"Oh do I have to? I love it like this…" Hermione moaned clutching at her hair.
"Listen, you can't wear your hair up at a Litha festival, just like you can't wear ordinary robes."
"But why…?"
"Why does the sun rise in the east and set in the west?" Sera demanded? "Nobody knows, but it has always been so, and that is how it must be! The Coven has always been this way so you must wear your hair loose for the celebrations, it is more natural." Reluctantly Hermione sat down and let Seraphine ease her hair out of its intricate style. She was surprised to see it was not frizzy but sleek and silky; she gave a grin and relaxed.
"Can I do yours?" she asked, but in response, Sera waved a hand over her head and her hair loosened itself and fell down to frame her face like a black waterfall, her hair was in very loose curls and she shook it to free itself totally of the charm previously placed on it. "Fine" Hermione muttered to herself.
"Come on, let's go." Sera smoothed her robes and led the way out of the tent and onto the hill-top where everything was bathed in the golden glow of the dusky light of the setting sun. The girls paused and Hermione saw a group a large group of witches and wizards down in the meadow Sera had mentioned before. The poles were already in place and atop were the masks depicting the Divine Beings as Sera had called them. They were spookily real and she felt as if they were watching as followed Sera down towards them. She paused when the other girl spoke to Adalia and loudly complained about something before being silenced by her mother and sent back up to the tents.
"What's wrong?"
"Adalia is making me go and put a top on under my robes. I'm going to miss the beginning of the ceremony!" She pouted and trudged up to the top muttering to herself about stupid mothers who should get things for themselves. Hermione grinned and followed her back up.
"Why do you have to do that?" She called inside, whilst standing outside the entrance to the tent and watched the coven gathering around the cauldron.
"I'm a bit cold, its quite weird actually, it came on ever so suddenly and Adalia was seriously concerned, normally she's a bit passé, she says if I'm cold its my own fault etc, but she practically threatened to drag me back up here herself." Sera laughed as she came out of the tent wearing a white long-sleeved top under her dress. She opened her mouth to speak again, but instead suddenly went ashen.
"What?" Hermione asked. She followed Sera's eyes and gasped. What she saw terrified her. She had never been so scared. The two girls were isolated on the hill, cut off from any means of escape, and below them, in the field dueling with the rest of the coven was a group of twelve figures, robed in black and wearing their characteristic white masks. They were Death Eaters.
Sera gripped Hermione's arm and dragged her back into the tent, closing the entrance behind her. She sank to the floor and looked shocked. Hermione shook her shoulder roughly.
"Sera this is no time to lose your head, I need you." She told her desperately. "Your mother needs you, the coven needs you." This had some effect. Saying nothing, Sera rose and raised her arms muttering something. A wind got up inside the tent and her hair flew about her. She looked ethereal but Hermione was almost as scared of her as she was of the Death Eaters. After a while the wind died down and so did Sera, she stepped towards Hermione and the two sank down to the floor where they sat clutching each other's arms. They could hear the screams of pain coming from outside which after, what seemed like hours died down. They heard voices coming up the hill but stayed motionless. The worst was confirmed when the doorway opened to reveal a death eater. Hermione stifled a gasp and found herself frozen to the floor. She prepared herself for death and was stunned when the Death Eater swept past them and looked round the rest of the tent. She turned to Sera and stared at her but the girl didn't take her eyes off the Death Eater as she gazed at him with a mix hatred and fear. Eventually the person left the tent and they heard him reluctantly inform his fellows that the tent was empty.
"So where is the dratted brat?" Another voice snarled. "The Lord wont be happy."
"Well I wont be the one to tell him." The first man declared. "Lets get out of here."
"Not without leaving a calling card." They heard evil laughter and the word "inflamo". The top of the tent immediately burst into flame and Hermione leapt to her feet as the voices of the Death Eaters faded.
"Quick, Sera we have to go." She hissed. Turning round she saw her friend motionless on the floor. "Come on," she begged. "The place is burning. Look I know you're upset about mother, but this isn't the time to focus on it."
"So when exactly is a good time to focus on the fact that my mother and everyone I know has just been either killed or captured by the Dark Lord's supporters. So? When is suitable?" Sera stood up her eyes flashing with white-hot anger. She seized Hermione's elbow and dragged her back down. "This tent is protected from the elements. It can withstand earth, fire, water and wind. It will appear to burn down but will actually just slowly fall down without doing any harm to anything inside. If we go outside now they'll capture us. I put up a charm around us so we couldn't be seen or touched, that's why the Death Eater didn't know we were here. Now all we can do is lie down and go to sleep, ignore the tent, in the night it will collapse on us but because it's sky-silk we'll be able breathe through it." She lay down with her back to Hermione, who by now was feeling overwhelmed with fright, relief and guilt.
"Sera, I'm sorry, I didn't mean that you shouldn't be upset, I just thought we should get out while we could. And… I… well I mean… I am sure you're mother's ok." She laid a hand on Sera's shoulder and although the girl remained silent, her hand gripped Hermione's who lay down beside her. They remained in this position for the rest of the night, hands clutched for support, while Seraphine sobbed noiselessly and Hermione tried to block out the events that had just taken place. Neither of them got much sleep that night, and overhead the tent continued to burn…
I know it was too short, but I uploaded chapter two before I wrote this, and it's easier to make this a new chapter of its own, in my opinion anyway! Hehe I hope you like it, please r&r, just to let me know, and if you wanna give me constructive criticism go rite ahead its very welcome and flames will be accepted but just remember that if u flame me, you're a horrible person with no compassion and you're obviously a complete twazzock of a person because you're so stupid you cant even put your comments constructively you have to do it meanly! And you wont get over it because you'll go 2 Hell with all the other horrible people!!! I love you all, *blows kisses* hehehe