Sorry I'm so late updating! I meant to update a few days ago but I got really sick and landed in the hospital. So here's this and if there are any mistakes I apologize. I scanned over it and tried to correct but this medicine I got put on is making me weird lol anyway enough rambling. Enjoy!
Dennis's heart rate quickened. A lump formed in his throat that made it difficult to breathe properly. The owner of the voice- a gigantic spider- slowly crawled out from the depths of the shadows. It hissed at them, showing its fangs that could dig deep in their skin. Dennis got goosebumps just thinking about it.
The others were equally as scared. Ron looked ready to wet himself. Everyone else tried their best to be brave despite the circumstances. Luna seemed to be the only one completely calm. The spider watched the group with its many eyes in fascination.
"You are Harry Potter's friends," it said matter-of-factly. It came a bit closer, causing everyone to take a step back. Seamus had to grab Luna by the waist because she just stood there, smiling at the spider.
"Yes, sir," she said cheerfully. "What's your name?" Seamus and Ron shared a gobsmacked look. If the situation hadn't been so dire, Dennis would've laughed. Trust Luna to try and make friends with a deadly creature.
"I am Fengog," the spider announced. "Leader of the pack."
"Fengog," Harry murmured. "You're Aragog's son, aren't you?" he asked in realization.
Who in bloody Marlins name is Aragog?
Feng started scrutinizingly at Harry. "My father talked a great deal about you and your friend."
"Good things, I hope," Ron said lightly, his voice cracking from his fear.
Feng let out a growl. "You tried to kill us," he accused. "You wanted us extinct!"
Seamus muttered, "They did it now. We're gonna die because of them."
"Seamus!" Neville elbowed him roughly.
"Oh, you know I'm right."
"What are you talking about?" Harry demanded. "We've done nothing to you."
"Our kind was found by your kind," Fengog hissed. "After the dark one fell."
Dennis gripped his wand that was secretly in his pocket. His mind wandered back to his school days when he was learning spells. There had to be something that could help them against a giant spider. There had to be. Slowly, he crept back to where Hermione was standing with Ron.
"Can't we just blast them or something?" he whispered subtly. "Use the reducto spell?"
Ron shakily nodded his head. "Yeah, can't we do that?" he pleaded with the bushy haired witch.
"No," she whispered. "If you kill the leader, the others will attack. We'd be much safer trying to reason with him."
"Reason with a spider?" Dennis was doubtful it would work but than again, Hermione was smart; she knew best out of all of them.
Obviously not if she wants to reason with a blood thirsty spider.
"Oh," Harry breathed when a realization came over him. "That's right. The aurors found a bunch of you when they cleared the forest."
"Twenty of us perished," Fengog was becoming increasingly restless. "But did you care? No. My father was right. You deserved to die." The spider crawled forward. Ron let out a scream when its long legs stretched out, making it even more intimidating. Dennis saw Harry try one more attempt at peace.
"Wiat," he said desperately. "We know Hagrid. We're his friends. You like Hagrid, don't you?"
Fengog sounded something resembling a snort. "My father knew him. He was the only one who stopped us from devouring him. But there's no one to protect you, is there?" If the creature could smile, Dennis had no doubt it would be smiling evily right now. Its breathing was heavy and he had a strong feeling it was hungry.
"Brothers and sisters," Fengog said to no one in particular. "Our meal has come."
"What?" Ron squeaked. He gripped Harry's sleeve. "What do we do?" he whispered frantically. The spiders came crawling out of nowhere, surrounding them in a circle. Dennis wasn't afraid of spiders like Ron was, but he was content with the thought of getting of the forest and never returning.
Glancing around, he noticed to the right of them far away, it seemed, was a dim light shining. That must be a way out! Dennis nudged Harry, subtly showing him what he'd seen.
Harry pivoted slightly in that direction, raising his wand to the spiders he shouted, "Stupify" The spiders were flown into the air. They screamed for Fengog and cursed the humans, raging. "Follow me," Harry yelled. He took off in the direction of the light.
