Author's Note: Hey guys, tenth chapter is up and ready to go! This is
where one of the many climaxes happens and I hope you enjoy it. Also, I'm
not too sure, but I'm certain I said that Leo has hazel eyes and brownish-
gold hair. I might've changed his eyes to blue at one time, and if I did,
it was a mistake. Sorry!
Anyway, if you guys find any more mistakes like that, would you notify me? Thanks millions! Now, onward we go!
Chapter Ten ~
The Offering, the Sacrifice, the Reason
"That was a stupid move, Harry. I can get your rook just as easily with my knight and not risk my queen. You should have listened to me when I told you not to move there."
"Oh shut up, Ron. Either way, you're going to win and I will once again know defeat. Honestly, I don't even know why I bother playing against you. At least with Hermione I've got a chance." The raven-haired boy slumped back in his chair, his glasses slipping to the tip of his nose. Ron only shrugged.
"Hey, don't blame me for actually being good in this game. Chess is all about strategy and quick thinking; thankfully, I have both."
Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "And where, may I ask, is all this cunning when it comes to our lessons?" He shook his head as Ron rolled his eyes at the remark.
"Some people just don't appreciate a great mind. Now stop stalling and let's get back to the game."
It was nightfall in the tower, the sun already half sunken behind the trees in the distance, and the two friends were occupying themselves with a game of chess this evening, as there was really nothing to do until the next morning.
Two days had already passed by in Enol, and for those two days everyone in the tower had a very leisurely and relaxing time. Crystal and Leo had made it clear to all of them that they were free to move around the tower, go in any room and use anything they saw. This was a great way to spend a day, as the tower was very large and had a great variety of rooms of all sorts.
In this freedom given to them, Harry and Ron had noticed that Draco had found this as a perfect way to avoid them, especially and specifically Hermione. One would think that, after the encounter they had been through and the bond that had undoubtedly been created between them, that Draco would at least have the heart in him to look at her or talk to her or anything. But he did none of these. Instead, he made himself scarce; locking himself in his room or wandering in a part of the tower where the others were not.
Harry had a sense, which he had shared with Ron, that Hermione was a little hurt by his behavior. But Ron had also pointed out to him that Hermione was independent and usually bounced back from things like this, and Harry had to admit that she was just as normal as ever.
"Pawn to queen's bishop three," Harry said lazily.
"Not a wise choice, Harry," came Hermione's voice form behind him, and Harry started a bit, for he did not hear her come near.
"Why would you say that? I have his bishop," he pointed out. Hermione only shook her head and indicated the board again.
"Yes, but you also lost your last pawn. Now you'll never get your own queen back."
"Ugh," Harry groaned as Ron set his command to finish off the helpless pawn. Hermione gave a small laugh before leaving their game and walking over to the shelf of wands that Leo had made.
Yes, Hermione had been getting better and better at hiding her emotions, save for the occasional outburst of hysterical sobs; but she had good reasons for crying. This was saying something of a compliment, as it was that Hermione cried for fear of her life and her friend's while other girls cried because their hair wasn't cooperating with them.
But Hermione had been nothing less than Hermione for the last couple of days. Harry would always find her trailing behind Crystal or Dumbledore, asking polite questions about this and that or exploring some room or another thoroughly. When she wasn't out and about in the tower she would be found in the common room, trying out and inspecting every wand Leo had made and admiring them greatly. Only once did she ask where Draco was.
But now it was the final night before Draco would be on his way back home, and soon the relaxation would be over to give way to the real work. Harry wondered, from one moment or another, if Draco would ever acknowledge any of these events again once they had all returned to school. Surely he had not expected a friendship to suddenly sprout up between his archenemy and himself, but would they continue to bicker constantly when they went back or simply resolve to ignore each other? But Harry did not get to answer his own questions, for Ron had just claimed a triumphant checkmate and was smiling victoriously at Harry.
"Won again," he gloated. Harry blinked.
"What? No way! How could you? You have two pawns, a knight and your king and I've still got half my pieces! You couldn't have won."
"Ahh, but you still doubt me, Harry," Ron said, knowingly pointing at the board. "I purposely sacrificed my pieces so I could try out this new tactic I devised. Honestly, if I'd been playing right I would have beaten you thirty minutes ago."
Harry threw his hands up at him. "Oh sod off, Weasley." Yet his remark did nothing to dampen Ron's mood.
"Aww.don't be such a stiff! It's all just good and fun. Hey, Hermione, where are you off too?" Harry turned his head to see what Ron was talking about and saw that Hermione was halfway to the door. She didn't stop walking when she answered Ron's question.
"I'm just exploring a bit more. Crystal hinted that there was a magnificent library here but said it was up to me to find it. Don't worry, brother dearest, I'll be back before curfew. Oh, and I'll be passing by the lake room while I'm gone, do you two want anything from there?"
Since their last meeting almost two days ago in the lake room, where Leo had suddenly shoved them into the lake and freed them of the spell making them all happy and very wet, Crystal had said that this room was a special privilege to everyone. Many herbs, fruits and vegetables grew there and everything was pure and edible. She said it was okay for them all to go to the kitchens if they were hungry, but she also muttered that the small lake was clear and clean and gave the plant life a rare taste indeed. Harry personally had to favor the apples that grew from the many white blossomed apple trees.
"Nothing for me, thanks," Ron said, swinging his legs over the couch arm and leaning back.
"None either for me," Harry agreed, nodding toward Hermione who only shrugged.
"Whatever you say," she answered, and left the room with no more than a rustle from her dress. As soon as the door closed behind her, Ron looked over to Harry, face blank yet his voice undoubtedly light.
"She went looking for Malfoy, didn't she?" he asked him. Harry cast his eyes to meet his.
"Well, she wouldn't exactly tell us right off the back," he bounced back.
"You've got a point there," Ron answered. A small pause followed. "The guilt is eating her alive, isn't it." It wasn't a question.
"It always seems to, doesn't it?" Harry said to him. Ron could only nod in reaction. "But have you noticed that it never really is her fault?" Ron looked up to the ceiling at this.
"Never is," he answered. "But she always makes it. Maybe because of us, you know? You've got it hard because someone wants you dead, I'm poor, and even Malfoy has a miserable time with his emotions. Yet she always takes the blame for everything else. Why does she do that, you think?"
Harry only bowed his head. "I don't really know. Maybe," he started, looking up and into the blazing fire, "because she's the only one brave enough to take it, and we all kind of need her to do that."
And though Harry didn't know it, there was much wisdom in the words he had spoken.
****
Hermione closed the door behind her with a soft click, her head obviously somewhere other than with her body. She turned toward the hallway she was in and hugged her cloak around her. Looking down each way, she chose to venture down the right path, making it so that she did a thorough search of this floor before hitting the stairwell.
Hermione began her exploration, glad that neither Harry nor Ron offered to accompany her. She was aware that they, of course, knew that she had no intentions to look for the library; she had plenty of time for that. Instead, she was on a mad hunt for Draco, hoping to at least have a two minute conversation with him before he left the next morning.
"That is if he'll have the decency to listen to me," she said to herself, peeking into a room to her left and finding nothing. She closed it and continued on.
It had hurt Hermione the slightest bit that Draco had gone through all means to avoid everyone; her especially. But it hadn't lamed her as much so that she wallowed about the tower; she was stronger than that. Instead she went about her business, but now, on the eve of his departure, Hermione wanted to make amends with him before things got worse over her absence.
She spent a good hour roaming about the building, looking into every room and feeling disappointed at the lack of Malfoy in every one. After what felt like the millionth room, Hermione reluctantly gave up and headed for the one room that she had saved for last: the lake room.
Sighing heavily, she reached the wooden door to the room and laid her hand on the handle. She faltered for a moment, wishing that she could have at least found Draco, because there was so much she wanted to tell him, and also wishing that she could go to her best friends or the Headmaster or even the Oracles with her problems about her dreams, but they wouldn't be able to understand. But she quickly pushed that out of her mind and leaned against the door, opening it.
Hermione kept her eyes cast down, hoping the colorful array of flowers and plants would take her mind off of her troubles. By her vision she could see the flawless green grass bathed in gold. The enchanted sky in this tower was very similar to the one back in the Great Hall, as it also reflected that of the sky outside. Right now the sun was setting, casting the gold hue over everything, with streaks of darkness indicating the coming night.
Closing the door behind her, Hermione walked slowly to where the herbs grew. She was concentrating so hard on her steps that she didn't even notice the other occupant of the room.
"Granger," a cool, calm voice said, pulling her out of her trance. Her head snapped up and her brown eyes focused on the half shadowed figure of the fair-haired boy that was Draco.
He was leaning under a tree bedecked with thousands of tiny, white apple blossoms. The contrast he and the tree made to each other along with the darkened gold surrounding made a scene that Hermione would never forget. It was then that she had her first true feeling that Draco was not some untouchable and invulnerable being who enjoyed the downfall of others threatening his reign; nor was he the cruel boy she had known since first year, their rivalries growing with every look they exchanged and every insult they threw at one another.
But Draco didn't look like that now. At that moment he looked immaculate, a god-like creature bathed in the glow that was his glory. His face was unnaturally relaxed, bearing an emotion that both shocked her because she had never seen him like this and had never seen him bear any emotion at other times: he looked so.at peace. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't scowling, and this brought his face into something new and intriguing. So this was the great glamour that made the girls back at school swoon; and Hermione couldn't blame them at that moment either.
"Granger," Draco repeated, his tone soft yet still strong. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Uh.what?" she asked, shaking her head a bit and straightening her thoughts. For a moment she had the crazy feeling that the both of them could be close friends, along with Harry and Ron; that there could be a bond created between all four of them that could take them to so many lengths, but that was ludicrous. But how ludicrous it was, Hermione wasn't sure, for she wasn't entirely certain that it was her own feelings that told her this or if it was someone else entirely hinting at a future development.
"Ah, I-I just came in here to grab some things for my drink. I hadn't any thought that you would be here," she told him. She remained rooted to her spot, suddenly cold but feeling no change in climate. Draco noticed her shiver and lost his look of innocent only to cover his face with the mask of blankness.
"Oh, well then, I guess I'll be going. No need for me to be in your way," and with that polite statement that did not suit him at all, Draco pushed himself off the tree and headed for the doorway behind Hermione. But before he had passed her she threw out her hand and caught his wrist, without looking up.
"No, wait. I have been looking all over this tower for you because I needed to talk to you." She could almost feel his gray eyes looking down at her, one eyebrow raised and head cocked slightly. But he only stepped back so that he faced her full on.
"Why?" he asked. She could do nothing but shrug. Draco rolled his eyes. "Granger, if you want to talk to me then, at some point, you're going to have to actually talk. Now what do you want?" And her reaction to this was not the one he had anticipated.
"Draco Malfoy, what is wrong with you?" she snapped, arms thrown all about and her eyes blazing like a brown inferno. Draco was slightly taken aback by her outburst, half faltering a step away from her, but something in him said that it was foolish to back down from a female; even if the female was Hermione in an extremely bad mood.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied in a monotonous voice. Basically, this was the exact wrong thing to say.
"Are you kidding me? Draco, haven't you noticed that you have completely shunned me away for the past two days? Honestly, I don't know why you did; and it's not like I wanted to become your closest friend either. It's just.I had to share the greatest horror of my life with you and I can't even let out all my emotions to the one person who would understand. And don't look at me like that, Malfoy; I already know what you're thinking, and you're wrong! Don't you think I wanted to go to Harry and Ron about this? Greatness knows it would have been much easier and more comfortable for me to do that, but they wouldn't understand. They weren't there and they wouldn't understand what I was feeling."
"And I would?" Draco questioned, sarcasm heavy in his words.
"Yes, you would. Draco, you were there! You saw everything that I saw! And don't you dare act like you felt nothing because I know you did. We were in Enol, or Purgatory, or whatever; and by whatever name you call it, this place is still very magical. So of course you know what I'm talking about. Didn't you notice it radiating off those.those souls out there?" She waited for his answer. He hesitated, and then only shook his head.
"No," he lied. Hermione gritted her teeth.
"It was like being near a hundred dementors, only maybe a thousand times worse. Oh, and feel free to stop me when I'm wrong. But that feeling was like I'd never be happy, but then I wasn't going to remain sad for eternity. It was like I would be frozen in that moment forever; a moment where terror and serenity were mixed inside of me. It was like a knife was tearing at my heart, opening it and seeing what I was. It was like being trapped in a hallucination, where right but so very, very wrong. I don't know, maybe it wasn't the same for you, but there were times when I still see that hallucination. I'd just be sitting by the fire with Harry and Ron and suddenly I'd get this feeling of helplessness and I would be scared beyond belief. It would be horrible, but it would also feel right, like I was supposed to feel that way. I used to think it-,"
"-was all in my head," Draco finished, turning his back on her and staring at the ground. He hadn't known she was experiencing the same things he was. It should've been obvious to him, but his mind hadn't been working right for a few days now.
"Yeah," Hermione said, a little confused. She chanced a step towards him. "Draco.have you been getting strange dreams as well?" He didn't answer her, just stood there, silent. "They just started with me as well; and they haven't been very pleasant."
"What do you mean just started," Draco muttered, but made sure that she didn't hear him.
"The affects of Purgatory have been growing with every night, not diminishing like Leo said. The first time I had a dream or vision it was terrible. I saw everyone, but they were acting so strange and I wasn't even sure if it was them." She began trailing away; turning away from Draco's back but still speaking to him. Feeling her movement, he turned around as she moved closer to the water's edge, staring intently into its clear depths.
