Chapter Nine: The Attack
The rest of the day they spent walking, climbing over fallen trees and large boulders. Ginny's feet were aching from so much walking and she wondered if Draco felt the same. All the muscles in her legs were crying out for Ginny to stop and sit a while, but Draco wouldn't hear of it.
Darkness soon engulfed them and they were forced to make camp once again. Ginny was massaging her sore calves in front of the fire while some sausages were roasting. A cool breeze drifted through their camp, and the soft sound of flowing water indicated they were near a stream.
"Maybe the stream that feeds into the lake." Ginny pondered.
Draco was on the other side of the fire stairing out into the woods. His usually sleeked back blonde hair now fell messly into his eyes. He looked more human after two days without a shower, Ginny mused.
"I think if we just follow the stream, then--" Ginny started, but Draco quickly shut her up by waving his hand at her.
"What is it?" Ginny mouthed.
Draco crawled noislesly around the fire and sat next to Ginny. "Something's out there, watching us." Draco pointed to a very thick cover of trees.
"What?" Ginny almost yelled, but Draco clapped his hand over her mouth.
Ginny's frightened eyes looked up at Draco's face, but he was intently gazing into the forest once again. She removed his hand from her mouth, then whispered, "What do you think it is?"
"Don't know...but it's been following us all day...ever since the hag."
"You don't think it's--it's the hag, do you?"
Draco shook his head, then looked down at Ginny. "I didn't want to tell you earlier because I thought you'd be scared. If it wanted to attack is it would have by now. I don't know what it's playing at." He paused.
"Draco," Ginny choked on her words. "What are we going to do?"
Draco gave a sigh. "The tents are shields against an attack. As long as we're in there, it can't get at us, so it'll be safe to sleep. It might leave by morning."
Draco placed a spell over the fire so that it wouldn't burn out. Most animals in the Forest had sensitive eyes and couldn't stand to be near fires. Draco was hoping that whatever was stalking them was one of these animals.
He then helped Ginny up from the ground and walked her to the tent. He was taking off his robe, and just about to take off his shirt when Ginny came into his side of the tent.
"Yes?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Um, can I sleep in here?" Ginny asked, keeping her eyes on the ground.
Draco could think of a million witty replies, but decided now was not the moment to be "funny."
"Sure...just don't snore or talk in your sleep."
Ginny's eyes shot wide open. She was known amongst her friends as the one who talked in her sleep. As she dragged her cot into Draco's side of the tent she ordered herself not to talk in her sleep.
She was completely taken by surprise when Draco started undressing...in front of her! Ok, he merely took of his shirt and shoes, but this was a side of Draco she had never seen before! He had a nice muscular body, one fit for a seeker. His arms were toned and so were his abs. His chest was hairless, and Ginny wondered if it was as smooth as it looked.
"Goodnight, then." Draco said, then climbed into his cot. Ginny did likewise.
They were both lying in their cots, a few inches apart. Neither of them could sleep, and the slightest noise outside disturbed them. A distant howl outside startled Ginny so badly, she gave a soft whimper.
"Don't worry, Ginny. The tent will protect us." Draco scolded, rather than reassured her.
"I'm sorry." Ginny whispered.
Ginny could hear Draco toss and turn in his cot and soon found herself wanting to be held in his arms once again. She had felt so safe, so protected. She wanted to feel that way now. Draco stopped turning, and soon she too fell asleep.
~*~*~
The fire had burned all night, and they were both safe. Draco surveyed his surroundings before they headed out, and sensed that whatever had been following them had left. They started for the school again, each step agonizing.
"I wish I would have spent more time conditioning myself." Ginny rebuked herself loudly.
"You're not the only one. A lot of them didn't train for this sort of hiking." Draco said, making it sound as if he were the only one who had.
Pretty soon their surroundings began to change. The dusty dirt floor became soft, and the tall, long trees turned gnarled and bent, moss hanging from their branches, flowing down to the mud floor. They were now in a swamp.
