Under the Cloak

I was at the top of the stairs in record time, I had to find Professor Barrass; I halted just as I reached the door. For some reason I couldn't bring myself to actually knock or even put my hand on the door. Something in my heart was pulling me away. It just seemed all wrong. I took a step backwards, then another step. I couldn't place my feelings but I knew this wasn't where I belonged. Shaking my head I tried to force myself to knock but again it was like a block stopping me.

Deciding I was better off trying to find Melinda myself I made my way toward the The Great Hall, hoping someone had seen her and she was just hiding from Draco.

"Hey! Peter, right?" I asked approaching a guy who looked similar to Melinda's description of the seventh year Ravenclaw I should've recognized by now.

"You really don't pay attention up in the air do you?" He teased as I flushed with embarrassment.

"Have you seen Melinda?"

"Now that I think about it, not since this morning" he said as I nodded and started to turn around, but Peter gently grabbed my arm. "If this is about Draco, don't bother, you and I both know he's not really worth her time. He'll really mess her up" he said as I turned back to face him. "I'm not saying all Malfoys are like that" he started as I opened my mouth, "She's already torn up about this whole binding spell, she doesn't need to worry about him too."

"Think what you will about Draco, that's fine, but she's allowed to think what she wants as well" I told him, "you're right, we're not all bad" I added with a small smile, hoping to reassure him before turning and walking out.

"Holly!" I called catching sight of her a few staircases ahead of me.

"Tammie!" She shouted back humorously.

"Hey, I heard you were looking for Melinda, have you happen to find her yet?" She made a thinking face.

"Actually, no, no I haven't" she said as I nodded. "Do you need me to deliver a message or something when I do see her later?" I shook my head, thanked her and headed back down the stairs, this time running back outside. I stood at the doors and looked around, still nothing. With a heavy heart I went back inside, tempted to search the library or somehow sneak into her common room, but I knew I shouldn't have been worried, she was fine.

And that was what I told Draco throughout the rest of the day, she was okay, probably just avoiding us, granted it left all our friends to question why she'd be ignoring us. I waited until eleven forty-five to get dressed and head back out, I was going to ask Harry if I could borrow his cloak but I didn't want the others suspecting anything. If the twins could mange to sneak in and out of the castle at night without a cloak of invisibility I could too.

I wasn't nearly as graceful, even getting into the common room from the bedroom seemed like it took much longer than it needed. I felt like I was wasting time. I had to get outside. What I didn't tell anyone was that I hadn't seen anyone when I went back outside looking for Melinda but there was a letter neatly laid with the brooms. It simply said midnight at the black lake.

Glancing around both ways one more time I crept out of the common room and made my way down the steps and hurried outside, somehow not being spotted, even by the always lurking Mrs. Norris. Outside, I pulled my jacket tightly around myself even though it wasn't cold, I could feel a chill. I continued walking all the way out toward the black lake. Once there I stood staring out. Why the cryptic message? Who was it from? Where was Melinda?

Just when I thought about giving up I felt the sensation of someone next to me. I turned to the person, they were covered from head to toe and unless I went right up to the them or pulled off their cloak I had no idea who they were; and they didn't look like they were about to speak. "Where's Melinda?" I asked. I watched the figure turn toward me but before I could see who they were I felt like I was falling and all I could do was let myself.

"Wha..." I asked as I quickly sat up, looking around but all I could see was grass, dead grass, and dying trees. Everything looked like it hadn't been managed in quite some time. I stood up, brushing myself off as I squinted and looked further off, seeing a person stooped over a tombstone. "Just like my vision..." I whispered as I took a step toward the figure but heard noise behind me. "Melinda!" I exclaimed as I ran over to her, trying to figure out how she was tied up but couldn't find the ropes "Are you okay?" I asked as she moved her mouth but no words came out. "Who did this?" I asked as her eyes went wide, her gaze behind me. I spun around, ducking out of the way just as a bright yellow light whizzed past my head. Another whizz, this one catching my foot, a sharp burning sensation traveling up my thigh. I managed to pull myself up and hug the tree, taking out my wand and aiming at the figure. Oddly and most surprisingly the figure stopped, their wand still pointed at me but only slightly raised.

"How dare you aim that at me" a low voice said from under the cloak. I knew that voice, they sounded more raw and angry but I knew who it was. But it couldn't be, that made no sense, how could I have been so misled?

"Show yourself!" I shouted as the figure laughed, a hardy laugh and then reached up, pulling the cloak off, Professor Burnner revealing herself as more sinister and darker. "Professor?" I asked trying not to be tempted to put down my wand or let down my guard. "W-what's going on?"

"Don't be so surprised Tammie, you can't tell me you didn't see this coming" she said and then with a wave of her wand I was flying in the air, immediately hitting another tree and then face down on the ground. I groaned as I tried to move but every part of my body was screaming in pain.

"What are you talking about? I didn't know—" Another wave and I was slammed back against a tree.

"You have visions, you've seen this place, haven't you?" She asked but I didn't answer, feeling blood in the corner of my mouth. "I knew you were special from the moment I heard your name, but I didn't know you were this special" she said walking toward me.

"Let Melinda go! What did you do to her?" I asked as we both glanced over at Melinda who was now still. "Melinda!"