Dennis skillfully dodged the spiders as they fell. They were so huge they could've flatten a person if they fell on someone. Inwardly, he thought with amusement, and slight sadness, how Colin would've stopped to take a picture of the creature. He remembered when Colin came home after his first year and showed him all the pictures he'd taken. A few of them were of Ron puking slugs. Why his brother had pictures of that was a mystery to Dennis.
"Oi, Ron!" Seamus called out teasingly. "Watch your step!" To no one's surprise, he was acting like the whole thing was a game. He laughed when Ron screamed. Neville rolled his eyes, pushing the Irishman along.
Dennis yelped when something caught his ankle just as he was starting to get away. Looking down, he saw something black curled around his leg. The spider hissed at him and he could feel the hold on him tighten.
You're done for it, now.
"Dennis!" several of his friends cried. Ron had managed to get across to the other side and was looking at him with pity. The younger man took a deep breath and pointed his wand at the spider. "Relashio!" he yelled and the spider released its grip. He leaped up to run. At once, they began congratulating him.
"That was fantastic, Dennis!"
"How did you know to do that?"
"That was bloody brilliant!"
"Is it dead?"
Harry and Seamus laughed at Ron's question. Dennis smiled shyly at the attention and thanked them. It was nice to hear, really. He wasn't used to being on the receiving end of praise, at least, from other people. Dennis' breath hitched when a soft, little voice, strongly reminiscent of a certain someone, whispered to his heart in such a way that he hadn't heard for years.
I'm proud of you, little brother.
He looked around wildly, a shimmer of hope building in his chest that maybe, just maybe, this nightmare would end and he would turn around to find Colin standing there with open arms. He would tell him that he had to fake his death for some heroic reason and everything would be alright.
"Dennis? You okay?" Harry snapped his fingers in front of his face.
"Hugh?" Dennis' hope plummeted and with that, he was left looking as a fool who had everyone's eyes on him. "Oh, sorry."
Let's see how you get yourself out of this one.
"Zoning out there, aye?" Seamus joked, trying to lighten the mood.
Something like that.
Dennis could only smile weakly. The embarrassment he felt made him want to crawl in a hole and die. He could feel angry tears leaking out of his eyes which only worsened his mood. He already made himself look like a fool, there was no way he would let anyone-besides Seamus-see his true self-a crybaby.
"Yeah," Dennis pushed past everyone to get to the front. "Shouldn't we be going?" his voice was a tad snippish. He normally didn't take that tone with anybody. Even if he wasn't feeling particularly happy, he always made it a point to be polite.
"We should," Harry nodded carefully. WIth one last glance back behind him, he must've deduced the spiders had retreated back into their hiding place.
"Let's go before they come after us!" Ron whispered frantically.
"Or before you wet your pants," Seamus wisecracked, cackling at the indigent look on the redhead's face.
"Why's everyone making fun of me?" he whined.
"Because it's fun," Seamus patted his friend's shoulder, beaming. Ron scowled. Dennis was beginning to grow agitated that they didn't seem to be taking this seriously. Granted, he knew Seamus was just trying to lighten the mood, but this was not the time.
"Can we go?" he fought to keep a hold of his temper. "Please?" he added.
Malfoy and Harry shared a look, a pitying look, which only infuriated the bloody heck out of Dennis. Why was everyone looking at him like that lately!? He didn't need anyone's pity.
Harry's eyes were to the ground. "I don't pity you," he said quietly, making Dennis froze. Had he said it out loud? "I feel responsible for doing this to you." At this, the twenty year old had nothing to say. He supposed it was partially Harry's fault. Perhaps if it hadn't been for him starting Dumbledore's Army, Colin wouldn't have joined nor would he have gotten the signal to fight that day. He would've been perfectly safe-well, as safe as he could be for an outlaw- and maybe, just maybe, he would've lived.
But he had to push those thoughts away. Harry was doing him an incredibly phenomenal favor-that he certainly didn't have to do. He shouldn't ruin it by thinking about the 'what ifs' or 'could've beens'.
"It's okay," Dennis reassured him. "I don't blame you."
Or do you?
"Okay," Harry looked like he didn't totally believe him but also didn't want to argue. "Let's keep going."
