Shattered Dreams (3/?)
Author: Meri
Email: Meri015@schnoogle.com
Category: action, mystery,
Keywords: Trio, Draco, Ginny, Original character
Spoilers: All books
Rating: PG-13 (Nothing bad, I just prefer maturity among my readers)
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Also Kyuuketski Miyu characters are the property of their corresponding owners/designers.
A/N: As always thanks to my betas for their help in getting this fic. written. Also Mikael is the same as Michael, just spelled differently.
I apologize for this being posted so late, a song by Linkin Park comes to mind "Time, time is a valuable thing, watch it fly by as the pendulum swings." As you can see I've been extremely busy so I haven't had much time, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (Below is a quote from a character in Weiss Kruez.)
~*~
"This is your life. Good to the last drop. It doesn't get any better than this. This is your life. And it's ending one minute at a time"
-Schulding
Adri's point of view:
As soon as I had heard Hagrid announce what we were going to do for observation that class I raced up to him and requested a paper for the Harpies. Hagrid was reluctant to give me permission but he handed them over. I walked briskly over to the Harpy enclosure and stood in front, the bars bare millimeters from my chest. The Queen Harpy launched from her perch and came to rest right in front of me.
"Greetings breathen sister," she said in a superior tone of voice,
"Greetings," something within me stirred and made my blood boil at the sound of her voice. I heard a rushing in my ears as my world tilted to the side as I became increasingly lightheaded. I regained my balance but I felt myself slipping, as if something had gripped me by the ankle and was dragging me under the murky water of consciousness. I felt my sense of reality disappear as if I was looking through a wall of frozen ice. My vision was impaired, but in the same sense more keen and aware. I looked at the Harpy with my altered eyesight. She was surrounded by a hallo of radiant blue light. I cocked my head to the side, puzzled.
"What? Never seen a death ring aura before?"
"No," I said from far away. "This is my first time seeing it around an immortal. What did you do to deserve that?"
"Deserve?" she laughed, "I didn't do anything wrong. I simply chose to give up my immortality. I've been alive for millenniums. I don't expect you to understand young one."
"I've been alive three hundred centuries; I know what you speak of, sister."
"I choose to rest. My bones and soul are weary of this life." She huffed and ruffled her feathers.
"I do not blame you for wanting to shed your shell. Give my regards to Jeanne D'arc when you depart." she smiled down at me.
"You are still the same since last I saw you. No matter the shell you inhabit, you're still you. Remember that," she coughed and shifted on her perch uncomfortably.
"May your passing be joyful like the coming of spring."
"Quoting now are we?" there was laughter in her ancient voice. "I shall miss you small one, join us if you ever feel the need in your life."
"Thank you for the gracious offer; I'm glad it still stands."
"You had better be along now, your own comes seeking you." I turned around, raging at whoever dared interrupt me: Draco. As soon as I saw him, the spell was broken and I was back to normal. I shook my head. 'Weird, I could have sworn I was speaking to someone. I don't remember what I was saying though.'
"Adri, you can speak the Harpies tongue?" Draco asked as he walked over to me.
"No, why do you ask?" I answered him coldly.
"I asked you because I saw you talking to the Harpy."
"That's impossible, I don't speak Harpy." 'I don't, right?' I silently implored.
"I know what I saw." Draco retorted.
"What were you doing watching me anyway, Malfoy?" Draco flushed, but his discomfort was only evident for a mere second before his features became once again unreadable.
"I was looking for Blaise, I just happened to unfortunately see you in my sight."
"Oh, I'm sure you're scarred for life now. Go away, Malfoy." I slitted my eyes, very much annoyed at him. Annoyed was a huge understatement; I was down right furious at him. I feared that if he said one more thing to upset me any further I would rip his throat out. "Go annoy someone else. Why would you want to see Blaise anyway, if you think I'm hard on the eyes?"
"Blaise at least has charm, intelligence and whit going for her. You on the other hand," he left off letting his harsh words sink in. "are about as daft as your friend Weasley," he was able to say no more before I leapt at him, landing a punch in his stomach. I jumped back but he grabbed the front of my robes and punched me in the face. I felt my lip split open. I wiped the blood away.
"First blood, you're going to get it now, Malfoy!" I dived at him tackling him to the ground. I kicked him in the side while he wrapped his hands in my hair and pulled. I yelped and struck out blindly, not even caring anymore. I felt rough hands pull us apart. I tried to get back, I watched as Draco did the same. We were both thirsty for the others blood.
"What is wrong with you two?!" Hermione screamed furious.
"He started it!" I was cut short by a lunge from Draco causing him to break free. Harry and Hermione wrapped their arms around him, holding him back once more. Ron kept a firm hold on me, not giving me any chance to break free. I would probably have bruises from Ron holding me so tightly as well as bruises from my fight with Draco.
"You little lying," he was cut short by a firm tug from both Harry and Hermione.
"Ron, let me go. I'm not going to attack him." He looked at me unbelievingly but released me. I shrugged his hands off and shook the dust off my robes. By this time Hagrid had made it down the hill.
"What do you think you're doin'? Were you fightin', Malfoy?" he asked, peering intently at Draco who by this time had shoved Harry and Hermione off him. He then fixed his gaze on me.
"We were not fighting. I fell down." I told him. Hagrid stared at me.
"You were fightin', I can tell. I guess the ground just rolled up and gave you that black eye, Malfoy? And the ground gave you a split lip, Adri?" Draco touched his left eye slowly and winced.
"I fell down, I don't know about Malfoy though." I smirked at him.
"I don't care who started it. Both of you get a detention. Go up to the castle now and inform Filch. No if ands or buts, go." He pointed towards the castle and with heads bent we both slunk away.
~*~
Draco's point of view:
It was so easy to provoke her. 'I didn't even realize I was doing it.' It was just an acquired habit for Draco it seemed. 'And here I was thinking I wouldn't cause trouble for Harry today. Instead I wound up hurting Adri instead. It was so exhilarating on the other hand. Fighting with Adri was different than fighting with Harry and Ron. They didn't snap so easily and when they do, they usually beat me up pretty soundly. Adri didn't fight to kill me, she fought just to vent some anger off.' Draco glanced over at her. She had her eyes trained on the ground infront of the toes of her boots.
"Adri, listen,"
"Don't talk to me, this is the first time that I can remember getting a detention." she said woefully. Draco bit back a retort and kept silent. "There goes my perfect record here."
"It's not so bad, just don't let them find out next time you do something wrong." She looked up at him, appalled but then smiled despite herself. "Adri,"
"Yes," 'Damn, she's making this so difficult.'
"I just want you to know," another pause. "That you hit like a girl." 'Damn! That wasn't what I wanted to say!' He fell silent and kicked at a pebble on the path. He saw her gape at him from out of the corner of his eye.
"I didn't want to damage you too badly, besides; I wouldn't call what you were doing hitting either, Malfoy. More like wrapping your hands in someone's hair and tugging." She fluffed her hair and tried to re-arrange it into some semblance of order, Draco still remembered the feel of her silky hair in his fingers and the weight of her on top of him. He mentally shut the door on that train of thought. "Hello, Draco?" he realized with a start she had said something to him.
"What?" he answered waspishly.
"If you're going to give me that attitude, forget it." he caught fragments of the rest of her mumbled sentence; idiot male, stuff his face in snow, and rot in hell. 'Nice vocabulary she has.' He thought wryly. Draco reached the main doors and slipped stealthy in, slamming the door in Adri's face. He took off at a run for Filch's office, not wanting Adri to catch up to him when he was alone. She wouldn't resist the temptation to attack him again, but if they were in the presence of a teacher…Draco snickered to himself, she wouldn't dare.
~*~
By the time I reached Filch's office I was successfully calmed down. If Draco wanted to be immature that was fine with me. Opening the door to Filch's office I was met with the sight of Draco magically spelled to the wall, upside-down. I placed a hand over her mouth stifling a laugh. Filch glared at me from over his desk.
"Sit," he snapped. I complied and sat down in the uncomfortable wooden chair. I tried not to turn around and stare at Draco on the wall. 'I wonder why he isn't speaking. Maybe a silence spell?' "So you and Mr. Malfoy here were fighting I presume? Well answer me girl!" he spat.
"We were. What is to be our punishment?"