"I saw people in the tower, but I wasn't sure who they were. There was Harry and Ron, but they were beaten down and I didn't know why. Crystal was there, with Leo, but they were different. I even tried finding you-," And Draco tensed when she said this. "But I thought you were dead, because you weren't moving. Then I woke up, but the dream didn't seem to stop there."
Then Hermione went off to tell him about the rest of her vision, or whatever it was. She explained it in all its detail, skipping over nothing and emphasizing on how the Harry and Ron in her vision were acting so different.
"Because Harry would never open up like that, or accept death in such a good way. No matter what people say, I know Harry, and he's still shy Harry Potter from first year. And I've yet to remember a time when ever I saw Ron cry! But he was, Draco. He was crying blood, just like the souls out there in Enol. Somehow I know that these things are only symbols; signs of what's to come. But what are they symbolizing?"
Hermione continued to stare into the water. Draco proceeded with his silence, his head turned to her in a serene matter. Emotions of pity and sadness began to well up in him for her, but he quickly pushed them back down, with little effort, and kept his face immeasurably blank.
"I thought that I could handle this on my own." She gave a cold laugh. "I mean, not to sound ungrateful to best friends or anything, but they are boys and I'm the only girl. A lot of times I have to do things on my own; and usually when we're in a fight, it's those two against me, except once last year. Otherwise, I'm by myself; but I can't this time. You're probably tired of hearing this, but I'm going to say it again anyway; Draco, I'm coming to you because you're the only one who can help me. God, I could use anyone at this moment."
She turned to him, her eyes pleading him, making a knot in his stomach twist painfully. He stared back, knowing he should give up his stubborn pride and just be kind for once. But of course, this was Draco, and kind was one of the things he never would be.
"Listen," he said, with as much gentleness as he could stand. "I know what we went through was.something, Granger, alright? Don't worry, I'm not stupid; and I did feel everything you just said. But see, you fail to point out one important detail." He raised his eyes to meet hers, confusion apparent on her face. "None of this is my problem.
"Granger, I leave tomorrow morning; and with that, I leave behind all this nonsense and unreality. I get to go back to my own life and leave all the heroic crap to you and your little friends. Do you see where this is going? After tomorrow, none of this happened to me. I just have to forget it and then my life goes back to normal. So why don't you take your sad and pitiful problems to hero boy and just let me be.
"Look, I know I asked you to help me once; and you did. Thanks. But none of this is my problem.it's yours. You chose this path when you befriended Harry Potter, so you get to deal with the consequences. I don't know what you were thinking, coming to me. If you wanted pity, I won't give it. If you wanted help, I won't give it; and if you wanted closure, I won't give that either. So basically, you came to the wrong person."
He held Hermione's gaze for a moment, actually taking satisfaction at the horrified and crestfallen look etched there. Then he bowed his head a little to her- his own small way of close to almost saying he was sorry- and turned toward the door. The absence of her voice made him wary of her shock, so he kept his eyes glued to the door, knowing that once outside, he'd be able to breathe comfortably again.
But Draco had only pulled open the door a sliver when a spell whizzed past his ear. It hit the door with the force of a howling wind, lighting it up with a flash of gold before shutting closed and locking with a soft click. Draco didn't show his surprise, but simply lowered his hand and braced himself for the much more powerful blow that would come in the form of a very angry voice.
"What the hell was that, Malfoy?!" Hermione shrieked from behind him. He stood absolutely still. "I said," she started, half running towards his cold back. "What the hell was that!?!" She reached out a hand and grasped his shoulder with enough anger that Draco couldn't help but flinch a bit from it. As he faced her he could never remember seeing such hatred and anger in one person, but there it was, and he had sparked it. It almost amazed him to know that this common muggle-born witch was able to hold her anger just enough so that it didn't make her magic go haywire.at least, without her doing it intentionally.
"I meant what I-," he began, but it was obvious that Hermione was sick of his talking.
"God, Malfoy! I never thought there would be a day that I actually wanted to kill someone, but evidently, I was wrong. I can't believe you! It's like you don't have a conscience or something; not even a guilty bone in your body! You're like a curse on its own, leading people on to almost want to love you and then throwing that love in their feet! Here I come, hoping to find at least some kind of sympathy from you, but no. I poured my heart out to you, Draco! I opened up and became vulnerable, something I don't ever do! What the listener is supposed to do is take someone's sorrows, stuff them in a jar, and throw them into to the sea, only to drown them out with kind words and comfort. But no! The Malfoy's always seem to do things different. Instead, you took my sorrows, stuffed them in a jar, tied me to the jar, and threw both of us into a raging sea of turmoil!"
She was breathing dangerously fast now, her eyes wide and her face losing its color by the breath. She was looking up at him with this power that Draco couldn't exactly place. It was a power that made the color of her eyes blaze, the tension in her hands increase, and the supremacy of her voice ignite. And, remarkably, it angered him that she had this power and he did not.
"Hermione! I told you that I was the wrong person to come to, but would you listen? Of course not! Because, guess what, you never do!" He surprised himself by returning her screams with yells of his own, but it seemed not to baffle Hermione; if anything, it made her eyes darker with fury. "I am not someone who can give you what you want, because what you want is what I don't have. I don't have sympathy, guilt, pity, kindness or anything! I'm Draco Malfoy, and I didn't want this!"
"I didn't either!" Hermione bellowed, throwing her hands out at him. "I didn't want to be haunted by dreams of people I love suffering! I didn't want to see the outcome of the death of souls, or how they spend their moments in judgment! And I sure as hell didn't want to share any of that with you! But see, you don't get to deal with any of this, Draco! Once again, you get to run away; run home like a coward! Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. You leave unfinished business behind because you 'can't handle it'. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy! I nasty, no good, filthy, slimy coward!!! Sometimes I-,"
"Don't call me that," Draco said, cutting her off with a low and venomous tone, but Hermione had fallen off the brink of insanity to a whole new level all its own.
"DON'T YOU EVER INTERUPT ME!!!" she bellowed, whipping out her wand once more and jabbing it, hard, at Draco. "EXPELLIARMUS!" she screeched, and the red light that shot out of her wand exploded in his chest, sending him flying backward with such speed and force that, when he hit the apple tree some ways away, there was a dull crunching sound, placing the threat of a broken back.
He then slid down to the tree's base, falling in a heap of crumpled white clothes. The white apple blossoms were shaken from the branches and were falling all around him in a curtain of pinkish white petals, blanketing him in a sheet of grace. It disgusted Hermione.
For some moments Draco did not move; he lay still on the ground, a dead weight of limbs and blonde hair. Hermione stared at his motionless form with no emotion whatsoever. She was panting hard and her wand hand was still extended out in front of her. Then, as Draco began to stir, the door opened beside her and Crystal and Leo's heads popped in. For a split second they took at the winded Hermione and the lamed Draco, eyes wide with wonderment. But before they could say anything, Hermione spoke.
"Sorry if I disturbed either of you, but I was just saying good-bye to my dearest friend, Draco," she said, exaggerating her words with cruelty. She turned to them and flashed a very fake smile. "I think the emotion was a little too much for him."
And with that she stomped over to the edge of the water, snatched up the sage and hibiscus flowers she had come for, and stomped out of the room, brushing past the Oracles and running all they way to her dorm room safely on the eighth floor.
****
That night Draco lay in his bed, the curtains drawn closed once more. He lay atop his covers, his arms down at his sides, gripping the sheets as he stared hard at the canopy. Leo had said he should relax for the rest of the night, for Hermione had inflicted quite a bit of damage to his spinal cord and backbone and rest was needed to help the healing spell Crystal had performed on him; but no matter how much he tried, Draco could not relax.
~You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. ~
He didn't know, but falling away to relaxation would not happen for Draco. It was an essential; this he knew. Crystal had pestered him all the way to his room about the consequences of poor health when traveling the fourteen hour trip back to Hogwarts. She nagged and nagged until he agreed to down her horrid tea supplement and go straight to bed. She assured him that sleep would be an easy thing and that, by tomorrow morning, he would be all set for his long journey back home.
~A coward, Draco Malfoy. Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. A coward. ~
Silence would soon become his enemy, for it was pressing on him in great amounts so that there was room only for his thoughts and Hermione's words echoing in his head. Words that brought about a great anger that boiled inside of him; anger even greater than that of hers when she accused him of cowardice. Anger so great, it tapped into his magic and made the windows rattle in their sills and the curtains to start snapping as if in a huge wind.
~Run home like a coward. ~
He wasn't a coward, had never been seen as one before this. He was Draco Malfoy, heir to the estate and title of his father, Lucius Malfoy. He was the richest boy in school, with the most authority and cunning. He wasn't a coward, and no one would ever call him otherwise; he would make sure to it.
But despite these promises, Draco stayed up that whole night, staring into his canopy with eyes cold as ice, the same words ringing in his ears.
~You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. Always running and never staying. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy; a coward.. ~
****
"Rise and shine Draco Malfoy! The morning has come swiftly on gilded wings, and your home is but a fourteen hour bliss journey away," came the uplifting voice of Leo from the hall outside. Sighing heavily, Draco sat up in bed and pulled the covers away, taking his sweet time to slide off the mattress. As he did so, Leo opened the door and came in, all smiles and cheery hazel eyes. His white clothing looked even cleaner than before and it sickened Draco to the brink of fever.
"Well, someone's happy this morning," Draco stated, doubling over a little bit as he sat on the edge of the bed. He was trying to settle his churning stomach and also had the advantage at not looking into the boy's joyous face.
"I always try to be," Leo answered bouncing all the way to the dresser. "Now, let us get you ready for that long journey, shall we?"
"What time is it?" Draco asked, falling back across the bed, wincing as even the softness of the sheets stung his back. Leo noticed this, but acknowledged it not. He knew how aggravated Draco got when someone worried about him.
"Very early in the day, Draco Malfoy. It is but five hours past the middle of night and the portal opens at.er.seven thirty two. Now up you get!" He turned away to open the drawers as Draco groaned to a sitting position.
"I can pick out my clothes on my own, thanks," he muttered, as the boy began rummaging through the drawer.
"Well, of course I'm aware of that Draco Mal-,"
"No," Draco said, stopping him before he could finish his sentence. "Look, I know that my name is glorious to say, but could you cut down on it? If you like saying it so much you can have it."
Leo shrugged. "Sorry. But for me, it's not every day you meet someone who's last name is not your own. Anyway, put this on and get down to the dining area."
He threw over a white shirt, and over-tunic and a pair of white trousers made from that same material that was incredibly soft yet so strong that Draco didn't know the name of. "Call me if you need anything," he added, pointing to the globe in the wall.
"Sure thing, mother," Draco drawled, earning a glare from the boy before he left the room so Draco could dress.
As quickly as he could, considering his sore back, Draco dressed in the garments Leo had set out for him and then headed straight for the fourth floor. It only occurred to him then that the sun had barely begun to peak over the horizon, and that he had stayed awake all night, for his eyes burned and his head swam. For a moment Draco almost forgot why he had lain awake all night, but at that moment, as he descended the stairs and the muscles in his back cried out in protest, he remembered.
As he hit the fourth floor landing, Draco silently hoped that he wouldn't meet up with Hermione, not wanting to have a replay of last night's events. Too soon, he reached the double doors and pulled them open, only to meet up with Crystal, Leo, Harry, Ron, Dumbledore and.Hermione.
For a moment Draco faltered, catching sight of her small frame alongside everyone else's. But when he saw that she hadn't looked up, he proceeded in.
Everyone was scattered about the room, some half awake and some very energetic.well, Draco really couldn't say that, as the only one who was energetic was Leo.
Harry and Ron, who were obviously joined at the hip since you could never find one without the other, were both slouching over by the wall, there backs holding them up and their heads drooping towards one another with eyes half closed. In front of them sat Hermione, who had not looked up on Draco's entrance for she clearly had fallen back asleep. Her head was in her arms and she was slumped over the table. Across from her sat Crystal, all dignity and authenticity gone. She was dressed in the same garb as Hermione, (a common peasants frock), and she, too, had fallen back asleep, only she was leaning back in her chair.
Standing next to her, his hands folded in front of him, was Dumbledore. Draco had to stifle a smirk at the Headmaster for he had mimicked the two girls and had fallen back asleep, standing. The only one awake was Leo, who was at the front of the table, his small legs swinging madly over its edge and his head bobbing back and forth. He greeted Draco as he entered.
"Good morrow to you, sir," he piped, hopping down from his seat.
"Yeah, whatever; same to you, squirt. Er.what is this, a siesta?" A grin actually threatened to claim his face. "They're all asleep."
"Well, er-.yeah, I guess they are," Leo said, looking around at all the dozing figures and frowning. "For some reason five o'clock is too early for them. I always wake up at this time."
"I bet you do," Draco mumbled sarcastically. Gratefully, Leo did not hear.
"Well, there's your breakfast," he responded, pointing to the plate of food that Draco could have sworn hadn't been on the table last he looked at it. "And that goblet is a little more of Crystal's tea. Drink some, it will help on your journey. Oh come on, I know you're scared of Hermione but just get over there. She hasn't a clue that you're in here."
Draco looked down at him. "I'm not scared."
"Yeah. I know."
Without another word, Draco sat down to his breakfast, staying as far away from the sleeping Hermione as possible. All the while, Leo spoke, telling things he needed to know about his journey home. He told him the time he would arrive, where he would arrive, what he should not tell people about where he had been and so on. Draco absorbed all the information as he should have, asking no questions and just remembering everything. When he had downed the last drop of tea, he responded.
