Wow, ten chapters already. I'm on a roll ^_^ Thanks again for everyone's support! This chapter gets into one of the scarier aspects of Harry Potter. I'm sure you'll agree. I know this story is mostly light-hearted, but I simply couldn't set something in the Harry Potter universe without including this. So, enjoy!
The next day the Fellowship were delighted to discover was a visit to the Wizard village of Hogsmeade. They were even more delighted when they asked Professor McGonagall – who was conducting the roll call of who was allowed to go – if they could accompany the students.
"Professor Dumbledore has granted all of our guests permission to visit the village." She said briskly, although there was a smile in her eyes. "I hope you enjoy all Hogsmeade has to offer. I'm sure the students will be able to tell you all about it. Move along, now."
As they all joined the students walking down the path that led to the village, Merry and Pippin were ambushed by the Weasley twins.
"What's this we hear about Malfoy getting a load of honey dropped on him?" Fred asked, looking affronted.
"You didn't have anything to do with that, did you?" George added.
Merry and Pippin had deliberately avoided the twins the previous night, knowing that they would be upset at not being involved. "We might have had something to do with it." Merry said vaguely, sharing a grin with Pippin.
The four instantly looked towards Malfoy himself, who was grumbling loudly to anyone who could be bothered to listen that he would make sure the culprit was caught.
"Why didn't you tell us?" the twins chorused, mock-glaring at the hobbits.
"I mean, don't get us wrong, it was bloody brilliant." Fred said, ruffling Merry's hair. Merry pushed him away and smirked.
"How did you do it?"
While they explained about Frodo's idea and how they pulled it off, Frodo himself wandered over to Harry, Ron and Hermione and asked what they were going to do once in Hogsmeade. Sam followed.
"Well, you've got to go to Honeydukes." Ron said instantly, eyes misting up as he spoke. "It's the best sweetshop in the world."
Frodo's own eyes lit up. Sam smiled to himself. As much as Frodo never seemed to eat enough for a hobbit, no-one could put a rein on his master when it came to sweets and puddings. Sam had already noticed Frodo's excitement whenever the tables in the Great Hall would be replaced with the desserts, and now he was looking forward to seeing Frodo's reaction to this Honeydukes.
"Don't forget the Shrieking Shack, the most haunted building in Britain." Hermione added.
"And the Three Broomsticks, and Zonko's Joke shop." Harry continued.
"Where do you want to go first?" Hermione asked them.
Frodo looked over at Sam.
"Wherever you want to go, Mr Frodo." Sam shrugged, truly not minding where they went.
Frodo grinned. "Honeydukes."
Sam's predictions had been true. Frodo tried to hold back as he was well aware that Harry had offered to buy everything for him, but in the end – after many reassurances from Harry that he had plenty of money to share – they exited the shop with several bags stuffed full of Peppermint Frogs, Sugar Quills, Chocolate Frogs, Bertie Botts' Every Flavour Beans, Liquorice Wands and many other items besides. Not including, of course, everything that was consumed while still in the shop.
Sam, who had quite the sweet tooth himself, had thoroughly enjoyed the time in the shop but now was severely needing a drink after all that sugar. So, they made their way over to the Three Broomsticks pub, which Harry told them was pretty much the same as an inn.
However, as he hung back to munch on a few more sweets, Frodo stopped and stared down a side-alley. Sam turned around. "What is it, Mr Frodo?"
"I can see something down there…" Frodo said, frowning into the darkness of the alley. He turned and looked at Harry and the others. "We'll come in a minute." Harry looked hesitant, but Ron pulled him and Hermione into the pub, reassuring them that the hobbits would be fine.
"Mr Frodo, I think we shouldn't go down there." Sam counselled, not liking how cold and dark the alley felt.
"Hang on, Sam. I just want to see what that is."
One day, Sam knew, he would be brave enough to curse Frodo's curiosity to his face. For now, he could only shake his head and follow his master as Frodo slowly headed down the alley. Each step he took seemed to chill him to the bone. Something was definitely wrong.
"What can you see?" Sam asked, trying to spot anything out-of-place.
"There." Frodo pointed. "Can't you see it? It looks like someone is there, just around the corner. What if they're injured?"