Strange whistling noises greeted them, and there feet sticking in the mud slowed them considerably. Ginny shuttered to think what beasts would be lurking underneath this muck.
"We're in the center of the Forest." Draco said.
"I remember Hermione mentioning something about there being a swamp." Ginny added. "She said it was small...we could probably be out of here by nightfall."
They continued walking through the sticky mud when a very loud groan made them both stop. They strained to hear any sound indicating where the groan had come from. That's when Ginny felt the pull on her pack.
"Ahh!" She screamed, and ran over to Draco.
They both turned to see a very strange looking creature standing a few feet in front of them, going through the pack.
"What--what is it?" Ginny asked Draco.
"I've never seen one of these before." Draco almost sounded amused.
The creature standing in front of them looked no more than three and a half feet tall. Its torso looked like a huge wad of dirty rags with two large bushy eyebrows hovering over two large eyes. A thin long opening beneath a crooked noise, showed it had a mouth to speak with. It had two stick like long arms and two stick like long legs.
"What species are you?" Draco asked firmly.
"Ah!" The thing screamed. "You be speaking." It pointed a stick like long finger in their direction.
"Of course we speak." Draco replied.
"No one be speaking to me. I be alone. This be my swamp! Get out!" It began walking towards them, Ginny clutched tighter to Draco's arm.
"We'll leave as soon as you give us our pack back."
"This be mine. You be mine, you is in my swamp!" It's crackling voice reminded Ginny of the hag. "What species be you?" It mocked Draco's question, then began poking at the two of them, grabbing at their robes, and Ginny's hair.
"My name is Draco, and this is Ginny." Draco said.
"My name is Draco, and this be Ginny." It repeated.
"We're students from Hogwarts." Ginny tried.
The things stopped poking them and stared at them both. "Hog-- warts." It said. "Me have a wart, see?" It pointed to its nose.
"Can we please have our pack back?" Ginny thrust her hand out, but it received another hand in her palm.
"Smooth..." It said.
Ginny immediately took her hand back. " Look, we'll trade you for the pack." That seemed to have done it. It's eyes shot wide open at the prospect of a trade.
"What is you having?" It asked, looking at them both.
Ginny took a necklace from around her neck a friend had given her, and showed it to the thing. It eyed the jewelry, then threw the pack at her, and took the necklace.
"That's bad trading." Draco said as they were once again on their way. "You had to give him your necklace in order to get back something he stole from you."
"It worked, didn't it? Besides," Ginny now had the pack securely in front of her. "I'd rather be without a necklace than my life."
~*~*~
As soon as they exited the swamp they made camp. A few yecks had decided to ambush them just as they were about to light a fire, and carried off a few supplies. Ginny used her Camellion potion to sneak up on them and grab their things back. They were now lounging by the fire, quite content.
"I have to admit, this is kinda fun." Ginny said. Her legs didn't hurt as much as they did that morning.
"I guess." Draco was looking at Ginny, then smiled.
"What?" Ginny asked, straitening up.
"Your hair...it dances in the firelight." Draco hung around just long enough to see her shocked expression, then retired for the night.
Ginny didn't have any problems that night getting to sleep, but if she'd had known what was waiting for her, she'd have stayed up the whole night.
As soon as her head hit the pillow, a dream drifted overhead. She was flying over the Forbidden Forest on a broom, and could see the castle up ahead, the many twinkling lights of the candles welcoming her. She touched down in the front, and entered the school, only to be meeted with screams. Students ran past her, not seeing her, or not caring. They were headed out the door, but they closed loudly.
"Where do you think you're going?" An low, deep voice asked.
Ginny turned to see a huge shadow looming ahead of her, and at the end of the shadow a tall figure in a long dark robe. Ginny's face froze in horror! It was Voldemort! He was at Hogwarts!
