Daydreaming: Thanks for spotting that error. I now have the Weasley boys in their respective jobs.
~*~
The Book of Carmen
Chapter XVII: Return to Hogwarts
~*~
Leaves rustled and rubbed against branches as the wind blew steadily harder through the small forest. A few drops of rain fell, then more, then many. Soon the forest was a cacophony of sounds as the storm increased in intensity. Dirt became mud, slippery and sticky. Dry creek beds ran full and spilled over their banks. Lightening flashed followed by the pounding of thunder, first soft in the distance then heavy and boisterous as it drew closer. Thick tree limbs began to sway and then to dance, lesser branches cracked and fell, making up the bones of the forest floor.
Then everything was silenced. The wind stopped completely, leaving the wood motionless. The clouds continued to roll overhead, but no lightening flashed nor did one raindrop fall. Nature herself held her breath as it, the thing, the evil, traversed the forest floor. It moved across the forest like something primordial. Its movements were jerky and menacing. It was hunting. It was always hunting. Howls broke the eerie silence far behind it. Even the dark creatures that followed it had now become afraid of their master and even though their instincts compelled them to follow it, the same instincts kept them far from it. The thing emitted a raspy sound as it breathed, sucking in the oxygen around it and exhaling a foulness that poisoned the plants, depriving them of oxygen, of life.
The being stopped and wrapped a hand around a small birch. It sensed something that both sickened and enticed it. It cocked its head and closed its eyes. There was a certain energy in the air, greater than it had encountered before, an energy that was exuded only from its victims. The being removed its hand, rendering the birch into a small pile of ash. Quickly the being turned and raced back the way it had come. It was going to find the energy, the life, and she was going to consume it.
Slowly the rain began to fall once more.
~*~
Harry had once again managed to shock the great Hermione Granger into silence. Ron, on the other hand, had no problems finding words. "You mean that Selene is the thing, the monster, behind all of these attacks? And Dumbledore is bringing it...her... here, with us? Has he gone completely nutters?"
"Ron I've seen the room where all of the students will be kept. Trust me, you will be safe."
"You meant to say we, right? That we will be safe?"
Harry sighed, "I am not going with you. I'm going to help the others fight Selene."
"Harry, you must be joking," Hermione said. "This is bigger than anything you've come across before."
"Don't you think I know that? I realize how dangerous this is, but I have to help them."
"Harry, you know I think you're a great wizard right?" Ron asked. "But if this sword is the only thing that can defeat Selene and if Sirius is going to wield the sword, what can you do to help them?"
Harry shrugged, "I'm not sure. But whatever happens I'm going to be there."
Ron started to say something, but the doors to the tower opened and all the Gryffindor students came pouring in, much more animated than they were the last time Harry saw them. "There you are!" Ginny exclaimed pushing her way through the crowd. "I didn't see you in the Great Hall. Did you hear about all the dark creatures and the evil that is coming here?"
Ron nodded.
"We are supposed to gather a few belongings and meet the rest of the students back in the Great Hall in ten minutes," Ginny answered and then was pulled away by another girl.
"You two better go," Harry said.
"I don't like this Harry, we are always together in these situations. Something just doesn't seem right about all of this," Ron said.
"I'm with Ron," Hermione said.
"Here," Harry said pulling out the Marauder's map, "Take this. This way you can see where we are in the castle at all times. If something goes wrong you can alert a professor."
Ron took the map from Harry, "This doesn't put my mind at ease."
Harry nodded, "It's the best I can do."
"There's absolutely nothing we can do to change your mind?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head and smiled, "Besides I think I'm getting the better part of the deal. I won't be stuck with the entire house of Slytherins."
"You mean the Slytherins will be there too?" Ron asked.
"Of course they will Ron," Hermione said, "What do you think, Dumbledore is going to leave them outside with the dark creatures?"
"I thought they were the dark creatures," Ron said and he and Harry smiled.
"We better head downstairs, or we'll be late," Hermione said.
The three walked towards the Great Hall in silence. Ron held tightly to the map and tried to fight the urge to tie Harry up and take him with them downstairs. They were almost there when they ran into Sirius and Lupin headed in their direction.
"What are you three doing here?" Remus asked.
