1 – Alive
DRACO
Draco had a good feeling about this. Haley's hand in his felt like it belonged there. And the way she was looking at him. Could that be described as trusting? Affectionate?
… Loving?
It made him almost forget about the exhausting summer months he had. If not completely.
Still, this time he had a feeling… that it might last.
…
HALEY
She didn't believe it completely. Not until she actually saw Sirius. Could it be true? Could it really be? She didn't dare believe it. But Draco would never lie to her about something like this. Unless… this was some cruel form of revenge for breaking up with him? No, she dispelled that thought right as it arose. And Luna would never agree to something like this either. Trust. She had decided to trust him. And when had he ever given her a reason not to trust him? Not since they had started dating. So, trust it was.
As Draco lead her toward a set of stairs, mostly hidden behind a bookshelf, Haley wondered how it was that he knew his way around Luna's house so well. It didn't seem like this was his first time coming here. They descended the stairs that ended in front of a dull grey cement door that most likely lead to the basement. Was Sirius in there?
She looked at Draco skeptically. "He's not in there, is he?"
Draco chuckled. "Not quite."
What was that supposed to mean?
Meaningfully, he glanced at the painting hanging on the door. It was a painting of a green-skinned woman that looked suspiciously like a banshee. The creature was standing by a glass-less window that was set into a high tower made of bricks. Her mouth was open wide, as if she was either singing or screaming. Listening closely, Haley could actually hear her voice very softly. She was screaming. How curious. Usually, the scream of a banshee was deadly.
"She can't harm you," Draco explained. "It's just a painting."
"Of course." Haley nodded. "So, what do we do now? Do we need a password?" From her experience with magical paintings you always needed a password.
"No."
"No?" That was surprising. "Then what…?"
"Did you know banshees were fond of spiral plums?"
"No." Honestly, she was starting to get a little impatient.
With an amused grin, Draco took one of Luna's strange spiral plums out of his pocket. (His shorts pocket. Because he was wearing shorts. She still hadn't gotten used to the sight.) It was red with yellow stripes and had the shape of a spiral. He took a step forward, put his hand into the painting – where his fingers now reappeared – and shoved the spiral plum inside the banshee's open mouth. Then he pulled his arm out of the painting, as if that was the most normal thing in the world. Well, Haley had seen stranger things to be honest. Hagrid breeding a dragon's egg inside his fireplace was only one of them. Instead of screaming the banshee was now chewing on her spiral plum happily.
"Cool trick, what now?" Haley asked drily.
Draco cleared his throat. Then he raised a hand to his mouth and called, "Rabanshee, Rabanshee, let down your hair!"
He was kidding her, wasn't he?
But right as he had finished calling out to the banshee, she grabbed fistfuls of her long black hair and threw it out of the window. It spilled down the tower wall like a pitch black rope.
"I'll go first." Draco said before reaching into the painting once more and taking hold of the braided hair. In the next moment he was somehow sucked into the painting, hanging onto the thick braid with both of his hands.
"Come on!" Haley heard him call out softly.
This was insane. But still, she slipped her hand into the painting and was pulled inside as soon as her fingers touched the braid. It felt a bit like falling through water. But when she arrived on the other side, she was completely dry. Was it because of the strong wind that kept trying to blow her off?
"Hold on tight!" Draco advised from above her.
"I'm trying!" She called back, in exasperation. With the wind it was easier said then done.
They climbed up the braid slowly and the banshee even helped Draco up into the tower. When he pulled Haley inside as well, she noticed the banshee was still chewing on her plum.
Draco gave her one more. "You'll get another one, when we come back, okay?"
The banshee nodded before returning to her window and looking outside wistfully once more.
"Let's go, before she starts screaming again," Draco warned, took Haley's hand and pulled her through the unfurnished room toward a door at the end.
Behind the door was a barely-lit hall tiled with grey bricks.
"What happens when she screams again?" Haley asked. "I thought she can't harm us."
"Well… her scream won't kill us but… it can still do some damage."
Her eyes went wide. "So, that's why we needed the plums."
