Thomas, Draco, and Hermione all arrived in "The Falls", a vast tropical waterfall hidden somewhere off the Peruvian Coast. It seemed like the sun had always shined here, as well as the vegetation thrived. Blaise was there alone wearing a dark blue suit that fitted him just right. His tall figure loomed over everyone else –it was fair to say he was even half a head taller than Draco. Hermione felt a chill down her spine. Behind the exotic falls was a cave that appeared to have been once occupied but abandoned some time ago. Perhaps young boys on wayward adventures? Hermione saw the nostalgia in Malfoy's tired eyes.
"The First task. Are you ready, I wonder?" Blaise gave a coy, yet malevolent smile. "Inside the cave I have for you an object. For each of you, it is something from your home. Could be an article of clothing, could be a trophy –you get the idea. Search it out. But be warned. There are things inside this cave that we only dreamed of studying at Hogwarts. A word of caution –should you find yourself at the other end of this cave without your object, you will be keyported back to the beginning. You have an hour –only an hour. When the hour is up, your object will disappear. Good luck, gentlemen. Mrs. Weasley." Blaise gave a special bow to Hermione, and his eyes were full of malice. "Ladies first. I'll give you a ten minute start."
Hermione looked to Draco, but he did not retaliate, only wiped a bit of sweat off his brow. He glanced to Hermione, and she saw something in his eyes as if he were signaling her. Whatever it was, though, she had no idea. Then, facing away from Blaise, he mouthed, 'The cave changes.'
"Chop, chop! Haven't got all day!" Blaise, with a heavy hand, pushed Hermione into the cave. She fought to steady her balance, and when she did she flew around to discover the cave entrance had sealed shut. She felt around in the dark, searching for anything, but it was too late. She was stuck. She thought of Harry in the maze, and felt a sudden great empathy. How scary it must have been, with only a wand and no friends. She raised her wand, whispered, "Lumos maxima," And searched around. It was dark, dank, and above all frightening.
She followed a narrow passage for a good half mile, feeling the time etch away with no sign from the others who surely followed her, when she came to a grand hall made out of stone. It was circular and around it lay many tables, beds, chairs, all stone of course. A chill was sent up her spine right before a voice called out. It was a scream –a frightened cry for help. A mother would know that cry anywhere –it was a child. Quick footed, she took off in the direction of the scream, across the cold, moist boulder beneath her feet, to the hallway just east of her previous position. Hermione stopped a few yards away, scared of what she might encounter. Her throat was throbbing with her heartbeat.
Slowly she inched her way over, as the light slowly fell across the body of a young girl curled up against the wall, knees against her chest. Her face was hidden behind jet black hair, but her skin was pale and almost translucent in color. Thin, weak looking arms hugged around her legs. She shook, and a bit of cries escaped her lips. Hermione sniffled, wiped her nose, fearing what she might see if the girl turned around.
Her breath caught. "Hullo? Are you alright?"
A jet of movement, and the head of the girl twisted around to face her. Hermione's scream could not have been louder. Shiny black eyes that spared no room for white the size of door knobs glimmered up –the neck was twisted in what appeared to be a break, had there been any bones there. The mouth was jagged, wide as the jaw, with sharp razors for teeth. The nose was only two slits. The thing, whatever it was, tilted its head, studying Hermione. Black hair spilled over its distorted face. Its head, now turned at a 180 from where it should have been, slowly rocked back and forth.
"Erm…" Hermione could not fathom what this was. Never, in any book she had ever read, had she come across something so horribly disfigured. And she wasn't sure whether to curse it or help it –it looked so pitiful in the light of her wand. "C-Can you speak?"
"Don't communicate with it, Granger. Are you daft?" A voice scolded her from behind. Hermione had no need to turn around. It was Draco's voice. He had caught up with her at last. She gave a sigh of relief.
"Dangerous…" A voice echoed in Hermione's ears, and she met eyes with the demon in front of her. Its head stopped rocking. It was focused solely on her.
"You can speak!" Hermione almost laughed in joy. Perhaps appearances were deceiving.
"It's not saying anything. I think you're losing it." Malfoy was beside her now, wand at hand. "Let's rid it before it can strike."
"I don't think it's dangerous, Draco. I think it wants to help me."
"Help…" The voice rang in her ears again. "Run… dangerous…"
"What's dangerous?" Hermione asked.
"What are you babbling on about?" Malfoy glared over at her, his normal sneer plastered across his face.
"It… cannot… hear…" The demon's head began to shake furiously. "Run… run…!"
"Let's go, Draco." Hermione placed her hand on his shoulder. "I don't think it'll hurt us. –You're freezing!" She gasped, feeling how cold his jacket was.
"Yeah." Malfoy nodded. "It is cold in here." He glared down at the pitiful creature beneath him. "Lets go. This thing gives me the creeps." And as he took her hand, the voice in Hermione's head disappeared at once. "Come on, I think I've found your object."