"But despite all that, I get to go home?" he asked. Leo only nodded.
"That is what you wanted.right?" he prodded, unable to keep a hopeful look off his face. "You wanted to go home and forget about this place. It is what you said."
"Yeah, I know."
"Well, is it still what you want?" He stared hard at Draco, awaiting the answer. There was a small pause.
"Yeah," Draco replied after a short while. "Yeah."
"Okay then," Leo muttered, a little disappointed. "Let us get this over with then."
****
"Only a few more minutes," Leo said, checking the globe on the wall. "Fourteen hours from now, you'll be home sweet home. Are you excited?"
Draco did not answer.
It had been almost two hours since he had first woken up to the still darkened sky. Crystal, Potter, Weasley, Dumbledore and even Hermione had all said their good-byes to him and left for the dungeons while Draco remained in the dining area with Leo. Actually, he couldn't really call them good-byes, since Harry had been overly civil and Ron grunted more or less. Hermione had simply bored him with her icy glare and did a sort-of wave in his direction. It was Dumbledore and Crystal who gave proper farewells before departing.
"You look troubled. What's wrong?" Leo suddenly asked him from his seat on the table's surface once more. Draco was by the wall, one shoulder leaning against it and his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets.
"Nothing's wrong. How can anything be wrong? Life is dandy," he drawled. Leo scrunched up his nose at this remark.
"You're very sarcastic, you know that?"
"Hadn't the faintest."
"Well, you are," Leo said. "And it's driving away everything you could ever want."
Draco stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Sarcasm can be a great asset or a great weapon. In your case, you use the thing to beat others within an inch of their life. It's already driven away any hope of a friendship between you and Hermione Granger-,"
"Stop." Draco was staring hard at the ground, his stare intense and his body stiff. "I don't want to hear what you have to say about her."
"Fine. One minute left." Leo jumped off the table and walked to the middle of the room. Draco mimicked him; pushing himself off the wall and moving to stand next to the small boy. They both stared at the air before them. "But she's right you know."
Draco shot him a look of death. "What did you say?" But Leo only shrugged.
Then there was a great burst of air and massive swirl of color began to grow out of the air before them. In no time at all it became a whirling portal of wind and colors; the path from here back to Hogwarts.
"This is it," Leo cried over the roaring noise. Draco watched him as he skirted around the portal and towards the door. The wind was lifting both their hair, making it dance in turrets about their faces. "It's your path back home. You need only to enter, and when you come out on the other side, you can choose however you want to think of this place. You could remember us or forget us. So I guess this is good-bye, Draco Malfoy. For your sake, I hope you live a brave and prosperous life!" And with that, he slid out the door and left Draco with the howling portal.
For moments Draco simply stared at it, wanting to step through yet not wanting to. It was almost as if by leaving, he would lose something that could be his. He didn't know exactly what it was, but suddenly the voice in his head spoke up, shedding light on the subject.
~ Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy.~
Yes, with his leaving, Draco would have once again proved Granger right and lose all dignity of himself.maybe even more than that. But if he would just leave now, then nothing of the past few days need ever be remembered, and he could pretend to forget it.
He looked into the portal, the colors creating a dance of ages before his eyes. For what felt like days, Draco stood there, the howling wind encircling him and a dilemma fighting for attention inside his head. What would he do?
Then the decision came to him like a burst of emotion. He knew what he would have to do; knew which way he could not live without. Raising his head high and straightening his shoulders, Draco took a step forward.
****
"So, what are we doing in a dungeon?" Ron asked, yawning widely as he followed Harry, Hermione, Crystal and Dumbledore into the wide and dank room.
"You're getting answers," was all Crystal said, and it was enough to shut Ron up for the remaining time. The Oracle led them into the room, stopping only when they reached the other side. It must have been a fair walk between this wall and the door, for Harry could have sworn that he couldn't see the chains hanging from the wall from where he stood at the door.
"So," Hermione suddenly began, her tone unusually shy. "I guess Malfoy has left then?"
"More or less so," Crystal said, inspecting the manacles. She touched one and it shimmered with a deep green light. "He seemed anxious to leave. He would have been welcome to stay, of course."
"Is this it?" Harry asked, walking over to her and watching as she continued to poke each metal clasp, making each shimmer with the green light. "Do we find out everything today?"
Crystal looked at him, her face grave. "Yes, you do. And I want to talk to you three about that really quickly." Ron and Hermione looked to her. "To get the answers you're looking for, I'll have to return to the state I was in when I created the questions. It won't be easy, and the result won't be a happy one. I may become frightening, believe me, it isn't only you who will be frightened; but trust me when I say I have no intentions to hurt you."
"But what if, you know, you accidentally let a Killing Curse fly and don't even realize it?" Ron asked.
"That's already taken care of," Crystal responded, indicating the chains. "I'll be chained to the wall, so I won't start rampaging about the tower. And there are very powerful binding spells set into each chain. My magic will be strictly contained. The only type of power that can escape these holds is one that has to be pretty powerful; and I have yet to know such power as to break these bindings."
A silence followed this, in which everyone did not move but gathered themselves. Then the entrance door opened once more and in strolled Leo, face set with determination.
"Well, that's done. Draco Malfoy is on his way. We can begin."
"Alright then, let's get this over with," Crystal said, sounding uncertain. "Leo, would you?" She leaned up against the wall, between the chains.
"Right."
The boy walked over to his sister, helping her clasp the hard metal over each wrist and each ankle, securing each one into the wall with a spark from his fingers. When he had finished, he moved back to where the other four were standing, surveying the scene.
"With those, we'll be completely safe," Leo said to them. He didn't sound completely sure.
"So, what happens now?" Harry asked, staring at Crystal, who was standing against the wall, the long chains reaching to the floor around her.
"Well, this may take awhile. I need to tap into my powers." Crystal looked a bit mournfully at them. At that moment, it occurred to Harry that this could probably hurt her a great deal. He was about to protest to this, saying that they didn't need the answer enough as to place someone specifically in danger, but Crystal had already gotten a faraway look in her eyes and the room was becoming suddenly cold.
Then she tilted her head up a little and whispered something in Ytineres. The room became abruptly silent, all sound gone; but hardly anyone noticed, for all eyes were glued to Crystal. She was going rigid, her eyes clouding over just as they had been when Harry had first seen her in the dining room. For a moment she stayed this way, standing, lost in mind, then.
With a great flash of light, Crystal let break an earth-shattering scream. It was glorious and horrifying at the same time. It was beautiful like a phoenix's song yet heart tearing as a banshee's cry. With the flash, everyone threw up their hands to shield their eyes. The blindness lasted for a few moments, and then quickly died away.
Slowly and cautiously, everyone lowered their hands and arms. They all looked up, expecting to see Crystal standing where they had last seen her, but she wasn't. Even Harry, Ron and Hermione had expected something different. They had envisioned this great, glowing creature. Someone of great radiance and power who had the voice of an angel yet eyes like a demon. For surely, when tapping into her power, Crystal would then appear to them as the Oracle of Prodigy, the greatest power in the universe. But she didn't.
She was crumpled on the ground, the chains hitting their farthest extent. Her hair was thrown about and her face was hidden from them by the stone floor. There was no glow, nor any magnificent cloak about her. She looked nothing more than dead.
"Leo, is she-," Harry started, confused and shocked. Leo shook his head.
"Just wait," he told him, choking a little on his voice. It seemed to Harry that this sight distressed him. Minutes passed with no change in scenery. Harry was just about close to panic, when suddenly, Crystal moved.
She suddenly flew up from her place on the ground, landing on her feet in silence. The chains tinkled eerily, sending a chill up Harry's spine; but that wasn't the worst of it. Her face had changed dramatically. She no longer looked like anything.normal. Her eyes were completely dark now, darkness so remote that it challenged even the blackness of light. Her face was pale and her hair was tangled and wild. And her lips were curved into a crazed smile, and that made the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end.
"Oh, I've never felt this good in ages," she suddenly said, stretching her arms. Her voice was different; insane, unused and mad. It had a faint echo to it and it did not suit her at all. "What have I been missing out on?"
Harry stood frozen in his place; and he could only imagine that Hermione and Ron were too. Leo seemed even more crestfallen at his sister's insanity and Dumbledore seemed more sympathetic than anything else. Then Crystal caught sight of them, and her blank gaze was irking.
"To be alive is a glorious thing. I haven't been alive for quite some time," she said. Then she began to giggle madly.
"Alright, she's there," Leo piped up. His tone was very dead. "Now then, this is the time for asking your questions. Just step up a little close to her, not too close so that she can reach you, but close enough. If she's not paying attention to you, request her as an audience. And know this: She cannot lie to you in this state. As her title as Wanderer, she is restricted from telling any living soul from the mortal world a lie. So do not fear that she is being dishonest. The only thing you need to worry about is how she will tell you the truth."
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked awkwardly at one another.
"Go on then," Ron and Hermione urged Harry. "You go first."
"Okay."
He turned to the Oracle. She was leaning her back against the wall now, holding onto her chains and swaying from side to side, giggling. Harry took a step forward.
"Crys-I mean, Wanderer.I request you as an audience," he said. He awaited her reaction.
****
Draco walked through the familiar stone corridors, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The portal had left him cold and shivering, and he was very happy when it had closed up behind him.
But now he had to find them; find them and tell them what happened. He could have waited where he was, but it would probably take them ages to find him; and he had to talk to them now. Silently, he sped up his pace, the sun from outside playing across his gray eyes.
****
"An audience?" Crystal asked, feigning dumb. "Why me as an audience? I should be asking you that, Harry Potter. To meet with someone so high in your rank is delightful. I am very pleased to meet-,"
"Crystal," Leo interrupted, his voice strong and almost angry. "Stay within the subject." She silenced herself.
"Er-alright," Harry stammered, trying to sum his courage. "Wanderer, I want to ask you something. That time when you came to me in school and placed the Cruciatus Curse on me, why did you do it? Why did you say that Ron and Hermione would.die.if they heard me?"
Crystal's grin quickly dropped away as she stared hard at Harry. "Because," she said angrily, as if he should have known the reason for her actions all this time. "There will be a time in your late future that will call upon such an action. It will come, and when it does, you will be rendered helpless." Her smile crept back into place. "There will be so much pain for you, Harry Potter, and it will be intentional. And when that time comes, you will want to cry out in pain; in agony. But if you do, then your dear friends would hear you and come to your rescue. And in the situation that you would be in, it wouldn't be a good thing."
"What?" Harry asked, fear apparent in his eyes. "What are you talking about? When will that time come? Did you see it as a vision?"
She laughed. "Oh yes, Harry Potter, I saw it in a vision! You will be in pain and if you cry out, you will lead your friends to their deaths." She looked upward, one hand fiddling with a twirl of her hair. "I have foreseen it."
"Then why did you apologize to me?" Harry demanded, momentarily forgetting to be frightened by her. Crystal suddenly looked down to him, her anger obvious.
"What did you say?" she hissed.
"Why did you apologize to me! You came to me afterward, and you were crying, and you said that you were sorry. Why did you say it?"
"How dare you," she growled, narrowing her eyes at him. "How dare you speak such lies to an Oracle of Prodigy."
"It's not a lie-," Harry started to say, but was cut off by her rage.
"LIES!" she bellowed, launching herself at him. But her restraints held fast and she was stopped but inches away from him. "Dare you say such a thing to me, the Wanderer?! I know the risks of projecting my self, and I will deny anything you say about showing emotion to anyone; even to you!!!"
She was struggling with herself, pulling on her chains and trying to reach Harry. Terrified, Harry backed away towards Leo, his eyes focused on Crystal.
"What did I say wrong?" he asked the boy urgently. Glancing towards him, Harry noticed that he was very calm.
"Oh, don't worry. She cannot break loose. It's just that she doesn't take personal insult lightly."
"Insults?" Harry repeated. "When did I insult her?"
"When you mentioned her apology."
"What are you talking about?"
"Look," Leo started, turning towards him. "We may be the Oracles of Prodigy and Crystal may be the most powerful being in existence; but we still have rules that we have to follow."
Harry stared at him. "How does that answer my question?"
"Why do you think the Higher Being allowed Crystal to keep her ability of astral projection? Why didn't he just take that power away from her, saving maybe about a hundred victims from her?"
Harry shrugged.
"Because there were rules to it," Leo explained. "When she was in her projected state, Crystal couldn't get emotionally involved with people of the mortal world. Getting emotionally involved would mean it would narrow her physical mind down to that one person she is emotional about, and that leads to trouble. To stay in projection form, one must always have an open mind, free of all thought. If the mind is closed to one thing, then Crystal could be caught in the mortal world forever, deprived of her physical body."
"Wow," Hermione whispered. She was behind Harry and Leo, standing with the Headmaster and Ron and listening to the entire conversation.
"Yes, I know," Leo agreed. "And to say that she apologized would mean that she had forgotten that important rule. It's seen as an insult to her, being told that you disobeyed something as crucial as that. Believe though, she did do it, that I know; but in this state, she does not remember ever committing such an act."
"I, who am Wanderer, forget such a fact?! Unheard of!" Crystal cried. She had ceased from fighting her chains and was now contented with standing just as far as they would let her.
"Let it go, Crystal," Leo snapped at her, and Crystal quieted. "Proceed with the questions," he then said, waving off-handedly towards them. Harry looked over his shoulder.
"Hermione, Ron?"
His two friends glanced at each other, and then walked forward, so that they stood next to Harry.