"Now get back into the Hall!" He shouted, and the students ran past him, clutching at one another.
Ginny saw Voldemort enter the Hall was well, and she dared to follow him. The teachers were trying thier best to calm the students nerves, but it could not be helped. Where was Dumbeldor? Ginny wondered. He was no where.
Ginny saw out of the corner of her eye men hidden behind dark robes enter the Hall. They surrounded the students, and blocked all the exits. Death Eaters. Ginny realized.
Ginny could hear Voldemort talking, but all Ginny could gather were mumbles. She was numb with fright. A sharp clap of thunder echoed over head, and she looked up to see the starry sky blinded by light.
"Ginny!" A voice screamed her name. It was so far away, yet so close. "Ginny! Wake up!"
Ginny felt two strong hands clutching her shoulders, forcing her to wake from the horrible dream. Her eyes shot open and above her was Draco, a very concerned look on his face. As soon as Ginny opened her eyes, he gave a huge sigh of relief and lifted her up into his arms.
"I thought you were going to die! You were convulsing, and your arms were shooting out wildly! Thank the stars!" Draco whispered into Ginny's ear.
Ginny caught her barings and realized she was so close to Draco's chest, her hands were pulling him closer. Her head was against his chest, and she could hear his heart beat race. That's when she began crying.
Ginny tried to say something, the words were right there in her head, but they refused to make the journey out of her mouth. They seemed to sit like that forever, lost in the darkness, when a clap of thunder startled them both, which seemed to have loosened Ginny's tongue.
"It was Voldemort." Ginny seperated herself from Draco so she could be heard. "Voldemort is at the school! That's where he was planning to attack the whole time! The school!"
"How do you konw about the attack?" Draco asked.
"Professor Stone told me." Ginny said without thinking. "How do you know?"
"Rumors. My Father disappeared just after Sixth Year. That's what I suspected he was doing...planing the final attack."
"Draco, I've been warned! I had these dreams and I didn't take them for what they were. Now it's too late! We have to go! We have to save them!" Ginny scrambed out of bed, and let out a blood curdling scream at seeing a shadow fall on their tent wall.
Draco tried to dash for his wand which was in the next compartment, but the shadow was already opening thier tent. Draco grabbed Ginny and they backed against the further wall, and watched as someone stepped into the tent.
It was man with legs like a deer. His chest was broad, and very muscular and patched with hair. In the small light that filtered through the tent, Ginny could see that his face was very handsome, very sleek.
"You've been sending me the dreams." Ginny said, stepping closer.
"Yes, but I'm afraid I'm too late tonight." The faun took a step closer. "I'm Greyto, and I've traveled along way to give you my warning. Now I fear it is too late."
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, a little suspicously.
"The one you call Voldemort is at Hogwarts, now, at this very moment. Dumbeldor was out patrolling the Forest, and that's when he attacked. There's a spell on the castle to prevent anyone from entering the doors." The faun spoke in a soft calm voice, even though his news was of a horrible sort.
"Well, we can penetrate it somehow. There are about two dozen students still in the forest, along with Dumbeldore and Professor Stone. I kow we can do it!" Ginny said optimistcally.
"Ok, Ginny, we'll do what no wizard has been able to do...defeat Voldemort." Draco said, bursting Ginny's bubble.
"I know you can do it...as long asyou believe in yourselves and one another. No wizard has been able to defeat him before becaues of their lack of confidence. Doubt gives birth to fear." The faun said.
Ginny raised her wand and shouted, "Professor Stone!" And instantly Professor Stone came through to the tent.
"Ok, change of plans. I've gathered the rest of the students at the end of the forest. There's been an attack at the shool and--"
"They know." Greyto said.
"Greyto, you frightened me." Stone said. "So you've introduced yourselves?"
"Lana, you've picked the students well, and these are our only hope. I've been following them all and saw the power within them. You must take them to the castle."
"So you're the thing that's been following us!" Draco yelled.
