Chapter 40 - The Middle - Part 1
The air was thick with smog when Severus and Sirius arrived outside the cave, they both murmured "Luminous" but unfortunately the light from their wands wasn't enough to help.
"Sirius, are you sure this is the spot?"
"It has to be, this is the only cave I know of. Keep an eye out for any tracks or anything that shows she was here."
"The air is too thick, I cannot see a..." Severus was cut off as he tripped over something. As he sat up he continued "What the hell are you doing on the ground?"
"Looking at the foot prints. It seems as she was here but she defiantly wasn't alone."
"So he was here."
"He wasn't the only one, there are three other sets of footprints." Sirius then came across something. "Do you recognize this?"
Severus took the object and sighed. "Can you tell which way they went?"
"Unfortunately no, you see to have destroyed some of the tracks when you fell. Hold up." Sirius said as he crawled down the path. "Here's a trail going off into the woods, they are defiantly not from a grown man."
Severus stood back up and the two men followed the small footprints into the forest.
*******************************
Bria was trapped in the center of a cage standing while the chain attached to her collar was firmly connected to the opposite far corners of her cell.
"Now now my dear, crying isn't going to help at all. Just think, it will all be over with in just a few days." Lucius said as the girl stared at him.
"My fur isn't like it use to be. You made sure of that when you burned me."
"That's quite all right, I can easily work around that part for it will make a perfect stole. Now if your a good cub, behave yourself and stop the constant whimpering then I may find it in myself to put you out of your misery before I start skinning you."
"You do know that they will come looking for me."
"I hope they do. I would love to get my hands on that bitch you call mum. As for those friends of yours, well lets just say there's a certain test I am hoping they will be missing tomorrow."
"Test? What kind of test?"
"Your boyfriend didn't inform you?"
Bria shook her head.
"Tomorrow they are to meet with Voldemort and my mistress to see if Severus has trained them properly. If just one of them doesn't show then they will all be transferred to our care." Lucius smiled "But don't concern yourself with such things for either way you will not be seeing them again."
******************************
Severus and Sirius followed the trail until it ended with no luck. Fortunately there wasn't as much smog but as the looked around they noticed the trees were covered in webbing. "Where do you think she went?"
I'm not to...Hold up, what's that up there?" Severus asked while pointing to a large white object hanging about five feet off the ground. As they walked closer they saw it looked more like a cocoon. "Quick, use your knife and cut it down. Hurry." Sirius did as Severus ordered. "Careful don't let it..." *Thud* "fall."
To the sudden crashing onto the ground the hardened webbing cracked open. The men quickly opened it the rest of the way and "Merlin no." Sirius said, as he looked at the girl that lay dead inside.
"At least we found Miss. Diggory. We had best be leaving this area before the spiders come back and find what we did to their food."
"Severus, Bria could still be out here."
"I don't think she ever walked away from the cave. Lets get her back to the castle, we will check for more tracks along the way." He then pointed his wand at the body and stated "Mobilicorpus." and Chloe's body soon followed floating behind.
******************************
Harry had finished up his homework when he looked at the clock in their common room. He then stood up and started towards the portal.
"Where do you think you're going?" Draco asked.
"To dad's. I'm sure Aunt Dannie and Uncle Remus are back and over there with Bria talking about their trip."
"What about Filch? He'll bust you for sure with it being after curfew." Jamie stated.
"No worries, dad gave him strict instruction that I'm to be allowed to travel between here and his quarters anytime I need to."
"Mind if we go with?"
"Unfortunately the pass is just for me. If you two get caught with me then I will loose it."
"Since when did you start worrying about consequences?"
"Since I decided that this would be the only way for her and I to be together without the two of you moping around because Hermione and Ginny aren't with us."
"Fine go have your fun but we'll remember this." Draco stated.
******************************
~Meanwhile~
Severus and Sirius took Chloe's body to the infirmary. "Where did you find her?" Poppy asked.
"She was hanging from a tree in the dark forest." Sirius replied.
"What was she doing out there and at this time of night?"
"We don't exactly know why but we have our suspicions. Is there any way of reviving her?"
Poppy ran her wand across the girl's body. "Unfortunately no. It seems as whatever did this to her has filled her insides with webbing and egg sacs. Sort of a nest. When they hatch they will eat their way out." Both men shuddered and she continued. "The only way to keep this from happening again is to cremate her. I will notify her parents, I'm sure they will want to talk to the two of you."
