CHAPTER 13:
THE CREATURE'S REAPPEARANCE
Harry and Cho had moved out of the pitch and into the stands, where they wouldn't be so obvious. There they sat, side-by-side, Cho's head resting on Harry's shoulder, while his arm was locked around her waist. Occasionally, they would whisper things like 'I love you' into each other's ear, or turn to face each other in order to press their lips together.
"Harry," said Cho. She was looking up at the sky. "It looks like there's a storm coming. Maybe we should get inside."
"Alright," Harry replied.
They climbed down the stairs of the stands and onto the pitch, where rain suddenly began to fall from the sky. Lightning began to flash as they ran over to pick their brooms up from the center of the pitch.
And then, Harry heard it. After nearly two months, he heard the phantom- creature's screaming cry in the distance. Looking up into the darkened sky, amidst the rain and bolts of lightning, he saw the creature high above him, its wings spread-out and motionless, and its large, red eyes glaring down at him.
"Oh, my God!" Cho exclaimed, looking up at the creature. "Harry...what is that?"
Harry didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He was paralyzed with fear.
All of a sudden, the creature dived down towards Harry and Cho like a falcon.
Instinctively, Harry grabbed Cho and pulled her to the ground, holding her down as the creature passed over them. Under the blur that was the creature, he could see an appendage shaped like a clawed hand, almost like an eagle's foot. It missed as it closed shut above them, but one of its talons ripped a large tear in Harry's robe.
The creature soared upwards and turned around, diving back down again.
Harry and Cho grabbed their brooms and kicked off the ground, and the creature immediately sped after Cho, like some giant, demonic bird of prey.
Cho zoomed across the pitch as fast as her broom could take her, but the creature easily kept up with her.
No way, Harry thought to himself. Cho must have been flying seventy or eighty miles per hour. What kind of bird could fly that fast?!
Harry sped off after the creature, hoping to distract it. "HEY!!!" he called out, flying along beside it. "LEAVE HER ALONE!!! I'M THE ONE YOU WANT!!!"
But the creature didn't even seem to notice him. It kept on pursuing Cho. All Harry could do was watch in horror.
The creature was now right above her when it suddenly lunged its foot out and grabbed Cho in its talons.
Cho screamed in pain as the creature's sharp talons wrapped around her torso, ripping cloth and tearing flesh in the process. The creature began to ascend straight up into the sky, almost like a helicopter, taking Cho with it. Then, it flung her to the ground.
Cho collided into the pole of one of the scoring hoops at the end of the pitch, and fell to the ground in a heap.
"CHO!!!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs. He sped towards her limp body as fast as his broom could take him, and landed next to her.
The creature came down to the ground and kneeled over her.
"Get away from her!" Harry screamed angrily.
This time, the creature seemed to hear him. It looked up at him and fixed those frightening, evil eyes on him. It then began to shuffle towards him.
"Stay back!" Harry exclaimed. He pulled his wand out from the sleeve of his robes. "I'm warning you!"
The creature continued to shuffle towards him, not seeming to care that a wand was pointing right at it.
"You come any closer, and I'll blow your ass away!!!" Harry shouted, full of rage. He was still terrified of this creature, and he hated every bit about it. He was tired of being pushed around by this thing. He was going to end it, once and for all. He was going to send it back to Hell where it came from. "STUPEF-"
The creature emitted a deafening howl, and Harry's head filled with intense pain, causing him to drop his wand. It wasn't just his scar that hurt, it was his entire head. This creature could, somehow, psychically trigger intense migraines. When Harry came to his senses, the creature was gone.
Harry rushed over to Cho, knelt down beside her, and turned her over onto her back. To his relief, she was still alive, just unconscious. Her bandage had come off, and her bludger-cut was open and bleeding profusely again. Not knowing what else to do, he ran to the castle, opened the doors, and found Dumbledore in the hallway.
"Professor Dumbledore!" he called out.
"Harry, what's the matter?" Dumbledore asked, a concerned look on his face.
"You remember that creature I described to you earlier this year? Cho Chang's been attacked by it. She needs help!"
A grave look came upon Dumbledore's face. "Lead the way, Harry."
Harry led Dumbledore to the quidditch pitch, where Cho still lay, unconscious. Dumbledore waved his wand, and a floating stretcher appeared under Cho's body. He then followed Dumbledore to the hospital wing, all the while looking down at Cho.