He nodded. "That, and without them the banshee won't even let us return."
"You mean… We'll be trapped in here? Wherever this place is?"
"Hypothetically."
This sounded… unnecessarily risky.
"Scared, Potter?" He asked, smirking lazily.
"You wish." She rolled her eyes. "I was only surprised you'd do something this reckless." After all, he was the one who always called her reckless.
He chuckled softly. "Honestly, it's not that dangerous. In case we actually get stuck in here, Luna can always come and get us."
Haley snorted. When they reached the door at the end of the hall, Draco sobered up immediately.
"Ready?" He asked, squeezing her hand.
Haley felt nervous and slightly light-headed. But she still nodded. "I'm ready."
"Alright."
Draco stepped forward and opened the door. There was nothing but white light behind it.
"After you." He took a step back and nodded toward the brightness in front of them.
Haley took a deep breath and walked directly into the light.
…
HERMIONE
For a small town festival, it was actually quite nice. People around them were all having a great time, laughing, eating, having fun and going on rides. But somehow…It all seemed wrong. Uncanny. As if they were living in a parallel universe.
And the worst of it was Ron and Bill competing in a game where the goal was making balloons burst by throwing darts at them.
"Are you looking for someone?" Ginny asked. "Didn't Luna say she'll join us later?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I'm just… Don't you think it's strange?"
"What do you mean? People having fun?"
"Exactly!" Hermione agreed. "We're basically in a war. The most dangerous dark wizard alive is officially back and the list of missing people grows longer each day." She blinked. "And none of these people have the slightest idea what's going on around them."
Ginny shrugged. "Because they're Muggles. They don't exactly cover wizard wars in their papers." She stole one of Ron's darts and threw it at the board with the balloons, hitting a yellow one. "Besides, we're here to have fun, aren't we? Forget all our sorrows for one day?"
"Hey! Those are mine!" Ron exclaimed in annoyance.
"How about a thank you? I hit a balloon for you," Ginny replied cheekily.
"I wasn't going for the yellow ones. The prizes for the red ones are much better!" Ron complained.
"Who're you winning prizes for anyway? Our brothers fiance?" Ginny teased him.
"That's none of your business!" He replied with red ears.
"See?" Ginny turned to Hermione again. "Ron's having fun, too. It's not that hard."
Hermione sighed. It was hard. "I can't just pretend everything's alright, though…"
"Why not?" Ginny asked, biting off some of her pink candyfloss. "People do it all the time. It's easier that way. See what you want to see. Believe what you want to believe. Maybe that's just how people are."
In a way Ginny was right. Fudge was the best example for that. Him being scared of the truth about Voldemort's return so much that he refused to acknowledge it at all costs. Until the truth literally jumped in his face. Still, it was a rather depressing way to think about her fellow humans.
"Come on, why don't we try the merry-go-round?" Ginny suggested cheerfully.
Hermione frowned. "That's for children, though."
"So what?" Ginny grabbed her arm. "It's not a crime to be childish every now and then. Where's the harm in that?"
Hermione had the feeling this was something Ginny had heard from Fred and George one time or another. But before she could protest any further, Ginny was already pulling her over to the merry-go-round. Maybe there really was no harm in acting like a child for one day.
…
"Woohoo! One more round! One more!" Ginny exclaimed after their third round.
Hermione groaned, almost falling off the horse she was sitting on. "No, please. I'm already dizzy…You sure, this is a normal merry-go-round? Is it supposed to go this fast?"
"Sure!" Ginny yelled. "Just one more!"
"No…" Hermione tried getting off her horse but the world was still spinning, making her tumble.
But then someone steadied her, keeping her from actually falling over.
"Are you okay?" Ginny asked. "Maybe I overdid it a bit…"
"No, it's fine. Just let me… sit down for a moment."
Gently Ginny helped her sit down on a small step at the edge of the merry-go-round. Closing her eyes, she tried to get her surroundings to stop spinning. But when she re-opened them, after a few seconds, she saw something peculiar.
"Huh?"
