YOU KNOW THE DISCLAIMER READ AND REVIEW! THE SONG IN THIS ONE AND THE CHAPTER BEFORE IT BELONGS TO STABBING WESTWARD ALBUM DARKEST DAYS. IF YOU LIKE PROFESSOR SNAPE AND/OR DRACO AND IF YOU'VE COME TO LOVE UUTTE I ADVISE YOU DO NOT READ THIS CHAPTER, BUT YOU SORT OF HAVE TO. ^_^' HA HA
IT'S PEOPLE LIKE YOU WHO SCREW UP THIS WORLD!!Degas was quick to pulled Hermione back, but the dagger was enchanted and it wasn't going to be satisfied until it punctured something. It swiveled around and caught Degas at the base of her neck where it met the shoulder. Degas smiled and pulled it out and tapped it with her wand unjinxing it.
"You know," Degas almost laughed. "Its people like you WHO SCREW UP THIS WORLD!" she glared at Uutte and with all her rage she threw the dagger back and it was quick to force itself up to the hilt in Uutte's left upper arm.
"Bitch!" Uutte scream and ran off.
"Oh my god, are you all right?" Hermione asked.
Degas chuckled and grabbed her wound with her hand and looked at the blood. "It's funny, but I don't think I have bled in about two or three years." She looked at Hermione who was scared stiff. "Shh, don't worry, the wound will heal in a matter of minutes, all that will be left is a nasty scar."
Hermione began to cry. "I was so scared."
Degas gasped lightly and wrapped her arms around Hermione and cooed her. "It's all right, everything is going to be all right."
"When I saw that dagger coming it was like in slow motion, I was happy when you pulled me out o the way, when it got you… you looked terrible. Full of pain and it looked like it really hurt you."
Degas pulled Hermione onto the bed and on top of her. Degas slowly stroked Hermione's hair and cooed her. Degas kissed Hermione's forehead and Hermione looked up.
"Are you okay? I mean does it hurt?"
Degas smiled. "No, it doesn't hurt." Degas leaned closer and genteelly brushed her lips against Hermione's and they kissed.
The rest of the week was painfully slow. Degas jinxed the letter to Uutte so once she opened it, it would destroy itself within two minutes, that way she could not show it to other people and use it against Harry. She smiled at the letter and sent it off with Galileo.
Friday after school was out Degas made her way down to the lake and sat down. She pulled out her book and looked around. The three younger morphs came to her with their ancient looking books.
Degas took the book and worked on enchanting them to connect with each other and with the other books. Degas handed them their books back and opened her own book.
Testing… testing… reply to test. Degas looked up Harry, Hermione and Ron who were smiling at their books and write replies.
Works
Works
Works
Degas smiled as the writing appeared in her book. Then more writings appeared.
Hey sibs! Binx wrote. Degas I see you got the books working. We'll all be over tonight, keep the common room empty, or no, Degas, we'll get Sirius and call Lupin and we'll pick them up and we'll all meet in your room tonight to talk. How does that sound?
Degas looked up at Hermione.
"You didn't tell anyone?" Hermione mouthed.
Degas shook her head. And wrote:
Bad idea, get the animagis and take them to the other side of the forest, the sibs and I will meet you there precisely at one tonight. Degas looked at the three. "Is that okay with you?"
They nodded and smiled. Reading their books.
Why? What happened? Jak wrote. What happened that we couldn't meet in your room?
I'll explain everything out tonight when we meet by the skeleton trees.
Right. Jak wrote. I'm out.
Me too. Binx wrote. See you tonight.
They all closed their books and looked around.
"Thank you Degas." Ron said.
"So what happened that we couldn't meet in your room?" Harry asked.
Degas chuckled. "Always curious," she looked at him. "Like your father."
Harry smiled.
"That night when you guys got my blood I called to Hermione and we were talking, then Uutte appeared and threw a dagger at her, I pulled Hermione out of the way but it was enchanted and it got me in the shoulder. It hurt like a bitch, I don't know how Uutte got in there but she wasn't using the invisibility cloak, she ran out through the porthole when I threw the dagger back at her and it wedged itself in there. If she could get in there without anyone knowing it then she must have the password and if she does then it isn't safe to be in there while we are talking about things like this."
The others nodded.
