Campiongal
How The Stars Fall
Chapter 13:
2-8-03
~~*~~
Draco found himself humming as he trotted back up the stairs. It was slightly unusual he would be doing so, but the tune fitted his mood, and he thought it was best to express his feelings, especially now that they were lighter, instead of angry and vengeful burdens.
~~*~~
Hermione bounded up next to Harry, taping her best friends shoulder playfully. 'So.. You... Lissa.. Potential, eh?" Hermione laughed at Harry's startled expression.
"Well... We talked a lot last year, and I guess until I though she couldn't hear me, I wasn't ready to admit my feeling, but I'm glad I did." Harry stopped in front of Hermione's door, gentleman like. "We should try and find a way to communicate with the burrow by tomorrow morning."
Hermione only nodded. She decided it best not to comment. She knew it would be hard for Harry, having a relationship, dealing with his own past, helping Ron, being protective of Hermione and Ginny (now that Blaise appeared to be in the picture), as well as trying to be decent to Draco. She knew this all had to be trying work.
"I will meet you in the Prefects Common Room. It may be a little hard to find. But I'm fairly sure there isn't a new password, and you should be able to make it just fine." Harry handed her a small map, with the words 'Perfect Is I' scrawled across it. "We may find ourselves spending the night here, and often if this is as deep as I think it is... So. Round up your things, let Draco know, Tell him to bring a few things of his own... and let's meet up in say... about an hour?"
"Yes, that should be alright..." She quickly glanced around. "If we stay tonight... Then we will all need sleeping bags, right?"
Harry nodded
"Ok then, just checking. Should we prepare some room for the others? Ginny and Blaise could show up with Ron, anytime from now until the next five days or so!"
"Hermione, I can take care of it from then on. Just pack your normal wear for a couple days, a sleeping bag, and whatever else you need. If you do an illusion spell on you and Draco's rooms, no one will ever know you were gone!" Harry opened her door, scooted her inside, rushing her a bit, then tuned down the hall to resume his packing duties.
~~*~~
Draco was a bit startled when Hermione walked into his room thirty minuets later, carrying blankets, and what appeared to be an overnight bag. He smirked, and she shot him a death glare, fit for a Nazi. His smirk disappeared pretty fast right then.
"Draco. Pack some overnight stuff. I'll put an illusion on your room. You Harry and I are sleeping together in the Prefect Common Room tonight, and maybe even several nights.' Hermione quickly drew her wand, motioning for him to hurry it along.
"Alright, I'm going... and did you say together?" Draco joked again, this time earning him a playful tickle in the ribs again. Hermione burst out in laughter as he giggled for an instant, followed by a mortified look from Draco. "Right then... Lets go!"
The pair trampled about the room, Draco rounding up some clothing, Hermione trying to work the spells on his room, they would be used for night and daytime. In the day he would appear napping, or in the night, sleeping, with a teddy bear. Hermione thought it would be a good joke. Draco didn't laugh. Finally it appeared they were set.
"Ok, I got all my stuff, with the small exception of a good cup of coffee..." Draco smirked and picked up his black bag, and headed towards the door.
"Alright, the rooms all set. Now we just have to follow this map..." Hermione puled out the map Harry had given her, from her pajama pocket. No nighties tonight. That would be inappropriate. Instead Hermione had decided to wear some loose pajama pants, decorated with pears and mangos, and a light green tank top. "We just have to go out of this tower, out through the entrance hall, passed the great hall, into the Hall of mirrors, out into he 6th Floor corridor, then into the third door on our left. It sounds complicated, but we have a good map. Once we are in the room, there will be several paintings. Harry marked one 2 up, three across from the door. Then we give it the password and we are in!" Hermione smiled. She had spent all but five of her thirty minuets trying to read Harry's writing.
Draco smirked again. "Aren't we going to be late?"
Hermione nodded. "I'm a girl, he'll expect it!
And with that, the couple walked out into the tower.
~~*~~
Harry had just sat down in a chair when he heard a crash outside the door. Someone must have followed him. But.. How? He had been wearing the invisibility cloak... Harry stole a look around him, then drew his wand. Walking over to the portrait, he swung it open quickly, bounding through the hole, only to come face to face with... a ball?
~~*~~
Hermione walked briskly through the large entrance hall. This might take a while. Draco was having a hard time keeping up, he must have really been tired, otherwise he could have being going three times the speed of his female companion.
"Hermione, your sure there isn't a short cut?" Draco swept up quickly behind her, doing his best to stay awake. "I mean, really... Could we fly?"
Hermione considered the option for a moment, stopped, set down her bags and looked him in the eye. "Fine. But we ride high and quietly. We can't risk anyone seeing us now. It would e to great a danger to what's happening at the Burrow. If anyone finds out.. There could be trouble!" after watching Draco nod, Hermione took out two shrunken brooms, then put them to full size. "There. Hop on!"