"You're hand's so cold…" She mumbled, continuing to let him lead her on, down tunnel after tunnel. When ten minutes or more went on without a single word, and the cave got darker and gloomier, she began to feel worried. Anxious. "Wait. Can we stop for a moment? Want to catch my breath."
"No." His voice was angry. "We don't have time."
Hermione, a bit put off, pulled her hand out of his hand and fell into a puddle of water. Malfoy turned around, stepped into the puddle to help her up. That's when Hermione noticed something rather peculiar. "Malfoy? Why aren't your feet wet?"
His eyes only had a moment of hesitation. "Levitating spell."
Hermione felt her head fluster. "Which one?" The voice in her head rang clearer than ever, 'Run!!' Suddenly, she knew. She knew what the thing was in the circular room, and she knew what stood before her.
"I… erm…" Malfoy stumbled back.
"Granger!" A voice shouted from the side, and from a hidden passage emerged the real Draco Malfoy, covered in dirt. "What the bloody Hell?"
"It's a Specter, Malfoy!" Hermione shouted, and the fake Malfoy gave a laugh that echoed throughout the walls. Its body began to fade into the dark.
"A wha-?"
"Specter! I command you to stay your place!" Hermione said to the Specter, and its form became solid once more. "I demand an answer to my question!"
"What is it you want?" The being asked, its voice now distorted, yet still it kept Malfoy's form.
"Where is the object I desire?"
"It is in the room we met." The Specter smiled. "Under a stone table." And before anyone could object otherwise, it faded from existence, leaving Hermione and the real Draco staring at each other. "Help me up, won't you?"
Draco did as was requested, and steadied her up right. "What was that thing?"
"A Specter. They're very rare." Hermione was amazed. "I should have known. –They're beings that take on the form of someone comforting and they lead you to your death. If you can discover who they are before they disappear, they are obligated to answer one question. Their mortal enemy are clan of underground dwellers called Fragstleps- Fallen Angels. That thing I saw in the stone room… Draco, you said this cave changes?"
"Yeah. It grows longer and shorter according to one's bravery. The braver you are, the quicker it will give you a path out."
"How much time do we have left? You still need to find-"
She was cut off when he pulled from his pockets a badge baring the Slytherin emblem. "Found it ten minutes in. I've been spending the rest of the time looking for you."
Hermione almost laughed, almost cried at this. "You dolt." But instead of punching him, she wrapped her arms around him in a hug. "Thank you."
"Let's get back to the stone room." Draco half smiled. He took her hand, and Hermione instantly knew this was the right Draco- his hands were warm and inviting. They took off without a moment's hesitation, and Malfoy led her in and out of hall after hall, time nipping at their heels, and finally they arrived at the spot. The Fragstlep that Hermione had met earlier was no where in sight. Hermione felt sad –she had hoped to thank it. "Check over there. I'll check over here."
They ran to each table, but all Hermione could find were odd, rune like letterings etched underneath the base. When she asked Draco, he confirmed the rest. How could the runes be her object?
"Specters can't lie, can they?" Draco asked wearily.
"No." Hermione shook her head. "Not with the question. Everything else about them is a lie. –How was it you were so handy in finding your object?"
"I came across a boggart, a couple of bats, and a disheveled Phidius. He seemed real put off."
"Wonder what he came across." Hermione muttered. They could only see each other by the light of their wands.
"He was singed pretty badly. I think it was either a bad end of a Skrewt or a slight run in with a Dragon." Draco stopped. "You know, in this light, you're not half bad."
"Is this really the time?" Hermione asked, eyebrow raised. She watched Draco's face turn from one of serene to quick shock and then panic. "What?"
"Fuck. Run, Granger!"
Hermione darted, not bothering to turn around. When she made it to Malfoy, her wand fell out of her hand and plinked to the floor. Its light still illuminated, just barely hitting where she stood. Something moved. Slowly, grotesquely. Its pale arm was outstretched. As it made its way into the light Hermione was sure why Malfoy looked as if he were going to pee himself. The rotting face of a human, the body days old decomposed, now limping slowly, arm outstretched. The zombie was that of a man, eyes with no more color, and lips that looked like they fed on fresh blood. Hermione instantly thought of Phidius. Where was he??
She scooped up her wand and looked to Draco. Seeing as he wasn't doing anything… "Imobulous!" The zombie froze within a foots reach, mouth still pulled back in a vicious, hungry sneer. "Thanks, Draco." She said sarcastically.
"Huh? Oh, no problem." He didn't catch it.
"It'll only hold him for a moment –I think the runes are clues to my object. In fact…" She thought deep within her mind from runes class. "They're numbers." She felt so stupid! How could she have not realized before? "I bet we have to travel to each table in the correct order."
"Er, Granger…"
"What?"
"I think we've got a bigger problem than just him."
Hermione frowned at him, then turned to see… there were bunches of them! Probably twenty to count! Maybe more, and they were closing in fast! Hermione felt her head go light.
