PP: Hey! I got three reviews!!! Thank you people! And thanks to Lady
Russell Holmes, callas-and-ivy, and Chibi Dragon for NOT reviewing, so I
can see how I would fare on my own! Thanks, pals!!! Go read their
stories!!!
YPP: You're such an idiot! Why would you ask them NOT to review? I mean, a review is a review, right?
PP: Yeah, but wouldn't you feel dejected if ALL your reviews came from friends? I mean, it's sort of an 'obligation' to review their stories...
YPP: A review is a review, right?
PP: But I'd feel bad...
YPP: A review is a review, right?
PP: Oh shut up!
YPP: *smirk*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Losing Hermione
By Phire Phoenix
Chapter Two
On the Segregation of the Queen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Recap: "That's when they struck"
Out of the forbidden forest, screaming a war cry came fifty more Death Eaters, bringing their total up to 120. A cruel smile played on Voldemort's lips as he regained his 'lost' strength and called out, in a strong and cold voice, to charge. Even with the werewolves, Giants, Centaurs and the two Unicorns who'd agreed to help, their number was only 80. The wounded had not been counted, but there were twenty at the very least.
Harry whirled around and looked for Hermione. He knew that those who fought on the Dark side had suffered casualties. Only about 90 were truly fit. But on their side, they had losses, too, and they were still overpowered. He would need the gift of friendship his mates gave him. Like Dumbledore had told him last year, his friends would stick it out with him, and that's truly the only reason he had allowed them to put themselves in danger.
However, he barely had time to evade the next spell shooting his way. Knowing that time was crucial, he stood back to back with Ron, a determined grimace set on his face. Death Eaters advanced and fell, one by one, with a powerful Defence Against the Dark Arts curse. Harry tried to ignore the gashes that were tearing at his arm. He had assumed that curses would be less - physical. Apparently not. Ron was doing everything he could to block curses for both of them, and attack at the same time.
As Harry jumped away from yet another curse, pushing Ron to one side to shield him, too, Avery leapt up and blocked their way. Harry, furious, stunned him with a spell more powerful than any Stupefy spell, but the curse they had been trying to dodge hit Ron full on.
It was the Cruciatus Curse.
Ron collapsed on the ground, screaming in pain. He writhed in agony, and all that Harry could do was to look on. He knew that he curse would only stop if the person commanding it stopped, or if that same person was killed. Standing up, he glared at the circle of Death Eaters, all looking at him with great pleasure. He did not notice that some were backing away, creating a gap. He did not notice the Dark Figure stepping forth to fill the gap. He did not notice that most of the remaining fighters ceased their spells. He only saw the satisfied smirk on one of the Death Eater's face.
Raising his wand, he opened his mouth to utter a deadly curse.
Hermione noticed all that Harry did not. With horror she realised that it was the Dark Lord who was standing behind Harry, wand raised. It didn't take her a long time to figure out what had happened. The reinforcements were to confuse them, so that Voldemort would have a free rein. Someone was to hurt Ron, blinding Harry from the truth, in a sense, and while Harry sought revenge, Voldemort would strike.
She screamed, a loud shrill scream that drowned out Ron's sobbing. Harry did not hear her, but continued to mouth the words he was so itching to mutter. Avada -
A green jet of light caught at the corner of Harry's eye. It had split into two streaks, each heading for Ron and himself respectively. He whipped around to see another one, a red light, deflect it. Time seemed to slow down as the Professors gasped and even the Death Eaters opened their mouths in surprise. The green streaks were spiralling around the red one, slowly fusing themselves together with it, until they turned yellow.
The yellow streaks stopped shooting out. Instead, it started to glow fiercer as it retracted its course and returned to the wand that had sent it. A blocking spell mixed with Avada Kedavra, snaking its way back to a young magician's wand.
The Death Eater who had been torturing Ron stopped in astonishment. Ron moaned and pushed himself up to see -
Hermione was standing a few feet away from them, wand determinedly outstretched. A look of terror was plastered on her face was she watched the ray of yellow light come ever closer. She tugged at her wand, but somehow, she couldn't move, not at all. Professor McGonagall started to run towards her, wand raised, when it hit.
No one had ever survived the Avada Kedavra curse. These nine words rang in Harry's ear as he watched the light penetrate her heart. It was different from when ... Cedric ... had died. It didn't seem painless. Hermione let out an ear-splitting yell, a final scream, before slumping to the ground. Nobody said anything in the eerie silence that followed. No sound was produced except for Ron's quiet sobbing. Harry had collapsed on the ground, next to his friend.