"Greyto, they're not ready!" Lana said, ignoring Draco's outburst.
"Professor, I--we are ready!" Ginny spoke up.
"Ginny, even if I thought you were ready, there's no way we could all get there! It's nearly a two days journey." Lana rationalized.
"But there is a way." Ginny dashed out of the tent, then gave an ear splitting scream for help, and waited.
"I don't think it worked." Draco said.
A soft fluttering noise could be heard. It got louder and louder, and whatever it was, it was not alone. Everyone looked up into the sky and saw huge birds descending to the ground.
"Alans!" Lana smiled. "Bravo, Ginny! If we survive this I'm giving two hundred points to Gryffindor."
"Hey." Draco protested.
Ginny approached the alans and patted thier smooth feathers. "Will you take us to the castle?" They nodded their heads, and the different alans grabbed Ginny's, Draco's and Lana's shoulders by their hand like feet, then lifted off into the air.
They were soon above the trees, soaring towards the distant castle. The wind was cool on their faces, and their hearts raced with anticipation. About half an hour later they were dropped on the Hogwarts grounds by the edge of the forest.
"Now, there are some more students on the other side of the forest. Take the Professor with you and bring back as many more students as you can." Ginny asked.
"No, wait--" Lana tried to protest, but was soon carried off into the night sky.
"I guess we wait." Draco said, then sat.
"Wrong! We go find a way in." Ginny headed towards the castle, her shoulders set in determination.
(A/N: Ok, exciting, exciting!!! Nearly finished!!! Oooo...what will happen??? I'm not quite sure myself, but we'll see!
Ok, I'm not much of a drawer myself, I wasn't blessed with that talent, but I'm sure some of my readers have! If any of you feel inspired to draw a scene from any of my fics, I'd love to see it and praise it and fall on my; knees and worship it (ok, maybe scratch the last one.) Please email me if you have!!! Thanks whole bunches!!!)
The rest of the day they spent walking, climbing over fallen trees and large boulders. Ginny's feet were aching from so much walking and she wondered if Draco felt the same. All the muscles in her legs were crying out for Ginny to stop and sit a while, but Draco wouldn't hear of it.
Darkness soon engulfed them and they were forced to make camp once again. Ginny was massaging her sore calves in front of the fire while some sausages were roasting. A cool breeze drifted through their camp, and the soft sound of flowing water indicated they were near a stream.
"Maybe the stream that feeds into the lake." Ginny pondered.
Draco was on the other side of the fire stairing out into the woods. His usually sleeked back blonde hair now fell messly into his eyes. He looked more human after two days without a shower, Ginny mused.
"I think if we just follow the stream, then--" Ginny started, but Draco quickly shut her up by waving his hand at her.
"What is it?" Ginny mouthed.
Draco crawled noislesly around the fire and sat next to Ginny. "Something's out there, watching us." Draco pointed to a very thick cover of trees.
"What?" Ginny almost yelled, but Draco clapped his hand over her mouth.
Ginny's frightened eyes looked up at Draco's face, but he was intently gazing into the forest once again. She removed his hand from her mouth, then whispered, "What do you think it is?"
"Don't know...but it's been following us all day...ever since the hag."
"You don't think it's--it's the hag, do you?"
Draco shook his head, then looked down at Ginny. "I didn't want to tell you earlier because I thought you'd be scared. If it wanted to attack is it would have by now. I don't know what it's playing at." He paused.
"Draco," Ginny choked on her words. "What are we going to do?"
Draco gave a sigh. "The tents are shields against an attack. As long as we're in there, it can't get at us, so it'll be safe to sleep. It might leave by morning."
Draco placed a spell over the fire so that it wouldn't burn out. Most animals in the Forest had sensitive eyes and couldn't stand to be near fires. Draco was hoping that whatever was stalking them was one of these animals.
