(A/N: Ok, I do believe I've fixed everything and I've found a new way to
upload stuff, so the symbols will probably never happen ever, ever again!
Thanks guys for being so patient and for all your reviews, you are so
awesome and so smart, cuz some of you have picked up on my foreshadowing!)
Chapter Twelve: Escape To Freedom
The metallic smell of blood filled the air, making Ginny nauseous. She was looking at her blood stained hands, as if they weren't hers, as if she weren't even there, she was seeing this from a great distance. But they were hers.
"Oh no, oh no." Ginny said over and over to herself.
A very unpleasant feeling began to grow within her. She felt her stomach contract and convulse until she was forced to her knees and vomited the meager contents of her stomach. She sat there for what seemed forever before she registered someone was speaking.
"Ginny? What happened? Are you okay?" It was Lisbeth, and her voice was laced with fear.
Ginny wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then almost gagged. The blood from her hand smeared onto her face, the stench entering her nose. Ginny fought the urge to vomit while dragging herself to the cot. She grabbed the blanket and began wiping at her mouth and hands. They were still a little red, but the blood was gone.
"I'm okay, Lisbeth." Ginny finally called back. "I'm gonna get us out of here."
Ginny looked over at Lucius' body laying on the floor just outside her cell. He wasn't moving, but Ginny knew he wasn't dead and it would only be a matter of minutes before he awoke. Trying to overcome the nausea, Ginny walked over to Lucius and crouched down. She reached her hands through the bars and began searching his pockets slowly. She found his wand in the first pocket she checked. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alohamora!" She shouted, pointing the wand at the lock.but nothing happened.
Ginny tried a few more lock-breaking charms, but none of them worked! It must have been guarded against such paltry magic. Feeling panicked, Ginny crouched down again, now frantically searching his pockets. She could see his chest rise and fall in a regular pattern, but he was still unmoving. The last pocket was hard for Ginny to reach. She had to press her whole body up against the cold bars, which froze like ice. She reached her hand in and pulled out a set of keys. Ginny quickly stood back up and used the key in the lock and when she heard it click she thought she would cry.
Carefully side stepping Lucius, Ginny ran towards Lisbeth's cell and stopped in front of it. The little girl was seated on her cot and she seemed to be crying into her hands. Ginny quickly unlocked the cell and rushed in.
"Shh, it's okay!" Ginny said, comforting Lisbeth as best she could.
The small girl had mousy brown hair, which would have looked beautiful if it had been well taken care of. Her face was a mess, smeared with dirt and tears, her eyes red from crying. Ginny could only imagine what she herself looked like.
"You made it!" Lisbeth could barely whisper.
"Of course I did, and we're going to get out of here." Ginny gave her a quick hug, then stood up. "Come on, grab that food, we're leaving this dump."
Ginny walked back to her own cell and after stepping over Lucius twice, emerged from her cell with her own pillowcase full of food. Making sure she had both the wand, and the key, Ginny ushered Lisbeth to the door at the end. She tried the key first, which worked.
"Ok, Lisbeth," Ginny started. "I don't know what's on the other side of this door, alright? I know a few curses and counter curses, in case there are guards. If I say run, I want you to run back to your cell, lock yourself in, and pretend like you were never out of it, alright?"
Lisbeth nodded her head, then watched as Ginny undid the latch and pull the door away from the wall, to reveal something she would never have guessed to be there.
~*~*~
The sky was just beginning to grow dark, a few stars shining brightly in the sky. The world from up hear looked so different. The trees were so small and the houses even smaller. Draco would have appreciated the view if his rear wasn't sore from flying nearly half the day.
He had decided earlier to go get Ginny. It wasn't a matter of whether he could rescuer her, or not, he was going to get her-period. There was something pulling him, and he didn't know what it was, only that if he tried to stay cooped up in that school any longer he would go insane. He couldn't tell anyone, they'd be bound to try and stop him and let the authorities see to it. But Draco knew those who had "authority" were always manipulated by his Father.