"What is it?" Ginny asked in surprise.
"I just thought I saw…" Hermione blinked her eyes to try and get them to focus. But the suspicious face had already vanished in the crowd.
"What? What did you see?" Ginny wanted to know.
She shook her head. "Nothing probably. Just a trick of the light."
"Hiyah! You two, you up for some fun?" Ron's voice sounded from somewhere above them. "We want to try the Ferris Wheel."
"Ah, not now," Ginny replied, side-eyeing Hermione worriedly. "Hermione's a bit…"
But Hermione had a sudden idea. "Sure." She got up, the dizziness leaving her bones at once. "Let's go on a ride!"
From up on the Ferris Wheel she would have a much better view. Surely, she would be able to spot Pansy Parkinson's face from there.
…
HALEY
Slowly the light surrounding her dispersed and she was able to make out wooden furniture and grey walls. There was another door to the right and next to the wall on the left there was a small bed. Before Haley had time to question whether the person lying inside the bed was really him, she sprinted over to his bedside and fell to her knees in front of it.
"Sirius," she whispered breathlessly. She grabbed the hand closest to her and held onto it with both of her own. "Sirius." She was tearing up – no – there was a flood of tears already running down her cheeks. She couldn't breathe properly because of the lump inside her throat.
His hand felt real. She could feel his pulse somewhere beneath her fingers. She could see his chest moving slowly. He was breathing.
"You're alive." She was full on sobbing now. But she didn't care. Sirius was alive. And that was all that mattered.
…
DRACO
Watching her like this made him feel some very conflicting things. Obviously, she was happy. Elated. Which was good. But then… in how much pain had she been before? Just because of that petty old wizard who had let her believe her godfather was dead for so long. And there was the anger again. So much anger. He balled his fists which were already itching to punch that bastard another time. But right now there were more urgent matters at hand.
Haley was crying. For a second, Draco wondered whether she wanted to be left alone or wished for his company. Hesitantly, he took a few steps forward until he reached her side, and knelt down next to her. Cautiously, as not to startle her too much, he reached out and touched her arm.
She turned to him right away, her face wet with tears. But her eyes were shining. There was new hope in them.
"He's alive," She said with a teary little smile.
"Yes," Draco confirmed quietly.
"I didn't think – I – I didn't dare – I – " She stammered.
"I know. You don't have to say anything." He whispered, placing his thumb on her trembling lips to silence her. Then he gently wiped the tears off her cheeks with the back of his fingers.
But already there was a new flood of them, so he pulled up his shirtsleeve and used the fabric to dry the new tears.
Haley chuckled, taking off her glasses to rub them on her t-shirt. "Don't you have a hanky?"
Draco shook his head. "There's barely enough space to carry around my wand in these muggle clothes."
"Why are you wearing them anyway?" Curiously, she eyed his clothes.
He shrugged. "That's a bit of a long story… let's just say… I'm trying to keep a low profile."
Haley frowned. She looked like she was about to ask for details but then her gaze shifted back to the bed. After putting her glasses back on, she took in her godfather's sleeping face attentively.
"What happened to him?" She asked quietly. Gently she placed her godfather's hand on her cheek, as if she needed to assure herself he was real. "Why is he like this? I thought he was… I thought he…" She was obviously fighting with the words.
Draco sighed. "That's also a very long story."
"Tell me," she asked, without hesitating for even a second. "He's alive, though, isn't he? Won't he wake up?"
That was the question, wasn't it? "He's been sleeping for a while…" He offered. "But let's start at the beginning, alright?" He got up and took a seat in one of the chairs situated around the bed. Might as well get comfortable. And the wooden floor was anything but that. Haley followed his example and angled her chair so that she could still hold her godfather's hand and keep one eye on him, while simultaneously focusing on Draco.
Her face was a mess of pink blotches and her eyes were more red than green. It almost looked as if she had fought a battle. And maybe she had.
"Alright," she whispered, nodding to herself almost. "The beginning it is."
…
HERMIONE
Their little cabin was right at the top. But still there wasn't even the slightest sign of Pansy Parkinson's black hair. "Where's she gone?"
