AN/:
Chapter 8: Lost in the Woods
'Oh Harry! I was just having a bit of fun! I didn't mean to scare you...' Vienna wasn't planning on him reacting the way he did.
'I wasn't scared. Now let me get off.' Harry was fuming. She had made a total fool out of him.
'I'm sorry...' Vienna landed the broom softly on the ground, and Harry promptly dismounted and stomped over to Ron and Hermione. She had just joined them, lugging a large book from the library.
'What happened?' Hermione asked, seeing the volatile expression on Harry's face. Ignoring the question, Harry walked off, and sat under one of the goalposts.
'I think,' Ron said, trying to hold in a laugh, 'that Vienna just played a bit of a joke on him...'
'Oh...' Hermione replied, smiling gently as she realised what Vienna had done.
Meanwhile Vienna had once again taken to the skies, feeling a bit guilty about her prank. But soon the fresh kiss of the wind, and the unmistakeable rush of flight brought comfort to her, as she swooped and spun just below the clouds. Perhaps it was a bit mean, but she was only having fun, Vienna thought, as she dove down so that she could see the others.
Hermione and Ron were sitting on the grass talking, or maybe arguing over her book, she couldn't quite tell, while Harry was obviously still sulking by one of the goalposts.
As she went to turn to the right, to get a better view, Vienna noticed some type of interference meddling with the broom. She swooped down lower, ready to land, but disobediently it swung around and began to rise. It seemed as if there was an invisible rope tugging her away. Vienna tried desperately to overpower it, but the broom was swerving in the distinct path of the Forbidden Forest.
'What the hell?' She thought, as the Firebolt shuddered under the opposing force that was pulling her away.
Channelling in on all her concentration, Vienna managed to turn the broom in the direction of Harry and the others. But before she was within earshot of them, the Firebolt began to change course once again.
'Help! Help me please!' Vienna screamed, starting to panic. 'Harry! Ron! Hermione! The broom's gone crazy! Hellllllp!'
It was no use. They were too far away. She kept waving frantically.
'Hey guys, look. Vienna is waving to us!' Ron had been watching her zooming around, totally unaware that Vienna was in trouble.
'Who cares?' Harry said. He had rejoined them, and was still annoyed at her.
'I don't think she's waving Ron,' Hermione replied, a worried tone in her voice, 'it looks like she is signalling for help.'
Harry looked up. Hermione was right. The broom was shuddering and facing the other way, as if Vienna was being taken somewhere. 'Look! She's going in the direction of the Forbidden Forest!' He cried, forgetting about his anger. 'Come on! We have to follow her.'
Where is it taking me? Vienna was terrified, she was so high up, and the forest drew closer and closer. Squinting, she could make out the running figures of Harry, Hermione and Ron. She could also see the brown roof of Hagrid's hut many miles below. There was no use trying to regain control of the broom, it seemed the closer it got to the forest, the faster and stronger the force pulling it became.
The trees were so close now; Vienna could see the edge of the forest right below her. Suddenly the broom began to descend, very gradually, as Vienna entered the perimeter of the forest.
Someone was obviously controlling it, summoning it. Someone Vienna did not want to meet. There was no other choice, unless she wanted to be taken into the very heart of the forest. She had to jump, even if she wasn't low enough. It was now or never...
Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the edge of the forest. They looked up, watching on helplessly as the blurred silhouette of Vienna dropped from the broom, and fell into the gloom and darkness of the Forbidden Forest...
'Vienna!' Hermione was screaming, cold tears streaming down her cheeks.
Ron was still looking towards the darkness of the trees, panic strewn across his face. 'What do we do?' he asked the other two shakily.
'Let-lets get Hagrid' Hermione stammered.
'No, there's not enough time,' Harry said resolutely, 'by the time we get him, who knows what could happen to Vienna? We've got to go find her now.'
'Wait!' Ron said shrilly, glancing fearfully at the forest, 'I'll go get Hagrid and catch up okay?' He had been in the Forbidden forest one too many times for his liking already.
'Great. If we get in trouble, I'll send a red spark up.' With that Harry and Hermione bolted into the shadows of the trees, leaving the safety of the warm sunlight. As he glanced behind him, Harry could see Ron already running in the direction of Hagrid's hut.
Almost immediately, it became hard to see. The dark boughs of the trees loomed menacingly above.
'Lumos' both Harry and Hermione muttered, holding out their wands defensively, cutting the thick, stuffy air. The trees slowly began to crowd in closer, as the pair ventured deeper into the forest. Unsettling sounds were all about them, and sinister roots curled around their feet.
'Are you sure we are going in the right direction?' Hermione whispered, brushing a spider web off her face.
'I, I don't know...' They had been travelling in an almost straight direction since they had entered the forest, so they couldn't be far off.
