TITLE: Every Step of the Way
AUTHOR: Cassandra Bartoli
SUMMARY: The chosen nine have to stay together every step of the way because dangerous things will happen to them as they begin their quest to save the magical world from destruction. Who will die? Who will give up halfway through and forsake his teammates? Who will be the one brave enough to save the world as we know it? (Kinda like RW/RR Challenge and Survivor with a magical and romantic twist)
RATING: PG-13 (maybe R later…)
DISCLAIMER: Cassandra, Holly, and Summer are MY characters, as is Joseph Cardwell. There will be others soon. What you already have seen before is not mine- its JK Rowling's- so don't yell at me if I do something wrong with those characters or use them in the wrong way.
In the town of Cardiff, Great Britain, Harry Potter woke up. His emerald green eyes slowly opened as he let the real world materialize in front of him. He blinked. His dream had been strange- it had contained some sort of a clue that Harry couldn't get to or decipher- it had been a huge piece of parchment with the word "CLUE" written nice and big so that it was tantalizing to Harry that he could not get it. A throaty yet powerful voice had said,
"Take this clue, Harry Potter, and save the wizarding world from destruction. We depend on you."
Harry shook his head impatiently and jumped out of bed, ready to take his cold morning shower. It was just a stupid dream, after all- how much harm could it do?
How wrong our favorite Mr. Potter was.
All over England, twenty-something-year-olds were waking up, in the towns of Thurso, Inverness, Glasgow, Dundee, Liverpool, London, and Cambridge. And all had had the same dream that Harry Potter did that night. But all forgot about it as soon as they hopped into their shower- in their flat, townhouse, dorm room, or cottage. Yet this dream would play an important part in the lives of these eight people, including Harry Potter. They just didn't know it yet.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You must come at once," Summer Lyon read aloud, "Make haste, we need you accomplished wizards to perform a complicated task. Please meet the others and myself at the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, then we shall Apparate to an undisclosed location- and I will tell you what you have to do. Sincerely, Joseph Cardwell."
Summer looked at her fiancée Seamus Finnigan.
"What's this all about?" she asked, puzzled. Seamus shrugged his broad shoulders, and replied,
"I'm not really sure. But this Cardwell character sounds like he really needs our help- so I say let's go for it. When are we supposed to meet this guy?"
"Today," Summer said simply.
"I haven't even shaved yet, and you're telling me today?" Seamus exclaimed. Summer laughed, then said,
"Well hurry up! We obviously haven't got all day."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Cassandra Bartoli waited, shivering inside her woolen coat. She still hadn't gotten used to brutal English winters after a year with her grandparents in Mexico. A lock of honey-brown colored hair fell into Cassie's tan face, she brushed it away. Where was everybody? Or was it someone she didn't know? Cassie pushed open the creaky door to the Leaky Cauldron, and a bell jingled her arrival merrily to the bartender, who offered her a good Scottish beer with his pleasant Irish accent.
"You wouldn't happen to have a piña colada, would you?" she asked instead.
"A pine tree what?" the bartender asked.
"Never mind, thanks though," Cassie replied. Out of the corner of her hazel eyes she saw a large group of her Hogwarts friends, including Holly Clairsworth, Ginny and Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Holly shrieked with delight when she saw Cassie, her best friend whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Cassie! How are you? You look wonderful," she exclaimed, rushing over to Cassandra to envelop her in a huge bear hug.
"I'm fine, Hols, thanks. You look great too! It's been such a long time since I've seen you!" Cassie returned warmly.
"Yeah, no kidding. Hey, listen, did you get an owl from a Joseph Cardwell?" Holly asked.
Cassandra nodded.
"Great! Then we're all in this together," Holly said, gesturing to the table that was surrounded with their friends.
Just then the door bell jingled merrily again, and in fell four snow- covered people, which turned out to be Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Summer, and Seamus.
Holly's cheeks flushed pink when she saw Draco, yet acted normal. Her childish crush was over, right?
After many hellos and how-are-yous, a stocky, middle-aged man came over to the now rowdy and boisterous table.
"I'm glad to see this group is enjoying each others' company. You'll be with each other for quite a long time."
"The voice!" Hermione said. Everyone looked at her as if she had gone crazy.
"I'm not insane, Harry, stop laughing. You're the voice from my dream! You told me..oh, never mind. You're Joseph Cardwell, though, I presume," Hermione finished, scrunching up her nose.
"I am indeed, Ms. Granger. I am also the voice from your dream. I inflicted that dream upon you all, to give you a clue into what you would be doing. I am a powerful wizard, I don't deny it, and I've come to ask your help to save the wizarding world. I will explain later, at our meeting. Shall I buy you some drinks?"
Most of the group sat, stunned.
