Disclaimer: See Chapter One.
Author's Notes: Only one more week to go before school starts. Oh. My. God. Anyways, this chapter was actually supposed to be divided into two, but well, it is my treat to you since I don't think the updates will be as fast as in the previous chapters. As I said, I'm starting school, and I plan to do well in it this year. I'm going to study hard. What a miracle, eh?! But anyways, I hope you'll like this chapter, and that you won't forget about this story even if I may take a little longer to update. Thanks to all those who reviewed! Ja!
Author's Notes: Important I can't get the scene changes right... stupid me. Anyways, the letters or words in bold indicate the scene changes alright? It's just so that you don't get confused...
Chapter Ten:
Tomoyo laughed lightly as she watched Sakura and Harry racing with each other around the Quidditch Stadium. From what she knew, the young sixth-year Gryffindor had mentioned in passing that the tryouts for their Quidditch Team would be held that day, and Sakura had been interested enough about the unfamiliar sport to come and see.
She shook her head as she watched her cousin laughing freely as she swerved just enough to brush by Harry, and then dart away to avoid his attempt at retaliation. Just minutes before, Sakura had been studying the broomstick that Eriol had handed her with apprehension, and now she was zooming around and around the stadium like a miniature jet.
Like she was born to fly, Tomoyo thought. That was one of the similarities that the auburn-haired Mistress of the Cards had with the Boy-Who-Lived. On the ground, their problems plagued them consistently and without fail; once they launched into the air, however, all pretenses and responsibilities fell away as the rush of the wind and the heady course of adrenaline through their blood brought on by flight embraced them. And it was in those unguarded moments when the laughter they had was true when Tomoyo felt blessed to have known and to have experienced being with them.
"Ooh, my cousin's getting jealous," Meiling whispered with glee as she observed the young Chinese warrior pacing below on the ground, his expressions alternating from smiling at Sakura's obvious cheer and glaring at Harry for taking up so much of the girl's time and attention.
Their seats in the Gryffindor stands provided a very good view of Syaoran's face as it turned several violent shades of red, while below them, Hermione was conversing quietly on the grass with Ron, who had shouldered his own broom and was glancing up every once and a while at his best friend.
Meiling grinned maliciously one last time at Syaoran, before she turned to Tomoyo, a certain glint in her eyes that made the young witch suddenly wary. "So… Daidouji?"
"Yes?" She asked warily.
"I've been hearing things…"
Tomoyo nodded enthusiastically. "Good for you then."
"…About you and Hiiragizawa."
Tomoyo blanched, and then quickly hid it with one of her patented Tomoyo chuckles. "I hope it's all good then."
"What?"
"The things you've been hearing," Tomoyo clarified. "I hope it's all good."
Meiling smiled devilishly. "Oh, I gotta tell you, it's more than good."
"No, really!" Desperate for a change of topic, Tomoyo glanced around discreetly, then nodded towards a small, redheaded female standing near the stands and clutching a broom as she watched Ron and Hermione arguing. "Oh look! Isn't that Ginny Weasley, Ron's younger sister?"
Meiling obediently leaned forward to look. "Yeah, that's her. Trademark flaming-red hair and freckles, that's definitely her." Then she gave Tomoyo a sideways look and said, "And very nice attempt to change the topic, Daidouji. I'll let you go this time. I wouldn't want you to get upset. Hiiragizawa would be out for my blood if I did."
Saying so, the female Li glanced around, to see if anybody was watching them, and then executed a flawless somersault down the rows of benches for a better vantage point to watch the tryouts.
Tomoyo barely suppressed the sigh of relief that wanted to escape at the departure of her friend.
Eriol's eyes crinkled slightly at the corners as he glanced up, hiding his irritation at the person who had called his name and was now blocking the sunlight that he had been enjoying while reading peacefully. Stifling a groan, he gave a pleasant smile and nodded simply at the girl whose blond tresses had been teased and curled into a stylish seductive mass and was currently eyeing him with great interest.
"It's a nice morning, isn't it?" The girl said by way of a greeting as she dropped down to sit beside him under the shade of the huge leafy tree by the lake.
"Yes, it is." Suddenly feeling that he had had enough of meaningless pleasantries, he smiled tightly at the girl and asked, "Is there anything I can do for you, Miss, um—"
"Nelsen," the girl supplied, fluttering perfectly manicured nails at him, "But no need for formalities. You can call me Victoria. And I can call you Eriol, right?"
Eriol's smile tightened even more. "Hiiragizawa," he said shortly.
Victoria gave him a strange look, before tossing her curly locks over her shoulder, leaning even more towards him and providing a view of her ample chest that was more than decent. "Right, Eriol," she persisted, "The thing we have to talk about, darlin', is what I can do for you."
"No, really?" He replied, feigning interest. "And just what do you propose you can do for me?"
"Your little friend," the girl said disdainfully, her nose crinkling in disgust. "That Daidouji girl."
"Yes, what about her?"
"She can't satisfy you, Eriol," the girl whispered suggestively. With a pout of her heavily painted lips and a seductive lowering of her eyebrows, she laid one hand on his shoulder, squeezing lightly. "You deserve so much better than her. You need someone who understands your needs, your desires, not some whorish slut of a girl who can offer you nothing."
Eriol's eyes chilled noticeably, but she didn't notice as she prattled on, her tone becoming more and more vicious with every word. "A muggleborn, for Merlin's sake, a mudblood! Common filth! So weak, and she has no connections at all. I've—heard things. Dumbledore's grandson, huh? That's not bad at all. You poor darling," she cooed sweetly as she began stroking the side of his face with one finger, "Having to put up with her and her insipid friends. Why, I do believe they're as worthless as she is."
An uncommon occurrence, certainly, but it wasn't the first time that the dark-haired Moon Child's eyes sparked in barely hidden anger. "But Miss Nelsen," he said mockingly, detaching her hand firmly from his shoulder, "I do believe that you've mixed up your mind, or whatever's left of it. Forgive me if I'm wrong, and I have to tell you, I rarely am, but from what I see, the weak, whorish, slut you are speaking of is yourself. And oh, let's not forget worthless. Kindly stay away from me and my friends from now on. And now, will you leave, or shall I make you?" He fingered his wand, showing its tip to the girl, who blanched slightly in fear. Even an idiot wouldn't have mistaken the dangerous glint that had appeared on his eyes, and she backed away nervously.
"This isn't over yet," she called back. "You'll see!"
Eriol shook his head at the departure of the disgruntled Hufflepuff, who was joined by her two lackeys just as they entered the castle doors. He almost gave in to the urge to rub his temples, sighing in annoyance, when two clear voices spoke up from behind him.
A head of ruffled red hair popped out from behind the tree. "Quite a nice turn-down, if I must say so myself."
From the other side came a similar face with the same ruffled red hair and smattering of freckles. "Quite so. Polite, and yet vaguely threatening. On a scale of ten to one, I would give the performance a decent eight."
The sorcerer stared as the two teenagers looking to be at least a couple of years older than he, and were grinning toothily down at him. He had been so furious with Victoria that he had ignored the prickling at the edge of his senses that had indicated the presence of other people. "I am so glad you approve," he said, allowing a small amount of sarcasm to filter his voice.
"Yes." One redhead said solemnly. "Our approval is incredibly sought after this days."
The other winked at him. "Important people, us, you see. Just a tad bit influential."
"And good-looking too!"
Eriol bit back the smile that wanted to show at the carefree-ness of the two strangers. Making a quick judgment, he extended one hand and nodded politely. "Eriol Hiiragizawa."
"Ooh, look Gred, manners!"
"You're right, Forge!" Saying so, the two bowed low at the waist, and then took turns at shaking his hand. "Gred Weasley!"
"No, no, no," the other shook his head. "You're Fred Weasley!"
"I am?"
"Yeah," the other nodded in confirmation. "And I'm George."
"Your relation to Ron Weasley?" Eriol inquired.
Fred, he was able to tell the two by their auras, seemed positively delighted at the mention of the name. "Ooh, you've met ickle Ronniekins!" He leaned forward to whisper conspiratorially. "He's our younger brother."