"Who're you looking for?" Ron asked, stepping next to her to look out of the small window as well.
"Luna and Haley?"
"No." Hermione replied absently. She was nowhere to be seen. Had she mistaken her for someone else?
"Because I think she might not come at all." Ron continued. "She was going all moony-eyed over that prat earlier."
"Who?" Hermione wasn't even listening properly.
"I didn't want to say it earlier because of Fleur and Bill," Ron explained. "But he was there, too. Malfoy."
"Malfoy?" Ginny asked, "Honestly, I don't get why–"
"Quiet!" Hermione interrupted her. She had seen a suspicious shadow in the cabin behind theirs. "I think someone's following us." She whispered. "Don't look now."
"Where?" But Ron as if he hadn't heard her, took a glance anyway. "Oh, it's Luna!"
"What?" Hermione turned around, and really it was Luna inside the cabin, she had seen the shadow in before. "But… how?"
Ron waved his hand enthusiastically, for the slim chance that Luna hadn't noticed them yet.
She waved back, grinning widely like she was having the time of her life. Where did she always take that cheerfulness from?
As the cabin slowly descended once more, Hermione dropped to her seat again, frowning. Had she made it all up?
"Hermione? Are you okay? Are you still feeling dizzy?" Ginny asked gently.
"No." Hermione replied, before closing her eyes tightly. "Maybe a little." There was that sinking feeling in her stomach. The one that always appeared, when she saw the way Ron looked at Luna. But perhaps there was more to it. Perhaps it was all because of the dizziness from the merry-go-round. She had overdone it and now she was simply seeing things. It wasn't like her to get paranoid over irrelevant things.
"I'm fine." She whispered.
Then Ron leaned over her a little and held up his light green candyfloss stick. "D'you want some? I swear you're gonna feel so much better after just a taste."
Hermione eyed the green candyfloss cloud skeptically. "This is pure sugar," she said distastefully.
Ron nodded happily. "Exactly. It's really good!" He held it down to Hermione's mouth, so that the tufts of candy tickled her lips.
She giggled. Her parents would probably kill her if they found out she was jeopardizing her teeth like this. But she didn't have to tell them.
"I've never had this before," she admitted, as she tore a small wisp off and carefully placed it on her tongue. It melted right in her mouth. "It's so sweet!" She exclaimed, her eyes widening.
"Yeah." Ron laughed and shoved a piece the size of an apple into his mouth. "It's pure sugar, after all."
For a moment Hermione felt like she was floating on a candyfloss cloud herself. Then they reached the ground with a jolt. And just like that the moment was gone. Melted away like wisps of sugar on her tongue.
…
HALEY
"So… what do you know about golems?" Draco asked.
"Golems?" The word sounded familiar somehow. "Not much. Nothing really. Why?"
"Because… your godfather activated one." He explained. "On the day you went off to the Mystery Department."
Haley frowned. "What's a golem? And what does that mean, he activated one? Is that why he hasn't woken up?"
Slowly Draco nodded. "It's a magical creature. It can help you… give you power… protect you…" He paused. "But it always takes something in return."
Haley wasn't sure she understood. "So, Sirius… he made some kind of… bargain with that… golem thing? But why?" Right after she had asked that question the answer came to her all by itself.
"He was coming to save me," she whispered brokenly. "Because I was so stupid to believe that dream was real. It's all my fault…"
"He was coming to save you," Draco agreed. "And I'm sure he doesn't regret it one bit."
Haley looked into Draco's grey eyes for a moment. There was something unwavering in them. Like determination. She wasn't sure what it meant. Then she glanced at Sirius again. At least he didn't seem to be in pain.
"What did it do to him? That golem?" She asked quietly.
"We're not sure," Draco admitted. "He's been asleep ever since Dumbledore found him. This little puppet was in his hands." He nodded at the little puppet sitting underneath a bell jar on the bedside table, she noticed only now. It was giving off a yellowish glow, almost like sunlight.
