Happy Friday! Now, this chapter is of course, ready to roll!
Chapter Eleven
Riddle doesn't understand, destroy Avalon, and the fabric between our secrecy and Muggles' suspicion will come undone. Then, chaos will truly reign.
-Domina Avalonae Abigail Amaryllis Keeney Dec. 1977
Snow was falling heavily when Harry poked his head outside the tent the next morning. "Doesn't look like we'll be getting far today," Ron said, pushing around the unidentifiable mush that was their breakfast.
Harry couldn't help but agree. "Do we even know what day it is?" he asked, trying to calculate it in his mind. It would be easier to go outside at night and at least make a good estimate from the position of the stars. They'd left on his birthday and September had long since past. He was fairly certain they'd skipped over Sahmain without even realizing it. But the snow was too thick for it to be anywhere close to November. At best guess it was either early December or days away from Midwinter.
Ron shrugged. Hermione didn't respond, focusing instead on her book. Spooning the last of his breakfast in his mouth, Harry ducked outside, grabbing his weather-beaten jacket as he went.
Outside, the storm looked even worse. His face froze in a matter of seconds and he couldn't see past the white sheet of snow in front of him to the trees. No, it'd be best that they stay in today and stay warm.
"I don't think we should move till that storm's gone." he said, quickly drying himself with a spell. "I can't even see the trees."
"So, what are we going to do for the day then?" Ron asked. Harry and Hermione exchanged glances.
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The closer that they got to the end of term, the more Draco worried about Abigail's lack of writing. Talking to Aberforth at the Hog's Head he learned that neither she nor Neville had been seen outside of Hogwarts since late October. In fact, fewer and fewer members of their defense group showed up with each Hogsmeade visit. The Creevey brothers, he knew, were now in hiding at the Titanica. Others had simply vanished.
Seeing a dark spot in the snow, he leapt out of his chair, careful not to disturb Arthur, Eileen and Teddy who were sleeping nearby. Holding his breath, he walked over to the window. He slipped down the back stairs and into the stable. The horses were asleep, thank Merlin, and he was careful not to disturb them. Vicky, Hermione's dappled gray pony, was prone to kicking holes in the wall when she was upset or frightened and Asphodel could wake anyone up more quickly than the fire alarm.
He heard one of the boards squeak and one of the horses snorted. "Who's there?" he asked.
"Who d'you think?" a voice asked behind him.
Draco turned.
"Abigail?"
{PAGEBREAK}
Harry had seen many people sloshed at one time or another. He'd also seen every kind of drunk there was. Draco was a brooding drunk. Neville was a happy drunk and Tonks was a cross between an angry drunk and weepy drunk at times. Hermione was often a talkative drunk who would tell anyone who cared to listen every single fact that there was about Shakespeare.
"Y'know, Harry," Ron slurred, hiccupping. "I think yer all right,"
So, with nothing else to do, with the weather holding them in one place, he figured that they might as well let some steam blow loose. Who knew? Tomorrow, they could wake up with Voldemort at the front door and all be dead by noon. Or Voldemort could be dead and they'd have another party.
"An' you," Ron pointed one finger at Hermione who was sitting at the table with a slightly dazed grin on her face. "What d'you thin' your doing teasin' me like tha'?" Ron took another swig from the bottle.
"Harry, mate. I don't care if you wanta screw my sister. I jus' wan'a…." he made some sort of grand gesture before falling forward out of his seat and doing a face plant on the floor, passing out.
"Think we should tell him we're sober?" Hermione asked, picking Ron up by the collar and dragging him to one of the bunks.
"Not if our lives depended on it," Harry replied, finally opening a bottle of fire whiskey for himself.
{PAGEBREAK}
"What the hell did you think you were doing?" Draco said, still in slight shock.
"It was either run like hell or stay and be killed. We got out who we could. Everyone else refuses to leave." Abigail sat down on an upturned pail. "I got out because I had help."
"Who?" Draco asked, wondering if he wanted to hear the answer.
"Dad." she replied. "Took me out a passage only he and Mum used. It led straight to the Hog's Head. Abe was waiting for me."
"So, Professor Snape-"
"Is actually working for us and yes, it could get him killed. It didn't help that half the students think he's the one that offed me."
"I'm just glad you're all right." Draco saw that it was starting to get light out. "We should probably get some sleep."
"I will," she replied. "I just want to see the twins first."
Well, I haven't been able to come up with good flashbacks lately, so perhaps my dear readers can assist?
C'mon, people, I check my stats, I know ya'll read.
Happy reviewing!
Sparky