They trekked for more than an hour. The 'light' he'd seen was nothing more than a mirage; an alluring fantasy that unwittingly saved them. Dennis wasn't sure how much longer they would be walking, but one thing he did know was that he was thirsty. Harry told them to pack light, as they would be carrying their stuff themselves. The trace wasn't utilized on them anymore now that they were fully aged wizards and witches, which came in handy when using an outlawed spell. But they weren't taking any chances; Harry devised that they do certain things the muggle way, like carrying their own food.
"I'm hungry," Seamus complained, breaking the barrier of silence. "When's lunch?"
"It's not even seven yet, Shay," Neville told him after checking his watch. "It hasn't been that long since breakfast."
"It's been ages," Seamus moaned, clenching his stomach to emphasize his point. "I'm wasting away."
"No you're not," Dennis said, grinning in amusement. Harry rolled his eyes and shared a glance with Neville.
"I take it you had to deal with this seventh year?"
"Of course," Neville sighed in a way a parent did in regards to a child.
"I am," Seamus insisted to Dennis with a whine. If he heard Neville and Harry talking about him he didn't indicate it. "I'm going to become skin and bones and die! Then you'll all get arrested and tried for murder and-" Hermione must've gotten tired of his whining. She reached into her backpack, swiftly taking out an apple and handing it to him forcefully.
"Here, now be quiet!"
Seamus' face pinched at the sight of the fruit. It was obviously not what he wanted. "I need real food," he said, flexing his non existent biceps.
"What you need is to shut up," Harry muttered under his breath to which only Dennis and Malfoy heard.
Here, here!
"Just eat it!" Hermione hissed, looking every bit as stern as Minerva was.
Seamus must have thought the same thing. "Yes ma'am," he mumbled, biting into the Apple with a loud crunch. Dennis winched at the annoying noise that went right through him. Thankfully, Seamus was a quiet chewer.
Crunch.
He wasn't the only one affected. Harry, Neville and Hermione reacted similarly. Malfoy, Ron and Luna were indifferent to the noise.
Crunch.
Harry's eye twitched.
Crunch.
Dennis wondered what the punishment was for strangling somebody.
Crunch.
The sound had even snapped Luna out of her dreamy stupor. She blinked, looking around to find the culprit of the noise. Ron became annoyed while Malfoy just rolled his eyes.
Crunch
Crunch
Crunch
Crunch
"That's it!" Harry snapped, snatching the offending fruit out of the Irishman's hands.
"Hey!" Seamus cried. "What was that for?!"
"I've had enough of hearing you crunch," Harry glared. "Can't you eat quietly?"
"No. Mum always said I was a loud eater," Seamus grinned, amused with the situation. Dennis rolled his eyes good-naturedly. Loud was an understatement. "Can I have my apple back?"
"NO!" Harry, Hermione, and Neville all said at once. Seamus pouted.
"Well you don't have to be so mean," he said, huffing like a child would when they got told they couldn't have a sweet treat.
The walk felt like a hike, a long, treacherous, tedious hike. Dennis considered at one point asking that they stop for a break; his muscles ached, his stomach rumbled from having a too-early breakfast and, on top of that, he was still a little bit jumpy from the encounter with the giant, deadly spider. Even so, he was anxious to get to this Sanctuary of Angels in a decent timing, so he was willing to forgo any extra breaks.
Everyone else seemed to have the same idea, everyone but Seamus and Ron, that is. Seamus was a jokester, most knew that, most tolerated it. Dennis tolerated it during the school year when he had to live in the same castle as him. But now was not the time for the Irishman to be making puns or any jokes at all.
As for Ron, Dennis didn't know anything about the redhead except that he had a big family and that one of them had died in the battle, just like Colin. They'd never been in a conversation with each other-the only reason Dennis knew his name was because a, he was a part of the Golden Trio and b, most people knew of the Weasleys.
Currently, Seamus was trying to persuade Hermione into letting them take a break so he could take a potty break (which was more information than anyone needed to know). Not wanting to stop completely, Hermione told him to go quickly and catch up with them afterwards.
"I sometimes wonder why Minerva hired him," Neville mused from beside Dennis, watching Seamus try to find a tree to use. "For laughs, maybe."
"Yeah," Dennis agreed. "He acts like the students most of the time."
"Guess he's not done growing up yet."