It was so dark now, that their wands cast long shadows into the empty gloom between the trees, and every footstep crackled loudly beneath them. Secretly Harry was starting to doubt that they had come the right way, it seemed like they were too far into the forest.
'Harry! Look over here!' Hermione shouted, piercing the unsettled air, making him spin around. 'There's a patch of light over there...I think I can see her!'
They ran breathlessly towards the thin sliver of light, which slowly grew larger as they drew near. Sure enough there was something lying in a heap, half dappled in the crisp daylight cutting through the trees.
'Oh my god! Vienna!' Harry knelt down, lifting a branch that had been resting on her unconscious body. There were leaves and broken branches all around her. She must have crashed through the canopy when she jumped off the broom, Harry thought, rolling her onto her back. A large scratch was visible on Vienna's pale cheek, along with a large bump on her forehead. The rise and fall of her chest was almost non-existent, as she struggled to breathe, her breaths short and irregular.
'Her leg looks broken...' Hermione had bent down beside them, a fearful look on her face.
'We have to get her out of here' Harry said urgently, cradling Vienna's cold body in his arms. Her head rolled lifelessly to one side, as he pulled her into a sitting position.
'Vee, can you hear me... please wake up...' his voice was trembling as he looked at Vienna, her frail arms lying limply by her sides, her long silvery hair splayed out behind her. She was so cold, yet Harry distinctly saw Vienna's eyelids flicker.
'Harry!' Hermione's scream brought him out of his trance. She was pointing her wand into the eerie darkness, pacing around nervously.
'I heard something. Moving, over to our left in the distance.' Her voice was quavering, and her hand was shaking as she spoke. 'There's something coming, what do we do? How are we going to get out of here?'
'I, I don't know...' Harry got up, gently placing Vienna's head back on the ground. Motioning for Hermione to be quiet, he struggled to hear any irregular noises.
Hermione was right. Something was coming towards them.
Pointing his wand protectively in front of him, Harry edged towards the sound, straining his eyes trying to look into the formidable darkness. The sound of crackling branches was coming towards them, in roughly the same direction that they had entered the forest in. What ever it was, it was seconds away.
Harry waited, wand drawn, while Hermione ran over to shield Vienna. A shadow was upon them; he could see its shifting shape darting between the trees. Hermione shot a red spark up into the trees, temporarily illuminating the forest in bath of blood-red light. The hair on the back of Harry's neck prickled with anticipation, he drew in a long breath and prepared to attack...
Chapter 8: Lost in the Woods
'Oh Harry! I was just having a bit of fun! I didn't mean to scare you...' Vienna wasn't planning on him reacting the way he did.
'I wasn't scared. Now let me get off.' Harry was fuming. She had made a total fool out of him.
'I'm sorry...' Vienna landed the broom softly on the ground, and Harry promptly dismounted and stomped over to Ron and Hermione. She had just joined them, lugging a large book from the library.
'What happened?' Hermione asked, seeing the volatile expression on Harry's face. Ignoring the question, Harry walked off, and sat under one of the goalposts.
'I think,' Ron said, trying to hold in a laugh, 'that Vienna just played a bit of a joke on him...'
'Oh...' Hermione replied, smiling gently as she realised what Vienna had done.
Meanwhile Vienna had once again taken to the skies, feeling a bit guilty about her prank. But soon the fresh kiss of the wind, and the unmistakeable rush of flight brought comfort to her, as she swooped and spun just below the clouds. Perhaps it was a bit mean, but she was only having fun, Vienna thought, as she dove down so that she could see the others.
Hermione and Ron were sitting on the grass talking, or maybe arguing over her book, she couldn't quite tell, while Harry was obviously still sulking by one of the goalposts.
As she went to turn to the right, to get a better view, Vienna noticed some type of interference meddling with the broom. She swooped down lower, ready to land, but disobediently it swung around and began to rise. It seemed as if there was an invisible rope tugging her away. Vienna tried desperately to overpower it, but the broom was swerving in the distinct path of the Forbidden Forest.
'What the hell?' She thought, as the Firebolt shuddered under the opposing force that was pulling her away.
Channelling in on all her concentration, Vienna managed to turn the broom in the direction of Harry and the others. But before she was within earshot of them, the Firebolt began to change course once again.
'Help! Help me please!' Vienna screamed, starting to panic. 'Harry! Ron! Hermione! The broom's gone crazy! Hellllllp!'
It was no use. They were too far away. She kept waving frantically.
'Hey guys, look. Vienna is waving to us!' Ron had been watching her zooming around, totally unaware that Vienna was in trouble.
'Who cares?' Harry said. He had rejoined them, and was still annoyed at her.
'I don't think she's waving Ron,' Hermione replied, a worried tone in her voice, 'it looks like she is signalling for help.'
