"And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death.
Out, out brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow,
A poor player
Who struts and frtes his hour upon the stage..."
-Macbeth, by William Shakespeare.
"Will you join in our crusade?
Will you be strong and stand with me?
Is there a world beyond the barricade
That you long to see?"
-"Do You Hear The People Sing", Les Miserables
"Ring out, wild bells..."
-Alfred, Lord Tenneyson
Nothing. (How can there be nothing? Minerva was up here a minute ago!) Professor Bright searched the lookout. "Lumos" she said quietly. Her wand lit up. She shined it over her view and...
Below her. Two dark forms carrying something. She muttered, "Leviancea" and began to float slowly down, but controlling her altitude. The form between the larger ones suddenly became smaller. (A cat. Minerva!)
~
Earlier...
"She's fainted," said Lucius Malfoy from the battle line. "Bones. McKinnon. Go after her."
The two gray soldiers muttered a reply and trudged up to the tower. Suddenly lifting off the ground, they glided up to the tower. The men did not seem to have control of their forms, since something inside was resisting pulling the motionless professor down from the tower and across the battlefield.
(Huh?) Professor McGonagall awoke with a start. (Oh no.) She quickly changed into a cat with a slight 'pop', but the soldiers, seemingly reluctant, grabbed the cat. (I will not change out of this form) said the professor to herself.
The soldiers and cat disappeared in midstride. The Dark Lord wanted them.
They reappeared in an office where Lucius Malfoy and and the Darkness Himself were waiting.
"Send those two idiots back, I don't want them here!"
The Dark Soldiers disappeared within a second.
"Change out of that form at once Professor!" commanded Malfoy.
The cat turned her head and twitched her tail defiantly.
"Bring her down to Artemis. Tell her just until she gets out of her…cat."
"Yes, milord." Mr. Malfoy gave a slight bow toward the Supreme Evil, and grabbed at the cat. She jumped, but she was not quick enough. Her snatched her up, trying to avoid getting scratched.
"Stupid animal, we'll just see how-feisty-you are once Artemis gets done with you…" Lucius grinned evilly at the cat as he stopped the doorway. "ARTEMIS!" he bellowed.
A blond wizard in a white lab coat walked out of a back room. "You don't have to yell."
"He wants you just to get her out of this form."
"Where am I supposed to find...information for the torture form?"
(Torture? Oh, God, no...)
"I recommend Animagi of Our Century. She'll be in there."
"She?"
"Yes. I must go."
Carefully the man pulled the cat onto a small table, where she suddenly found she couldn't move any more.
"Hmmm...An Animagus, eh? Won't be hard to figure out that you are..." Artemis paused, flipping through the book. "Professor Minerva Athena McGonagall. A goddess, are we?" he said sarcastically. "Well, let's begin. I use pain levels. The pain increases as you move up the scale. The highest ever survived is 103. The highest without fainting, 73. Hope you have enough sense to transform now. One last chance to make things easy."
The cat glared at him.
"All right then, here we go."
The chamber was filled with the screams of a cat.
~
"Minerva and Hollie? This is a disaster."
That was when Hogwarts got worried. When your headmaster, the most powerful wizard, called things 'a disaster', even after he had stayed moderately calm through things other people called disasters, you knew that you were in for a disaster. A complete catastrophe
~
Minerva McGonagall, in her human form, lay on the table, breathing heavily.
"Good." Artemis walked out of the room. (Thank Grindelwald for that table, I can leave them in there and it will keep her from leaving) he thought gleefully.
Minerva tried to get up, but found that she was too weak.
Lord Voldemort entered the room.
"Minerva. How...nice to see you."
He walked over to the table.
"I'm always looking for wizards with strong magic to help. There are many...benefits to helping me. You could get these benefits," he said softly.
"Never."
"Pardon me? Did I just here someone risk all of Hogwarts' lives not to join me?"
"Yes, you did," replied Minerva, her voice becoming stronger. "Never, as long as I live, would I join with evil."
Voldemort looked ready to kill but resumed his sweet-talking. "Minerva, we could offer you power, fame, riches, glory. You could have anything you want. All that you have to do is pledge your allegiance to me."
"I said never and I mean never, Tom!" Minerva used his given name.
As if it hurt him, the Darkness cringed at his name. "Do not, I repeat, do not, ever, call me Tom! Tom Riddle is a thing of the past. I am now, LORD VOLDEMORT, the Lord of Darkness. Tom Riddle was a schoolboy who knew nothing about power, only about Defense against the Dark Arts. I am not Tom Riddle!" He was breathing almost as hard as the professor was.
He turned to the door. "Artemis. Put her with the others."
(Others?)
She didn't have much time to wonder who the others were.
"Up. NOW!" said Artemis.