The two men shared a laugh at the expense of their friend. By that time, their Irish friend had finished his business and was trying to catch up to them again. He slipped into the middle, his hands were on the straps of his backpack, smiling gaily without uttering a word.
"I take it you're better now?" Neville said dryly.
"For now!" Seamus beamed a little too enthusiastically, Dennis thought, but that was Seamus for you. When he wasn't level-headed and serious, he was zainy and uncontrollably wild.
"Are we almost there?" Harry took his glasses off to rub away the eye-floaters. He looked wearily at Hermione. "Please tell me we're almost there."
"We should be," she replied patiently, pushing her bushy hair to one side. It was reminiscent to Dennis, who once again, saw the fourteen year old he'd seen at the welcoming feast his first year. Well, it wasn't exactly like it had been, but close enough. "Just a bit further and we should be out of here."
"Finally," Ron was still wary from the encounter and thus, he squeamishly looked all over, forwards, backwards, left and right, making sure no spider was following them. "I'm never coming back in here again!"
"Didn't you say that before?" Harry snickered. Malfoy cracked a grin at his words.
"Might want to be a little more specific, Weasley," he said in a teasing tone. To the blonde's dismay, the redhead didn't take his teasing lightly.
"Oh shut up, Malfoy!" Ron snapped. "No one cares what you think!"
"Enough," Harry intervened before it could get out of hand, and, knowing Ron, it would. "Ron, Draco's just teasing, and Draco, just leave him be for now." Ron opened his mouth but Harry gave him a glare that Seamus would later tell Dennis was what he used when dealing with criminals. The redhead reluctantly complied but not before he spoke his last words.
"I dunno why you're so chummy with Malfoy now. He's a snake and a Death Eater."
"Former Death Eater," Harry reminded him hotly.
Malfoy was clearly embarrassed. His porcelain cheeks tinged red, something that Dennis has never seen in all his years of school with him. Mumbling incoherently, the blonde hastily walked to the front of the group, where Neville, Seamus and Dennis were.
Dennis didn't know what to say, or if he should even speak at all. It wasn't like he felt a sudden, forced desire to be friends just because he'd been one of the main supporters, and founders, of this whole adventure. He still hadn't forgotten the insults or the mocking laughter at his-or Colin's-expense. Although he certainly didn't hold a childish grudge, Malfoy wasn't worth feeling grief over, it didn't mean he warranted Dennis' friendship.
Seamus was the opposite. Just as everyone else in Gryffindor, he was a target of Malfoy and his gang. If anything, due to the fact he was there and head to deal with Malfoy three years more than Dennis and had dealt with him during the Carrows reign in what would've been their seventh year. But he didn't. He became best friends, or so it seemed, with Malfoy.
Dennis wasn't quite sure what Neville's stance on Malfoy was, but, as if on cue, Neville spoke up, cheerfully, "Don't mind him, Draco. He's still frightened from Fengog. Wouldn't take him personally right now."
"Nev's right," Seamus chimed in. "I'm sure he'll be better in a little while."
Malfoy smiled a tiny smile. "Thanks Neville, Seamus." He and Dennis made eye contact, alibet awkwardly. "Creevey-Dennis," he corrected himself quickly, blushing yet again. Dennis quirked an eyebrow, wondering what he could possibly have to say. "I know we haven't spoken much-"
"We've never spoken," Dennis said flatly. "Not unless it was you insulting me or Colin." Malfoy flinched.
"Right," he muttered, kicking at the dried up dirt.
Seamus nudged Dennis, giving him a look as if to say, 'Give him a chance' Neville was giving him that same look. Seeing no other choice, Dennis was resigned to his fate.
"Sorry," he apologized sincerely. "Hard to forget the past, you know?" Malfoy was surprised at the apologized but composed himself.
"Oh. Yeah, I get it."
"What I mean is," Dennis rephrased, "I don't think we've ever had a real conversation."
Malfoy relaxed now that he knew he wasn't being attacked. "No," he allowed himself to smile, "I don't think we have."
