Shadow Moon
Title: Shadow Moon - Category: Suspense/Drama - Spoilers: First Four Books
Author Name: Ocarion - Author E-mail: psylvr83@hotmail.com
Summary: Trouble always seems to find Harry Potter, and sometimes he finds it first. When Harry finds an ancient relic, its curse begins. Soon Harry finds himself transforming into something much more than man or animal. This is a story of love, hate, hope and sacrifice. This is the story of the Shadow Moon.
Chapter 2 – The Journey from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters
Four weeks later, Harry and Ron were both piled into a black Ford Mustang, along with Ginny and the twins.
Mr. Weasley had brought the car home a week ago, explaining it as a perk that came with his promotion. Like the previous cars Mr. Weasley had owned, this one was obviously enchanted for space – how Mrs. Weasley managed to think otherwise, no one knew. Thus were four teenage boys able to sit comfortably in the back seat, while Ginny sat in the front with her father.
The five were being driven to Diagon Alley to buy their books for the next year, and also to do some minor back-to-school shopping.
Ron shifted in the uncomfortable silence, while the twins were busy scribbling on a small piece of parchment. Harry glanced at them.
Probably something for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, he thought.
His gaze then fell to Ron, who was looking at him expectantly.
"What's up?" he asked.
Harry knew Ron was trying to start a conversation to break the silence, but the silence was actually very nice for Harry – a change from the busy life in the Burrow.
"Nothing much," Harry shrugged, and then turned his head and continued to stare out the window. He felt really guilty about ignoring his best friend, but Harry knew Ron would talk his ear off once they got back to the burrow. Besides, Harry had taken up a habit of staring off into space – it helped him clear his thoughts.
"Oh," Ron replied, "okay." He sounded a little disappointed and sat in silence for the rest of the trip.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Here we are," said Mr. Weasley, breaking the silence with his cheery, good-natured voice.
They had finally arrived at the Leaky Cauldron.
Harry, Ron, Fred, George, and Ginny scrambled out of the car.
"I'll be back in an hour! Don't buy any junk – just get your books for school!" Mr. Weasley called before driving away. This was quite amusing for Harry, because Mr. Weasley had built up a reputation for collecting junk. Harry grinned and followed the twins.
The five proceeded through the pub and into the backyard. George got out his wand and tapped the third brick form the left above the trash bin. They stood back as the archway into Diagon Alley opened in the wall to reveal the long, cobbled street, which was packed with the most fascinating wizarding shops in the world.
"Let's get some ice cream. I'm starving!" said Fred. George nodded in agreement.
"I thought dad said no junk?" said Ginny.
"Aww, Gin… you're starting to sound like Perce," Ron complained.
Ginny's face turned into a deep shade of red. "Fine, then," she replied, "ice cream it is, then." She trudged after the rest of the boys as they made their way to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor.
Fred and George treated them all to the ice cream, even though Harry had insisted on buying his own.
"Come on," they'd said, "it's the least we can do." Harry had then been forced to oblige them with a "yes".
They'd exited the parlor a few minutes later, with ice cream dripping down their hands in the hot sun.
Harry and the four Weasley kids soon arrived at Flourish and Blotts. Harry smiled as he remembered two years ago, when The Monster Book of Monsters had caused quite a commotion. The store was not as crowded as it usually was, but then again, most children waited until the last minute to get their books. In nearly two weeks, the store would be packed with a hundred students rushing to get their books.
The assistant manager of the shop hurried over to them. "Hogwarts, right?"
The group nodded.
"Alright then," said the manager. "All your books are on the back shelf. Help yourselves!" she smiled, and then returned to the counter at the front of the store.
Harry followed the rest of the group to the back of the shop.
Twenty minutes later they all emerged from Flourish and Blotts, their books stacked in their arms.
"I reckon that's it then," said Ron as they stood in front of the shop.
"Hang on, we need to stop at the Magical Menagerie," George said.