"Well, "said Cassandra, breaking the silence that stretched over the table, "I would like a strawberry daiquiri, if they have one. If not, I'll take a butterbeer, thanks."
"How can you be so nonchalant?" Summer asked Cassie, "This is saving the world we're talking about, you know."
Cassie shrugged.
"All in a day's work for Ms. Bartoli, I presume," Joseph Cardwell smiled, "Can I get anyone else something to drink?"
Everyone loosened up at this, and they all thoroughly enjoyed their chat. After a half-hour in the Leaky Cauldron, Mr. Cardwell stood up and said,
"Well, its' best that we Apparate from here. Are you all ready to go?"
The group all nodded, Holly and Ginny looking queasy.
"Loosen up, you guys," Cassie said, "it'll be fun."
"Fun? FUN? You call going somewhere to learn about how to save the world FUN??? You need to check yourself into St. Mungo's. If you won't, I will," Ginny muttered.
Joseph smiled.
"Let's go."
The group, which had been clustered around their coffee table, was immediately shrouded in a veil of sapphire and violet star dust, that shimmered before their open eyes. They blinked, almost all at the same time, and found themselves in a comfortably decorated library.
Ron walked over to the curtained window, and peered outside.
"That's funny. I can't see a thing," he said, puzzled.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley. I have put charms on these windows so that you do not see what is going on in the outside world. I have also bewitched the house to withstand and hexes your enemies might throw onto it, if they find out where you are stationed. But let me start from the beginning," Cardwell replied.
Now, even Cassandra (The Brave) Bartoli was looking scared.
Draco cleared his throat, and spoke.
"Is this as serious as it sounds, Mr. Cardwell? I don't know if I'm up to it…"
Holly's face showed concern, but Summer whispered under her breath,
"Spoiled bastard."
"Please, call me Joe," Cardwell said, "And yes, Mr. Malfoy, this is as serious as I have made it sound. Even more, in fact. I also believe you are completely up to it, as I chose you. Therefore, there will be no backing out now, since you have come this far, and had the guts to show up to the meeting."
"But.." Draco began.
"No buts," insisted Joe, and Draco fell silent.
Now, Harry finally spoke.
"So, Joe, what is the situation that needs our help?"
"Yes, Mr. Potter, I was just getting to that. Sit down, all of you. This will be a long story." The young people complied.
"As you all very well know, there used to be a great wizard named Lord Voldemort, who met his downfall in Harry Potter about twenty two years ago. Later, he rose to power once again, and foolishly tried to take over Hogwarts, and later the world. You also know that Albus Dumbledore finished Voldemort off that year- but Voldemort is not as gone as you might think. His spirit inhabits every room in wizard houses. His presence is always on our minds, we always think about him. One person, that you are not familiar with, was chosen to hold the spirit of Voldemort in his evil soul, and has spread Voldemort's spirit to others through a useful little charm, known as Spiritus Mobilarbus en Hartes. This group has steadily risen to power, taking in more members each day, each second, into their Dark grasp. What I want you to do is to use your powers to their fullest extent. And I not only mean your wizarding powers, yet your mental powers. The clues to saving the world are yet to be found. All I can tell you is this- you must learn to coap."
"Sir, how can we cope if we don't know what we're dealing with?" Ginny interrupted.
"Ahh, Ms. Weasley, I did not say C-O-P-E, I said C-O-A-P. You must figure this statement out before you embark on you mission. Please do not be hasty, this is a very dangerous journey and could result in death. Now, about your living quarters. This group will be stationed here, in this very secluded mansion, hidden from view from the human eye, and can only be seen through the right kind of bewitched Pensieve, which is found in the deepest, darkest, and safest place on the Earth. You are not permitted to open the windows, or leave the house through the one door there is. This door is to remain closed at all times. It is the door that holds the clue to saving the world, but cannot be opened without the key you must acquire from your treks. You each have your own personal bedroom, which have been decorated to what I think are your tastes. You will never run out of food, it will keep reappearing after you have used it. I trust you have good cooks here, as you will not be able to rely solely on microwaveable items, and cannot call for a pizza. That is all I need to say. For now, please think about coap-ing, and I will talk to you all again soon. My last stament is this- stay together EVERY STEP OF THE WAY."
And with that, Cardwell disappeared with a pop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(A/N: now what will happen?? What will be the group's reaction?? Will they find out what "coap" means? (its' an acronym for something- see if you can figure it out!) anyways…I hope you like my story- if so, press that button called review and submit it!! If you don't like it, you can tell me too- just please don't be like-"You're a friggin jerk- you obviously don't know…"- that is what one of my reviewers did for my L/J. I don't get it. (Okay Cass, shut your trap) REVIEW AND STAY TUNED!!)