Dennis and Malfoy chatted for over an hour, not noticing the grinning faces of his friends or Harry and Hermione nor Ron's scowling. He learned a lot about the blonde, including his secret admiration of Colin's picture-taking skills. Apparently, Malfoy had stumbled across Colin's collection once and instead of destroying them like he normally would, he stood and admired them. Colin had caught him looking and Malfoy had made Colin promise not to tell anyone or he would destroy them. And true to his word, no one knew, not even Dennis.
"You seem happier," Luna's voice reached his ears, startling him out of his wits. He'd forgotten she was there. "The nargles must be gone from your head."
"Luna you startled me," he clenched his chest, his heart was pounding erratically.
"Yes I know," she said, not bothered nor ashamed of her actions.
Dennis shook his head fondly. "Did you need something?"
"No," she reached down to pick a wildflower. She handed it to Dennis, who raised his eyebrows but took it nonetheless. "Pretty, isn't it?"
"Yes, it is," he noted slowly.
"It's so simple. Just a flower, it is. All they do is grow and blossom into something beautiful. It's just like you and Colin," Luna mused.
Dennis was taken aback. "Like me and Colin?" he repeated.
"Yes," she smiled serenely.
"How?"
"You and Colin once were seeds. You were tiny, inexperienced, naive. But you grew up to become something beautiful, Dennis. You became a professor and once Colin returns, he will blossom into something magnificent as well. We're all like flowers. It's up to us to decide how we blossom."
Dennis pondered her words carefully.
"Do you understand?"
"I think so," he said but not with certainty.
Luna patted him on the arm and said no more. Dennis clasped her hand into his, his thumb caressing her hand. "Thanks Luna," he said sincerely. "I don't know what I'd do without you."
"You wouldn't know a thing about flowers," she giggled. Dennis joined in on her laughter. Luna really would be the perfect wife for Colin. Too bad she was dating someone else. Luna was exactly what Colin needed. She was imaginative, happy and hadn't reminded his photography hobby at all. In fact, she had been intrigued by it.
Dennis had spent many nights, rather obsessively, thinking about the type of wedding Colin and Luna would have and the kids they would surely have. He would've loved to babysit his niece or nephew.
But you don't have one, do ou? He he he!
Dennis snapped himself out of his daydream and back to reality. Ahead of them was more trees, more of the forest that was growing more creepier. Owls could be heard hooting but not in the way he'd heard as a child. No. This was more evil sounding. It made him shiver in fear.
"Why are they all looking at us?" Ron asked fretfully. And indeed they were. Many owls, hundreds, thousands, even, came out from the trees and glared as they walked passed. Dennis could've sworn their eyes changed color and glowed.
"I'm sure they're not," Neville tried to say but was interrupted by Hermione's gasp.
"Oh no!"
"What?" they asked in unison. Ron's voice cracked again from fear.
"These aren't ordinary owls," Hermione sucked in a breath when one swooped down, screeching to show them it's fangs of all things.
"You think?" Seamus said sarcastically. He ducked, yelping, when another one came flying at him. "What are these bloody things?"
"They're Vowls," Hermione stood stiff as a board with only her eyes moving. "Vampire owls," she added to their bewildered looks. "I've read about these."
"Of course," Seamus, Malfoy and Ron snorted together. Ron glared daggers; angry that he was caught doing the same thing as a Malfoy.
"They're extremely dangerous," Hermione continued. "If the bite you you'll-"
"Turn into a vampire," Harry, Seamus, and Dennis finished for her.
"Not just that," she was impatient and a little annoyed that they interrupted her. "Your body will disintegrate from the poison. Vowls are deadly to anything it bites."
"Anything?' Seamus echoed.
"Anything," Hermione confirmed.
'Anything..?"
"Shut up Seamus," Neville and Harry hissed.
"We've got to be really still," Hermione looked like she was resisting the urge to flinch when another owl was dangerously close to her face. Dennis wanted to shoo it away but Seamus had subtly grabbed his arm.
"Don't," he said ever so softly. "She'll be okay."
"How do we get past them?" Harry cringed when one flew a little too close to his face. "And why are they sworming us?"
"They smell our blood," Hermione murmured. "They can smell fear, too. They sworn to show dominance. They're very arrogant creatures."
"Didn't you read something on how to escape without getting bitten?" Ron asked. "No doubt you read the whole book," he said more to himself.
