Chapter 34: Reality Hurts … A Lot
They didn't speak to each other for the rest of the day. By that afternoon they had enough of each other and prepared to leave back to the UK silently blaming the other.
Either way their time away wasn't for nothing. The reporters had moved on to reporting the trail and what they called the rise of Lord Voldemort. His popularity had sky rocketed while they were away.
This development only widened the gap between Hector and Samantha. He was ready to do anything necessary to prevent a possible civil war. She, however, wanted nothing to do with it.
While Hector took off doing whatever Dumbledore had him doing, she made a bee line to Diagon Ally. Her friends had mentioned that they had planned on buying the rest of their school supplies together.
She passed by the stores peeking into the windows looking for any sign of them. The need for some normalcy was crushing. Just as she was about to give up she spotted James' unruly hair though the window of a quidditch shop.
She dashed over desperate for anything that didn't have to do with war, dark magic, mirrors, and an angry Hector. The doorbell rang as she walked in inhaling the smell of leather. The shop was rather full as people shopped for their team's shirts gossiping about an upcoming game.
Remus was leaning against a row of shelves in the center of the shop with his arms crossed. He was surrounded by large bags of books and potions on the floor. She stopped and just watched him for a second as he laughed at something they said as James and Sirius walked over to the counter carrying new robes for quidditch. As she looked at him every doubt she had drifted away the way it always did when she sees him.
Just as the others were out of sight, unable to resist she ran towards Remus enveloping in a tight embrace. Remus stumbled back surprised.
His eyes widened looking down at her. "Samantha? Are you okay? I was so worried."
She just nodded and leaned forward toward him. He quickly dipped his head and met her lips with his. She wrapped her arms around his shoulders.
He leaned back slightly with a smile gracing his face. "Miss me?"
"Terribly." She lifted herself up again standing on her toes to meet his lips again.
"Well he got over her fast."
"Who is this girl?"
"No idea, but she does remind me of a girl we once knew."
Sirius and James stood beside them with crossed arms and raise eyebrows.
"Ha, ha," Samantha mocked.
James enveloped her into a hug lifting her off her feet. "Now you can come with us to see the quidditch game. Lily's coming; I told her you were going."
"Thanks for letting me know." She grumbled.
James set her down quite pleased with himself. "No problem."
"Are we done with this love fest yet?" Sirius' stern expression softened as she looked at him. He threw his arm around her shoulder. "It took you long enough. You have any idea how tonight would have gone without you around? We were worried about what Lily would do."
Samantha elbowed him lightly in the ribs. "How touching."
As they made their way out the store Remus reached out for her hand and held it firmly in his. "Do you want to talk about it? Nothing fazes those two, they'd rather pretend nothing happened."
Samantha shook her head and wrapped her arm around his taking a couple of his bags. "Not now. I just want things to be normal."
He smiled but the concern didn't leave his eyes.
That night they went over to Peter's house. His grandmother was leaving to visit a friend of hers who threw out her back while swinging a gnome over the fence. Lilywas already there by the time they got there, sipping tea at a table completely filled with pastries. The look in her eyes hinted that Peter's grandmother might have gotten the idea that Lily was there to strictly see Peter.
His grandmother's house was a large Victorian style painted a pale yellow with bright pink roses in the front yard. On one side was a vast meadow where a muggle farmer let his sheep out to graze. On the opposite side stood a thick forest and somewhere in there would be a quidditch field.
The boys raided the pantry before they left through the woods. Sirius sang a team anthem loudly off key as they marched with sticks crackling underneath their feet.
"Does he have an off switch?" Lily snickered.
"He does that when he in a particularly good mood," James explained.
The trees became sparser as they came upon a valley. On the edge of the hill were carved sitting areas that zig-zagged all the way to the bottom. On either side stood large posts for the goals. On the opposite side of the arena were large tents sporting team colors with several reserved seating boxes.
The hill was already filled with people setting up picnics with little kids flying on small brooms that hovered only a few inches above the ground. James led Lily slightly away as Remus and Samantha sat down on the grassy ground.
Sirius jumped over the ledge landing on the sitting area just below them. "Come on Peter."
Peter looked back between them and Sirius before sitting on the ledge and pushing himself off taking a good portion of the food with him.
Samantha sat curled up next to Remus' side. Beside them James cheered loudly and joked with Lily, who didn't try to hex him.
Samantha looked up at Remus, "Did some miracle happen while I was away?"
Remus smirked holding back a laugh, "I know what you mean. I questioned him to make sure he didn't use a love potion … but I have no idea. Maybe it's because he finally eased up and stopped following her around."