"What do you want now?" Crystal spat; but then her face suddenly broke into a menacing smile. "What is it that you wish to know?"
"I wanted to know about my sister," Ron said. Harry looked at him and saw that it was taking every ounce of courage he owned to be talking to a fanatical and overly powerful person.
"Your sister," Crystal repeated, slowly, saying the words so that they sounded more sinister than what was normal. "She is the seventh Weasley child, is she not?" She was backing up now, back towards the wall. Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah," Ron answered.
"Oh, a treasure, that one," Crystal told him, her words like rough silk; strong yet smooth. "She looks up to you, do you know that?"
Ron looked slightly puzzled. "No she doesn't."
"But she does!" Crystal contradicted, her eyes wide like a puppy's. "She loves you because you are her role model! You are her favorite brother and you are her closest sibling. But the question here is if you can return that kind of love."
"Yes, I can," Ron protested. "This brings me to my next question. You came to me too, and it wasn't pleasant. You had hurt me, badly, and you said that-that if my sister saw me, she would die. Why did you tell me that? Why did you do that to me?"
It seemed that Crystal's smile grew only wider, her dark eyes joyous with the information she knew. "For the same exact reason I came to Harry Potter. I have seen it, that in the future, there will be a time when you will be in peril; and the only one to help you will be your sister. But if you call to her and let her see you, then she will surely fall to her death.or as close to it as possibly." She then let out a dead laugh, her eyes never leaving Ron's face. "That will be a distressing time for you; that I am certain. For in that moment, the love you have for your sister and the love you have for your own welfare will be tested." Then the smile sudden fell from her face again, her eyes narrowing. "I hope you fail that test."
****
Draco turned at the exact corner, knowing precisely how many flight of stairs he would have to descend to reach his goal. In all his years, Draco was sure that he knew no other place as well as he knew this one. Sure he had spent practically all his life at his manor, but it wasn't the same magical feel as this place.
Draco hurried on, hoping he had made the right choice and that this wasn't the biggest mistake of his life.
****
"Wanderer," Hermione started, stepping in front of a shocked Ron. "I have a question for you."
Crystal looked at her, the grin once again in place. "Hermione Granger. The proud recipient of my Love Spell. You want to know about it don't you?"
"No," Hermione stopped her. "I already know how and why you put it on me. You thought you were helping me with it; but that's not what I wanted to ask you."
"Really?" the Oracle asked, faking extreme interest. "Well, pray tell, what is your question?"
"Well," Hermione gulped. "The first time you came to me, you did something to me. You.you let me feel all these different emotions. It felt like all the emotions of the world-,"
What little color that was left in Crystal's face drained away.
"- and then you showed me something. First it was just you, and then it was you shackled to the wall, like you are now, crying out; and then I saw you lying on a stone floor, dead."
"I saw something like that as well," Ron suddenly started, stepping out from behind Hermione to stand next to her. "But for me there was light; and you also showed me something strange. You were sitting somewhere-it looked like this place when I saw it-and it was falling apart around you, but you weren't moving."
The smile had completely gone from her face.
"What do they mean?" Hermione finished. The two stared at her, Harry standing behind both of them and waiting as well.
Crystal looked horrified; horrified beyond all comprehension. Her eyes had grown bigger than ever and her face was a pasty white color. Her mouth was slightly open and her entire body was tensed up with shock. For a moment, Harry could have sworn the blackness of her eyes lightened just the smallest bit, but it had all gone away as a new emotion began to override the surprise. It was anger.
"What did you say?" she muttered, her face already beginning to twist into a maddening snarl. "What did you say?"
"Crystal, Wanderer.we just want the truth-," Hermione tried, but was cut off abruptly by the Oracle's rage.
"Truth!?!" she yelled, slowly starting, once more, to fight her chains. "You wish the truth from me, yet you dare to announce such blasphemy?!"
"Crysi, hold your temper-," Leo began, unconcerned; but then he was taken aback by his sister's disobedience.
"Silence, boy! You are shamed by the action of bringing these frauds before me! You three mere mortals dare make such lies?!"
"They're not lies," Harry told her, his brow furrowed in frustration. "They have seen the visions. Why would they make it up?"
"Because it is unthinkable! I, the Wanderer, who was granted half of immortality, will die?! I, who have spent all my years striving to discover the half in which I am deprived, will die?! I, who will reign always as an Oracle of Prodigy, attempt to show pathetic human life forms my own downfall?! They are all LIES! I shall never die! I will live forever and take with me the lives of all mortals! I WILL NEVER DIE!"
"But I saw it."
"You saw nothing but your own twisted fate!" Crystal spat, pulling as hard as she could on her shackles. The stone in the wall cracked under the strain, making the three back away as quickly as possible. "I will have no death.no death, but forever life!!!" The chains were giving way, being pulled out of the wall that held them.
"Crystal, be quiet with you!" Leo cried out, stepping in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"To death with you all!" Crystal screamed.
"I said, BE QUIET WITH YOU!!!" And with that, Leo placed a hand on his sister's middle. A great blaze of dark blue light erupted from it, sending Crystal flying back into the wall. She was heading for it at top speeds, but suddenly stopped herself only centimeters from its surface. Leo looked angrier than fire and Crystal was colder than ice.
"You hit me," she told him, her words dripping with venom.
"I said," Leo retorted, hatred quivering in his words. "Be quiet with you."
****
Draco turned his final corner and saw it. It was the wooden door, the last one in the hallway. Hurriedly, he rushed towards it, mind reeling and pulse beating. Maybe he had made the wrong decision; maybe he just should have-
No. What was done was done and now he had to live with the decision he had made. But there was a strange feeling in him about what he was doing, as if everything he was doing, he should not have been doing. It was hard to explain, but it was like he suddenly went into dream mode and was attempting what he shouldn't.
****
"There is something wrong," Crystal suddenly said, pressing her back against the wall and darting her eyes around herself. Leo was next to her, shortening the length of her shackles with a little too much strength.
"What's wrong?" he snapped, securing the chains with a tug. Crystal winced a little, as her ankles and wrists were being cut by the metal.
"There is something not right, boy," she told him, watching his as he rejoined the others. "Someone who is not right."
"What are you going on about?" Leo demanded. Crystal glared at him.
"Someone has stepped from their path."
Everyone looked uneasily around.
"Is that bad?" Ron asked.
"For her," Dumbledore told him, pointing to Crystal. "It could be."
"But I still have some things to ask her," Ron started, turning back to her and stepping forward once more. "You came to me, a third time, not too long ago. You showed me a dream; one that was similar to another Hermione had at my house. We were in this very dungeon, and you were shackled to the wall like you are now, and then something happened and I-." Ron gulped. "I think I died."
Crystal did nothing in reaction save for the small cock of her head.
"And then I think you left me something," Ron continued. "You left me the blood-stained clothes in my dream and this." He held up his hand to show the ring there, the intricate design setting off its perfect brown color. Crystal squinted at the ring, then smiled widely.
"Yes, that is one of mine," she said to him.
Ron was growing impatient. "But what did the dream mean? Why did you.you kill me in it?"
"Perhaps I-," Crystal started but unexpectedly cut herself off by crying out in agony.
"Crystal!" Leo cried, running to her. "Crystal, what's happening?"
She was tossing her head side to side, throwing her body against the wall and screaming bloody mercy. Her manacles were blazing with the green light, the binding spell fighting to hold onto its prisoner.
"Get away!" she yelled, breathing hard and rough. "Get away from me before I hurt you!!!"
"Crysi, what's-,"
"Damned souls, GET AWAY!" she cried. Leo sprang away, throwing out his arms to stop Harry from coming closer.
"What's going on now?" Harry asked. Crystal had shut her eyes to the world, yelling out that they were burning horridly.
"I honestly don't know!" was all the small boy could say. "Hurry, everyone huddle together; I don't want to risk anything."
He gathered everyone behind him and then whispered something under his breath. A great light sprouted from him and then encircled their small group on what looked like a semi-transparent globe of water. For minutes, Crystal continued to scream, struggling to free herself of the chains and fighting to remain there as well. It was horrible to watch. She was being tortured beyond anything anyone could imagine and no one could do anything.
She opened her eyes for the briefest moment, and shooting forth from them came the blast of canon and a jet of fire. It hit the watery shield hard, making Leo groan in an urgent way.
"Leo-,"
"It's okay, Harry. I didn't get hurt," he explained. "It's just that I haven't learned to use my strongest powers without having them take their toll on me. I'll be fine."
"Will she be all right?" Hermione questioned, breathless.
Leo could only look on, stunned and weary. "I don't know. I don't even know what's going on with her."
And then everything went silent once more.
**** Draco walked up to the door and then stopped. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why he was nervous about being there; it was the Oracles who had gladly extended the invitation for him to stay.
He cleared his head, hoping that there wouldn't be a lot of questions. Back in the dining room he had made the decision to stay in Enol, and the choice was only confirmed when he had reached for the doors and the portal closed up behind him. Now he would stay here, and there was no turning back after that.
Then Draco quickly took a surprised step away from the door as there was an ear-splitting cry from behind it. Someone, it was either Crystal or Hermione, had been hurt in some way. On instinct, Draco was about to reach for the door handle and force it open when there was a series of cries and the heat of an immense fire flew at him through the cracks in the door.
For a moment Draco had the idea to turn tail and run; but then the shouts of pain suddenly went away, leaving behind a dead silence. He hesitated for just a couple more minutes, and then he pushed himself forward with the last of his courage and opened the door, running into the dungeon room within it.
For a second there was nothing, only his eyes trying to comprehend the person chained to the wall, three people standing near it, someone kneeling on the floor and another beside him before there was the greatest explosion of black light and everything was lost in the blinding darkness.
****
Crystal had instantly gone still, her cries disappearing immediately and her body falling limp against the wall. She hung there unmoving, her breath gone and the blood from her wrists make a tiny sliver down her arms.
Just as quickly, Leo let fall the protective shield and fell to his knees, unable to run to his sister due to his own draining energy. Amazingly, it was Ron who stepped forward first.and then it was the dream all over again.
****
~Ron walked to her still form, still as death.
Harry was somewhere behind him, frozen, unmoving, watching.
Where was Hermione? She was over there, head tilted to the door. Were those footsteps she was hearing?
Crystal, limp against the wall, head drooping and chest lost without the rise and fall of breathe. Exactly like the dream.
Ron continued forward, knowing he shouldn't but unable to stop himself. He kept on in wonderment, her lifeless figure growing ever closer.~
****
It was a strange feeling for Crystal. It was like she was lost in a whole new world. It was all darkness, but she could see the people she knew in it. They were clad in white, gratefully, but their faces were hidden by a blur.
One was walking towards her; it was definitely Ron, for it had the sense of him. Over to her left was Hermione, the small petite frame readable against the others. Behind Ron was Harry's form, outlined in a golden hue. Of course it would be, seeing that his position in the world was crucial to the balance of life. His aura gave off a warm glow; one that brought color to her cheeks and a sense of awareness to her mind.
Kneeling on the floor was a figure bathed in shining blue and white light, with swirls of gold and silver around it. This was Leo. He was the simplest one to distinguish out of the group, for he shared that same presence that Crystal, herself, owned.
Standing next to him was a tall man, plain white as Hermione and Ron, but with the smallest twinkle of purple light where his heart should have been. Ah, Dumbledore; he was so easy to pick out with his pure heart always in place.
But why wasn't she able to look up and see everything for herself? She was not dead, that was simply impossible. So why couldn't she wake up? What was keeping her from opening her eyes and standing? It was nothing, just an overload of her foresight, no more. She had thought someone had strayed from their path, but when that did happen, she was always somewhat aware of it. So that couldn't have been the cause for her breakdown.
She was just gathering her remaining energy to open her eyes when there was a sudden burst from the door beside her, and another figure entered, only this one was different.terribly, terribly different.
He was clad in darkness, no glow, no radiance; only the haunting blackness of the night. He brought with him an immense cold, a shiver of terror that could make the blood run cold. If Harry had been all light and warmth, this being was the exact opposite; and he had an even worse effect on Crystal.
It was like all her magic had gathered together, creating a power inside of her that scared her to the edge of sanity. It welled in her till she was sure her body would burst with its weight, and she would surely die if it didn't.
Then her eyes snapped open, focusing on the first thing in front of her to release her power on: Ron. It hit him with the blow of thunder to the skies, making him fall to the ground, motionless. His blood was seeping out everywhere, and Hermione was at his side in a moment. Crystal thought that would be the end of it; that if she had unknowingly killed Weasley, then maybe she could spare the rest from her out of control powers; but it wasn't the end.
There was a stab in her chest so painful it was enough to bring her to her knees, though her shackles stopped her. She wanted to close her eyes, for they were burning again, but something in her said otherwise. It was a deep, commanding voice; subtle yet gaudy, gentle yet strong.
~Open your eyes and see what I have set before you~
And she obeyed.
Crystal opened her eyes and they fell upon the darkness of the new figure, standing in his shroud of evil. Then they darted to the crimson of Ron's blood flowing to the tips of her feet; and then to the golden glow that surrounded Harry, encasing him in a cloak of goodness.
Then her whole body was alight with white fire and burning ice, swallowing everything bright, black light. It was power beyond any she had ever known, and it shattered the chains around her ankles and wrists, freeing her from all imprisonment. And then it was like her body was being lifted away, rising higher and higher into the air. She took in one quick gasp, and then she was gone, being whisked away by a roaring wind, a sun-clad figure at her side.
Anyway, if you guys find any more mistakes like that, would you notify me? Thanks millions! Now, onward we go!
