A/N: Is that inspiration I feel? Nope. Just my toe going numb from the
frigid conditions in the computer room of my house.
Disclaimer (which I've been neglecting, oops): I do not own Harry Potter or anything else made up by the marvelous JK Rowling. I bow down to her superior writing skills and marvel that my pathetic attempts have not had me struck from this earth with lightning. Okay, that was a bit dramatic. Permit me my lunacy.
Thanks to: Hmmm. Not really that many people to thank today, unless I want to start repeating myself again. Okay! I'll repeat myself!
People I thank:
Neshomeh, Shannon, Chrissie, My Cat Cleo for keeping me company, Cymon (for no real reason, actually), JK Rowling (for coming up with HP in the first place), Mum (for giving in and letting me work on my story long after my bedtime), my sister Janice (just because), my sister Sorcha (just because), Erin (for staying my friend even after she got to know me), Gracie (for actually keeping in sort-of contact with me, even though I'm a really annoying person and we're so far away), Granddad (for letting me borrow his videos, love ya), Rouge Magie (for reviewing this story and putting it on her favorite stories list, thankees), Me (because I'm vain and self- centered and I'm going to thank myself and I don't care what you say nyah, nyah, nyah).
Dedicated to: My family. Specifically: Mum, Dad, Sorcha, Janice, DC (so what if he's a cat), Tyler, Isis (also a cat, and one that was given away a while ago. Damn you, Grandma!), Delilah (if you're looking at me from cat- heaven, I swear, the way DC turned out was so not my fault), Sampson (another cat. I barely remember him (actually I sorta don't), but he was much loved and he was either DC's or Isis's dad. I forget which), Pepper (another cat. Prat that she was, she gave me Cleo and Bast), Thrunt (no. 3, the runt. Who is now one of the most handsome and big cats I know, and I love him muchly), and that's all folks.
-
Chapter Eleven: Blood Stained Tears
-
Morag looked up as Voldemort entered the room, followed by her ever- tranquil mother.
"How much longer?" he demanded, without bothering to even fake the pleasantries.
"Please, I need more essence of rose." ((A/n: that rose is just never going to go away. Nyah!)) Morag looked terrified, and she was.
Voldemort muttered an oath and struck her, sending her flying across the room. She hit a wall ((A/n: seems to be a habit of hers)) and passed out.
-
"We've found them!"
Students stared at each other as this was announced. They were in a now- repaired Great Hall, eating dinner. Professor McGonagall beckoned the other forward. It was Professor Moody, and he looked triumphant.
"Meeting, Dumbledore's office." McGonagall announced. "Those of you who must come know who you are."
Dumbledore had been noticeably absent. Students watched as professor after professor filed out of the room.
First McGonagall, then Snape, followed by Flitwick and Moody, and after them came, Remus Lupin, who had been overlooked up there, and no one had actually realized that Lupin was back here. A few students idly wondered what he was doing.
Ron nudged Hermione. "Professors who can help rescue them. Bet ole Trelawney wasn't pleased about being overlooked. Sure she would have sat around her crystal ball saying things like 'I see lots of blood', 'Someone is going to die'."
Hermione sniffed. "Your ability to repeat the blatantly obvious astounds me, Ron Weasley, it really does."
Harry wasn't exactly pleased when Ron did his Trelawney impression. He used his bowl as a crystal ball, and he waved his hands over it.
"Oooh, I see fear, oooh, a blonde girl, pretty, she's screaming, ah! Ahhhhh! The screaming has stopped…she's…she's dead!"
Everyone else at the Gryffindor table laughed at Ron's portrayal of the slightly crazed Divinations professor, but Harry sat stony-faced and tight- lipped.
From the looks of things, Malfoy wasn't enjoying the performance either.
That didn't really comfort Harry.
-
"…and so," Dumbledore continued, "we should be able to get to where the Snapes are held, and if all goes to plan, rescue them."
Moody looked out the window. Moodily. ((a/n: I will curb my desire for really bad puns. I will. Honest. This is supposed to be a serious writing. But I couldn't help it. I promise faithfully that Gom will never look at anyone owlishly. Promise, cross my heart.))
"It's a good plan, Albus," Moody growled, "but doesn't it leave too much to chance? You're basing much of this on the assumption that Morag hasn't summoned that Keeper thing yet."