Draco appreciatively took his broom, and they started off again. They laughed as they entered the Great Hall, Dodging between bewitched candles. However, as they crept into the hall of Mirrors, the mood changed as they saw who loomed below them.
~~*~~
Harry nearly fell over in laughter as the little ball of fur bounced onto him. The custard colored Puffskien nuzzled into him, it's soft body giving warmth to the cold room. It's big blue eyes looked to Harry very adorable, and so he climbed back into the portrait hole with his new friend.
((LOL! Had you in a little suspense there for a minuet, didn't I!))
~~*~~
Draco stopped his broom directly next to Hermione's, covering her mouth with his soft hands. She immediately knew something was wrong, and loomed into complete silence. Below them was a huddle of four people. Three black cloaked figures, there hoods held up. In the tall corner they could be easily recognized. There was Pansy, looking ever-more-beautiful (this had to be something special), Along with Crabbe and Goyle, and the other figure. Hermione shuddered and Draco winced. Along the ceiling ran a edge, Draco figured it could be a while, and so pulled Hermione onto it with him, Drawing her closer to him, muffling her cries with his cloak. He watched as his father loomed over the three students, preparing to pass on the Dark Mark.
~~*~~
Blaise walked forwards with Ginny. He knew this would not be easy, especially for her. And bringing his unconscious body back to Hogwarts would be no pleasure.
Ginny looked at the house. She could feel something was different. The house seemed filled, so cramped in, giving off a strangling feeling, warning to intruders. Ginny lead Blaise around to the back side of the Burrow. Peering into the garden wall, opened the gate, and headed in.
Ginny drew her wand first. Ron was lying in the grass, a Man looming over him. Blaise recognized the man as a death eater, and immediately took action. Pushing Ginny behind him, he tore out his wand, reciting incomprehensible verses to himself, forcing back the figure in billowing black robes. Blaise countered tem, incase the DE tried to throw anything back, but he didn't. It must have been a lower servant. But they would never know, as the man jumped over the wall, and was out of sight before more damage was done.
Ginny was now looming over her brother, who was coughing blood from the mouth, muttering angry curses in Latin. Blaise stepped over him, and cast a healing spell. Then all was silent.
~~*~~
Ginny watched as Blaise injected the serum, rather than forcing Ron to drink it. He was even more possessed than they had thought before, it now seemed. Blaise explained: "it looks as if that Death Eater was trying to control your brother further. That's why you were controlled. It wasn't Ron's possession after all. The DE was keeping you away to work further on him." He looked with sad eyes to Ginny. "I can't do much else. This is work for Dumbledore." Ginny watched with tears in her eyes as Blaise lifted him with strong arms, and into the burrow.
"Blaise... what are you...?" She watched as he walked to the fireplace, removing a pouch of Floo powder from his seemingly-never-ending- depths of cloaks.
"We are going to need more of the restrainer. We can get more at Hogsmeade, and we can find rest at my home there as well. It will make the journey shorter, and the pain less for your brother. Give me your hand." he stretched out and drew the younger girl closer to him, hugging her nearer to him, then took a piece of cord, and tied it around him, Ginny, and Ron. They would need to stay together. "Ready?"
Ginny only nodded, and the next thing she knew, she was being suctioned through the ever-long tunnel again, whizzing by hundreds of fire- places, finally stopping in a cloud of dust.
~~*~~
Hermione felt her body shaking, only comforted by the sturdy holding of Draco. She would have most likely fallen off the small balcony by now, if he hadn't been there to help her. How Harry had missed this, she would never know. There must have been another way.
Draco watched in horror. This is what his father had wanted to do to him all along. The painful ceremony he watched before him now. He held Hermione closer to him now, as if to shield her from what he was about to witness. It was not something any normal person should be able to stand to view.
Draco watched, as Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle bolted upright, stunned in fear and pain. Draco knew Pansy was longing to turn away, this was her parents choosing, not her own. He wanted to help... but interfering in the process would kill her, at least going through with it she could live. He watched her face, compared to the others. Hers was of, not so much fear, but pure horror of what was going to be inflicted upon her, a curse never to be broken. She would live with this pain for eternity.
Pansy's tears steamed down her face, cascading around her like and endless waterfall. She watched in agony as her arm ripped, a forming scar inflicting upon it, in the shape of the Dark Mark. Lucius' mark seemed to radiate off his arm. The snake pouring blood from his own arm, black blood, that flowed into the arms of the children, then all at once, in a black flash, they all fell to the floor, stunned, bleeding, and half dead. And lucius, was gone. ~~*~~
Probably more tomorrow guys! We shall see what Happens, Okies? -CG
~~*~~
Draco found himself humming as he trotted back up the stairs. It was slightly unusual he would be doing so, but the tune fitted his mood, and he thought it was best to express his feelings, especially now that they were lighter, instead of angry and vengeful burdens.