Chapter Ten ~
The Offering, the Sacrifice, the Reason
"That was a stupid move, Harry. I can get your rook just as easily with my knight and not risk my queen. You should have listened to me when I told you not to move there."
"Oh shut up, Ron. Either way, you're going to win and I will once again know defeat. Honestly, I don't even know why I bother playing against you. At least with Hermione I've got a chance." The raven-haired boy slumped back in his chair, his glasses slipping to the tip of his nose. Ron only shrugged.
"Hey, don't blame me for actually being good in this game. Chess is all about strategy and quick thinking; thankfully, I have both."
Harry raised his eyebrows at him. "And where, may I ask, is all this cunning when it comes to our lessons?" He shook his head as Ron rolled his eyes at the remark.
"Some people just don't appreciate a great mind. Now stop stalling and let's get back to the game."
It was nightfall in the tower, the sun already half sunken behind the trees in the distance, and the two friends were occupying themselves with a game of chess this evening, as there was really nothing to do until the next morning.
Two days had already passed by in Enol, and for those two days everyone in the tower had a very leisurely and relaxing time. Crystal and Leo had made it clear to all of them that they were free to move around the tower, go in any room and use anything they saw. This was a great way to spend a day, as the tower was very large and had a great variety of rooms of all sorts.
In this freedom given to them, Harry and Ron had noticed that Draco had found this as a perfect way to avoid them, especially and specifically Hermione. One would think that, after the encounter they had been through and the bond that had undoubtedly been created between them, that Draco would at least have the heart in him to look at her or talk to her or anything. But he did none of these. Instead, he made himself scarce; locking himself in his room or wandering in a part of the tower where the others were not.
Harry had a sense, which he had shared with Ron, that Hermione was a little hurt by his behavior. But Ron had also pointed out to him that Hermione was independent and usually bounced back from things like this, and Harry had to admit that she was just as normal as ever.
"Pawn to queen's bishop three," Harry said lazily.
"Not a wise choice, Harry," came Hermione's voice form behind him, and Harry started a bit, for he did not hear her come near.
"Why would you say that? I have his bishop," he pointed out. Hermione only shook her head and indicated the board again.
"Yes, but you also lost your last pawn. Now you'll never get your own queen back."
"Ugh," Harry groaned as Ron set his command to finish off the helpless pawn. Hermione gave a small laugh before leaving their game and walking over to the shelf of wands that Leo had made.
Yes, Hermione had been getting better and better at hiding her emotions, save for the occasional outburst of hysterical sobs; but she had good reasons for crying. This was saying something of a compliment, as it was that Hermione cried for fear of her life and her friend's while other girls cried because their hair wasn't cooperating with them.
But Hermione had been nothing less than Hermione for the last couple of days. Harry would always find her trailing behind Crystal or Dumbledore, asking polite questions about this and that or exploring some room or another thoroughly. When she wasn't out and about in the tower she would be found in the common room, trying out and inspecting every wand Leo had made and admiring them greatly. Only once did she ask where Draco was.
But now it was the final night before Draco would be on his way back home, and soon the relaxation would be over to give way to the real work. Harry wondered, from one moment or another, if Draco would ever acknowledge any of these events again once they had all returned to school. Surely he had not expected a friendship to suddenly sprout up between his archenemy and himself, but would they continue to bicker constantly when they went back or simply resolve to ignore each other? But Harry did not get to answer his own questions, for Ron had just claimed a triumphant checkmate and was smiling victoriously at Harry.
"Won again," he gloated. Harry blinked.
"What? No way! How could you? You have two pawns, a knight and your king and I've still got half my pieces! You couldn't have won."
"Ahh, but you still doubt me, Harry," Ron said, knowingly pointing at the board. "I purposely sacrificed my pieces so I could try out this new tactic I devised. Honestly, if I'd been playing right I would have beaten you thirty minutes ago."
Harry threw his hands up at him. "Oh sod off, Weasley." Yet his remark did nothing to dampen Ron's mood.
"Aww.don't be such a stiff! It's all just good and fun. Hey, Hermione, where are you off too?" Harry turned his head to see what Ron was talking about and saw that Hermione was halfway to the door. She didn't stop walking when she answered Ron's question.
"I'm just exploring a bit more. Crystal hinted that there was a magnificent library here but said it was up to me to find it. Don't worry, brother dearest, I'll be back before curfew. Oh, and I'll be passing by the lake room while I'm gone, do you two want anything from there?"
Since their last meeting almost two days ago in the lake room, where Leo had suddenly shoved them into the lake and freed them of the spell making them all happy and very wet, Crystal had said that this room was a special privilege to everyone. Many herbs, fruits and vegetables grew there and everything was pure and edible. She said it was okay for them all to go to the kitchens if they were hungry, but she also muttered that the small lake was clear and clean and gave the plant life a rare taste indeed. Harry personally had to favor the apples that grew from the many white blossomed apple trees.
"Nothing for me, thanks," Ron said, swinging his legs over the couch arm and leaning back.
"None either for me," Harry agreed, nodding toward Hermione who only shrugged.
"Whatever you say," she answered, and left the room with no more than a rustle from her dress. As soon as the door closed behind her, Ron looked over to Harry, face blank yet his voice undoubtedly light.
"She went looking for Malfoy, didn't she?" he asked him. Harry cast his eyes to meet his.
"Well, she wouldn't exactly tell us right off the back," he bounced back.
"You've got a point there," Ron answered. A small pause followed. "The guilt is eating her alive, isn't it." It wasn't a question.
"It always seems to, doesn't it?" Harry said to him. Ron could only nod in reaction. "But have you noticed that it never really is her fault?" Ron looked up to the ceiling at this.
"Never is," he answered. "But she always makes it. Maybe because of us, you know? You've got it hard because someone wants you dead, I'm poor, and even Malfoy has a miserable time with his emotions. Yet she always takes the blame for everything else. Why does she do that, you think?"
Harry only bowed his head. "I don't really know. Maybe," he started, looking up and into the blazing fire, "because she's the only one brave enough to take it, and we all kind of need her to do that."
And though Harry didn't know it, there was much wisdom in the words he had spoken.
****
Hermione closed the door behind her with a soft click, her head obviously somewhere other than with her body. She turned toward the hallway she was in and hugged her cloak around her. Looking down each way, she chose to venture down the right path, making it so that she did a thorough search of this floor before hitting the stairwell.
Hermione began her exploration, glad that neither Harry nor Ron offered to accompany her. She was aware that they, of course, knew that she had no intentions to look for the library; she had plenty of time for that. Instead, she was on a mad hunt for Draco, hoping to at least have a two minute conversation with him before he left the next morning.
"That is if he'll have the decency to listen to me," she said to herself, peeking into a room to her left and finding nothing. She closed it and continued on.
It had hurt Hermione the slightest bit that Draco had gone through all means to avoid everyone; her especially. But it hadn't lamed her as much so that she wallowed about the tower; she was stronger than that. Instead she went about her business, but now, on the eve of his departure, Hermione wanted to make amends with him before things got worse over her absence.
She spent a good hour roaming about the building, looking into every room and feeling disappointed at the lack of Malfoy in every one. After what felt like the millionth room, Hermione reluctantly gave up and headed for the one room that she had saved for last: the lake room.
Sighing heavily, she reached the wooden door to the room and laid her hand on the handle. She faltered for a moment, wishing that she could have at least found Draco, because there was so much she wanted to tell him, and also wishing that she could go to her best friends or the Headmaster or even the Oracles with her problems about her dreams, but they wouldn't be able to understand. But she quickly pushed that out of her mind and leaned against the door, opening it.
Hermione kept her eyes cast down, hoping the colorful array of flowers and plants would take her mind off of her troubles. By her vision she could see the flawless green grass bathed in gold. The enchanted sky in this tower was very similar to the one back in the Great Hall, as it also reflected that of the sky outside. Right now the sun was setting, casting the gold hue over everything, with streaks of darkness indicating the coming night.
Closing the door behind her, Hermione walked slowly to where the herbs grew. She was concentrating so hard on her steps that she didn't even notice the other occupant of the room.
"Granger," a cool, calm voice said, pulling her out of her trance. Her head snapped up and her brown eyes focused on the half shadowed figure of the fair-haired boy that was Draco.
He was leaning under a tree bedecked with thousands of tiny, white apple blossoms. The contrast he and the tree made to each other along with the darkened gold surrounding made a scene that Hermione would never forget. It was then that she had her first true feeling that Draco was not some untouchable and invulnerable being who enjoyed the downfall of others threatening his reign; nor was he the cruel boy she had known since first year, their rivalries growing with every look they exchanged and every insult they threw at one another.
But Draco didn't look like that now. At that moment he looked immaculate, a god-like creature bathed in the glow that was his glory. His face was unnaturally relaxed, bearing an emotion that both shocked her because she had never seen him like this and had never seen him bear any emotion at other times: he looked so.at peace. He wasn't smiling, but he wasn't scowling, and this brought his face into something new and intriguing. So this was the great glamour that made the girls back at school swoon; and Hermione couldn't blame them at that moment either.
"Granger," Draco repeated, his tone soft yet still strong. "Why are you staring at me?"
"Uh.what?" she asked, shaking her head a bit and straightening her thoughts. For a moment she had the crazy feeling that the both of them could be close friends, along with Harry and Ron; that there could be a bond created between all four of them that could take them to so many lengths, but that was ludicrous. But how ludicrous it was, Hermione wasn't sure, for she wasn't entirely certain that it was her own feelings that told her this or if it was someone else entirely hinting at a future development.
"Ah, I-I just came in here to grab some things for my drink. I hadn't any thought that you would be here," she told him. She remained rooted to her spot, suddenly cold but feeling no change in climate. Draco noticed her shiver and lost his look of innocent only to cover his face with the mask of blankness.
"Oh, well then, I guess I'll be going. No need for me to be in your way," and with that polite statement that did not suit him at all, Draco pushed himself off the tree and headed for the doorway behind Hermione. But before he had passed her she threw out her hand and caught his wrist, without looking up.
"No, wait. I have been looking all over this tower for you because I needed to talk to you." She could almost feel his gray eyes looking down at her, one eyebrow raised and head cocked slightly. But he only stepped back so that he faced her full on.
"Why?" he asked. She could do nothing but shrug. Draco rolled his eyes. "Granger, if you want to talk to me then, at some point, you're going to have to actually talk. Now what do you want?" And her reaction to this was not the one he had anticipated.
"Draco Malfoy, what is wrong with you?" she snapped, arms thrown all about and her eyes blazing like a brown inferno. Draco was slightly taken aback by her outburst, half faltering a step away from her, but something in him said that it was foolish to back down from a female; even if the female was Hermione in an extremely bad mood.
"I don't know what you're talking about," he replied in a monotonous voice. Basically, this was the exact wrong thing to say.
"Are you kidding me? Draco, haven't you noticed that you have completely shunned me away for the past two days? Honestly, I don't know why you did; and it's not like I wanted to become your closest friend either. It's just.I had to share the greatest horror of my life with you and I can't even let out all my emotions to the one person who would understand. And don't look at me like that, Malfoy; I already know what you're thinking, and you're wrong! Don't you think I wanted to go to Harry and Ron about this? Greatness knows it would have been much easier and more comfortable for me to do that, but they wouldn't understand. They weren't there and they wouldn't understand what I was feeling."
"And I would?" Draco questioned, sarcasm heavy in his words.
"Yes, you would. Draco, you were there! You saw everything that I saw! And don't you dare act like you felt nothing because I know you did. We were in Enol, or Purgatory, or whatever; and by whatever name you call it, this place is still very magical. So of course you know what I'm talking about. Didn't you notice it radiating off those.those souls out there?" She waited for his answer. He hesitated, and then only shook his head.
"No," he lied. Hermione gritted her teeth.
"It was like being near a hundred dementors, only maybe a thousand times worse. Oh, and feel free to stop me when I'm wrong. But that feeling was like I'd never be happy, but then I wasn't going to remain sad for eternity. It was like I would be frozen in that moment forever; a moment where terror and serenity were mixed inside of me. It was like a knife was tearing at my heart, opening it and seeing what I was. It was like being trapped in a hallucination, where right but so very, very wrong. I don't know, maybe it wasn't the same for you, but there were times when I still see that hallucination. I'd just be sitting by the fire with Harry and Ron and suddenly I'd get this feeling of helplessness and I would be scared beyond belief. It would be horrible, but it would also feel right, like I was supposed to feel that way. I used to think it-,"
"-was all in my head," Draco finished, turning his back on her and staring at the ground. He hadn't known she was experiencing the same things he was. It should've been obvious to him, but his mind hadn't been working right for a few days now.
"Yeah," Hermione said, a little confused. She chanced a step towards him. "Draco.have you been getting strange dreams as well?" He didn't answer her, just stood there, silent. "They just started with me as well; and they haven't been very pleasant."
"What do you mean just started," Draco muttered, but made sure that she didn't hear him.
"The affects of Purgatory have been growing with every night, not diminishing like Leo said. The first time I had a dream or vision it was terrible. I saw everyone, but they were acting so strange and I wasn't even sure if it was them." She began trailing away; turning away from Draco's back but still speaking to him. Feeling her movement, he turned around as she moved closer to the water's edge, staring intently into its clear depths.
"I saw people in the tower, but I wasn't sure who they were. There was Harry and Ron, but they were beaten down and I didn't know why. Crystal was there, with Leo, but they were different. I even tried finding you-," And Draco tensed when she said this. "But I thought you were dead, because you weren't moving. Then I woke up, but the dream didn't seem to stop there."