She tried her best, and weakly, got up. Following the blond wizard through the corridors, they arrived at a wooden door. That was when it all when black for her.
Cursing under his breath, Artemis kicked her through the door where three others were waiting.
"Minerva?" said voice of Remus Lupin.
"Is that her?" asked Hollie Bright.
"Yeah, that's her," said Sirius Black.
"What did they do to her?" asked Remus. A cut on her wrist was dripping blood constantly.
"When that guy kicked her she cut it, I think," said Hollie, examining the wound.
The door opened again. "You." Artemis stood in the doorway, pointing at Hollie. "'Lord wants to see you."
Hollie slowly walked to the door. The mahogany door slammed ominously behind her.
"What do you think they do down there?" asked Remus.
"No idea, but I'm sure we're going to find out."
Minerva chose that moment to wake up.
"She's awake!"
"Huh?" said Minerva groggily. "What's going-Who are you?" asked Minreva, squinting through the darkness. Fumbling in her robe, she found her glasses. (Great. They took my wand.) "Remus Lupin, Sirius Black?" (Wonderful. I'm trapped with a convicted murderer and a werewolf...Minerva! Sirius was innocent and Remus would never hurt anyone.)
"Yeah, that's us."
"How did you get here?"
"All I remember is trying to get to Hogwarts, and then I was here," said Sirius.
"And I was with him," finished Remus. "What happened to you?"
"I was on watch duty, and I fell asleep," said Minerva, humiliated. "They attacked."
"You put all of Hogwarts in danger because you were tired," said Sirius, his temper flaring up. "Great job."
Minerva cringed. "It-it wasn't like I tried to fall asleep."
"But you didn't try not to!" yelled Sirius.
Minerva was silent.
"Sirius, we have enough problems. What's done is done."
Sirius said nothing, but glared at Minerva. (How could she put Hogwarts in danger like that? Some of the best wizards and best potential wizards ever. I hope Harry is all right…)
The minutes passed in silence, and then, at the door came Artemis. "So one of you is sensible. How about the rest?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Minerva, hoping against hope it didn't mean what she thought. "You don't mean she…"
"Joined Voldemort, that's what I mean. Does anyone else here have the sense? That girl doesn't," pointing to Minerva, and then to Remus. "But do you? You're next. Come on. Miss Bright, you can watch them, but 'Lord wants you to know you are no longer a prisoner."
"Yes, Artemis." Hollie's voice sounded smoother, like...
(Lucius Malfoy) thought Minerva. (That's who she sounds like.)
The door once again slammed shut.
"Hollie, how could you?" Minerva spoke what they both wanted to say.
"The Dark Lord-Oh, I had too! You don't know how awful it is down there, what they do…" dropping the smooth manner, Hollie began to cry. "They-they had the level up to 45, and I couldn't stand it! I have never had so much pain in my life…And then he asked if I wanted to, and I had to say yes, and…I can't help it! I was going to die..."
Sirius, who's temper was already hot, exploded. "YOU-YOU COWARD! How could you do this? I thought Minerva was a coward, but at least she didn't give in! You dirty coward! How could you! Dumbledore trusted you, we all trusted you, every single person, the thought didn't enter their head that you'd put them in deadly danger...Oh, shit, we're all going to die. And it's your fault!"
"It wasn't like that."
"It was. You gave in, putting everyone's life in danger..." Minerva was cut off.
"I wouldn't be able to if you hadn't fallen asleep," said Hollie, her smooth manner returning.
Minerva looked at her feet.
"Who's the real coward? Me, who has the power to kill you all, or Minerva, who put us all in this mess?"
"You," said Sirius.
The door opened. Remus stumbled in, and instantly Minerva and Sirius ran to where he had fallen. As Hollie saw who it was at the door, she immediately bowed.
"Bright. Yes. We need some information about the Hogwarts attacks, I believe you have information?"
"Yes, milord," replied Hollie softly.
The other three couldn't contain themselves.
"Hollie...Oh, God, you can't..." said Minerva.
"Do you realize what you're doing?" Remus tried to speak as loud as he could, which wasn't too loud.
"YOU BLOODY TRAITOR!"
"Silence!" Voldemort glared at all of them but Hollie.
"Bright, take Mousier Black down to Artemis. Maybe he'll be as smart as you. When you're done, come to my office."
The door closed behind the three.
A/N: I was sleep deprived and depressed when I wrote this because my hamster died. Hope you like it!
If you review
May the Heavens open
And angels come down
To bless.
Disclaimer: I own two characters now! The Evil Hollie Bright and a tall blond wizard named Artemis! Yay! Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, and Albus Dumbledore plus all other mentioned parties belong to J. K. Rowling/Bloomsbury Publishing. The quote belongs to…uh…someone who's not me. Don't sue.
The way to dusty death.