"Wait, that's mine!" Haley exclaimed, recognizing it. Letting go of Sirius' hand, she reached for the puppet but Draco held her back by grabbing her shoulder.
"Don't! We don't know how dangerous it is yet."
"But this is mine. Luna gave it to me for Christmas last year!"
"No, actually, this is mine," Draco explained, directing her attention to him once more. He took both of her hands in his to stop her from reaching for the puppet again. "Luna gave one to me as well."
"But then… how come it's here? Why did Sirius have it?" Haley looked around in confusion, actually taking notice of her surroundings for the first time. "Wait, is this – ?" She had meant to say Grimmauld Place but since she wasn't the secret keeper, she couldn't say the name in front of him.
Draco glanced around the room as well. "This is… a spaceless space… connected to that place you can't name."
"Sorry, a what? A spaceless space?"
"Or maybe an in-between space? That's what the old geezer calls it anyway." He lifted an eyebrow. "It exists in a different dimension. And can only be reached through our portrait, this door and that door." He pointed at the only other two doors in the room. "The tricky thing is you can only get out through the door that you've entered. Safety measure."
To say it lightly Haley was confused. But the way she understood it this place was connected to Grimmauld Place. Maybe they were at Grimmauld Place but in a different dimension? Thinking about it made her head hurt a bit.
"Is this the golem's world?" She asked, suddenly hit by a new idea.
Draco chuckled. "No. We're not in the golem's world." Then his amusement vanished. "But we think your godfather might be there. His soul. That's what the golem's after."
"He's after Sirius' soul?" Suddenly Haley felt hollow. Wasn't that worse than dying? After barely escaping the dementor's kiss… there was another creature lusting after his soul.
"We have to stop it! That golem, or what! It can't have Sirius' soul!" She exclaimed angrily, getting to her feet, ready to get into action.
"I know," he tried to calm her. "And we've been trying to do everything to stop it from–"
"We? Who is we anyway? Who else knows about this?" Then it clicked. "Dumbledore. You mentioned Dumbledore, before, didn't you?"
Draco closed his eyes and nodded.
"Dumbledore knew…" Haley mused. "He knew about this and he didn't tell me?" Now she was really getting angry. "All this time he knew – and he let me think Sirius was dead?" Why? It didn't make any sense.
"I don't get it either." Draco admitted. "I wanted to tell you but… it's nothing you can say through a letter." He got up as well and made a tentative step toward her.
The soothing tone of his voice did something to her. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Then she looked at him again. He wasn't the one she was mad at.
"I know," she said trying to calm down. "I don't blame you."
He pulled up an eyebrow. "You don't?"
"No. Of course not. With the way things were between us…" She still felt so guilty about everything she had said to him. "I never blamed you…" Haley admitted quietly. "For any of it."
"For any of it?" He repeated uncertainly. "What about my aunt? My distorted family? When you said… you see her… every time you look at me…" Those words hit her like a stunning spell. She recognized them from that day, when she had broken up with him. It almost seemed as if they still hurt him.
"I'm… so sorry, I said all that," Haley whispered, hesitantly reaching for his hand. He didn't pull away. He never did. "I wanted to push you away – I – " It was so hard to find the right words. She had felt so broken back then. Desperate and confused. "You know… those dreams I told you about… the dreams in which Sirius… was asking me to save him… Someone had captured him. A person that looked like your aunt. But then the person shifted and it looked like you. And then it shifted again… into something like… that puppet."
Draco glanced at her uncomprehendingly.
"What I mean to say is… I was so confused and I didn't know what was real any more. Or what wasn't." She sighed. "I think it was that dream… meddling with my mind." She gently cupped his cheek and looked straight into his eyes. "I promise I don't blame you. I never did. And when I look at you… I only see a boy… with incredibly pretty eyes." She added the last thing with a chuckle. "Nothing else."
"Really?" He asked, still so hesitantly. "I thought it had all been a lie… I thought… you really wanted to get rid of me."
Those words made something inside her ache terribly. "No. How could I?" She pulled on his hand to make him step closer, so that she could rest her forehead against his. He needed to be closer so she could make him understand. "I love you too much for that."