"You two, after Draco finishes his time learning his lesson, will report to McGonagall for punishment." I groaned inwardly. McGonagall was notorious for showing no favoritism and punishing all equally hard.
"What is Draco getting punished for, if I may ask."
"He was giving me attitude and threatened to tell his father about getting punished. So he must remain silent up there for a half-hour. And if he tells his father or anyone else about this I can think of much worse things to do to him." He smiled evilly showing all his yellow teeth. Glancing down at his watch he muttered, "Time's up, time to come down," He touched a button on his desk and Draco sagged to the floor. It appeared to be a magical device for Filch was a Squib. 'It must perform certain magical spells for him.' "Well run along you two and get your detentions!" I sped out of the room with Draco in my wake. As soon as the door was firmly closed I burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"You," I was still laughing heartily, "you were hanging upside down so long your hair," yet another laughing fit, then I suddenly grew serious, "looks like you're a punk rocker. You have the spiked hair down pat. And your face is all red from the blood rushing to your head. Just so you know." Draco gave an almost inaudible squeak and his hands flew to his hair. By then I had turned around and was walking down the corridor. It took him a second to realize I was lying before he caught up to me.
"Very funny," he said dryly. "What is a punk rocker anyway?"
"A weird person from a muggle band, who wears leather, has spiked hair, and has numerous piercings." I smirked and we walked together in silence until we stood before McGonagall's closed door. I rapped on the door sharply, and not waiting for a reply, opened it wide. It crashed against the wall and I strode down the aisle with Draco in tow. I walked up to McGonagall from where she was standing at the front of the class.
"We were directed here to pick up a detention from you. I would really appreciate it if you could give it to us really fast so we can get back to class. My grade is in question the longer I am away! And,"
"Quit the theatrics Ms. Kaitou." she interjected sternly.
"But I wasn't acting! I am sincerely worried about my grade!"
"Enough. You both have disrupted my class. For this you will both get another detention on top of the one you already have." I opened my mouth to protest but Draco put a hand on my shoulder and I fell silent. Giving me a piercing look she continued, "You will both clean the un-used classrooms." Draco groaned but suppressed it when I stomped on his foot while McGonagall turned away to yell at a kid goofing off. Turning back around she went on to say what exactly we would be doing and for how long. We were instructed to report to her office at 6 o'clock that evening to carry out our detention. Slinking out of her office like whipped dogs we left her room in a hurry. As soon as the door was closed however, we both broke out in swears and oaths. Both in our own personal fits of anger, we stalked to the infirmary to get our injuries treated. Madam Pomfrey looked at us sadly and directed us to separate beds. She put up screens around us.
"What are you doing?" demanded Draco from where he was sitting painfully.
"I am putting these screens up so that you two are unable to torment each other."
"They're not sound proof." Draco commented matter-of-factly.
"Not at the moment they aren't. They will be soon if you keep on talking Mr. Malfoy." Draco wisely chose not to comment further. Turning to me she spoke, "Now I want you to lie down and get some rest. I'll heal you later after you've had a chance to sleep and heal on your own for awhile." I nodded and chucked off my shoes and sank gratefully into bed.
"Oyasumi," I whispered softly to myself as an after thought as I fell asleep.
~*~
I looked down; a small child was tugging on the sleeve of my blouse. "What is it, what do you want?" I ask as they let their hands fall from my sleeve.
"I want to go to the park with the fountain. The one with the mermaid fountain head! Please, cousin? Please?" he whines. Tears gather in his lucid blue eyes as he pleads. "I don't want to stay here anymore. Those people are mean." He points at a couple dressed in long, ebony, elegant dress robes. They looked aesthetically pleasing but their features were course and hard, as if they were shaped from a block of ice. My eyes lingered on them a moment and my lip curled up in disdain. I walked over to a more secluded spot with the child still attached to me. The spot was simply an uninhabited corner of the vast garden surrounding us.
I realized with a start that I was not in control of this dream, but was merely an observer. I was just looking out through the eyes of who must be me. But the scene around me was unfamiliar and foreign. The child grasped onto my arm again and tried to lead me away towards a break in the hedge.
"No," I heard myself proclaim softly to the child. "We must stay here. Uncle would be most disappointed in us if we dared leave right in the middle of this important meeting. You know what this meeting means to him and your father. You understand, right, Mikael?" Looking forlorn he nods. "Oh, don't fret. Soon these dreadful Death Eater meetings will be held at someone else's estate. I'll take you to the fountain later, okay?"
"Do you promise?" he asks looking up at me with large, admiring eyes.
"Yes, have I ever broken my promises?" He shakes his head and sniffing loudly composes himself. "There, that's a good boy, Mikael." I draw him close and hug him and pat his back trying to desperately make him feel a smidgen better. "This will all be over soon. Just think of it all as just a bad dream."
The scene shifts and I find myself this time in a frigid living room. I'm seated on a worn yellow couch while a love seat and arm chairs stand guard. I have on a light blue dress, white apron and striped black and white tights. My shoes are a crisp and polished black. I sit tall and fold my hands in my lap, anticipating. Waiting for what, I do not know. However, a cloud of dread hangs over the room. The door bangs open and an irate man dashes in. I swivel to follow him with my eyes as he crosses the room in a few strides and collapses into a velvet green armchair. His brown hair is in disarray and his mustache is crooked as if he had been trying to tear it off by shear force. His black eyes were haunted, sunken into his skull, and great bags lay underneath his eyes. His clothing hangs off his skeletal form. He clasps his hands so hard together in his lap that the knuckles are turning white.
"You must have guessed somewhat by now what I'm about to tell you." Glancing up to gauge my reaction he continues, "Voldemort has ordered that you be initiated into his ranks." I'm too shocked and I'm unable to speak, move or breathe for that matter. "The date is set for June fifth. I'm sorry but you must for the sake of the mission. One sacrifice for the good of the whole," I stare at the wall behind him. Not even daring to draw breath lest I shatter into a thousand pieces. "I realize that you are young yet, but by that date you must be fully prepared to take this course of action. You must understand that I have no choice in this matter." He says the last, a hint of pleading in his voice. "Darling, please," he reaches for my hands but I draw them back as quick as lightning.
"Do. Not. Touch. Me." I say through clenched teeth.
"You have to understand that we are in no way able to resist. It's a miracle that we've lasted this long. We need your co-operation in this darling." I shudder at the title. "Think of what will happen to your mother if you refuse." That was the last straw; I feel something inside me audibly snap.
"How dare you?! What gives you the right to try and make me feel guilty about your decisions? You have no right to try and shoulder the guilt onto my shoulders! I have done nothing wrong! I have done everything in my power to try and help you and mother whenever possible! I even agreed to become engaged to a man I have never met, all for you and mother! I have given you everything, and this is how you repay me?! By turning me over to become a terrified puppet of the Dark Lord? To say that my life does not matter as long as the population as a whole survives?! Y-you," I fall silent unable to talk. My throat is tight and the lump in it is growing larger and larger. I sit there on the couch shaking in fury.
"Darling, please believe that I have had your best intentions in mind, always! You are my daughter; I would never let anything awful happen to you!"
"You're so full of shit! I hate you! You deserve to rot in hell for all you've done to mother and I! Twisting and manipulating, both of you. I hate you both! As of this moment I renounce all ties to you or anyone else in your horrid families. I am leaving and never coming back. If I ever so happen to see you again, I will kill you myself before the Dark Lord does!" I stand up and walk towards the door on unsteady legs that can barely hold me.
"I'm afraid that I can't let you leave." I whirled around just in time to get hit with a spell and plunge to the floor, passed out cold.
~*~
I woke up to someone shaking me violently. "Stop it Adri, stop screaming! I mean it, stop it!" It took me a moment to realize that it is Draco shaking me. I closed my mouth; my throat was sore and raw. I looked up at him; there was stark naked fear in his eyes. "Don't scream like that," he said softly. As if just noticing what he was doing, he let go of me and backed up.
"What happened?" I asked him hoarsely.
"I woke to hear you screaming. I ran over and you were thrashing around in bed. It looked like you were having a seizure. But I don't think it's possible to scream while having a seizure." he added as an after thought.
"I was having a nightmare, or perhaps a memory." I shrugged. "Sorry to bother you, Draco. What do we do now; I don't think either of us is going to be sleeping again tonight."
