Disclaimer: Nothing in this belongs to me. Everything belongs to their
respective owners
A/N It's been a long time since I last posted. . . but as school started I can do nothing about it. Just hope that the next chapter will get out as fast as possible. As you may have noticed, the first few chapters have been revised. There were no major changes but only certain grammar and spelling mistakes were corrected. Special thanks go to Rawiya, the author of the 'Family Tree ' , who helped me with the corrections.
This chapter is dedicated to Rawiya. Thank you, Rawiya!^^
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Chapter 10 Into the burning inn . . .
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It was full of smoke inside the inn. Wooden chairs, tables and anything that was flammable were ablaze. Flame rose and danced in a threatening way as if to forbid anyone from going any further into the inn.
Haruka's friends had told her many times before that she should not be so impulsive at times. She really should think before she acted. Haruka couldn't help but thought of her friends' words as she coughed uncontrollably - the smoke inside was surely choking her to death. She had recklessly jumped into the burning inn and she was not even sure whether Harry's godfather was really inside. Not to mention that the Death Eaters might still be inside . . . But there had not exactly been any spare time for thinking any kind of plans! Haruka protested inwardly as if arguing with her friends.
Haruka covered her mouth with her hand and with great difficulty, found her way around the damaged inn. She couldn't see - the smoke inside was so thick and irritated her eyes. Tears welled up. She could barely make out the faint outline of the heaps of smoldered and blackened furniture and debris that lay on the floor.
Haruka could hear no screaming - anyone inside must have either fled, passed out, or worst . . . but where were those Death Eaters? As Haruka thought of this she took out her transformation pen - the thing that allowed her to unleash the immense power raging in her body after transforming. It had been years since she last transformed - it had been years since her last battle.
Just as Haruka turned around a corner, a tall man knocked into her with full force without warning. Both of them crushed onto the floor with the tall man on top of Haruka. Her head came into contact with the wooden floor with a hard blow and the sharp pain numbed her mind. She could not see anything but just vaguely hear shouts. And someone - the man who knocked her down - shook her shoulder. Haruka tried to get up, but then the imprudent man pinned her down with his body tightly. Was it because she was dizzy or something? It seemed that different colours of light flew across her vision. . . no, behind that man's back - that was above them.
Finally the intense pain subdued a bit and Haruka's mind started to work properly again. The first thing she noticed was the man's long hair that had fallen onto her face and it was ticklish. Maybe the blow to her head caused some damage after all - Haruka's was having strange thoughts. Though his hair was kind of soft and seemed finely cut and all, it felt like the hair of a dog.
"Padfoot?" she whispered without thinking.
The man didn't seem to notice her whisper and finally decided to get off Haruka. While still crouching low to the floor, he pulled her up.
"Where's Harry?" the man, probably Harry's godfather, asked, or more precisely hissed at Haruka. She couldn't make out his expression, there was too dim and too much smoke. All Haruka could feel was the increasing pressure from the man's grip on her shoulder. Before she could answer, he suddenly shoved her against the wall and he himself also lay flat against the wall. Just as they got out of the way, two darkly robed figures passed the spot they had been standing.
The sight of the enemies and the perilous situation triggered something in Haruka. She regained the usual control she had over her mind and body and she instinctively turned into her 'fighting mode'. In spite of the lack of oxygen, Haruka's confused mind cooled down and quickly had a re-evaluation of the situation - and therefore realized something dreadful. She had lost her transformation pen. She was still holding it before the man - was it Sirius or Simon, she couldn't really recall what James and Lily had told her - knocked her off. Without her transformation pen, her power could not be released, how could she fight off the Death Eaters and got them both out?
"Stay here." the man without another word or another glance at her sprang from the wall and assaulted one of the Death Eaters from behind. Haruka had no choice but to fight barehandedly as the other Death Eater realized that his counterpart was in trouble. The Death Eater ran towards Harry's godfather, who was busy suffocating the Death Eater with his arms around the Death Eater's neck. Haurka also sprang into action - she ran towards the three men. She increased her speed as she glimpsed a flash of silver from the long dark robe of the second Death Eater. Just as the Death Eater was about to stab Harry's godfather with the dagger, Haruka grabbed the Death Eater's wrist tightly and sank her fingernails into the man's flesh so that the man dropped his dagger. Nearly at the same instance, Haruka's other fist connected with the jaw of the unlucky Death Eater. His costume - the long dark robe with hoods - was nothing really but obstacle to the person wearing it as it only hindered the wearer's movement. Haruka noticed this as the Death Eater could not react to her attack quickly enough and gave an agonized yell before falling down to the floor clumsily.
