Chapter Four
Disc: Don't own nothing. Don't sue for nothing. (Do two negatives make a positive? I can never remember.) Harry and friends belong to J.K. Rowling, Avalon and everything related to it is inspired by Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon, though of course I've taken liberties. If you haven't read it, do!
Draco heard voices around him, talking volubly. He wanted to, but couldn't, make out what they were saying. He was so sleepy, so very tired. He was about to sink back into stupor, but the darkness of consciousness was pierced by one voice, "I can't be the damn Magid. I don't want to be the damn Magid. As if it isn't bad enough being The Boy who Lived!" It was a familiar voice, a beloved voice. Memories came rushing into Draco's head and he sat up covered with sweat.
"Glad you could join us, Mr. Malfoy." said Snape suavely. "I hope you're feeling better now."
Draco nodded. "Yes, thank you, Professor." He looked around. He was in a room in Hogwarts, that much was obvious. The room seemed to be crowded with people. As his vision improved, the people coalesced into a mere handful. He let his eyes rest on each of them. Ron and Ginny Weasely, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, and of course, Harry Potter.
Remus, the eternal nice guy, shot Draco a smile. "Mr. Malfoy, we won't trouble you to give us an account of what happened. We, more or less, pieced everything together. Why don't you go take a bath, freshen up? When you come back we'll brief you."
Draco nodded. He unsteadily rose to his feet and stumbled towards the bathroom. He was still shaky, and almost fell, when Harry put out a friendly hand to steady him. "Easy there, Malfoy. Take it slow." The younger boy said with a smile. Draco looked at him for a long second, jerked his arm away, and kept going.
As he disappeared down the corridor, Ron shot Harry a surprised glance. "What's eating him?"
Harry shrugged, "Do I look like I know? Well, I guess he's been through a lot. Let's give him a break, all right?" The other three nodded and Harry continued, "Now can we get back to my problem please? I still can't get used to it. Why me? I'm not particularly talented, not particularly bright. All in all, I should be leading an average life. Why is all this happening to me then?"
Sirius looked at him sympathetically and was about to speak, when Dumbledore spoke from the door. "Harry, once there was a person faced with a very similar predicament. He was the son of a carpenter, a young ten-year-old boy, who was told that he was the Son of God. He was told that he would have to teach the one true faith, and would have to die for his beliefs. Can you imagine what it must have been like for him? It isn't that bad for you. You have a war to fight, and you will probably win. There is a strong possibility that you will come out of this unscathed. I know your power seems like a curse, but use it like a blessing. And when in fear, think of that young boy who showed the world the power of peace."
Harry bowed his head in acquiescence. "Very well Professor, I will go to Avalon."
Ron and Hermione nodded furiously, "So will we." Hermione said. "I've always wanted to know about Avalon. No one is really sure whether it's myth or fact, and I'm going to see it for myself. That's so exciting."
Ginny cut in. "Professor Dumbledore, it's obvious what Ron and Hermione are doing here. They are Harry's best friends and they're mentioned in the prophecy. But could someone please tell me what I'm doing here? What part am I to play in this rather complex scheme?"
Dumbledore drew Ginny aside. "Ginny, do you love Harry?" Ginny blushed, but nodded. "Then there is a possibility that you may be the one to adore him. If you are, then you have a powerful part to play indeed."
Ginny frowned. "Then that means Draco is…"
Dumbledore made a quick gesture of assent. "Yes, that means Draco is the guide. That's odd though. The other prophecy clearly states the guide is younger, and Draco is at least six months older than Harry." He found that Ginny wasn't listening. She was looking hungrily at Harry as he lounged on the couch, his head slightly bent, his face intent, his eyes sparkling. Dumbledore sighed.
Draco came out from the shower, feeling considerably refreshed. He walked into the room, and noted the sudden silence that fell when he entered. He managed a weak smile, as he sat down next to Snape. "So what's been decided?" he asked.
Sirius answered baldly, "Draco, tonight we leave for Avalon."
Draco gaped at him for a minute and then stuttered, "But I thought Avalon was just a myth."
Harry spoke wearily, "Apparently Malfoy, it's not. It exists and it's the only place which can give me the training to prevent chaos." Draco acknowledged the reply with a curt nod and turned back to Sirius.
"So, you mean, we won't be returning to Hogwarts?"
"I'm assuming not, Draco. This training will be intensive, for you as well as for Harry. As the people in the prophecy, you must learn a lot too. It's going to be difficult. There are hard times ahead for all of us." Draco nodded and Sirius smiled. "Alright then, you kids get some rest. We'll be leaving around 10." Sirius, Snape, Remus and Dumbledore strode out of the room, leaving a quintet of very confused teenagers staring at each other.