The words felt so natural that Haley only noticed something was amiss, when she saw the look of complete bafflement in Draco's eyes. He looked as if he had just been petrified by a basilisk.
…
DRACO
He was dreaming. It was the only logical explanation. Even though it was completely stupid, Draco reached up to his face and pinched his cheek.
"Did you just pinch your cheek?" Haley asked in disbelief.
"Ow." He replied. "I definitely felt that."
She chuckled. "You're an idiot."
Instead of answering, Draco rushed forward and crushed his lips against Haley's, wrapping his arms around any part of her he could reach because there was nothing more important than her. And kissing her lips. And feeling her body in his embrace. And kissing her soft lips again and again.
I love you. She had said, I love you. She loved him. He had been so scared of losing her, when all this time she had loved him. If he died today, he didn't think there was anything he would regret.
"Er… Draco?"
In his eagerness to kiss every inch of her, he had almost knocked her of her feet. To steady herself somewhat, Haley blindly reached for the wall behind her. But all her searching fingers found was the bell jar, sitting on the bedside table. Almost in slow-motion, the bell jar was knocked over and shattered on the ground, taking the golem puppet down with it.
In shocked silence Haley glanced to the mess on the floor.
"Er… sorry?" She apologized, before kneeling down and picking up the puppet.
"Don't touch it!" Draco warned but his words came too late.
…
HALEY
"Haley."
Suddenly, she was in that strange desert again. In front of her was the hour glass, in which Sirius was stuck, grains of sand slowly falling down on him. He was talking to her. He was awake.
"Sirius!" She gasped, pressing her hands against the glass case.
"We meet at last." Said a low voice calmly from behind her.
Slowly, she turned around, only to be faced with a cloaked figure whose face was hidden beneath a dark hood.
"Who are you?" Haley asked furiously. "You're the golem, aren't you? You can't have Sirius' soul! I won't let you!"
The figure chuckled quietly. "We'll see about that."
"Haley, don't talk to him! He's dangerous! Stay away!" Sirius called, from behind her.
Then the desert sand faded and she found herself back in the in-between space again.
...
DRACO
"Haley! Haley, look at me!"
Draco was kneeling on the ground in front of Haley, holding her face in his hands and trying to get her attention.
After blinking furiously, her clouded eyes suddenly focused again.
"Sirius." She whispered, crawling over to the bed and taking hold of his hand again.
Well, that was a bit of a bummer. Just a second ago she had confessed her love to him and now… it was all Sirius again.
"Are you okay?" Draco asked quietly. "What happened? You weren't responding to me at all. Just staring into space…"
"I think… I saw the golem's world." Haley replied absently. "Sirius was there, too. He's captured in some kind of… hour glass."
"What else did you see?"
Draco turned around in surprise after hearing that familiar voice. One of the other two doors had opened, revealing his favourite teacher in the whole world.
"Professor Snape?" Draco asked, at the same time as Haley hissed, "What's he doing here?" Protectively, she stood in front of the bed, as if she expected her teacher to curse her godfather. Which was a slightly funny thought, seeing how much Snape had tried to help him these past weeks. In a casual manner Draco got up, stepping between the two, just in case things went wrong. The two of them weren't exactly best friends, after all.
"Be assured, it certainly was not my idea to come here and spend my afternoon in such questionable company." Professor Snape said with a sneer. "The headmaster sent me. Apparently, something is out of its order." Glancing around the room, he pointed his wand at the broken pieces of the bell jar and repaired it with a flick of his hand. Then he placed it back over the golem puppet, that Draco had put back onto the bedside table, after taking it from Haley.
"So." The man sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Who wants to tell me what happened?" He looked at Haley pointedly. "How did you get into that creature's world?"
Haley crossed her arms but said nothing.
"Even if you refuse to speak, there are other ways to find out. Shall I remind you?" The way Snape said that it almost sounded like a threat.
Narrowing his eyes, Draco spread out his arms in front of Haley protectively.