George nodded at him. "We have quite a lot of brothers."
Eriol bit back another smile, nodding solemnly as well. "I see."
"We're the coolest, though. Most famous too. Ever heard of Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes?"
"No," Eriol shook his head. "But I assume you'll tell me all about them."
And he was right.
Sakura tapped the shoulders of the small redhead female and the boy he was talking too, grinning when both whirled around automatically with wands outstretched. She waved her hands in front of her in an innocent gesture and smiled when the couple blushed a little.
"Sakura Kinomoto," she introduced herself, offering her hand and a smile to the two.
The redhead shifted her broom to her left hand and accepted the offered hand. "Ginevra Weasley, but you can call me Ginny." Then she indicated the boy who was grinning just a little solemnly at her who gave a short, but nevertheless friendly nod. "And this here's Colin Creevey. Sorry about that," she said apologetically, hiding her wand.
"Iie, I didn't mean to startle you." Sakura said. Then, gesturing to the field, asked, "Are you trying out?"
The excitedly innocent smile that curved the small Weasley's lips was answer enough. "I filled up for Harry as Seeker last year, but I figured there's no harm in trying out for Chaser now that he's back."
"Well, if you're anything like your brother in Quidditch, I'm sure you'll get in!" The sorceress said encouragingly. "He's a good Keeper."
"He's good flier, but Ginny's better!" Colin cut in, and at the furious look that Ginny shot him, said, "What? You know it's true!" Colin turned to look at Sakura, and the girl was surprised at the amount of frustration that shone for a moment in the young Gryffindor's eyes. "The only reason why she couldn't play Quidditch earlier was because her so-called brother forbid her to do it."
"And why did he forbid it?"
Ginny's voice was unemotional when she spoke. "He said he was protecting me. 'Quidditch is such a dangerous sport. Only really good and talented people should play it, Ginny'." The fifth-year Gryffindor shrugged her shoulders. "He pretends that he doesn't want me to play because I might get hurt. Truth is, he doesn't want me to play because I'll share his spotlight."
"Just because we were such avid Potter-ettes in first year doesn't mean we're still the naïve Dream Team followers we were back then." Colin snorted a bit. "I mean, c'mon! Everybody can grow up, you know!" He shook his head in disgust. "If the other Gryffindors hadn't seen Ginny flying around in the Quiddicth Field last year for practice, nobody would have ever know she was good enough to join. Ron wasn't too happy with her for a while, believe me."
Sakura watched said Weasley contemplatively. It was quite a new experience talking to someone outside of Slytherin House who it seemed, was hiding a small dislike on one of the members of the Dream Team. Perhaps she had grown too accustomed to hearing about the victories and accomplishments of the Wonderful Trio that it was quite a shocker hearing otherwise.
She was brought back from her reverie when the vibrant red locks of the smallest Weasley swayed from side to side as she shook her head. "Forget about it," she said quietly. "I don't even know why we told you that. You're friends with Harry and Ron and Hermione." She shook her head again. "They're good people, really. They're just…" She waved one hand helplessly.
"Entirely too self-absorbed?" Sakura provided. When Ginny's eyes widened at her, and Colin's eyes turned on her speculatively, she shrugged just as they had done earlier. "I make mistakes, and I'm not blind to those of other people's." She threw back her head, gazing at some unknown point in the sky, her voice just a little wistful as she spoke. "Sometimes, it's just so easy to be selfish…thinking about yourself and only yourself that you don't see the big picture. "Maybe your brother doesn't see it…"
"That's quite obvious." Colin muttered.
"But that doesn't mean that when the time comes, he won't be able to make the right decisions. You're his sister. Right now, he may not understand how important you are to him, but when it's most crucial, he'll come through for you. I'm sure of it."
Ginny looked at her for a moment, tawny-brown eyes reflecting all the hurt that she could never show to others.
Colin was looking at the Asian girl with an appraising look on his face. Finally, he nodded, his dark hair flopping all over his forehead as he spoke. "You know, you're not that bad at all."
Sakura laughed, the sound of genuine, true joy. "I'm glad you think so," she teased, emerald eyes sparkling merrily.
Colin opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off when a short whistle sounded from inside his pocket. He took out a small glowing glass ball, which was rapidly filling with blue colored smoke which spelled the words, Transfigurations, library, 8:00. Glancing apologetically at Sakura, he gave Ginny a small grin. "I'm meeting Dennis at the library, Gin. See you at lunch, alright?" Waving as he walked away backwards, he called back, "Good luck on tryouts!"
"So let me get this straight," Eriol said slowly as he walked with the Weasley twins inside the castle. They had mentioned that they were looking for the Headmaster, and he had offered to come with them, though he still hadn't told them his relation to Dumbledore. "The meaning of life is P.M.S.?" He pushed back his glasses a bit and furrowed a brow at them. "And what is P.M.S. again?"
"Pranks, mischief, and spells!" Fred answered promptly.
"Don't tell it to others though," George warned in a whisper.
Fred nodded with him. "Big secret, that one."
They were about to climb the staircases when the sound of rushing feet echoed through the halls. Fred and George merely shrugged at each other, while Eriol raised his brow.
"Sakura!" He exclaimed, seeing the auburn-haired girl rounding the corner in a dead run. Robes swirling around her in a dark cloud, and hair in a mass of tangles and curls, she skidded to a stop in front of Eriol and the twins.
"Quick, Eriol-kun," she whispered hastily, glancing over her shoulders, her Japanese accent being emphasized by her obvious excitement. "Hide me!"
"Should I ask why?" Eriol asked, when they froze as a roar echoed throughout the castle, freezing the students littering around the halls in their tracks.
"SAKURA! You sneaky little cheat! When I get my hands on you—!" The voice was interrupted by a crash and a smashing sound, as if something heavy had just toppled over.
Fred and George were watching the grinning female interestedly, while Eriol was looking at Sakura with an exasperated half-glare. "Should I ask why my cute little descendant is apparently rampaging around the castle for you?"
"Nope, Eriol, you shouldn't!" She replied impishly with another cute grin. Then she seemed to finally notice his companions, for her eyes widened comically. "Oh, I'm so sorry, I didn't notice you there!" She said apologetically, looking a little distressed. She gave a small bow, and then straightened up, eyes sparkling cheerfully. "I'm Sakura Kinomoto, pleased to meet you!"
The twins grinned at him as they imitated her stance, bowing a little awkwardly. "Fred—"
"—And George Weasley," they said simultaneously, "And the pleasure is all ours," they added gallantly.
Sakura opened her mouth to say something else, when another crash resounded through the halls, sounding much nearer this time. "Eriol! Help me! Syaoran will know where I am if I use my own magic!"
"Yes, well, frankly Sakura-chan, I don't particularly wish to be murdered on the spot when Syaoran realizes I helped you, especially when he's on one of his blazing rampages like this time." Eriol adjusted the collar of his casual robes primly, smiling apologetically even though mischievous amusement was shining clearly in his azure blue eyes. "I do so value my existence, you know."
Sakura pouted cutely, "Oh, you're no help at all!" flinching when another "Sakura!" was roared by Syaoran.
The Weasley twins, who had been watching the proceedings with amused grins and interested faces glanced at the direction behind Sakura. The two Moonchildren stared in amazement when their newfound friends nodded to themselves and then turned towards the innocent looking stone gargoyle standing just in front of a blank expanse of stone.
"Right then," George nodded in total confidence. "If I remember correctly, the password is Desiderium Desside." At his words, the gargoyle moved immediately to the side, although Sakura could have sworn it gave her a small glare before it shifted away. The wall split at the middle and just behind it appeared quite a large hidden passageway.
"Go on," Fred urged. "This should take you near the Greenhouses. Just follow the torches."
Sakura clapped her hands together in childish glee and exchanged mischievous smiles with the twins. "Thank you so much!" And then on impulse, gave them two brotherly pecks on the cheek, before she rushed off in a flurry of black robes down the passageway, the wall shifting back into position with the gargoyle behind her.