They spent the rest of the game whispering to each other. It wasn't until after the game was over (their team won) that she realized that throughout the entire game Sirius had remained silent the entire time. Peter had been engulfed in the game but Sirius had just sat there motionless and in his own world.
They all came back together the next day to use the now empty quidditch field. They didn't take themselves seriously since there would be a full moon that night. Remus didn't live too far either so they all procrastinated. Lily left in the afternoon by floo powder.
They lazily walked through the forest to Remus'. His parents had built a small cabin separate from their house for him to transform. It was heavily fortified but Sirius had evidently found a way around the spells by using their animal forms.
Remus and Samantha walked a little slower, creating a buffer from the other three.
Remus reached for her hand again, "I get the nagging feeling that something else happened while you were away."
She gripped his hand, "Hector and I don't seem get along in close proximity. We ended up arguing over something stupid. Don't worry about it. It's petty."
"There's something else … that I …" Remus stopped and looked down at her, "I don't want you staying here when I change. James thinks its fine but …"
She kept a steady pace as she pulled him along with her. "Dumbledore is pretty relaxed about where I go but I think staying overnight with a bunch of boys would be crossing the line."
She let out a small laugh but deep down she wasn't eager to stay. In her mind the boy who was walking beside her and the thing that would come out at night were two completely separate beings.
She stayed a while before she decided she really did need to leave. Remus and Sirius ordered Peter to follow her back and to bring the snacks that he had forgotten back at his house.
She gave Remus a quick kiss before taking off into the forest with Peter.
While on their way back Peter gave her a recap of what had happened after the party when Zack died. There had been political clashes, many using Zack's death as a way to gain political favor by stirring up a frenzy.
Twigs and dried leaves cracked under their feet as they walked. The further they moved the more uneasy Samantha felt. The woods were still as if frozen over with some paralyzing fear.
Peter let his voice fade as he took smaller steps looking around quickly. He looked over to Samantha. She held her breath and leapt out at him just as he opened his mouth. He stood with eyes wide open as she clamped her hand on his face preventing him from talking.
He pulled back but froze again. Out through the thick trees a distant scream and laughter filled the stagnant air.
"It's them, Death Eaters, I just know it," Peter whispered covering his own face with his hands.
"Let's hope not, just stay quiet," she tried to sound reassuring.
They crept through the forest. Despite the cool air, beads of sweat sprang out of Peter's forehead. She grabbed his hand as more voices came from in front of them. They walked into the trees ducking into the bushes.
They were so close back to Peter's house but it might as well been much further at the pace they were going. She didn't want to risk using magic and get caught. She couldn't risk them possible looking for any stragglers and come upon the others.
Causing a scene would also be a very bad idea. She had no doubt that Sirius and James would come charging in. That would be bad enough as it is. But Remus would have started changing by now. Would he in his werewolf form be attracted to the sudden noise of a fight? Would he know that she was in trouble or would he only see her as another enemy?
They stopped their movement as Peter covered his mouth again as he took quick short breaths. The voices grew louder. She crouched lower with Peter close behind. Two men walked down cutting through the forest dragging a large sack behind them.
Peter sighed and whispered, "They're just muggle hunters."
He started to stand up but Samantha yanked him back down. As the two men grew closer they saw that whatever was in the bag was moving. Muffled cries wept out from the rustling fabric.
She strained her eyes through the growing darkness trying to get a better look at the two men but all she saw were two dark silhouettes. She looked over to Peter wondering if she could let him to change into a rat to get a better look at who they were. But as she watched him he began to rapidly shake as laughter erupted from the two men.
In the corner of her vision she saw green flash. Her body froze. She held her breath as she turned her head. Whatever was in the sack had stopped moving. One of the men gave it a good kick as they talked.
They were too far away to hear every word. She crept forward toward the two men but stopped as she heard Peter whimper in fright.
She looked back at him seeing his wide pleading eyes. His frame shook and trembled in fear. Going to find out who those two creeps are was out of the question. She needed to get Peter out of there quick.
She motioned her hand low to the ground and mouthed, 'stay low.'
They slowly inched through the forest. She kept him close to her as he took ragged uneven breaths. Even as the distance from the two men increased, her mind whirled impatiently. She had been sure that she had heard more than three people out there.
She bit her bottom lip while she thought about how Hector could have easily pin pointed them. She doubted that by the time she got Peter to safety and come back that there would be anything left for Hector to find to identify them.
