Oh my aching head... I mean really, writer's block shouldn't hurt this much! I'm sorry I didn't update sooner. Anyway here is the next chapter. BTW if anything gets confusing please tell me, I wrote this in a spurt of inspiration...
A VERY BIG THANKS TO:
Jordan~ Thank you, I'm writing more.
Laterose~ If you think it sucks, please tell me why. That goes for anyone else.
WolfMoon~ Thanks for reviewing, and here's another cliffie. I read some of yours, they're pretty good!
Skysong~ No, it isn't Dumbledore's gargoyle. Err, not the lion. The one Hermione was kicking was D's.
Fire-Mage~ Thank you! And I hope you enjoy your vacation! ^_^
theauthorthatwrites~ Glad you are happy! If I do leave you behind TELL ME. And I hope this chappie is longer.
Crystal-potter~ I appreciate it.
Ian~ What's weird? The grrrowling character, or everything in general?
Elessar~ Teehee... they won't run away, but I am a Harry and Ginny fan.
gaul~ Thank you very much, come back again!
howling wolf~ I know, aren't I so evil! And here's another! ^_^
Anora~ I appreciate it, and I'll work on the spell lines.
Part X
"Hurry up, Hermione!" Hermione never knew Ron could sprint that fast. He probably has practice escaping from being part of the twins trick experiments, she thought. Doors and artifacts whizzed by them, or do we whiz by them? Hermione wondered, as they made their way as quickly as possible down the corridor. BOOF - BAM - THUD. Hermione looked up dizzily from where she had collided and fallen over Ron.
"Oh sorry, Ron, I wasn't looking-"
"HARRY! GINNY! Wha-What are you..." Ron's shout interrupted her and brought her attention over to a madly giggling Ginny, a red-faced Harry, and a medium-sized stone lion that had the most hilarious expression of stubbornness above folded arms... errr, paws.
"Oh, as you can see, we are having the most delightful argument with our thick skulled, stone headed friend here," Harry snapped sarcastically, completely ignoring the fact Ron hadn't seen him for four months.
"Grrr! I resent that comment!"
"Well, it's true," Ginny managed to get out before dissolving into helpless laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Professor Dumbledor', sir, where 'Ermione 'n' Ron?" Hagrid asked twisting around to look at the headmaster as they entered the Great Hall. Dumbledore glanced at the Gryffindor table. For a moment he looked extremely worried. Then Fawkes floated down to his shoulder, trilling softly in his ear. There was a small roll of parchment in his beak. He unrolled it quickly, Fawkes didn't usually deliver messages...
~Remember me Albus? Your four missing students are quite all right, except suffering annoyance due to a certain stone lion, which I introduced you to many years ago. I will wait for you and the others outside the sealed door. And be quick, dear Voldie's army is on its way. ~
It was not signed, but Albus knew whom it was from.
"After all these years," he murmured with a smile. But down to business, even she would not joke about the advancing army. "Sirius, Lupin, Snape, Hagrid, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, be so kind as to follow me. Madame Maxime, Mr. Kostroph, and McGonagal, please stay here and prepare the students and staff for an oncoming attack. The Aurors should sort them into groups and teach them the rest of the necessary spells we taught them this year" his voice saddened "I hate including them in this, but we are going to need everyone's cooperation if we are to survive this..."
The others stared after him openmouthed for a few minutes. Suddenly McGonagal snapped back into reality.
"Students, staff!" Everyone's heads swerved to look at her. "Please organize into groups of roughly ten. Aurors, take over! Prefects and Head boy and girl make a thorough round of the school, make sure everyone, and I mean everyone, is in the Great Hall." She beckoned the Weasley twins aside. They had volunteered to help at the school after Ginny's 'disappearance.'
"In the memory of all our... interesting times together during school," she began coolly. Fred and George glanced at each other apprehensively. "I wanted to ask you a favor... ...I would like to purchase the entire contents of your shop, and your assistance with some pranks." Fred looked like someone had jammed a ton of Canary Creams in his mouth...
"Who. Are. You. And. What. Have. You. Done. To. McGonagal?!" he choked.
"Hell has frozen over!!!" George gasped.