Severus looked grateful that somebody had voiced his concerns. He may not like Moody much, but still.
"Alastor," Albus started, but it seemed he was directing his comments more at Severus, "we will know when and if she summons it. Trust me."
Despite the enormous leap of faith that would entail, the professors (and Remus) realized that they did trust the Headmaster, and that, deep down, they believed he would succeed. Because he was Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and he always did.
Blind faith.
Rather like Death Eaters had for their leader.*
((a/n: I feel duty-bound to note here, that Voldemort is not as charismatic as Dumbledore. Well, maybe in a way he is, but still.))
It was an unsettling thought, but they brushed it away.
-
When Morag awoke, she was in tears.
But she stood, brushed her robes, and saw that the required ingredient was on the table next to her cauldron.
She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
She wiped away her tears, and found blood mingled in them. She felt along her forehead, and sure enough, there was a little blood there.
'Blood stained tears,' she thought to herself. 'How befitting.'
-
-
*I am not trying to imply that Dumbledore is evil. Stop looking at me like that. I just thought I'd point that out. Don't suspect the nice old man. I didn't mean it like that. God, you people.
A/N: I know, I've been keeping the 'rescue plan' a big secret. Wanna know why? Because even I don't know exactly what it is. Details, details! Buggrem. Part of me just wants to get this damn story over and done with so I can post the next one.
Extra Special Thankees:
Neshomeh – sorry, sorry. Next time I'm going to have a memory featuring Jenni, I'll ask first. Talk to me about my next story, 'A Summer of Secrets', do Jenni and Este want to spend a summer in France with the Snapes/Montaques?
Rouge Magie – thankees for your brilliant review! I don't think I'll steal your readers…besides, I post my chapters a lot closer together than you do yours (or so it seems, anyway), so they can finish reading my story quick quick quick. Once I get hold of something, I push it so far that it's like flogging a dead horse after a while. This story won't take long.
Muggle95 – was that the pen name? I think so. Thank you for being my first reviewer that I didn't actually know already!
Arcee – who reviewed my 'short story' thing 'One Old Owl'. Some collected memories and a brief life history from the POV of Montgomery Jean Montaque. Thankees!
Disclaimer (which I've been neglecting, oops): I do not own Harry Potter or anything else made up by the marvelous JK Rowling. I bow down to her superior writing skills and marvel that my pathetic attempts have not had me struck from this earth with lightning. Okay, that was a bit dramatic. Permit me my lunacy.
Thanks to: Hmmm. Not really that many people to thank today, unless I want to start repeating myself again. Okay! I'll repeat myself!
People I thank:
Neshomeh, Shannon, Chrissie, My Cat Cleo for keeping me company, Cymon (for no real reason, actually), JK Rowling (for coming up with HP in the first place), Mum (for giving in and letting me work on my story long after my bedtime), my sister Janice (just because), my sister Sorcha (just because), Erin (for staying my friend even after she got to know me), Gracie (for actually keeping in sort-of contact with me, even though I'm a really annoying person and we're so far away), Granddad (for letting me borrow his videos, love ya), Rouge Magie (for reviewing this story and putting it on her favorite stories list, thankees), Me (because I'm vain and self- centered and I'm going to thank myself and I don't care what you say nyah, nyah, nyah).
Dedicated to: My family. Specifically: Mum, Dad, Sorcha, Janice, DC (so what if he's a cat), Tyler, Isis (also a cat, and one that was given away a while ago. Damn you, Grandma!), Delilah (if you're looking at me from cat- heaven, I swear, the way DC turned out was so not my fault), Sampson (another cat. I barely remember him (actually I sorta don't), but he was much loved and he was either DC's or Isis's dad. I forget which), Pepper (another cat. Prat that she was, she gave me Cleo and Bast), Thrunt (no. 3, the runt. Who is now one of the most handsome and big cats I know, and I love him muchly), and that's all folks.
-
Chapter Eleven: Blood Stained Tears
-
Morag looked up as Voldemort entered the room, followed by her ever- tranquil mother.
"How much longer?" he demanded, without bothering to even fake the pleasantries.
"Please, I need more essence of rose." ((A/n: that rose is just never going to go away. Nyah!)) Morag looked terrified, and she was.