"As do I." Professor McGonagall said from the doorway."
"Good evening Minerva. I wish we could stay around and tell you everything but we have to go talk to Remus and Dannie about this first."
Before she could object the two of them were out of the room and down the hall. On the way to Sirius' quarters they ran into Harry in the corridor. "Dad, is Remus and Dannie back yet?"
"Yes they are. I need you to go back to your dorm, you will be able to see them tomorrow."
"But you said I could..."
Severus stopped ad spun around to chastise the boy for not listening but instead he took a deep breath and said "Harry there is something I need to talk to them about alone first I must insist that you go back to the dungeons now."
"There's not anything wrong is there?"
Severus couldn't answer him and started to walk away.
"Don't worry about it Harry. Nothing is wrong." Sirius remarked. "Now do as your father requested and go back to your room."
Harry turned around and started heading back but as soon as he turned the corner he stopped and waited a few moments before he snuk back towards his father's quarters. When he arrived at his destination he stayed in the hall and listened outside his uncle's home.
"We searched everywhere Remus. I'm sorry. We did find a set of foot prints that went into the forest but, unfortunately when we reached the end of the trail," Severus paused. "We found was Miss Diggory wrapped in a webbed cocoon. Poppy is going to take care of the body and notify her parents."
"Serves the little bitch right."
"Remus." Dannie spat
"I'm sorry love but if it weren't for her then Bria would be here right now instead of out there who knows where."
"Did you guys find any sign of her at all? Maybe you searched the wrong area." she asked.
Severus walked over to Dannie and sat on the coffee table facing her and Remus. "I am truly sorry but we found this on the ground." he said as he tried to hand her the broken necklace.
Dannie just stared at it while Remus took the object. "She wouldn't take that off for anything. Not even on the nights that she changed." she said.
"I know she wouldn't." he replied.
"At first light Remus and I will go out and look for her again." Sirius stated.
"Well I'm not waiting unto morning, I want my daughter back now and this time when I catch the son of a bitch it defiantly won't be his ass that I bite."
"Dannie, your upset and I can understand why but the smog is to thick to find anything out there." Severus stated.
"Do you understand what could happen to her before morning or even where she could be?"
Remus pulled her close to him as he said "Yes we do but she could even be long gone within two minutes of them capturing her. All they would have to do is have a portkey with them.
She pulled back and folded her arms. "That is not something that I really needed to hear."
Harry had heard enough at this time, he felt he had to do something but as he turned and started running down the wing he heard someone shout "Petrificus Totalus" from behind him and he fell forward. "Severus I think you had better get out here." Sirius said.
"What is it now?" Severus said as he walked into the hallway and looked at the lump on the ground. He then walked up beside Harry. "Alright you can break it now."
"Finite."
Harry then picked himself off the ground. "What did you go and do that for?" the boy asked
"He did that to keep you from running out there. Didn't I ask you to go back to your dorm tonight?"
"Yes but I wanted to know what was wrong and you wouldn't tell me."
"That's because I had to talk to her parents first. Now where do you think you were going off to?"
Harry was silent.
"You were going to go out there weren't you?"
"Yes sir."
"Did you not hear us tell them that it was almost impossible to find anything at all out there? Besides if you did find her how do you expect to get her away from Lucius and whoever else he has with him?" Severus asked.
"I don't know. I'd come up with something."
"You can't go after Lucius without knowing him. He is conniving and most likely expecting you to come after him."
"Why would he expect me? Maybe Dannie or Remus but I doubt he would expect me."
"Harry, it's the night before your test. You show up there and he'd capture you too, which would guarantee that you would miss tomorrow and then we'd loose you to them. It's going to be hard enough to get through this as it is without any further obstacles."
"So we're just to let her sit who knows where and think nobody is coming for her?"
"No, your uncles are going out at first light to search for her. I'm sure she'll be found before you are done. As long as it's not time for her to change she will be fine." Severus replied
"That only gives us until tomorrow night."
"Tomorrow night no, there's still a few days before the full moon."
"But she told me how she has problems with lunar eclipse's as well. That's why we decided not to go to the ball afterall."