Out, out brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow,
A poor player
Who struts and frtes his hour upon the stage..."
-Macbeth, by William Shakespeare.
"Will you join in our crusade?
Will you be strong and stand with me?
Is there a world beyond the barricade
That you long to see?"
-"Do You Hear The People Sing", Les Miserables
"Ring out, wild bells..."
-Alfred, Lord Tenneyson
Nothing. (How can there be nothing? Minerva was up here a minute ago!) Professor Bright searched the lookout. "Lumos" she said quietly. Her wand lit up. She shined it over her view and...
Below her. Two dark forms carrying something. She muttered, "Leviancea" and began to float slowly down, but controlling her altitude. The form between the larger ones suddenly became smaller. (A cat. Minerva!)
~
Earlier...
"She's fainted," said Lucius Malfoy from the battle line. "Bones. McKinnon. Go after her."
The two gray soldiers muttered a reply and trudged up to the tower. Suddenly lifting off the ground, they glided up to the tower. The men did not seem to have control of their forms, since something inside was resisting pulling the motionless professor down from the tower and across the battlefield.
(Huh?) Professor McGonagall awoke with a start. (Oh no.) She quickly changed into a cat with a slight 'pop', but the soldiers, seemingly reluctant, grabbed the cat. (I will not change out of this form) said the professor to herself.
The soldiers and cat disappeared in midstride. The Dark Lord wanted them.
They reappeared in an office where Lucius Malfoy and and the Darkness Himself were waiting.
"Send those two idiots back, I don't want them here!"
The Dark Soldiers disappeared within a second.
"Change out of that form at once Professor!" commanded Malfoy.
The cat turned her head and twitched her tail defiantly.
"Bring her down to Artemis. Tell her just until she gets out of her…cat."
"Yes, milord." Mr. Malfoy gave a slight bow toward the Supreme Evil, and grabbed at the cat. She jumped, but she was not quick enough. Her snatched her up, trying to avoid getting scratched.
"Stupid animal, we'll just see how-feisty-you are once Artemis gets done with you…" Lucius grinned evilly at the cat as he stopped the doorway. "ARTEMIS!" he bellowed.
A blond wizard in a white lab coat walked out of a back room. "You don't have to yell."
"He wants you just to get her out of this form."
"Where am I supposed to find...information for the torture form?"
(Torture? Oh, God, no...)
"I recommend Animagi of Our Century. She'll be in there."
"She?"
"Yes. I must go."
Carefully the man pulled the cat onto a small table, where she suddenly found she couldn't move any more.
"Hmmm...An Animagus, eh? Won't be hard to figure out that you are..." Artemis paused, flipping through the book. "Professor Minerva Athena McGonagall. A goddess, are we?" he said sarcastically. "Well, let's begin. I use pain levels. The pain increases as you move up the scale. The highest ever survived is 103. The highest without fainting, 73. Hope you have enough sense to transform now. One last chance to make things easy."
The cat glared at him.
"All right then, here we go."
The chamber was filled with the screams of a cat.
~
"Minerva and Hollie? This is a disaster."
That was when Hogwarts got worried. When your headmaster, the most powerful wizard, called things 'a disaster', even after he had stayed moderately calm through things other people called disasters, you knew that you were in for a disaster. A complete catastrophe
~
Minerva McGonagall, in her human form, lay on the table, breathing heavily.
"Good." Artemis walked out of the room. (Thank Grindelwald for that table, I can leave them in there and it will keep her from leaving) he thought gleefully.
Minerva tried to get up, but found that she was too weak.
Lord Voldemort entered the room.
"Minerva. How...nice to see you."
He walked over to the table.
"I'm always looking for wizards with strong magic to help. There are many...benefits to helping me. You could get these benefits," he said softly.
"Never."
"Pardon me? Did I just here someone risk all of Hogwarts' lives not to join me?"
"Yes, you did," replied Minerva, her voice becoming stronger. "Never, as long as I live, would I join with evil."
Voldemort looked ready to kill but resumed his sweet-talking. "Minerva, we could offer you power, fame, riches, glory. You could have anything you want. All that you have to do is pledge your allegiance to me."
"I said never and I mean never, Tom!" Minerva used his given name.
As if it hurt him, the Darkness cringed at his name. "Do not, I repeat, do not, ever, call me Tom! Tom Riddle is a thing of the past. I am now, LORD VOLDEMORT, the Lord of Darkness. Tom Riddle was a schoolboy who knew nothing about power, only about Defense against the Dark Arts. I am not Tom Riddle!" He was breathing almost as hard as the professor was.
He turned to the door. "Artemis. Put her with the others."
(Others?)
She didn't have much time to wonder who the others were.
"Up. NOW!" said Artemis.
She tried her best, and weakly, got up. Following the blond wizard through the corridors, they arrived at a wooden door. That was when it all when black for her.