Hermione glared, well, as best as she could do without completely turning her head. "Yes, Ronald. I read the whole book," her face crumpled. "But I don't recall reading on how to escape them."
"What?" Seamus and Ron said breathily. Seamus was beside himself. "What do you mean you don't recall? You know everything!"
Dennis' hope, just as it did earlier, fell. If Hermione didn't know something, they were all in trouble. Suddenly, he remembered what Nick said whenever he was in panic mode.
"Hermione." Her head snapped up. He hadn't really spoken to her much since this whole thing started so he couldn't blame her as to why she seemed to astounded that he addressed her in such a firm way. "Think. Think back to what you;ve read. Just calm down and think."
The brilliant witch did as he suggested. Closing her eyes, her lips moved but he couldn't decipher what she was saying, neither could anyone else. After a few moments, which seemed more like an turnity with those crazed, blood hungry owls watching them, she said, "I remember!"
They sighed in relief. "Well, what is it?" Ron asked hurriedly.
"We have to..." she trailed off, looking a bit embarrassed.
"What? What do we have to do?" Harry, always the one to take charge, asked her, frowning. "Hermione, are you alright?"
"We have to do the Vowl dance," she blurted out.
"...The what?" Seamus raised his eyebrows.
"The Vowl dance. It's an ancient dance that early wizards used when they worshiped owls. Owls were like Egyptian cats. They were put on a high pedestal like they were a god."
"And that's why St. Mungo's was invented," Seamus wisecracker. Nobody laughed, much to his dismay.
"Vowls see the dance as a sign of respect. They won't attack if you do it, properly, that is."
"So how do you do it?" Neville asked.
Hermione looked between the killer birds and back to her friends. Her cheeks went bright red, which only confused them.
"What's her problem?" Ron asked in his usual tackless way.
"Maybe she's getting naked," Seamus suggested with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. His words only prompted a quiet cry of "Seamus" from Harry and Neville, and a death glare from Hermione.
"I'm not getting naked," she said furiously. "It's just embarrassing to do." With a heavy sigh, she began by raising her arms, accompanied by that she wiggled her body, starting from her bum all the way up to her arms which were high in the sky. The owls, who had started hissing when she first moved, now watched her and calmed down.
"Whoa, it's working," Ron stated.
Hermione put one foot forward, shaking even more. Dennis could she why she was embarrassed. It did look a bit suggestive.
"Come on," she told them in between her dancing. "You've got to do it too."
Some of the owls had tore their eyes away from Hermione to keep guard on the others. Dennis inwardly cringed. He didn't really want to do it but he did want to get out of there alive. He stepped out and followed her lead. Luna was right behind him.
"Isn't this fun?" she smiled.
Feeling a bit flustered, he said, "Sure. Fun."
Soon, all of them branched out and copied Hermione's dancing and all of the killer vowls hooted before flying away, leaving them looking like idiots.
You were already one before so nothing's new.
Hermione made them all dance like that until they were out of the vowls' range. Dennis was immensely glad when they were done and he vowed to never ever do that again.
"What are we gonna be out of the forest?" Seamus complained. "Are you sure we're not lost? I think we're lost." He pulled out his wand. "I'll figure out where we're at," but Harry stopped him.
"We're not lost," Harry interjected. "And we don't need magic to help us. We're doing it the muggle way." Neville spoke up.
"Are you sure, Harry? We've been walking around for hours and almost got attacked twice. I'm sure a little magic wouldn't hurt us, it's not like we still have the trace on us anymore."
Harry hesitated. "Oh, alright." Seamus high fived Ron. "But only this spell."
"Of course," Seamus held his wand flat on his hand. "Point me." His wand moved, turning a little bit to the right, pointing straight. "See," he said, satisfied. "That wasn't so hard."
Dennis watched him with a calculated look. "When did you learn that? I don't remember that spell."
Seamus grinned wryly, causing Hermione's cheeks to pinken again. "That's because we weren't taught that spell. Hermione, here, invented it." Neville, Malfoy and Dennis looked vastly impressed.
"You invented a spell? When?" Neville asked her.
"Fourth year," she mumbled. "I wanted to help[ Harry during the tournament." Seamus grinned devilishly. "What?"