The three resumed walking again, Eriol not particularly wishing to remain in direction of Syaoran's warpath. "I say," Fred spoke up suddenly, "she's quite a looker, isn't she, Gred?"
A tinge of red on his cheeks, George spoke up, "Absolutely Fred!" Then he looked curiously at Eriol. "Who's the Syaoran guy you were talking about anyway?"
"A special person to Sakura," Eriol answered after a momentary pause. "Very special."
Fred nodded thoughtfully at him. "Then he's quite a lucky guy."
"Yeah," George said, not without the slightest hint of envy in his voice.
"We're here," Eriol announced needlessly, for they had simultaneously stopped in front of the stone gargoyle standing in front of Dumbledore's office. With a quick mutter of the password, "Skittles Sour," they stepped inside, Eriol looking straight ahead, the twins glancing around in fascination at the moving portraits of past Headmasters decorating the walls.
"Ah, Fred and George Weasley," Dumbledore greeted, his eyes twinkling as bright as ever as he sat back down on his desk. Behind them, Eriol had moved over to Fawkes' perch and was crooning softly to the phoenix, his spectacles glinting sharply. "What business do you have with me today, young Weasleys, if I may ask?"
"Ah, we have news, Headmaster" Fred and George glanced uncertainly at an oblivious Eriol, who was nodding at Fawkes as if they were having a most fascinating conversation. "It's really not—all that public—you see."
"That's alright," Dumbledore said, pushing back his own half-moon spectacles in a gesture reminiscent of Eriol's own mannerisms. "Speak. I assure you, the walls in these office are safe, as compared to many others."
"Yes, but—" The twins gave the still seemingly oblivious Eriol furtive glances, "—can he be trusted?"
Dumbledore chuckled at the question, surprising the two with his apparent lightheartedness. "My dear children, it will be a sad time indeed when you can't even trust your own grandchildren, isn't that right, Eriol?"
Eriol turned to him, his smile eerily identical to Dumbledore's own. "Hai, grandfather."
Thinking back, it was with disappointment that Eriol felt that he didn't have one of Tomoyo's video cameras to capture the dumbfounded expressions on the twins' faces.
"He's your grandson?" Fred squeaked.
"We didn't even know you had a grandson!" George seconded.
"Yes, well, that was understandable." Eriol told him as he raised one hand in farewell to Fawkes as he strolled over leisurely to Dumbledore's side. "Our family has many secrets."
The Weasley twins could only nod at that.
Ginny laughed freely, not looking over her shoulder to where Ron was cursing fitfully. Compared to being a Seeker, which required speed and fast reflexes, being a Chaser was just as hard. But being one of the most petite girls in her year had its advantages, for she was able to use her litheness to move fast, therefore scoring repeatedly against Ron, who was guarding the goal posts.
Swerving sharply, she dropped the Quaffle, and below her, the third year Gryffindor Leticia Lang managed to catch the red ball in a one-handed grip. Nodding her thanks, the younger girl flew off towards the goal posts, intent on scoring once again. Unfortunately for her though, Ron was playing more seriously and managed to block the shot with a sweep of his broom's end.
Glancing down in search of the other students who had shown up for tryouts, she saw Hermione looking up at her and nodding in approval, while Harry was barking orders to the Beaters, two burly fourth year Gryffindors whom she wasn't exactly familiar with. The team had elected that Harry be the new captain after the former one had graduated, and even if Ginny wasn't happy with her brother and his friends at that time, she didn't exactly disapprove of the choice. She could admit that Harry was indeed, one of the most talented Quidditch players of his time. Seeing him in the air, whether it be him launching into a dive for the Golden Snitch, or just floating around contentedly, there was just something about him being in the air that felt so right.
"Look sharp, Ginny!" Leticia called to her as she passed the Quaffle.
Ginny merely looked at her, then at the goal posts, then at Ron, and, narrowing her eyes in concentration, headed off towards the posts.
The game wasn't finished yet, and she would make sure that when it did end, she would be on the side of the winners.
Meiling hummed under her breath as she strolled castle. As fascinating as the wizards' game had been, she didn't particularly fancy that pastime of theirs, and had preferred to roam the castle all on her own. The halls she was walking through had been blessedly silent and empty so far, so it was with great surprise when she looked out a random window and saw Draco Malfoy on the secluded glen where she had seen him last, still wielding the wooden staff that had been given to him by Sakura and practicing with all he was worth.
Stopping for a moment as she raised a hand to grasp the stones on the wall for leverage as she studied the one who had caught her attention, she couldn't stop the feeling of awe at seeing him as he was now, as he was born to be: a fighter. Three weeks, three weeks of constant practice and workout and patience had transformed him greatly. If he could evolve so much, improve so much after a mere three weeks, Meilin couldn't help wondering how good a fighter he might have become had he been subjected to a lifetime of fighting the way she and all the Li Clan members had been.
He went through the basic moves that she had taught him swiftly, with a dark, cold grace that one couldn't help but notice, and admire. Already, he had filed all that he had been taught away in his brilliant mind, memorizing and perfecting the motions to suit his own style. Observing from the trampled state of the grass under his feet, and the small beads of sweat shining on his brow, he had been hard at work long before she had come upon him, but he showed no signs of exhaustion, never stopping, never ceasing, constantly in motion. It was—beautiful. That she could admit.
No wonder the weapon that he had been chosen to wield had been a glaive; sleek, deadly, and beautiful, just like him. For one moment, it could mystify you with its beauty, lull you into a sense of awe; in the next second, it could kill you. Just like him.
She blinked, realizing that he had paused in his katas, and was merely standing still in the center of the cove. His face was upturned, raised towards the light of the sun, his eyes closed, and Meilin marveled at the peace she saw in him at that very second, a peace that she had never seen before in him. Standing like that, with his hair falling in a wave of silk on his forehead, his features totally relaxed, anybody could have thought that he was nothing more than a normal boy, or perhaps, Meilin thought wistfully, a fallen angel. But then she saw the staff that he held loosely in his right hand, and in her mind's eyes, saw him holding the glaive, the weapon of Salazar Slytherin that he was truly meant to hold, and the image of the normal boy disappeared. But he was an angel still, she thought. An angel of death.
Even in the heat of the sun nestled high in the sky with the clouds, the thought made her shiver.
And because she it did, because she did not understand, could not understand the feelings that he brought to her, she fled, and did not look back.
She never knew that from the secluded glen, the place secret to everyone except him and her, he watched her go.
Eriol couldn't help the worry that clouded his eyes as he watched his grandfather read the coded letter that Fred and George had delivered. From what he had gathered, and from what he had been told, the two were members of the secret resistance that Dumbledore was currently heading against the Dark Lord, the so-called Order of the Phoenix. And from the expression that was currently on the Headmaster of Hogwarts' face, the news had not been good.
"What is it?" He asked, gently, quietly.
When Dumbledore raised his eyes to his grandson, the twinkle was gone, replaced by a deep, deep weariness that was not one brought on by age or exhaustion. "Apparently, the Dark Lord has grown bold and more confident in his attacks." Taking the wand which Eriol handed over to him silently, he waved it in the air, and slowly, several multicolored dots began to appear in mid-air. Eriol knew he had performed a Mapping Charm, one not thought in the school, and Fred and George were staring at the map in open interest.
Dumbledore poked at the air with his wand, and a glowing red dot appeared at the tip, floating lazily and moving towards a certain area in the map. Another poke, and another, and then another, and they saw in the map four glowing dots, clearly visible against all the other silver and golden lines. "The red dots you see are places where He has attacked."
George stepped closer to the map, frowning in concentration. "They're totally random. What? Is You-Know-Who just attacking every wizarding community he comes upon?"
But Eriol knew that wasn't it. He walked closer to the map as well, narrowing his eyes as he studied the glowing red points. Then, slowly, he said, "It's not random."
Fred gaped at him. "It's not?"