"Now I would advise that you three get everything that you'll be needing for the next week. Albus should have already gotten all your homework and had it placed on your beds. Depending on how this all pans out you might be able to come back to school earlier then expected."
Ron and Harry ran back to the castle to get their stuff. Hermione stayed back and sat next to Degas.
"You really should get packing." Degas said.
"It can wait." Hermione shrugged. "About that night."
Degas looked over at Hermione.
"That kiss."
Degas looked down at her wrists. "Yeah, about that, look, I am from America, it's an everyday kind of thing there."
"But you said that you love me." Hermione leaned away. "Was it a lie?"
Degas lay back on the grass and traced her new scar, it did hurt, and it still hurt like hell. Degas sighed. "No, it wasn't a lie Hermione, but you have to understand that it has been a while since I have loved anyone and if I am correct then you have never been with another woman before."
Hermione blushed. "But, I know that I do love you Degas."
"And I wouldn't want it any other way, and I am not trying to not make you love me but you do realize that I am over a century old and immortal."
Hermione lay next her next her to, raised her hand and began to stroke Degas's neck. "So many scars," Hermione carefully stroked the newest scar and began to tear. "Love transcends everything Degas." She began to cry.
Degas wrapped her arms around Hermione and stroked her hair. "Shh… I know, I know." She said softly and pulled them into a sitting position. "I just want to know why."
Hermione clamed herself and looked up at Degas. "Because even though I didn't know you, and still don't, made me feel special. Just being around you, seeing you and hearing you speak made me all so happy. Even though I was mean to you, and I apologize for that, you stood up to me, you seemed to fear nothing."
Degas shrugged. "Well when you're immortal what is there to fear?"
Hermione quivered. "That scares me, being immortal. I know I really can't love you, you'll never age, and you'll never grow old. Even if we spent our whole life together,"- Degas widened her eyes, was Hermione that serious about Degas? She's only known her for a few weeks. Surely this is a petty crush or something. –"You would only watch me grow old and die and you would always go on."
"Oh, Hermione-"
"And, well, I know deep down, that you would never really stay with me all those years, that you would probably grow bored with me and I don't want to be selfish but-"
Degas turned Hermione's head so they were looking right at each other and Degas kissed Hermione. Degas massaged Hermione's lips until they slowly opened and Degas slid her tongue into Hermione's mouth.
Hermione pulled away slowly showing that she was a little apprehensive about everything but not at all mad or disgusted.
Degas smiled at her. "You've never kissed anyone before have you?"
Hermione touched her lips. "Not like that."
Degas suppressed her laughter. "Was it a shock? Did you not like it?"
Hermione shook her head. "No, I loved it." she smiled and wrapped her arms around Degas's neck and they kissed again.
Hey, Binx, Galileo and Degas! I was listening to Degas's music, you know Stabbing Westward and I heard a song that perfectly matches to our lives. Well, maybe not perfectly but well, here just read this!!!
I know your life is empty
And you hate to face this world alone
So you're searching for an angel
Someone who can make you whole
I can not save you
I can't even save myself
So just save yourself
I know that you've been damaged
Your soul has suffered such abuse
But I am not your savior
I am just as fucked as you
I am just as fucked as you
I can not save you
I can't even save myself
So just save yourself
Please don't take pity on me
Please don't take pity on me
Please don't take pity on me
Please don't take pity on me
My life has been a nightmare
My soul is fractured to the bone
And if I must be lonely, I think I'd rather be alone
I think I'd rather be alone
You can not save me
You can't even save yourself
I can not save you
I can't even save myself
Save yourself
So just save yourself
So what do you think? Eh? Eh? Isn't it so cool? Okay, Jak out.
Hermione read the lyrics and began to cry softly.
Degas read it and quickly wrote to Hermione a private message:
Hermione, DON'T LISTEN TO JAK! I AM NOT AT ALL COMPLYING WITH THOSE LYRICS! Not anymore anyways. You said to me that you thought I would never stay with you, well, that deep down fear of me not wanting to stay with you is wrong. Hermione I love you and I want to be with you forever. And we all know, Forever is a very long time. I love you Hermione, I want to protect you, and I want to be with you when you need me. So please don't cry over these lyrics, I love you.
Love Degas
Hermione read the private note and kissed it. OK, Hermione wrote in the book. Degas looked at it and sighed. Degas was walked down the hall under the invisibility cloak trying to get closer to Snape. She ran around the corner and nearly collided with him. He was talking to Uutte and Draco.