Harry looked up. Hermione was right. The broom was shuddering and facing the other way, as if Vienna was being taken somewhere. 'Look! She's going in the direction of the Forbidden Forest!' He cried, forgetting about his anger. 'Come on! We have to follow her.'
Where is it taking me? Vienna was terrified, she was so high up, and the forest drew closer and closer. Squinting, she could make out the running figures of Harry, Hermione and Ron. She could also see the brown roof of Hagrid's hut many miles below. There was no use trying to regain control of the broom, it seemed the closer it got to the forest, the faster and stronger the force pulling it became.
The trees were so close now; Vienna could see the edge of the forest right below her. Suddenly the broom began to descend, very gradually, as Vienna entered the perimeter of the forest.
Someone was obviously controlling it, summoning it. Someone Vienna did not want to meet. There was no other choice, unless she wanted to be taken into the very heart of the forest. She had to jump, even if she wasn't low enough. It was now or never...
Harry, Ron and Hermione reached the edge of the forest. They looked up, watching on helplessly as the blurred silhouette of Vienna dropped from the broom, and fell into the gloom and darkness of the Forbidden Forest...
'Vienna!' Hermione was screaming, cold tears streaming down her cheeks.
Ron was still looking towards the darkness of the trees, panic strewn across his face. 'What do we do?' he asked the other two shakily.
'Let-lets get Hagrid' Hermione stammered.
'No, there's not enough time,' Harry said resolutely, 'by the time we get him, who knows what could happen to Vienna? We've got to go find her now.'
'Wait!' Ron said shrilly, glancing fearfully at the forest, 'I'll go get Hagrid and catch up okay?' He had been in the Forbidden forest one too many times for his liking already.
'Great. If we get in trouble, I'll send a red spark up.' With that Harry and Hermione bolted into the shadows of the trees, leaving the safety of the warm sunlight. As he glanced behind him, Harry could see Ron already running in the direction of Hagrid's hut.
Almost immediately, it became hard to see. The dark boughs of the trees loomed menacingly above.
'Lumos' both Harry and Hermione muttered, holding out their wands defensively, cutting the thick, stuffy air. The trees slowly began to crowd in closer, as the pair ventured deeper into the forest. Unsettling sounds were all about them, and sinister roots curled around their feet.
'Are you sure we are going in the right direction?' Hermione whispered, brushing a spider web off her face.
'I, I don't know...' They had been travelling in an almost straight direction since they had entered the forest, so they couldn't be far off.
It was so dark now, that their wands cast long shadows into the empty gloom between the trees, and every footstep crackled loudly beneath them. Secretly Harry was starting to doubt that they had come the right way, it seemed like they were too far into the forest.
'Harry! Look over here!' Hermione shouted, piercing the unsettled air, making him spin around. 'There's a patch of light over there...I think I can see her!'
They ran breathlessly towards the thin sliver of light, which slowly grew larger as they drew near. Sure enough there was something lying in a heap, half dappled in the crisp daylight cutting through the trees.
'Oh my god! Vienna!' Harry knelt down, lifting a branch that had been resting on her unconscious body. There were leaves and broken branches all around her. She must have crashed through the canopy when she jumped off the broom, Harry thought, rolling her onto her back. A large scratch was visible on Vienna's pale cheek, along with a large bump on her forehead. The rise and fall of her chest was almost non-existent, as she struggled to breathe, her breaths short and irregular.
'Her leg looks broken...' Hermione had bent down beside them, a fearful look on her face.
'We have to get her out of here' Harry said urgently, cradling Vienna's cold body in his arms. Her head rolled lifelessly to one side, as he pulled her into a sitting position.
'Vee, can you hear me... please wake up...' his voice was trembling as he looked at Vienna, her frail arms lying limply by her sides, her long silvery hair splayed out behind her. She was so cold, yet Harry distinctly saw Vienna's eyelids flicker.
'Harry!' Hermione's scream brought him out of his trance. She was pointing her wand into the eerie darkness, pacing around nervously.
'I heard something. Moving, over to our left in the distance.' Her voice was quavering, and her hand was shaking as she spoke. 'There's something coming, what do we do? How are we going to get out of here?'
'I, I don't know...' Harry got up, gently placing Vienna's head back on the ground. Motioning for Hermione to be quiet, he struggled to hear any irregular noises.
Hermione was right. Something was coming towards them.
Pointing his wand protectively in front of him, Harry edged towards the sound, straining his eyes trying to look into the formidable darkness. The sound of crackling branches was coming towards them, in roughly the same direction that they had entered the forest in. What ever it was, it was seconds away.
Harry waited, wand drawn, while Hermione ran over to shield Vienna. A shadow was upon them; he could see its shifting shape darting between the trees. Hermione shot a red spark up into the trees, temporarily illuminating the forest in bath of blood-red light. The hair on the back of Harry's neck prickled with anticipation, he drew in a long breath and prepared to attack...