Enchantress of the Day and Night

Kneazle

Disclaimer: All characters/ideas belong to JK Rowling, Warner Bros., Scholastics, etc, K.A. Applegate's EverWorld, Fern Gully: the Last Rainforest, Mist of Avalon (the movie), Aladdin, Ever After, Chocolat, The Count of Monte Cristo and from Enchantress of the Stars by Sylvia Louise Engdahl, Cirque De Soliel. Also, mostly my odd dreams take some ideas, Princess Mononoke by Hayao Miyazaki, The Vision of Escaflowne, Rayearth: the OVA, Record of Lodoss War, Tekken: The Motion Picture, Macross Plus, Blue Submarine No. 6, Pretty Solider Sailor Moon, Dragonball Z-GT, X-Men: Evolution, The Princess Bride, and from "Disney's Atlantis", Sweep by Cate Tiernan, and Circle of Magic by Tamora Pierce. Most information that is for the covens is based on Wicca, The Dragon's Tapestry, The Prism Moon and The Taker's Key by Martine Bates, Circle of Three by Isobel Bird, and most clan information is from Young Wizards Series by Diane Duane, Lord of the Rings by J.R.R. Tolkien, Hexwood by Diana Wynne Jones and Daughters of the Moon by Lynne Ewing. Information I use can be found at the following websites: Bibliomania, Wiccan.com and Feri.com. You can find other information just by surfing the net and looking for information on historical witches and wizards, and Wicca sites. ~AND~ the book that brought me out of my writer's block: Exodus by Julie Bertagna.

Author's Note: please note that this story is an alternate universe and therefore, some characters MAY act out of character. They act according to their surroundings, or to the role they play, or to their history. ^_^. This story is also mostly MIXED COUPLES, but I promise that it will end up H/Hr, for sure. There will also be a couple of odd couplings, and because of the rating, there is some adult content in the story (sexual bantering, language, adult issues… etc).

Summary: AU – In a world where witches and warlocks battle over slavery rights, where no sex is seen as an equal, a precious few gather to change the races' views before the war between the two escalates into something that could be the beginning – or end – of an era. Previously titled "Of Witches and Warlocks".

Genres: fantasy, romance, action/adventure, and drama

Dedicated to: My father, because he keeps giving me too many story ideas, claiming, "they'll break up your writer's block!" Also, to my friends who keep encouraging me and saying my writing is great, and of course, my online friends and the reviewers. Stoneheart, ECR Potter, Fae Child, CG Anna…

Thank you.

**~**

Chapter Six

            "EXECUTE US?" screamed Hermione. Her eyes were wide and round in shock and horror. "What do you mean, 'execute us'???"

            Parvati rolled her dark eyes at Hermione. " 'Ermione, itsa just whut ah said. Execute us. Chop off yer 'ead. Feed ya ta the birds. Does that satisfy yah?"

            Gulping Hermione nodded. "So there's no way out of this?"

            "We nevar said that," grinned Justin.

            "Well then what were you saying?" asked Ron dryly, leaning coolly back against a wall. He crossed his arms and stared at the sandy-blond haired man.

            " 'Ell… yah see, if yah can get outta yer chains, there's a secret passage at ta end of ta cells, 'ere. Tap ta right brick and yer out," he finished, grinning smugly at Ron. Ron scowled back at him.

            "Which brick is it?" asked Harry, craning his neck over his shoulder to get a view of the back wall. Hermione rolled her eyes, watching as he tried to get into a position that allowed him access to view the wall.

            "We know which one it is…" began Parvati, "But if yah can get us out, we'll 'elp ya."

            Harry and Ron both slumped dejectedly. "We can't get out," Harry sighed.

            Silence hung heavily in the air, until there was a snap and clang. All eyes swiveled to Hermione, who was rubbing red marks on her arms. Glancing up she said calmly, "You never asked if I could get out or not."

            "We thought ya were wit 'em!" Colin exclaimed, jerking his head in Ron's general direction, which growled.