"You should know better than that, Draco." The man purred mockingly. "Have we not spent countless days together, searching for possible ways that might solve this dreadful matter?" He nodded at the bed. "Does it make sense to harm the girl after helping her godfather?"
Slowly, Draco dropped his arms. His words made a lot of sense. But for some reason, he had the feeling Professor Snape hadn't said them for him but instead… for her.
"Although, I must say, I find it quite amusing that you think you could stand a chance against me," Snape added with a sneer.
"He won't be fighting alone," Haley said defiantly, stepping forward to Draco's side. Where she belonged.
That actually made the man snort. "Good, good. You have both proven how brave you are. Now, if we could please return to the reason I have come here for in the first place." With that said, all the amusement vanished from his face. "Do enlighten me, Potter. What happened before I arrived?"
Haley sighed. Then she sent Draco a questioning look.
"It's true," Draco said quietly, sensing her wariness. "He helped your godfather all summer. Along with me."
That seemed enough for her. Still, she ran her fingers through her hair, in a show of unrest, before answering reluctantly, "I saw Sirius. He's trapped in an hourglass. He's in some kind of desert… along with the golem."
"How do you know that?" Professor Snape asked.
"I saw it."
"I figured as much. How come you were able to see it?"
Impatiently, Haley nodded at the puppet under the bell jar. "I touched that puppet. And then I saw it."
"You were able to touch it?" Professor Snape asked in surprise.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Except for Draco… none of us were able to touch it without being repelled," He explained. "We figured it must be a defense mechanism. Draco might be an exception because he helped to activate the creature. But you…" He looked at her thoughtfully. "You weren't involved in the activation process at all."
"You helped activating that thing?" Haley asked in confusion.
"More or less." Draco didn't meet her eyes.
"What does that mean?" She asked frowning deeply.
"I… wanted to use it myself," he admitted. "To protect you… When you went off to the Mystery department."
…
HALEY
"What?" Haley asked, trying to get a look at Draco's face but he didn't let anything show.
"You mean… you wanted to use that thing to help me… risking your soul?" She didn't know how to feel about that revelation. If he had gone through with activating the golem, would it be him, lying in that bed now? Instead of Sirius?
"I didn't know for certain then… that it was going to take my soul," he replied vaguely. "Anyway, I think I know, why Haley was able to touch it." It was obvious that he was trying to change the topic. But Haley could always ask him about it at a later time.
Snape nodded for him to continue.
"In order to have the golem protect someone, you need to write down that person's name on a piece of paper and stick it into its mouth before pouring the activation potion over it."
"I see." Snape replied in understanding. "Potter's name was written onto the note. That is how she is connected to the creature. It has to protect her, so obviously it will not harm her."
"Wait a second, now I'm connected to that thing? Because Sirius wanted it to protect me?"
Draco nodded. "Probably."
For a second she felt as if her head was about to explode from all of the new information. Then it suddenly all started to make sense.
"The dreams." Haley whispered. "Those dreams I've been having. I thought Sirius had sent them to me. But maybe it was the golem! I saw him, too. He was that hooded figure. He talked to me just now!"
"He talked to you?" Draco asked, grabbing her shoulder in alarm. "What did he say?"
"Not much." Haley shook her head, trying to remember exactly how that short conversation had gone. "He said something like 'We finally meet.' And then I told him to leave Sirius alone and that he can't have his soul. And he said 'We'll see about that'."
"Nothing else?"
Haley nodded.
"Interesting." Snape commented, lifting an eyebrow.
How was that interesting? She found it all highly frustrating.
"So, what do we do now?" She asked. "How do we stop the golem? I could try talking to it again."
"No, that's too dangerous!" Draco argued.
"Why? You literally just said it wants to protect me."
"Still."
"I'm doing it." Haley stepped over to the bedside table, reaching for the bell jar but Snape lifted his arm to stop her.
"That would not be wise. Besides the headmaster told me to make sure you returned safely, in case you were here."
Return now? That was not happening.
"How can I return now when Sirius is right here?" She said hotly. "We can't just leave him like this. Along with that… that creature!"