"We were headed to the Great Hall," Harry answered.
Voices echoed through the halls. "The students must be leaving. You two better hurry if you intend to catch up with them," Remus said to Ron and Hermione.
Hermione gave Harry a hug, "See you later," she said.
"I promise," Harry answered. "Take good care of that," Harry said pointing to the map in Ron's hands.
"I will," Ron said. "Good luck," he added.
"Thanks," Harry said.
"Good-bye Sirius, Professor Lupin," Ron said and then he and Hermione ran to catch up with the rest of the students.
"I don't think I liked the way he said that," Remus said after Ron and Hermione disappeared around a corner.
"What, good-bye?" Sirius asked.
"He said it like he's never going to see us again," Remus said.
"You picked up on that too?" Sirius asked. The three of them smiled awkwardly and continued to walk towards the Great Hall.
The Hall was now empty with the exception of Will who stood in the middle of the room. Harry looked up, the enchanted sky still sparkled above him and it brought Harry a strange sense of comfort.
"Dumbledore went to make sure that the students make it safely to Orballa," Will said, "He said to stay here and he'll be back shortly."
Harry soon realized that his nerves would not allow him to stand still so Harry began to walk around the Hall, letting one finger drag along the wall. "Harry?" Sirius said.
Harry jumped at his name. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay with this? I mean...you know you don't have to stay here."
"I know. I want to be here, it was my choice."
Sirius walked in front of him and turned to face him. They both stopped walking, "I want to say something to you Harry, but I'm not quite sure how to phrase it, so bare with me, okay?"
Harry nodded.
Sirius took a deep breath, "I wanted to..."
He was interrupted by a scream. He and Harry looked across the room where Will and Remus had been standing. Remus was on the floor and Will was kneeling over him. Sirius and Harry ran to the pair. Sirius pulled Will off of Remus and slammed the other man into the ground. Harry knelt down beside Remus, who was clutching his head.
"What did you do to him?" Sirius barked at the man.
"I...I didn't do anything. He just collapsed. I bent over to try to help him!" Will exclaimed. Sirius pushed him harder against the ground, "I swear!" Will yelled.
"He's telling the truth," Remus said through gritted teeth.
Sirius' attention turned to his friend. He and Harry helped Remus to sit up. Remus placed his head between his knees and rubbed his temples. "What happened?" Sirius asked.
Suddenly Harry heard it. The voice that had been plaguing his nightmares for two months entered his mind again, scratching at his brain. Suddenly, he understood.
Remus looked at Harry and the two shared a silent moment of understanding. Remus' gaze turned to Sirius, "She's here, Padfoot."
~*~
Ron was convinced that the room Harry had talked about lay somewhere in Denmark based on how far they had walked. Every few minutes he looked at map and located Harry's dot. The dot had been on the far side of the Great Hall with Sirius, but it had suddenly moved closer to Remus and Professor McGinn. He wondered if this meant something. Had something happened? He was on the verge of turning around and going back when the group stopped.
Ron looked around, expecting to find a door or some type of entrance to a room. Instead he only saw a dark hallway, which was similar to the many other dark hallways they had passed through on the way here. "Great, we're lost," he said.
"Scared, Weasley?" snarled Draco from behind them.
Ron rolled his eyes. He was not in the mood to entertain a Malfoy. "Why should I be scared?" Ron said, not bothering to turn around. "The way I figure it, anything dangerous would approach us from behind, and you are closer to the back of the group than I am. So I'll wait until you start screaming before I get concerned." Hermione giggled at his side and the nervous laughter of a few other students echoed through the halls. Suddenly the group jumped as a loud scraping sound came from the wall to Ron's left. The students watched as a large stone sphinx jutted into the hallway. He heard Dumbledore mumble a few words and watched as the almond eyes of the sphinx opened and a great light shot across the room and unto the other wall. Ron squinted at the light and watched as a door appeared in the once solid wall.
"This way," McGonagall said, leading the students closest to the door inside. As they walked into the passageway Hermione's hand found Ron's and he gave it a gentle squeeze. Ron looked around and made sure Ginny was to his left. Although no one had told her about what Harry was doing, she had figured it out and had not uttered a word since they had left the Great Hall. Ron reached over and took her hand. She looked up and smiled at him and three made their way through the tunnel.