He then helped Ginny up from the ground and walked her to the tent. He was taking off his robe, and just about to take off his shirt when Ginny came into his side of the tent.
"Yes?" He cocked an eyebrow at her.
"Um, can I sleep in here?" Ginny asked, keeping her eyes on the ground.
Draco could think of a million witty replies, but decided now was not the moment to be "funny."
"Sure...just don't snore or talk in your sleep."
Ginny's eyes shot wide open. She was known amongst her friends as the one who talked in her sleep. As she dragged her cot into Draco's side of the tent she ordered herself not to talk in her sleep.
She was completely taken by surprise when Draco started undressing...in front of her! Ok, he merely took of his shirt and shoes, but this was a side of Draco she had never seen before! He had a nice muscular body, one fit for a seeker. His arms were toned and so were his abs. His chest was hairless, and Ginny wondered if it was as smooth as it looked.
"Goodnight, then." Draco said, then climbed into his cot. Ginny did likewise.
They were both lying in their cots, a few inches apart. Neither of them could sleep, and the slightest noise outside disturbed them. A distant howl outside startled Ginny so badly, she gave a soft whimper.
"Don't worry, Ginny. The tent will protect us." Draco scolded, rather than reassured her.
"I'm sorry." Ginny whispered.
Ginny could hear Draco toss and turn in his cot and soon found herself wanting to be held in his arms once again. She had felt so safe, so protected. She wanted to feel that way now. Draco stopped turning, and soon she too fell asleep.
~*~*~
The fire had burned all night, and they were both safe. Draco surveyed his surroundings before they headed out, and sensed that whatever had been following them had left. They started for the school again, each step agonizing.
"I wish I would have spent more time conditioning myself." Ginny rebuked herself loudly.
"You're not the only one. A lot of them didn't train for this sort of hiking." Draco said, making it sound as if he were the only one who had.
Pretty soon their surroundings began to change. The dusty dirt floor became soft, and the tall, long trees turned gnarled and bent, moss hanging from their branches, flowing down to the mud floor. They were now in a swamp.
Strange whistling noises greeted them, and there feet sticking in the mud slowed them considerably. Ginny shuttered to think what beasts would be lurking underneath this muck.
"We're in the center of the Forest." Draco said.
"I remember Hermione mentioning something about there being a swamp." Ginny added. "She said it was small...we could probably be out of here by nightfall."
They continued walking through the sticky mud when a very loud groan made them both stop. They strained to hear any sound indicating where the groan had come from. That's when Ginny felt the pull on her pack.
"Ahh!" She screamed, and ran over to Draco.
They both turned to see a very strange looking creature standing a few feet in front of them, going through the pack.
"What--what is it?" Ginny asked Draco.
"I've never seen one of these before." Draco almost sounded amused.
The creature standing in front of them looked no more than three and a half feet tall. Its torso looked like a huge wad of dirty rags with two large bushy eyebrows hovering over two large eyes. A thin long opening beneath a crooked noise, showed it had a mouth to speak with. It had two stick like long arms and two stick like long legs.
"What species are you?" Draco asked firmly.
"Ah!" The thing screamed. "You be speaking." It pointed a stick like long finger in their direction.
"Of course we speak." Draco replied.
"No one be speaking to me. I be alone. This be my swamp! Get out!" It began walking towards them, Ginny clutched tighter to Draco's arm.
"We'll leave as soon as you give us our pack back."
"This be mine. You be mine, you is in my swamp!" It's crackling voice reminded Ginny of the hag. "What species be you?" It mocked Draco's question, then began poking at the two of them, grabbing at their robes, and Ginny's hair.
"My name is Draco, and this is Ginny." Draco said.
"My name is Draco, and this be Ginny." It repeated.
"We're students from Hogwarts." Ginny tried.
The things stopped poking them and stared at them both. "Hog-- warts." It said. "Me have a wart, see?" It pointed to its nose.