Sam squinted and at last could see the shadow of a cloaked figure. Its posture was strange, he admitted, but there was something that warned him from going any further.
"I don't think it's someone injured." Sam said warily, reaching out to take Frodo's arm in an attempt to pull him back to the street. "I think we should…"
But whatever Sam was about to say was cut off as the figure revealed itself.
It was definitely cloaked, but it seemed to have no feet, gliding across the icy ground towards them. Whatever heat remained in Sam's body vanished, and he felt Frodo's skin freeze as well. A horrid, rasping sound reached his ears and, in terror, he realised that it was the creature's breath. Ugly, half-rotted hands reached out towards them. Unbidden, Sam felt an overwhelming despair settle over him. If only he had insisted more strongly that they shouldn't have come down here.
He could feel Frodo trembling violently. Inching around to see him properly, Sam could see that Frodo's eyes were wide and staring and that tears were sliding down his cheeks. His mouth was open in a silent scream.
"Frodo, Mr Frodo, it's…it's going to be alright." Sam whispered, trying to comfort his master but knowing that Frodo was far away from him.
Frodo dropped heavily to his knees as the creature grew ever closer, pulling Sam down with him. He was sobbing quietly and whispering. Terrified, Sam leaned closer.
"No, no, Ma…Pa…let me go…let me help them…"
Sam gasped. Why was Frodo remembering his parents' death? Sam wanted to reach out to him, to again tell him that it was okay, but he felt frozen. His heart was filled with hopelessness as the horrible creature's breath grew louder, and Sam knew that any second now it was going to be upon them.
His vision became obscured. Sam heard a thump, but couldn't find the will to blink and restore his sight. He felt himself slipping away into the darkness that surrounded him.
Then suddenly, a blazing white light lit up the area and Sam could see again. He watched in utter amazement as an animal made of light – he thought it was some sort of stag – charged past him at the creature, restoring some warmth to his body as it went. The creature screeched and flew off back around the corner and out of sight.
The stag vanished as if it, too, had never been there. Shaking, Sam turned to see that Frodo had collapsed and was lying, face blank, on the ground.
Panic seized him and he reached out, gently tapping Frodo's face.
"Wake up, Mr Frodo." He whispered anxiously.
"He'll be alright, Sam." A voice said and Sam looked up to see that their saviour was Harry, Hermione and Ron close behind. Harry was pale, but there was a determined and angry look in his eyes. "Hermione, run up to Honeydukes and get the biggest bar of chocolate you can find. Ron, go and find Merry and Pippin. I'll take them into the Three Broomsticks."
They nodded and ran back into the street. Harry approached Sam and Frodo. Pointing his wand at the unconscious hobbit, he said, "Rennervate."
Frodo slowly opened his eyes. He was shivering madly and his skin was the colour of chalk. His eyes were initially frightened, but as he recognised those above him, they calmed. Harry and Sam helped him sit up.
"What…what was that?" Frodo asked weakly, after swallowing several times. Sam rubbed his back in an attempt to comfort him.
"I'll explain once you're feeling a bit better." Harry said, standing up and offering Frodo his hand. "We need to get both of you warm again. Let's get into the Three Broomstick, then we'll talk."
Sam tried to say that he was fine, but Harry gave him a stern look. Indeed, he did feel very shaken himself and he definitely was still freezing, but Frodo's reaction and what had happened to him concerned him beyond belief. He just hoped that Harry could explain it.
As we know, Harry will have all the answers. Please don't forget to let me know any ideas any of you have, whether it's for pranks or otherwise. This story is going to go on for some time, so they'll be plenty of space for ideas :)
LOTCR: Lol, thank you kindly ^_^ No, that's fine, everyone has different likes. Hee hee, well I'm going to see if I can stretch this out to the battle in the Ministry. We'll see. Yeah! Lol, then beware, Legolas is going to get pranked at some stage in the near future. Ooohhh! Um...um...um...I'll take that one -takes cookie to turn myself into a cat- Meow :3
Lol, thank you very much and I hope this chapter was quick enough for you :) Next one will be up soon and, hopefully, will include other members of the Fellowship. I just love the hobbits too much, but I have to remember not to ignore the rest.