Even if the Death Eater's outfit had not been like this, he still would be no match for Haruka's quick reflex and action. She was more than well experienced in fighting, really. As long as the Death Eater was immobilized before he could take out his wand. . . Before the Death Eater manage to collect himself and struggle up to revenge, Haruka gave the man a hard kick in his stomach and the man curled into a ball and convulsed uncontrollably. Haruka didn't think that she had to show mercy to those bullying guys who only suppress and torture the weak and quiver in fear in front of the strong.
Haruka tried to find out how Harry's godfather was doing amid all the choking smoke when more of the Death Eaters charged towards her. Haruka knew trouble when she saw it - and she knew the wands the Death Eaters pointing at her meant no good but only harm. She did what her instinct - the instinct that had saved her life several times already - told her to. She crouched down and rowed over. Light of different colours soared barely inches above her back and left a strangely unpleasant feeling there. She quickly regained her crouching composure and kicked at the feet of the nearest Death Eater. Exactly as Haruka had intended the Death Eater shrieked in pain and fell down. As Haruka rose from the floor she could make out the approaching footsteps behind her and she very precisely lifted her long, slender but powerful leg and kicked backwards. Her heel came into contact with the belly of the attacker and effectively immobilized the attacker with pain. Haruka's keen sense told her that a third person was dangerous close to her and she reflexively tried to throw a punch at the person but the person was even faster then her and grabbed her wrist before she could touch him.
"Where's Harry?" upon hearing the deep and stressed voice, Haruka banished the thought of throwing her other fist at the man and relaxed just a little. She could recognize the owner of the voice - Harry's godfather.
"Out there. . . " the smoke inside was getting denser and denser. She coughed and a pain started to develop in her chest. "he is out there. . . across the street. He told me to get you out. " Haruka could barely keep her eyes open and see through the dense smoke. The heat of the blazing surrounding was also unbearable. To her confusion, Haruka felt that Harry's godfather's grip on her arm was loosening.
"I - " the voice of him trailed off suddenly, and then Haruka sensed that he collapsed forwards. . . and onto her. She was nearly knocked off balance and had to swiftly slip her arms around him to support him from falling. Thankfully she was standing just in front of a wall and that it backed her up.
"Hei! Are You OK? Answer me!" She was suffocated by the man's weight - though the man was lean, he was taller than her by more than half a head and way heavier than her. If he lost it here, she would have no means of getting him out of here. "Wake up! Wake up!!" Haruka kept shouting weakly at Harry's godfather.
With a groan and a little shake of his head, he seemed to slowly regain his consciousness. Haruka, with her last remaining strengthen, increased the force applied by her hand to steady him as he attempted to stand again. Then she withdrew her hand and felt that she had touched something wet and sticky on the man's back - a dread fell over her heart. No wonder the man swayed on his feet. . . Haruka held on to the man's arm more tightly. She had no idea that how badly was he injured. What if it was serious? What if he . . .
The image of Harry's large and pleading eyes appeared in Haruka'a mind. What if she couldn't get his godfather out? How could she fail him. . . it would most certainly break him.
A new determination sparked in Haruka as she planted one of her arm firmly under the man's shoulder. She would lead the momentarily incoherent man out of the inn, no matter what. She guarded the man carefully forward. Small explosion could be heard near them, and the smoke and heat was as dense as ever. With each step forward her strength declined but her mind kept screaming at her seemingly lead filled feet to keep going. Her eyes were welling with tears again because of all irritating smoke. Her throat was absolutely burning with pain. But she would not give up. The stubborn voice in her kept telling her.
"Have to . . . get to him. . . Harry. . . " the man moaned and suddenly stopped. Haruka had no means of pulling him along.
"NO!. . . " Haruka shouted and inhaled a lot of smoke, which made her cough uncontrollably, "we have to get to the exit. . . to Harry. . . " Haruka tried her best to reason with the man. And her knees buckled below her. Both of them fell to the ground in a kneeling position.
