Chapter 7 Kings of The Mountain.

The next few days passed, and each team had search the surrounding mountains vigourusly, and with each passing day the members of the team were looking more and more rough. The town rotation was always highly looked forward to. Despite all the cuts and brusies the mountains were still gorgeous, and Carina loved the area, infact more than anyone she was thriving there in the woods. She was a great source of comfort to Remus who would grow frustrated and curse the 'bloody stone'. At these times she sat him down in a comfortable spot, and made him close his eyes and breathe for a good ten seconds and then when he opened his eyes she would point out the glorious scenery around them. It always seemed to cool his temper and he seemed better for it.

They were walking across the river one day, using a stretch of river that only came up to there ankles, when a red blaze shot from the trees and cut Carina under her left ear.

"AH!" she screamed and held a hand up to the cut to feel the warm blood began to slide down her neck.

"Carina!? You alright?" Remus asked as he ran in front of her, keeping his wand raised he searched the trees for any sign of movment.

They were both taken off guard when the Weasley's flew through the trees on their brooms as quick as lightening. Upon seeing the two in the water the slowed and landed beside them. "Oi! Remus Carina, Death Eaters are right on our tails!"

Sure enough three Death Eaters came running out into the river, raising the wands they carried, they began a volley of curses. Just as fast the Order members had their wands up in defence. Carina watched from behind Remus as one of the Death Eaters moved his wand more accurately then the others, and his curses made a couple of hard hits on her team. She couldn't have that, so she jumped from where Remus was shielding her and shouted "Deprimo!" causing the mans right arm to fracture in several places.

However the sudden movement of her jump made her become the other two Death Eaters new target. Remus, Fred and George aimed at one and took him down with the combination of the three curses. However with a shout of "Crucio!" and an ear shattering scream they realized too late that no one had aimed for the other man. It only took a few seconds to take him down once their shock had passed and they could move.

Once they made sure all the Death Eaters were unconsicence they began to move quickly to the prone figure of Carina, but a voice yelled from the shore "Don't touch her!" they turned to see Severus Snape running out from the trees to Carina. "Stay back! Don't move her! You have to let her move on her own, if you touch her right now it could be more painful then the curse itself. It could even be fatal to move her. She may have broken ribs!"

To say Fred and George were shocked was an under statement, and as a reaction both had their wands aimed on him. Forcing Snape to freeze in his tracks.

"No... Fred George, no." even to her own ears, her voice sounded so weak and pathetic.

Fred and George watched as Snape's eyes went from the wands to fallen girl, and the shock returned as Snapes expression changed from exasperation to a worried pleading look. Remus stepped in front of the wands and took them away, and looking at Severus he said, "How long do you need to take care of her?"

"Thirty minutes, and take them with you." He said with a look to the Death Eaters. Remus nodded and the three apparated with Death Eater each.

Severus moved quickly to her, he waved his wand and saw that nothing was broken. Carina tried to move feebly, moving her arms to support her head off the rocks and out of the running water, but as she lifted herself her arms gave way and she began to fall back to the water. Severus caught her into his arms.

He knew the cold water was probably the best thing for her worn body, so he stretched beside her and laid her head onto his arm. He sat there with her and moved his fingers through the hair that had tumbled out of the braid.

"I know... it's so childish, but I wanna cry so bad." she whispered closing her eyes to the welling tears trying to shove away the pain.

"No, I cried the first twenty times. It helps." he whispered back.

Then he just held her as she allowed herself to weep in his arms. It hurt so bad, and she could never have thought that it would feel so horrible as this. The tears and small sobs broke through her body. When she tried to hide her face in shame she felt his fingers smooth the tears and pull her face to his and in a rare show of tenderness as he kissed the edges of the eyes where the tears had gathered.

Severus passed the thirty minutes smoothing her hair, and whispering small encouragements to her, telling her that she was alright, that he was there for her. It wasn't long till her body forced her to sleep, in order for her to gain energy to heal. By the time Remus returned, Carina's breathing had steadied, her tears had diminished some what, and the water had soothed some of the soreness away.

Seeing Remus approach, Severus took this last chance to kiss her goodbye before he stood with the woman in his arms and walked to Remus. "She will need to be taken to a mediwitch as soon as you get back to Britian."

Remus shook his head and took her into his arms, with a nod of his head he apparated. Severus stood there for a few seconds before he too apparated.


"Quick lay her down! Tell me what happened to her?"

"Skrimish with Death Eaters, she was hit with a Cruciatus Curse."

In a haze she realized that they were speaking about her, whoever they were, she wanted to know but she wanted sleep even more, so sleep won and she drifted back off.


