The World's Gone Crazy
By Allanasha Ke Kiri
Chapter 51
{It hasss been too long, Man-child}, Christina hissed as he entered the chamber.
James blinked, was she pouting? {I'm sssorry, Christina. I've been bussy,}
{I sssee. What do you wish to ssspeak of today?}, she asked softly as she wound her tail next to her.
James shrugged. {I ssimply wished to sspeak to you once more}, he answered as he placed Nataniel onto the ground, letting him go off to find his siblings.
Christina's head turned slightly in his direction. {What iss wrong? You sseem troubled.}
He sighed, approaching the large snake and laying a hand on her. {I'm leaving.}
{Everyone leaves}, she answered. {Some just go farther than others.}
{Tom has told you.}
She nodded, shifting so that she was around Harry. He leaned against her, closing his eyes.
{Worry not, Man-child,} she told him. {Luck seems to like you. You will pull through well enough.}
{I usually do. But I will be leaving Draco …. My … mate} He went red as he said that. {Behind. I worry how he will take it.}
Christina hissed understandingly. {You will find another}, she told him.
{I don't want another.}
{That would make it more difficult,} she told him, a light teasing in her voice.
James shook his head, unable to resist a small smile.
{Have you told him?}
{No, I don't know when I'll go.}
{He will be surprised. Perhaps even hurt, if you do not explain it to him before you go.}
{Tom can explain if I leave before I can.}
{Sso you do plan to tell him?}
{Yeah … just, not until after school is over. There's just … too much right now.}
She nodded again. {And Nataniel?}
James shrugged. {I don't know. I will do all I can to bring him with me, but … I don't know how I will go back.}
Another nod. {If he is left behind, I will watch him until your return.}
{Thank you.} He didn't know if he ever would, but it was nice to know that he would be taken care of.
James followed Draco into the Great Hall, already packed full of parents meeting with their children. As the two made their way through the crowd, He was stopped multiple times by people wishing him luck. Finally, they found the elder Malfoy's.
Narcissa surprised him with a kiss on his cheek. He blinked up at her.
"N-nice to see you, Mrs. Malfoy," he said, with a nod, eyes surprised.
She laughed. "For luck of course," she told him, eyes sparkling.
"Mother," Draco grumbled, looking like he wanted to glare at her.
Narcissa just laughed again, waving off his words.
"Hello again, Mr. Malfoy."
Lucius nodded in reply. "Are you ready for today's task?"
Harry nodded. "I am."
Anything else he might have been going to say was cut off by someone crashing into him; sending him to the ground.
"Sorry," the voice said, quickly getting off him.
James winced slightly as he stood, turning to face the Ravenclaw.
"Sorry, James," he said. "I was pushed."
James shrugged. "It's all right. It didn't hurt that much."
The Ravenclaw winced.
"Sorry, James, didn't mean for him to run into you," another Ravenclaw said.
James waved it off. "I said it was all right."
They both smiled at him and made their way off. James turned back to the Malfoy's as he shook his head.
"Where did you get that?" Lucius demanded, pointing to his chest.
James blinked, looking down, only to see the pendant that Draco had given him. "Oh, Draco," he said. "It was his Valentine's gift." He frowned slightly. "Why?"
Narcissa smiled softly. "I remember when I received that," she said, gently laying a hand on Lucius' arm.
Lucius raised an eyebrow at her, then at Draco.
James blinked. "Wait, this is an heirloom? Draco," he hissed. Why hadn't he been told that? What if it wasn't okay for it to have been given to him?
"Don't worry about it, James," Draco said. "It's fine."
James didn't look convinced.
"Oh, don't worry about it," Narcissa told him. "It's quite fine. Isn't it Lucius?"
Lucius gave a small, barely audible, sigh and nodded once. "It is fine."
James blinked upon noticing that Draco's eyes had lit up. He was really confused right now.
"I've got to go get ready for the task," he said, with a shake of his head. "I'll talk to you afterwards." He leaned over and gave Draco a quick kiss before hurrying off, leaving Draco with his parents.
All three Malfoy's left the Great Hall for a more private location.
"Does he know?" Lucius asked, with a raised eyebrow.
Draco shook his head. "No, I haven't told him about it. Then again, you didn't tell mother until after the wedding."
"As is the tradition," he answered simply.
"Are you sure this is what you want, Draco?"
Draco nodded, expression serious. "Yes, it is. I will not give him up, not for anything."
The room was silent for several seconds as Lucius eyed him closely. Finally, he sighed. "At least he's not a mudblood," he said.
Draco smiled. "Thank you father," he said. As ready as he was to defy him, it was much better to have his approval.
"Welcome Ladies and Gentleman to the last task of the Triwizard Tournament!"
Cheers rang through the stadium.
"Tonight's task will be to get to the center of the maze, where the Triwizard cup sits. The first one to it will win the tournament."
Another round of cheers spread, though this time it was accompanied by the chanting of the champion each school wanted to win. James smiled and waved to the crowd.
"Mr. Medin, currently in the lead with 87 points, will enter first. He will have a 10-minute head start before Ms. Amiel will enter. Finally, Ms. Delacour will enter the maze last. Good luck to all of you. Mr. Medin, if you would?"