"Yeah," Fred continued, "Lee Jordan has a new pet snake. He said we can hold it if we feed it."
Ginny's face contorted in disgust. Ron and Harry didn't seem to care at all. Ginny had never liked her brothers' cruelty to animals. A few years ago, she'd heard stories about how they tied a Filibuster Firework to a salamander. They thought it was pretty funny. Ginny didn't.
"Do we really have to?" she whined.
"Come on, Gin," said George, "it'll be lots of fun!"
Ginny didn't look like she believed him, but ended up going with them to the Magical Menagerie anyway. Fred and George bought a very adorable white mouse, who had no idea of the horrible fate that awaited it. Ginny, however, seemed quite taken with it. She was letting it run up from her hand to her neck, and then around to her other hand.
"Ginny…" started Ron, "it's not a pet or anything. Fred and George are just gonna feed it to the snake in a few weeks."
"Well, at least I'm letting him live his last days in happiness," she countered.
Ron rolled his eyes. "Fine."
They were headed back to the Leaky Cauldron when a large black dog suddenly darted out from behind one of the many buildings. Ginny screamed in fright.
The dog's ears perked up and it turned towards them. Its cold, black eyes focused on Ginny, and it growled, showing off large, pointed teeth. It suddenly charged towards the group, and Ginny ran. Harry, Ron, and twins dropped their books, pulled out their wands simultaneously, and aimed it at the creature.
They were too slow. It gave a great leap and bowled them over, knocking their wands out of their hands.
Ginny continued to run, too scared to think rationally and pull out her own wand. It was gaining on her with every stride, taking four steps for every two of hers.
Harry groaned and rolled over on the pavement. He glanced in Ginny's direction, and swore out loud.
Ginny! his mind shouted.
He quickly pushed himself to his feet and rushed after the beast. Somehow, inexplicably, he gained on it. He noticed the slight twitch in its hind legs, alerting him that it was about to leap – and if it did, it would have Ginny. On instinct, Harry dived towards the dog, and brought it crashing to the floor, with him on top of it. He wrapped his wiry arms around the hound's thick abdomen.
Stunned onlookers watched as the two rolled around on the floor. Unfortunately, no one had the sense to use a wand – they stared, as people have a habit of doing when something bad is happening.
The two then separated, and faced each other. The dog bared its teeth and growled.
Harry growled back.
It was difficult to tell whose eyes held more fierceness, and whose face showed more ferocity. The beast looked relatively uninjured compared to Harry, whose arms and face were covered in claw marks and scratches.
Only someone looking closely would have noticed the change that then came over Harry. He twitched slightly, and his pupils dilated. While no one noticed the change in Harry, though, they definitely noticed the actions of the dog.
The dog had stopped growling, and the look in that came into its eyes was unmistakable. It was afraid.
Harry didn't notice – his thoughts weren't exactly human at the moment. Die die go away and die. Go away go away, Harry growled. Leave leave now.
Harry lunged at the dog, but it turned quickly and bounded away. He began to chase after it, but then his legs gave out and he fell to the floor, unconscious.
~~~~~~~~~~
"Harry. Harry!" Ron slapped Harry lightly as he knelt over his prone body. "Harry. Wake up!"
Ginny stood to one side, a mixture of fright and gratitude on her red face. Fred and George had gone over to retrieve the wands, and were just now returning.
A few seconds, later, Harry opened his eyes. It was blurry for a moment, then Ron's face faded into view. "You all right?"
"Yeah," said Harry groggily. "What happened?"
"You fainted, wonder-boy." Ron was grinning.
Harry didn't respond to this. He struggled to his feet, and then noticed the small crowd staring at him. "I'm okay," he called.
Harry shook his head once, as if trying to clear his mind, and got his wand from George. He mumbled thanks, and then continued walking in the direction of the Leaky Cauldron.
The other four stared at his back in amazement. He was acting like nothing had just happened – of course, for Harry Potter, that probably was nothing.
