"We have to go to Hogwarts" was all Potter had to say to get us to the castle.
That freakin castle that was crawling with Death Eaters.
That didn't seem to deterr the Boy-Who-Lived, though. Nor the Mudblood and Weasel.
I glanced at Draco in apprehension before we all clasped hands and apparated - still wet, but no one seemed to care.
I did. My hair was ruined... again. You'd think after two days of being dumped into a body of water I'd get used to it. I didn't. "I'm going to kill you, Potter," I threatened when we landed in Hogsmeade and a horrible thrashing sound went off. An alarm.
"This way," Granger hissed, pulling us along the shadows until we were hiding under some covered barrels.
"Where do we go?" Weasel whispered.
"Quickly, in here," a voice answered for us. We went to the source, as someone seemed to have recognized it. I spotted Death Eaters turning the corner just as the door to the Hogs Head shut.
A goat bleated from somewhere in the back room. Bloody hell, this place was where we landed?
"You kids are fools, you realize," the bar keep hissed at us.
"Sir, we need to get into the school," Granger insisted. "Do you know a way?"
"Aye, I know a way," the bar keep said gruffly. He glanced at the fireplace, no, to the portrait, I realized. "Ariana, you know what to do."
The pretty strawberry haired girl nodded and walked off. I stared at the picture a moment. I had seen her somewhere.
"Ariana Dumbledore?" Draco asked. "The headmaster's sister?"
"Aye, and I reckon old Albus never mentioned me," the man said, and I did realize he had Dumbledore's face structure and blue eyes. "My name is Aberforth Dumbledore."
"Pleasure," Granger said.
As they exchanged pleasantries, I stared at the portrait. It seemed to be coming back... and someone was behind Ariana Dumbledore.
The portrait swung open, revealing a secret passageway. Aberforth pulled up a chair and Longbottom, the occupant, crouched down. "All right there, Harry?"
"All right, and you?"
"The Carrows," he explained. "Not as bad as Seamus's anyway." Longbottom's eyes darted to Draco and I, but he didn't seem disturbed. "Well, in you go. You've got quite a lot of people waiting on you lot."
I know he extended the 'you lot' to Draco and I, but I knew better. Whoever could be waiting wasn't for me or Draco.
So one by one we climbed into the portrait hole, Draco and I bringing up the rear. Once the portrait slammed shut behind me, I jumped and glanced at it before nearly breathing down Draco's neck as we continued on. Draco rolled his eyes, making sure I saw, before switching places with me, so I was in front of him.
I shot him a look of thanks, but he wasn't paying attention.
"A lot has changed," Longbottom was saying in that Leeds accent of his. If he wasn't a Gryffindor, I'd actually find his accent a little... sexy, but, I didn't date reds. Besides, Draco was all I needed at the moment. "I don't think we have a single student that's Muggleborn anymore. Lavender's disappeared off the radar - to the Death Eaters, that is. All the muggleborn's have been, well... you'll see."
And we did. The portrait swung open and I could see tons of people sitting around.
"Hey, I've brought you a surprise!"
"If it's one of Aberforth's rock-"
Longbottom stepped aside and I saw a lot of people surge forward as Potter climbed down the ladder.
"Bloody hell!" someone gasped.
"Harry Potter!"
"Harry!"
Granger and Weasel were soon to follow... And then it was just us. I climbed down the ladder, hanging back with Draco as they exchanged pleasantries.
"Five galleons says someone tries to kill us," I muttered.
"Ten galleons," he upped.
"Deal."
When they did start to notice us, one of them had the audacity to scream.
That caused me to raise an eyebrow. And I counted to three before I burst into laughter. "Did you hear that? A scream? I know I'm beautiful, but I've never had anyone scream in delight before."
"I think they screamed in fear."
"Aw," I pouted, glancing at Draco. "Now my feelings are hurt."
Draco rolled his eyes.
"What are you doing here?"
"They're with us," Potter said. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "She's my half-sister."
"Ouch, mate," Finnigan muttered.
"You'll start saying ouch when I punch you in the face, you Irish snot-" I started to spit, but Draco pulled me back from causing a fight.
"Relax," he told me. "Now, Potter, what are we looking for again?"
"Right, we need to find something," Potter said. "It's small, probably hasn't been seen in a while... and it's something of Ravenclaw's."
"You mean the Lost Diadem of Rowena Ravenclaw?" Loony's voice called.
"Bloody hell, here we go again," Weasel muttered.
She did have a point, though, as did he... She was crazy.
After we came to the conclusion that we were looking for the diadem, Weaslette walked in.
"Harry!" she gasped.
"Bloody hell, I'm her brother!" Weasel muttered again.
I smirked.
"She's got six of those and only one Harry," Finnigan remarked.
I couldn't keep the snort back at the comment, effectively ruining the moment. My hand flew to my mouth to contain my laugh. "Sorry..."
"Snape knows," Weaslette said. "He knows you're all here. We're all supposed to meet in the Great Hall."
So I gave Draco a look. "Do you trust me?"
"Bloody hell, don't ask me that in the times of war, Orpha," Draco groaned.
But Potter already disappeared with half the students. Only Granger, Weasel, and a few others stayed behind.
Opportunity lost. But opportunity gained, I realized, when Granger started to call the Order with her otter patronus.
Review, everyone, please? And thanks to SlytherinBaby98 for the idea!
Read my disclaimer in the previous chapters... I don't feel like typing it again(: But I don't own, just the plot and Orpha
- Wynde