"Have to. . . get to. . . Harry. . ."
"Up you get then! He is waiting for you!" but the man just simply refused to stand. It was perhaps the deepest despair Haruka had ever experienced. No way out. Failed him. . . failed them. . . she knew she didn't have the strength to stand up again.
"We cannot get to the door on foot now." Harry's godfather muttered and Haruka was not very sure whether she was hearing correctly or not. "Listen, " he was trying very hard to put his thought into words, "my concentration is not enough . . . for apparating. Think clearly of the place Harry is now in. Do you know. . . how to apparate? "
"No." what the hell was the man babbling about? She could hardly breathe.
"Just think about Harry. Just think about the exact spot he is now in. I'll get us both out." Haruka's vision blurred but her mind clutched onto the weak voice as if a drowning girl clutching a lifeguard. And she just followed his instruction and pictured the place where she had led Harry to . . . and his horrified eyes. . . the light of the fire that reflected in his eyes . . . the exact spot.
A strange sensation passed through her hand from where the man was holding her. And the feeling slowly diffused to the rest of her body just like a current of warmth and power. Her body just seemed to become lighter and lighter. And she kept hanging on to the thought of where Harry was. It was as though she was disappearing. . . the feeling of the solid ground beneath her legs was disappearing. . . the feeling of heat and smoke and darkness were all slipping away. . .
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*
It seemed to Harry that he had been waiting in the dark alley for hours, and his heart was absolutely burning with anxiety, but actually it was barely ten minutes after Haruka ran into the inn. He kept scolding himself on why he was so stupid as to let the woman go inside. . . now not only Sirius life was endangered, Haruka's life was also at stake because of him. . . his heart writhed painfully. He felt so powerless. He was downright in a cesspit of despair and guilt. He squeezed the wand - Sirius' wand - in his hand tightly. What could he do to stop the fire? What could he do to save them? What if Sirius had already left him behind? And why weren't any Aurors or firemen coming? Where were the Aurors when you need them?
The fire was turning even more fierce by the minute and loud cracks could be heard every now and then. With a last deafening crack, the whole inn burst into flame. Harry watched with wide eyes as the roof collapsed.
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Please review!
A/N It's been a long time since I last posted. . . but as school started I can do nothing about it. Just hope that the next chapter will get out as fast as possible. As you may have noticed, the first few chapters have been revised. There were no major changes but only certain grammar and spelling mistakes were corrected. Special thanks go to Rawiya, the author of the 'Family Tree ' , who helped me with the corrections.
This chapter is dedicated to Rawiya. Thank you, Rawiya!^^
*********************************************************************
Chapter 10 Into the burning inn . . .
*********************************************************************
It was full of smoke inside the inn. Wooden chairs, tables and anything that was flammable were ablaze. Flame rose and danced in a threatening way as if to forbid anyone from going any further into the inn.
Haruka's friends had told her many times before that she should not be so impulsive at times. She really should think before she acted. Haruka couldn't help but thought of her friends' words as she coughed uncontrollably - the smoke inside was surely choking her to death. She had recklessly jumped into the burning inn and she was not even sure whether Harry's godfather was really inside. Not to mention that the Death Eaters might still be inside . . . But there had not exactly been any spare time for thinking any kind of plans! Haruka protested inwardly as if arguing with her friends.
Haruka covered her mouth with her hand and with great difficulty, found her way around the damaged inn. She couldn't see - the smoke inside was so thick and irritated her eyes. Tears welled up. She could barely make out the faint outline of the heaps of smoldered and blackened furniture and debris that lay on the floor.
Haruka could hear no screaming - anyone inside must have either fled, passed out, or worst . . . but where were those Death Eaters? As Haruka thought of this she took out her transformation pen - the thing that allowed her to unleash the immense power raging in her body after transforming. It had been years since she last transformed - it had been years since her last battle.
Just as Haruka turned around a corner, a tall man knocked into her with full force without warning. Both of them crushed onto the floor with the tall man on top of Haruka. Her head came into contact with the wooden floor with a hard blow and the sharp pain numbed her mind. She could not see anything but just vaguely hear shouts. And someone - the man who knocked her down - shook her shoulder. Haruka tried to get up, but then the imprudent man pinned her down with his body tightly. Was it because she was dizzy or something? It seemed that different colours of light flew across her vision. . . no, behind that man's back - that was above them.