Harry paused and turned slightly. "You coming?" he called to them.
They nodded and hurried to catch up with him.
~~~~~~~~~~
The next two and a half weeks passed without incident, and the first of September finally arrived. It was a cold and gray morning, and the clouds had spread across the sky, covering the normal blue with a depressing grey blur.
Ron and Harry woke up around the same time and headed down to breakfast. Mr. Weasley, as usual, was reading the Daily Prophet with an annoyed look on his face. Fred and George were making disgusting faces at each other while Mrs. Weasley's back was turned, and Ginny kept shooting furtive glances at Harry from across the table.
After breakfast, the whole group loaded their already packed trunks into the car, and left for King's Cross Station. After about two hours they arrived at the station, said their goodbyes, and got onto the train.
Ron, Harry, and Ginny headed down the corridor and got into the compartment at the end of the train. Fred and George had already disappeared, presumably to go see Lee Jordan's new pet snake. Lee, like Hagrid, was deeply intrigued by what other people called "dangerous" or "disgusting" animals.
A moment before the train sped off, Hermione burst in to the compartment, looking very flustered and a bit flushed. She had nearly missed the train.
"Hermione!" called Ron and Harry in unison.
"Hi guys!" she said, her face breaking into a grin. "Hi Ginny!"
"Hi there, Hermione," said Ginny.
Hermione grabbed a seat in the compartment.
"How was your summer?" she asked them.
"Fun. Harry stayed at the Burrow for most of the summer," said Ron.
"Wow, that must have been fun!"
"As always," Harry grinned.
The four of them fell to talking about Harry's stay at Ron's house, and then about Hermione's vacation in Italy, when the door opened, and a very unwelcome visitor stood in the doorway.
Draco Malfoy.
"Hello, Potter," he drawled, his icy gaze fixing on Harry. Harry glared at him. "I see you're still hanging around Weasley and the Mudblood. And your girlfriend," he added. Ginny's ears went pink.
"What do you want, Malfoy?" said Hermione irritably.
"I just wanted to show off my new pet," said Draco. He pulled out his hand from behind his back and held up a toad. "Like it, Granger? Looks just like you."
Ron's fiery temper got the best of him and he lunged at Draco, but Draco threw the toad in his face. The toad dropped to the floor, and landed near Ron's feet. Ron looked at Draco with a triumphant gleam in his eyes.
"You know what I think about your stupid pet, Malfoy?"
"What?"
"THIS!" Ron shouted, and lifted up a leg, and brought it smashing down on Draco's toad. There was a sickening SPLAT and its remains squished out from the bottom of Ron's shoe.
Hermione gasped, Harry shivered, and Ginny fainted. Draco, however, smiled. "Thank you, Weasley."
This was obviously not the reaction Ron had expected. "Huh? What are you talking about?"
His question was answered when Neville's voice floated in from the corridor. "Has anyone seen my toad?"
Ron's stomach twisted into a knot. Harry and Hermione, stared back and forth between Draco and Ron, their faces wearing identical expressions of horror.
"Hey, Longbottom!" Draco called. Neville turned to him. "I found your toad!"
Neville walked over cautiously. He looked to Draco, and then followed his eyes to the mess on the floor. He saw the mess bubbling out from beneath Ron's shoe and seeping into the floor. The discolored blood was spreading throughout the compartment and emitting a nasty smell.
Neville's eyes met Ron's once before he turned suddenly and ran through the corridor. Draco turned to Ron, his eyes glittering with malice. "Like I said, Weasley, thanks. You're the best friend I've ever had." He turned and followed Neville, leaving the three staring down the corridor in stunned horror.
Soon Draco caught up with Neville, and pulled him into an empty compartment. "Hold on, Longbottom," he said.
Neville looked up at Draco with tears silently streaming down his face. "What do you want Malfoy? Can't you just leave me alone for once in your life?"