Nobody moved, not even the Dementors. There was something holding them back, but it wasn't the ten Patronus circling around them. Voldemort seemed stunned that Hermione would risk her life for Harry and Ron. Hagrid had been correct. There wasn't enough human left in him. He didn't understand love, because he had never received any. He didn't understand Friendship, because nobody extended it to him. All he understood was power.
Slowly some teachers pushed past the silent Death Eaters. Professor McGonagall kneeled beside Harry. Two teachers carried Hermione back to the castle. But when McGonagall put a comforting hand on Harry and Ron's shoulders, both of them slapped it away. Taken aback, McGonagall regarded the two boys who were slowly standing up, head still bowed. There was a sort of aura around them, a magical aura that they could almost see.
They straightened, and their heads snapped up. Cold, furious eyes took in the circle of Dark Wizards and Teachers. They seemed to have lost their sense. Their hands were linked, and after a final shake, they started to move.
The two boys moved with astounding speed, catching everyone off guard after that moment of inaction. Three Death Eaters had collapsed on the ground before they realised what hit them. McGonagall cried an order to assemble all the unconscious Dark Wizards and for a Giant to guard them. A whistling sound greeted them, announcing the arrival of Harry's Firebolt and Ron's Nimbus 2003. None of the adults had even realised that they had been summoned.
Harry and Ron jumped on their brooms and tore in different directions. They no longer seemed themselves. It was as though the real Potter and Weasley were buried beneath layers of rage, unable to get out. A trail of green followed both of their flight paths, knocking many Dark Wizards down.
The professors, with a cheer, started their counter attack.
~*~
The battle had been a fierce one. There were many men down on both sides. Ron was badly injured, as was McGonagall. They seemed to have come to a mutual agreement of temporary ceasefire. But neither Harry nor Voldemort would have any of it. The two groups watched as they advanced upon each other. Ron tried to make a sound, but nothing came out. He was trying to warn his friend, to protect him, like he and Hermione had sworn to Dumbledore to do. But Dumbledore was gone now, and Hermione, too.
The two rivals, Mortal Enemies stood opposite one another. As if on cue, they cocked their heads curtly, not taking eyes off one another. Harry stepped back and assumed the duelling position, noting with anger that Voldemort seemed rather amused. He didn't care whether he died in this battle. His last rational thought had been to kill Voldemort. Now that was his only purpose in life.
The spell, the gentle spell hit him. Gentle compared to the others he had taken that day, but deadly. The disarming spell. A hush fell on the Death Eaters as the Ministry wizards and the teachers gasped audibly, a sound that reverberated around the clearing. Harry's wand soared through the air and landed at Voldemort's feet. Harry bowed.
"Thank you." He whispered in a voice completely foreign to his own. "Thank you for relieving me of that troublesome piece of wood." Voldemort's eyes widened in shock, and possibly, fear? "Yes, they say that you cannot be killed." Harry continued, his eyes boring into Voldemort, unsettling him even more than the time when their wands had linked in a powerful Priori Incantatem spell.
"Yet I shall prove them wrong." Voldemort had started to laugh then. Voice altering spell, plus faked bravery. How could it have scared him? Kill him? Did this boy of seventeen not know the means he had taken to insure immortality? Did he not experience with his own flesh; see with his own eyes, what he could do?
A golden dome materialised out of nowhere and settled on them, startling everyone else. Followers, Magical Creatures, Teachers, Hit Wizards, all of them stepped forward and pressed tentatively against the dome. It felt like glass, but they all felt a powerful magic pulsating from its smooth surface.
Inside the dome, Voldemort seemed like a helpless little boy. For the first time since he had risen to power, he felt panic, undeniable, uncomfortable panic. Harry had started to glow; something that hadn't happened as far as any book in the library was concerned. A blue light surrounded him, and his hair started to ruffle as if a breeze was playing at it. But there was no wind whatsoever!
The blue light expanded as Harry started to walk towards the middle. It became brighter, and took in more space. Voldemort backed away, slowly, and carefully. Ron closed his eyes at that moment. He whispered something to McGonagall. Both of them were lying at a distance, a bit further away from the dome. The other teachers heard, and followed suit. A faint light started to glow, a green light, on their side of the dome.
The golden contraption seemed to absorb it, and Harry's light seemed to grow even stronger. There wasn't much room left now.
Suddenly, there was a blinding flash inside the dome, making them all turn away from it.
That is, all but Ron, who continued wishing with al his heart.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PP: Well! THAT was -
YPP: Crap.