            "Hermione… how did you do that?" asked Harry quietly, watching the girl as she moved forward towards Harry. She gathered the ancient lock in her hand, closed her eyes, and within moments the lock fell heavily into her hands. She placed it quietly on the floor, before moving on to the next person.

            When everyone was out of the chains, Parvati's twin sister, Padma, looked at Hermione with admiration. "Ya speak ta old ways, 'Ermione. There's not many people who could still do 'at."

            Harry and Ron shared a glance over Hermione's head, but she ignored them and asked, "Where's the secret passage out of this place?"

            Colin moved to the front of the group, motioning them to follow him. They weaved through torture chambers, prisoners' cells, and finally came to a wall that was covered with moss. Above them, through a small ventilation hole, they could hear the crowd from the market. Water dripped through the ventilation, making a small puddle on the floor.

            Colin looked both ways before leaning forward and pressing his ear against the cool, damp stone. After a few seconds, he reached up with his right hand and pressed in a brick. There was a slight crunching noise, but soon the brick moved all the way in, leaving a small empty space as to where it had been.

            A few seconds later, light began to seep between the cracks of the bricks, in a crude middle part. The light began to get stronger, before the bricks broke apart like two curtains being opened.

            Everyone slowly began to pile through, hoping that none of the guards would come in and see if they were still there, since the screams of agony and horror disappeared a while back.

            The passage leading them out of the cells was dark and clammy. Moss hung from the ceiling down, and water dripped from crystals hanging from the ceiling. Hermione felt a draft come around a dark corner with a swooping sound. It blew angrily against her face, biting at her cheeks and nose. Her hair whipped back, the force stinging her eyes as she closed them tightly against the onslaught.

            "What the hell was that?" gasped out Ron after the wind disappeared.

            "Oh, that was justa nice blast o' sea air, as this leads out ta an opening," explained Padma, grinning slightly. "How else do we know where ta go?"

            Ron rolled his eyes, and the group followed the escapees down the narrow, damp path. When they finally arrived at sharp L-shaped bend, Hermione opened her mouth to speak.

            "Um… could someone please tell me where we'll be going so we don't get caught?"

            Parvati stopped, and tapped a finger lightly against her lips. "Erm… ah guess we'll be 'eading ta the Enchanted Forest."

            "Enchanted Forest?" gulped Ron, paling slightly. "B-But there's… there's… werewolves and vampires and… and… SPIDERS!"

            Colin glanced over his shoulder and teased lightly, "Afraid of spiders, Ron?"

            Narrowing his eyes, the redhead snarled, "I am NOT!"

            "Then ya can lead us inta the Forest," said Padma, quirking an eyebrow. She flashed Ron a smile, before waving her hand at the L-bend. The bracelets on her arm jingled with the movement. "When we turn ya'll see the ocean. We 'ave our boats down there, so just hop on an' we'll be on our way."

            The group didn't say anything, so the nomads took it as acceptance. They began to walk again, their leather shoes tapping lightly against the uneven, rough floor surface.

            Hermione gasped, bringing a hand up to shield her eyes as they rounded the bend. The sun was glittering off the green water, its light reflecting into the narrow passage, making the dark, damp, moss-crawling passage seem warm and cheery.

            "Do the guards know of this passage?" asked Harry, glancing over his shoulder.

            "Umm… ah don't know," replied Justin, shrugging slightly. "Maybe, maybe not. This passage 'as been 'ere for years, so ah don't know."

            "Great," said Ron, his word bitter. Hermione shot him an unreadable look, and he snapped his mouth shut.

            Edging closer to the front of the group, Hermione glanced over to where Padma had stopped. "What are you waiting for?" she asked.

            Padma turned and smiled. "We can't get down unless we 'ave ropes." Confusing was written on Hermione's face, and Padma laughed. " 'Ere, come an' see for yerself."

            Hermione slipped closer to where Padma was and nearly lost her balance. The passage ended abruptly, dropping into a cliff that had to be a hundred feet up. Below them waves crashed in an angry matter against the rock, its spray flying into the wind. In the distance, Hermione could see two large vessels sitting in the deeper part of the ocean.