~*~
Sirius stood and placed a hand on his head. For the first time Harry caught the glint of the sword that lay underneath Sirius' robes. "Remus, can you tell me how far away she is?"
Remus looked up at Sirius and smiled sardonically, "Would you like that in feet or meters? It doesn't work like that, it doesn't...ah!" Remus cried, his hands returning to his head. It was if there were thousands of voices in his head screaming at him, burning his mind. He fought for control, "She's close, Sirius, damn close."
A few moments later, howls and cries of dark beasts echoed through the walls. "They are right outside," Will said, pulling his wand from his robes.
"Dumbledore better know what he's talking about," Remus said, "because those creatures intend to get in here."
~*~
Several students covered their ears at the sound of the large doors opening and grinding against the stone. When all of the students had entered, Dumbledore touched a flaming torch to the wall and the room was instantly lit with the glittery lights. Many of the students let out gasps of wonder at the lights and the majestic carvings they illuminated. Ron felt the power of the room settle in on him and for the first time since he had arrived, he felt safe.
"This room was built before Hogwarts. It is very old and very safe. Please take comfort in these surroundings as well as each other's company You will find that there is a sleeping bag for each of you should you get tired," Dumbledore said. He whispered to something to McGonagall that Ron had to strain to hear, "No one leaves this room, Minerva. No matter what happens out there, keep them in here. That goes for staff as well as students."
McGonagall nodded "Be careful, Albus," she said, worry apparent in her voice.
He took her hands and smiled, "Do not fear for me, Minerva. I've still have some tricks up my sleeves."
Once he watched Dumbledore leave, Ron suddenly remembered the map and held it to the light, "Oh no," he said.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Look."
Hermione looked at the map and felt her insides turn to ice. Outside of the castle walls there was a new dot, one labeled, "Selene Evans."
~*~
The entity stood on a small hill overlooking the gardens of the castle, the Book of Carmen wrapped tightly in her arms. She had chosen this form, rather than the one she used to prowl the woods. She closed her eyes and sensed the werewolf inside of the castle. What a fool he was to deny her the first time, it would not happen twice. She forced her thoughts upon him and could feel his anguish. Through his mind she was able to sense where they were, and where the children were. She hissed through her teeth as she anticipated her feast. Her children gathered at her feet, their blood lust nearly equal with her own. Her robes blew around her, caught by an unnatural wind that blew towards the castle and extinguished the lamps that had been left burning outside. Her children rushed into the forest surrounding the castle. A few minutes passed and she heard the war cries of the centaurs. They were stupid beasts to believe they could defeat her children, her own flesh and blood. It would be a brief fight. She sensed the defenses around the castle weaken. She bit her lip in anticipation and tasted the blood of the physical body. "I'm bringing your wife back to you, Sirius Black," she hissed.
~*~
Dumbledore entered the Great Hall with a box in his hands. Remus had recovered enough to stand, but was leaning heavily on Harry. "Are the children safe?" Sirius asked.
"Indeed."
"She's here."
"I know."
"What's in the box?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore didn't answer but raised the lid and pulled a large clear globe from the box. Inside was a replica of the castle, surrounded by a silver cloud. "All of the other defenses placed on this castle have been extinguished, all except this one. Severus' salve should keep the beasts away, but it will not work against Selene. She can appear at any time after I destroy the globe. Are you ready for this?" Dumbledore asked.
Sirius grabbed the hilt of the sword, "Yes."
Dumbledore's eyes turned to Will who nodded, next they shifted to Remus who removed his arm from around Harry and stood on his own, "Most definitely," he said.
Dumbledore looked at Harry, "I'm ready," he said.
Dumbledore nodded. He pulled out his wand and pointed its tip at the globe, "Dorsum nudum ferso tui sceleris!"
Harry watched as the glass globe shattered, the glass dissolving in the air. The silver cloud fluttered and then disappeared. Dumbledore looked out over his half moon spectacles at the others, who had pulled out their wands and turned towards the great doors. Dumbledore withdrew his own wand, "It begins," he said, taking his place alongside the others.