Then Hermione went off to tell him about the rest of her vision, or whatever it was. She explained it in all its detail, skipping over nothing and emphasizing on how the Harry and Ron in her vision were acting so different.
"Because Harry would never open up like that, or accept death in such a good way. No matter what people say, I know Harry, and he's still shy Harry Potter from first year. And I've yet to remember a time when ever I saw Ron cry! But he was, Draco. He was crying blood, just like the souls out there in Enol. Somehow I know that these things are only symbols; signs of what's to come. But what are they symbolizing?"
Hermione continued to stare into the water. Draco proceeded with his silence, his head turned to her in a serene matter. Emotions of pity and sadness began to well up in him for her, but he quickly pushed them back down, with little effort, and kept his face immeasurably blank.
"I thought that I could handle this on my own." She gave a cold laugh. "I mean, not to sound ungrateful to best friends or anything, but they are boys and I'm the only girl. A lot of times I have to do things on my own; and usually when we're in a fight, it's those two against me, except once last year. Otherwise, I'm by myself; but I can't this time. You're probably tired of hearing this, but I'm going to say it again anyway; Draco, I'm coming to you because you're the only one who can help me. God, I could use anyone at this moment."
She turned to him, her eyes pleading him, making a knot in his stomach twist painfully. He stared back, knowing he should give up his stubborn pride and just be kind for once. But of course, this was Draco, and kind was one of the things he never would be.
"Listen," he said, with as much gentleness as he could stand. "I know what we went through was.something, Granger, alright? Don't worry, I'm not stupid; and I did feel everything you just said. But see, you fail to point out one important detail." He raised his eyes to meet hers, confusion apparent on her face. "None of this is my problem.
"Granger, I leave tomorrow morning; and with that, I leave behind all this nonsense and unreality. I get to go back to my own life and leave all the heroic crap to you and your little friends. Do you see where this is going? After tomorrow, none of this happened to me. I just have to forget it and then my life goes back to normal. So why don't you take your sad and pitiful problems to hero boy and just let me be.
"Look, I know I asked you to help me once; and you did. Thanks. But none of this is my problem.it's yours. You chose this path when you befriended Harry Potter, so you get to deal with the consequences. I don't know what you were thinking, coming to me. If you wanted pity, I won't give it. If you wanted help, I won't give it; and if you wanted closure, I won't give that either. So basically, you came to the wrong person."
He held Hermione's gaze for a moment, actually taking satisfaction at the horrified and crestfallen look etched there. Then he bowed his head a little to her- his own small way of close to almost saying he was sorry- and turned toward the door. The absence of her voice made him wary of her shock, so he kept his eyes glued to the door, knowing that once outside, he'd be able to breathe comfortably again.
But Draco had only pulled open the door a sliver when a spell whizzed past his ear. It hit the door with the force of a howling wind, lighting it up with a flash of gold before shutting closed and locking with a soft click. Draco didn't show his surprise, but simply lowered his hand and braced himself for the much more powerful blow that would come in the form of a very angry voice.
"What the hell was that, Malfoy?!" Hermione shrieked from behind him. He stood absolutely still. "I said," she started, half running towards his cold back. "What the hell was that!?!" She reached out a hand and grasped his shoulder with enough anger that Draco couldn't help but flinch a bit from it. As he faced her he could never remember seeing such hatred and anger in one person, but there it was, and he had sparked it. It almost amazed him to know that this common muggle-born witch was able to hold her anger just enough so that it didn't make her magic go haywire.at least, without her doing it intentionally.
"I meant what I-," he began, but it was obvious that Hermione was sick of his talking.
"God, Malfoy! I never thought there would be a day that I actually wanted to kill someone, but evidently, I was wrong. I can't believe you! It's like you don't have a conscience or something; not even a guilty bone in your body! You're like a curse on its own, leading people on to almost want to love you and then throwing that love in their feet! Here I come, hoping to find at least some kind of sympathy from you, but no. I poured my heart out to you, Draco! I opened up and became vulnerable, something I don't ever do! What the listener is supposed to do is take someone's sorrows, stuff them in a jar, and throw them into to the sea, only to drown them out with kind words and comfort. But no! The Malfoy's always seem to do things different. Instead, you took my sorrows, stuffed them in a jar, tied me to the jar, and threw both of us into a raging sea of turmoil!"
She was breathing dangerously fast now, her eyes wide and her face losing its color by the breath. She was looking up at him with this power that Draco couldn't exactly place. It was a power that made the color of her eyes blaze, the tension in her hands increase, and the supremacy of her voice ignite. And, remarkably, it angered him that she had this power and he did not.
"Hermione! I told you that I was the wrong person to come to, but would you listen? Of course not! Because, guess what, you never do!" He surprised himself by returning her screams with yells of his own, but it seemed not to baffle Hermione; if anything, it made her eyes darker with fury. "I am not someone who can give you what you want, because what you want is what I don't have. I don't have sympathy, guilt, pity, kindness or anything! I'm Draco Malfoy, and I didn't want this!"
"I didn't either!" Hermione bellowed, throwing her hands out at him. "I didn't want to be haunted by dreams of people I love suffering! I didn't want to see the outcome of the death of souls, or how they spend their moments in judgment! And I sure as hell didn't want to share any of that with you! But see, you don't get to deal with any of this, Draco! Once again, you get to run away; run home like a coward! Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. You leave unfinished business behind because you 'can't handle it'. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy! I nasty, no good, filthy, slimy coward!!! Sometimes I-,"
"Don't call me that," Draco said, cutting her off with a low and venomous tone, but Hermione had fallen off the brink of insanity to a whole new level all its own.
"DON'T YOU EVER INTERUPT ME!!!" she bellowed, whipping out her wand once more and jabbing it, hard, at Draco. "EXPELLIARMUS!" she screeched, and the red light that shot out of her wand exploded in his chest, sending him flying backward with such speed and force that, when he hit the apple tree some ways away, there was a dull crunching sound, placing the threat of a broken back.
He then slid down to the tree's base, falling in a heap of crumpled white clothes. The white apple blossoms were shaken from the branches and were falling all around him in a curtain of pinkish white petals, blanketing him in a sheet of grace. It disgusted Hermione.
For some moments Draco did not move; he lay still on the ground, a dead weight of limbs and blonde hair. Hermione stared at his motionless form with no emotion whatsoever. She was panting hard and her wand hand was still extended out in front of her. Then, as Draco began to stir, the door opened beside her and Crystal and Leo's heads popped in. For a split second they took at the winded Hermione and the lamed Draco, eyes wide with wonderment. But before they could say anything, Hermione spoke.
"Sorry if I disturbed either of you, but I was just saying good-bye to my dearest friend, Draco," she said, exaggerating her words with cruelty. She turned to them and flashed a very fake smile. "I think the emotion was a little too much for him."
And with that she stomped over to the edge of the water, snatched up the sage and hibiscus flowers she had come for, and stomped out of the room, brushing past the Oracles and running all they way to her dorm room safely on the eighth floor.
****
That night Draco lay in his bed, the curtains drawn closed once more. He lay atop his covers, his arms down at his sides, gripping the sheets as he stared hard at the canopy. Leo had said he should relax for the rest of the night, for Hermione had inflicted quite a bit of damage to his spinal cord and backbone and rest was needed to help the healing spell Crystal had performed on him; but no matter how much he tried, Draco could not relax.
~You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. ~
He didn't know, but falling away to relaxation would not happen for Draco. It was an essential; this he knew. Crystal had pestered him all the way to his room about the consequences of poor health when traveling the fourteen hour trip back to Hogwarts. She nagged and nagged until he agreed to down her horrid tea supplement and go straight to bed. She assured him that sleep would be an easy thing and that, by tomorrow morning, he would be all set for his long journey back home.
~A coward, Draco Malfoy. Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. A coward. ~
Silence would soon become his enemy, for it was pressing on him in great amounts so that there was room only for his thoughts and Hermione's words echoing in his head. Words that brought about a great anger that boiled inside of him; anger even greater than that of hers when she accused him of cowardice. Anger so great, it tapped into his magic and made the windows rattle in their sills and the curtains to start snapping as if in a huge wind.
~Run home like a coward. ~
He wasn't a coward, had never been seen as one before this. He was Draco Malfoy, heir to the estate and title of his father, Lucius Malfoy. He was the richest boy in school, with the most authority and cunning. He wasn't a coward, and no one would ever call him otherwise; he would make sure to it.
But despite these promises, Draco stayed up that whole night, staring into his canopy with eyes cold as ice, the same words ringing in his ears.
~You're a coward, Draco Malfoy. Always running and never staying. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy; a coward.. ~
****
"Rise and shine Draco Malfoy! The morning has come swiftly on gilded wings, and your home is but a fourteen hour bliss journey away," came the uplifting voice of Leo from the hall outside. Sighing heavily, Draco sat up in bed and pulled the covers away, taking his sweet time to slide off the mattress. As he did so, Leo opened the door and came in, all smiles and cheery hazel eyes. His white clothing looked even cleaner than before and it sickened Draco to the brink of fever.
"Well, someone's happy this morning," Draco stated, doubling over a little bit as he sat on the edge of the bed. He was trying to settle his churning stomach and also had the advantage at not looking into the boy's joyous face.
"I always try to be," Leo answered bouncing all the way to the dresser. "Now, let us get you ready for that long journey, shall we?"
"What time is it?" Draco asked, falling back across the bed, wincing as even the softness of the sheets stung his back. Leo noticed this, but acknowledged it not. He knew how aggravated Draco got when someone worried about him.
"Very early in the day, Draco Malfoy. It is but five hours past the middle of night and the portal opens at.er.seven thirty two. Now up you get!" He turned away to open the drawers as Draco groaned to a sitting position.
"I can pick out my clothes on my own, thanks," he muttered, as the boy began rummaging through the drawer.
"Well, of course I'm aware of that Draco Mal-,"
"No," Draco said, stopping him before he could finish his sentence. "Look, I know that my name is glorious to say, but could you cut down on it? If you like saying it so much you can have it."
Leo shrugged. "Sorry. But for me, it's not every day you meet someone who's last name is not your own. Anyway, put this on and get down to the dining area."
He threw over a white shirt, and over-tunic and a pair of white trousers made from that same material that was incredibly soft yet so strong that Draco didn't know the name of. "Call me if you need anything," he added, pointing to the globe in the wall.
"Sure thing, mother," Draco drawled, earning a glare from the boy before he left the room so Draco could dress.
As quickly as he could, considering his sore back, Draco dressed in the garments Leo had set out for him and then headed straight for the fourth floor. It only occurred to him then that the sun had barely begun to peak over the horizon, and that he had stayed awake all night, for his eyes burned and his head swam. For a moment Draco almost forgot why he had lain awake all night, but at that moment, as he descended the stairs and the muscles in his back cried out in protest, he remembered.
As he hit the fourth floor landing, Draco silently hoped that he wouldn't meet up with Hermione, not wanting to have a replay of last night's events. Too soon, he reached the double doors and pulled them open, only to meet up with Crystal, Leo, Harry, Ron, Dumbledore and.Hermione.
For a moment Draco faltered, catching sight of her small frame alongside everyone else's. But when he saw that she hadn't looked up, he proceeded in.
Everyone was scattered about the room, some half awake and some very energetic.well, Draco really couldn't say that, as the only one who was energetic was Leo.
Harry and Ron, who were obviously joined at the hip since you could never find one without the other, were both slouching over by the wall, there backs holding them up and their heads drooping towards one another with eyes half closed. In front of them sat Hermione, who had not looked up on Draco's entrance for she clearly had fallen back asleep. Her head was in her arms and she was slumped over the table. Across from her sat Crystal, all dignity and authenticity gone. She was dressed in the same garb as Hermione, (a common peasants frock), and she, too, had fallen back asleep, only she was leaning back in her chair.
Standing next to her, his hands folded in front of him, was Dumbledore. Draco had to stifle a smirk at the Headmaster for he had mimicked the two girls and had fallen back asleep, standing. The only one awake was Leo, who was at the front of the table, his small legs swinging madly over its edge and his head bobbing back and forth. He greeted Draco as he entered.
"Good morrow to you, sir," he piped, hopping down from his seat.
"Yeah, whatever; same to you, squirt. Er.what is this, a siesta?" A grin actually threatened to claim his face. "They're all asleep."
"Well, er-.yeah, I guess they are," Leo said, looking around at all the dozing figures and frowning. "For some reason five o'clock is too early for them. I always wake up at this time."
"I bet you do," Draco mumbled sarcastically. Gratefully, Leo did not hear.
"Well, there's your breakfast," he responded, pointing to the plate of food that Draco could have sworn hadn't been on the table last he looked at it. "And that goblet is a little more of Crystal's tea. Drink some, it will help on your journey. Oh come on, I know you're scared of Hermione but just get over there. She hasn't a clue that you're in here."
Draco looked down at him. "I'm not scared."
"Yeah. I know."
Without another word, Draco sat down to his breakfast, staying as far away from the sleeping Hermione as possible. All the while, Leo spoke, telling things he needed to know about his journey home. He told him the time he would arrive, where he would arrive, what he should not tell people about where he had been and so on. Draco absorbed all the information as he should have, asking no questions and just remembering everything. When he had downed the last drop of tea, he responded.
"But despite all that, I get to go home?" he asked. Leo only nodded.
"That is what you wanted.right?" he prodded, unable to keep a hopeful look off his face. "You wanted to go home and forget about this place. It is what you said."