~~*~~
Hermione bounded up next to Harry, taping her best friends shoulder playfully. 'So.. You... Lissa.. Potential, eh?" Hermione laughed at Harry's startled expression.
"Well... We talked a lot last year, and I guess until I though she couldn't hear me, I wasn't ready to admit my feeling, but I'm glad I did." Harry stopped in front of Hermione's door, gentleman like. "We should try and find a way to communicate with the burrow by tomorrow morning."
Hermione only nodded. She decided it best not to comment. She knew it would be hard for Harry, having a relationship, dealing with his own past, helping Ron, being protective of Hermione and Ginny (now that Blaise appeared to be in the picture), as well as trying to be decent to Draco. She knew this all had to be trying work.
"I will meet you in the Prefects Common Room. It may be a little hard to find. But I'm fairly sure there isn't a new password, and you should be able to make it just fine." Harry handed her a small map, with the words 'Perfect Is I' scrawled across it. "We may find ourselves spending the night here, and often if this is as deep as I think it is... So. Round up your things, let Draco know, Tell him to bring a few things of his own... and let's meet up in say... about an hour?"
"Yes, that should be alright..." She quickly glanced around. "If we stay tonight... Then we will all need sleeping bags, right?"
Harry nodded
"Ok then, just checking. Should we prepare some room for the others? Ginny and Blaise could show up with Ron, anytime from now until the next five days or so!"
"Hermione, I can take care of it from then on. Just pack your normal wear for a couple days, a sleeping bag, and whatever else you need. If you do an illusion spell on you and Draco's rooms, no one will ever know you were gone!" Harry opened her door, scooted her inside, rushing her a bit, then tuned down the hall to resume his packing duties.
~~*~~
Draco was a bit startled when Hermione walked into his room thirty minuets later, carrying blankets, and what appeared to be an overnight bag. He smirked, and she shot him a death glare, fit for a Nazi. His smirk disappeared pretty fast right then.
"Draco. Pack some overnight stuff. I'll put an illusion on your room. You Harry and I are sleeping together in the Prefect Common Room tonight, and maybe even several nights.' Hermione quickly drew her wand, motioning for him to hurry it along.
"Alright, I'm going... and did you say together?" Draco joked again, this time earning him a playful tickle in the ribs again. Hermione burst out in laughter as he giggled for an instant, followed by a mortified look from Draco. "Right then... Lets go!"
The pair trampled about the room, Draco rounding up some clothing, Hermione trying to work the spells on his room, they would be used for night and daytime. In the day he would appear napping, or in the night, sleeping, with a teddy bear. Hermione thought it would be a good joke. Draco didn't laugh. Finally it appeared they were set.
"Ok, I got all my stuff, with the small exception of a good cup of coffee..." Draco smirked and picked up his black bag, and headed towards the door.
"Alright, the rooms all set. Now we just have to follow this map..." Hermione puled out the map Harry had given her, from her pajama pocket. No nighties tonight. That would be inappropriate. Instead Hermione had decided to wear some loose pajama pants, decorated with pears and mangos, and a light green tank top. "We just have to go out of this tower, out through the entrance hall, passed the great hall, into the Hall of mirrors, out into he 6th Floor corridor, then into the third door on our left. It sounds complicated, but we have a good map. Once we are in the room, there will be several paintings. Harry marked one 2 up, three across from the door. Then we give it the password and we are in!" Hermione smiled. She had spent all but five of her thirty minuets trying to read Harry's writing.
Draco smirked again. "Aren't we going to be late?"
Hermione nodded. "I'm a girl, he'll expect it!
And with that, the couple walked out into the tower.
~~*~~
Harry had just sat down in a chair when he heard a crash outside the door. Someone must have followed him. But.. How? He had been wearing the invisibility cloak... Harry stole a look around him, then drew his wand. Walking over to the portrait, he swung it open quickly, bounding through the hole, only to come face to face with... a ball?
~~*~~
Hermione walked briskly through the large entrance hall. This might take a while. Draco was having a hard time keeping up, he must have really been tired, otherwise he could have being going three times the speed of his female companion.
"Hermione, your sure there isn't a short cut?" Draco swept up quickly behind her, doing his best to stay awake. "I mean, really... Could we fly?"
Hermione considered the option for a moment, stopped, set down her bags and looked him in the eye. "Fine. But we ride high and quietly. We can't risk anyone seeing us now. It would e to great a danger to what's happening at the Burrow. If anyone finds out.. There could be trouble!" after watching Draco nod, Hermione took out two shrunken brooms, then put them to full size. "There. Hop on!"