Then like a burst of icy air her heart froze over as she realized too late what was happening. She leaped up yanking Peter up. "Run, we need to run."
She didn't trust herself to be able to fight whoever was hunting them and protect Peter at the same time. They would be safer if they could make it to the house. At least then she could place a protective charm to slow them down.
Their feet hammered the ground. She grabbed her wand and pointed it directly behind her. A bright blue spark shot out. Out from the forest a spell impacted it bursting it mid-air. Sparks climbed high into the air.
Someone behind them whooped. They were having fun chasing them down. Her skin prickled as she ran picking up speed casting another spell behind them.
Another explosion of two spells colliding rippled through the air.
"Run Peter, don't stop!"
Samantha skidded into a halt thrusting her hand out. A burst of hot sharp wind cut through the air tearing down branches in the impact. Behind her Peter stumbled to the ground.
She looked back at his wild fearful eyes, too scared to fight, too scared run off alone.
"Change, Peter! Now and don't look back," She yelled.
A crackling sound flew through the air. She dodged to the side narrowly missing a steak of yellow hurling towards her.
She stood her ground as Peter tried to concentrate to transform into a rat making grunting noises as he desperately shut his eyes.
A cloaked figure emerged from the shadows littered with stray twigs and dirt.
Samantha's breath slowed down into deep controlled inhalation as her hand twitched eagerly. Her opponent's movements were slow as one foot slid back and one arm inched upward daring her to make the first move.
In a flash she lunged forward pointed her wand to cast a spell the left the surrounding air ablaze with heat. The air rippled as cloaked Death Eater retaliated. Spell after spell they fought matching each other's speed.
A shrill cry behind her distracted her. She whirled crying out, "Peter!"
Engrossed in battle she had forgotten about him, thinking that he had gotten away. But not too far from her he laid withering in pain twitching as a large hooded man stood over him laughing.
She fell to the ground before she felt the pain. Her back ached as her opponent took the opening to attack again.
Samantha cursed under her breath as she tried to push herself up but crumpled back down onto the floor feeling as if she was boiling from the inside out. Muffled laughter filled her ears as she bit her tongue too overcome with pain by the Cruciatus Curse.
When the pain finally ceased she gasped for air panting heavily like a dog. Tears filled her eyes and for a second she thought the subtle crying was her own. Looking up she saw Peter crouched down on the floor sobbing, clutching onto himself.
They must have forced him to watch, she thought to herself. She felt the pain again before she heard the caster say it. 'Crucio'.
She grinded her teeth refusing to scream or cry for their own amusement. She knew she had to figure a way out of this but her brain bubble over in pain.
She collapsed to the floor feeling the cold damp grass on her cheek. She could vaguely hear them complain but her brain had a hard time comprehending the words. But they sounded like they were standing next to each other now.
She pushed hard with on hand and rolled onto her back sending a large explosion. Rocks and clumps of grass filled the air knocking the hooded men off their feet. Peter rolled a couple of times before staggering on all fours with wide panicked eyes.
Samantha got up and reached out her hand, "Hurry, get my hand. I can get us out of here."
She concentrated trying to remember every detail of Peter's house with its bright yellow paint and wide array of neatly trimmed fragrant rose bushes lining the property boarding the freshly trimmed grass.
Peter trembled violently as she tried to crawl towards her. But he his body seemed to fail him. He suddenly froze with his eyes wide in fear as if turned to stone by Medusa herself.
She leapt for her fallen wand but by the time her hand grasped around the soft polished wood her bones erupted in pain as if they were all snapping in half at once. She let out an ear splitting scream. The pain left as quickly as it struck her. She gasped on the ground feeling as she had swallowed hot coal. She ripped off her necklace hoping that her veela ability could by them enough time to make a run for it.
"You shouldn't be in such a hurry darling," called out a sickly sweet voice.
Behind Samantha was the third hooded figure wrapped in black. The only visible part was a delicate pale hand wrapped around a long black polished wand. The words flowed from under the hood. "Avada -
Loud thumps suddenly filled the air as an animal ran through the forest. Samantha's blood ran cold. Everything next happened too fast for anyone to react in time.
With a deep vibrating growl a beast lunged on top of the hooded figure tossing both of them down on top of Samantha.
The impact forced the air out of her lungs as the man wailed and screeched out in terror. The beast snarled ripping through flesh as blood drain down on her.
The man rolled to side as his grunts gurgled and gasped at a futile attempt for air.
The beast, Remus, in his werewolf form hadn't had enough. He pushed forward landing on top of Samantha's stomach slicing into her belly as he charged again toward the blood stained heap beside her.