Draco shook his head vigorously, trying to both get his Father out of his head, and stay awake. The cold night air had helped a bit, but he was fastly becoming tired. The sunset painted the sky in deep red/oranges, which strangely reminded him of Ginny.
"Can't you get her out of your mind for just one second?" He yelled at himself.
He knew he was near, though. His Father had prepared this small wood exactly for this occasion, and not many people knew about.not even the Death Eaters. Lucius had gone to great lengths to have the system of prisons made, and when it was completed, those who built it mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Those who were manning the prisons were either under a strong spell, or Lucius threatened their lives and the lives of everyone they knew. He was a people person, indeed. Draco thought.
As he neared the spot he knew he'd have to continue on foot. The whole area would be watched by wizards and beasts alike, and arriving by broom would be like knocking on their front door.
Draco landed in a copse of trees near a small stream. He hid his broom amongst some bushes, then walked over to the stream. He swallowed two handfuls of water, then concentrated on what he was going to do. When he opened his eyes again he saw the reflection of a wolf staring back.
~*~*~
It went up and up forever, and just at the end they could make out the darkening sky. Ginny couldn't believe this is what was behind the door. A circular room with the diameter of no more than six feet that just went up, shadows dancing off the walls.
"How do we get out of here?" Lisbeth asked.
I wish I knew. Ginny thought, but couldn't bring herself to say.
"Um, just give me time to think of a good charm.maybe a floating charm? No, we're too big for that." Ginny sat down and began to run through her entire school career.
Hogwart's was supposed to prepare young witches and wizards for the future, but being stuck in a hole wasn't planned on. Nothing she could remember learning would help her. Maybe if she had her potions set she could make a sticky hands and feet potion and they could just crawl up the wall. But of course something that would help would be denied her.
"Ginny!" Lisbeth began tugging on her arm.
"Not now, I'm trying to think."
If she had her broom near by she could just use the summoning charm, like Harry used in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
"But, Gin-"
"Lisbeth, you're disturbing my train of thought."
If only Harry were here, he'd save her, like he did her first year.
Then something Ginny hadn't counted on happened, which made her blood run cold. She heard movement in the hallway. Ginny slowly peeked her head out the door and saw Lucius begin to get up, looking groggy and lost. She knew any moment he would look over at her empty cell and realize what had happened. Ginny grabbed for the door but it was stuck on its hinges.
"Come-on-stupid-thing!" Ginny grunted as she pulled and tugged.
Lucius looked as if he had finally realized what had happened, because he stood up quickly and started running towards the door. Ginny kicked the door with her foot, hoping that would do the trick, and it did. She began pulling it with all her strength, but just before it closed a hand stuck through. Ginny screamed as the door came crashing upon the hand and an ear splitting scream echoed around them. The hand retrieved and Ginny pulled the door again, slipped and crashed into the wall. She got up, ignored the pain in her side, and locked the door.
"Ok, think, think think!" She tried to go back in time, try to remember every class she had ever had, but that incessant banging on the door, mixed with Lucius's muted curses and Lisbeth's nagging wasn't helping.
"Ginny!" Lisbeth screamed, pinching Ginny hard on the arm.
"Owe, what did you do that for?" Ginny rubbed the sore spot on her arm.
"I was going to say that I've been down here before."
"You what? Impossible!"
"No, when I was younger we went to visit my Aunt Tabby's house and I liked to play out in her gardens a lot. They told me not to go near it, but I did anyway and I fell in. It took them the whole day to hear my screaming and then they finally found me and pulled me out."
"What are you saying?"
"I fell down her well!" Lisbeth began to laugh. "Ginny, we're in a well!"
Ginny looked up and tried to imagine what the top looked like. She did see a patch of ever darkening sky, but a shadowed something was blocking the top. Perhaps.
"Stand back!" Ginny commanded. "Accio rope!"
Ginny stood back as well and waited with bated breath. After a few moments she heard something coming towards them, flying through the air. It had seemed a miracle, but there, right in front of her eyes, was a rope! She felt like jumping up and down and celebrating, but there'd be time enough for that later.