"Not at all, George. And that's Professor McGonagal to you, Fred. There are a few Deatheaters who I'm sure would enjoy your... ...toys." Such were the expressions on her former students faces that she almost felt sorry for the Deatheaters. Almost, but not quite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Scarhead! GGRRrrrrrr..."
"Idiot lion!"
"Numb-, grrrr, -skull human!"
"Look who's talking, granite brains!"
"Why you-"
"SSTTOOOOOOPP IITT!" Harry and the lion ceased their fierce argument to stare at Hermione.
"Grrrr, the little lioness has a powerful roar," the lion muttered. Ron was just gaping at her.
"Wow, I didn't know you could shout that loud, Hermione." Paying no attention to him she swung around to face Harry.
"Where were you?" she asked in a deadly whisper. Harry stared at her warily. He had seen a similar expression on Astarael's face a month ago, and not answering her correctly was not a good idea. He shifted into 'Damion' and back.
"Right here," he said simply. There was silence before she grabbed him into a tight hug.
"Glad you're back, Harry. Mind you, I want a full explanation later..."
"Glad to see you, mate," Ron croaked, offering a hand which Harry gave a grateful squeeze. "I'm gonna hunt you down after Hermione is finished with you."
"So, ummm, why were you," Hermione shot the lion a glance, "Who exactly...?" The lion in question stepped forward.
"Leo Esquire, at your service," he purred, "Guardian of the Sealed Doors. And may I say you have the most majestic roar I have ever heard. Grrrrr."
"Uuuhh..." Hermione stared at it. Exactly what do you say when a large stone statue of a lion tells you it likes how you shout? Ron and Harry traded grins and Ginny giggled.
"Very original names I'm sure..." Harry muttered, earning himself a glare from Leo.
"You see, Madame," Leo addressed Hermione. "This blockhead, grrr, the boy, not the same human of your lovely gender-"
"So where did you pick up the womanizing lion esquire?" Ron asked under his breath. Harry just shook his head with a pained expression on his face.
"-Wants to enter these two doors which I have sworn a solemn oath not to let anyone in. You see the problem. Grrrrr."
"I'm sure there is a very good reason he wants to pass," Hermione said, looking over at Harry.
"Oh, I am wasting time and Astarael is going to kill me-"
"What? Grrrr! What did you say?!"
"I said Astarael is going to kill me if I waste too much time!"
"Who is Astarael?" Ginny asked Harry.
"She has been my teacher and slavedriver for the last few months."
"GRRRR! Do not refer to the mistress in that tone! But, grrrr, you say you are her apprentice?"
"Yeah." Leo said nothing for a while.
"Then, grrr... ...I think... I can let you pass..."
"About time!" cried Harry. Leo turned and placed a paw on the door handle and growled something unintelligible. Slowly the door opened into a dark room. The only light came from a jagged piece of crystal suspended over a pattern on the floor. To one side there was an etching of a sun, on the opposite side there was one of the moon.
"That looks like part of a sword." Ron stated.
"It is, grrr. Part of the ultimate weapon for a chaos mage."
"Chaos mage... Chaos mage! Harry, are you-"
"Yes, Hermione, he is," chirped Ginny. Harry kneeled down without answering. He was intrigued by the design on the floor.
"Alright," he said straightening. "Ginny I need you to stand here" he motioned to the moon "And would you just repeat after me... Nothing too drastic should happen."
"Uummm... Harry?" Ron asked, eyeing the crystal nervously. "Are you sure about this? I mean 'Mione or I can help you. What's supposed to happen anyway?"
"No, Ron," Harry sighed. "It has to be Ginny."
"Why?" Hermione inquired. Harry, to her astonishment, turned scarlet.
"Well you see," he started. Ron and Ginny were looking very puzzled.
"I'll tell you later, OK? Just not now, please," he begged.
"Uh... 'kay." Ginny stood quietly in the center of the moon while Harry occupied the sun. He began to chant, his hands nearly cupping the piece of sword in front of him. Every few words he'd pause so Ginny could repeat them. The crystal began to spin and grow brighter, throwing their faces into sharp contour. Soon all that Ron and Hermione could see of the pair were dark silhouettes. Then an explosion of light filled the room.
The crystal dropped and pealed out like a bell when it hit the floor. Ginny and Harry were flung outward. Leo dashed forward and caught Ginny's robes before she hit the wall behind her. Hermione screamed.