TO BE CONTINUED
THE CREATURE'S REAPPEARANCE
Harry and Cho had moved out of the pitch and into the stands, where they wouldn't be so obvious. There they sat, side-by-side, Cho's head resting on Harry's shoulder, while his arm was locked around her waist. Occasionally, they would whisper things like 'I love you' into each other's ear, or turn to face each other in order to press their lips together.
"Harry," said Cho. She was looking up at the sky. "It looks like there's a storm coming. Maybe we should get inside."
"Alright," Harry replied.
They climbed down the stairs of the stands and onto the pitch, where rain suddenly began to fall from the sky. Lightning began to flash as they ran over to pick their brooms up from the center of the pitch.
And then, Harry heard it. After nearly two months, he heard the phantom- creature's screaming cry in the distance. Looking up into the darkened sky, amidst the rain and bolts of lightning, he saw the creature high above him, its wings spread-out and motionless, and its large, red eyes glaring down at him.
"Oh, my God!" Cho exclaimed, looking up at the creature. "Harry...what is that?"
Harry didn't answer. He couldn't answer. He was paralyzed with fear.
All of a sudden, the creature dived down towards Harry and Cho like a falcon.
Instinctively, Harry grabbed Cho and pulled her to the ground, holding her down as the creature passed over them. Under the blur that was the creature, he could see an appendage shaped like a clawed hand, almost like an eagle's foot. It missed as it closed shut above them, but one of its talons ripped a large tear in Harry's robe.
The creature soared upwards and turned around, diving back down again.
Harry and Cho grabbed their brooms and kicked off the ground, and the creature immediately sped after Cho, like some giant, demonic bird of prey.
Cho zoomed across the pitch as fast as her broom could take her, but the creature easily kept up with her.
No way, Harry thought to himself. Cho must have been flying seventy or eighty miles per hour. What kind of bird could fly that fast?!
Harry sped off after the creature, hoping to distract it. "HEY!!!" he called out, flying along beside it. "LEAVE HER ALONE!!! I'M THE ONE YOU WANT!!!"
But the creature didn't even seem to notice him. It kept on pursuing Cho. All Harry could do was watch in horror.
The creature was now right above her when it suddenly lunged its foot out and grabbed Cho in its talons.
Cho screamed in pain as the creature's sharp talons wrapped around her torso, ripping cloth and tearing flesh in the process. The creature began to ascend straight up into the sky, almost like a helicopter, taking Cho with it. Then, it flung her to the ground.
Cho collided into the pole of one of the scoring hoops at the end of the pitch, and fell to the ground in a heap.
"CHO!!!" Harry screamed at the top of his lungs. He sped towards her limp body as fast as his broom could take him, and landed next to her.
The creature came down to the ground and kneeled over her.
"Get away from her!" Harry screamed angrily.
This time, the creature seemed to hear him. It looked up at him and fixed those frightening, evil eyes on him. It then began to shuffle towards him.
"Stay back!" Harry exclaimed. He pulled his wand out from the sleeve of his robes. "I'm warning you!"
The creature continued to shuffle towards him, not seeming to care that a wand was pointing right at it.
"You come any closer, and I'll blow your ass away!!!" Harry shouted, full of rage. He was still terrified of this creature, and he hated every bit about it. He was tired of being pushed around by this thing. He was going to end it, once and for all. He was going to send it back to Hell where it came from. "STUPEF-"
The creature emitted a deafening howl, and Harry's head filled with intense pain, causing him to drop his wand. It wasn't just his scar that hurt, it was his entire head. This creature could, somehow, psychically trigger intense migraines. When Harry came to his senses, the creature was gone.
Harry rushed over to Cho, knelt down beside her, and turned her over onto her back. To his relief, she was still alive, just unconscious. Her bandage had come off, and her bludger-cut was open and bleeding profusely again. Not knowing what else to do, he ran to the castle, opened the doors, and found Dumbledore in the hallway.
"Professor Dumbledore!" he called out.
"Harry, what's the matter?" Dumbledore asked, a concerned look on his face.
"You remember that creature I described to you earlier this year? Cho Chang's been attacked by it. She needs help!"
A grave look came upon Dumbledore's face. "Lead the way, Harry."
Harry led Dumbledore to the quidditch pitch, where Cho still lay, unconscious. Dumbledore waved his wand, and a floating stretcher appeared under Cho's body. He then followed Dumbledore to the hospital wing, all the while looking down at Cho.
TO BE CONTINUED