AUTHOR: Cassandra Bartoli
SUMMARY: The chosen nine have to stay together every step of the way because dangerous things will happen to them as they begin their quest to save the magical world from destruction. Who will die? Who will give up halfway through and forsake his teammates? Who will be the one brave enough to save the world as we know it? (Kinda like RW/RR Challenge and Survivor with a magical and romantic twist)
RATING: PG-13 (maybe R later…)
DISCLAIMER: Cassandra, Holly, and Summer are MY characters, as is Joseph Cardwell. There will be others soon. What you already have seen before is not mine- its JK Rowling's- so don't yell at me if I do something wrong with those characters or use them in the wrong way.
In the town of Cardiff, Great Britain, Harry Potter woke up. His emerald green eyes slowly opened as he let the real world materialize in front of him. He blinked. His dream had been strange- it had contained some sort of a clue that Harry couldn't get to or decipher- it had been a huge piece of parchment with the word "CLUE" written nice and big so that it was tantalizing to Harry that he could not get it. A throaty yet powerful voice had said,
"Take this clue, Harry Potter, and save the wizarding world from destruction. We depend on you."
Harry shook his head impatiently and jumped out of bed, ready to take his cold morning shower. It was just a stupid dream, after all- how much harm could it do?
How wrong our favorite Mr. Potter was.
All over England, twenty-something-year-olds were waking up, in the towns of Thurso, Inverness, Glasgow, Dundee, Liverpool, London, and Cambridge. And all had had the same dream that Harry Potter did that night. But all forgot about it as soon as they hopped into their shower- in their flat, townhouse, dorm room, or cottage. Yet this dream would play an important part in the lives of these eight people, including Harry Potter. They just didn't know it yet.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
"You must come at once," Summer Lyon read aloud, "Make haste, we need you accomplished wizards to perform a complicated task. Please meet the others and myself at the Leaky Cauldron for a drink, then we shall Apparate to an undisclosed location- and I will tell you what you have to do. Sincerely, Joseph Cardwell."
Summer looked at her fiancée Seamus Finnigan.
"What's this all about?" she asked, puzzled. Seamus shrugged his broad shoulders, and replied,
"I'm not really sure. But this Cardwell character sounds like he really needs our help- so I say let's go for it. When are we supposed to meet this guy?"
"Today," Summer said simply.
"I haven't even shaved yet, and you're telling me today?" Seamus exclaimed. Summer laughed, then said,
"Well hurry up! We obviously haven't got all day."
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Cassandra Bartoli waited, shivering inside her woolen coat. She still hadn't gotten used to brutal English winters after a year with her grandparents in Mexico. A lock of honey-brown colored hair fell into Cassie's tan face, she brushed it away. Where was everybody? Or was it someone she didn't know? Cassie pushed open the creaky door to the Leaky Cauldron, and a bell jingled her arrival merrily to the bartender, who offered her a good Scottish beer with his pleasant Irish accent.
"You wouldn't happen to have a piña colada, would you?" she asked instead.
"A pine tree what?" the bartender asked.
"Never mind, thanks though," Cassie replied. Out of the corner of her hazel eyes she saw a large group of her Hogwarts friends, including Holly Clairsworth, Ginny and Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger.
*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Holly shrieked with delight when she saw Cassie, her best friend whom she hadn't seen in a long time.
"Cassie! How are you? You look wonderful," she exclaimed, rushing over to Cassandra to envelop her in a huge bear hug.
"I'm fine, Hols, thanks. You look great too! It's been such a long time since I've seen you!" Cassie returned warmly.
"Yeah, no kidding. Hey, listen, did you get an owl from a Joseph Cardwell?" Holly asked.
Cassandra nodded.
"Great! Then we're all in this together," Holly said, gesturing to the table that was surrounded with their friends.
Just then the door bell jingled merrily again, and in fell four snow- covered people, which turned out to be Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Summer, and Seamus.
Holly's cheeks flushed pink when she saw Draco, yet acted normal. Her childish crush was over, right?
After many hellos and how-are-yous, a stocky, middle-aged man came over to the now rowdy and boisterous table.
"I'm glad to see this group is enjoying each others' company. You'll be with each other for quite a long time."
"The voice!" Hermione said. Everyone looked at her as if she had gone crazy.
"I'm not insane, Harry, stop laughing. You're the voice from my dream! You told me..oh, never mind. You're Joseph Cardwell, though, I presume," Hermione finished, scrunching up her nose.
"I am indeed, Ms. Granger. I am also the voice from your dream. I inflicted that dream upon you all, to give you a clue into what you would be doing. I am a powerful wizard, I don't deny it, and I've come to ask your help to save the wizarding world. I will explain later, at our meeting. Shall I buy you some drinks?"
Most of the group sat, stunned.