"Dumbledore was going around gathering homework for next week for three students who would be out for one week. Three students, who could that be?" Snape said smugly.
"Harry Potter? That Weasley fellow and that mudblood?" Draco smiled.
"So what are you suggesting Snape?" Uutte asked.
"That you kill him tonight. When no one is suspecting." Snape chuckled and walked away.
Uutte turned to Draco and smiled. "So are you up for it?"
"Yeah, I want to kill Granger myself, you know, rough her up a bit."
"You want to fuck her?"
"Pound her so hard then when I come I'll choke her." Draco was smiling evilly.
Degas had her hand over her mouth to stop from gagging.
Uutte laughed evilly and they walked off. "You can do that. I get Degas and Harry."
"I got Weasley then."
They laughed and turned the corner. Degas ripped off the cloak and ran to the tower.
"Sprite!" she shouted at Viola, the Fat Lady, and skidded to a stop in the common room. She looked around and saw Ron and Harry writing to Binx. She sat at the table with them and started to scribble down everything that she had just heard from Uutte, Draco and Snape. The older morphs insisted on coming over right away and the younger, Hermione had joined in, were a little more then worried. Degas didn't tell anyone about what she heard Draco say about wanting to do to Hermione. Degas got up and smiled.
"Where is Hermione?" she asked.
"Library last time I saw." Ron said.
Degas looked a little worried and ran off to the library. She slid in front of the doors of the library and walked inside. Uutte and Draco where spying on Hermione.
"Psst! Hermione," Degas whispered.
Hermione looked up and smiled.
Degas was waving her hands for Hermione to get over to her. "Come here."
Hermione nodded, gather her belongings and jogged over to Degas and they left the library and started to walk back to the Gryffindor tower.
"What is it?" Hermione asked when Degas kept looking behind them.
"Hermione when I heard Snape talking with the others there was something Draco said when Snape left. I didn't mention it because I didn't think that it was proper for the others to hear this."
"What?"
Degas stopped and looked at Hermione and told her what Draco said. Hermione gasped and clung to Degas. Degas pulled the invisibility cloak around then and sat by a statue. Hermione fell into a small slumber there in Degas's arms; Degas closed her eyes but listened to everything around her.
When Hermione woke up a bunch of students were passing by to go to dinner. She looked up and saw Degas was still asleep. She nudged her and kissed her cheek quietly. Degas opened her eyes quickly and looked around. She looked panicked, the look scared Hermione. But then Degas looked down and smiled, she leaned down and kissed Hermione fully.
When all the students had passed they got up, removed the cloak and walked into the common room where Ron and Harry were sleeping on the couch. Degas looked around and smiled evilly.
"Transform into a panther and I'll change into a tiger and let's scare them."
Hermione nodded and they transformed. They got ready to pounce right in front of the two sleeping boys and then they roared loudly and sprang on top of them they screamed and tried to jump up but were pinned under the animal's weight. Just then the porthole opened and another set of Harry and Ron walked in. Degas and Hermione starred at them, this pair that walked in were holding the ancient looking leather books.
This? Hermione asked. Who is this?
Degas seemed to shrug and she turned to the Harry she was sitting on and barred her teeth.
"Oy, get some breath mints." The Harry imposter said and transformed into Binx. The Ron imposter transformed into Galileo.
"Get off." Galileo said. "You're crushing me."
Hermione jumped off and transformed back into herself. Degas stayed as she was as she barred down on Binx.
"What is up with you Degas?"
You're not supposed to be here right yet. She said in her mind knowing that all of them could hear her with their new ESP power.
"Chill, we talked to Jak and he said that he would get the other two. He told us that we should get over here and help get Harry and Ron and Hermione out of here earlier due to what you heard."
Degas jumped down but did not transform back. Did you contact Dumbledore, Black and Lupin about this?
Binx nodded. "We contacted Dumbledore who contacted Lupin who told Sirius. All three of them agree that we should get them out of here right now and meet in at the trees now. So we are here to do just that."
Great, how will we get down there now? And once we get down there then what?
I THOUGHT YOU WERE THE ONE WITH THE PLAN! Galileo shouted in his mind instead of out loud.
Degas cringed. She seemed to shrug again. I never said I did.