Predictably Harry was the first to react. He walked up to Draco and extended his hand. "Draco, I'm sorry for all the things we've said to you over the last few years. I thought you were a Death Eater. Obviously I was wrong. Can we be friends?"
Draco stared into the face he had dreamt of so often, the face he had longed to run his fingers over. He stared into the beautiful eyes that he wanted to kiss shut, the lips he ached to call his own, and knew that if he accepted Harry Potters hand in friendship, he would never be able to curb those agonizing desires. Instead he said coolly, "I'm sorry Potter, it is true I'm your Protector, chosen as such by the Powers That Be. But I am not, and will never be your friend. There has been too much between us in the last five years for me to nobly act like they never happened. After all I'm not a Gryffindor." He saw the stricken expression on Harry's face before he turned on his heel and walked away. Behind him he heard the furious babble, Ron Weasely's voice rising over the others, but he didn't turn around. He couldn't! After all, he was Draco Malfoy. He couldn't let them know that he could cry.
Before they knew it, it was ten, and time to leave. All five of them had been given bags containing clothes and weapons and the other things they would need in Avalon. In the cover of darkness Dumbledore led them to the great lake where a barge awaited, draped in black and silver. Softly he whispered, "Climb on." Silently they obeyed. Obviously the barge had been enchanted because without direction it began to skim soundlessly over the moonlit waters of the lake. No one spoke and there was no sound, but Harry felt that he could hear bells, silvery and equivocal, ringing in the distance. The bells seemed to be welcoming them…home.
Slowly the barge slid towards the center and there suddenly appeared mists. A heavy haze that seemed to overcast the sky and the waters. Harry gasped, and heard Draco draw a deep breath beside him. The barge stopped in front of the mists, and Dumbledore stepped to the helm of the boat. He raised his arms and in a voice echoing over the thunder that suddenly roared in the cloudless sky he spoke, 'I, Albus Dumbledore, Merlin of Britain ask of you, Lady of the Lake, to permit our entry into the Magical Isle of Avalon."
A voice spoke from nowhere, a woman's voice, clear and musical, "Enter Albus, enter in peace and be welcome." The mists parted and barge glided through. As they crossed the threshold into Avalon, Harry felt a surge of power go through him. There seemed to be magic in the air of the mystical island. A surreptitious glance at his friends showed him that they felt the difference as well. Then they were inside and Harry looked around him. He would never forget his first sight of Avalon slumbering in the arms of the night. His eyes widened at the unearthly beauty of the place. The island was an immense hill in shades of muted blue, greens and browns. On the top stood a circle of stones, akin to those on Stonehenge, but ebony black in color and flashing in the moonlight. The island was full of trees. The golden boughs of the yews, the silver bark of the beeches, the massive oaks towering protectively over the other trees, the delicate weeping willow swooping over the ground. At the bottom of the island, there were buildings. The buildings were made from rough hewed stone, large and capacious, but not intricate, made to house the priestesses. On the slope, there was a magnificent well, gleaming, mirroring the silver sheen of the sky. Ginny whispered, "It is beautiful." The eyes of the rest reflected the awe in her voice.
The barge sailed towards the island and scraped to a halt on its silver sands. Sirius leapt out and offered his hand to Hermione. On the other side, Lupin did the same for Ginny. The others silently left the boat, and stood beside them. The sheer wonder of Avalon had struck them all mute. Just then, noiselessly, several women detached themselves from the darkness and surrounded them. They all differed vastly in looks, some tall, others short, some fair, some dark, some beautiful, others plain, but they all shared a common bond of dignity and power. They were dressed simply in white linen robes, and wore no adornments, except a locket of the crescent moon at their throats. Dumbledore bowed to them, and the company hurriedly followed suit. The women inclined their heads. Then without a word they parted. They stood, as if on attendance, in two lines on both side and the company saw a slim figure come down the hill. She walked up to them, put her hand in Dumbledore's and spoke in the same voice that had echoed in the stormy skies outside the mists, "I, Morgaine, Lady of the Lake, welcome you all to Avalon."
Sorry about Dumbledore's spiel. I really couldn't resist a little hamming.
O.K. now for my groveling. I love you people who review. Please do this little thing for me. Two reviews are good, but not good enough. (winces at the cliche).
Thanks go to:
DJay: Thanks for reviewing.
MidnightDragon: Well I hope you enjoy this part too. Oh by the way, I read your story. Loved it.