The next mourning she woke slowly to a rustling noise, opening her eyes she found the source of the noise alseep at her feet. Poor Lachlin seemed to be in a fretful sleep. "Hey baby." her voice was a bit horse, but the mellow smoothness still carried through. She reached her hand to scratch the dogs ears right where he loved it, she laughed when he stretched contentedly and turned his coat white. He moved his head to lay across her lap and looked up to her with those big eyes that made her melt. She looked up when Madam Pomfrey came bustling in carring a tray of asorted potions.

"Ah, good mourning deary, and how are we feeling?" She smiled to her young charge.

"Like death warmed over." Carina groaned stretching her sore muscles and bones, she winced at the creeking her spine made as she ajusted it.

"Well I suppose your suppossed to feel like that after the Cruciatius Curse. Poor deary, here take these potions and you'll be on your way to feeling as good as new." She moved about Carina ajusting the mattress and blankets even the pillows.

"What are these?" Carina asked as she opened the bottles and began to swallow.

The highly practiced mediwitch talked as she moved about waving her wand and checking Carina. "That first one is a muscle relaxer, should help with the soreness. That blue one there, will rebuild and strengthen the joint cartilage, it prevents Osteoarthritis. Then the lite purple will take down any of the swelling in your joint cartilage, prevents Rheumatoid Arthritis. Both of those are after effects of the Cruciatus Curse. So don't worry dear you'll feel your young age soon enough!" She said cheerily finishing smearing on a slave for the cut under her ear, getting rid of the scar.

"Now that you are up, there are a group of people on the other side of that door just biting at the bit to talk to you." She smiled heartily at Carina, "Shall I let them in?"

"Yes please!" Carina was feeling better all ready, funny how well wishers can heal faster then potions.

Carina was surpirzed that the whole group came walking through the door. Even old Moody came hoobling down the isle of beds, and she couldn't help but smirk at him.

"Oh, stop yer smirking you tart!" He gruffed out at her.

"Alastor!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed at the gnarwled man. "I'll not have you upsetting my patient while she is still in recovery!" she said with her fist sat sternly on her hips and her eyebrow raised as if daring the old coot to argue with her. He simply crossed if arms over his chest in a sulky manor.

"Awe, Cheer up Moody ole' pal, we are home at last! The stupid stone is out of Moldy-vo's hands." Smiled Fred.

"What do you mean? Have you found the stone!?" Carina asked in a gush of words that strained her sore throat.

"Of course! Why else would we have run like mad from those Death Eaters1" Asked George looking affronted.

"Yeah! You think we are scared of Death Eaters! Or that we can't hold our own against them?" questioned Fred with the same petulient look.

"Oh, shove off you two, you know, Carina, everyone else was just as suprized when those two buffons pulled the stone out." Tonks huffed at the two quickly coming to her friends aid. Then in sincere concern she asked "How are you feeling, huh? I know it hurts. I'd rather have kidney stones the size of quarters then go through that again."

Half the room winced at Tonk's comparison. Then Fred began his recounting of the story. "I mean we were so fast! I distracted them and George shot out of the trees and zeroed in on the stone clutched in the Death Eaters hand. He grabbed it fast as lightening, and we both made a mad dash for cover in the trees, when we came to the river and saw you two!"

"I must say it was quite impressive the way you flew out and braved being a distraction, dear hansome brother."

"Please it was nothing comparied to your seeker like reflexes, could have even rivaled Potter's!" His brother said as he patted his back.

"Well we are top dogs at everything we do, aren't we!" George proclaimed.

"And your modesity! Not to mention your humility!" Carina batted to them sarcarasticly.

"Yes exactly!" They beamed "W are most proud of our humility!"

"What happened to the Death Eaters? Azkaban or are we holding them for questioning?"

The group looked down at their feet or at the ceiling when she said this, finally Kingsley spoke up. "Well one of them woke up and apparated with the other two before we could get them to the Cabin. I'm sorry to say that we lost them." He looked angry that it had happened.

Carina stretched her sore back again, then she thought of Severus. At least while she laid here she was surrounded by people who cared for her, but he used to face all this so alone, sure she had been there in the past for him, but lately, was he facing this pain all alone. She couldn't imagine the pain it must cause him.


A/N Hey peoples! Well I quite like this chapter, hope you like it too. my comparison on the kidney stones comes from a nurse my father meet in the hospital while he was dealing with a kidney stone. The nurse swore she would rather give birth then have a kidney stone. So the Crusiatus must hurt even worse, in my oppinion.

Depjunk- Thanks for the congrats! Awe, i'm so happy you liked the chapter! The next one is going to be quite the plot thickener! dun dun dunnn!

MioneRocks- yes the plot bunny! he hops around my head commanding me to write!

maraudergirl02- Here you go all nice and freshly updated! I'm glad you liked it!

Soccergirl0388- Thanks, I hope you like this one too.

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