"Yeah, I know."
"Well, is it still what you want?" He stared hard at Draco, awaiting the answer. There was a small pause.
"Yeah," Draco replied after a short while. "Yeah."
"Okay then," Leo muttered, a little disappointed. "Let us get this over with then."
****
"Only a few more minutes," Leo said, checking the globe on the wall. "Fourteen hours from now, you'll be home sweet home. Are you excited?"
Draco did not answer.
It had been almost two hours since he had first woken up to the still darkened sky. Crystal, Potter, Weasley, Dumbledore and even Hermione had all said their good-byes to him and left for the dungeons while Draco remained in the dining area with Leo. Actually, he couldn't really call them good-byes, since Harry had been overly civil and Ron grunted more or less. Hermione had simply bored him with her icy glare and did a sort-of wave in his direction. It was Dumbledore and Crystal who gave proper farewells before departing.
"You look troubled. What's wrong?" Leo suddenly asked him from his seat on the table's surface once more. Draco was by the wall, one shoulder leaning against it and his hands stuffed into his trouser pockets.
"Nothing's wrong. How can anything be wrong? Life is dandy," he drawled. Leo scrunched up his nose at this remark.
"You're very sarcastic, you know that?"
"Hadn't the faintest."
"Well, you are," Leo said. "And it's driving away everything you could ever want."
Draco stared at him. "Excuse me?"
"You heard me. Sarcasm can be a great asset or a great weapon. In your case, you use the thing to beat others within an inch of their life. It's already driven away any hope of a friendship between you and Hermione Granger-,"
"Stop." Draco was staring hard at the ground, his stare intense and his body stiff. "I don't want to hear what you have to say about her."
"Fine. One minute left." Leo jumped off the table and walked to the middle of the room. Draco mimicked him; pushing himself off the wall and moving to stand next to the small boy. They both stared at the air before them. "But she's right you know."
Draco shot him a look of death. "What did you say?" But Leo only shrugged.
Then there was a great burst of air and massive swirl of color began to grow out of the air before them. In no time at all it became a whirling portal of wind and colors; the path from here back to Hogwarts.
"This is it," Leo cried over the roaring noise. Draco watched him as he skirted around the portal and towards the door. The wind was lifting both their hair, making it dance in turrets about their faces. "It's your path back home. You need only to enter, and when you come out on the other side, you can choose however you want to think of this place. You could remember us or forget us. So I guess this is good-bye, Draco Malfoy. For your sake, I hope you live a brave and prosperous life!" And with that, he slid out the door and left Draco with the howling portal.
For moments Draco simply stared at it, wanting to step through yet not wanting to. It was almost as if by leaving, he would lose something that could be his. He didn't know exactly what it was, but suddenly the voice in his head spoke up, shedding light on the subject.
~ Always running, and never staying behind long enough to stand up and fight. You're a coward, Draco Malfoy.~
Yes, with his leaving, Draco would have once again proved Granger right and lose all dignity of himself.maybe even more than that. But if he would just leave now, then nothing of the past few days need ever be remembered, and he could pretend to forget it.
He looked into the portal, the colors creating a dance of ages before his eyes. For what felt like days, Draco stood there, the howling wind encircling him and a dilemma fighting for attention inside his head. What would he do?
Then the decision came to him like a burst of emotion. He knew what he would have to do; knew which way he could not live without. Raising his head high and straightening his shoulders, Draco took a step forward.
****
"So, what are we doing in a dungeon?" Ron asked, yawning widely as he followed Harry, Hermione, Crystal and Dumbledore into the wide and dank room.
"You're getting answers," was all Crystal said, and it was enough to shut Ron up for the remaining time. The Oracle led them into the room, stopping only when they reached the other side. It must have been a fair walk between this wall and the door, for Harry could have sworn that he couldn't see the chains hanging from the wall from where he stood at the door.
"So," Hermione suddenly began, her tone unusually shy. "I guess Malfoy has left then?"
"More or less so," Crystal said, inspecting the manacles. She touched one and it shimmered with a deep green light. "He seemed anxious to leave. He would have been welcome to stay, of course."
"Is this it?" Harry asked, walking over to her and watching as she continued to poke each metal clasp, making each shimmer with the green light. "Do we find out everything today?"
Crystal looked at him, her face grave. "Yes, you do. And I want to talk to you three about that really quickly." Ron and Hermione looked to her. "To get the answers you're looking for, I'll have to return to the state I was in when I created the questions. It won't be easy, and the result won't be a happy one. I may become frightening, believe me, it isn't only you who will be frightened; but trust me when I say I have no intentions to hurt you."
"But what if, you know, you accidentally let a Killing Curse fly and don't even realize it?" Ron asked.
"That's already taken care of," Crystal responded, indicating the chains. "I'll be chained to the wall, so I won't start rampaging about the tower. And there are very powerful binding spells set into each chain. My magic will be strictly contained. The only type of power that can escape these holds is one that has to be pretty powerful; and I have yet to know such power as to break these bindings."
A silence followed this, in which everyone did not move but gathered themselves. Then the entrance door opened once more and in strolled Leo, face set with determination.
"Well, that's done. Draco Malfoy is on his way. We can begin."
"Alright then, let's get this over with," Crystal said, sounding uncertain. "Leo, would you?" She leaned up against the wall, between the chains.
"Right."
The boy walked over to his sister, helping her clasp the hard metal over each wrist and each ankle, securing each one into the wall with a spark from his fingers. When he had finished, he moved back to where the other four were standing, surveying the scene.
"With those, we'll be completely safe," Leo said to them. He didn't sound completely sure.
"So, what happens now?" Harry asked, staring at Crystal, who was standing against the wall, the long chains reaching to the floor around her.
"Well, this may take awhile. I need to tap into my powers." Crystal looked a bit mournfully at them. At that moment, it occurred to Harry that this could probably hurt her a great deal. He was about to protest to this, saying that they didn't need the answer enough as to place someone specifically in danger, but Crystal had already gotten a faraway look in her eyes and the room was becoming suddenly cold.
Then she tilted her head up a little and whispered something in Ytineres. The room became abruptly silent, all sound gone; but hardly anyone noticed, for all eyes were glued to Crystal. She was going rigid, her eyes clouding over just as they had been when Harry had first seen her in the dining room. For a moment she stayed this way, standing, lost in mind, then.
With a great flash of light, Crystal let break an earth-shattering scream. It was glorious and horrifying at the same time. It was beautiful like a phoenix's song yet heart tearing as a banshee's cry. With the flash, everyone threw up their hands to shield their eyes. The blindness lasted for a few moments, and then quickly died away.
Slowly and cautiously, everyone lowered their hands and arms. They all looked up, expecting to see Crystal standing where they had last seen her, but she wasn't. Even Harry, Ron and Hermione had expected something different. They had envisioned this great, glowing creature. Someone of great radiance and power who had the voice of an angel yet eyes like a demon. For surely, when tapping into her power, Crystal would then appear to them as the Oracle of Prodigy, the greatest power in the universe. But she didn't.
She was crumpled on the ground, the chains hitting their farthest extent. Her hair was thrown about and her face was hidden from them by the stone floor. There was no glow, nor any magnificent cloak about her. She looked nothing more than dead.
"Leo, is she-," Harry started, confused and shocked. Leo shook his head.
"Just wait," he told him, choking a little on his voice. It seemed to Harry that this sight distressed him. Minutes passed with no change in scenery. Harry was just about close to panic, when suddenly, Crystal moved.
She suddenly flew up from her place on the ground, landing on her feet in silence. The chains tinkled eerily, sending a chill up Harry's spine; but that wasn't the worst of it. Her face had changed dramatically. She no longer looked like anything.normal. Her eyes were completely dark now, darkness so remote that it challenged even the blackness of light. Her face was pale and her hair was tangled and wild. And her lips were curved into a crazed smile, and that made the hairs on Harry's neck stand on end.
"Oh, I've never felt this good in ages," she suddenly said, stretching her arms. Her voice was different; insane, unused and mad. It had a faint echo to it and it did not suit her at all. "What have I been missing out on?"
Harry stood frozen in his place; and he could only imagine that Hermione and Ron were too. Leo seemed even more crestfallen at his sister's insanity and Dumbledore seemed more sympathetic than anything else. Then Crystal caught sight of them, and her blank gaze was irking.
"To be alive is a glorious thing. I haven't been alive for quite some time," she said. Then she began to giggle madly.
"Alright, she's there," Leo piped up. His tone was very dead. "Now then, this is the time for asking your questions. Just step up a little close to her, not too close so that she can reach you, but close enough. If she's not paying attention to you, request her as an audience. And know this: She cannot lie to you in this state. As her title as Wanderer, she is restricted from telling any living soul from the mortal world a lie. So do not fear that she is being dishonest. The only thing you need to worry about is how she will tell you the truth."
Harry, Ron and Hermione looked awkwardly at one another.
"Go on then," Ron and Hermione urged Harry. "You go first."
"Okay."
He turned to the Oracle. She was leaning her back against the wall now, holding onto her chains and swaying from side to side, giggling. Harry took a step forward.
"Crys-I mean, Wanderer.I request you as an audience," he said. He awaited her reaction.
****
Draco walked through the familiar stone corridors, his heart beating rapidly in his chest. The portal had left him cold and shivering, and he was very happy when it had closed up behind him.
But now he had to find them; find them and tell them what happened. He could have waited where he was, but it would probably take them ages to find him; and he had to talk to them now. Silently, he sped up his pace, the sun from outside playing across his gray eyes.
****
"An audience?" Crystal asked, feigning dumb. "Why me as an audience? I should be asking you that, Harry Potter. To meet with someone so high in your rank is delightful. I am very pleased to meet-,"
"Crystal," Leo interrupted, his voice strong and almost angry. "Stay within the subject." She silenced herself.
"Er-alright," Harry stammered, trying to sum his courage. "Wanderer, I want to ask you something. That time when you came to me in school and placed the Cruciatus Curse on me, why did you do it? Why did you say that Ron and Hermione would.die.if they heard me?"
Crystal's grin quickly dropped away as she stared hard at Harry. "Because," she said angrily, as if he should have known the reason for her actions all this time. "There will be a time in your late future that will call upon such an action. It will come, and when it does, you will be rendered helpless." Her smile crept back into place. "There will be so much pain for you, Harry Potter, and it will be intentional. And when that time comes, you will want to cry out in pain; in agony. But if you do, then your dear friends would hear you and come to your rescue. And in the situation that you would be in, it wouldn't be a good thing."
"What?" Harry asked, fear apparent in his eyes. "What are you talking about? When will that time come? Did you see it as a vision?"
She laughed. "Oh yes, Harry Potter, I saw it in a vision! You will be in pain and if you cry out, you will lead your friends to their deaths." She looked upward, one hand fiddling with a twirl of her hair. "I have foreseen it."
"Then why did you apologize to me?" Harry demanded, momentarily forgetting to be frightened by her. Crystal suddenly looked down to him, her anger obvious.
"What did you say?" she hissed.
"Why did you apologize to me! You came to me afterward, and you were crying, and you said that you were sorry. Why did you say it?"
"How dare you," she growled, narrowing her eyes at him. "How dare you speak such lies to an Oracle of Prodigy."
"It's not a lie-," Harry started to say, but was cut off by her rage.
"LIES!" she bellowed, launching herself at him. But her restraints held fast and she was stopped but inches away from him. "Dare you say such a thing to me, the Wanderer?! I know the risks of projecting my self, and I will deny anything you say about showing emotion to anyone; even to you!!!"
She was struggling with herself, pulling on her chains and trying to reach Harry. Terrified, Harry backed away towards Leo, his eyes focused on Crystal.
"What did I say wrong?" he asked the boy urgently. Glancing towards him, Harry noticed that he was very calm.
"Oh, don't worry. She cannot break loose. It's just that she doesn't take personal insult lightly."
"Insults?" Harry repeated. "When did I insult her?"
"When you mentioned her apology."
"What are you talking about?"
"Look," Leo started, turning towards him. "We may be the Oracles of Prodigy and Crystal may be the most powerful being in existence; but we still have rules that we have to follow."
Harry stared at him. "How does that answer my question?"
"Why do you think the Higher Being allowed Crystal to keep her ability of astral projection? Why didn't he just take that power away from her, saving maybe about a hundred victims from her?"
Harry shrugged.
"Because there were rules to it," Leo explained. "When she was in her projected state, Crystal couldn't get emotionally involved with people of the mortal world. Getting emotionally involved would mean it would narrow her physical mind down to that one person she is emotional about, and that leads to trouble. To stay in projection form, one must always have an open mind, free of all thought. If the mind is closed to one thing, then Crystal could be caught in the mortal world forever, deprived of her physical body."
"Wow," Hermione whispered. She was behind Harry and Leo, standing with the Headmaster and Ron and listening to the entire conversation.
"Yes, I know," Leo agreed. "And to say that she apologized would mean that she had forgotten that important rule. It's seen as an insult to her, being told that you disobeyed something as crucial as that. Believe though, she did do it, that I know; but in this state, she does not remember ever committing such an act."
"I, who am Wanderer, forget such a fact?! Unheard of!" Crystal cried. She had ceased from fighting her chains and was now contented with standing just as far as they would let her.
"Let it go, Crystal," Leo snapped at her, and Crystal quieted. "Proceed with the questions," he then said, waving off-handedly towards them. Harry looked over his shoulder.
"Hermione, Ron?"
His two friends glanced at each other, and then walked forward, so that they stood next to Harry.