Disc: Don't own nothing. Don't sue for nothing. (Do two negatives make a positive? I can never remember.) Harry and friends belong to J.K. Rowling, Avalon and everything related to it is inspired by Marion Zimmer Bradley's Mists of Avalon, though of course I've taken liberties. If you haven't read it, do!
Draco heard voices around him, talking volubly. He wanted to, but couldn't, make out what they were saying. He was so sleepy, so very tired. He was about to sink back into stupor, but the darkness of consciousness was pierced by one voice, "I can't be the damn Magid. I don't want to be the damn Magid. As if it isn't bad enough being The Boy who Lived!" It was a familiar voice, a beloved voice. Memories came rushing into Draco's head and he sat up covered with sweat.
"Glad you could join us, Mr. Malfoy." said Snape suavely. "I hope you're feeling better now."
Draco nodded. "Yes, thank you, Professor." He looked around. He was in a room in Hogwarts, that much was obvious. The room seemed to be crowded with people. As his vision improved, the people coalesced into a mere handful. He let his eyes rest on each of them. Ron and Ginny Weasely, Hermione Granger, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Severus Snape, and of course, Harry Potter.
Remus, the eternal nice guy, shot Draco a smile. "Mr. Malfoy, we won't trouble you to give us an account of what happened. We, more or less, pieced everything together. Why don't you go take a bath, freshen up? When you come back we'll brief you."
Draco nodded. He unsteadily rose to his feet and stumbled towards the bathroom. He was still shaky, and almost fell, when Harry put out a friendly hand to steady him. "Easy there, Malfoy. Take it slow." The younger boy said with a smile. Draco looked at him for a long second, jerked his arm away, and kept going.
As he disappeared down the corridor, Ron shot Harry a surprised glance. "What's eating him?"
Harry shrugged, "Do I look like I know? Well, I guess he's been through a lot. Let's give him a break, all right?" The other three nodded and Harry continued, "Now can we get back to my problem please? I still can't get used to it. Why me? I'm not particularly talented, not particularly bright. All in all, I should be leading an average life. Why is all this happening to me then?"
Sirius looked at him sympathetically and was about to speak, when Dumbledore spoke from the door. "Harry, once there was a person faced with a very similar predicament. He was the son of a carpenter, a young ten-year-old boy, who was told that he was the Son of God. He was told that he would have to teach the one true faith, and would have to die for his beliefs. Can you imagine what it must have been like for him? It isn't that bad for you. You have a war to fight, and you will probably win. There is a strong possibility that you will come out of this unscathed. I know your power seems like a curse, but use it like a blessing. And when in fear, think of that young boy who showed the world the power of peace."
Harry bowed his head in acquiescence. "Very well Professor, I will go to Avalon."
Ron and Hermione nodded furiously, "So will we." Hermione said. "I've always wanted to know about Avalon. No one is really sure whether it's myth or fact, and I'm going to see it for myself. That's so exciting."
Ginny cut in. "Professor Dumbledore, it's obvious what Ron and Hermione are doing here. They are Harry's best friends and they're mentioned in the prophecy. But could someone please tell me what I'm doing here? What part am I to play in this rather complex scheme?"
Dumbledore drew Ginny aside. "Ginny, do you love Harry?" Ginny blushed, but nodded. "Then there is a possibility that you may be the one to adore him. If you are, then you have a powerful part to play indeed."
Ginny frowned. "Then that means Draco is…"
Dumbledore made a quick gesture of assent. "Yes, that means Draco is the guide. That's odd though. The other prophecy clearly states the guide is younger, and Draco is at least six months older than Harry." He found that Ginny wasn't listening. She was looking hungrily at Harry as he lounged on the couch, his head slightly bent, his face intent, his eyes sparkling. Dumbledore sighed.
Draco came out from the shower, feeling considerably refreshed. He walked into the room, and noted the sudden silence that fell when he entered. He managed a weak smile, as he sat down next to Snape. "So what's been decided?" he asked.
Sirius answered baldly, "Draco, tonight we leave for Avalon."
Draco gaped at him for a minute and then stuttered, "But I thought Avalon was just a myth."
Harry spoke wearily, "Apparently Malfoy, it's not. It exists and it's the only place which can give me the training to prevent chaos." Draco acknowledged the reply with a curt nod and turned back to Sirius.
"So, you mean, we won't be returning to Hogwarts?"
"I'm assuming not, Draco. This training will be intensive, for you as well as for Harry. As the people in the prophecy, you must learn a lot too. It's going to be difficult. There are hard times ahead for all of us." Draco nodded and Sirius smiled. "Alright then, you kids get some rest. We'll be leaving around 10." Sirius, Snape, Remus and Dumbledore strode out of the room, leaving a quintet of very confused teenagers staring at each other.