"Grab hold!" Ginny said, watching Lisbeth grab the end of the rope and hold on tight. "Remmette rope!" Suddenly the rope began to lift Lisbeth off the ground and into the air. "When you reach the top try to climb out and throw the rope back down!"
Ginny watched as Lisbeth lifted higher and higher and finally she could no longer see her. A second later the rope began to fall again. Ginny grabbed hold and repeated the spell, this time felt herself being lifted up, the cold wind meeting her face. She had the wand and keys in her pocket, and she grasped the pillowcase of food in her hand. She reached the top and for the first time in a long while breathed deep, enjoying the fresh air. She climbed out of the hole and onto the grass near Lisbeth, not believing her luck.
"We did it, Ginny! We made it!" Lisbeth sang, happily.
"Shh! Be quiet!" Ginny grabbed Lisbeth and dropped them both to the ground. "We don't know who's watching."
Lisbeth's eyes shot wide open. She had thought they were finally free, but realizing that they were only half way out sobered her happy spirits.
Ginny looked around the area they were in. It was hard to think that just below them lay a dungeon where she had been kept prisoner for probably a month. The woods around them looked so peaceful and innocent, even this lone ancient well gave the scene a picturesque quality. Looks can be deceiving. She said to herself.
The sky above was now completely dark, sprinkled with stars and a few dark gray clouds. The pain in her side was steadily growing stronger, but she ignored it, like she had while playing Quidditch when a bludger hit her.
"Well, I think we should head that way, under the cover of those trees. The wood is bound to end somewhere.let's just hope it ends at the edge of a village or town."
Lisbeth nodded her head and followed Ginny from bush to bush as they made their way into the woods. Once Lisbeth caught up with Ginny she placed her small hand inside of Ginny's, looking up. Ginny looked down and smiled, squeezing Lisbeth's hand a bit. Ginny looked forward only to stop dead in her tracks. She slowly made her way protectively in front of Lisbeth and once she was sure she was shielding the girl, she drew the wand.
Standing a few yards away was a white wolf.
Chapter Twelve: Escape To Freedom
The metallic smell of blood filled the air, making Ginny nauseous. She was looking at her blood stained hands, as if they weren't hers, as if she weren't even there, she was seeing this from a great distance. But they were hers.
"Oh no, oh no." Ginny said over and over to herself.
A very unpleasant feeling began to grow within her. She felt her stomach contract and convulse until she was forced to her knees and vomited the meager contents of her stomach. She sat there for what seemed forever before she registered someone was speaking.
"Ginny? What happened? Are you okay?" It was Lisbeth, and her voice was laced with fear.
Ginny wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, then almost gagged. The blood from her hand smeared onto her face, the stench entering her nose. Ginny fought the urge to vomit while dragging herself to the cot. She grabbed the blanket and began wiping at her mouth and hands. They were still a little red, but the blood was gone.
"I'm okay, Lisbeth." Ginny finally called back. "I'm gonna get us out of here."
Ginny looked over at Lucius' body laying on the floor just outside her cell. He wasn't moving, but Ginny knew he wasn't dead and it would only be a matter of minutes before he awoke. Trying to overcome the nausea, Ginny walked over to Lucius and crouched down. She reached her hands through the bars and began searching his pockets slowly. She found his wand in the first pocket she checked. Ginny breathed a sigh of relief.
"Alohamora!" She shouted, pointing the wand at the lock.but nothing happened.
Ginny tried a few more lock-breaking charms, but none of them worked! It must have been guarded against such paltry magic. Feeling panicked, Ginny crouched down again, now frantically searching his pockets. She could see his chest rise and fall in a regular pattern, but he was still unmoving. The last pocket was hard for Ginny to reach. She had to press her whole body up against the cold bars, which froze like ice. She reached her hand in and pulled out a set of keys. Ginny quickly stood back up and used the key in the lock and when she heard it click she thought she would cry.