            "And where are we going to get some ropes to climb down?" asked Hermione, rather sardonically.

            Padma grinned. Leaning forward to her in conspiracy, she whispered, "Why don't ya make us some, Enchantress?"

            "WHAT?" shrieked Hermione, before lowering her voice and glowering at the nomad. "How do you know that?"

            "It was quite obvious from the moment we met," the girl replied, her thick accent disappearing. The two were oblivious to the crowd around them, who were listening in carefully. "If you ever need our help, Hermione – we'll be there, right beside you. All of us and our kind will."

            "Thank you," nodded Hermione, pulling herself up to full height. "You don't know just what this means to me at the moment. When the time comes, be assured that I will call on you – though I doubt I could ever repay the kindness you are showing me and my friends at the moment."

            "Ya'll figure sumthing out," grinned Padma, the accent returning. Smiling back, Hermione nodded and looked around the stone floor.

            "Well, I suppose this shall do," the girl said, picking up a stone.

            "Hermione, what are you planning on doing with that stone?" asked Ron, narrowing his eyes. Harry watched the scene quietly, the discussing before running through his head. There was something amiss here, but he didn't know just what it was.

            Hermione glanced up at Ron, but said nothing as she looked back down at the rock, before running her hand over the smooth texture. Suddenly, something shifted in the air and at once the rock began to uncoil like a snake and turned into a sturdy rope, long enough to allow everyone to drop down into the water without hurting themselves.

            Gapping openly, Ron finally stuttered, "H-How did you d-do that?"

            Hermione shrugged and answered vaguely, "Practice. I did a lot of transfiguration with my Professor back in Wycliffe."

            Ron accepted this answer, yet Harry remained stone-faced and suspicious. She didn't take him to be such a fool, did she? Couldn't she tell that he knew something was wrong?

            However Harry didn't say anything as he followed Padma, Justin and Colin down the rope, grasping it tightly in his gloved hands. Hermione followed above him, and Harry tried very hard not to look up out of habit and get a noticeably good view of Hermione's backside. Blushing furiously, he continued to climb down at a quick speed and jumped into the water before Justin had even jumped off two people below him.

            The cool water soothed his raging hormones, and Harry felt grateful that there was nothing else against him.

            When everyone was in the water, they began to breaststroke against the waves towards the vessels, when they heard cries and shouts above them. Glancing up, they spotted the guards looking scandalous and angry – Harry supposed they were the first prisoners to ever escape them.

            "WOOOO!" shouted Justin, waving his arms. "HAHA, TAKE THAT!!"

            Hermione echoed them, cheering and hollering at the same time and splashing the water as she treaded. Glancing at Harry she asked, "Aren't you going to cheer? We survived, we're not dying tomorrow morning!"

            "But you forgot about Lavender – you know, the Seer!" protested Ron. Hermione rolled her eyes.

            "Honestly, Ron – if she's a Seer, she probably saw that and that's why she left… so she wouldn't get into trouble. She'll find us again. We'll be fine."

            Ron wanted to retaliate that comment but as he opened his mouth a wave crashed into him, making him sputter and choke on the sea water.

            Laughing, Hermione said, "C'mon, we don't want to be left behind." She then continued to swim powerfully towards the other nomads, her movements precise and consistent.

            As she boarded, Parvati handed her a cloak to keep her warm. "Thanks," she said.

            Parvati bowed and grinned, "Not a problem, Enchantress."

            Hermione was startled for a few moments before she gained her voice back. Nervously, Hermione looked over at Harry and Ron, who were just clambering aboard. "I'd really appreciate it if you don't say anything about that anymore. They don't know who I am, so please – Hermione will do fine."

            Parvati nodded. "As you wish, Hermione."

            "Thanks again," replied the year-grieved teen. She had such a burden on her shoulders, and had barely a life when everything began to crumble around her. Save the world, fight the bad guy, and still have fun and be a teenager in the meantime? It just wasn't possible.