"There's an eclipse tomorrow night? Come with me." Severus then led Harry into Sirius quarters. "Dannie, I hate to ask you but I believe we need to know. How badly does an eclipse effect her?"
"About as bad as the full moon effects Remus without the potion, why do you ask?"
"Were you aware that they decided not to go to the ball because there was one tomorrow night?"
"No I wasn't. When was this decided?"
"While we were cleaning the tower this afternoon. We found some old astrological charts and when we finally figured out how to read them we noticed the eclipse is scheduled for tomorrow evening."
Dannie stood up and frantically paced the room. "I can't believe I haven't paid attention to the alignments. This isn't good at all."
"Love, we will find her I promise you."
"Do you think Lucius realizes this?" Remus asked.
"He never was one to pay attention to astrology he believed that there was only one reason that the tower was ever built."
Sirius smirked "Sounds like Lucius will be quite surprised when she changes and fights back."
"Unless he casts the curse on her again." Harry murmured.
"Lucius did that once, I doubt he will do it again unless he ha no other options. The last thing he will want to do is damage her pelt."
Before anyone could stop her Dannie instantly transformed and went running past everyone and out the door. Sirius pulled out his wand again and ran into the hallway pointing it toward her when Remus grabbed his arm and said "Don't you dare. If you lay one ounce of magic on her I'll rip your throat out. We need to stop her by other means." Just then a Black Panther went running past them.
"Shit! Severus hold up!" Sirius bellowed as he too changed and ran to catch them.
"Harry, Ann, stay here, we'll be right back."
"I don't think so, this I've got to see." Harry stated.
Remus sighed "Fine but stay out of the way. I am not having you hurt if she decides to fight."
******************************
Dannie reached the front entrance, changed to herself to open the door and back again running as fast as she could across the muddy ground towards the cave.
As Severus tried leaving through the closing door he only made it half way when it closed on his mid section causing him to let out a cat like roar until Sirius arrived pushing it open.
Dannie finally reached the cave and started sniffing around. Unfortunately when she failed to realize at first was that is had been raining quite hard. The lack of scent was quite un-nerving to her as she pawed the ground more and more trying to pickup something if not anything.
After a few moments she sensed the presence of two others, she then looked up and noticed the two animals circling her. One she recognized but the other was new and she let out a warning growl towards him before she lunged.
Severus avoided the first two attacks but as the third came Harry and Remus yelling "DANNIE NO!" threw him off guard.
The panther was on his back with he wolf's teeth lightly scraping his neck while Padfoot was preparing to lunge at her but quickly found Remus holding the scruff of his neck.
Dannie then backed up and went back to where the footprints once were and laid down in the mud whimpering while Severus changed back to himself. "Damn, I had forgotten why I quit doing that. Remus if you don't learn to control your mate then I'm going to make sure she is permanently muzzled."
"Severus, what do you expect her to do? First of all she had never known you in that form and secondly the way you two encircled her, she had no choice but defend herself." Remus said as he walked over and knelt down next to the muddy wolf.
"Come along Harry. I'm not having you sick by staying out here in the rain."
"I didn't know you could still do that. When this is over will you help me with my potion?"
"Of coarse I can still do that, it's not something you can easily forget. Unfortunately I did forget how painful it was. Are you positive you want to go through with it even with the pain?"
"Defiantly."
"Fine then. Once this is all over then I will help you." Severus replied as he and Harry headed back towards the castle.
Sirius then changed back and asked "What do you think made her come running out here like that?"
"Most likely trying to pickup her scent but unfortunately the rain took care of that."
"Do you need any help getting her back inside?"
"No thank you. I'm sure I can manage. You go on ahead."
"You do realize that you are covered in mud now don't you."
Dannie just lay there not caring.
"I want her back with us as much as you do and I promise I will do all that I can to find her." She then placed her head on Remus' knee. "We had better get you inside before you get even more soaked and wind up sick on me. I surely can't concentrate on finding her if your down with pneumonia or something." He said as he stroked her mane.
She finally changed back and sat on her knees while he stood up and helped her to her feet. Then wrapped his cloak around her and helped her back to the castle.
******************************
As Sirius, Harry and Severus entered the castle they were greeted by a very angry acting Headmistress. "Do you realize that it is three in the morning and I was awaken by a petrified group of students who swear they saw and heard a were-panther and a grim go running through the halls being chased by Harry and Remus? I suggest you tell me now what is going on."
