New chapter on Monday.  I don't know what to tell you, PlasmicFemale, it's working fine here. Chapter 11.  Things Fall Apart

The muggles at the Three Broomsticks were becoming more and more antsy.  There were wizards stationed at every exit, and no one was allowed to go outside, "for their safety," one wizard said.  The story the bus driver told about the crazy stick waver in the alley didn't improve matters. 

Stephanie still had control over the situation, but it was tenuous at best.  She stacked the last box of supplies in what was left of the storeroom and wiped her brow.  She had never been wound so tightly.  The bus driver had hounded her all day yesterday, repeating his story and trying, as he put it, to make her "see reason."  The way Stephanie saw it, a roof over their heads and food to eat was more important than who supplied it at this point, which she calmly tried to explain to him.  After belaboring the point several times, he finally turned away from her in disgust. 

The morning dawned calmly.  There was very little conversation among the muggles.  The bus driver, in contrast to yesterday's surliness, looked exceedingly pleased with himself.  Stephanie made a mental note to keep an eye on him.  As she passed out the breakfast bowls, she heard a scratching sound coming from outside, and made a motion for one of the witches to go check it out.  As the witch stepped outside, an explosion hurled her off her feet.  The other two guards ran forward, and were dispatched just as smoothly. 

A crazy looking wizard with light hair and eyes burst in and exclaimed, "Run, muggles, run while you can!  Free yourself from the clutches of the Dark Lord!" 

The bus driver rallied everyone behind him, shouting, "Grab whatever you can carry!  Any stick waver that gets in your way, show 'em what real folk is made of!" 

Stephanie tried to talk some sense into everyone, but was drowned out by the roar of the crowd.  The last thing she saw before she was shoved carelessly to the floor was the wizard's rapture at the senseless destruction going on around him.

Ron and Hermoine found Dumbledore explaining to a third year the various healthy benefits that eating a package of Ice Mice provides.  They hurriedly took him aside and explained the unknown object spell and its result. 

Dumbledore's face turned very grim.  "Mr. Weasley, would you be so kind as to inform the Ministry of our plight while Miss Granger and I search the school?" Dumbledore asked. 

Ron nodded and hurried off to find a fireplace while Dumbledore and Hermoine went up the staircase.  The fake Snape stepped out of the doorway where he had been hiding, listening to the conversation.  He had to find Marie before anyone else and convince her to come with him before he was caught. 

Marie wandered out of the kitchen portrait with a cherry tart in one hand and apple cider in the other.  She could hear footsteps running on the floor above her.  She laughed to herself, thinking of the students and their crazy boomerangs.  She rounded a corner and was pulled quickly into a doorway.  She yelped and spilled cider all over the floor as a hand clamped over her mouth.  She turned and recognized Snape. 

"Come with me," he said urgently, taking the hand from her mouth. 

"What…" she started, but he shushed her. 

"Don't talk.  Come with me." 

He led her quickly along the long halls and winding staircases towards one of the castle's rear doors.  As he reached the door and opened it, a spell bolt hit the door next to his head.  Marie screamed and ducked, and Snape picked her up and ran.  Spells zinged past them as he ran toward a large tree on the grounds that was swinging its branches like clubs at anything that moved. 

"Stand," he ordered, setting her down before ducking beneath the branches to push a knot. 

The tree froze, and he yanked her inside and reached out to punch the knot again.  The tree clobbered their pursuer. 

"Who was that?" she gasped, trying to keep up with Snape as he darted along the corridor. 

"I'll explain everything later." 

"Explain now." 

Snape gave her a small shake.  "I'm trying to protect you.  That's all you need to know," he said, coming to the end of the passage and opening a trap door. 

He pulled her forward, shoved her through the hole and clambered up after.  The room above was full of smoke, and Marie covered her mouth with her sleeve, recoiling from the flames dancing before her eyes.  Snape grabbed her arm and dragged her out the front door, dodging columns of fire as they did so. 

The whole town was in chaos.  Buildings were burning, fights were breaking out everywhere they turned, muggles and wizards alike were lying unconscious in the streets, and a thick haze of smoke lay over everything. 

"Steph!" Marie called, as a familiar figure stumbled towards her. 

"A wizard.  Blew up the guards and then everyone just went crazy," Stephanie rasped, coughing from the smoke. 

"What did he look like?" Snape asked. 

"Skinny.  Blond hair, pale eyes," Stephanie answered. 

"Draco Malfoy," Snape said firmly.

A figure burst out of the shop that Snape and Marie had just exited and yelled, "Stop!" 

Snape tried to flee, but Marie held him firm.  "That's Ron!" she yelled. 

Ron brandished his wand at them.  "Get back," he commanded Snape. 

"You don't understand," Snape said soothingly, his eyes darting nervously around. 

"I understand you're not really Snape," Ron retorted, his face twisted in anger. 

Marie looked from one to the other.  The pained look on Snape's face revealed the truth of Ron's words. 

"I can explain…" the man she knew as Snape protested. 

Hooded figures were emerging out of the smoke like shadows.  Snape paled considerably when he saw them and reached frantically into his robes for his wand. 

"Expelliarmus," Ron said, causing the wand to fly out of Snape's hand. 

The figures moved closer, ever tightening the circle.  Snape was petrified to the spot. 

"Take him," Ron said, a tight, reluctant look on his face. 

"Please," Snape whispered, as corpse-like hands closed around him and drug him into the shadows. 

"I don't understand," Marie said. 

"He was the one, the dark wizard, I mean.  He killed the real Snape, and used Polyjuice Potion to change his appearance.  He was trying to kidnap you," Ron insisted. 

Marie swayed in shock.  It couldn't be true, she trusted him, she trusted him… 

Ron misinterpreted her look as fear, because he said quickly, "But it's all over now.  They're taking him to Azkaban, where he can't bother you ever again." 

Marie nodded absently. 

Ron said quietly, "I'm going to see what I can do about these people." 

Marie nodded, rubbing her arms to warm them up.  Ron looked knew she was still upset and looked reluctant to leave. 

"I'll be fine," she said, waving him off. 

Marie took a few steps toward one of the buildings not burning, lost in thought.  She stopped short mid stride when she saw one of the shadows move.  She watched it carefully.  It elongated, forming the shape of a cloaked figure.  She turned to run, but the figure bashed her in the back of the head with a stick and she stumbled.  As the figure wrapped a hand over her mouth, she realized it was not a stick, but the handle of a broom. 

"So, the magically immune muggle.  The only person on earth that can reach the E'Chode.  What do you say we leave the authorities to clean up this mess and get down to business, hm?" the cloaked figure purred, pressing a wand into Marie's bruised ribs hard enough to make her gasp.  "I thought you would agree," the figure finished, a smile tingeing the voice.