He slowly pointed his finger at the four dots, and then, lightly, traced it to one large, golden circle at their center. As he looked back at the three occupants of the room, keeping his finger on the golden circle, he looked at his grandfather for confirmation, and found it in the grim eyes that met his. The twins paled as they too, saw what Dumbledore and Eriol had realized.
Grimly, Eriol stared once again at the glowing dots in front of him, and it was with complete seriousness when he spoke, the room totally silent, his words echoing in the large space. "He's headed here," he said. "He's heading for Hogwarts."
Harry was walking with his Ron and Hermione on their way outside the castle to the Greenhouses for their Herbology class, with Ron and Hermione arguing loudly. Apparently, Crookshanks had tried to eat Pigwidgeon, Ron's midget owl, again. He was listening with half an ear, thinking of the Defense Class with Sakura over the weekend. She had promised that they were quite ready to move on to magical training, for which Harry was glad, as he was quite tired of trying to find unused classrooms to practice with the staff that Sakura had lent him in lieu of his sword. They were just about to step out of the front doors when a feminine cough came from behind them, drawing their attention.
Turning slowly, they were quite surprised to see a blushing Cho Chang standing behind them and looking at Harry, accompanied by a gaggle of giggling Ravenclaw females.
"Oh, Harry?" She started hesitantly. "I was wondering…could I speak with you for a moment?" Then, glancing at Ron and Hermione, "Alone?"
A couple of years ago, Harry would have been blushing uncontrollably and stuttering like a fool. Now, he merely raised one brow, then glanced at his friends, who just shrugged at him.
"Well, I suppose we'll just meet up with you at the Greenhouse, alright Harry?" Hermione finally said, while Ron wiggled his eyebrows at him behind her back.
Nodding, Harry led Cho to the corner of the Great Hall, quite a distance away from her friends.
Cho looked at him awkwardly, twirling a lock of her shiny hair on one finger in a nervous gesture. "I know we haven't been as…close," she said, blushing even more, "…ever since—ever since Cedric." She finished in one rush of words. "He was an important person to me, you see, and it's just so hard even saying his name, now that he's gone!"
Harry was nodding sympathetically at her words. Cedric hadn't been a bad person; in fact, he hadn't deserved to die at the hands of a DeathEater. However, he was a lot more concerned about Cho, for she looked ready to burst into tears at any minute, and Harry was not sure if he could deal with a crying female at the moment.
Fortunately though, she seemed to finally get a hold of herself, sniffling sadly behind a lace handkerchief that she fished from her bookbag. "But I've got to move on," she said bravely. "Cedric would have wanted me to. He was so nice, you know."
Harry nodded again, wondering where the conversation, if it could be called that, since he hadn't exactly spoken a single word yet, was leading to.
The seventh-year Ravenclaw seemed to take his nods as assent, for she clapped her hands delightedly, still a little red in the face. "Oh, I'm so glad you understand! And I was hoping—hoping that…"
Harry nodded encouragingly.
If possible, she was turning even redder than before. "I was hoping, well, that we could, you know, be as close as before again. As in more than friends close."
Harry choked.
"Come again?" He spluttered out once he was able to speak.
Cho, for all the smartness that being a Ravenclaw signified, was totally oblivious to his shock. "I found out that I really, really like you, Harry," she said earnestly, "And you liked me to, right? And my friends have told me this is the first step to moving on. So?" She said perkily, looking very far from the teary-eyed female she had been earlier.
"Cangebactouondat?" He mumbled.
"Pardon?" She frowned in puzzlement.
"Sorry." He cleared his throat and tried again. "Can I get back to you on that?"
"Oh." Cho said, looking quite put-out. "But why?"
"Just—let's just talk about this some other time, alright?" Without giving her a chance to reply, he dashed out past the doors, running flat-footed until he was leaning with his back on the trunk of a large tree.
Staring up at the sky, he moaned in misery, "Why me?" And then proceeded to bang his head repeatedly on the trunk.
Passing students shot him furtive glances, making sure to walk a long, long way away from the crazed-looking teen who was bonking his head on the innocent looking tree.
Ron, whom Hermione had sent to look for Harry, finally walked closer to him, tapping him on the shoulder nervously. "Erm…mate? You alright?"
Bonk.
It was the greatest defeat that Ravenclaw ever had in years… and Gryffindor couldn't be happier. Michael Corner was the new team captain, and they hadn't quite forgotten how he had spoken ill of Sakura and Syaoran. It seemed as if the Lions had grown quite fond of the two Asians, especially Ginny, who could be seen hanging around with Sakura and Colin quite a lot, and she had vented her anger against Michael in the Quidditch Field. That fact that he was her former boyfriend and that they had had a messy break-up was just an added bonus. All in all, the Gryffindor Chasers had trounced the Ravenclaws solidly, and Harry had wiped the Pitch with Cho's face, who had seemed quite a lot more occupied with sending Harry moony stares all during the game.
What a witch…Eriol shifted high up in his seat among one of the leafy boughs of the gigantic tree shadowing the lake as he threw back his head to study the green canopy of leaves high above him with a kind of detached interest. Using a meager amount of magic, he waved one hand over the pocket of air just beside the branch he was sitting on, and laid down the book that he had been previously engrossed with, and it lay there floating in the small pocket of air that he controlled. Normally, reading was his own personal vice, for it was in the world of fiction and words where he at times escaped when the pressures of the true world proved to be too much. Now though, even Ernest Hemingway's For Whom the Bell Tolls wasn't working its magic, and it was proving to be a pitiful distraction.
It wasn't exactly the book's fault. Worry had been nagging his mind constantly and it had been annoyingly obvious, or so Meilin had said, and Sakura had finally insisted that he take one day for himself to enjoy at his leisure, one day without the worries and concerns that came with their ongoing resistance against the Dark Lord and his minions.
Voldemort. His lower lip curled in distaste even as the name came to mind. Sakura's good soul had influenced him—and all of them—so much that every time they encountered a foe, they couldn't help but try to first understand the reason behind what every evil person did. That perhaps something or someone had forced them to do the wicked things they committed. It was almost a reflex to try to put themselves inside the person's shoes and try to understand them, try to ask why?
But it was different with the Dark Lord. His motives were purely wicked, his reasons twisted; He was a hypocrite, for he desired to purge the world of muggleborns and non-magical people, while he himself had a half-and-half parentage. Clever though, Eriol admitted. Preaching of that purpose, of that desire, he had managed to get the support of the powerful and influential wizarding families who agreed insanely with the radical belief of ridding the world with what they called 'unworthy filth'.
Like the Malfoys, he thought. While they weren't exactly the most well-liked family in the Wizarding World, no one could deny the incredible amount of influence the members of that family wielded amongst their peers. He was quite relieved that while the elder Malfoy, the one named Lucius, seemed hell-bent on ensuring Voldemort's success, the younger Draco was at least a little more receptive to Sakura's influence, and that away from his father, he was actually quite capable of thinking for himself. Eriol was certain that something had happened that had disillusioned Draco of his father, and while it was sad seeing the animosity that was simmering behind the young Malfoy's eyes against his family, he was slowly being drawn away from the Dark Side. And while he was only one among a sea of Slytherins children who still sided with the Dark, the young sorcerer didn't underestimate the amount of influence Draco had on his peers.
He knew most of the students from the other Houses believed that the only reason why Slytherin House followed Draco's rule as their prince was because he had enough money to buy them all off, and because his father was known to be in the Dark Lord's Inner Circle. They had obviously forgotten the reason that students were Sorted into Slytherin. They were placed in that House not because they were evil, or they were horrible people. They were placed there because they aspired for power, was willing to do almost anything to achieve it. And Draco Malfoy, when you looked at him clearly, manifested enough power to enthrall them. Harry was beginning to understand that, and if he was correct, the two adversaries had a kind of grudging, forced respect for each other. The youngest male Weasley, Ron, had yet to see it, as did the Gryffindor sixth-year female Prefect Hermione Granger. But they would.