"Would you believe I found the evil creatures and hexed them to hell?"
Severus lightly slapped the back of Harry's head. "Forgive him Minerva, I've learned he can get quite punchy this late at night and doesn't quite understand what he says. Sirius would you take him back to my quarters so he can get at least some sleep tonight? I'll go with Minerva and tell her what has happened."
"No Sev, you take Harry, afterall you and the kids have the thing in the morning and after your little go around against Dannie I'm sure you need to rest up."
"Alright I'll check on Ann while I'm at it." he replied. On their way back to they stopped by the lab to pickup a small vial.
When Dannie and Remus finally reached her quarters they stood in the hall for a moment. "Are you going to be alright?" she shook her head. "I'm going to get into something dry, I will be back shortly."
About 15 minutes later he entered her quarters and heard the shower running. He then went into Bria's bedroom and started looking around. He had just picked up a photo album when he heard a squealing sound go off in the kitchen so he took the book with him. He then turned off the kettle and looked around in the cabinets for the tea but all he could find was hot cocoa mix so he went ahead and fixed 2 cups of it while he sat down and looked at the photos of his daughter's life.
Just then there was a knock on the door. Who could it be at this hour? he though. He got up from the table and walked over to open the door and noticed Severus standing there. "Might as well come on in. Would you like something to drink?"
"If you have anything hot, please."
"So what are you doing here? Don't you have to get some sleep for tomorrow?" Remus said as he walked back over to the table and sat down continuing to look through the book.
"I came by to make sure she was alright and you should know by now that I rarely get any sleep. What have you got there?"
"Just a photo album I found in her room."
After getting out of the shower and dressing, she heard voices so she threw on her sweats and T-shirt and walked into the other room to see what was going on in her home.
"So how's she doing?" Severus asked
Not even looking up from the book "I'm not sure, she's been in the bathroom since before I even got here."
"I guess you could say I as well as to be expected given the circumstances," she said from the doorway.
Remus stood up and walked over to her "Are you feeling any better at all?"
"Unfortunately no."
"Remus why don't you take her into the other room. I'll bring her something to help calm her nerves."
Remus the led her over to the couch and when they sat down he pulled her over to lean against him while Severus made her some cocoa and added the contents of the vial. He then handed it to her in which she took with both hands that were shaking slightly. "Thanks."
"Just make sure you drink it all, it will help you calm down and get some sleep."
"I'm sorry for earlier, it's just..."
"Already forgotten. I probably would have done worse in your situation." He then left the two of them there so he could get some sleep himself.
A few hours later Remus woke up with her still sleeping against his chest. He smelled her hair as the hugged her tight against him. "Luv, I have to get going. It's morning."
"No, stay here." she replied as she wrapped her arms around him.
"I wish I could but we have to go find Bria."
"So it wasn't just a bad dream."
"I wish is was." he replied as he pressed his lips to her forehead.
She then sat up allowing him to stand. I'll let Minerva know that we won't be chaperoning tonight afterall."
"Please don't. I need something to keep my mind off this."
"But you can't,"
"If I sit here all day and night I'll go nuts worrying about her. Please."
"If you're sure you're up to it."
"I have to be." Dannie replied
"Alright then, I'll see you later." he said as he leaned down and kissed her before leaving to get Sirius.
******************************
~ Meanwhile~
Severus led the group of kids through the forest to the other side just beyond the boundaries where they were told to meet.
When they finally reached their destination there was no sign of anyone there. "Uncle Sev, are you sure this is the right area?" Jamie asked
"I'm positive. Keep your guards up though something isn't right."
"You got that right. Here we are sitting in the forest when there's 'other' things we should be doing." Harry spat
Severus glared at Harry; "Your uncles will handle that situation. You need to stay focused on the reason you are here."
"What are you two talking about? What situation?" Draco asked.
"Harry didn't tell you? Last night B..."
"Ann that's enough. They do not need to know."
The ittle bit of information the girl spat out sparked the boy's curiosity but by looking at the way Harry was acting they knew he wasn't going to talk about it anytime soon. There the group sat for a little over an hour when all of a sudden Ann was struck by a curse from the trees behind her. Before anyone could react Severus disappeared from the kid's vision and the boys circled around Ann with their backs to her while she regained her senses. "Harry, where the hell did your dad go?" Draco asked.