"Can we please have our pack back?" Ginny thrust her hand out, but it received another hand in her palm.
"Smooth..." It said.
Ginny immediately took her hand back. " Look, we'll trade you for the pack." That seemed to have done it. It's eyes shot wide open at the prospect of a trade.
"What is you having?" It asked, looking at them both.
Ginny took a necklace from around her neck a friend had given her, and showed it to the thing. It eyed the jewelry, then threw the pack at her, and took the necklace.
"That's bad trading." Draco said as they were once again on their way. "You had to give him your necklace in order to get back something he stole from you."
"It worked, didn't it? Besides," Ginny now had the pack securely in front of her. "I'd rather be without a necklace than my life."
~*~*~
As soon as they exited the swamp they made camp. A few yecks had decided to ambush them just as they were about to light a fire, and carried off a few supplies. Ginny used her Camellion potion to sneak up on them and grab their things back. They were now lounging by the fire, quite content.
"I have to admit, this is kinda fun." Ginny said. Her legs didn't hurt as much as they did that morning.
"I guess." Draco was looking at Ginny, then smiled.
"What?" Ginny asked, straitening up.
"Your hair...it dances in the firelight." Draco hung around just long enough to see her shocked expression, then retired for the night.
Ginny didn't have any problems that night getting to sleep, but if she'd had known what was waiting for her, she'd have stayed up the whole night.
As soon as her head hit the pillow, a dream drifted overhead. She was flying over the Forbidden Forest on a broom, and could see the castle up ahead, the many twinkling lights of the candles welcoming her. She touched down in the front, and entered the school, only to be meeted with screams. Students ran past her, not seeing her, or not caring. They were headed out the door, but they closed loudly.
"Where do you think you're going?" An low, deep voice asked.
Ginny turned to see a huge shadow looming ahead of her, and at the end of the shadow a tall figure in a long dark robe. Ginny's face froze in horror! It was Voldemort! He was at Hogwarts!
"Now get back into the Hall!" He shouted, and the students ran past him, clutching at one another.
Ginny saw Voldemort enter the Hall was well, and she dared to follow him. The teachers were trying thier best to calm the students nerves, but it could not be helped. Where was Dumbeldor? Ginny wondered. He was no where.
Ginny saw out of the corner of her eye men hidden behind dark robes enter the Hall. They surrounded the students, and blocked all the exits. Death Eaters. Ginny realized.
Ginny could hear Voldemort talking, but all Ginny could gather were mumbles. She was numb with fright. A sharp clap of thunder echoed over head, and she looked up to see the starry sky blinded by light.
"Ginny!" A voice screamed her name. It was so far away, yet so close. "Ginny! Wake up!"
Ginny felt two strong hands clutching her shoulders, forcing her to wake from the horrible dream. Her eyes shot open and above her was Draco, a very concerned look on his face. As soon as Ginny opened her eyes, he gave a huge sigh of relief and lifted her up into his arms.
"I thought you were going to die! You were convulsing, and your arms were shooting out wildly! Thank the stars!" Draco whispered into Ginny's ear.
Ginny caught her barings and realized she was so close to Draco's chest, her hands were pulling him closer. Her head was against his chest, and she could hear his heart beat race. That's when she began crying.
Ginny tried to say something, the words were right there in her head, but they refused to make the journey out of her mouth. They seemed to sit like that forever, lost in the darkness, when a clap of thunder startled them both, which seemed to have loosened Ginny's tongue.
"It was Voldemort." Ginny seperated herself from Draco so she could be heard. "Voldemort is at the school! That's where he was planning to attack the whole time! The school!"
"How do you konw about the attack?" Draco asked.
"Professor Stone told me." Ginny said without thinking. "How do you know?"
"Rumors. My Father disappeared just after Sixth Year. That's what I suspected he was doing...planing the final attack."