~*~
Enjoy it? Hate it? Let me know.
The Book of Carmen
Chapter XVII: Return to Hogwarts
~*~
Leaves rustled and rubbed against branches as the wind blew steadily harder through the small forest. A few drops of rain fell, then more, then many. Soon the forest was a cacophony of sounds as the storm increased in intensity. Dirt became mud, slippery and sticky. Dry creek beds ran full and spilled over their banks. Lightening flashed followed by the pounding of thunder, first soft in the distance then heavy and boisterous as it drew closer. Thick tree limbs began to sway and then to dance, lesser branches cracked and fell, making up the bones of the forest floor.
Then everything was silenced. The wind stopped completely, leaving the wood motionless. The clouds continued to roll overhead, but no lightening flashed nor did one raindrop fall. Nature herself held her breath as it, the thing, the evil, traversed the forest floor. It moved across the forest like something primordial. Its movements were jerky and menacing. It was hunting. It was always hunting. Howls broke the eerie silence far behind it. Even the dark creatures that followed it had now become afraid of their master and even though their instincts compelled them to follow it, the same instincts kept them far from it. The thing emitted a raspy sound as it breathed, sucking in the oxygen around it and exhaling a foulness that poisoned the plants, depriving them of oxygen, of life.
The being stopped and wrapped a hand around a small birch. It sensed something that both sickened and enticed it. It cocked its head and closed its eyes. There was a certain energy in the air, greater than it had encountered before, an energy that was exuded only from its victims. The being removed its hand, rendering the birch into a small pile of ash. Quickly the being turned and raced back the way it had come. It was going to find the energy, the life, and she was going to consume it.
Slowly the rain began to fall once more.
Harry had once again managed to shock the great Hermione Granger into silence. Ron, on the other hand, had no problems finding words. "You mean that Selene is the thing, the monster, behind all of these attacks? And Dumbledore is bringing it...her... here, with us? Has he gone completely nutters?"
"Ron I've seen the room where all of the students will be kept. Trust me, you will be safe."
"You meant to say we, right? That we will be safe?"
Harry sighed, "I am not going with you. I'm going to help the others fight Selene."
"Harry, you must be joking," Hermione said. "This is bigger than anything you've come across before."
"Don't you think I know that? I realize how dangerous this is, but I have to help them."
"Harry, you know I think you're a great wizard right?" Ron asked. "But if this sword is the only thing that can defeat Selene and if Sirius is going to wield the sword, what can you do to help them?"
Harry shrugged, "I'm not sure. But whatever happens I'm going to be there."
Ron started to say something, but the doors to the tower opened and all the Gryffindor students came pouring in, much more animated than they were the last time Harry saw them. "There you are!" Ginny exclaimed pushing her way through the crowd. "I didn't see you in the Great Hall. Did you hear about all the dark creatures and the evil that is coming here?"
Ron nodded.
"We are supposed to gather a few belongings and meet the rest of the students back in the Great Hall in ten minutes," Ginny answered and then was pulled away by another girl.
"You two better go," Harry said.
"I don't like this Harry, we are always together in these situations. Something just doesn't seem right about all of this," Ron said.
"I'm with Ron," Hermione said.
"Here," Harry said pulling out the Marauder's map, "Take this. This way you can see where we are in the castle at all times. If something goes wrong you can alert a professor."
Ron took the map from Harry, "This doesn't put my mind at ease."
Harry nodded, "It's the best I can do."
"There's absolutely nothing we can do to change your mind?" Hermione asked.
Harry shook his head and smiled, "Besides I think I'm getting the better part of the deal. I won't be stuck with the entire house of Slytherins."
"You mean the Slytherins will be there too?" Ron asked.
"Of course they will Ron," Hermione said, "What do you think, Dumbledore is going to leave them outside with the dark creatures?"
"I thought they were the dark creatures," Ron said and he and Harry smiled.
"We better head downstairs, or we'll be late," Hermione said.
The three walked towards the Great Hall in silence. Ron held tightly to the map and tried to fight the urge to tie Harry up and take him with them downstairs. They were almost there when they ran into Sirius and Lupin headed in their direction.
"What are you three doing here?" Remus asked.