Carefully side stepping Lucius, Ginny ran towards Lisbeth's cell and stopped in front of it. The little girl was seated on her cot and she seemed to be crying into her hands. Ginny quickly unlocked the cell and rushed in.
"Shh, it's okay!" Ginny said, comforting Lisbeth as best she could.
The small girl had mousy brown hair, which would have looked beautiful if it had been well taken care of. Her face was a mess, smeared with dirt and tears, her eyes red from crying. Ginny could only imagine what she herself looked like.
"You made it!" Lisbeth could barely whisper.
"Of course I did, and we're going to get out of here." Ginny gave her a quick hug, then stood up. "Come on, grab that food, we're leaving this dump."
Ginny walked back to her own cell and after stepping over Lucius twice, emerged from her cell with her own pillowcase full of food. Making sure she had both the wand, and the key, Ginny ushered Lisbeth to the door at the end. She tried the key first, which worked.
"Ok, Lisbeth," Ginny started. "I don't know what's on the other side of this door, alright? I know a few curses and counter curses, in case there are guards. If I say run, I want you to run back to your cell, lock yourself in, and pretend like you were never out of it, alright?"
Lisbeth nodded her head, then watched as Ginny undid the latch and pull the door away from the wall, to reveal something she would never have guessed to be there.
~*~*~
The sky was just beginning to grow dark, a few stars shining brightly in the sky. The world from up hear looked so different. The trees were so small and the houses even smaller. Draco would have appreciated the view if his rear wasn't sore from flying nearly half the day.
He had decided earlier to go get Ginny. It wasn't a matter of whether he could rescuer her, or not, he was going to get her-period. There was something pulling him, and he didn't know what it was, only that if he tried to stay cooped up in that school any longer he would go insane. He couldn't tell anyone, they'd be bound to try and stop him and let the authorities see to it. But Draco knew those who had "authority" were always manipulated by his Father.
Draco shook his head vigorously, trying to both get his Father out of his head, and stay awake. The cold night air had helped a bit, but he was fastly becoming tired. The sunset painted the sky in deep red/oranges, which strangely reminded him of Ginny.
"Can't you get her out of your mind for just one second?" He yelled at himself.
He knew he was near, though. His Father had prepared this small wood exactly for this occasion, and not many people knew about.not even the Death Eaters. Lucius had gone to great lengths to have the system of prisons made, and when it was completed, those who built it mysteriously disappeared, never to be seen again. Those who were manning the prisons were either under a strong spell, or Lucius threatened their lives and the lives of everyone they knew. He was a people person, indeed. Draco thought.
As he neared the spot he knew he'd have to continue on foot. The whole area would be watched by wizards and beasts alike, and arriving by broom would be like knocking on their front door.
Draco landed in a copse of trees near a small stream. He hid his broom amongst some bushes, then walked over to the stream. He swallowed two handfuls of water, then concentrated on what he was going to do. When he opened his eyes again he saw the reflection of a wolf staring back.
~*~*~
It went up and up forever, and just at the end they could make out the darkening sky. Ginny couldn't believe this is what was behind the door. A circular room with the diameter of no more than six feet that just went up, shadows dancing off the walls.
"How do we get out of here?" Lisbeth asked.
I wish I knew. Ginny thought, but couldn't bring herself to say.
"Um, just give me time to think of a good charm.maybe a floating charm? No, we're too big for that." Ginny sat down and began to run through her entire school career.
Hogwart's was supposed to prepare young witches and wizards for the future, but being stuck in a hole wasn't planned on. Nothing she could remember learning would help her. Maybe if she had her potions set she could make a sticky hands and feet potion and they could just crawl up the wall. But of course something that would help would be denied her.
"Ginny!" Lisbeth began tugging on her arm.
"Not now, I'm trying to think."
If she had her broom near by she could just use the summoning charm, like Harry used in the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
"But, Gin-"
"Lisbeth, you're disturbing my train of thought."
If only Harry were here, he'd save her, like he did her first year.