"Just great." Binx sighed. "Well, lets at least get down to the meeting point and get these kids to safety."
I know what I am going to do; I just don't know what you guys are going to do.
"I want to help you fight!" Harry said quickly.
Everyone starred at him.
"Help fight? Harry, are you crazy? Uutte wants you dead. If you die then she's won. And she cannot win." Galileo said as calmly as possible.
You really want to help me fight? But why?
"It's her father that killed my father, it seems fitting."
The tiger laughed and transformed into a human. Degas wiped her mouth. "We'll talk to Sirius, though I am sure he'll say…"
"ABSOLUTELY NOT! THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL I'LL LET YOU GO FIGHT UUTTE WITH HER! NO! NO! NO! AND NO!" Sirius shouted at the request.
Degas was laughing her ass off, Sirius had turned as red as a beet. Remus held Sirius back trying his best to calm him.
"No!" Sirius said but Remus was pushing him behind a patch of bushes to talk to him.
Harry sat next to Degas who was lying on the ground now. She looked up at Harry and smiled. "I wouldn't let you come anyway. Her father might have killed your father, but she killed my lover, and tried to kill my next lover." She shot a side-glance at Hermione who was starring at her amazed.
Harry didn't catch this. He was watching the ground. "I just want to so much go out and have another adventure."
Jak looked at Harry and smiled. "Tell you what, once this whole thing passes over I'll take you out and teach you how to transform really quickly that way we can go out, fly as high as we can, transform into humans and freefall, the ground gets closer very fast then you transform back into a bird and pull up just in time. It is such an adrenaline rush!"
Jak, Binx and Galileo looked at each other, transformed into hawks and flew off. Ron watched them with an open mouth. Moment's later three hawks dove in front of them, their bellies nearly hitting the ground. They flew back up, transformed into humans and landed.
"WOOOO!" Binx shouted.
"Let's do that again!" Galileo roared.
Sirius and Remus walked back to them and looked at Harry. "I will not let you go, I love you, you are my godson and I just don't want to loose you like I lost your father and mother."
Degas looked up at Sirius quickly and stood up. "Well, whenever you guys go, keep me posted." She transformed into a hawk and darted off.
"Degas!" they called but she was already gone.
Jak, Binx and Galileo looked at each other.
"Well," Galileo sighed. "She can't do this alone."
Binx hit Jak in the chest. "I got it! Why don't we just transform into these three and act like them so Uutte and Draco don't suspect anything."
"But Snape said to kill them tonight."
"So we stay close to one of the professor. Hey, Lupin, where are you going to go?"
"Back to the school, I have to." He turned to Sirius. "Though I wish I could stay with you." he kissed Sirius on the cheek.
"HA!" Galileo shouted. "I knew it! I just knew! They did get together! That's fifty Galleons!" he said to Jak and Binx. The other two moaned and gave up the money.
"We've been together ever since I found him in the Shrieking Shack." Remus said.
"Yeah," Galileo nodded. "But we haven't seen each other a lot. How was I to know?"
Everyone laughed as Galileo placed the money in a small bag and tied it to his belt.
"Anyway, if Lupin is going back then we become the students and stay close to him or Dumbledore and we aid Degas whenever she really needs it." Binx said. The others nodded and smiled.
"Hey, that's not a bad idea." Jak said and placed his hands on Harry's shoulders as Galileo placed his hands on Ron's shoulders.
"Oh, that's cold." Binx growled. "Make me be the girl."
Hermione glared at him.
"Not that being a girl is bad, I mean, I like girls, yeah, I like them that I have sex with them right? Not that I'm going o have sex with you… uh…"
Jak was hiding his face in his hands. "Maybe you should quit while you're a little ahead."
Binx placed his hands on her shoulders and closed his eyes. "Yeah, sorry Hermione." He whispered. "I totally know that you are Degas's girl."
Hermione chuckled.
The three older morphs concentrated and absorbed the form and identities of their younger siblings. They morphed into them and stood staring at one another.
"How did you do that?" Harry asked.
"Well, you see, we can transform into you at anytime, but we need to absorb your identities in order to be you. As a morph you can take on the form of another human being with out the polyjuice potion. But you have to be touching them and they have to be willing to give you their identity. Then you can be them as long as you want." Jak said, sounding exactly like Harry.