He smiled when a tiny bird fluttered up to him, perching daintily on his shoulder, but the smile did not reach his eyes, and the bird probably knew it, for it took flight once again, not looking back at him. Voldemort isn't all I'm worried about, he thought grimly. While it was currently their most pressing problem, the most prominent threat, he couldn't quite dismiss the brief flashes of Dark energy that he had begun to feel lately. Sakura and Syaoran felt it too, judging from the nervousness on Sakura's eyes and the tense set of the young Chinese warrior's shoulders. And he couldn't explain why everytime he felt that flash of Dark power, his vision would darken, as it usually did when he was recalling one of his memories…
Oh wait, Eriol thought sarcastically. It isn't exactly my memory, after all.
Clow Reed, he thought, in his mind's eyes seeing the smiling face of one of the most magically powerful men ever to walk the earth. Clow's memories had helped him time and time again, during times which he was unsure of the things he faced. But having the memories of another rman, while helpful, was just a constant reminder of what he truly was: a reincarnation.
It sucked. Being a reincarnation sucked. Majorly. He had the respect of a lot of people, both those magical and non-magical, because they knew that in his former life, he had been powerful. They saw Clow in him, saw the great sorcerer, and disregarded the boy that was truly him. Everything he did, everything he said, it was as if they thought it was Clow who spoke, and not Eriol Hiiragizawa, as if he didn't exist. And it sucked.
In some ways, he envied Clow. Powerful, famous, influential, untouchable. He had almost everything anyone could ever truly want. When he had died, he had been mourned greatly. For a moment, Eriol wondered if people, besides his friends, that is, would mourn him because he was Eriol Hiiragizawa and not because he was Clow Reed's reincarnation.
He wondered, and for a moment, it hurt so much that his heart raged, beating wildly against his chest. And he looked down, fury in his eyes, anger sparking, crackling wildly and uncontrollably for one second…
And saw Tomoyo sitting below his tree, reading peacefully.
He deflated, and he felt his anger leave in one long breath, felt his very soul calm down as he gazed lovingly at the person whom he cared for the most. He might even go as far as to say the one whom he loved the most, but it would be hard for both of them, so he left it at that. But seeing her, seeing her so at peace, so beautiful, in a world which had previously held no joy for him… it made him smile.
For he knew that while he may only be a reincarnation, while he wasn't as strong a sorcerer as his incarnate, and while he knew so few saw him for the person he truly was, he had something that so few had, that not even Clow had had.
Love.
He whispered it into the air, and the wind whispered it back, carrying it far, far into the places where the human voice couldn't reach, echoing it back in a hundred thousand whispered melodies.
He was still listening to the song of the wind when Tomoyo looked up and saw him. Nothing more than a brief meeting of gazes, nothing more than a glance, really. But in that brief instant when their eyes had met, he had looked, really looked, and had seen all the love in the world shining in her beautiful eyes, and he was blessed.
Love.
The sound of chuckles rang through the slimy dungeons, sounding slightly out of place with the dust-coated walls and dank hallway. As two individuals rounded the corner, walking at a leisurely pace, one in flowing black robes, the other wearing a simple but elegant emerald green cloak, the sound of a thoroughly self-assured voice sliding down the stone path like honey.
"We have the dysfunctional ghosts, the annual death-and-disaster situations, and the occasional student stomping about in a rage," Blaise said as he strolled down the hallway, Meilin at his side. "What's not to love about Hogwarts?"
Meilin giggled, and the sound was as fresh as the newly ordered toad eggs that Snape stored in his cupboards. "When you put it that way, yeah, Hogwarts is everything!"
Blaise chuckled as well, casually sliding an arm around the girl's shoulders as he steered her in another direction. There was nothing romantic about the action, at least, to both of them. It was a gesture that was completely platonic, between casual acquaintances, perhaps friends, and Meilin knew that if Blaise thought she was expecting that there was more to the gesture, he wouldn't have done it. Theirs was a casual relationship, an easy camaraderie that was enough to satisfy them both.
"However, even I have to admit, Hogwarts isn't all that bad. Without all those things, why, Hogwarts would just be like a normal school!" He actually shuddered at the thought.
"With magic, of course." Meilin reminded him.
"That was a given," the Slytherin said, dismissing the idea with a casual wave of his hand.
Meilin was about to respond to that, when a slight beeping sound came from the sixth-year's pocket, and he drew her to a halt as he extracted a pocketwatch from his within the folds of his robes, its gold chain tinkling merrily as it hit the face of the watch. Looking curiously over the Slytherin's shoulder, Meilin glimpsed the words 'Zabini, get your ass in the Common Room now!' before it beeped again and flashed the hour and date of the day.
Blaise let out an irritated sigh, before he pocketed the watch again, and then glanced at Meilin uncertainly.
The girl immediately understood the look, and she backed away with a nod. "Don't fret about it, Blaise. I'm sure whatever you wanted to show me will remain there til later, right? I'll see you tomorrow, alright?" She made to turn away, about to head back to the dorm she shared with Sakura and Tomoyo, when a hand on her shoulder stopped her. "Yes?"
"Do you want to come with me?"
Meilin stared at him. "You're going to the Slytherin Common Room, right?" At Blaise's nod, she gave him a look. "Please," she said witheringly. "I'll be hexed on the spot there."
"Why not?" Blaise said insistently. "You aren't from any of the other Houses, and you're with me. If that's not reason enough for them to accept you, well then, I'm overestimating my influence over my House."
When he said that, Meilin was sure that Blaise was indeed serious. When he spoke of his influence over his House, he wasn't bragging about anything. In fact, he was understating himself. She was quite aware that the only reason why she was one of the few people, including Sakura, Syaoran, Eriol, and Tomoyo, whom the Slytherins didn't give a hard time was because the dark-haired Slytherin had been hanging around with her a lot, giving her his stamp of approval, and ensuring that she would be tolerated and respected, if not accepted, by the other members of Slytherin House.
"Of course, if you're too scared to come…"
Meilin twitched indignantly. If there was one word that would describe Blaise Zabini, it was perceptive. He had immediately picked up the fact that the Chinese girl hated being accused that she was afraid of something, and was never someone to back off a dare. With a look of pure outrage, Melin took his arm and started to drag him off towards the direction of the Slytherin Dungeons, muttering all the way to herself about 'manipulative, sneaky Slytherins, while Blaise carefully hid his grin as he followed in her wake.
Draco Malfoy was not happy. Nope, he was undeniably, incurably bored. And he was of the belief that when he was not happy, the whole world should not be happy either. Hence the reason for his scowl as he casually brushed some non-existent lint from his robes, which had been charmed to repel the chill of the damp and dank Common Room of Slytherin House.
He glanced dispassionately as one of his classmates went skidding past on his arse, before crashing to a halt on the marble table in the corner. Since his housemate's physique was one that was all muscles, he was understandably more concerned about the fate of the innocent table, and flicked a cursory glance at it to make sure it still had its required four legs. Assured that it was still standing, albeit on slightly wobbly legs, he once more turned his gaze on the duel below him that was escalating to an all-time violent high, the combatants fueled by the jeers and cheers of the Slytherins milling around the sidelines.
Most of the Slytherins were present, for if there was one thing that they valued in their House other than the purity of their bloodline, it was power. And in the weekly power games they held, it overflowed.
He raised a brow at Geoff Renault, a third-year who had fired a particularly powerful Stunning Charm at his opponent, who successfully managed to evade the shot. Pity, Draco thought. It would have been nice seeing a third-year putting Malcolm Baddock, the other Slytherin, in his place. The other Slytherin had grown more ambitious of late, and while Malfoy reigned unchallenged as the unofficial Prince of Slytherin, there were still some overambitious, and yes, slightly foolish people who would try to overthrow him.
Extending his right hand in front of him as he casually inspected his fingernails, (which were short and clean of course, he thought, not like those of that barbaric Weasley. A Malfoy is always perfectly groomed, after all), he idly wondered what their Head of House would have said had he found out about the weekly duels and challenges that was tradition in Slytherin House. He could imagine Snape going into near apoplexy if he ever found out, but, he thought regretfully, that was a risk that they had to take.