"No idea. Madam Pomfrey went to go get Dumbledore as soon as she heard you scream. I'm sure that she'll be drugging us both up soon enough. So much for a normal night of un-disturbed sleep."
"Oh yeah!" I hit myself on the forehead. Draco looked at me quizzically. "I forgot to take my potion! That must be why I'm having these dreams! I knew it!" I jumped out of bed and took off for the medicine cabinet. Draco followed reluctantly behind.
"What do you take a potion for anyways?" Draco inquired suspiciously.
"Um, to stop my memories from returning too quickly. Dumbledore says that that could be very harmful and dangerous. It also treats me for depression. You didn't think I was this happy all by myself did you?" Draco snorted in answer to that last part.
"I had my suspicions."
"Yeah right, now where does she keep them?"
"Miss Kaitou, whatever are you doing?" asked a masculine voice from behind me. I whirled around, there was Dumbledore flanked by Madam Pomfrey.
"I was looking for my potion. I must be getting these dreams because I didn't take it today."
"So that's why you were screaming, because you didn't take the potion?" she asked sternly.
"Sorry for deceiving you Madam Pomfrey, but I thought that if I stopped taking it I could remember what happened to me." I lied quickly. Draco shot me a look, deftly picking up on the signs that I was lying.
"Miss Kaitou you should know better than that by now. I'm disappointed in you."
"I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble Professor Dumbledore. I promise to take it from now on." I smiled slightly out of the corner of my mouth. Draco was the only one who saw and lifted an eye-brow in response. Dumbledore waved a hand at me in dismissal and he and Madam Pomfrey left us and made their way back to their respective quarters. "That was too easy." I muttered under my breath.
"I agree."
"What are we going to do now?"
"Have some fun," I grinned evilly.
~*~
It was easy to elude Draco. I slipped from his side when we were walking around, trying to wear ourselves into exhaustion. Your regular pair of insomniacs out for a moonlight strole, however tonight was different. I could feel heat emitting from my skin as foreign thoughts bubbled up from my sub consciousness. When I felt it, I took off, fearing that my presence would endanger his life. 'It's too late, I'm free…'
~*~
She eased open the main doors of the school and slipped out into the snow. The bitter cold of the night seemed unable to pierce her skin, for she walked ahead proudly, chin up, facing the wind. She stepped daintily and with care, ever watchful. Her white hair was in stark contrast to her indigo eyes, which shone with an eerie light. Her pale skin and elongated nails and teeth made her quite a sight. But perhaps, the most astonishing and captivating sight was the ebony wings that sprouted from her back, and fanned out behind her.
With a burst of strength she took off, heading for the forbidden forest. She touched down and at a run, folded her wings and hurled herself into the brush, away from prying eyes. She followed a narrow path, almost overgrown with weeds and creepers. She sniffed, and caught the sent of which she sought. She bent down by the uplifted roots of an ancient withered oak and dug and cut her way through until she uncovered a black rose. She smiled wickedly and plucked it, careful to keep her fingers away from the lengthy thorns.
"Now all I need is the boy." she uttered softly to the rose, who in response seemed to grow as she held it in her grasp.
~*~
Adri's point of view:
"I wonder who wrecked Filch's office. I mean, he's mean but who would go so far as to vandalize it?" Hermione asked. She shook her head in disgust.
"No idea. I'm hungry, let's go have breakfast. Besides I'm sure we'll hear enough about this throughout the whole day. Why start now?"
"You're right Adri. I wonder where Ron and Harry have disappeared to." Hermione scanned the crowd looking for them. "There they are, I see them!" she pointed them out to us and waved avidly. "Where have you guys been? We've been looking for you!"
"Snape," said Ron pulling a face, "he pulled us over and accused us of destroying Filch's office."
"That's totally unfair of him to single you two out! He has no evidence anyways!" I said outraged.
"Relax, Adri," was all Harry said while we seated ourselves at the Gryffindor table.
"Malfoy did it." I choked and Ginny thumped me on the back. "Are you alright Adri?" asked Ron hurriedly.
"Yes, thanks. What makes you think Dra-Malfoy did it?"
Ron looked at me for a second before answering. "He's the kind of person who would do such a thing." he said simply.
"Oh. What do we have first today, Ron?" He glanced down at the schedule and made a face. "Divination for two whole periods."
"I don't see how you can stand that class. You should switch out like me." Hermione said with an air of displeasure.
"Is it really that bad?"
"It's all based on guess work, nothing else. Besides the only thing she does is pick one person, usually Harry, and tell him he's going to die throughout the whole course."
"I can only imagine what she'll do with me. I'm sure she'll have a field day. But no old, wannabe doomsday hag is going to tell me how I'm going to die." I stood up along with Ron and Harry and left in search of the North Tower.
"I see we have a new student in our midst. Miss Kaitou, welcome. I hope this class will be able to un-cloud your inner eye and reveal to you the secrets of the inner self." Ron, Harry and I all stifled laughter behind our hands.
"I can see her inner eye; it's that humongous pimple on her forehead isn't it?" Ron couldn't contain his laughter and Professor Trelawney swivelled around and glared at him.
"Would you be so kind as to get out the Tarot Cards for your classmates?" Ron got up and did as he was told. He handed us the best deck which he had saved for last just for us.
"The only reason I signed up for this class is to do this. I'll probably follow Hermione's example and switch out after we finish this section." I divulged to them.
"I think I might join you. I had forgotten how annoying this class is." Ron replied in disgust.
"Everyone, open your books to page 67 and review quickly what you were assigned to read over the summer." Trelawney ordered.
"You guys review, I already went over it this morning before breakfast in the hospital wing." They nodded and I gazed down at the deck. I shuffled the cards with my left hand and split the deck. I set all the cards face down in their proper positions and waited for Ron and Harry to finish.
"I see Ms. Kaitou appears to not need this time I gave you to review. She already has her deck cut and the cards arranged. Why don't all of you gather around and watch her give a demonstration? How about it, Ms. Kaitou?" I saw the trap she had laid for me to fall into at once. She either believed me to actually know what I was doing or that I thought that I was too good to bother to review. I was playing my money on the latter. "Well, go ahead." she coaxed. I took a deep breath and began.
"The card in the place of highest power is," I flipped it over, "IL Giudizio, better known as Judgment." I flipped over the rest of the cards and then proceeded to name and translate them. "Recent past is La Giustizia- Justice. Situation is La Luota-Wheel of Fortune. Self is La Luna-The Moon, while Challenges/Opportunities is L'Amore-The Lovers. Near future is La Torre-The Tower." At this Professor Trelawney gasped,
"The tower, oh you poor dear." she exclaimed and put a hand over her shaking mouth.
"What does it mean?" Lavender asked in a hushed voice, in an excited tone.
"It means destruction, meaning that most likely I will cause a disaster. It could be worse you know. As I was saying, Long-Term Potential is IL Monde-The World." Yet another gasp from the professor. I shot her a look and continued. "Advice is La Forza-Strength and Allies is IL Fusco-The Ace of Dragons. Blocks and Inhibitions is La Pazzo-The Fool. The last place is Foundation and it is IL Veggente-The Magician."
"This can't be right," exclaimed Lavender glancing down at her textbook for reference. "The cards say that you will cause destruction! And only a fool, a person driven by their own motives stands in your way?!"
"I'm afraid so my dear. Ms. Kaitou flip over the next card in the deck if you would."
"IL Diavolo-The Devil." She gave a little wail and sat down heavily in an over stuffed, red armchair. "You may all go try this on your own. Ask Ms. Kaitou or I to come if you need help. I'll be fine in a few moments. Would you be so kind as to get me some tea, Lavender?" Lavender sped off to do her bidding. Ron and Harry sat down at the table with me.
"What's so special about the devil card?" said Ron.
"It influences the Self card. Hermione was right about one thing though, if the Professor doesn't find death she looks in other places. I am definitely switching classes after this section." I shivered. "She gives me the creeps."
~*~
By the time lunch arrived word had spread through the school that I, Adri Kaitou, was going to bring about some catastrophe. People looked at me with fear in their eyes, while others whispered behind their hands as I passed.
"Don't worry Adri, this'll all blow over soon enough. Everyone will find something new to gossip about."
"Yeah, I guess you're right Hermione. It could be worse. Pass me the salad please, Ron." He passed it to me wordlessly and went back to talking with Dean and some other Gryffindors I didn't know yet.