            As Hermione watched the surging waves crash against the side of the boat, and heard Ron sputtering in the background of the unfairness of being wet, she wondered just where these people would take them – would they reach their destination, and how long would it be before Harry and Ron found out who she was? She couldn't hide her true birthright for such a long time… and as soon as they reached Castle Lorien, well… they would know, and their friendship would suffer.

            Hermione didn't want that. She had begun to respect and enjoy the company of these two males… before she would have doubted that she even would give them a second glance unless they were captured by the Days – she shuddered at the thought, and Harry, misjudging it for a shiver of the brisk ocean wind, wrapped a discarded blanket around her.

            "Cold?" he asked, their disagreements behind them.

            "Not really, but thank you," said Hermione, her lips tight. If Ginny would be around, the girl would die of laughter saying she looked like her old school teacher, Minerva. Then again, she wasn't, so nothing was said.

            The boat moved forward, a lulling up-down motion that was a like a flowing river… endless and continued on until they were to reach their destination. The winds blew them strong and forcefully out into the open waters of Ino, blowing them far from the strange and exotic land that Hermione had experienced for a precious few hours.

            "How did you manage to get your lock off?" Harry finally asked. Hermione started at the question, and turned her head slightly to look at him. Her brown, now dirty, ringlets of hair blew past her face and she lifted a hand to hold them back so she could watch him.

            "Why do you ask?" she held her breath. Did he know…?

            Harry shrugged. "Well, it seemed weird that you hadn't done it earlier or anything… and it was strong magick, that's all."

            "Oh…" Hermione bit her lip and looked back out at the green waters. Should I tell him? She wondered, frowning slightly. What would he say? Well, it isn't like he could go anywhere, she rationalized, and if anything, he would be glad to know now, rather than later…

            "Harry"—began Hermione, opening her mouth to say who she truly was.

            "STORM BREWING!" called a voice from high above the two. Hermione glanced up and saw Colin up on this box-like platform, holding tightly on to a post. "DUE EAST!"

            "We're sailing right into it!" called another voice – Parvati's. She would've said more if it weren't for the killer wave that slammed into the side of the boat, making it tip.

            There were a few screams, but most people on the boat began running around, making sure the oars where still attached, the sails weren't going to fly off, and there were at least two people up at the stern.

"Hermione, hang on to something!" shouted Harry, grabbing Hermione around the waist and wrapping a rope tight around her hips, securing it with a double knot.

            She screamed as another wave rolled into the ship, making it teeter uncontrollably. Someone cried out above the roar of the waves, "We're turning over!"

            Hermione, knowing that they would die if the ship did roll, and somehow stayed that way, had to do something.

            She furrowed her brow as she concentrated hard on something in front of her – a focal point. It was Ron, hanging on tightly to the rail, muttering (probably prayers) under his breath.

            She concentrated on the waves around them, the water and the air. She made herself become one with the waves – she felt the roll, the laziness and fury they controlled; she felt the lull of riding the waves like she never had before… her whole being, her whole self had seemed to spread around in an unrestrained mass.

            Coming to her senses and leaving the pure ecstasy of riding the waves behind, she concentrated hard on making them obey her command to disperse, to become calm again.

            Beads of sweat began to form on her forehead, and trickle down the undersides of her arms and back of her neck. She wasn't sure if it was all sweat though – her hair was sticky and clumping together from the salty water, and her eyes stung.

            After a couple more minutes, Hermione began to get dizzy from concentrating. She began to see black spots dance across her vision, just as she felt the boat slowly rock to a systematic roll that it had before the storm tossed up.

            Sun peaked out from behind a cloud, and before long, the water was a sparkling blue-green, with a slight salty breeze that was strong enough to get the passengers of the boat calm and moving towards their destination.

            Hermione, however, was exhausted. She had never done anything remotely close to trying to control the elements, and it had taken its toll on her. She slumped against Harry, who was cheering along with the other members of the crew at the success of escaping the storm.

            He suddenly stopped when he felt Hermione lean against him, and in worry and surprise he looked down at the pale, trembling girl.

            "Hermione? Hermione, what's wrong?" his voice began to rise to hysteria as he looked around the deck. "Parvati! Ron! Someone – Hermione's fainted, or is ill – I don't know what to do!"