They had been careful of course. The Slytherin Prefects had arranged all the weekly duels on nights were they were certain that Snape would be busy. The Slytherin grapevine was very efficient, and a rumor that dropped into the trickle of Hogwarts gossip would be common news in the Common Room within an hour. And they were very neat, surprisingly, casting a Vanishing Charm on all the furnitures in the lowest part of the Common Room, the Lounge, which was more popularly known as the Pit by the students.
Most of his Housemates were busy watching the current fight, in which Geoff had gained the upper hand, so that when the doorway opened, Draco was the first to see the arrival of his housemate with the Chinese girl.
Brow furrowing in shocked anger, he unconsciously straightened his spine as he waited for Blaise to stand before him, before letting out in a deadly whisper, "What do you think you're doing, Zabini?"
"My business is my own, Draco," the other boy said coolly.
It was a facing-off of total opposites, Meilin thought. Blaise, darkly handsome, with his olive skin and dark eyes, was someone borne out of a girl's dark fantasies, whereas Draco was almost arctic in his looks. Everything about him was just icy, she thought. Blaise had told her that Malfoy had been an insufferable, immature prat during the last five years, but there was no evidence of that prat in the cold person standing in front of her. Briefly, Meilin wondered what had happened to change the icy Slytherin so much.
It came as no surprise when Crabbe and Goyle appeared on either side of Draco, fists bunched and ready to fight. "We'll take care of 'em, Draco," they muttered, flexing their biceps intimidatingly, while Blaise remained aloof and impassive.
"I'll take care of this." Draco contradicted, sparing a second to glance at the quill clutched between Goyle's stubby fingers. "You haven't finished your Charms assignment yet, haven't you? Copy from mine, it's on my bed. I'll take care of this."
The two gorillas nodded and lumbered away, but not before mumbling a low 'thanks' at Malfoy's back.
He turned on them once more. "It becomes my business when you open our House to strangers," Draco hissed back. "This House has too many secrets, or have you been totally blinded by impure filth like her!"
Meilin bristled at the insult, and couldn't resist responding hotly. "My bloodline is every bit as pure as yours! More, even, not that it matters."
"I would never do anything that would bring harm to Slytherin deliberately, Draco, you know that." Blaise reminded him in a low voice, though by the tightening of Draco's jaw, Meilin wasn't exactly sure if he would listen. "I brought her here; She is my responsibility. She will not speak a word of what she will see in here." Then he turned to Meilin, and his hard features softened momentarily in concern. "Am I right?"
She nodded at him.
They both turned to Draco, waiting for his reaction, and it seemed as if the whole room held his breath as they waited. But when the tenseness of Draco's shoulders relaxed, and he gave a small shrug as if to dismiss the matter altogether, settling once more in the assortment of soft rugs and pillows that he had been resting upon, the House released its collective breath.
They had been speaking in low tones, and they were far away from the majority of the other students that nobody could have possibly heard the exchange, but Meilin could see by the students' avid faces and rapt expressions that they had been drawn into the clash even without moving from their positions. Both Slytherins, Draco Malfoy and Blaise Zabini, possessed commanding presences; they merely had to step into a room and eyes would follow them. Even she, a foreign bystander, had gotten an almost physical thrill seeing them face off like that; what more for the Slytherins who treated the two as gods?
But apparently, a confrontation had been avoided. She studied Malfoy, who was once more lounging lazily in the raised steps that he sat upon, observing the fight that continued below them. Blaise had wandered off towards the low table set in the corner of the room, where an assortment of snacks had been set, and so she was free to observe the other sixth-year Slytherin. With his tie undone, and his casual posture, at a first glance, anyone would have said that he was relaxed and completely content. At a second glance, however, they would have seen the small frown that marred his brow, and they would have wondered what he was thinking about.
Meanwhile, Draco was furiously thinking of what had made him lose his temper like that. He had been mildly annoyed at how Blaise had brought an outsider to their dungeons, but the proprietary arm that the dark-haired Slytherin had around the Chinese girl's shoulders had made him see red for a moment. Which was a total puzzle, since he could care less about the girl. He only saw her when she helped him with practice, and that one time when he had caught her watching him had puzzled her for a moment, but he had dismissed it quite easily.
Besides, Blaise was one of the few Slytherins that he could actually tolerate and give a grudging respect. He knew that the only son of the House of Zabini had enough power and cunning to become his foremost rival in Slytherin House, not like Malcolm Baddock who was all talk and hot air, but Blaise had never challenged him, openly or behind his back. He wasn't afraid of Draco, but e was someone who was content to blend with the shadows of the dungeons. He ranked third in their year, right after Granger, who was book smart, and himself, Draco, who was street smart. Losing his temper like that, he thought, was unforgivable. Why, he had almost given all those gawking Slytherin first year females a show!
She was watching him again… The faint prickling at the back of his neck warned him of the ruby-red eyes that carefully studied him, and he resisted the urge to turn around and meet the stare head-on. When Blaise came strolling back, shrugging off a couple of curvy Slytherins with the intent of seducing him, he looked up, seizing the opportunity to distract himself from the unnerving stare of the exotic foreigner.
"Zabini," he said.
The other boy responded with a nod, sipping a crystal goblet filled with a swirling amber liquid, Butterbeer that had been spiked liberally with wine. "Draco."
He flicked a card at the calm student, who caught it expertly between two fingers. "I've been challenged?" A slow, pleased smile flickered on his face for a moment. "Who's the unlucky fool?"
Draco smirked maliciously, and it was proof that all was well once more between the two. "Why don't you read it and see."
Shrugging, Blaise scanned the small rectangular card, the Slytherin symbol of a snake swirling around the edges, slithering as if it were alive. "Magnus LaRue." The corners of his mouth tightened, and even Meilin, standing as she was in the shadows, didn't miss it.
"Who's he?" She asked curiously when Blaise handed her the card for inspection.
There was a contemplative silence before Blaise answered. "He is an… acquaintance of mine."
"An acquaintance." Meilin repeated, obviously not believing his answer, but was too polite to say so.
He grinned at her, offering the goblet of wine which he held in one hand, which she accepted with a grateful nod. "Yes, an acquaintance." Then he smiled, slowly, cruelly, and Meilin saw a glimpse of the Slytherin in him. "One that I will have the pleasure of dispatching." He turned to Draco and said with a careless sigh, "Pity I can't make the damage long-lasting."
Draco shrugged at him lazily. "We get what we can." Then he nodded towards the Pit, where a tall guy with dirty-blonde hair and above average looks was waiting. "Make him bleed."
"With pleasure." He descended down the stairs, not without a slight bow at Meilin, and a nod at Draco, taking out his wand with a quiet confidence that was so natural to him.
"He's angry…" Meilin mused to herself.
"He has reason to be," Draco responded before he could stop himself. At Meilin's inquiring look, he continued, thinking that he had already spoken, and might as well continue. "He's the son of the longest, most formidable rival of the House of Zabini. Always making trouble for Blaise… not that Blaise retaliates. LaRue's below him." He said snidely, making it clear that he did not have a high opinion of Blaise's rival. Meilin wondered if that meant he sided with Blaise, or that he merely disliked Magnus.
She glanced down at the Pit, and was quite surprised to see all the spectators subdued and silent. They almost resembled wolves prowling around two fighting animals, waiting to see who would fall, to see whom they would cheer and whom they would humiliate. On their faces was an almost bloodthirsty eagerness for a good fight, and she drew her cloak more tightly around her shoulders, not noticing the silver eyes that watched her back.
She shivered again, and was thinking of going back to her dorm to get a warmer cloak, when a flurry of black cloth hit her shoulder. She whirled around, obviously of the opinion that she was being attacked, but halted when all she saw was Draco watching the fight that would erupt soon below them with practiced ease, belied only by the stiffness of his spine. "You should have worn something warmer," he spat out, not looking at her.
It was his cloak! Meilin nearly grinned as she wrapped herself in the expensive black velvet of his cloak, fingering the smart silver clasp on the throat. "Thank you."
He didn't reply.