"Potter, better watch out, otherwise your friend there will kill you before You-Know-Who does. Who knew Potter chose such good for nothing gits to be friends with? Such a character flaw can be deadly, Potter." Malfoy cat-called. I glanced over at Harry; he was clenching his jaw rather tightly, betraying how the words had stung him.
"Sod off Malfoy." Ron growled.
"Potter, do you always have your "friends" fight your battles for you?" he laughed haughtily and walked towards the main doors.
"Malfoy!" I called to his re-treating back. He turned around slowly and looked me in the eyes. I fell silent. He turned back around, away from me, and continued to walk away. I sat back down and crossed my arms. "Why that little," Just then we were ordered to go back to class and the rest of my sentence went un-said.
"We have History with Hufflepuff now. I'm glad we don't have any more classes with Slytherin today." Harry muttered.
"Er, Harry, sorry to disappoint you and all but we have study with them later."
"Oh boy, that should prove to be interesting." He rolled his eyes and I giggled at the look on his face at the prospect of having to spend an entire class with Malfoy's taunting.
"Don't worry, we can always have Adri here attack him again. You know about that un-written code about not hitting girl's, right?" said Ron as he put an arm across Harry's shoulders and led him away. I smiled and followed behind them, with Hermione.
~*~
History was incredibly boring; I didn't see what Hermione liked about the class. She listened to everything that was said with rapt attention and an engrossed look on her face. I put my head in my arms and took a small nap. Harry poked me awake before the end of class and we all shuffled out. Ron, Harry, and Hermione chatted avidly while I just zoned out. I was extremely tired and that nap I had just taken didn't really help that much. I trudged into Study in the library. I sat down with the group near the back. We piled our bags and books on the table and waited for the supervising teacher to appear. Nearly-headless Nick floated in and addressed the class.
"Since you are all in fifth year it is believed that you should all be able to conduct yourselves in a mature manner. Therefore minimal moderating will occur. But if you lose our trust than you will all be given detentions and you shall be closely watched. You do not want to loose your privileges so please behave. A teacher shall pop in every so often to check on you and Madam Pince is in her office. Now behave!" with that Nick floated back out. The class was silent for a moment but then burst into wild chatter.
"I thought that this was a study," Hermione complained, "not a zoo!"
"We could always use a silencing charm," I suggested.
"Good idea," Hermione cast the spell around our table and the noise fell away and it was blessedly silent. Everyone broke open their books and started on their homework. Everything had been going fine until trouble started to brew. WHAP! Something sticky hit my cheek. I looked up to find Blaise smirking with a hollowed out pen in her hand. I wiped the spit ball off my face and went back to studying for History because I had slept through the class. WHAP! Ron was hit and soon after we were flooded with them as a group of Slytherins led a full fledged attack. I conjured up a spell wall to block them from hitting me. Hermione copied my example but Harry and Ron didn't notice. They grabbed for their wands but Hermione got them first.
"Remember what Nick said?" she hissed angrily. They looked sheepish, but reluctantly cast spell shield for themselves. I sat down heavily, the energy required to maintain a spell wall was enormous and sucked you dry of all your energy. If you kept one up too long it would kill you.
I stood up and hollered at them, "Enough! What are your problems? Some of us want to pass! Unlike some of you who have no hope of ever getting above a 50! Now let us study!" I dropped my shield, thoroughly exhausted. I sat back down and picked up my text book. The room was silent after my outburst, but just as suddenly, it came back to life with a roar.
"Are you implying that I'm stupid, Gryffindor?" Blaise said in a hushed and furious tone of voice.
"Of course. I'm amazed that you were able to make spit balls with a brain as small as yours is."
"This time you've gone too far, you lowly Gryffindor!" she yelled.
"Adri," Harry hissed in my ear, "you can't afford to get in any more trouble. You'll get kicked out for sure." I froze. He was right; I couldn't get kicked out for fighting in the first few days of the school year. Blaise advanced on me fists raised.
"Blaise I don't have time to fight with you now. We'll settle this some other time. Say in Quidditch? Oh that's right, you can't play it well, can you? So we might as well not even try, since I'll win."
"Fine, we'll set a date and finish this then." She went back to her table laughing.
"What the heck did you just do?!"
"Avoid a fight like you told me."
"But challenge her to a Quidditch match? Blaise is very good at playing that, and you just learned yesterday! How do you expect to win? Besides, it'll be even worse if you lose!" Harry fumed.
"Then I won't lose." I answered calmly.
"How can you say that?!"
"Trust me Harry, I'll beat her." I smirked.
"Adri, you aren't going to cheat are you?" asked Hermione with a worried look on her face. I simply smiled at her and went back to reading.
"Adri, tell me you're not going to cheat." Ron gasped.
"You'll see," I said mysteriously.
"Oh great," Ron muttered under his breath. The class eventually quieted down and there were no more skirmishes, for the moment.
~*~
"What are we supposed to be doing for detention again?" I asked Draco as we waited outside of McGonagall's office.
"Cleaning un-used classrooms," he said. Just then McGonagall came out of her office, closed and locked the door behind her and ordered us to follow her. We stopped at Filch's office, which was now cleaned up, and got our supplies. We lugged the heavy buckets filled with water up innumerable flights of stairs. We finally stopped and McGonagall unlocked the door and led us in.
"You will be locked in here until the room is cleaned to my satisfaction. You must clean this classroom and the one adjoining it. And no fighting!" With that McGonagall swept out of the room and locked the door behind her.
"We had better get started. How do you want to do this? Should we both work separately or together on this?"
"Together, it'll take less time," said Draco.
"Fine with me. Well let's get scrubbing!" We worked together in silence for a while. "Say, Draco, is it true what they say about you and Harry being archenemies?" I asked tentatively.
"Yes," he said tersely.
"Why are you?"
"What's it to you? It's our own business why we hate each other!" he spat, lashing out.
"Harry doesn't hate you. I had asked him once why you guys were enemies, and he said he had no idea what so ever. He just said it seemed like you hated him with a passion. He still has no idea why."
"He doesn't hate me?" Draco asked quietly.
"No, should he?"
"Yes, for everything I've done to him and his friends. He should hate me by now."
"Well it looks to me like a one sided deal, Draco." I fell silent and went back to working leaving Draco to dwell on his own dark thoughts.
~*~*~*~
"Ah, I hardly have any time left to do my homework!" I complained to Hermione.
"Well, just don't get in trouble and you won't have to worry about this again." Lights out was in about five minutes and I was hurriedly trying to do some of my homework.
After I had finished my homework, I trudged upstairs. I found to my astonishment, a school owl perched on my chest with a letter tied to its leg. I gently untied the note and dug from my drawer a left over roll from dinner. The owl snapped out and seized it in its beak and flew out of the window. It was then that I gazed down at the note:
Adri,
We shall have our match to settle this argument once and for all this Friday at 6 o'clock on the pitch. You had better show, Gryffindor.
1 Blaise
I crumpled the note up and stuffed it into my pocket. "I best be going. I need as much sleep as I can get before Friday!"
A/N: I know, I know, this chapter ending wasn't that great. However the next chapter will be slightly less boring than this one was. .
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love you guys! (in order of review)
Clepsydra Delphinus (I think you're right about the wrong word choice. Eccentric may have been too strong a word to use. I'm glad you're going to continue reading, I hope to bring myself up to your level soon!), Roxane (Yes, I have read the amber spyglass, simply love those books but the Harpies are not from there. Sadly, school assigned mythology is the cause. I'm glad you enjoyed this, and you're very perceptive about the eye changing. Do you think I should add Harpies into the story? Everyone seems so interested in them…), Miaka (Hey, thanks for reading. I had a lot of fun chatting with you, hope to talk with you soon! And yes, I think it was Morgana who told you), Ayla Pascal (thanks for the praise and for reviewing!).
Please, I beg you, REVIEW. I need feedback, good and bad alike. Thanks for reading! ^.~
Oh, and here's something worth checking out: http://hometown.aol.com/adelphie86/adelphieshogwartsschool.html
It's Adelphie's and Cathyn's very own Hogwarts school community where me and some of my friends are enrolled. I like being part of the community there and it is a nice webysite to visit. Check it out if you'd like!