Finally the intense pain subdued a bit and Haruka's mind started to work properly again. The first thing she noticed was the man's long hair that had fallen onto her face and it was ticklish. Maybe the blow to her head caused some damage after all - Haruka's was having strange thoughts. Though his hair was kind of soft and seemed finely cut and all, it felt like the hair of a dog.
"Padfoot?" she whispered without thinking.
The man didn't seem to notice her whisper and finally decided to get off Haruka. While still crouching low to the floor, he pulled her up.
"Where's Harry?" the man, probably Harry's godfather, asked, or more precisely hissed at Haruka. She couldn't make out his expression, there was too dim and too much smoke. All Haruka could feel was the increasing pressure from the man's grip on her shoulder. Before she could answer, he suddenly shoved her against the wall and he himself also lay flat against the wall. Just as they got out of the way, two darkly robed figures passed the spot they had been standing.
The sight of the enemies and the perilous situation triggered something in Haruka. She regained the usual control she had over her mind and body and she instinctively turned into her 'fighting mode'. In spite of the lack of oxygen, Haruka's confused mind cooled down and quickly had a re-evaluation of the situation - and therefore realized something dreadful. She had lost her transformation pen. She was still holding it before the man - was it Sirius or Simon, she couldn't really recall what James and Lily had told her - knocked her off. Without her transformation pen, her power could not be released, how could she fight off the Death Eaters and got them both out?
"Stay here." the man without another word or another glance at her sprang from the wall and assaulted one of the Death Eaters from behind. Haruka had no choice but to fight barehandedly as the other Death Eater realized that his counterpart was in trouble. The Death Eater ran towards Harry's godfather, who was busy suffocating the Death Eater with his arms around the Death Eater's neck. Haurka also sprang into action - she ran towards the three men. She increased her speed as she glimpsed a flash of silver from the long dark robe of the second Death Eater. Just as the Death Eater was about to stab Harry's godfather with the dagger, Haruka grabbed the Death Eater's wrist tightly and sank her fingernails into the man's flesh so that the man dropped his dagger. Nearly at the same instance, Haruka's other fist connected with the jaw of the unlucky Death Eater. His costume - the long dark robe with hoods - was nothing really but obstacle to the person wearing it as it only hindered the wearer's movement. Haruka noticed this as the Death Eater could not react to her attack quickly enough and gave an agonized yell before falling down to the floor clumsily.
Even if the Death Eater's outfit had not been like this, he still would be no match for Haruka's quick reflex and action. She was more than well experienced in fighting, really. As long as the Death Eater was immobilized before he could take out his wand. . . Before the Death Eater manage to collect himself and struggle up to revenge, Haruka gave the man a hard kick in his stomach and the man curled into a ball and convulsed uncontrollably. Haruka didn't think that she had to show mercy to those bullying guys who only suppress and torture the weak and quiver in fear in front of the strong.
Haruka tried to find out how Harry's godfather was doing amid all the choking smoke when more of the Death Eaters charged towards her. Haruka knew trouble when she saw it - and she knew the wands the Death Eaters pointing at her meant no good but only harm. She did what her instinct - the instinct that had saved her life several times already - told her to. She crouched down and rowed over. Light of different colours soared barely inches above her back and left a strangely unpleasant feeling there. She quickly regained her crouching composure and kicked at the feet of the nearest Death Eater. Exactly as Haruka had intended the Death Eater shrieked in pain and fell down. As Haruka rose from the floor she could make out the approaching footsteps behind her and she very precisely lifted her long, slender but powerful leg and kicked backwards. Her heel came into contact with the belly of the attacker and effectively immobilized the attacker with pain. Haruka's keen sense told her that a third person was dangerous close to her and she reflexively tried to throw a punch at the person but the person was even faster then her and grabbed her wrist before she could touch him.
"Where's Harry?" upon hearing the deep and stressed voice, Haruka banished the thought of throwing her other fist at the man and relaxed just a little. She could recognize the owner of the voice - Harry's godfather.
"Out there. . . " the smoke inside was getting denser and denser. She coughed and a pain started to develop in her chest. "he is out there. . . across the street. He told me to get you out. " Haruka could barely keep her eyes open and see through the dense smoke. The heat of the blazing surrounding was also unbearable. To her confusion, Haruka felt that Harry's godfather's grip on her arm was loosening.