Down below, Blaise had set one foot inside the Pit, and there was a collective gasp of shocked outrage when Magnus immediately fired a Full-Body Bind at him, not waiting for the referee to start the match. Fortunately, Blaise was ready, for he conjured a Shield Charm immediately, which successfully repelled the curse.
A shower of silver sparks heralded Zabini's attack, but LaRue rolled out of the way of the hex, and it hit an unlucky seventh-year who was blasted off his feet. Before Magnus could get to his feet, Blaise had shot another curse, and this time, managed to graze the side of his opponent's face, where a red line appeared, dripping with blood.
It continued on like that for some time, and after five minutes, LaRue was a mass of cuts and bruises, while Blaise remained unharmed and composed.
But that was when it happened.
A commotion erupted among the spectators. Apparently, Malcolm Baddock, who had lost to Geoff, had launched himself at the third-year with the intent of pounding the other Slytherin's head on the floor. With his injuries, however, he didn't have good aim, and crashed with a surprised second-year Slytherin girl, the same girl, Meilin recognized, who had glared at her during the night she had first met Blaise. The girl was unprepared for the blow, and she stumbled into the Pit, right in between Blaise, who was a little surprised at the interruption, and Magnus, who didn't care.
Seeing the chance to vent his anger on an innocent bystander, he muttered a curse under his breath, and a shower of red-orange sparks erupted from the tip of his wand, heading towards the petrified girl, who was too panicked to draw her own wand. Blaise knew it was too late to perform a Shield Charm, and, instead, grabbed at the girl's shoulders harshly and pulled her out of the way.
The furious expression on Blaise's face as he pushed her away was enough to dismiss any rumor that might have said that what he did was because of any romantic notions, but the whole House gasped, again, when the blast hit him full-force on his left forearm. There was the shattering, resounding crack of bone, and Blaise's pained cry that made Draco bolt to his feet and Meilin raise hands to her mouth in horror.
A triumphant expression was on LaRue's face, but he didn't see the murderous expression of the other Slytherins behind him as they made a move to advance on him. But apparently, Blaise had had enough. With a thunderous expression on his face, and hardened eyes, he raised his wand, and, ignoring his rival's panicked looks, shouted, "STUPEFY!"
It was magnificent, and quite a lot of people clapped when Magnus slammed into the opposite wall, breathless and with a pained expression on his face. Meanwhile, the crowd parted as Draco swept majestically down the stars, headed towards Blaise, while Meilin followed in his wake, her expression vindictive as she glared at Magnus.
Blaise had fallen to a sitting position on the Pit, and Draco knelt beside him to inspect the damage, his eyes narrowing at the large patch of skin turning a grisly shade of purplish-black. Zabini's face was expressionless, his features granite-hard, but he was obviously in pain from the way he was breathing hard as the other Slytherins crowded around them. Not one face showed concern; Slytherins weren't soft. But it was a show of solidarity as they stood there around their Housemate without a word.
"You have to go to the Hospital Wing," Draco informed him.
The other's response was a low, harsh chuckle. "Don't be an idiot, Draco. I won't risk our House just because of this. If Snape and Dumbledore finds out…" The words rang ominously in the silence.
"Your arm's broken." The icy Slytherin informed him frankly. "We'll just have to make up a story for Madame Pomfrey. I'll take care of it." But the furrow in his brow belied that it wouldn't be that easy.
Murmurs and whispers were being exchanged by the spectators, bouncing from stone wall to stone wall, and quite a few students were throwing Magnus malevolent gazes which he returned defiantly. When the murmurs rose to a crescendo, Meilin couldn't take it anymore. Dropping down to a crouch beside the fallen Slytherin, she nudged Draco away none too gently and whispered in her friend's ear, "I'll heal you."
Blaise's indifferent mask gave way to surprise, and controlled pain as he raised an eyebrow at the dark-haired Asian, while Draco, who had overheard Meilin's whisper, turned on her. "Healing Charms aren't taught in Hogwarts, and besides, you have to have a license to heal properly. Plus, they aren't exactly easy to do. I don't want to risk you removing all the bones from his arm."
Meilin turned on him, her unusual eyes flashing as it caught the meager light in the dark room. "I didn't study here, did I? As for the second issue, as you said, it would be too much of a risk bringing him to the Hospital Wing, and I'm not going to let him wait forever for it to heal. So keep your mouth shut about it, and no one will get in trouble, alright?" Whilst saying so, she was pushing back her sleeves, leaving them up to her elbows to bare creamy-white, smooth forearms. She carefully passed a finger over the darkening bruise on her friend's forearm, giving him an apologetic look when he sucked a breath painfully. "Alright, I've got it." Extracting her wand from the inner folds of her robes, she gingerly touched the tip of the wood to the bruise and whispered a spell under her breath, the words low and unheard.
Unlike other spells, no sparks shot out from the wand tip, no smoke or light. Instead, they saw the tip of the wand glowing a brilliant, vibrant red, widening into a circle that encompassed the whole damaged area. When the red light dissipated, and Blaise's face was showing the effects, a white light once more stretched from the tip. This time, they clearly saw the purple-and-black color disappearing, leaving behind the olive glow of health.
Those who watched waited expectantly as Blaise sat up straight, all eyes on his arm as he carefully touched it with his own fingers. And then he nodded, and the amused smile that he gave Meilin was proof enough that her spell had indeed worked.
He stood up, with Draco's hand around his elbow to assist him, and they both stepped back as quite a lot of Slytherins surged forward to where Meilin was kneeling, clamoring at the top of their lungs to show them their own wounds, shouting that she heal them as well.
Geoff, who had stepped back as well from the stampede, walked over to Blaise and Draco, who was watching with amusement Meilin's attempts to fend off her enthusiastic patients. "I have to say, Zabini, that you don't have to worry about that girl anymore." He nodded towards the approval stamped on the faces of his Housemates. "If that doesn't mean that Slytherin House hasn't accepted her, well, I'll be damned."
Review Replies:
Miz: And I love your review! Thanks so much!
Trunkszgirl: Yup! All will be revealed soon! I hope you don't get too impatient! Thanks for the review, and was this chapter okay?
Fanficpixie: I'm glad, I'm glad… less annoying? Well, a little? grins But no, sorry, he doesn't like her! Don't wanna make Syaoran too jealous, right? A couple of reviewers have been complaining about Ren enough, add Draco to the mix, and it would be insane! But yeah, it'd be cool! Yup, it was Sirius Black, and yup, I've watched HP 3! It was nice… I think I like the new director better. However, I have to say that nothing beats J.K.! For me, at least. snickers Yup, I'm pure Filipino! I understood! Salamat at nagustuhan mo naman! Iniisip ko kasi, baka masyadong maging maaga for the sweet scene, or baka masyadong intense. Sana nagustuhan mo rin tong chapter na to, kahit wala masyadong Sakura-Syaoran. You're a great reviewer! Thanks!
Yun Fei: Ooh, Pansy! She is annoying, isn't she? But yeah, I suppose if you like that kind of pairing… Anyways, regarding what you said about Draco and Meiling, well, I have to say, anything is possible! smiles evilly I'm glad you liked the small Sakura-Syaoran moment, and thanks so much for the review! Ja!
Sakura-miaka: Oh, wow, thanks! Yeah, you're right about the Harry thing. Eriol FAT? Syaoran's teasing him a bit about that yeah… not that he's getting chubby and all that… grins Your school just started? What country are you from? I'm going to start school in about a week or so, and I'm slightly nervous! Argh! Forceful? Does that mean that you didn't like it too much? Well, if it's a yes, then I'm sorry! Hope you liked this chapter better! Thanks so much for the review! I totally loved your comments! Ja!
Dreamschemer: Ooh, impatient, aren't we? Nah, just kidding. All will be revealed in another chapter or two, so… thanks for the review!
Chelley Angel: Cool! Not outright nice, mind you… but Draco being civil is good, right? Your sister's name is Meiling? Woah!