Predictably Harry was the first to react. He walked up to Draco and extended his hand. "Draco, I'm sorry for all the things we've said to you over the last few years. I thought you were a Death Eater. Obviously I was wrong. Can we be friends?"
Draco stared into the face he had dreamt of so often, the face he had longed to run his fingers over. He stared into the beautiful eyes that he wanted to kiss shut, the lips he ached to call his own, and knew that if he accepted Harry Potters hand in friendship, he would never be able to curb those agonizing desires. Instead he said coolly, "I'm sorry Potter, it is true I'm your Protector, chosen as such by the Powers That Be. But I am not, and will never be your friend. There has been too much between us in the last five years for me to nobly act like they never happened. After all I'm not a Gryffindor." He saw the stricken expression on Harry's face before he turned on his heel and walked away. Behind him he heard the furious babble, Ron Weasely's voice rising over the others, but he didn't turn around. He couldn't! After all, he was Draco Malfoy. He couldn't let them know that he could cry.
Before they knew it, it was ten, and time to leave. All five of them had been given bags containing clothes and weapons and the other things they would need in Avalon. In the cover of darkness Dumbledore led them to the great lake where a barge awaited, draped in black and silver. Softly he whispered, "Climb on." Silently they obeyed. Obviously the barge had been enchanted because without direction it began to skim soundlessly over the moonlit waters of the lake. No one spoke and there was no sound, but Harry felt that he could hear bells, silvery and equivocal, ringing in the distance. The bells seemed to be welcoming them…home.
Slowly the barge slid towards the center and there suddenly appeared mists. A heavy haze that seemed to overcast the sky and the waters. Harry gasped, and heard Draco draw a deep breath beside him. The barge stopped in front of the mists, and Dumbledore stepped to the helm of the boat. He raised his arms and in a voice echoing over the thunder that suddenly roared in the cloudless sky he spoke, 'I, Albus Dumbledore, Merlin of Britain ask of you, Lady of the Lake, to permit our entry into the Magical Isle of Avalon."
A voice spoke from nowhere, a woman's voice, clear and musical, "Enter Albus, enter in peace and be welcome." The mists parted and barge glided through. As they crossed the threshold into Avalon, Harry felt a surge of power go through him. There seemed to be magic in the air of the mystical island. A surreptitious glance at his friends showed him that they felt the difference as well. Then they were inside and Harry looked around him. He would never forget his first sight of Avalon slumbering in the arms of the night. His eyes widened at the unearthly beauty of the place. The island was an immense hill in shades of muted blue, greens and browns. On the top stood a circle of stones, akin to those on Stonehenge, but ebony black in color and flashing in the moonlight. The island was full of trees. The golden boughs of the yews, the silver bark of the beeches, the massive oaks towering protectively over the other trees, the delicate weeping willow swooping over the ground. At the bottom of the island, there were buildings. The buildings were made from rough hewed stone, large and capacious, but not intricate, made to house the priestesses. On the slope, there was a magnificent well, gleaming, mirroring the silver sheen of the sky. Ginny whispered, "It is beautiful." The eyes of the rest reflected the awe in her voice.
The barge sailed towards the island and scraped to a halt on its silver sands. Sirius leapt out and offered his hand to Hermione. On the other side, Lupin did the same for Ginny. The others silently left the boat, and stood beside them. The sheer wonder of Avalon had struck them all mute. Just then, noiselessly, several women detached themselves from the darkness and surrounded them. They all differed vastly in looks, some tall, others short, some fair, some dark, some beautiful, others plain, but they all shared a common bond of dignity and power. They were dressed simply in white linen robes, and wore no adornments, except a locket of the crescent moon at their throats. Dumbledore bowed to them, and the company hurriedly followed suit. The women inclined their heads. Then without a word they parted. They stood, as if on attendance, in two lines on both side and the company saw a slim figure come down the hill. She walked up to them, put her hand in Dumbledore's and spoke in the same voice that had echoed in the stormy skies outside the mists, "I, Morgaine, Lady of the Lake, welcome you all to Avalon."
Sorry about Dumbledore's spiel. I really couldn't resist a little hamming.
O.K. now for my groveling. I love you people who review. Please do this little thing for me. Two reviews are good, but not good enough. (winces at the cliche).
Thanks go to:
DJay: Thanks for reviewing.
MidnightDragon: Well I hope you enjoy this part too. Oh by the way, I read your story. Loved it.