Cursing under his breath, Artemis kicked her through the door where three others were waiting.
"Minerva?" said voice of Remus Lupin.
"Is that her?" asked Hollie Bright.
"Yeah, that's her," said Sirius Black.
"What did they do to her?" asked Remus. A cut on her wrist was dripping blood constantly.
"When that guy kicked her she cut it, I think," said Hollie, examining the wound.
The door opened again. "You." Artemis stood in the doorway, pointing at Hollie. "'Lord wants to see you."
Hollie slowly walked to the door. The mahogany door slammed ominously behind her.
"What do you think they do down there?" asked Remus.
"No idea, but I'm sure we're going to find out."
Minerva chose that moment to wake up.
"She's awake!"
"Huh?" said Minerva groggily. "What's going-Who are you?" asked Minreva, squinting through the darkness. Fumbling in her robe, she found her glasses. (Great. They took my wand.) "Remus Lupin, Sirius Black?" (Wonderful. I'm trapped with a convicted murderer and a werewolf...Minerva! Sirius was innocent and Remus would never hurt anyone.)
"Yeah, that's us."
"How did you get here?"
"All I remember is trying to get to Hogwarts, and then I was here," said Sirius.
"And I was with him," finished Remus. "What happened to you?"
"I was on watch duty, and I fell asleep," said Minerva, humiliated. "They attacked."
"You put all of Hogwarts in danger because you were tired," said Sirius, his temper flaring up. "Great job."
Minerva cringed. "It-it wasn't like I tried to fall asleep."
"But you didn't try not to!" yelled Sirius.
Minerva was silent.
"Sirius, we have enough problems. What's done is done."
Sirius said nothing, but glared at Minerva. (How could she put Hogwarts in danger like that? Some of the best wizards and best potential wizards ever. I hope Harry is all right…)
The minutes passed in silence, and then, at the door came Artemis. "So one of you is sensible. How about the rest?"
"Wh-what do you mean?" asked Minerva, hoping against hope it didn't mean what she thought. "You don't mean she…"
"Joined Voldemort, that's what I mean. Does anyone else here have the sense? That girl doesn't," pointing to Minerva, and then to Remus. "But do you? You're next. Come on. Miss Bright, you can watch them, but 'Lord wants you to know you are no longer a prisoner."
"Yes, Artemis." Hollie's voice sounded smoother, like...
(Lucius Malfoy) thought Minerva. (That's who she sounds like.)
The door once again slammed shut.
"Hollie, how could you?" Minerva spoke what they both wanted to say.
"The Dark Lord-Oh, I had too! You don't know how awful it is down there, what they do…" dropping the smooth manner, Hollie began to cry. "They-they had the level up to 45, and I couldn't stand it! I have never had so much pain in my life…And then he asked if I wanted to, and I had to say yes, and…I can't help it! I was going to die..."
Sirius, who's temper was already hot, exploded. "YOU-YOU COWARD! How could you do this? I thought Minerva was a coward, but at least she didn't give in! You dirty coward! How could you! Dumbledore trusted you, we all trusted you, every single person, the thought didn't enter their head that you'd put them in deadly danger...Oh, shit, we're all going to die. And it's your fault!"
"It wasn't like that."
"It was. You gave in, putting everyone's life in danger..." Minerva was cut off.
"I wouldn't be able to if you hadn't fallen asleep," said Hollie, her smooth manner returning.
Minerva looked at her feet.
"Who's the real coward? Me, who has the power to kill you all, or Minerva, who put us all in this mess?"
"You," said Sirius.
The door opened. Remus stumbled in, and instantly Minerva and Sirius ran to where he had fallen. As Hollie saw who it was at the door, she immediately bowed.
"Bright. Yes. We need some information about the Hogwarts attacks, I believe you have information?"
"Yes, milord," replied Hollie softly.
The other three couldn't contain themselves.
"Hollie...Oh, God, you can't..." said Minerva.
"Do you realize what you're doing?" Remus tried to speak as loud as he could, which wasn't too loud.
"YOU BLOODY TRAITOR!"
"Silence!" Voldemort glared at all of them but Hollie.
"Bright, take Mousier Black down to Artemis. Maybe he'll be as smart as you. When you're done, come to my office."
The door closed behind the three.
A/N: I was sleep deprived and depressed when I wrote this because my hamster died. Hope you like it!
If you review
May the Heavens open
And angels come down
To bless.
Disclaimer: I own two characters now! The Evil Hollie Bright and a tall blond wizard named Artemis! Yay! Minerva McGonagall, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Tom Riddle, Lord Voldemort, and Albus Dumbledore plus all other mentioned parties belong to J. K. Rowling/Bloomsbury Publishing. The quote belongs to…uh…someone who's not me. Don't sue.