Silent Seraphim: Yup, it was a filler chapter, but I'm glad you thought it was alright! Meiling-Malfoy? sigh You go back the last week of July? Oh, the envy, the envy! I hope you liked this chapter! Thanks for the review!
Eden's Echo: Wai! I'm glad you liked it! Thank you so much! And yes, the Selenekai will be brought back soon… in the end of the story? Kidding! But being the Children of the Moon is important, so yup! The mysterious villain… well, he'll be revealed soon enough. I'm kinda anxious to present him too, actually. And no, I won't stop writing! You guys so totally keep me going, so why should I? Anyway, thanks so much for the review! Til the next chapter!
Mei fa-chan: Thanks! Was this chapter alright?
Pokey: Why thank you! I'm glad you think so! Eriol's fat! And not perfect! Oh my God, hell must have frozen over by now! Kidding! Well, I'm glad you liked the previous chapter, and thank you so much for the review!
Lady Dragoness: Well, I must say, the world has gone crazy over HP! I watched it too, mind you. And it was nice! But Draco was pretty much a wuss there, wasn't he? Funny… Well, reading HP fanfics featuring Ginny/Draco or Hermione/Draco, who can't help crushing over that guy, ne? Agent? Nah, that's not for me… and I have no clue how to get one anyways… Hey, you have uploaded your fic, right? I saw 'Beautiful Disaster'… I'm glad you got it up! Good luck with it! Thanks for the review! Lol
Babybluestarangel: Hi Elizabeth, or Eli, if I can call you that! Thanks for the review! Yup, Remus is worried about Sakura and Syaoran… After all, they are Dumbledore's friends, but the staff and the Order doesn't exactly know a lot about them… they're utter strangers to him! He's mostly uncertain about them, but he doesn't really think they're bad. Malfoy being civil! Yeah, that is freaky! Eriol? Out of shape! So there! Ah, regarding the question on whom the CCS gang lost, well, I know quite a couple of people have been getting impatient about that… But don't worry! All will be revealed sooner or later! I will try hard not to draw it out to long! I'm glad you liked the Sakura-Syaoran moment! Wai! Hey, you read and reviewed my other fic, right? 'In Her Memory'? Thanks so much for that!
SilverWingPhoenix: And your review was so nice… Thanks a lot!
StarsLover: Well, as long as you liked it, I'm happy! I hope you liked this chapter as well. Draco-Meilin… Now that's a thought! Yes, it is safe to assume that the evil chasing Sakura is more powerful than Voldemort… and certainly more annoying. He's going to make his appearance in another three or four chapters, so, I just hope you'll like it! Ja!
H2omelonnqa: Yup, I am serious. In fact, in a week, I'll be starting school! You're ending your year? Oh, the envy! Argh! Anyway, thanks for the review! Ciao!
Tempest Dragon: Why thank you! I love your reviews too! I hope you like this chapter!
Youngling Milk: Well, if you're happy, I'm happy! Nope, it is not You-Know-Who…but close. Thanks for the review!
Aramis Liora: Thank you! Nope, Voldemort is not the one coming for her, but all will be revealed in another three or four chapters, so I hope you'll like it when it comes out! Shirtless Syaoran in front of Sakura? hot! I'll see what I can do about it… grins evilly Why are you sad? And I'm glad you liked this chapter! Moon Children? Well, the Selenekai issue will make a comeback in the future chapters, so… Thanks for the review!
Akiko Koishii: I'm glad you think the weapons fit… I've emphasized on Slytherin's glaive here… Freaky, I have the same interpretation of Hufflepuff as you do.. like air, something intangible. I made Ren have a bow and arrow coz I really don't think true Hufflepuffs can stand face to face fighting, or too much gore. They're too nice! And hey, I like your opinions, so don't worry about it. Thanks for the review!
Wallpaper: Unusual name… but cute! I'm glad you liked it! Thanks so much for the review!
A4nonymous: Yeah, I know…I'm glad you liked the Sakura-Syaoran moment… smiles Fighting styles? I have a blue belt ing Taekwondo, but I've stopped it… I guess I can draw a couple of moves from there… Lupin? He's just uncertain… Dumbledore hasn't revealed anything much about the CCS gang, just the fact that Eriol is his grandson, so they're like total strangers to him… Kinda suspicious, don't you think? Talents fluctuate… Yeah, I'll remember that. It sounds kinda like a warning, but thanks!
Ahnigurl: Yeah, I'm glad you like it! I am so psyched now because of your reviews! Malfoy and Harry getting along fine? Ooh, hell has officially frozen over! Kidding! You don't approve of Delavenne and Townsende? Well, yeah, they are a little…something, huh? Charlie's Angels! Oh my! Thanks for the review and for putting me in your favorites! Ja!
Mycherrywolf: As long as you're here now, that's alright! About your question on the issue that Voldemort is the Heir of Slytherin, but Slytherin left a weapon for Draco to use in a fight against his own heir: Let's put it this way. Voldemort is the Heir, Slytherin can't control who becomes his Heir… I mean, come on, it's not as if when he's dead, he can actually choose whom his descendants want to marry, right? However, just like with Gryffindor's sword, only a true Slytherin can draw Slytherin's glaive from the Sorting Hat. It wouldn't be hypocritical… Just because Slytherin prefers pureblood, it doesn't mean he's evil, right? Voldemort's overdoing the pureblood issue… Slytherin was a Founder of Hogwarts, and while he doesn't approve of halfbloods and Muggleborns, I don't think he would resort to genocide just because of his dislike, right? I hope that made sense… shrugs The Dream Team paired with anyone? I'm not sure yet… sorry! smiles As to what happened to Sakura, all will be revealed in three or four chapters more, so don't worry, and no, Fujitaka, Touya, and Yukito did not die. They, as well as Kero will appear in the later chapters. Also Nakuru and Spinel. As for Harry losing his innocence… well, come on, he saw Sirius die up close and personal. In the earlier years, he sorta believed that he could take on anything and win, right? Now, he knows that there's the great chance that he might die, and that the world is just a little bit ugly. In a sense, he woke up, got it? I hope that didn't make you more confused! grins And I hope you liked this chapter, though not a lot of action happened here. Til the next one, alright?!
Mrs.-SPOT-FUCKING-CONLON: What a name! Yup, they're 16! Too old or too young? But they're mature enough. Actually, i really wanted to set the CCS gang in a time when they were older, around 25-28. There's more room for sexiness that way. But i had to put them when they are 16 years old to fit in the HP world. Here's me hoping that it'll simply work out. And yeah, Meiling-Malfoy will be an incredible couple... if it happens. Which has a good chance of happening. Well, nevermind. grins I'm glad you liked the story… and I hope this chapter didn't disappoint you. Thanks for reading, and for the reviews! You make my heart go pitty-pat with the number of your reviews! Ja!
Inuyashafan65: Did I make it too hard to understand? Well, sorry for that! blushes But I'm glad you figured it out. I hope you liked this chapter!
PersonaJXT: Um, I didn't exactly understand what you said, but here's me hoping that it means you liked my story? crosses fingers behind back Thanks for the review!
Dreamers-wish: I don't care! You're a great help, don't worry. Thanks!
Momocolady: Wow… thanks for the review!
Lily20: Why thanks you! Yup, and with this chapter, I hope there's more than a spark! He will be revealed in another 3 or 4 chapter, so… thanks for the review! Ja!
Yorumitsuki: Hey, as long as you reviewed, it's fine with me. I'm glad you're back! Really, I am. I'll do what I can regarding your CCS/HP fic… thank you for telling me about it! I'm sure it's got to be good! Thanks for the luck… I have this really, really bad feeling that I'm gonna need it. Scary… thanks for the review!
Lonely Magician: Welcome back! Don't worry about the missed reviews, alright? Thanks for the review, and for telling me about the code thing… Regarding 'he' who makes Sakura scared, well, all will be revealed in 3 or 4 chapters, so don't worry. Thanks again! Ja!
Mystical Magician: Hey! I'm glad you're still reading my story! Sorry about the glaive... we thought of the same thing, huh? Good luck with your own story! Ja!