PP: Well, it's a little bit more forceful than what I had in mind, but I guess crap works, too.
YPP: At it will be over before Monday.
PP: I guess...
YPP: You're such an idiot! Why would you ask them NOT to review? I mean, a review is a review, right?
PP: Yeah, but wouldn't you feel dejected if ALL your reviews came from friends? I mean, it's sort of an 'obligation' to review their stories...
YPP: A review is a review, right?
PP: But I'd feel bad...
YPP: A review is a review, right?
PP: Oh shut up!
YPP: *smirk*
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Losing Hermione
By Phire Phoenix
Chapter Two
On the Segregation of the Queen
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Recap: "That's when they struck"
Out of the forbidden forest, screaming a war cry came fifty more Death Eaters, bringing their total up to 120. A cruel smile played on Voldemort's lips as he regained his 'lost' strength and called out, in a strong and cold voice, to charge. Even with the werewolves, Giants, Centaurs and the two Unicorns who'd agreed to help, their number was only 80. The wounded had not been counted, but there were twenty at the very least.
Harry whirled around and looked for Hermione. He knew that those who fought on the Dark side had suffered casualties. Only about 90 were truly fit. But on their side, they had losses, too, and they were still overpowered. He would need the gift of friendship his mates gave him. Like Dumbledore had told him last year, his friends would stick it out with him, and that's truly the only reason he had allowed them to put themselves in danger.
However, he barely had time to evade the next spell shooting his way. Knowing that time was crucial, he stood back to back with Ron, a determined grimace set on his face. Death Eaters advanced and fell, one by one, with a powerful Defence Against the Dark Arts curse. Harry tried to ignore the gashes that were tearing at his arm. He had assumed that curses would be less - physical. Apparently not. Ron was doing everything he could to block curses for both of them, and attack at the same time.
As Harry jumped away from yet another curse, pushing Ron to one side to shield him, too, Avery leapt up and blocked their way. Harry, furious, stunned him with a spell more powerful than any Stupefy spell, but the curse they had been trying to dodge hit Ron full on.
It was the Cruciatus Curse.
Ron collapsed on the ground, screaming in pain. He writhed in agony, and all that Harry could do was to look on. He knew that he curse would only stop if the person commanding it stopped, or if that same person was killed. Standing up, he glared at the circle of Death Eaters, all looking at him with great pleasure. He did not notice that some were backing away, creating a gap. He did not notice the Dark Figure stepping forth to fill the gap. He did not notice that most of the remaining fighters ceased their spells. He only saw the satisfied smirk on one of the Death Eater's face.
Raising his wand, he opened his mouth to utter a deadly curse.
Hermione noticed all that Harry did not. With horror she realised that it was the Dark Lord who was standing behind Harry, wand raised. It didn't take her a long time to figure out what had happened. The reinforcements were to confuse them, so that Voldemort would have a free rein. Someone was to hurt Ron, blinding Harry from the truth, in a sense, and while Harry sought revenge, Voldemort would strike.
She screamed, a loud shrill scream that drowned out Ron's sobbing. Harry did not hear her, but continued to mouth the words he was so itching to mutter. Avada -
A green jet of light caught at the corner of Harry's eye. It had split into two streaks, each heading for Ron and himself respectively. He whipped around to see another one, a red light, deflect it. Time seemed to slow down as the Professors gasped and even the Death Eaters opened their mouths in surprise. The green streaks were spiralling around the red one, slowly fusing themselves together with it, until they turned yellow.
The yellow streaks stopped shooting out. Instead, it started to glow fiercer as it retracted its course and returned to the wand that had sent it. A blocking spell mixed with Avada Kedavra, snaking its way back to a young magician's wand.
The Death Eater who had been torturing Ron stopped in astonishment. Ron moaned and pushed himself up to see -
Hermione was standing a few feet away from them, wand determinedly outstretched. A look of terror was plastered on her face was she watched the ray of yellow light come ever closer. She tugged at her wand, but somehow, she couldn't move, not at all. Professor McGonagall started to run towards her, wand raised, when it hit.
No one had ever survived the Avada Kedavra curse. These nine words rang in Harry's ear as he watched the light penetrate her heart. It was different from when ... Cedric ... had died. It didn't seem painless. Hermione let out an ear-splitting yell, a final scream, before slumping to the ground. Nobody said anything in the eerie silence that followed. No sound was produced except for Ron's quiet sobbing. Harry had collapsed on the ground, next to his friend.