"HARRY!"
A VERY BIG THANKS TO:
Jordan~ Thank you, I'm writing more.
Laterose~ If you think it sucks, please tell me why. That goes for anyone else.
WolfMoon~ Thanks for reviewing, and here's another cliffie. I read some of yours, they're pretty good!
Skysong~ No, it isn't Dumbledore's gargoyle. Err, not the lion. The one Hermione was kicking was D's.
Fire-Mage~ Thank you! And I hope you enjoy your vacation! ^_^
theauthorthatwrites~ Glad you are happy! If I do leave you behind TELL ME. And I hope this chappie is longer.
Crystal-potter~ I appreciate it.
Ian~ What's weird? The grrrowling character, or everything in general?
Elessar~ Teehee... they won't run away, but I am a Harry and Ginny fan.
gaul~ Thank you very much, come back again!
howling wolf~ I know, aren't I so evil! And here's another! ^_^
Anora~ I appreciate it, and I'll work on the spell lines.
Part X
"Hurry up, Hermione!" Hermione never knew Ron could sprint that fast. He probably has practice escaping from being part of the twins trick experiments, she thought. Doors and artifacts whizzed by them, or do we whiz by them? Hermione wondered, as they made their way as quickly as possible down the corridor. BOOF - BAM - THUD. Hermione looked up dizzily from where she had collided and fallen over Ron.
"Oh sorry, Ron, I wasn't looking-"
"HARRY! GINNY! Wha-What are you..." Ron's shout interrupted her and brought her attention over to a madly giggling Ginny, a red-faced Harry, and a medium-sized stone lion that had the most hilarious expression of stubbornness above folded arms... errr, paws.
"Oh, as you can see, we are having the most delightful argument with our thick skulled, stone headed friend here," Harry snapped sarcastically, completely ignoring the fact Ron hadn't seen him for four months.
"Grrr! I resent that comment!"
"Well, it's true," Ginny managed to get out before dissolving into helpless laughter.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Professor Dumbledor', sir, where 'Ermione 'n' Ron?" Hagrid asked twisting around to look at the headmaster as they entered the Great Hall. Dumbledore glanced at the Gryffindor table. For a moment he looked extremely worried. Then Fawkes floated down to his shoulder, trilling softly in his ear. There was a small roll of parchment in his beak. He unrolled it quickly, Fawkes didn't usually deliver messages...
~Remember me Albus? Your four missing students are quite all right, except suffering annoyance due to a certain stone lion, which I introduced you to many years ago. I will wait for you and the others outside the sealed door. And be quick, dear Voldie's army is on its way. ~
It was not signed, but Albus knew whom it was from.
"After all these years," he murmured with a smile. But down to business, even she would not joke about the advancing army. "Sirius, Lupin, Snape, Hagrid, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, be so kind as to follow me. Madame Maxime, Mr. Kostroph, and McGonagal, please stay here and prepare the students and staff for an oncoming attack. The Aurors should sort them into groups and teach them the rest of the necessary spells we taught them this year" his voice saddened "I hate including them in this, but we are going to need everyone's cooperation if we are to survive this..."
The others stared after him openmouthed for a few minutes. Suddenly McGonagal snapped back into reality.
"Students, staff!" Everyone's heads swerved to look at her. "Please organize into groups of roughly ten. Aurors, take over! Prefects and Head boy and girl make a thorough round of the school, make sure everyone, and I mean everyone, is in the Great Hall." She beckoned the Weasley twins aside. They had volunteered to help at the school after Ginny's 'disappearance.'
"In the memory of all our... interesting times together during school," she began coolly. Fred and George glanced at each other apprehensively. "I wanted to ask you a favor... ...I would like to purchase the entire contents of your shop, and your assistance with some pranks." Fred looked like someone had jammed a ton of Canary Creams in his mouth...
"Who. Are. You. And. What. Have. You. Done. To. McGonagal?!" he choked.
"Hell has frozen over!!!" George gasped.
"Not at all, George. And that's Professor McGonagal to you, Fred. There are a few Deatheaters who I'm sure would enjoy your... ...toys." Such were the expressions on her former students faces that she almost felt sorry for the Deatheaters. Almost, but not quite.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Scarhead! GGRRrrrrrr..."