Voldemort muttered an oath and struck her, sending her flying across the room. She hit a wall ((A/n: seems to be a habit of hers)) and passed out.
-
"We've found them!"
Students stared at each other as this was announced. They were in a now- repaired Great Hall, eating dinner. Professor McGonagall beckoned the other forward. It was Professor Moody, and he looked triumphant.
"Meeting, Dumbledore's office." McGonagall announced. "Those of you who must come know who you are."
Dumbledore had been noticeably absent. Students watched as professor after professor filed out of the room.
First McGonagall, then Snape, followed by Flitwick and Moody, and after them came, Remus Lupin, who had been overlooked up there, and no one had actually realized that Lupin was back here. A few students idly wondered what he was doing.
Ron nudged Hermione. "Professors who can help rescue them. Bet ole Trelawney wasn't pleased about being overlooked. Sure she would have sat around her crystal ball saying things like 'I see lots of blood', 'Someone is going to die'."
Hermione sniffed. "Your ability to repeat the blatantly obvious astounds me, Ron Weasley, it really does."
Harry wasn't exactly pleased when Ron did his Trelawney impression. He used his bowl as a crystal ball, and he waved his hands over it.
"Oooh, I see fear, oooh, a blonde girl, pretty, she's screaming, ah! Ahhhhh! The screaming has stopped…she's…she's dead!"
Everyone else at the Gryffindor table laughed at Ron's portrayal of the slightly crazed Divinations professor, but Harry sat stony-faced and tight- lipped.
From the looks of things, Malfoy wasn't enjoying the performance either.
That didn't really comfort Harry.
-
"…and so," Dumbledore continued, "we should be able to get to where the Snapes are held, and if all goes to plan, rescue them."
Moody looked out the window. Moodily. ((a/n: I will curb my desire for really bad puns. I will. Honest. This is supposed to be a serious writing. But I couldn't help it. I promise faithfully that Gom will never look at anyone owlishly. Promise, cross my heart.))
"It's a good plan, Albus," Moody growled, "but doesn't it leave too much to chance? You're basing much of this on the assumption that Morag hasn't summoned that Keeper thing yet."
Severus looked grateful that somebody had voiced his concerns. He may not like Moody much, but still.
"Alastor," Albus started, but it seemed he was directing his comments more at Severus, "we will know when and if she summons it. Trust me."
Despite the enormous leap of faith that would entail, the professors (and Remus) realized that they did trust the Headmaster, and that, deep down, they believed he would succeed. Because he was Headmaster Albus Dumbledore, and he always did.
Blind faith.
Rather like Death Eaters had for their leader.*
((a/n: I feel duty-bound to note here, that Voldemort is not as charismatic as Dumbledore. Well, maybe in a way he is, but still.))
It was an unsettling thought, but they brushed it away.
-
When Morag awoke, she was in tears.
But she stood, brushed her robes, and saw that the required ingredient was on the table next to her cauldron.
She wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
She wiped away her tears, and found blood mingled in them. She felt along her forehead, and sure enough, there was a little blood there.
'Blood stained tears,' she thought to herself. 'How befitting.'
-
-
*I am not trying to imply that Dumbledore is evil. Stop looking at me like that. I just thought I'd point that out. Don't suspect the nice old man. I didn't mean it like that. God, you people.
A/N: I know, I've been keeping the 'rescue plan' a big secret. Wanna know why? Because even I don't know exactly what it is. Details, details! Buggrem. Part of me just wants to get this damn story over and done with so I can post the next one.
Extra Special Thankees:
Neshomeh – sorry, sorry. Next time I'm going to have a memory featuring Jenni, I'll ask first. Talk to me about my next story, 'A Summer of Secrets', do Jenni and Este want to spend a summer in France with the Snapes/Montaques?
Rouge Magie – thankees for your brilliant review! I don't think I'll steal your readers…besides, I post my chapters a lot closer together than you do yours (or so it seems, anyway), so they can finish reading my story quick quick quick. Once I get hold of something, I push it so far that it's like flogging a dead horse after a while. This story won't take long.
Muggle95 – was that the pen name? I think so. Thank you for being my first reviewer that I didn't actually know already!
Arcee – who reviewed my 'short story' thing 'One Old Owl'. Some collected memories and a brief life history from the POV of Montgomery Jean Montaque. Thankees!