"What do you want now?" Crystal spat; but then her face suddenly broke into a menacing smile. "What is it that you wish to know?"
"I wanted to know about my sister," Ron said. Harry looked at him and saw that it was taking every ounce of courage he owned to be talking to a fanatical and overly powerful person.
"Your sister," Crystal repeated, slowly, saying the words so that they sounded more sinister than what was normal. "She is the seventh Weasley child, is she not?" She was backing up now, back towards the wall. Harry let out a sigh of relief.
"Yeah," Ron answered.
"Oh, a treasure, that one," Crystal told him, her words like rough silk; strong yet smooth. "She looks up to you, do you know that?"
Ron looked slightly puzzled. "No she doesn't."
"But she does!" Crystal contradicted, her eyes wide like a puppy's. "She loves you because you are her role model! You are her favorite brother and you are her closest sibling. But the question here is if you can return that kind of love."
"Yes, I can," Ron protested. "This brings me to my next question. You came to me too, and it wasn't pleasant. You had hurt me, badly, and you said that-that if my sister saw me, she would die. Why did you tell me that? Why did you do that to me?"
It seemed that Crystal's smile grew only wider, her dark eyes joyous with the information she knew. "For the same exact reason I came to Harry Potter. I have seen it, that in the future, there will be a time when you will be in peril; and the only one to help you will be your sister. But if you call to her and let her see you, then she will surely fall to her death.or as close to it as possibly." She then let out a dead laugh, her eyes never leaving Ron's face. "That will be a distressing time for you; that I am certain. For in that moment, the love you have for your sister and the love you have for your own welfare will be tested." Then the smile sudden fell from her face again, her eyes narrowing. "I hope you fail that test."
****
Draco turned at the exact corner, knowing precisely how many flight of stairs he would have to descend to reach his goal. In all his years, Draco was sure that he knew no other place as well as he knew this one. Sure he had spent practically all his life at his manor, but it wasn't the same magical feel as this place.
Draco hurried on, hoping he had made the right choice and that this wasn't the biggest mistake of his life.
****
"Wanderer," Hermione started, stepping in front of a shocked Ron. "I have a question for you."
Crystal looked at her, the grin once again in place. "Hermione Granger. The proud recipient of my Love Spell. You want to know about it don't you?"
"No," Hermione stopped her. "I already know how and why you put it on me. You thought you were helping me with it; but that's not what I wanted to ask you."
"Really?" the Oracle asked, faking extreme interest. "Well, pray tell, what is your question?"
"Well," Hermione gulped. "The first time you came to me, you did something to me. You.you let me feel all these different emotions. It felt like all the emotions of the world-,"
What little color that was left in Crystal's face drained away.
"- and then you showed me something. First it was just you, and then it was you shackled to the wall, like you are now, crying out; and then I saw you lying on a stone floor, dead."
"I saw something like that as well," Ron suddenly started, stepping out from behind Hermione to stand next to her. "But for me there was light; and you also showed me something strange. You were sitting somewhere-it looked like this place when I saw it-and it was falling apart around you, but you weren't moving."
The smile had completely gone from her face.
"What do they mean?" Hermione finished. The two stared at her, Harry standing behind both of them and waiting as well.
Crystal looked horrified; horrified beyond all comprehension. Her eyes had grown bigger than ever and her face was a pasty white color. Her mouth was slightly open and her entire body was tensed up with shock. For a moment, Harry could have sworn the blackness of her eyes lightened just the smallest bit, but it had all gone away as a new emotion began to override the surprise. It was anger.
"What did you say?" she muttered, her face already beginning to twist into a maddening snarl. "What did you say?"
"Crystal, Wanderer.we just want the truth-," Hermione tried, but was cut off abruptly by the Oracle's rage.
"Truth!?!" she yelled, slowly starting, once more, to fight her chains. "You wish the truth from me, yet you dare to announce such blasphemy?!"
"Crysi, hold your temper-," Leo began, unconcerned; but then he was taken aback by his sister's disobedience.
"Silence, boy! You are shamed by the action of bringing these frauds before me! You three mere mortals dare make such lies?!"
"They're not lies," Harry told her, his brow furrowed in frustration. "They have seen the visions. Why would they make it up?"
"Because it is unthinkable! I, the Wanderer, who was granted half of immortality, will die?! I, who have spent all my years striving to discover the half in which I am deprived, will die?! I, who will reign always as an Oracle of Prodigy, attempt to show pathetic human life forms my own downfall?! They are all LIES! I shall never die! I will live forever and take with me the lives of all mortals! I WILL NEVER DIE!"
"But I saw it."
"You saw nothing but your own twisted fate!" Crystal spat, pulling as hard as she could on her shackles. The stone in the wall cracked under the strain, making the three back away as quickly as possible. "I will have no death.no death, but forever life!!!" The chains were giving way, being pulled out of the wall that held them.
"Crystal, be quiet with you!" Leo cried out, stepping in front of Harry, Ron and Hermione.
"To death with you all!" Crystal screamed.
"I said, BE QUIET WITH YOU!!!" And with that, Leo placed a hand on his sister's middle. A great blaze of dark blue light erupted from it, sending Crystal flying back into the wall. She was heading for it at top speeds, but suddenly stopped herself only centimeters from its surface. Leo looked angrier than fire and Crystal was colder than ice.
"You hit me," she told him, her words dripping with venom.
"I said," Leo retorted, hatred quivering in his words. "Be quiet with you."
****
Draco turned his final corner and saw it. It was the wooden door, the last one in the hallway. Hurriedly, he rushed towards it, mind reeling and pulse beating. Maybe he had made the wrong decision; maybe he just should have-
No. What was done was done and now he had to live with the decision he had made. But there was a strange feeling in him about what he was doing, as if everything he was doing, he should not have been doing. It was hard to explain, but it was like he suddenly went into dream mode and was attempting what he shouldn't.
****
"There is something wrong," Crystal suddenly said, pressing her back against the wall and darting her eyes around herself. Leo was next to her, shortening the length of her shackles with a little too much strength.
"What's wrong?" he snapped, securing the chains with a tug. Crystal winced a little, as her ankles and wrists were being cut by the metal.
"There is something not right, boy," she told him, watching his as he rejoined the others. "Someone who is not right."
"What are you going on about?" Leo demanded. Crystal glared at him.
"Someone has stepped from their path."
Everyone looked uneasily around.
"Is that bad?" Ron asked.
"For her," Dumbledore told him, pointing to Crystal. "It could be."
"But I still have some things to ask her," Ron started, turning back to her and stepping forward once more. "You came to me, a third time, not too long ago. You showed me a dream; one that was similar to another Hermione had at my house. We were in this very dungeon, and you were shackled to the wall like you are now, and then something happened and I-." Ron gulped. "I think I died."
Crystal did nothing in reaction save for the small cock of her head.
"And then I think you left me something," Ron continued. "You left me the blood-stained clothes in my dream and this." He held up his hand to show the ring there, the intricate design setting off its perfect brown color. Crystal squinted at the ring, then smiled widely.
"Yes, that is one of mine," she said to him.
Ron was growing impatient. "But what did the dream mean? Why did you.you kill me in it?"
"Perhaps I-," Crystal started but unexpectedly cut herself off by crying out in agony.
"Crystal!" Leo cried, running to her. "Crystal, what's happening?"
She was tossing her head side to side, throwing her body against the wall and screaming bloody mercy. Her manacles were blazing with the green light, the binding spell fighting to hold onto its prisoner.
"Get away!" she yelled, breathing hard and rough. "Get away from me before I hurt you!!!"
"Crysi, what's-,"
"Damned souls, GET AWAY!" she cried. Leo sprang away, throwing out his arms to stop Harry from coming closer.
"What's going on now?" Harry asked. Crystal had shut her eyes to the world, yelling out that they were burning horridly.
"I honestly don't know!" was all the small boy could say. "Hurry, everyone huddle together; I don't want to risk anything."
He gathered everyone behind him and then whispered something under his breath. A great light sprouted from him and then encircled their small group on what looked like a semi-transparent globe of water. For minutes, Crystal continued to scream, struggling to free herself of the chains and fighting to remain there as well. It was horrible to watch. She was being tortured beyond anything anyone could imagine and no one could do anything.
She opened her eyes for the briefest moment, and shooting forth from them came the blast of canon and a jet of fire. It hit the watery shield hard, making Leo groan in an urgent way.
"Leo-,"
"It's okay, Harry. I didn't get hurt," he explained. "It's just that I haven't learned to use my strongest powers without having them take their toll on me. I'll be fine."
"Will she be all right?" Hermione questioned, breathless.
Leo could only look on, stunned and weary. "I don't know. I don't even know what's going on with her."
And then everything went silent once more.
**** Draco walked up to the door and then stopped. He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. He wasn't sure why he was nervous about being there; it was the Oracles who had gladly extended the invitation for him to stay.
He cleared his head, hoping that there wouldn't be a lot of questions. Back in the dining room he had made the decision to stay in Enol, and the choice was only confirmed when he had reached for the doors and the portal closed up behind him. Now he would stay here, and there was no turning back after that.
Then Draco quickly took a surprised step away from the door as there was an ear-splitting cry from behind it. Someone, it was either Crystal or Hermione, had been hurt in some way. On instinct, Draco was about to reach for the door handle and force it open when there was a series of cries and the heat of an immense fire flew at him through the cracks in the door.
For a moment Draco had the idea to turn tail and run; but then the shouts of pain suddenly went away, leaving behind a dead silence. He hesitated for just a couple more minutes, and then he pushed himself forward with the last of his courage and opened the door, running into the dungeon room within it.
For a second there was nothing, only his eyes trying to comprehend the person chained to the wall, three people standing near it, someone kneeling on the floor and another beside him before there was the greatest explosion of black light and everything was lost in the blinding darkness.
****
Crystal had instantly gone still, her cries disappearing immediately and her body falling limp against the wall. She hung there unmoving, her breath gone and the blood from her wrists make a tiny sliver down her arms.
Just as quickly, Leo let fall the protective shield and fell to his knees, unable to run to his sister due to his own draining energy. Amazingly, it was Ron who stepped forward first.and then it was the dream all over again.
****
~Ron walked to her still form, still as death.
Harry was somewhere behind him, frozen, unmoving, watching.
Where was Hermione? She was over there, head tilted to the door. Were those footsteps she was hearing?
Crystal, limp against the wall, head drooping and chest lost without the rise and fall of breathe. Exactly like the dream.
Ron continued forward, knowing he shouldn't but unable to stop himself. He kept on in wonderment, her lifeless figure growing ever closer.~
****
It was a strange feeling for Crystal. It was like she was lost in a whole new world. It was all darkness, but she could see the people she knew in it. They were clad in white, gratefully, but their faces were hidden by a blur.
One was walking towards her; it was definitely Ron, for it had the sense of him. Over to her left was Hermione, the small petite frame readable against the others. Behind Ron was Harry's form, outlined in a golden hue. Of course it would be, seeing that his position in the world was crucial to the balance of life. His aura gave off a warm glow; one that brought color to her cheeks and a sense of awareness to her mind.
Kneeling on the floor was a figure bathed in shining blue and white light, with swirls of gold and silver around it. This was Leo. He was the simplest one to distinguish out of the group, for he shared that same presence that Crystal, herself, owned.
Standing next to him was a tall man, plain white as Hermione and Ron, but with the smallest twinkle of purple light where his heart should have been. Ah, Dumbledore; he was so easy to pick out with his pure heart always in place.
But why wasn't she able to look up and see everything for herself? She was not dead, that was simply impossible. So why couldn't she wake up? What was keeping her from opening her eyes and standing? It was nothing, just an overload of her foresight, no more. She had thought someone had strayed from their path, but when that did happen, she was always somewhat aware of it. So that couldn't have been the cause for her breakdown.
She was just gathering her remaining energy to open her eyes when there was a sudden burst from the door beside her, and another figure entered, only this one was different.terribly, terribly different.
He was clad in darkness, no glow, no radiance; only the haunting blackness of the night. He brought with him an immense cold, a shiver of terror that could make the blood run cold. If Harry had been all light and warmth, this being was the exact opposite; and he had an even worse effect on Crystal.
It was like all her magic had gathered together, creating a power inside of her that scared her to the edge of sanity. It welled in her till she was sure her body would burst with its weight, and she would surely die if it didn't.
Then her eyes snapped open, focusing on the first thing in front of her to release her power on: Ron. It hit him with the blow of thunder to the skies, making him fall to the ground, motionless. His blood was seeping out everywhere, and Hermione was at his side in a moment. Crystal thought that would be the end of it; that if she had unknowingly killed Weasley, then maybe she could spare the rest from her out of control powers; but it wasn't the end.
There was a stab in her chest so painful it was enough to bring her to her knees, though her shackles stopped her. She wanted to close her eyes, for they were burning again, but something in her said otherwise. It was a deep, commanding voice; subtle yet gaudy, gentle yet strong.
~Open your eyes and see what I have set before you~
And she obeyed.
Crystal opened her eyes and they fell upon the darkness of the new figure, standing in his shroud of evil. Then they darted to the crimson of Ron's blood flowing to the tips of her feet; and then to the golden glow that surrounded Harry, encasing him in a cloak of goodness.
Then her whole body was alight with white fire and burning ice, swallowing everything bright, black light. It was power beyond any she had ever known, and it shattered the chains around her ankles and wrists, freeing her from all imprisonment. And then it was like her body was being lifted away, rising higher and higher into the air. She took in one quick gasp, and then she was gone, being whisked away by a roaring wind, a sun-clad figure at her side.