Ch.7 Prelude to Darkness
A/N: Hey every one! Happy Halloween! I just want to say that I worked my ass off to get this put together in time for Halloween. I really want some reviews. Also, I want to thank Miranda Flairgold for creating the Language of High Karil.
~G~
Night, it is oft said, is cold, but not so much so, when there is laughter. Yet this is not true for a robed man huddling under a tree in a forest near Hogsmeade. Laughter that sent shudders down the spines of anyone who heard rent the air. " Now Avery." Voldemort said to another man, who ran forward and began stabbing the pile of robes with a red-hot poker. The man, now screaming incoherently and twitching, seemed to not please Voldemort. "Now you know, Mr. Malfoy, the price I ask in return for favors." Voldemort and the others dissapperated, leaving only Professor Snape and the figure in the clearing. Snape hesitated a moment before leaving as well.
With the Dark Mark fresh on his arm, Draco Malfoy struggled to his feet, his silvery blonde hair plastered to his face with sweat. "Got ... to get... Professor Sn.. Ugh" falling in a dead faint, the unwilling Death Eater slept in the for bidden forest as a dark shape loomed over him.
Harry woke suddenly in Gryffindor Tower at midnight. Remembering his dream, he instinctively clutched his scar only to find there was no pain. "Strange. I'll talk to Sirius about it." he lay down again as sleep fell upon him.
In the air above him, and invisible, thanks to the Elemental power of Megan, the three Elemental warriors hovered. "I don't like this." Mike whispered, "This is spying it's wrong. We need to stop!" Thomas barely glanced at him as he continued to read Harry's dreams. Snapping out of his revery, Thomas grinned. "It's time."
The next morning before breakfast, Harry found Thomas Mike and Megan waiting in robes that matched the element color. Thomas reached out a gloved hand to shake Harry's. Only when he touched it, did Harry realize it was mythril. "Morning Harry! I hope you don't mind missing breakfast. We need to see the headmaster." the three of them assumed a delta formation around him and began escorting him the Dumbledor's office. Thomas detected a slight movement behind one of the suits of armor. "Damn, forgot about him." he grumbled, just barely audible above the normal bustle of the castle.
"Stand aside." Thomas said to the stone gargoyle. The gargoyle looked confused, as if it didn't know what to do. "I said: Stand Aside!" Thomas bellowed, robes flapping in a wind that only he could feel. The gargoyle leapt aside and actually cowered from the four of them. Once inside, however, Mike took over from his fiery companion. "What's the matter?" Harry whispered to Thomas, who appeared to be sweating from exertion."Nothing! Pay attention!"
Mike stepped forward and offered a crest on his glove saying, "I am King Terramancer, I have orders from the King Pyromancer. We are to escort His Majesty Lord Phoenix from the school. With," here Mike's eyes flashed dangerously, "or without your consent." He turned and swept out of the room, robes and cape, billowing. "Oh, and one more thing. Cancel quidditch. We shall not be able to protect the school for a while. Good day." Mike turned and strode out of the room, leaving Dumbledore speechless and slightly flustered..
The group of Elementals walked silently down stairs and corridors, until they came to the entrance hall. Thomas whispered into Mike's ear and stepped into the cool morning air. Mike looked around and followed suit. Harry and Megan were waiting outside already. They began running to the forest, as though a great peril lay behind them.
A shadow detached itself from the corner and slowly moved to the door that was still swinging shut. Once outside, Draco Malfoy removed his hood and smiled at the running forms, steadily shrinking in the pre-dawn darkness. If he had turned around, he would have seen Mike Behlan smiling behind the point of a wand, the same wand that now prodded Malfoy's shoulder. "Hello Malfoy, fancy meeting you here." Mike said. Malfoy stared. "So much for small talk." Mike muttered as he transformed the young wizard into an acorn.
Upon reaching the edge of the forest, Thomas slewed. And stopped running altogether, commanding the others to do the same. "Now, we wait." he said, squatting to examine a pattern in the dust at his feet.
Mike arrived three minutes later. "Why do I get to stay behind and transfigure the bugger?" Thomas silenced him with a glare. "You two, scout ahead, I need to tell Harry something." He looked at the two others as they ran down a path into the forest. "Harry," Thomas began, "I hope you can understand this, but, your parents aren't really dead." Harry stared at the man in scarlet robes, tears beginning to well up in his eyes. "That's not all. From now on, you must refer to us by our elemental names. I am Il'tan, Megan is Veld'rim, Mike ,H'sef, and you, are Heron."