"We were headed to the Great Hall," Harry answered.
Voices echoed through the halls. "The students must be leaving. You two better hurry if you intend to catch up with them," Remus said to Ron and Hermione.
Hermione gave Harry a hug, "See you later," she said.
"I promise," Harry answered. "Take good care of that," Harry said pointing to the map in Ron's hands.
"I will," Ron said. "Good luck," he added.
"Thanks," Harry said.
"Good-bye Sirius, Professor Lupin," Ron said and then he and Hermione ran to catch up with the rest of the students.
"I don't think I liked the way he said that," Remus said after Ron and Hermione disappeared around a corner.
"What, good-bye?" Sirius asked.
"He said it like he's never going to see us again," Remus said.
"You picked up on that too?" Sirius asked. The three of them smiled awkwardly and continued to walk towards the Great Hall.
The Hall was now empty with the exception of Will who stood in the middle of the room. Harry looked up, the enchanted sky still sparkled above him and it brought Harry a strange sense of comfort.
"Dumbledore went to make sure that the students make it safely to Orballa," Will said, "He said to stay here and he'll be back shortly."
Harry soon realized that his nerves would not allow him to stand still so Harry began to walk around the Hall, letting one finger drag along the wall. "Harry?" Sirius said.
Harry jumped at his name. "Yeah?"
"Are you okay with this? I mean...you know you don't have to stay here."
"I know. I want to be here, it was my choice."
Sirius walked in front of him and turned to face him. They both stopped walking, "I want to say something to you Harry, but I'm not quite sure how to phrase it, so bare with me, okay?"
Harry nodded.
Sirius took a deep breath, "I wanted to..."
He was interrupted by a scream. He and Harry looked across the room where Will and Remus had been standing. Remus was on the floor and Will was kneeling over him. Sirius and Harry ran to the pair. Sirius pulled Will off of Remus and slammed the other man into the ground. Harry knelt down beside Remus, who was clutching his head.
"What did you do to him?" Sirius barked at the man.
"I...I didn't do anything. He just collapsed. I bent over to try to help him!" Will exclaimed. Sirius pushed him harder against the ground, "I swear!" Will yelled.
"He's telling the truth," Remus said through gritted teeth.
Sirius' attention turned to his friend. He and Harry helped Remus to sit up. Remus placed his head between his knees and rubbed his temples. "What happened?" Sirius asked.
Suddenly Harry heard it. The voice that had been plaguing his nightmares for two months entered his mind again, scratching at his brain. Suddenly, he understood.
Remus looked at Harry and the two shared a silent moment of understanding. Remus' gaze turned to Sirius, "She's here, Padfoot."
Ron was convinced that the room Harry had talked about lay somewhere in Denmark based on how far they had walked. Every few minutes he looked at map and located Harry's dot. The dot had been on the far side of the Great Hall with Sirius, but it had suddenly moved closer to Remus and Professor McGinn. He wondered if this meant something. Had something happened? He was on the verge of turning around and going back when the group stopped.
Ron looked around, expecting to find a door or some type of entrance to a room. Instead he only saw a dark hallway, which was similar to the many other dark hallways they had passed through on the way here. "Great, we're lost," he said.
"Scared, Weasley?" snarled Draco from behind them.
Ron rolled his eyes. He was not in the mood to entertain a Malfoy. "Why should I be scared?" Ron said, not bothering to turn around. "The way I figure it, anything dangerous would approach us from behind, and you are closer to the back of the group than I am. So I'll wait until you start screaming before I get concerned." Hermione giggled at his side and the nervous laughter of a few other students echoed through the halls. Suddenly the group jumped as a loud scraping sound came from the wall to Ron's left. The students watched as a large stone sphinx jutted into the hallway. He heard Dumbledore mumble a few words and watched as the almond eyes of the sphinx opened and a great light shot across the room and unto the other wall. Ron squinted at the light and watched as a door appeared in the once solid wall.
"This way," McGonagall said, leading the students closest to the door inside. As they walked into the passageway Hermione's hand found Ron's and he gave it a gentle squeeze. Ron looked around and made sure Ginny was to his left. Although no one had told her about what Harry was doing, she had figured it out and had not uttered a word since they had left the Great Hall. Ron reached over and took her hand. She looked up and smiled at him and three made their way through the tunnel.