"You know as much as I do. Watch out!" he yelled as a curse flew right by Jamie.
"Shit I though we were just going to go through a skills test not something like this." Jamie replied
"Well I guess they have a different way of testing. Come on we have to get out of this clearing." Draco snapped.
"But we don't know where they are or how many of them are here." Ann whined.
"It don't matter, just blast anyone you see. Let's go." Harry said. And the small group of kids took off into the forest dodging and throwing back curses along the way.
******************************
Severus suddenly appeared in what seemed live a viewing room. "Good afternoon Severus, good to see you could join us."
Severus immediately knelt before Voldemort "It was as you commanded my Lord although I do not understand the ramifications of this test." he said as he noticed the other person in the room with them.
"Stand up. There are no formalities today. We are only here to check on your progress although our companion here was quite sure that your own son wouldn't be present."
Patricia remained hidden under the hood to her cloak when she replied "My apologies my Lord, it seems as I myself was misinformed." She then turned to watch the exercise "Severus, am I mistaken or has something happened to your son to keep him from using the full extent of his powers?"
"There was an accident but his skills have not suffered in the slightest."
"Really, is that not a cast on his wand hand?" she questioned
Voldemort looked at Severus as he waited an answer. "That is correct although if you will take notice he almost equally as powerful. It happens to be quite an advantage in case something happens to him during battle he would be quite capable of continuing while others would need to stop."
The three of them continued to watch the children battle when Severus noticed a green flash of light fly towards Harry in which he quickly repelled back towards one of the intruders killing the child instantly. Harry stood there in shock, he had seen the killing curse many times before and even successfully used it against rats but this time it was someone around his age that he had killed. Harry then dropped his wand and went running off into the forest. "What the bloody hell is going on here? Are you testing the children or trying to kill them?" Severus yelled at the woman.
"Calm down Severus, this is nothing more than a test." Voldemort replied.
"Then what in Merlin's name is that child doing casting the killing curse?" he asked as he and Voldemort looked at their companion.
Patricia replied immediately "My Lord they were instructed not to use that curse at all. He will be disciplined severely once this is over."
"No my dear, you will go down there and remove him immediately." Voldemort ordered.
Patricia apparated to where the boy was and as she grabbed his arm she returned with him. Upon their arrival the boy stood there and glared at her, "What did you go and do that for? He dropped his wand, I could have had him."
"You mean you could have killed him. I told you before that this is not an actual battle, we are merely here to test your future classmates."
"You also told us to do what we had to do to make sure they fail."
"That does not include the killing curse. You have now failed, when we return to the school you will be spending the next month as target practice. Hand over your wand."
"Then what am I to use in the meantime."
"You are a target that is all, you will not carry this again until you can earn the right to carry it." she expalined
"If it was any other group of potentials you wouldn't be this concerned over them. You would let us do whatever needed to be done." He continued until she cut him off "Just because that is your precious..."
"Not one more word from you or you will wish I placed the killing curse on you instead. Is that understood?"
"Yes mistress."
******************************
~ Meanwhile~
Back at Hogwarts Ginny, Hermione, and Ron were quietly picking at their lunches trying to keep their minds off what their friends were going through when Fred and George came running in. "Ron, come with us down to the infirmary you have got to see what happened." Fred stated
"Is it Ann? What happened?"
"No it's not her it's that Diggory girl. It is so...." George shuddered.
"You mean Chloe? What happened to her?" Ginny asked.
"She was found last night covered in this web like sac." Fred replied as he watched his younger brother's face drop. "And that's not the worse of it, they say her insides have been filled with spider eggs."
"You guys that is not funny you know how he is with spiders." Hermione snapped.
"It's not a joke it's true. Look we were even able to sneak out part of her webbing to show you." Fred said as he put it on the table infront of Ron's plate.
Ron tried jumping backwards away from the webbing but unfortunately sitting on bench seats at the table so all he could do was fall backwards hitting his head on the floor.
"Miss. Granger would you kindly assist Mr. Weasley in going to the infirmary?" Professor McGonagall said as she walked by.