~End of Chapter~
Author: Meri
Email: Meri015@schnoogle.com
Category: action, mystery,
Keywords: Trio, Draco, Ginny, Original character
Spoilers: All books
Rating: PG-13 (Nothing bad, I just prefer maturity among my readers)
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Also Kyuuketski Miyu characters are the property of their corresponding owners/designers.
A/N: As always thanks to my betas for their help in getting this fic. written. Also Mikael is the same as Michael, just spelled differently.
I apologize for this being posted so late, a song by Linkin Park comes to mind "Time, time is a valuable thing, watch it fly by as the pendulum swings." As you can see I've been extremely busy so I haven't had much time, so I hope you all enjoy this chapter! (Below is a quote from a character in Weiss Kruez.)
~*~
"This is your life. Good to the last drop. It doesn't get any better than this. This is your life. And it's ending one minute at a time"
-Schulding
Adri's point of view:
As soon as I had heard Hagrid announce what we were going to do for observation that class I raced up to him and requested a paper for the Harpies. Hagrid was reluctant to give me permission but he handed them over. I walked briskly over to the Harpy enclosure and stood in front, the bars bare millimeters from my chest. The Queen Harpy launched from her perch and came to rest right in front of me.
"Greetings breathen sister," she said in a superior tone of voice,
"Greetings," something within me stirred and made my blood boil at the sound of her voice. I heard a rushing in my ears as my world tilted to the side as I became increasingly lightheaded. I regained my balance but I felt myself slipping, as if something had gripped me by the ankle and was dragging me under the murky water of consciousness. I felt my sense of reality disappear as if I was looking through a wall of frozen ice. My vision was impaired, but in the same sense more keen and aware. I looked at the Harpy with my altered eyesight. She was surrounded by a hallo of radiant blue light. I cocked my head to the side, puzzled.
"What? Never seen a death ring aura before?"
"No," I said from far away. "This is my first time seeing it around an immortal. What did you do to deserve that?"
"Deserve?" she laughed, "I didn't do anything wrong. I simply chose to give up my immortality. I've been alive for millenniums. I don't expect you to understand young one."
"I've been alive three hundred centuries; I know what you speak of, sister."
"I choose to rest. My bones and soul are weary of this life." She huffed and ruffled her feathers.
"I do not blame you for wanting to shed your shell. Give my regards to Jeanne D'arc when you depart." she smiled down at me.
"You are still the same since last I saw you. No matter the shell you inhabit, you're still you. Remember that," she coughed and shifted on her perch uncomfortably.
"May your passing be joyful like the coming of spring."
"Quoting now are we?" there was laughter in her ancient voice. "I shall miss you small one, join us if you ever feel the need in your life."
"Thank you for the gracious offer; I'm glad it still stands."
"You had better be along now, your own comes seeking you." I turned around, raging at whoever dared interrupt me: Draco. As soon as I saw him, the spell was broken and I was back to normal. I shook my head. 'Weird, I could have sworn I was speaking to someone. I don't remember what I was saying though.'
"Adri, you can speak the Harpies tongue?" Draco asked as he walked over to me.
"No, why do you ask?" I answered him coldly.
"I asked you because I saw you talking to the Harpy."
"That's impossible, I don't speak Harpy." 'I don't, right?' I silently implored.
"I know what I saw." Draco retorted.
"What were you doing watching me anyway, Malfoy?" Draco flushed, but his discomfort was only evident for a mere second before his features became once again unreadable.
"I was looking for Blaise, I just happened to unfortunately see you in my sight."
"Oh, I'm sure you're scarred for life now. Go away, Malfoy." I slitted my eyes, very much annoyed at him. Annoyed was a huge understatement; I was down right furious at him. I feared that if he said one more thing to upset me any further I would rip his throat out. "Go annoy someone else. Why would you want to see Blaise anyway, if you think I'm hard on the eyes?"
"Blaise at least has charm, intelligence and whit going for her. You on the other hand," he left off letting his harsh words sink in. "are about as daft as your friend Weasley," he was able to say no more before I leapt at him, landing a punch in his stomach. I jumped back but he grabbed the front of my robes and punched me in the face. I felt my lip split open. I wiped the blood away.
"First blood, you're going to get it now, Malfoy!" I dived at him tackling him to the ground. I kicked him in the side while he wrapped his hands in my hair and pulled. I yelped and struck out blindly, not even caring anymore. I felt rough hands pull us apart. I tried to get back, I watched as Draco did the same. We were both thirsty for the others blood.
"What is wrong with you two?!" Hermione screamed furious.
"He started it!" I was cut short by a lunge from Draco causing him to break free. Harry and Hermione wrapped their arms around him, holding him back once more. Ron kept a firm hold on me, not giving me any chance to break free. I would probably have bruises from Ron holding me so tightly as well as bruises from my fight with Draco.
"You little lying," he was cut short by a firm tug from both Harry and Hermione.
"Ron, let me go. I'm not going to attack him." He looked at me unbelievingly but released me. I shrugged his hands off and shook the dust off my robes. By this time Hagrid had made it down the hill.
"What do you think you're doin'? Were you fightin', Malfoy?" he asked, peering intently at Draco who by this time had shoved Harry and Hermione off him. He then fixed his gaze on me.
"We were not fighting. I fell down." I told him. Hagrid stared at me.
"You were fightin', I can tell. I guess the ground just rolled up and gave you that black eye, Malfoy? And the ground gave you a split lip, Adri?" Draco touched his left eye slowly and winced.
"I fell down, I don't know about Malfoy though." I smirked at him.
"I don't care who started it. Both of you get a detention. Go up to the castle now and inform Filch. No if ands or buts, go." He pointed towards the castle and with heads bent we both slunk away.
~*~
Draco's point of view:
It was so easy to provoke her. 'I didn't even realize I was doing it.' It was just an acquired habit for Draco it seemed. 'And here I was thinking I wouldn't cause trouble for Harry today. Instead I wound up hurting Adri instead. It was so exhilarating on the other hand. Fighting with Adri was different than fighting with Harry and Ron. They didn't snap so easily and when they do, they usually beat me up pretty soundly. Adri didn't fight to kill me, she fought just to vent some anger off.' Draco glanced over at her. She had her eyes trained on the ground infront of the toes of her boots.
"Adri, listen,"
"Don't talk to me, this is the first time that I can remember getting a detention." she said woefully. Draco bit back a retort and kept silent. "There goes my perfect record here."
"It's not so bad, just don't let them find out next time you do something wrong." She looked up at him, appalled but then smiled despite herself. "Adri,"
"Yes," 'Damn, she's making this so difficult.'
"I just want you to know," another pause. "That you hit like a girl." 'Damn! That wasn't what I wanted to say!' He fell silent and kicked at a pebble on the path. He saw her gape at him from out of the corner of his eye.
"I didn't want to damage you too badly, besides; I wouldn't call what you were doing hitting either, Malfoy. More like wrapping your hands in someone's hair and tugging." She fluffed her hair and tried to re-arrange it into some semblance of order, Draco still remembered the feel of her silky hair in his fingers and the weight of her on top of him. He mentally shut the door on that train of thought. "Hello, Draco?" he realized with a start she had said something to him.
"What?" he answered waspishly.
"If you're going to give me that attitude, forget it." he caught fragments of the rest of her mumbled sentence; idiot male, stuff his face in snow, and rot in hell. 'Nice vocabulary she has.' He thought wryly. Draco reached the main doors and slipped stealthy in, slamming the door in Adri's face. He took off at a run for Filch's office, not wanting Adri to catch up to him when he was alone. She wouldn't resist the temptation to attack him again, but if they were in the presence of a teacher…Draco snickered to himself, she wouldn't dare.
~*~
By the time I reached Filch's office I was successfully calmed down. If Draco wanted to be immature that was fine with me. Opening the door to Filch's office I was met with the sight of Draco magically spelled to the wall, upside-down. I placed a hand over her mouth stifling a laugh. Filch glared at me from over his desk.
"Sit," he snapped. I complied and sat down in the uncomfortable wooden chair. I tried not to turn around and stare at Draco on the wall. 'I wonder why he isn't speaking. Maybe a silence spell?' "So you and Mr. Malfoy here were fighting I presume? Well answer me girl!" he spat.
"We were. What is to be our punishment?"
"You two, after Draco finishes his time learning his lesson, will report to McGonagall for punishment." I groaned inwardly. McGonagall was notorious for showing no favoritism and punishing all equally hard.