            Parvati rushed over, glancing at the girl and then frowning. She felt for her pulse, and found it strong and steady. A thought crossed her mind and her mouth formed an "o".

            "She will be fine. We'll let her rest in the Captain's Quarters. Follow me."

            Harry followed mutely, gulping and rearranging Hermione in his arms for maximum comfort.

            The Captain's Quarters were small yet comfy, with a red and gold fluffy bed and bookcase filled with books on the Talamancaian Woods. His homeland.

            Sighing, Harry placed Hermione on the bed and Parvati put a quilt over the girl's shivering body. Following Harry's gaze, Parvati smiled.

            "We barter a lot with the covens and clans in the Talamancaian area. Or," her face darkened, "We used to."

            "What happened?" inquired Harry, turning to look at the olive-skinned girl.

            "Something. I don't know how to explain it in words, but you feel it. The entire coven's we went to were destroyed, everything down to the last blade of grass. But there was a presence there… a presence of something that was… given a word… evil."

            Parvati then turned and left the Captain's Quarters, leaving Harry and Hermione by themselves, and Harry with his thoughts.

**-**

            Ginny had never been so frightened in her whole life. She was stuck with a Death Eater of sorts, who was obsessed with finding her best friend, Hermione, stealing her away from someone she wasn't even courting and someone Ginny absolutely adored to smithereens, Harry Potter, and kill her brother Ron because he was a jerk. That made absolutely no sense to her. At all.

            Now they were flying over the Ino Ocean, trying to reach the spot where Draco was tracking Hermione and the others. Apparently, he said, they had landed between Skye City, and the Bay of the Day. From there, they went a bit out into the Bay, and then disappeared, which had made Draco very, very angry.

            Did Ginny mention she was frightened?

            Now she had the wind biting her cheeks and nose, and she was shivering, as she pressed unconsciously closer to Draco's back. He was flying neck-breaking speeds to get to their last location. He was sure that someone would remember them there. It wasn't took hard to forget someone with shockingly red hair, a young man with ebony hair and a weird scar on his forehead and a bushy-haired, bucktooth girl.

            At least, Draco hoped. He had doubts since he agreed to this mission. He hadn't wanted to do it, but Dumbledore and Snape seemed insistent to the point of bodily harming him. But that didn't mean he had to like it. Besides having Ginny tagging along, they were flying over water, which was something Draco had feared from the very first day he could remember.

            During his musings, he had neglected to look at the horizon, and was startled when Ginny whimpered out, "ooh, that looks like trouble."

            He followed the shaking finger and nearly swore out loud. He did pale, but there was no difference since his skin was naturally pale.

            Storm clouds were swirling dangerous together, and he could see the lightning flashing in the distance. Faint rumblings echoed across the water below them some hundred feet, which had begun to become choppy with whitecaps.

            "Can we go around it?" asked Ginny, her voice shaking with fear. Draco could also feel her shaking against his back, and knew that the storm wasn't her only reason to be afraid. Sighing, he wondered if there would be anyone out there that wasn't afraid of him.

            "I don't know… I don't think so. This is the most direct route to the Bay of the Day…" Draco let his voice trail off, the drawl his twanging in it. Almost reluctantly, he pointed the broom handle towards the storm, and shot off towards it, Ginny clasping his waist so tightly, he wondered when he would stop breathing.

            Only after a few moments, they were soaked to their skin, bracing themselves against a gale-like wind that was trying to blow them off course and spinning uncontrollably into the choppy waters below.

            Gripping the handle tightly, Draco gritted his teeth. There was no way out of this storm, and he was having a hard time keeping the broom on course and going straight.

            "We're not going to make it!" Ginny screamed. Her death grip on Draco made him choke and let go of the broom handle to remove her hands from his stomach.

            Everything went in slow motion… the broom dipping, their screams of horror as they began to plunge headfirst into the dark, deadly waters…

            Draco went under first, and his grip on Ginny's hand was wrenched away from his, as he was submerged in the current, twisting and turning him so much that he didn't know what way was up anymore. His lungs burned with the need to inhale oxygen; Draco began kicking in the way he hoped was up to air.