Nobody moved, not even the Dementors. There was something holding them back, but it wasn't the ten Patronus circling around them. Voldemort seemed stunned that Hermione would risk her life for Harry and Ron. Hagrid had been correct. There wasn't enough human left in him. He didn't understand love, because he had never received any. He didn't understand Friendship, because nobody extended it to him. All he understood was power.
Slowly some teachers pushed past the silent Death Eaters. Professor McGonagall kneeled beside Harry. Two teachers carried Hermione back to the castle. But when McGonagall put a comforting hand on Harry and Ron's shoulders, both of them slapped it away. Taken aback, McGonagall regarded the two boys who were slowly standing up, head still bowed. There was a sort of aura around them, a magical aura that they could almost see.
They straightened, and their heads snapped up. Cold, furious eyes took in the circle of Dark Wizards and Teachers. They seemed to have lost their sense. Their hands were linked, and after a final shake, they started to move.
The two boys moved with astounding speed, catching everyone off guard after that moment of inaction. Three Death Eaters had collapsed on the ground before they realised what hit them. McGonagall cried an order to assemble all the unconscious Dark Wizards and for a Giant to guard them. A whistling sound greeted them, announcing the arrival of Harry's Firebolt and Ron's Nimbus 2003. None of the adults had even realised that they had been summoned.
Harry and Ron jumped on their brooms and tore in different directions. They no longer seemed themselves. It was as though the real Potter and Weasley were buried beneath layers of rage, unable to get out. A trail of green followed both of their flight paths, knocking many Dark Wizards down.
The professors, with a cheer, started their counter attack.
~*~
The battle had been a fierce one. There were many men down on both sides. Ron was badly injured, as was McGonagall. They seemed to have come to a mutual agreement of temporary ceasefire. But neither Harry nor Voldemort would have any of it. The two groups watched as they advanced upon each other. Ron tried to make a sound, but nothing came out. He was trying to warn his friend, to protect him, like he and Hermione had sworn to Dumbledore to do. But Dumbledore was gone now, and Hermione, too.
The two rivals, Mortal Enemies stood opposite one another. As if on cue, they cocked their heads curtly, not taking eyes off one another. Harry stepped back and assumed the duelling position, noting with anger that Voldemort seemed rather amused. He didn't care whether he died in this battle. His last rational thought had been to kill Voldemort. Now that was his only purpose in life.
The spell, the gentle spell hit him. Gentle compared to the others he had taken that day, but deadly. The disarming spell. A hush fell on the Death Eaters as the Ministry wizards and the teachers gasped audibly, a sound that reverberated around the clearing. Harry's wand soared through the air and landed at Voldemort's feet. Harry bowed.
"Thank you." He whispered in a voice completely foreign to his own. "Thank you for relieving me of that troublesome piece of wood." Voldemort's eyes widened in shock, and possibly, fear? "Yes, they say that you cannot be killed." Harry continued, his eyes boring into Voldemort, unsettling him even more than the time when their wands had linked in a powerful Priori Incantatem spell.
"Yet I shall prove them wrong." Voldemort had started to laugh then. Voice altering spell, plus faked bravery. How could it have scared him? Kill him? Did this boy of seventeen not know the means he had taken to insure immortality? Did he not experience with his own flesh; see with his own eyes, what he could do?
A golden dome materialised out of nowhere and settled on them, startling everyone else. Followers, Magical Creatures, Teachers, Hit Wizards, all of them stepped forward and pressed tentatively against the dome. It felt like glass, but they all felt a powerful magic pulsating from its smooth surface.
Inside the dome, Voldemort seemed like a helpless little boy. For the first time since he had risen to power, he felt panic, undeniable, uncomfortable panic. Harry had started to glow; something that hadn't happened as far as any book in the library was concerned. A blue light surrounded him, and his hair started to ruffle as if a breeze was playing at it. But there was no wind whatsoever!
The blue light expanded as Harry started to walk towards the middle. It became brighter, and took in more space. Voldemort backed away, slowly, and carefully. Ron closed his eyes at that moment. He whispered something to McGonagall. Both of them were lying at a distance, a bit further away from the dome. The other teachers heard, and followed suit. A faint light started to glow, a green light, on their side of the dome.
The golden contraption seemed to absorb it, and Harry's light seemed to grow even stronger. There wasn't much room left now.
Suddenly, there was a blinding flash inside the dome, making them all turn away from it.
That is, all but Ron, who continued wishing with al his heart.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
PP: Well! THAT was -
YPP: Crap.
PP: Well, it's a little bit more forceful than what I had in mind, but I guess crap works, too.
YPP: At it will be over before Monday.
PP: I guess...