"What is Draco getting punished for, if I may ask."
"He was giving me attitude and threatened to tell his father about getting punished. So he must remain silent up there for a half-hour. And if he tells his father or anyone else about this I can think of much worse things to do to him." He smiled evilly showing all his yellow teeth. Glancing down at his watch he muttered, "Time's up, time to come down," He touched a button on his desk and Draco sagged to the floor. It appeared to be a magical device for Filch was a Squib. 'It must perform certain magical spells for him.' "Well run along you two and get your detentions!" I sped out of the room with Draco in my wake. As soon as the door was firmly closed I burst out laughing.
"What's so funny?"
"You," I was still laughing heartily, "you were hanging upside down so long your hair," yet another laughing fit, then I suddenly grew serious, "looks like you're a punk rocker. You have the spiked hair down pat. And your face is all red from the blood rushing to your head. Just so you know." Draco gave an almost inaudible squeak and his hands flew to his hair. By then I had turned around and was walking down the corridor. It took him a second to realize I was lying before he caught up to me.
"Very funny," he said dryly. "What is a punk rocker anyway?"
"A weird person from a muggle band, who wears leather, has spiked hair, and has numerous piercings." I smirked and we walked together in silence until we stood before McGonagall's closed door. I rapped on the door sharply, and not waiting for a reply, opened it wide. It crashed against the wall and I strode down the aisle with Draco in tow. I walked up to McGonagall from where she was standing at the front of the class.
"We were directed here to pick up a detention from you. I would really appreciate it if you could give it to us really fast so we can get back to class. My grade is in question the longer I am away! And,"
"Quit the theatrics Ms. Kaitou." she interjected sternly.
"But I wasn't acting! I am sincerely worried about my grade!"
"Enough. You both have disrupted my class. For this you will both get another detention on top of the one you already have." I opened my mouth to protest but Draco put a hand on my shoulder and I fell silent. Giving me a piercing look she continued, "You will both clean the un-used classrooms." Draco groaned but suppressed it when I stomped on his foot while McGonagall turned away to yell at a kid goofing off. Turning back around she went on to say what exactly we would be doing and for how long. We were instructed to report to her office at 6 o'clock that evening to carry out our detention. Slinking out of her office like whipped dogs we left her room in a hurry. As soon as the door was closed however, we both broke out in swears and oaths. Both in our own personal fits of anger, we stalked to the infirmary to get our injuries treated. Madam Pomfrey looked at us sadly and directed us to separate beds. She put up screens around us.
"What are you doing?" demanded Draco from where he was sitting painfully.
"I am putting these screens up so that you two are unable to torment each other."
"They're not sound proof." Draco commented matter-of-factly.
"Not at the moment they aren't. They will be soon if you keep on talking Mr. Malfoy." Draco wisely chose not to comment further. Turning to me she spoke, "Now I want you to lie down and get some rest. I'll heal you later after you've had a chance to sleep and heal on your own for awhile." I nodded and chucked off my shoes and sank gratefully into bed.
"Oyasumi," I whispered softly to myself as an after thought as I fell asleep.
~*~
I looked down; a small child was tugging on the sleeve of my blouse. "What is it, what do you want?" I ask as they let their hands fall from my sleeve.
"I want to go to the park with the fountain. The one with the mermaid fountain head! Please, cousin? Please?" he whines. Tears gather in his lucid blue eyes as he pleads. "I don't want to stay here anymore. Those people are mean." He points at a couple dressed in long, ebony, elegant dress robes. They looked aesthetically pleasing but their features were course and hard, as if they were shaped from a block of ice. My eyes lingered on them a moment and my lip curled up in disdain. I walked over to a more secluded spot with the child still attached to me. The spot was simply an uninhabited corner of the vast garden surrounding us.
I realized with a start that I was not in control of this dream, but was merely an observer. I was just looking out through the eyes of who must be me. But the scene around me was unfamiliar and foreign. The child grasped onto my arm again and tried to lead me away towards a break in the hedge.
"No," I heard myself proclaim softly to the child. "We must stay here. Uncle would be most disappointed in us if we dared leave right in the middle of this important meeting. You know what this meeting means to him and your father. You understand, right, Mikael?" Looking forlorn he nods. "Oh, don't fret. Soon these dreadful Death Eater meetings will be held at someone else's estate. I'll take you to the fountain later, okay?"
"Do you promise?" he asks looking up at me with large, admiring eyes.
"Yes, have I ever broken my promises?" He shakes his head and sniffing loudly composes himself. "There, that's a good boy, Mikael." I draw him close and hug him and pat his back trying to desperately make him feel a smidgen better. "This will all be over soon. Just think of it all as just a bad dream."
The scene shifts and I find myself this time in a frigid living room. I'm seated on a worn yellow couch while a love seat and arm chairs stand guard. I have on a light blue dress, white apron and striped black and white tights. My shoes are a crisp and polished black. I sit tall and fold my hands in my lap, anticipating. Waiting for what, I do not know. However, a cloud of dread hangs over the room. The door bangs open and an irate man dashes in. I swivel to follow him with my eyes as he crosses the room in a few strides and collapses into a velvet green armchair. His brown hair is in disarray and his mustache is crooked as if he had been trying to tear it off by shear force. His black eyes were haunted, sunken into his skull, and great bags lay underneath his eyes. His clothing hangs off his skeletal form. He clasps his hands so hard together in his lap that the knuckles are turning white.
"You must have guessed somewhat by now what I'm about to tell you." Glancing up to gauge my reaction he continues, "Voldemort has ordered that you be initiated into his ranks." I'm too shocked and I'm unable to speak, move or breathe for that matter. "The date is set for June fifth. I'm sorry but you must for the sake of the mission. One sacrifice for the good of the whole," I stare at the wall behind him. Not even daring to draw breath lest I shatter into a thousand pieces. "I realize that you are young yet, but by that date you must be fully prepared to take this course of action. You must understand that I have no choice in this matter." He says the last, a hint of pleading in his voice. "Darling, please," he reaches for my hands but I draw them back as quick as lightning.
"Do. Not. Touch. Me." I say through clenched teeth.
"You have to understand that we are in no way able to resist. It's a miracle that we've lasted this long. We need your co-operation in this darling." I shudder at the title. "Think of what will happen to your mother if you refuse." That was the last straw; I feel something inside me audibly snap.
"How dare you?! What gives you the right to try and make me feel guilty about your decisions? You have no right to try and shoulder the guilt onto my shoulders! I have done nothing wrong! I have done everything in my power to try and help you and mother whenever possible! I even agreed to become engaged to a man I have never met, all for you and mother! I have given you everything, and this is how you repay me?! By turning me over to become a terrified puppet of the Dark Lord? To say that my life does not matter as long as the population as a whole survives?! Y-you," I fall silent unable to talk. My throat is tight and the lump in it is growing larger and larger. I sit there on the couch shaking in fury.
"Darling, please believe that I have had your best intentions in mind, always! You are my daughter; I would never let anything awful happen to you!"
"You're so full of shit! I hate you! You deserve to rot in hell for all you've done to mother and I! Twisting and manipulating, both of you. I hate you both! As of this moment I renounce all ties to you or anyone else in your horrid families. I am leaving and never coming back. If I ever so happen to see you again, I will kill you myself before the Dark Lord does!" I stand up and walk towards the door on unsteady legs that can barely hold me.
"I'm afraid that I can't let you leave." I whirled around just in time to get hit with a spell and plunge to the floor, passed out cold.
~*~
I woke up to someone shaking me violently. "Stop it Adri, stop screaming! I mean it, stop it!" It took me a moment to realize that it is Draco shaking me. I closed my mouth; my throat was sore and raw. I looked up at him; there was stark naked fear in his eyes. "Don't scream like that," he said softly. As if just noticing what he was doing, he let go of me and backed up.
"What happened?" I asked him hoarsely.
"I woke to hear you screaming. I ran over and you were thrashing around in bed. It looked like you were having a seizure. But I don't think it's possible to scream while having a seizure." he added as an after thought.
"I was having a nightmare, or perhaps a memory." I shrugged. "Sorry to bother you, Draco. What do we do now; I don't think either of us is going to be sleeping again tonight."