"Draco, I've been warned! I had these dreams and I didn't take them for what they were. Now it's too late! We have to go! We have to save them!" Ginny scrambed out of bed, and let out a blood curdling scream at seeing a shadow fall on their tent wall.
Draco tried to dash for his wand which was in the next compartment, but the shadow was already opening thier tent. Draco grabbed Ginny and they backed against the further wall, and watched as someone stepped into the tent.
It was man with legs like a deer. His chest was broad, and very muscular and patched with hair. In the small light that filtered through the tent, Ginny could see that his face was very handsome, very sleek.
"You've been sending me the dreams." Ginny said, stepping closer.
"Yes, but I'm afraid I'm too late tonight." The faun took a step closer. "I'm Greyto, and I've traveled along way to give you my warning. Now I fear it is too late."
"What do you mean?" Draco asked, a little suspicously.
"The one you call Voldemort is at Hogwarts, now, at this very moment. Dumbeldor was out patrolling the Forest, and that's when he attacked. There's a spell on the castle to prevent anyone from entering the doors." The faun spoke in a soft calm voice, even though his news was of a horrible sort.
"Well, we can penetrate it somehow. There are about two dozen students still in the forest, along with Dumbeldore and Professor Stone. I kow we can do it!" Ginny said optimistcally.
"Ok, Ginny, we'll do what no wizard has been able to do...defeat Voldemort." Draco said, bursting Ginny's bubble.
"I know you can do it...as long asyou believe in yourselves and one another. No wizard has been able to defeat him before becaues of their lack of confidence. Doubt gives birth to fear." The faun said.
Ginny raised her wand and shouted, "Professor Stone!" And instantly Professor Stone came through to the tent.
"Ok, change of plans. I've gathered the rest of the students at the end of the forest. There's been an attack at the shool and--"
"They know." Greyto said.
"Greyto, you frightened me." Stone said. "So you've introduced yourselves?"
"Lana, you've picked the students well, and these are our only hope. I've been following them all and saw the power within them. You must take them to the castle."
"So you're the thing that's been following us!" Draco yelled.
"Greyto, they're not ready!" Lana said, ignoring Draco's outburst.
"Professor, I--we are ready!" Ginny spoke up.
"Ginny, even if I thought you were ready, there's no way we could all get there! It's nearly a two days journey." Lana rationalized.
"But there is a way." Ginny dashed out of the tent, then gave an ear splitting scream for help, and waited.
"I don't think it worked." Draco said.
A soft fluttering noise could be heard. It got louder and louder, and whatever it was, it was not alone. Everyone looked up into the sky and saw huge birds descending to the ground.
"Alans!" Lana smiled. "Bravo, Ginny! If we survive this I'm giving two hundred points to Gryffindor."
"Hey." Draco protested.
Ginny approached the alans and patted thier smooth feathers. "Will you take us to the castle?" They nodded their heads, and the different alans grabbed Ginny's, Draco's and Lana's shoulders by their hand like feet, then lifted off into the air.
They were soon above the trees, soaring towards the distant castle. The wind was cool on their faces, and their hearts raced with anticipation. About half an hour later they were dropped on the Hogwarts grounds by the edge of the forest.
"Now, there are some more students on the other side of the forest. Take the Professor with you and bring back as many more students as you can." Ginny asked.
"No, wait--" Lana tried to protest, but was soon carried off into the night sky.
"I guess we wait." Draco said, then sat.
"Wrong! We go find a way in." Ginny headed towards the castle, her shoulders set in determination.
(A/N: Ok, exciting, exciting!!! Nearly finished!!! Oooo...what will happen??? I'm not quite sure myself, but we'll see!
Ok, I'm not much of a drawer myself, I wasn't blessed with that talent, but I'm sure some of my readers have! If any of you feel inspired to draw a scene from any of my fics, I'd love to see it and praise it and fall on my; knees and worship it (ok, maybe scratch the last one.) Please email me if you have!!! Thanks whole bunches!!!)