Whimpering in pain she searched for her fallen wand through hazy eyes. As her fingers dug through the ground as menacing growls, screams, and casted spells filled the night air.
As her eyes casted upward did she finally realize that the werewolf had mauled the Death Eater that had attacked her and Peter. The others surrounded the snarling werewolf with raised wands.
Bright blasts resounded through the forest. Peter scuffled toward her stumbling and panicking seeing her open wound.
There, before them, stood James and Sirius engaged in battle with the Death Eaters. Remus snarled and snapped the air momentarily hesitating.
Peter pulled at Samantha's arm as she tried to get up but her muscles failed her as a sharp piercing pain erupted from her abdomen. She took short panic breaths as her mind and body grew sluggish as blood continued to pour out from the wound dampening the ground beneath her.
Peter mumbled and stuttered apologies as each time he pulled her back she groaned in pain. His sudden stilled distracted her from the tearing pain. Her eyes refocused and right in front of them was a snarling werewolf.
She froze along with Peter as Remus' transformed body rose and feel with each deep breath through snarling teeth. His yellow eyes fixated on them as he stalked forward.
Peter stumbled back saying something but Samantha couldn't hear anything. Her lungs contracted forcing her to pant heavily in panic as she tried to lift herself off the ground.
Her eyes stayed in contact with those piercing foreign yellow eyes. Tears streamed down her dust covered face. Her mind once engulfed in pain now opened up with one thought. Remus was going to kill her.
A lump formed in her throat as the werewolf dropped himself on all fours and closed the distance between them. He stopped as fresh tears slid down her cheeks.
Samantha shut her eyes are turned her head waiting for the attack, giving up all hope. James and Sirius were already locked in combat. And poor Peter was immobilized in fear.
With a soft blow of hot breath she felt his presence on directly in front of her. More tears streamed down her check and Remus touched the edge of his nose on her wet cheek.
The werewolf's suddenly turned as one of the Death Eaters lost his nerve and took off into the bushes. Remus dashed after him but stopped just as he was almost out of sight, turning slowly to take more look at Samantha who had finally opened her eyes and began to sob hysterically.
Sirius stayed locked in battle with the last remaining battle, neither gaining nor losing ground. All of his sly tricks and quick thinking finally came into play.
James, who allowed his opposite to run off, dashed toward Samantha and Peter. He took off his jacket and pressed it against her still bleeding wound. She yelped in pain as he grabbed onto her lifting her off the ground barking orders to Peter to stay alert.
A loud blast resounded through the air as a Death Eater went flying into a tree knocking him unconscious. Sirius walked over hovering over him until James called out to him. They locked eyes and there were no need for words.
Sirius in an instant transformed into a giant black dog and dashed into the woods. Still breathing hard James ran as fast he could carrying Samantha back to Peter's house.
James kept pestering Samantha to stay awake but her eyes felt heavy and body ached in pain and chilliness. Before she knew it she was placed in a table with James pressing firmly on her stomach with grim smile as he tried to reassure her.
But she couldn't hear him. Through her half closed eyes she saw him covered in blood. His arms, his shirt, even the side of his face were he must have wiped the back of his hand. He kept telling her to wait but she wasn't sure what she was waiting for anymore, death?
Everything seemed oddly quiet to her. But soon Lily was there the next time she opened her eyes, she too with her hands covered in blood wand in hand with Sirius yelling at her. At least that was what it looked like to her. Samantha's mind slugged along too tired to keep up with what was happening around her.
Her eyes closed again but this time a beautiful woman hovered over her. All the pain and coldness that has enveloped her body was gone, and she seemed to be the source of it. She had flowing blonde hair, soft glowing skin, and bright emerald eyes. For the briefest moment Samantha thought her mother had come to her. That she had finally died. But Sirius was behind her looking down with a wrinkled brow and a coarse frown.
It was him that made her certain that she was indeed not dead. It seemed impossible that he could have also died. No, for his sake this all must be real she thought as see closed her eyes and the welcoming darkness took hold once again.
A/N: So, lots of action right? I'm still trying to finish up the last two chapters but hopefully up in around 2 weeks, one if nothing takes up too much of my time.
For those of you who may not know I have another story up called The Hoplite & Gladiator: BK 1 Identities. It is a Percy Jackson/ Heroes of Olympus fanfic. I'm going to be participating in Camp NaNoWriMo and plan on doing an extensive editing and rewrite of this story. So if you have the extra time please take a look and let me know what you guys think I should work on to improve the story.
Thank you guys for all your support and kind words. =)