"The thing is," Binx said, looking and sounding exactly as Hermione. "You transform back into yourself at the start of the new moon. Then you have to transform back into them but this time you don't need to absorb them. Of course, since we are the last of the morph race we decided that it should be illegal unless it is for a very good reason."
Galileo nodded. "And this has to be the best reason."
They smiled, transformed into birds and took to the sky.
"Good luck!" Sirius called out.
Jak was a giant eagle and he took Remus to his back and flew off again.
The rest of that day Degas walked around aimlessly. When the others appeared and transformed she didn't seem to notice. When night fully fell she sat in the common room with the others. She was out of her robes and back in her fighting clothes. Baggy black jeans tucked into her combat boots, which now had spikes inserted in the toe, a skin tight, black tang top, and her black gloves. She sat in the shadows and starred into space. The three imposters where sitting on the couch in front of the fire laughing about Snape.
When the porthole opened Degas slid further back into the darkness and watched. She saw as Uutte and Draco walked into the common room and walked toward the imposters. They were smiling and when they stood right next to them…
"You think that you're so cool Harry Potter!" Uutte sneered. "But my father had the right idea to kill you and now I'll finish the job!"
Draco grabbed Hermione and pinned her to the ground. Degas watched as Ron sat there petrified as Uutte pulled out a muggle rifle and pointed it at them.
There's something we never tried. Shooting ourselves. Degas thought.
Are you going to attack them or what! Galileo shouted at her.
As Uutte started to pull the trigger Degas bounded out of the darkness and kicked with full force at Uutte's hand. The spikes, eight back-to-back lining the toes of her boots, sliced though her skin, nearly severing her hand. Uutte screamed and recoiled in agony.
The gun hit the floor and went off, Draco who was straddling Hermione clutched him stomach she pushed himself to his feet.
The others transformed into themselves.
"Surprise." Degas said mockingly as she stood with her guys behind her.
"Damn you to hell Degas!"
"Yeah, I know." Degas smiled and tackled Uutte.
The other three turned their attention to the bleeding Draco. Galileo cracked his knuckles and they move in on his.
Uutte pulled out a tomahawk and started swing aimlessly at Degas. Degas pulled out her small dagger and started cutting Uutte, not to kill but to antagonize. Uutte screamed in pain, the porthole opened and McGonagall and Snape could be seen. Jak quickly ripped Snape into the room and started to beat the daylights out of him. Snape gabbed for his wand but Binx pulled it away.
"Now, now Snape, let's play like good little muggles." Binx said snapping the wand in half.
McGonagall closed the porthole and waited outside.
"I'M GOING TO KILL YOU BITCH!" Uutte screamed when Degas carefully cut Uutte's jugular vein. With one powerful swing Uutte brought the tomahawk down into Degas's right clavicle. Degas screamed and ripped away, she starred down at Uutte who was choking now. When Degas screamed she had accidentally pulled her dagger across Uutte's neck, cutting a gap in her throat where all the blood was now rushing to.
Degas stood up and ripped the tomahawk out and with a liquid movement threw it straight into Severus's head. Degas turned and looked at Draco who was already in fits of convulsions from the bullet wound to his stomach. Jak picked up the gun and offered it to Degas. She took it and gave it to Galileo who put the death bullet between Draco's eyes.
The Common room was a bloody mess. The four friends sat on the couch and starred at each other. Degas ran her hand over her clavicle, the bone was still broken but the wound was closed and the bleeding had stopped. But there was still some blood all over her front side and arm.
"Damn," She sighed and sat back.
"Well," Binx smiled. "That could have gone better."
Everyone burst out laughing.
"Damn, my shoulder." Degas said. "Laughing makes it hurt."
"Is it broken?" Galileo asked.
"Yeah, the bitch took a tomahawk to me."
"Ah," Jak chuckled. "I was wondering where the tomahawk came flying from. I thought it had just magically apparated there."
Everyone burst into a fit of uncontrollable laughter. The porthole opened and McGonagall and Lupin walked in. they looked around.
"Well," McGonagall said in her stern voice. "I hardly see what is so funny about this."
Lupin was studying Snape's dead body. "Nice aim."
"Thanks." Degas laughed.
"Come on, let's get you all checked by Madam Pomfrey." McGonagall said.
Degas stood up and crouched down by Uutte. "Like I said earlier," she looked back at the others then back at the dead body. "It's people like you who screw up this world."