James nodded, making his way into the maze, taking a deep breath when the wall closed behind him, leaving him in silence. He took a deep, steadying breath as he moved onwards. This was nothing like before, he told himself firmly. There was no one at the other end that would be trying to kill him.
He gave a slight nod to himself, hoping to calm his rapidly beating heart. He had no such luck. His senses were on high alert, his body tense and ready for anything. As he made his way through the multiple twists and turns, his mind decided to remind him of the last time he'd been in there; Krum, the boggart, the spider, oh, and of course the trophy.
He calmed himself with the knowledge that there wasn't a dark lord here that wanted him dead. No, he just worked for him … sort of. James shook his head to clear it of the unnecessary, and unwanted, thoughts. Now wasn't the time for that. The sooner he got too that trophy, the sooner he could put this mistake behind him.
He jumped as a sigh sounded, only to realize that it was his own. Shaking his head at his own foolishness, he looked down two paths, trying to decide which to tae.
"Well," he said, more to just hear something than necessity. "Let's go right."
He made to move, but found himself unable to do so. With a frown, he glanced down.
"Bloody hell," he groaned, quietly, recognizing the plant that had him immediately. Right afterwards, he reached for his wand. Really, he should have had it out since the beginning. He guessed that showed how out of it he was.
"Incencio" he said, pointing his wand down at the plant. It immediately released him, its long tentacle like vines retreating to wherever the main roots were.
"Devil's snare, Devil's snare, is deadly fun, but hates the sun," he intoned softly, remembering his first year.
"But there's not wood."
"Wood? Are you a witch or aren't you?"
James shook his head, clearing it of the voices past. Now was not the time to reminisce. Now, he'd wanted to go right. As he walked, he strained his ears for a noise, anything. He'd forgotten just how quiet the maze was; like it absorbed every bit of sound.
In a way, it reminded him of the library. Quiet and when one spoke they felt inclined to whisper. The differences were much greater though. The library wasn't dangerous … well, unless one counted Madam Pinch.
A scream abruptly caught his attention, sending him running in its direction. Rounding a corner, he skidded to a stop.
"Bloody hell," he breathed, staring up at the beast. Just beyond it, he could see Gabrielle. The creature turned towards him. Harry backed up, warily. He hadn't seen this before. What the hell was it? However, once it got closer to him, it changed, and he felt a sudden chill in the area as the creature turned into a Dementor.
"Oh … good. Riddikulus!" he exclaimed, brandishing his wand at the boggart. A moment later, it was gone. James rushed over towards Gabrielle. "Are you all right?"
"Yez, zanks to you," she replied.
"What was that?"
"Zat was a Gendling."
James blinked. "Okay then … you sure you're all right?"
She nodded, brushing off her clothes. "I am." She sent him a smile and quickly headed of in another direction. James shook his head, continuing on his own journey.
Hours seemed to pass as he wandered the maze, looking for any clue that he might be nearing the center of the maze. Occasionally, he would come across a creature and he would either avoid it, or dispatch it and move on.
Finally, he rounded a corner, only to bump into something. He heard a screech as he jerked back, only to see talons coming at him. He cried out as he dodged them and quickly retreated. Once a safe distance away, he saw that it was a Hippogryff. He breathed out slowly in an attempt to calm his racing heart.
The hippogryff stomped around and huffed angrily. James waited patiently until it seemed to wear itself down, though it still glared at him. Slowly, James approached the creature again.
"I'm sorry," he said softly, as he bowed, keeping eye contact. "I had not meant to startle such a magnificent being as yourself."
The Hippogryff glared at him a moment before bowing in return. It snorted at him slightly as he rose and carefully approached it.
"I truly am sorry," he said, gently patting it. "I'll just leave you then, as I don't think you like me very much."
He nodded his head to the hippogryff and made his way out the other passage, feeling the creature's sharp eyes still on him. Once away from it, he leaned against one of the walls, releasing his breath once more. Dealing with a angry Hippogryff sure was nerve wracking, he thought as he shook his head, looking around.
He stopped, blinking in surprise as he saw the trophy. Was that it? Just a Hippogryff to guard the thing? Surely not? His grip around his wand tightened as he cautiously approached the area around the trophy. He frowned as he stood next to it. Giving his head a shake, he decided not to think too much of it.
After a moment of just staring at the gold trophy, he reached out and firmly grasped it. A moment later, he felt a tug around his navel.
Yes, that's the end of the chapter. Not to worry though, I already know what I'm going to do with the next one. I wont leave you hanging for another four months before I update again, I promise.
My move went fine, but then, unfortunately, nothing would come. Believe me, I tried. (Glares at muse, who shrugs unconcernedly). Sorry for any spelling, or grammar mistakes, or if it doesn't flow right. This chapter was written in about an hour at 11 tonight … last night …. Whatever, when my muse suddenly decided that I had to write, NOW, and it wouldn't let me do anything else. (sigh)
Oh well, at least it's written, and you're able to read it.
Also, I know that there's quite a jump between this chapter and the last one, but I couldn't get anything else between them, sorry about that.
On another note, this story is drawing to a close … soon. Though I don't know just how many more chapter's there's gonna be. There is, however a sequel, so be prepared.
Um … sorry for the long wait, it wont happen again.