"Idiot lion!"
"Numb-, grrrr, -skull human!"
"Look who's talking, granite brains!"
"Why you-"
"SSTTOOOOOOPP IITT!" Harry and the lion ceased their fierce argument to stare at Hermione.
"Grrrr, the little lioness has a powerful roar," the lion muttered. Ron was just gaping at her.
"Wow, I didn't know you could shout that loud, Hermione." Paying no attention to him she swung around to face Harry.
"Where were you?" she asked in a deadly whisper. Harry stared at her warily. He had seen a similar expression on Astarael's face a month ago, and not answering her correctly was not a good idea. He shifted into 'Damion' and back.
"Right here," he said simply. There was silence before she grabbed him into a tight hug.
"Glad you're back, Harry. Mind you, I want a full explanation later..."
"Glad to see you, mate," Ron croaked, offering a hand which Harry gave a grateful squeeze. "I'm gonna hunt you down after Hermione is finished with you."
"So, ummm, why were you," Hermione shot the lion a glance, "Who exactly...?" The lion in question stepped forward.
"Leo Esquire, at your service," he purred, "Guardian of the Sealed Doors. And may I say you have the most majestic roar I have ever heard. Grrrrr."
"Uuuhh..." Hermione stared at it. Exactly what do you say when a large stone statue of a lion tells you it likes how you shout? Ron and Harry traded grins and Ginny giggled.
"Very original names I'm sure..." Harry muttered, earning himself a glare from Leo.
"You see, Madame," Leo addressed Hermione. "This blockhead, grrr, the boy, not the same human of your lovely gender-"
"So where did you pick up the womanizing lion esquire?" Ron asked under his breath. Harry just shook his head with a pained expression on his face.
"-Wants to enter these two doors which I have sworn a solemn oath not to let anyone in. You see the problem. Grrrrr."
"I'm sure there is a very good reason he wants to pass," Hermione said, looking over at Harry.
"Oh, I am wasting time and Astarael is going to kill me-"
"What? Grrrr! What did you say?!"
"I said Astarael is going to kill me if I waste too much time!"
"Who is Astarael?" Ginny asked Harry.
"She has been my teacher and slavedriver for the last few months."
"GRRRR! Do not refer to the mistress in that tone! But, grrrr, you say you are her apprentice?"
"Yeah." Leo said nothing for a while.
"Then, grrr... ...I think... I can let you pass..."
"About time!" cried Harry. Leo turned and placed a paw on the door handle and growled something unintelligible. Slowly the door opened into a dark room. The only light came from a jagged piece of crystal suspended over a pattern on the floor. To one side there was an etching of a sun, on the opposite side there was one of the moon.
"That looks like part of a sword." Ron stated.
"It is, grrr. Part of the ultimate weapon for a chaos mage."
"Chaos mage... Chaos mage! Harry, are you-"
"Yes, Hermione, he is," chirped Ginny. Harry kneeled down without answering. He was intrigued by the design on the floor.
"Alright," he said straightening. "Ginny I need you to stand here" he motioned to the moon "And would you just repeat after me... Nothing too drastic should happen."
"Uummm... Harry?" Ron asked, eyeing the crystal nervously. "Are you sure about this? I mean 'Mione or I can help you. What's supposed to happen anyway?"
"No, Ron," Harry sighed. "It has to be Ginny."
"Why?" Hermione inquired. Harry, to her astonishment, turned scarlet.
"Well you see," he started. Ron and Ginny were looking very puzzled.
"I'll tell you later, OK? Just not now, please," he begged.
"Uh... 'kay." Ginny stood quietly in the center of the moon while Harry occupied the sun. He began to chant, his hands nearly cupping the piece of sword in front of him. Every few words he'd pause so Ginny could repeat them. The crystal began to spin and grow brighter, throwing their faces into sharp contour. Soon all that Ron and Hermione could see of the pair were dark silhouettes. Then an explosion of light filled the room.
The crystal dropped and pealed out like a bell when it hit the floor. Ginny and Harry were flung outward. Leo dashed forward and caught Ginny's robes before she hit the wall behind her. Hermione screamed.
"HARRY!"