Sirius stood and placed a hand on his head. For the first time Harry caught the glint of the sword that lay underneath Sirius' robes. "Remus, can you tell me how far away she is?"
Remus looked up at Sirius and smiled sardonically, "Would you like that in feet or meters? It doesn't work like that, it doesn't...ah!" Remus cried, his hands returning to his head. It was if there were thousands of voices in his head screaming at him, burning his mind. He fought for control, "She's close, Sirius, damn close."
A few moments later, howls and cries of dark beasts echoed through the walls. "They are right outside," Will said, pulling his wand from his robes.
"Dumbledore better know what he's talking about," Remus said, "because those creatures intend to get in here."
Several students covered their ears at the sound of the large doors opening and grinding against the stone. When all of the students had entered, Dumbledore touched a flaming torch to the wall and the room was instantly lit with the glittery lights. Many of the students let out gasps of wonder at the lights and the majestic carvings they illuminated. Ron felt the power of the room settle in on him and for the first time since he had arrived, he felt safe.
"This room was built before Hogwarts. It is very old and very safe. Please take comfort in these surroundings as well as each other's company You will find that there is a sleeping bag for each of you should you get tired," Dumbledore said. He whispered to something to McGonagall that Ron had to strain to hear, "No one leaves this room, Minerva. No matter what happens out there, keep them in here. That goes for staff as well as students."
McGonagall nodded "Be careful, Albus," she said, worry apparent in her voice.
He took her hands and smiled, "Do not fear for me, Minerva. I've still have some tricks up my sleeves."
Once he watched Dumbledore leave, Ron suddenly remembered the map and held it to the light, "Oh no," he said.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Look."
Hermione looked at the map and felt her insides turn to ice. Outside of the castle walls there was a new dot, one labeled, "Selene Evans."
The entity stood on a small hill overlooking the gardens of the castle, the Book of Carmen wrapped tightly in her arms. She had chosen this form, rather than the one she used to prowl the woods. She closed her eyes and sensed the werewolf inside of the castle. What a fool he was to deny her the first time, it would not happen twice. She forced her thoughts upon him and could feel his anguish. Through his mind she was able to sense where they were, and where the children were. She hissed through her teeth as she anticipated her feast. Her children gathered at her feet, their blood lust nearly equal with her own. Her robes blew around her, caught by an unnatural wind that blew towards the castle and extinguished the lamps that had been left burning outside. Her children rushed into the forest surrounding the castle. A few minutes passed and she heard the war cries of the centaurs. They were stupid beasts to believe they could defeat her children, her own flesh and blood. It would be a brief fight. She sensed the defenses around the castle weaken. She bit her lip in anticipation and tasted the blood of the physical body. "I'm bringing your wife back to you, Sirius Black," she hissed.
Dumbledore entered the Great Hall with a box in his hands. Remus had recovered enough to stand, but was leaning heavily on Harry. "Are the children safe?" Sirius asked.
"Indeed."
"She's here."
"I know."
"What's in the box?" Harry asked.
Dumbledore didn't answer but raised the lid and pulled a large clear globe from the box. Inside was a replica of the castle, surrounded by a silver cloud. "All of the other defenses placed on this castle have been extinguished, all except this one. Severus' salve should keep the beasts away, but it will not work against Selene. She can appear at any time after I destroy the globe. Are you ready for this?" Dumbledore asked.
Sirius grabbed the hilt of the sword, "Yes."
Dumbledore's eyes turned to Will who nodded, next they shifted to Remus who removed his arm from around Harry and stood on his own, "Most definitely," he said.
Dumbledore looked at Harry, "I'm ready," he said.
Dumbledore nodded. He pulled out his wand and pointed its tip at the globe, "Dorsum nudum ferso tui sceleris!"
Harry watched as the glass globe shattered, the glass dissolving in the air. The silver cloud fluttered and then disappeared. Dumbledore looked out over his half moon spectacles at the others, who had pulled out their wands and turned towards the great doors. Dumbledore withdrew his own wand, "It begins," he said, taking his place alongside the others.