"Don't worry, she's not dead" Professor Burnner answered as I half sighed with relief. "And no, I don't plan to kill either of you, that would be too easy and certainly not helpful" she said as I managed to get a hand free, my wand behind me. "Tammie, dear, don't try anything sneaky, you might hurt yourself" she said as she pointed her wand at me again, this time my body standing up against my will. I squeezed my eyes closed and pulled myself back down, the pain tearing at my waist and knees. "Oh, yes, you're so much more than I ever imagined" she said as she walked over to and then without warning punched me in the stomach.

"What was that for?" I mumbled, coughing as she leaned down.

"Trust me, you deserve so much worst" she whispered as she went over to Melinda. "Now, about this one..." she asked herself as she waved her wand at Melinda, her body dropping to the ground. She shook her head almost in annoyance but then turned her attention to something on the ground. I didn't see it before she had a tapered looking book and a small cauldron. "I suppose I could bring her first, she'll be less trouble" she continued mumbling as I looked at my wand a few feet away from me. I could chance it, maybe make it, but I had a feeling she'd punish Melinda instead. "You wrote that letter to Melinda?" I asked trying to at least get some questions answered. "And you lured her here?" Professor Burnner made an agreeing noise of sorts as she took her wand and started reciting a spell, dragging her wand in a large circle on the ground. "Who died?" I asked nearly reaching my wand, glad to see Professor Burnner was still distracted.

"No one" she said coldly as she glanced over at me, her eyes a deep black, like shiny stones. I could feel the hatred in my soul that radiated off her. I wanted to ask her more, why she looked at me like that, what we did to deserve this. But I had to focus on finding a way out of this place. I silently moved to Melinda, shaking her to consciousness but begging her to keep quiet.

"Then why is to so important you picked this place? Are they not important?" I asked nodding toward the tombstone.

"It doesn't matter" she said, her attention still on the almost completed circle.

"Good" I said and then sprang up, my body stinging with pain as I aimed my wand at the tombstone "CONFRINGO!" I shouted, the tombstone blasting to bits. Professor Burnner screamed, running to the tombstone, her cries hinting that she lied, there was something very important about that grave. "C'mon!" I hissed to Melinda as I helped her to her feet and we ran.

"NO!" Professor Burnner shouted as she shot spell after spell at us but we miraculously managed to dodge every one.

"Go go" I hissed to Melinda as we found a spot to hide, the weeds taller and bushier to engulf several people.

"Now what?" Melinda asked as I crept to the other side, beckoning her to follow. We peeked out, looking for Professor Burnner but didn't see or hear anything. "Do you think she's gone?" Melinda asked but I shook my head, if Melinda saw the pain and rage in her eyes she'd know the woman would follow us to the end of the earth to kidnap us.

"How did you get here?" I asked Melinda but she shook her head.

"I barely remember what happened. I got a letter this morning and then I left to go to my common room and then nothing" she said as I nodded in understanding, that would be added to list of questions I had for Professor Burnner.

"Allen...Sawyer..." my body stiffened as I watched her walk pass us. "You can't run from me, I will find you..." she whispered as I tried not to whimper in fear. This woman, this polite almost elegant woman was now this. A woman filled with so much anger and hate.

We continued moving along, just as quietly and then suddenly, a crunch, the loudest crunch I've ever heard. It made my toes curl and my heart drop. Professor Burnner whirled around, her eyes mad with anger and her mouth twisted into an insane smile. I went to reach for my wand again but she was ahead of me, my wand flying out of my hand as she waved hers. "Run Melinda!" I called as I backed up, if one of us could get back to the castle somehow maybe there would be hope for the other one of us. Plus Professor Burnner was focused on me, it would give Melinda just enough time to escape.

And she did, she was on her feet in seconds and gone in another second. "Oh, that's sad..." Professor Burnner teased as she moved closer, she was going to take her time, she was going to make me suffer, I could feel it. "You can't even begin to understand what you've done" she hissed as I tripped over a rock, continuing to stumble backwards.

"I won't apologize" I stated as she huffed.

"Of course you won't, that's okay, you'll have years to learn" she said raising her wand again. "I wasn't able to transport you the right way, but this will have to do" she said with an even more sinister expression. I closed my eyes, ready for the end but heard a loud slam, Melinda appearing out of nowhere as she rammed a tree branch into Professor Burnner.

"Tammie!" She exclaimed helping me to my feet this time. "I hope you didn't actually think I was leaving you" she said as we ran again.

"I was hoping you'd get help" I told, "is she dead?"

"I don't know, I didn't think you'd wan to stick around to check" she said as we continued running, passing a large wooden sign that read BayPointe Way. We were still running when I heard footsteps in distance. "No" I hissed in panic as we turned slightly left, avoiding a tree and continued running.

Then, very abruptly Melinda stopped. I nearly ran into her. I was thankful I didn't as I peered over her shoulder, we were on a cliff. And this was where it ended, the only thing below us was an seemingly endless abyss. I was staring my death in the face. I gulped, trying to think of any spell that could get us out of here alive, but we weren't advanced or quick enough.

"End of the line girls..." we both turned, looking at Professor Burnner, her robes were shinny and she held a hand to her side. The branch must have caught her, she sounded out of breath and looked to be defeated, but I knew better than to stand down. "Now, please, if you will" she said motioning for us to come toward her. I shook my head.

"Never!" Melinda shouted as Professor Burnner narrowed her eyes.

"I said please" she teased, knowing she won. She raised her wand once more but just before she could get the words out of her mouth her body stiffened, her arms tight to her side as if a giant rope was suddenly being wrapped around her.

"I believe their answer was no, Stacey." I was more surprised than ever to see Professor Barrass coming toward us, his wand firmly pointed at Professor Burnner.