"No no no not the infirmary, I'm fine professor." Ron stammered.
"Then please be more careful." she replied.
"You guys, do you know if anyone has told Bria about what happened?" Ginny asked.
"I'm sure they have. How about if we go to her mum's chambers after lunch to see her." Ron said.
Not too much longer the five of them headed towards the professor's wing when they ran across Dannie in the corridor. "Professor Lightpaws, we just heard what happened to Chloe and we were just coming down to your quarters to see how Bria is doing."
Dannie sighed and sat down on the closest bench. "I'm sorry she's not there." she then looked around before quietly continuing, "You might as well know, we believe she disappeared last night."
"What do you mean disappeared?"
"From what we can understand Chloe told her that Professor Lupin and I were in an accident in the forest. Before anyone could stop her she went running out there alone. Remus and Sirius are out there looking for her now."
"I'm sorry, is there anything we can do?" Ginny asked.
"That's kind of you but no thanks. You kids just go and have some fun, but please stay out of trouble. I'll see you at the ball tonight." she said while faking a smile.
"Alright then, we um have some studying to do anyway." Hermione stated.
"Studying? She just told us to have some fun." Ron complained.
Hermione covered Ron's toes with her heel and put just enough weight down to grab his attention. "We have OWLS coming soon as you brothers have their NEWTS we could all use some study time."
"We'll see you later tonight then Professor." the twins said as the five of them headed back to their common room while Dannie leaned back against the wall and closed her eyes fighting the tears once again.
As soon as the kids entered the portal Fred and George looked at the two fifth years. "What's going on?"
"We're going to help find Bria." Ron said.
"You're going to what? Are you nuts?" Fred said.
"Harry helped back when Gins was missing it's the least we could do." Hermione replied.
"Mum would kill us if she found out about you running off like this again on your own. We are coming with. Ginny you are to stay here incase anyone comes looking for us." George stated.
The girl nodded in agreement. "Get your brooms that forest is bigger than you realize." Fred ordered.
"I don't have a broom. I can't fly all that well." Hermione said.
"You'll ride with me then" George replied.
The boys ran up to their rooms and grabbed their brooms and within the next 10 minutes the four of them were out the main entrance and headed over the forest.
******************************
~Dark Forest~
Harry was running away from the battle when Draco picked up the boy's wand and went after him. "Potter get your arse back here!"
Harry ignored the boy's shouts and ran until he stumbled over a fallen tree. He then sat there nursing his already broken wrist as he leaned against the tree. Draco easily caught up with him. "What the bloody hell do you think your doing running off like that. Do you want us to all be taken away?"
"I killed that kid."
"So what, that's what happens in battles. You kill people or you get killed."
"This is not suppose to be a battle, it's a test and it wasn't suppose to be like this."
"Well hell, I don't care what you decide to call it. Either way it's a battle cause I am not going to be leaving this school anytime soon."
"Then I suggest you get back there and fight I'm not going to take a chance on killing anyone else."
Draco then pointed his wand at Harry, "You didn't cast the curse that killed him, all you did was block it from killing you. Now you have a choice here, either get off you sorry arse and help us or I will drag you back there so that you can tell your cousins and father that we will be leaving with them."
Harry glared at Draco for a few minutes who returned the glare back at him. He then grabbed his wand back and stumbled to his feet and headed back to join the twins.
******************************
"Severus I thought you said your son was well trained?"
"He is in casting curses and defense my Lord, that was his first actual kill."
"I am disappointed in his actions, I had expected better considering his true lineage."
"His true lineage?" she asked.
"I know that you have recently found this information yourself Severus, so if you would enlighten our friend here?"
"My Lord forgive me but of what concern is it to her what my son's lineage is?"
"So that she will understand why you son is more worthy to stand by my side than her own children."
"He is more worthy as you put it because his mother was his granddaughter." Severus sighed then he looked at the woman, "You have your own children and you are intent on taking my family from me? Why?"
"Lily was Voldemort's granddaughter?" she whispered as she turned away from him.
"Don't you ever speak her name you wretched bitch. Now answer my question, why my family?" he shouted as he spun her back around causing her hood to fall. Severus then stood there stunned as he stared into a face that he only saw everytime he looked upon his niece while Voldemort stood back and smiled as only he could.
TBC
***********************************************************
Please review.