"No idea. Madam Pomfrey went to go get Dumbledore as soon as she heard you scream. I'm sure that she'll be drugging us both up soon enough. So much for a normal night of un-disturbed sleep."
"Oh yeah!" I hit myself on the forehead. Draco looked at me quizzically. "I forgot to take my potion! That must be why I'm having these dreams! I knew it!" I jumped out of bed and took off for the medicine cabinet. Draco followed reluctantly behind.
"What do you take a potion for anyways?" Draco inquired suspiciously.
"Um, to stop my memories from returning too quickly. Dumbledore says that that could be very harmful and dangerous. It also treats me for depression. You didn't think I was this happy all by myself did you?" Draco snorted in answer to that last part.
"I had my suspicions."
"Yeah right, now where does she keep them?"
"Miss Kaitou, whatever are you doing?" asked a masculine voice from behind me. I whirled around, there was Dumbledore flanked by Madam Pomfrey.
"I was looking for my potion. I must be getting these dreams because I didn't take it today."
"So that's why you were screaming, because you didn't take the potion?" she asked sternly.
"Sorry for deceiving you Madam Pomfrey, but I thought that if I stopped taking it I could remember what happened to me." I lied quickly. Draco shot me a look, deftly picking up on the signs that I was lying.
"Miss Kaitou you should know better than that by now. I'm disappointed in you."
"I'm sorry to cause you so much trouble Professor Dumbledore. I promise to take it from now on." I smiled slightly out of the corner of my mouth. Draco was the only one who saw and lifted an eye-brow in response. Dumbledore waved a hand at me in dismissal and he and Madam Pomfrey left us and made their way back to their respective quarters. "That was too easy." I muttered under my breath.
"I agree."
"What are we going to do now?"
"Have some fun," I grinned evilly.
~*~
It was easy to elude Draco. I slipped from his side when we were walking around, trying to wear ourselves into exhaustion. Your regular pair of insomniacs out for a moonlight strole, however tonight was different. I could feel heat emitting from my skin as foreign thoughts bubbled up from my sub consciousness. When I felt it, I took off, fearing that my presence would endanger his life. 'It's too late, I'm free…'
~*~
She eased open the main doors of the school and slipped out into the snow. The bitter cold of the night seemed unable to pierce her skin, for she walked ahead proudly, chin up, facing the wind. She stepped daintily and with care, ever watchful. Her white hair was in stark contrast to her indigo eyes, which shone with an eerie light. Her pale skin and elongated nails and teeth made her quite a sight. But perhaps, the most astonishing and captivating sight was the ebony wings that sprouted from her back, and fanned out behind her.
With a burst of strength she took off, heading for the forbidden forest. She touched down and at a run, folded her wings and hurled herself into the brush, away from prying eyes. She followed a narrow path, almost overgrown with weeds and creepers. She sniffed, and caught the sent of which she sought. She bent down by the uplifted roots of an ancient withered oak and dug and cut her way through until she uncovered a black rose. She smiled wickedly and plucked it, careful to keep her fingers away from the lengthy thorns.
"Now all I need is the boy." she uttered softly to the rose, who in response seemed to grow as she held it in her grasp.
~*~
Adri's point of view:
"I wonder who wrecked Filch's office. I mean, he's mean but who would go so far as to vandalize it?" Hermione asked. She shook her head in disgust.
"No idea. I'm hungry, let's go have breakfast. Besides I'm sure we'll hear enough about this throughout the whole day. Why start now?"
"You're right Adri. I wonder where Ron and Harry have disappeared to." Hermione scanned the crowd looking for them. "There they are, I see them!" she pointed them out to us and waved avidly. "Where have you guys been? We've been looking for you!"
"Snape," said Ron pulling a face, "he pulled us over and accused us of destroying Filch's office."
"That's totally unfair of him to single you two out! He has no evidence anyways!" I said outraged.
"Relax, Adri," was all Harry said while we seated ourselves at the Gryffindor table.
"Malfoy did it." I choked and Ginny thumped me on the back. "Are you alright Adri?" asked Ron hurriedly.
"Yes, thanks. What makes you think Dra-Malfoy did it?"
Ron looked at me for a second before answering. "He's the kind of person who would do such a thing." he said simply.
"Oh. What do we have first today, Ron?" He glanced down at the schedule and made a face. "Divination for two whole periods."
"I don't see how you can stand that class. You should switch out like me." Hermione said with an air of displeasure.
"Is it really that bad?"
"It's all based on guess work, nothing else. Besides the only thing she does is pick one person, usually Harry, and tell him he's going to die throughout the whole course."
"I can only imagine what she'll do with me. I'm sure she'll have a field day. But no old, wannabe doomsday hag is going to tell me how I'm going to die." I stood up along with Ron and Harry and left in search of the North Tower.
"I see we have a new student in our midst. Miss Kaitou, welcome. I hope this class will be able to un-cloud your inner eye and reveal to you the secrets of the inner self." Ron, Harry and I all stifled laughter behind our hands.
"I can see her inner eye; it's that humongous pimple on her forehead isn't it?" Ron couldn't contain his laughter and Professor Trelawney swivelled around and glared at him.
"Would you be so kind as to get out the Tarot Cards for your classmates?" Ron got up and did as he was told. He handed us the best deck which he had saved for last just for us.
"The only reason I signed up for this class is to do this. I'll probably follow Hermione's example and switch out after we finish this section." I divulged to them.
"I think I might join you. I had forgotten how annoying this class is." Ron replied in disgust.
"Everyone, open your books to page 67 and review quickly what you were assigned to read over the summer." Trelawney ordered.
"You guys review, I already went over it this morning before breakfast in the hospital wing." They nodded and I gazed down at the deck. I shuffled the cards with my left hand and split the deck. I set all the cards face down in their proper positions and waited for Ron and Harry to finish.
"I see Ms. Kaitou appears to not need this time I gave you to review. She already has her deck cut and the cards arranged. Why don't all of you gather around and watch her give a demonstration? How about it, Ms. Kaitou?" I saw the trap she had laid for me to fall into at once. She either believed me to actually know what I was doing or that I thought that I was too good to bother to review. I was playing my money on the latter. "Well, go ahead." she coaxed. I took a deep breath and began.
"The card in the place of highest power is," I flipped it over, "IL Giudizio, better known as Judgment." I flipped over the rest of the cards and then proceeded to name and translate them. "Recent past is La Giustizia- Justice. Situation is La Luota-Wheel of Fortune. Self is La Luna-The Moon, while Challenges/Opportunities is L'Amore-The Lovers. Near future is La Torre-The Tower." At this Professor Trelawney gasped,
"The tower, oh you poor dear." she exclaimed and put a hand over her shaking mouth.
"What does it mean?" Lavender asked in a hushed voice, in an excited tone.
"It means destruction, meaning that most likely I will cause a disaster. It could be worse you know. As I was saying, Long-Term Potential is IL Monde-The World." Yet another gasp from the professor. I shot her a look and continued. "Advice is La Forza-Strength and Allies is IL Fusco-The Ace of Dragons. Blocks and Inhibitions is La Pazzo-The Fool. The last place is Foundation and it is IL Veggente-The Magician."
"This can't be right," exclaimed Lavender glancing down at her textbook for reference. "The cards say that you will cause destruction! And only a fool, a person driven by their own motives stands in your way?!"
"I'm afraid so my dear. Ms. Kaitou flip over the next card in the deck if you would."
"IL Diavolo-The Devil." She gave a little wail and sat down heavily in an over stuffed, red armchair. "You may all go try this on your own. Ask Ms. Kaitou or I to come if you need help. I'll be fine in a few moments. Would you be so kind as to get me some tea, Lavender?" Lavender sped off to do her bidding. Ron and Harry sat down at the table with me.
"What's so special about the devil card?" said Ron.
"It influences the Self card. Hermione was right about one thing though, if the Professor doesn't find death she looks in other places. I am definitely switching classes after this section." I shivered. "She gives me the creeps."
~*~
By the time lunch arrived word had spread through the school that I, Adri Kaitou, was going to bring about some catastrophe. People looked at me with fear in their eyes, while others whispered behind their hands as I passed.
"Don't worry Adri, this'll all blow over soon enough. Everyone will find something new to gossip about."
"Yeah, I guess you're right Hermione. It could be worse. Pass me the salad please, Ron." He passed it to me wordlessly and went back to talking with Dean and some other Gryffindors I didn't know yet.