"Oh, nothing," he said cheerfully.
"Seamus Finnigan," she put her hands on her hips. "You tell me what you're thinking right now!"
"Here?" he grinned slyly. "In public." Hermione threw her hands up i the air, muttering furiously under her breath as she shoved past him. The others, minus Dennis and Neville, followed her.
"You really like making people mad, mate," Neville shook his head.
"I'm just yanking her wand," the Irishman snickered.
"You know she hates it when you're not serious," Neville and the two other men began walking. "You're like Minerva said, you're serious when you need to be but most of the time you're the class clown."
"Guilty," Seamus grinned, causing Dennis to laugh. "There's nothing wrong with that. I'm having fun."
"Too much fun sometimes."
"Hey," Seamus kicked a loose rock. "I'm replenishing my youth."
"I don't think you ever lost it."
"I did. Seventh year wasn't exactly peaches and roses as you know."
"I know," they shared a look, one that Dennis couldn't begin to comprehend or understand. He wasn't there that year. He didn't know the horrors that occured. Seamus and Neville had told him some stories that would forever stick in his mind. How the Carrows had forced people to use the cruciatus curse on tiny first years as target practice. How many non Slytherins had to go without basic needs for punishment like food or medical care. How the Carrows and Snape read all the mail that was wrote so you had to pretend that nothing was going on so parents wouldn't start a rebellion against the school. Dennis couldn't imagine going through that. He couldn't imagine how it must feel living in that castle all year, being in the same place that was once a home now served as a dark reminder of what had once been. He didn't envy them. He admired them. He admired how brave they were then and how brave they were now.
"Look!" Seamus suddenly gasped. "It's Hagrid's hut! We're out of the forest!" Indeed, Hagrid's familiar hut was coming into view. He abruptly took off, shouting for Dennis and Neville to follow him. Rolling his eyes fondly, Neville took off as well. Seeing no other choice, Dennis ran to catch up. The cool wind against his face felt refreshing and so did the lovely sunshine. Oh how he'd missed it in the dark forest.
"Boy am I glad to be out," Seamus told them breathlessly when they met him at the front of the hut.
"Me too," Neville and Dennis said in unison. They waited for the others to come, which wasn't long.
"Is Hagrid home?" Harry asked, looking around for his long time friend.
"He's probably in a meeting with Minerva," Neville explained. "They've been talking about the upcoming year exams."
"So where do we go now?" Malfoy shoved his hands in his pockets. Dennis just now noticed he was wearing muggle blue jeans. "Dumbledore's tomb you said?"
"Yes," Harry sighed heavily. "Come on," he motioned.
Dennis quite hoped Minerva and anyone else that could possibly be there would stay inside, preferably away from the windows. Everything had been going so swell, besides the man eating spider and killer owls, he didn't need anything else to ruin this for him.
When they made it to Dumbledore's tomb, Dennis felt chilled. The memories in his head played like a dvd. Not to far from where he stood, had he and Colin stood on the night of the funeral. Years ago had the safe feeling he always felt at Hogwarts disappeared. Dennis felt like the air was being taken away from him. Like he was being squeezed until he would slowly start to pass out. Then Dennis closed and opened his eyes once more. Colin was standing there, in their spot, staring soberly at the tomb. Dennis trembled at the sight. He was wide eyed until he felt someone shaking him.
"Dennis!"
"Is he alright?"
"I dunno. He looks alright."
"Maybe he passed out."
"Don't be daft, Seamus. He would've fallen down."
"Well excuse me Neville."
"Oh pipe down."
"How's he doing?" Harry's voice sounded concerned. "He's just staring. Is he okay?"
"Dennis," Neville shook him again. "Dennis!"
"Huh?" Dennis blinked and Colin was gone. "Oh. I'm, er, fine, really," he told the group sheepishly.
"You don't look fine," Ron pointed out. "You look pale."
"I'm fine," Dennis insisted, a little roughly this time. "Can we just get the tomb open?"
Harry nodded, still looking at Dennis in a way the younger man couldn't comprehend. "Go on Seamus."
Seamus pointed his wand at the tomb lid. "Bombarda Maxima!"
