Disclaimer: Don't own anything except for the plot, don't sue, don't steal, etc., etc.
A/N: I'm not sure when I'll be posting next…3 major projects and about 5 tests. Isn't school fun?
The Dragon Element
Chapter 2- Of Dreams and Strange Occurrences
The flames flickered on the wall, casting shadows in the already darkened room. The fire barely pierced the darkness, radiated no warmth into the shadows beyond. He looked about. Without close inspection, he would have seemed just another shadow on the wall. The smoke from the fire distorted his vision, made his eyes water. The man sat down for a moment on a stone protruding from the dirt floor. He drew his jet-black cloak around him, waiting in the silence, with only the company of skeletons, their hollowed sockets gazing at him with a cold fury that shall never be told. In the distance a chilling sound pierced the already frigid air.
The man shivered. He had no idea why he had been summoned to this place, this tomb, where no living had set foot in its walls for years. The letter had been written on a sheet of thick parchment, yellowed with age. He could picture the writing in his head, the neat script flowing from the jet-black ink, the way the curl of the g's and y's underlined the words. There was no address, no greeting, and no signature. No identifying mark on it, except for the handwriting. It read:
I Life is ruled by secrets. The ones you keep, the ones you share, the ones that gladden, or invoke despair. You have more than many, I'm told, so share them with me, lighten your load. These hallowed things shall soon rot your soul; purge them all, not half, but whole, or your death shall soon take its toll, with the ancient joining of the powers of earth.
Meet me on the night of no moon at the place of the death of all those who told their secrets too late. I
The man's thoughts were interrupted as another shadowed figure entered the crypt. The flames flickered as an arctic breeze brushed past them, then rose again. He was chilled to the bone, with cold, and a fear that seized his heart. His quickened breath came as a cloud on the icy air. He looked towards the newcomer. This man was taller, his hooded head almost brushing the ceiling. His back was facing the fire, the scanty light enrobing him in shadow. He pulled back his hood, and the light in the pitch dark room seemed to grow. The first man looked up into eyes of a cat, blood red. He wanted to scream, but no sound left his lungs, and as a flash of green light struck him, no sound would ever leave him again
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Hermione turned away from Harry and Ron. A strange smell had caught her attention. She figured that it was just Neville and Seamus; after all, those two were horrible at potions. She glanced over at the pair, their potion was slime green and bubbling over the cauldron, but no scent was emitted from it. It was then that she noticed that the sweet, almost perfume-like aroma was emanating from her potion. What had gone wrong? She had told Draco to chop the chives and Mandrake, mix it with the powdered beetles, then put it in the potion after ten minutes. Hermione covered her mouth and nose with her robes; the fumes were starting to make her dizzy. She was about to ask Draco what he had done, but was cut short. Draco had fallen out of his chair and was lying peacefully on the stone floor, one arm twisted in a very odd way, the other crossed on his chest.
Hermione dropped to her knees next to him. He was still breathing; she could see the rising and falling of his chest. She gently shook him, but there was no response. She sighed. It figured that she would be stuck with the partner that passed out in the middle of class after he messed up their potion. Hermione shook him harder.
"Malfoy, you had better be really passed out and not just faking…" Silence. Hermione got up, resisting the urge to kick him in the ribs. She was about to walk away when something grabbed her by the ankle. She fell forward and landed on her stomach. Hard.
"Okay, I think I cracked a rib, and Malfoy, when I get up, I will kill you!" Hermione's voice was low and dangerous, but nothing compared to the lethal look she was giving the pale hand wrapped around her ankle. She pushed herself up on her elbows, then slowly sat up, pulling her legs around and clutching her stomach. The long fingers holding her ankle released her. She turned her icy gaze towards Draco, who was still lying on the floor, but awake and alert.
"Serves you right Mudblood, I don't need your help." Hermione's blood boiled, but she kept her voice as sweet as honey.
"You're right, you don't need my help, you need professionals." With that she rose from the floor, and forgetting all pretense, kicked him.
"Tsk, tsk, Miss Granger, you should know that fighting is against Hogwarts rules. Shall we make it…50 points from Gryffindor?" Snape gazed scathingly at Hermione, his greasy hair falling over his face like a curtain.
Hermione muttered something under her breath, which sounded suspiciously like, "Go screw yourself, you overgrown excuse for a weasel." Snape however got the gist of her comment, apparently.
"Maybe an additional 50 points and detention would better suit you."
Hermione was about to say something, but luckily for her, the bell chose that moment to ring. She gathered up her things and practically raced out of the dungeon, not eager to spend a moment more than she had to with the Albino Ferret and Greaseball Snape. She met with Harry and Ron at the top of the dungeon stairs, flushed and angry.
Ron gaped at her. "About all I can say right now is 'Wow.'"
"Thanks Ron, but I can't believe that I did that! I don't know what got into me!"
"Who cares? You kicked Malfoy and insulted Snape to his face. Now that's Gryffindor bravery!" Harry grinned.
"Yeah, but was it worth 100 points and a detention?"
Harry and Ron looked at each other. "Yes!"
"Sometimes you two are just…so…"
"So what?"
"So, ugh." And with that Hermione disappeared around the corner, leaving a very confused Ron and Harry.
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Draco tried to open his eyes, but they were just too heavy. He could see a flickering light, casting shadows everywhere. He couldn't feel anything; it was like he was gazing into a room from above. A man was there, cloaked in darkness, waiting for something. He could hear a door open out of his view, and another man joined the first. No words were exchanged. The second man pulled something out of his pocket, a wand. Draco could sense something around the man, like an aura of evil. A flash of green light illuminated the room, and for a split-second, Draco saw. The first man was slumped on the ground, a shock of black hair falling across his hidden face. Draco turned his gaze towards the second…but he had vanished. He knew what had happened. He wanted to get out of there. He closed his eyes and moved his arm. It connected with something. As it jerked forward, Draco wrapped his hand around it; it fell, pulling Draco with it.
He opened his eyes. He was back in the dungeon. His vision was blurred with pain. His head was throbbing and his arm was twisted beneath his back, and a green light kept flashing before his eyes. He dropped his hand from what he had grabbed, Hermione's ankle. Draco could tell she was glaring at him. He told her off. He barely heard her response, but her kick sent sharp knives screaming through his body. He didn't even flinch. Snape came over, but he couldn't hear what he was said. He sensed the anger; subconsciously wanted to curl up and hide. The Potion's Professor face swam into clear focus as the other student's raced out of the door to their next class. Draco sighed. This was not going to be a good day.
A/N: Thanks for all of the reviews! I feel loved =)…Thanks to my wonderful betas…Jennifer, Katie, Snow-Queen…you all rock! And Blue…if you still want to beta for me, just e-mail me.
Liza, Jen#2 (lol), katy, Amanda, Hermione18 and AngelicOne, thanks for your input! And Mander, you wanted your name on here, so here it is, lol.
Well…you know the drill…review!