"Granger, think. I don't remember anything about zombies in D.A."
"That's cause we missed most of our 7th year!" She crooned . "I've got to think…"
"Petrificus Totalus! Imobulous!" Draco hit a few zombies at a time with this one. "Granger..!"
"I don't know!" Her thoughts raced. For the first time in a long time, she did not know the answer. "… Fire!" Her eyes met his. "It's the only thing I can think of!"
"One problem." Draco slugged a zombie, and it's jaw fell off its hinges. "We're inside the cave too! Not to mention a lot of other innocent things!"
"I've got another idea then." Hermione grabbed Draco's arm. "Show me the exit."
"But without your object, you'll be shot back to the beginning!"
"I'm aware of that. MOVE!" They took off hand in hand. Draco, taking a deep breath, gathered what courage he had and zoomed in and out of corridor after corridor. "The exit's up ahead! I'm not leaving you!"
"Quit being a twit!" Hermione shouted over the grunts of the decaying zombies behind them. "Is it just me or did they get a lot faster??"
"God, we don't have time for this!" Draco stopped, scooped up Hermione, and fled towards the end of the tunnel. "You sure you know what you're doing?"
"Positive! Just go! I'll see you soon!" Up about five hundred feet ahead of them was the light at the end of the tunnel. Draco sat Hermione down and they took off. Feet before the edge, where both could see the light of the forest, they stopped. "GO!"
"Granger… I hope you know what you're doing… Just remember, if in doubt, head for the left." He shot down through the tunnel and made it into the fresh sunlight. Hermione waited. The zombies were ready, willing… Hungry. "Incendio!" She aimed at the lot. A great fire broke out amongst the zombies. Then she leapt through the exit to find herself –right at the beginning, just as planned. Trudging, she took off in the direction she had been before, unafraid this time of what was to come. She made it to the grand hall, probably with only minutes to spare. There, she saw the tables, made her rounds in order from one to ten, her memory keen, and found the object under table 11: Hogwarts, A History. Now to get to the exit… this her memory was not so bent on remembering, but she had no choice. Head for the left… Draco's words rang in her ears. She shot fire out the end of her wand, it blew left. Draco's words had some merit. Down she went, taking each left she could.
And there it was, the exit up ahead! She could now see the numbers in smoke glowing right above it: 2:24. Two minutes! She could make it in time! Yes, yes! This was it! This was her moment!
Then it happened. Out of nowhere the side of the cave broke free, more zombies began to pour. Confused, Hermione kept running, running for dear life! They were up ahead of her, beginning to block her way! No! She trudged on, feet going as hard as they could, her hair whipping against her face! She pushed through the bodies of decaying victims, some charred, others still intact, and even more came from behind. It seemed like there was no way, no chance in Hell she'd make it out.
But Rose's face appeared in her head. Sweet, dear Rose bundled in her bed, and Ron reading her a bedtime story, and Hermione making her some hot chocolate. She thought of Draco and his son, and images of them flying broomsticks and mixing potions sprang forth. Harry and Ginny and their children running in the front yard under the sprinklers… No, she must keep going. For them. For everyone she held dear. Run, Hermione, or die trying.
White light pierced her eyes like daggers, and she fell to her knees in desperation. Had she made it alright? Was this heaven? Had she died?
"Hermione! Hermione, come on! Say something! Bloody Hell… she's covered in blood…"
Her eyes struggled to focus. Only Rose seemed to cross the broad spectrum of her corneas.
"She's been bitten! Goddammit, Blaise! Surely there's an antidote!"
Rose playing the piano… Rose riding her tricycle… Ron with his big, goofy grin…
"Out o'v de 'vay! I know one spell that should suck de venom out…"
Harry and her riding through London in her car, windows down, enjoying the rare sunny day… Ginny and her picking out wedding dresses… Draco, telling her that she had beautiful eyes…
Then the focus in her eyes began to strengthen, and she was able to see once more. Her head became less fuzzy –her hearing more acute. Then she saw him. Draco was above her, pale as a ghost with… were those tears in his eyes? No. Surely not.
"What… what happened?" Hermione sat up, catching her breath.
"You were bitten." Draco answered, his voice stern. He showed her the scar on her arm, already healed, and the other two, one on her shoulder, the other on her hand. "What were you thinking??"
"I'm impressed, Granger." Said Blaise, strolling up to her with a vile out. "You may slip your memories in here. I should like to take a look at your feat later."
Hermione, with a glare posted on her face, raised her wand and emitted the images into the silver stream that fell into the vile.
"You all have made it past the first task. Lucky you." Blaise almost laughed. "The second task will begin tomorrow. Eight P.M. On the coast of Ireland. Instructions will be sent to you an hour prior. See you pansies then." And with that, Blaise apparated away from the spot, leaving Thomas, Hermione, and Draco to rest, shocked on the forest floor.
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