Snape's lip curled up slightly in distaste. "It might do you good to think for once before acting. If you stay here, do you think it will stay unnoticed? While you are lodging with your friend, there are people observing his family at all hours. People who mean well and others who do not. Not only does your friend's family pay a high price to guarantee a save environment for you. But have you also considered the fact that someone might come looking for you? And what if they found you? You would be leading them straight here. I am sure you can imagine that would not be the best idea."
Haley bit her lips. All of this made sense. But still… now that she had gotten her godfather back, how could she leave him here?
Cold, gentle fingers curled themselves around her hand. "He's been here all summer. It'll be fine."
"I don't want to leave him alone," she admitted quietly.
"You can always come visit," he whispered.
"Really?" She asked doubtfully. Hadn't Snape just said it was too suspicious?
Snape crossed his arms and sighed. "If it is any consolation to you, the headmaster plans to come and look after him in a short while. So, he will not be alone."
"Dumbledore? When will he be here?" Despite the previous feelings of anger, there was still a part of Haley that was excited at the thought of seeing her headmaster.
"After you have both left." Snape replied with a smirk.
"Why?" She asked in disbelief. "Doesn't he want to see me?"
"I imagine it is him, he does not want to see," Snape said, side-eyeing Draco.
"Why's that?" Haley asked.
"He might not be looking forward to another broken nose." Snape was definitely amused. But why?
"What's that supposed to mean?" She asked Draco, who averted his eyes when she tried to look at him.
"How would I know?" Was all he said shrugging his shoulders innocently.
No. he hadn't. He hadn't really punched Dumbledore and broken his nose had he? Even if that was true Haley got the feeling it wasn't the whole story. Dumbledore was avoiding her. Because he knew it had been wrong to leave her in the dark about Sirius.
"Let's go," said Draco casually, pulling on her hand.
"Just a second." She replied, going over to the bed and carefully sitting down at the edge. Slowly, she took in Sirius face – every little detail of it – as if that would make leaving him here any easier.
"I'll get you back. I promise." She whispered so only he could hear.
Then she dropped a soft kiss on his forehead, got up and followed Draco through the door they had come in.
…
HERMIONE
"Did you notice anything strange inside your cabin?" Hermione asked Luna as soon as she stepped out of her cabin.
Luna tilted her head to the side and thought about it for a moment. "No. Nothing strange. It was just Vyserion and me. Why do you ask?"
"Vyserion? Who's that?" Hermione ask, not sure she really wanted to know the answer. "I'm sure there was only you inside that cabin."
Luna shook her head. "No. Vyserion was there, too. He's a fire spirit."
A fire spirit?
"Oh I remember! You told me about him the other day!" Ron exclaimed. "He can do fire stuff, right? Like fireworks and so on."
Luna nodded. "Yes. And he also likes shadow puppet theatre. He's really good at that. Just now he did a show for me."
"And where's your friend 'Vyserion' now?"Hermione asked. This was all completely absurd.
"He doesn't really like crowds."
"Of course he doesn't like crowds." Hermione muttered sarcastically. "So, he's hiding?"
"Naturally." Luna replied almost challengingly.
"Maybe that's the thing you saw earlier," Ginny chimed in. "The shadow puppets."
It seemed like a reasonable enough explanation. If one believed in absurd children stories.
"Well, let's be careful, in any case." Hermione said vaguely. She wasn't going to let it go that easily. "Where's Haley, by the way?"
"Oh. She stayed at the house." Luna answered. "I think she's got something really interesting to tell you. Once we're back."
"I wonder what that is." Ginny mumbled, rolling her eyes.
There was an unreadable expression on Luna's face. Whatever it was that Haley wanted to tell them, it seemed Luna was aware of it. At first Hermione had thought it was about her making up with Malfoy. But maybe there was more to it. What could she have found out?
…
A/N: I know it's been forever... but here it is! Year 6 has arrived! I hope you like it so far :) Next up: We'll find out what our dear Draco has been up to all summer long ;)
