A/N: Hi everyone! It's been awhile, hasn't it? I can't believe how long it's been since I last updated this story, but at long last, here is the next chapter. I'm sorry it's taken me so long, I just haven't been in the writing mood. But I'm back now, and this story is going to be finished within two weeks at the latest. I know that for a fact, because I've spent most of today finishing the final chapters! I'm going to try to update every other day, but we'll have to see what happens. It might be a little longer. Hopefully I've not lost all my reviewers, and you guys still like the story.

Excillian

Chapter 21

They left the old cabin behind not long after breakfast, making their way down an old dirt trail they had spotted at the corner of the hut, hoping it would lead them to a village. Or at least to another house, this one with someone in it who could help them.

They weren't disappointed. About half an hour into their walk, both the trail and the trees ended abruptly, and a small village came into sight.

Hesitantly, cautiously, Draco lead the way into the outskirts, looking around warily for any sign of life.

There was none. No sound reached their ears, no people graced their sight. Where were the sounds of children laughing in the streets, of women gossiping as they bought food in the market, of men working in their shops? Was this place as deserted as the cabin they spent the night in had been?

Ginny walked into the street, following Draco's lead, and felt the goose bumps sweep up her arms. She shivered. Something wasn't right here. It was more than just it's apparent air of desertion. It was-

It was an unfriendliness, Draco couldn't help thinking. A hostility that made the very air around them crackle with energy.

"What is this place?" Ginny asked, unconsciously lowering her voice to little more than a whisper.

Draco shook his head. "I don't know."

Feeling her fear, he reached down and took her hand in his, squeezing it gently, reassuringly. "Let's see if we can find someone, shall we?"

Ginny glanced at him, surprised by the gesture even while she relished it. The feeling of knowing he was there, of being safe was more comforting than he would ever know.

But the illusion was gone in an instant, replaced by the growing fear of wrongness. Was there even anyone here to find? And if there were, did they really want to meet them? Ginny wasn't so sure.

She looked back up at Draco, wondering if he felt it. If he did, he gave no sign of it, just continued to grasp her firmly be the hand and lead her down the street.

The silence was oppressive, and Ginny had almost given up hope of ever hearing a single sound again when a bird cried overhead. Without thought, Ginny drew her wand in front of her, holding it so tightly her knuckles turned white. She knew it was just a bird calling, but her hand wouldn't stop shaking. Something was wrong in this place, something was going to happen. Something bad.

Draco felt her fear wash over him through their linked hands. Worried, he tried to stop her shaking.

"It's alright, Ginny. It was just a bird. See?" he asked, pointing overhead. "There's nothing to be afraid of."

A muscle worked in Ginny jaw, and she shook her head stiffly. He didn't know, he didn't feel it like she did. "No, Draco. It's something more than that. Something bad's going to happen, I know it."

The intense look in her eyes sent chills racing up Draco's spine. What did she mean, how could she possibly know what was going to happen? "What, are you some kind of Seer now?"

Even as he said the words, he regretted them. They had come out harsher than he intended.

But Ginny didn't get angry, or even irritated, much to his surprise. She just looked at him. "I know."

Draco couldn't think of anything to say to that. He stood there, just looking at her, and hoping against hope that she was wrong. It was a deserted village after all, what could happen?

His question was answered just seconds later.

A movement in the corner of his eye caught Draco's attention, and he glanced over. A man was coming around the corner towards them.

He was small and skinny, with a limp in his right leg that made walking seem painful, and Draco found himself studying him more with a kind of disdainful pity and curiosity rather than fear. This man could not harm them.

With a quick glance at Ginny to see her reaction, he stepped forward to greet the man.

"Hello, sir," he greeted politely, knowing that it was the quickest method for getting the help he wanted.

The man come to a stop in front of him, his emotionless face revealing nothing, but there was something in those eyes. Something Draco couldn't place…The man's mouth moved, as though he were about to speak, but then his eyes flickered to Ginny instead and he stopped.

Too late, Draco noticed that in her fear, Ginny had failed to put her wand away, and was still holding it tightly in her hand. If this man was a muggle, that could mean questions, if not trouble, and that was the last thing they needed at the moment.

Draco tried to catch Ginny's attention, but she seemed frozen, as though waiting for something.

Draco shook his head and spoke, hoping to draw the man's attention back to him. "Can you tell us where we are? We've been lost in the woods for over two days, and we-"

Draco stopped speaking, noticing that the man was completely ignoring him. His eyes were still focused on Ginny-no, Draco realized. They were still focused on Ginny's wand. Draco felt the stirring of uneasiness in his stomach at the look on the man's face. Fear. And anger.

The man stood there, silent, for a moment longer, then jumped away from them with an agility Draco found quite amazing. But, where was he going? The man had turned his back to them, racing away down the street at a pace faster than Draco would have thought possible with that limp.

Draco opened his mouth, about to call out, when Ginny gripped his shoulder, hands tightening until Draco was sure there would be bruises.

The man slipped around the corner.

"We've got to get out of here," Ginny said, sounding much calmer now, more in control, but it was still obvious she was terrified.

"What do you mean?" That look was in her eyes again, a look of knowing. "The people of this town aren't like us. Their Muggles, Draco. Superstitious Muggles. And that man was just sent to confirm that we've got magic."

Draco's heart skipped a beat, and for the first time in a long while, he felt real fear enter him, chilling him to the bone. Images flashed through his mind as he remembered reading about the things superstitious Muggles had done to witches and wizards in years past. Burning at the stake, torture…He closed his eyes to shut the horrifying images away. He wanted to say that Ginny was wrong, but he couldn't. He wanted to say that one small man couldn't possibly do them any harm. But then he heard the man's voice, shouting out the news that two witches had entered the city, he'd seen the proof of them with his own eyes both, the night before, as they'd entered his cabin, and just a moment ago, in the street. They had come to their village to destroy it, as he had told them they would. They would kidnap their children to use as sacrifices in their rituals. Witches were evil, they must destroy them before they destroy us. Another voice took up the chant, and another, and another, until it seemed to come from everywhere all at once. "Destroy the witches! Destroy the witches."

Draco's fear rose. "I think we found the people."

Ginny's pale face was even whiter than normal. Taking his hand, she turned back down the street towards the way they'd come. "Run."

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A/N: Next chapter soon, I promise. And I'll do personal notes next time, but I'm in a hurry right now, so I'll simply say THANKS! To everyone who reviewed my last chapter.