

"What is that?" Susan whispered, ordering the light sphere she had conjured to move upper into the Ministry in search for the source.

"Sounds like just the wind." Someone from the group suggested.

"It gives me be the chills," said Cho, holding her arms around her body. Seeing her, we realised how could we are and when I exhaled a breath I have been holding for too long, a cloud of steam formed.

"Stay together. Don't make any sounds," I pleaded.

The whooshing got louder and louder and too soon some sort of shadow creatures swarmed around Susan's light spell. In a couple of seconds they engulfed it completely like they were feeding on it and darkness fell instantly.

"Harry, what the.."

"Shut up, Ron." I said, grabbing what I think is his arm. I can't distinguish anything in the dark.

"Potter, we can't stay like this. Who knows what those things are"

"Malfoy, cast another light spell, as far from us as you can." I whispered and hoped he has heard me.

"This is not a good idea but… Lumox Maxima"

All hell broke loose. The creatures were pure shadows flying in plain sight, defying light itself. Some sort of dark translucent creatures with no specific shape or features. A few seconds ago they were far away, but now as Draco casted the spell, we've found ourselves surrounded. The creatures passed by and through us, ignoring the sphere of light this time around. My decoy plan backfired terribly.

Everyone screamed and began running around in circles, trying to avoid being touched. Hannah got attacked by a huge number of them. She is barely visible in the dark mass. They are swarming her just like they had done with Susan's Lumox. I felt one passing through me. It gave me the same feeling you have when Hogwarts ghosts passed through you. Some sort of watery coldness without actually getting wet. As if your very soul is touched and not the physical self.

"Grab each other's hands. We need to Apparate away from here, NOW! STOP RUNNING! WE NEED TO GET OUT, HURRY!"

In a few seconds everyone followed my call and assembled. Holding Daphne with one hand, I used my other to grab Hannah and then shouted

"GO"

Without even being sure everybody linked together.

Moments later we are on the surface again, not far from the phone cabin. No one can stand. We have all fallen to the ground shortly after Apparating and we have no idea why we could Apparate this time, but we can only hope the quarantine is still holding up and we were allowed to only thanks to the quarantine system knowing we got in through the cabin.

"Is everyone alright?"

I waited for an answer then asked again

"Is everyone alright!? Is everyone here?"

"We can hear you, Potter. I think everyone is fine, just exhausted"

I felt some kind of claw grabbing his arm, almost penetrating my skin. Looking down I noticed Hannah had fallen in front of me and is almost breaking my arm.

Her expression is one of utter fear. It's like nothing I have ever seen before or ever want to see again. She looks worse than someone under torture. She's breathing heavily and irregularly. It looks like she's choking.

"Hannah! Hannah, tell me what's wrong?!"

I tried to get to her, but she doesn't seem to hear me. She's spasming uncontrollably.

"Harry, please help me, Harry!"

"What's wrong, Hannah? Tell me what's wrong, we're here, you're safe." I said calmingly.

"They… showed me"

"What did you see, Hannah?" asked Daphne, sitting down next to me.

"I saw how I'm…"

Hannah grabbed Daphne's arm and dragged her closer shortening the distance until they were face to face.

"How I'm going to DIE!"

Then she let Daphne go, still firmly latched to my arm. She gazed into my eyes. To me, it seems like she is looking at something behind me, something no one else can see. Her eyes are wide open… like of someone that is scared out of her wits of something she can't possibly control.

Hannah started crying uncontrollably. And roared "NO! Nooo!" repeatedly, simultaneously hitting those around with her feet.

"I saw myself dying...… right noooww.."

I felt her grip softening and she let go of a breath she seemed to have been holding. The last teardrop she will ever shed left her wide open eyes.


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