"Well, "said Cassandra, breaking the silence that stretched over the table, "I would like a strawberry daiquiri, if they have one. If not, I'll take a butterbeer, thanks."
"How can you be so nonchalant?" Summer asked Cassie, "This is saving the world we're talking about, you know."
Cassie shrugged.
"All in a day's work for Ms. Bartoli, I presume," Joseph Cardwell smiled, "Can I get anyone else something to drink?"
Everyone loosened up at this, and they all thoroughly enjoyed their chat. After a half-hour in the Leaky Cauldron, Mr. Cardwell stood up and said,
"Well, its' best that we Apparate from here. Are you all ready to go?"
The group all nodded, Holly and Ginny looking queasy.
"Loosen up, you guys," Cassie said, "it'll be fun."
"Fun? FUN? You call going somewhere to learn about how to save the world FUN??? You need to check yourself into St. Mungo's. If you won't, I will," Ginny muttered.
Joseph smiled.
"Let's go."
The group, which had been clustered around their coffee table, was immediately shrouded in a veil of sapphire and violet star dust, that shimmered before their open eyes. They blinked, almost all at the same time, and found themselves in a comfortably decorated library.
Ron walked over to the curtained window, and peered outside.
"That's funny. I can't see a thing," he said, puzzled.
"Yes, Mr. Weasley. I have put charms on these windows so that you do not see what is going on in the outside world. I have also bewitched the house to withstand and hexes your enemies might throw onto it, if they find out where you are stationed. But let me start from the beginning," Cardwell replied.
Now, even Cassandra (The Brave) Bartoli was looking scared.
Draco cleared his throat, and spoke.
"Is this as serious as it sounds, Mr. Cardwell? I don't know if I'm up to it…"
Holly's face showed concern, but Summer whispered under her breath,
"Spoiled bastard."
"Please, call me Joe," Cardwell said, "And yes, Mr. Malfoy, this is as serious as I have made it sound. Even more, in fact. I also believe you are completely up to it, as I chose you. Therefore, there will be no backing out now, since you have come this far, and had the guts to show up to the meeting."
"But.." Draco began.
"No buts," insisted Joe, and Draco fell silent.
Now, Harry finally spoke.
"So, Joe, what is the situation that needs our help?"
"Yes, Mr. Potter, I was just getting to that. Sit down, all of you. This will be a long story." The young people complied.
"As you all very well know, there used to be a great wizard named Lord Voldemort, who met his downfall in Harry Potter about twenty two years ago. Later, he rose to power once again, and foolishly tried to take over Hogwarts, and later the world. You also know that Albus Dumbledore finished Voldemort off that year- but Voldemort is not as gone as you might think. His spirit inhabits every room in wizard houses. His presence is always on our minds, we always think about him. One person, that you are not familiar with, was chosen to hold the spirit of Voldemort in his evil soul, and has spread Voldemort's spirit to others through a useful little charm, known as Spiritus Mobilarbus en Hartes. This group has steadily risen to power, taking in more members each day, each second, into their Dark grasp. What I want you to do is to use your powers to their fullest extent. And I not only mean your wizarding powers, yet your mental powers. The clues to saving the world are yet to be found. All I can tell you is this- you must learn to coap."
"Sir, how can we cope if we don't know what we're dealing with?" Ginny interrupted.
"Ahh, Ms. Weasley, I did not say C-O-P-E, I said C-O-A-P. You must figure this statement out before you embark on you mission. Please do not be hasty, this is a very dangerous journey and could result in death. Now, about your living quarters. This group will be stationed here, in this very secluded mansion, hidden from view from the human eye, and can only be seen through the right kind of bewitched Pensieve, which is found in the deepest, darkest, and safest place on the Earth. You are not permitted to open the windows, or leave the house through the one door there is. This door is to remain closed at all times. It is the door that holds the clue to saving the world, but cannot be opened without the key you must acquire from your treks. You each have your own personal bedroom, which have been decorated to what I think are your tastes. You will never run out of food, it will keep reappearing after you have used it. I trust you have good cooks here, as you will not be able to rely solely on microwaveable items, and cannot call for a pizza. That is all I need to say. For now, please think about coap-ing, and I will talk to you all again soon. My last stament is this- stay together EVERY STEP OF THE WAY."
And with that, Cardwell disappeared with a pop.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
(A/N: now what will happen?? What will be the group's reaction?? Will they find out what "coap" means? (its' an acronym for something- see if you can figure it out!) anyways…I hope you like my story- if so, press that button called review and submit it!! If you don't like it, you can tell me too- just please don't be like-"You're a friggin jerk- you obviously don't know…"- that is what one of my reviewers did for my L/J. I don't get it. (Okay Cass, shut your trap) REVIEW AND STAY TUNED!!)