Then something Ginny hadn't counted on happened, which made her blood run cold. She heard movement in the hallway. Ginny slowly peeked her head out the door and saw Lucius begin to get up, looking groggy and lost. She knew any moment he would look over at her empty cell and realize what had happened. Ginny grabbed for the door but it was stuck on its hinges.
"Come-on-stupid-thing!" Ginny grunted as she pulled and tugged.
Lucius looked as if he had finally realized what had happened, because he stood up quickly and started running towards the door. Ginny kicked the door with her foot, hoping that would do the trick, and it did. She began pulling it with all her strength, but just before it closed a hand stuck through. Ginny screamed as the door came crashing upon the hand and an ear splitting scream echoed around them. The hand retrieved and Ginny pulled the door again, slipped and crashed into the wall. She got up, ignored the pain in her side, and locked the door.
"Ok, think, think think!" She tried to go back in time, try to remember every class she had ever had, but that incessant banging on the door, mixed with Lucius's muted curses and Lisbeth's nagging wasn't helping.
"Ginny!" Lisbeth screamed, pinching Ginny hard on the arm.
"Owe, what did you do that for?" Ginny rubbed the sore spot on her arm.
"I was going to say that I've been down here before."
"You what? Impossible!"
"No, when I was younger we went to visit my Aunt Tabby's house and I liked to play out in her gardens a lot. They told me not to go near it, but I did anyway and I fell in. It took them the whole day to hear my screaming and then they finally found me and pulled me out."
"What are you saying?"
"I fell down her well!" Lisbeth began to laugh. "Ginny, we're in a well!"
Ginny looked up and tried to imagine what the top looked like. She did see a patch of ever darkening sky, but a shadowed something was blocking the top. Perhaps.
"Stand back!" Ginny commanded. "Accio rope!"
Ginny stood back as well and waited with bated breath. After a few moments she heard something coming towards them, flying through the air. It had seemed a miracle, but there, right in front of her eyes, was a rope! She felt like jumping up and down and celebrating, but there'd be time enough for that later.
"Grab hold!" Ginny said, watching Lisbeth grab the end of the rope and hold on tight. "Remmette rope!" Suddenly the rope began to lift Lisbeth off the ground and into the air. "When you reach the top try to climb out and throw the rope back down!"
Ginny watched as Lisbeth lifted higher and higher and finally she could no longer see her. A second later the rope began to fall again. Ginny grabbed hold and repeated the spell, this time felt herself being lifted up, the cold wind meeting her face. She had the wand and keys in her pocket, and she grasped the pillowcase of food in her hand. She reached the top and for the first time in a long while breathed deep, enjoying the fresh air. She climbed out of the hole and onto the grass near Lisbeth, not believing her luck.
"We did it, Ginny! We made it!" Lisbeth sang, happily.
"Shh! Be quiet!" Ginny grabbed Lisbeth and dropped them both to the ground. "We don't know who's watching."
Lisbeth's eyes shot wide open. She had thought they were finally free, but realizing that they were only half way out sobered her happy spirits.
Ginny looked around the area they were in. It was hard to think that just below them lay a dungeon where she had been kept prisoner for probably a month. The woods around them looked so peaceful and innocent, even this lone ancient well gave the scene a picturesque quality. Looks can be deceiving. She said to herself.
The sky above was now completely dark, sprinkled with stars and a few dark gray clouds. The pain in her side was steadily growing stronger, but she ignored it, like she had while playing Quidditch when a bludger hit her.
"Well, I think we should head that way, under the cover of those trees. The wood is bound to end somewhere.let's just hope it ends at the edge of a village or town."
Lisbeth nodded her head and followed Ginny from bush to bush as they made their way into the woods. Once Lisbeth caught up with Ginny she placed her small hand inside of Ginny's, looking up. Ginny looked down and smiled, squeezing Lisbeth's hand a bit. Ginny looked forward only to stop dead in her tracks. She slowly made her way protectively in front of Lisbeth and once she was sure she was shielding the girl, she drew the wand.
Standing a few yards away was a white wolf.