"Shut up, Longbottom, and listen to me," he said angrily. "I always knew that Weasley wasn't the best person to trust, but I never thought he'd betray his own friend." Neville's eyes looked up and he looked slightly startled. "But I can help you get back at him." Draco had a wild gleam in his eyes as he spoke.
Neville squirmed. "I can't, Malfoy."
"Why?"
"I… I just can't," he said, still shaken from before.
"I understand. You're a coward," Draco spat nastily. "That's kind of funny, considering your mother and f–"
Neville lunged at Draco before he could finish and landed on top of him in the small compartment, pinning him to the floor with his own weight. Neville beat his clenched fists Draco's chest, yet it was his eyes that were overflowing with tears.
Draco had one hand up trying to cover his face, and the other one slowly reaching for his wand. His fingers finally closed around the wooden handle, and he pulled it out from underneath him. "Deccio!" he yelled.
Neville's body flew upwards and hit the low ceiling of the compartment, then fell back to floor with a thud. He groaned, barely conscious.
Draco could feel the bruises forming on his chest and winced. He pointed his wand at the barely moving form on the floor. "Enervate." Neville's eyes flickered open and he stared at Draco. "What the hell do you think you were doing, Longbottom?"
Neville remained stubbornly silent.
"The whole school knows how useless you are. Potter and Granger were the only ones who put up with you. Even that git Weasley couldn't stand you. You're nothing, Longbottom, nothing."
"I'm still worth twelve of you, Malfoy," Neville said slowly.
Draco smirked. "Are you really? Suffoco." A dark red beam shot out from the end of his wand and hit Neville in the chest. Neville writhed and clutched at his heart madly, as if somehow pulling it out would ease the intense pain.
Draco knelt down close to the writhing boy and whispered, "I can make it stop, you know. Two words, and it all goes away. Just say the words. Tell me to stop. Beg me."
Neville ignored him, and the pain grew more and more intense. It felt like his heart was about to explode. He didn't know how much longer he could take it, but he wouldn't give in to Malfoy anymore. He wouldn't.
"Say it!" pressed Malfoy.
A hundred hammers pounded away at he edges of Neville's heart. His face was slowly turning purple, and then blue.
Draco kicked him in the side. "Stubborn git. Finite Incantatem," he said lazily. Neville stopped writhing, and he lay on the floor gasping for air. His breaths were coming in short, halting breaths now, and the color was slowly returning to his cheeks. He lay there coughing on the floor. "You know, Longbottom, you really are worthless," he said before he kicked open the door and left.
Neville didn't move. "No I'm not," he said, even though Malfoy had already left. He just needed to hear himself say it at least once. "No I'm not."
~~~~~~~~~~
Half an hour later, Harry stepped into the compartment where Neville was sitting, eyes fixated on the floor.
"Um… are you okay?" he asked, sitting down opposite Neville.
Neville's didn't bother to look at Harry when he spoke. "Yeah," he said unconvincingly.
"You know, Ron thought it was Malfoy's toad…" Harry started.
"I figured it was something like that. Just when I thought I couldn't bring any more shame to my family…" Neville's voice was half-sad, half-apathetic. He seemed not to care what had just happened.
"You didn't. It's not your fault, Neville."
Neville sighed. "Get out, Harry. Just leave."
Harry was shocked. "W-What?"
"I said leave. I can't be around you right now."
Harry was hurt and wondered to himself, What did I do? He started towards the compartment door.
"Remind me to tell you about my Great Uncle Algie sometime," Neville said to his back.
Harry looked back at him. "Okay."
But Neville wasn't listening. He was sitting in the compartment, staring out the window.
*
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Ideas for the plot were inspired from the book St. Peter's Wolf, by Michael Cadnum.
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Author's Notes: Kind of short, eh? Sorry! If Neville seems a little bit out of character at the moment, don't worry – there's a reason. You'll find out why in a few chapters. Ron does have a temper, though, doesn't he?
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