"Potter, better watch out, otherwise your friend there will kill you before You-Know-Who does. Who knew Potter chose such good for nothing gits to be friends with? Such a character flaw can be deadly, Potter." Malfoy cat-called. I glanced over at Harry; he was clenching his jaw rather tightly, betraying how the words had stung him.
"Sod off Malfoy." Ron growled.
"Potter, do you always have your "friends" fight your battles for you?" he laughed haughtily and walked towards the main doors.
"Malfoy!" I called to his re-treating back. He turned around slowly and looked me in the eyes. I fell silent. He turned back around, away from me, and continued to walk away. I sat back down and crossed my arms. "Why that little," Just then we were ordered to go back to class and the rest of my sentence went un-said.
"We have History with Hufflepuff now. I'm glad we don't have any more classes with Slytherin today." Harry muttered.
"Er, Harry, sorry to disappoint you and all but we have study with them later."
"Oh boy, that should prove to be interesting." He rolled his eyes and I giggled at the look on his face at the prospect of having to spend an entire class with Malfoy's taunting.
"Don't worry, we can always have Adri here attack him again. You know about that un-written code about not hitting girl's, right?" said Ron as he put an arm across Harry's shoulders and led him away. I smiled and followed behind them, with Hermione.
~*~
History was incredibly boring; I didn't see what Hermione liked about the class. She listened to everything that was said with rapt attention and an engrossed look on her face. I put my head in my arms and took a small nap. Harry poked me awake before the end of class and we all shuffled out. Ron, Harry, and Hermione chatted avidly while I just zoned out. I was extremely tired and that nap I had just taken didn't really help that much. I trudged into Study in the library. I sat down with the group near the back. We piled our bags and books on the table and waited for the supervising teacher to appear. Nearly-headless Nick floated in and addressed the class.
"Since you are all in fifth year it is believed that you should all be able to conduct yourselves in a mature manner. Therefore minimal moderating will occur. But if you lose our trust than you will all be given detentions and you shall be closely watched. You do not want to loose your privileges so please behave. A teacher shall pop in every so often to check on you and Madam Pince is in her office. Now behave!" with that Nick floated back out. The class was silent for a moment but then burst into wild chatter.
"I thought that this was a study," Hermione complained, "not a zoo!"
"We could always use a silencing charm," I suggested.
"Good idea," Hermione cast the spell around our table and the noise fell away and it was blessedly silent. Everyone broke open their books and started on their homework. Everything had been going fine until trouble started to brew. WHAP! Something sticky hit my cheek. I looked up to find Blaise smirking with a hollowed out pen in her hand. I wiped the spit ball off my face and went back to studying for History because I had slept through the class. WHAP! Ron was hit and soon after we were flooded with them as a group of Slytherins led a full fledged attack. I conjured up a spell wall to block them from hitting me. Hermione copied my example but Harry and Ron didn't notice. They grabbed for their wands but Hermione got them first.
"Remember what Nick said?" she hissed angrily. They looked sheepish, but reluctantly cast spell shield for themselves. I sat down heavily, the energy required to maintain a spell wall was enormous and sucked you dry of all your energy. If you kept one up too long it would kill you.
I stood up and hollered at them, "Enough! What are your problems? Some of us want to pass! Unlike some of you who have no hope of ever getting above a 50! Now let us study!" I dropped my shield, thoroughly exhausted. I sat back down and picked up my text book. The room was silent after my outburst, but just as suddenly, it came back to life with a roar.
"Are you implying that I'm stupid, Gryffindor?" Blaise said in a hushed and furious tone of voice.
"Of course. I'm amazed that you were able to make spit balls with a brain as small as yours is."
"This time you've gone too far, you lowly Gryffindor!" she yelled.
"Adri," Harry hissed in my ear, "you can't afford to get in any more trouble. You'll get kicked out for sure." I froze. He was right; I couldn't get kicked out for fighting in the first few days of the school year. Blaise advanced on me fists raised.
"Blaise I don't have time to fight with you now. We'll settle this some other time. Say in Quidditch? Oh that's right, you can't play it well, can you? So we might as well not even try, since I'll win."
"Fine, we'll set a date and finish this then." She went back to her table laughing.
"What the heck did you just do?!"
"Avoid a fight like you told me."
"But challenge her to a Quidditch match? Blaise is very good at playing that, and you just learned yesterday! How do you expect to win? Besides, it'll be even worse if you lose!" Harry fumed.
"Then I won't lose." I answered calmly.
"How can you say that?!"
"Trust me Harry, I'll beat her." I smirked.
"Adri, you aren't going to cheat are you?" asked Hermione with a worried look on her face. I simply smiled at her and went back to reading.
"Adri, tell me you're not going to cheat." Ron gasped.
"You'll see," I said mysteriously.
"Oh great," Ron muttered under his breath. The class eventually quieted down and there were no more skirmishes, for the moment.
~*~
"What are we supposed to be doing for detention again?" I asked Draco as we waited outside of McGonagall's office.
"Cleaning un-used classrooms," he said. Just then McGonagall came out of her office, closed and locked the door behind her and ordered us to follow her. We stopped at Filch's office, which was now cleaned up, and got our supplies. We lugged the heavy buckets filled with water up innumerable flights of stairs. We finally stopped and McGonagall unlocked the door and led us in.
"You will be locked in here until the room is cleaned to my satisfaction. You must clean this classroom and the one adjoining it. And no fighting!" With that McGonagall swept out of the room and locked the door behind her.
"We had better get started. How do you want to do this? Should we both work separately or together on this?"
"Together, it'll take less time," said Draco.
"Fine with me. Well let's get scrubbing!" We worked together in silence for a while. "Say, Draco, is it true what they say about you and Harry being archenemies?" I asked tentatively.
"Yes," he said tersely.
"Why are you?"
"What's it to you? It's our own business why we hate each other!" he spat, lashing out.
"Harry doesn't hate you. I had asked him once why you guys were enemies, and he said he had no idea what so ever. He just said it seemed like you hated him with a passion. He still has no idea why."
"He doesn't hate me?" Draco asked quietly.
"No, should he?"
"Yes, for everything I've done to him and his friends. He should hate me by now."
"Well it looks to me like a one sided deal, Draco." I fell silent and went back to working leaving Draco to dwell on his own dark thoughts.
~*~*~*~
"Ah, I hardly have any time left to do my homework!" I complained to Hermione.
"Well, just don't get in trouble and you won't have to worry about this again." Lights out was in about five minutes and I was hurriedly trying to do some of my homework.
After I had finished my homework, I trudged upstairs. I found to my astonishment, a school owl perched on my chest with a letter tied to its leg. I gently untied the note and dug from my drawer a left over roll from dinner. The owl snapped out and seized it in its beak and flew out of the window. It was then that I gazed down at the note:
Adri,
We shall have our match to settle this argument once and for all this Friday at 6 o'clock on the pitch. You had better show, Gryffindor.
1 Blaise
I crumpled the note up and stuffed it into my pocket. "I best be going. I need as much sleep as I can get before Friday!"
A/N: I know, I know, this chapter ending wasn't that great. However the next chapter will be slightly less boring than this one was. .
Thanks to everyone who reviewed, I love you guys! (in order of review)
Clepsydra Delphinus (I think you're right about the wrong word choice. Eccentric may have been too strong a word to use. I'm glad you're going to continue reading, I hope to bring myself up to your level soon!), Roxane (Yes, I have read the amber spyglass, simply love those books but the Harpies are not from there. Sadly, school assigned mythology is the cause. I'm glad you enjoyed this, and you're very perceptive about the eye changing. Do you think I should add Harpies into the story? Everyone seems so interested in them…), Miaka (Hey, thanks for reading. I had a lot of fun chatting with you, hope to talk with you soon! And yes, I think it was Morgana who told you), Ayla Pascal (thanks for the praise and for reviewing!).
Please, I beg you, REVIEW. I need feedback, good and bad alike. Thanks for reading! ^.~
Oh, and here's something worth checking out: http://hometown.aol.com/adelphie86/adelphieshogwartsschool.html
It's Adelphie's and Cathyn's very own Hogwarts school community where me and some of my friends are enrolled. I like being part of the community there and it is a nice webysite to visit. Check it out if you'd like!
~End of Chapter~