            Soon, he broke the surface of the ocean, flailing his arms as he desperately tried to stay afloat. It occurred to him that he couldn't swim, and he would sink he if didn't find something to grab on to.

            "Draco!" Ginny's voice called, and soon the girl was beside him. She wrapped an arm around his shoulders and instructed him to lie flat on his back – which he did and promptly began to float against the rough waters.

            Together, the two coughed and sputtered when a wave crashed over them, or pulled them further and further away from the direction they had wanted to go in.

            It seemed like years until the waters began to calm and the sun broke out of the clouds. Sighing in relief, they bobbed like a cork in the water, hoping that Draco's broom would be around them somewhere, but they saw nothing but the bright flickering of light reflected against the water.

            "How do I get into these messes?" finally muttered Draco.

            "Eh?" asked Ginny, looking down at him. "What messes?"

            "Nothing," he sighed, spreading his arms out as wide as they could go. He didn't want to tell Ginny the real reason behind his anger, his scorn, or his Dark Mark. Or how he got into all those messes in the first place – his life was a big mess, anyway.

            They fell silent, both lost in their own thoughts.

**-**

            Seamus and Dean followed Oliver, near the front of the Knights as they walked through dense brush and forest. They had been uncomfortable since they had joined up with the loud, raucous group. Mead was passed along the single-filed line, and rowdy jokes where shouted and shared. They were not a group to be inconspicuous, Dean and Seamus noticed early on.

            Oliver, whom they found out, led the group like dogs but was one of the nicest (yet most insane) people they met. He would push the group to their limits, and even showed Seamus with much patience how to maneuver the staff he carried.

            "Where are we heading?" Seamus asked, on their third day of the journey. They had reached the Talamancaian coastline, and in the distance, they could spot the remains of two camps that had been hastily put out.

            "The Mystic Lands, o' course," replied Oliver.

            "How?" gapped Dean. "We've got no mode of transportation!"

            Oliver laughed and motioned for another Knight named Cedric to come over, with his friend, Ryan Kips. " 'Ave you 'eard of apparation?" Oliver spoke the last word carefully.

            Seamus shook his head, and Dean looked confused. Oliver sighed.

            "It's when ya disappear from one spot and appear instantly in another," he explained, looking at the two younger men. "We use the staffs to emphasize our powers and help us apparate over long distances of space. We'll joint apparate, 'lright?"

            Seamus nodded, and placed a grip on Oliver's staff, which hummed when he touched it. Oliver grinned cheekily at him. "Ahh… looks like you've got whut it takes ta be one o' us, chap."

            Dean laughed full heartily, and grasped Cedric's. Ryan Kips was to lead the Knights when Oliver was going to be more careful in concentrating on the joint apparation.

            Within seconds, the group appeared in the Mystic Lands, in a dense forest that was not unlike the Talamancaian Woods. Tall pine trees, surrounded by a cloak of green everywhere the eye could see – it was truly an enchanted place, the Knights had to agree.

            Birds sang in the forest, and there was an occasional growl from some animal hidden in the sense foliage.

            Sighing, Dean spoke softly, "where do we go from here?"

            Oliver frowned, looking at the sky, before kneeling and rubbing some of the soil in his hands.

            "We're near the Lake of Apollo, mates," he announced, standing. "The soil here is more fertile, and richer. We'll walk towards the lake, and then to the Northwest, in the direction of the Isle of Marquis, where Castle Lorien is. And hopefully we'll find Hermione – our Enchantress – along the way."

            The group murmured their agreements, and fell silent. The quest had officially begun.

**~**

Author's Notes: Okay, my hands are tired, my fingers hurt, and I seriously can't write any more to this chapter. So I hope this satisfies the want of EDN lovers for a while, at least… I've been busy with modeling and school, so writing hasn't been often. I wrote most of this tonight, and quickly too, so I hope it make sense. Have fun, and leave a review!