Draco appreciatively took his broom, and they started off again. They laughed as they entered the Great Hall, Dodging between bewitched candles. However, as they crept into the hall of Mirrors, the mood changed as they saw who loomed below them.
~~*~~
Harry nearly fell over in laughter as the little ball of fur bounced onto him. The custard colored Puffskien nuzzled into him, it's soft body giving warmth to the cold room. It's big blue eyes looked to Harry very adorable, and so he climbed back into the portrait hole with his new friend.
((LOL! Had you in a little suspense there for a minuet, didn't I!))
~~*~~
Draco stopped his broom directly next to Hermione's, covering her mouth with his soft hands. She immediately knew something was wrong, and loomed into complete silence. Below them was a huddle of four people. Three black cloaked figures, there hoods held up. In the tall corner they could be easily recognized. There was Pansy, looking ever-more-beautiful (this had to be something special), Along with Crabbe and Goyle, and the other figure. Hermione shuddered and Draco winced. Along the ceiling ran a edge, Draco figured it could be a while, and so pulled Hermione onto it with him, Drawing her closer to him, muffling her cries with his cloak. He watched as his father loomed over the three students, preparing to pass on the Dark Mark.
~~*~~
Blaise walked forwards with Ginny. He knew this would not be easy, especially for her. And bringing his unconscious body back to Hogwarts would be no pleasure.
Ginny looked at the house. She could feel something was different. The house seemed filled, so cramped in, giving off a strangling feeling, warning to intruders. Ginny lead Blaise around to the back side of the Burrow. Peering into the garden wall, opened the gate, and headed in.
Ginny drew her wand first. Ron was lying in the grass, a Man looming over him. Blaise recognized the man as a death eater, and immediately took action. Pushing Ginny behind him, he tore out his wand, reciting incomprehensible verses to himself, forcing back the figure in billowing black robes. Blaise countered tem, incase the DE tried to throw anything back, but he didn't. It must have been a lower servant. But they would never know, as the man jumped over the wall, and was out of sight before more damage was done.
Ginny was now looming over her brother, who was coughing blood from the mouth, muttering angry curses in Latin. Blaise stepped over him, and cast a healing spell. Then all was silent.
~~*~~
Ginny watched as Blaise injected the serum, rather than forcing Ron to drink it. He was even more possessed than they had thought before, it now seemed. Blaise explained: "it looks as if that Death Eater was trying to control your brother further. That's why you were controlled. It wasn't Ron's possession after all. The DE was keeping you away to work further on him." He looked with sad eyes to Ginny. "I can't do much else. This is work for Dumbledore." Ginny watched with tears in her eyes as Blaise lifted him with strong arms, and into the burrow.
"Blaise... what are you...?" She watched as he walked to the fireplace, removing a pouch of Floo powder from his seemingly-never-ending- depths of cloaks.
"We are going to need more of the restrainer. We can get more at Hogsmeade, and we can find rest at my home there as well. It will make the journey shorter, and the pain less for your brother. Give me your hand." he stretched out and drew the younger girl closer to him, hugging her nearer to him, then took a piece of cord, and tied it around him, Ginny, and Ron. They would need to stay together. "Ready?"
Ginny only nodded, and the next thing she knew, she was being suctioned through the ever-long tunnel again, whizzing by hundreds of fire- places, finally stopping in a cloud of dust.
~~*~~
Hermione felt her body shaking, only comforted by the sturdy holding of Draco. She would have most likely fallen off the small balcony by now, if he hadn't been there to help her. How Harry had missed this, she would never know. There must have been another way.
Draco watched in horror. This is what his father had wanted to do to him all along. The painful ceremony he watched before him now. He held Hermione closer to him now, as if to shield her from what he was about to witness. It was not something any normal person should be able to stand to view.
Draco watched, as Pansy, Crabbe, and Goyle bolted upright, stunned in fear and pain. Draco knew Pansy was longing to turn away, this was her parents choosing, not her own. He wanted to help... but interfering in the process would kill her, at least going through with it she could live. He watched her face, compared to the others. Hers was of, not so much fear, but pure horror of what was going to be inflicted upon her, a curse never to be broken. She would live with this pain for eternity.
Pansy's tears steamed down her face, cascading around her like and endless waterfall. She watched in agony as her arm ripped, a forming scar inflicting upon it, in the shape of the Dark Mark. Lucius' mark seemed to radiate off his arm. The snake pouring blood from his own arm, black blood, that flowed into the arms of the children, then all at once, in a black flash, they all fell to the floor, stunned, bleeding, and half dead. And lucius, was gone. ~~*~~
Probably more tomorrow guys! We shall see what Happens, Okies? -CG