"I - " the voice of him trailed off suddenly, and then Haruka sensed that he collapsed forwards. . . and onto her. She was nearly knocked off balance and had to swiftly slip her arms around him to support him from falling. Thankfully she was standing just in front of a wall and that it backed her up.
"Hei! Are You OK? Answer me!" She was suffocated by the man's weight - though the man was lean, he was taller than her by more than half a head and way heavier than her. If he lost it here, she would have no means of getting him out of here. "Wake up! Wake up!!" Haruka kept shouting weakly at Harry's godfather.
With a groan and a little shake of his head, he seemed to slowly regain his consciousness. Haruka, with her last remaining strengthen, increased the force applied by her hand to steady him as he attempted to stand again. Then she withdrew her hand and felt that she had touched something wet and sticky on the man's back - a dread fell over her heart. No wonder the man swayed on his feet. . . Haruka held on to the man's arm more tightly. She had no idea that how badly was he injured. What if it was serious? What if he . . .
The image of Harry's large and pleading eyes appeared in Haruka'a mind. What if she couldn't get his godfather out? How could she fail him. . . it would most certainly break him.
A new determination sparked in Haruka as she planted one of her arm firmly under the man's shoulder. She would lead the momentarily incoherent man out of the inn, no matter what. She guarded the man carefully forward. Small explosion could be heard near them, and the smoke and heat was as dense as ever. With each step forward her strength declined but her mind kept screaming at her seemingly lead filled feet to keep going. Her eyes were welling with tears again because of all irritating smoke. Her throat was absolutely burning with pain. But she would not give up. The stubborn voice in her kept telling her.
"Have to . . . get to him. . . Harry. . . " the man moaned and suddenly stopped. Haruka had no means of pulling him along.
"NO!. . . " Haruka shouted and inhaled a lot of smoke, which made her cough uncontrollably, "we have to get to the exit. . . to Harry. . . " Haruka tried her best to reason with the man. And her knees buckled below her. Both of them fell to the ground in a kneeling position.
"Have to. . . get to. . . Harry. . ."
"Up you get then! He is waiting for you!" but the man just simply refused to stand. It was perhaps the deepest despair Haruka had ever experienced. No way out. Failed him. . . failed them. . . she knew she didn't have the strength to stand up again.
"We cannot get to the door on foot now." Harry's godfather muttered and Haruka was not very sure whether she was hearing correctly or not. "Listen, " he was trying very hard to put his thought into words, "my concentration is not enough . . . for apparating. Think clearly of the place Harry is now in. Do you know. . . how to apparate? "
"No." what the hell was the man babbling about? She could hardly breathe.
"Just think about Harry. Just think about the exact spot he is now in. I'll get us both out." Haruka's vision blurred but her mind clutched onto the weak voice as if a drowning girl clutching a lifeguard. And she just followed his instruction and pictured the place where she had led Harry to . . . and his horrified eyes. . . the light of the fire that reflected in his eyes . . . the exact spot.
A strange sensation passed through her hand from where the man was holding her. And the feeling slowly diffused to the rest of her body just like a current of warmth and power. Her body just seemed to become lighter and lighter. And she kept hanging on to the thought of where Harry was. It was as though she was disappearing. . . the feeling of the solid ground beneath her legs was disappearing. . . the feeling of heat and smoke and darkness were all slipping away. . .
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ *~*
It seemed to Harry that he had been waiting in the dark alley for hours, and his heart was absolutely burning with anxiety, but actually it was barely ten minutes after Haruka ran into the inn. He kept scolding himself on why he was so stupid as to let the woman go inside. . . now not only Sirius life was endangered, Haruka's life was also at stake because of him. . . his heart writhed painfully. He felt so powerless. He was downright in a cesspit of despair and guilt. He squeezed the wand - Sirius' wand - in his hand tightly. What could he do to stop the fire? What could he do to save them? What if Sirius had already left him behind? And why weren't any Aurors or firemen coming? Where were the Aurors when you need them?
The fire was turning even more fierce by the minute and loud cracks could be heard every now and then. With a last deafening crack, the whole inn burst into flame. Harry watched with wide eyes as the roof collapsed.
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Please review!