OK, because of debating and homework (damn the homework... -_-) I have like
NO TIME TO UPDATE (sad, isn't it?) but I will have time to soon. Ladybug:
school? Cancelled? Ah, a beautiful, much needed dream. My feelings on
romance... vary. I can't help it. Lenora: on fictionpress, there is a story
called 'insanity', under Skeleton L. Crow. That has ALL of the sisters in
it. Also, Artemis is smart in a "wow-I've-been-around-for-200-years-so-I-
picked-stuff-up" kind of way. Nemesis is smart in an "I-could-build-a-
supercomputer-out-of-the-things-I-find-in-your-bedroom-and-I-invented-warp-
drive" kind of way.
Thank you both very much for reading. It's nice to know someone is!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nemesis didn't move, but all of the Death Eaters froze in mid-attack. Grinning, she looked around the circle. "Tsk tsk, you need to pick your fights more carefully. I suppose I could just stop you now, but really, where's the fun in that?" The grin was still there, slightly maniacal. Suddenly, the Death Eaters were moving again, and flashes of green, orange, and red were coming at her from all sides.
Nemesis swung about, shooting light, fire, spirit, water, earth, and air at her attackers. A ball of blue blasted from her hands at two black figures, pushing them back into three more. Whipping round, she passed a silver hand over the next attacker and he froze, literally, ice solid. She detected a shot behind her, and covered herself behind with a green shield. *Artemis may be immortal, but I'M not taking any chances!* As she fought, Nemesis's grin grew wider and wider before suddenly, it fell.
*Damn conscience,* she mumbled mentally to herself, and all the Death Eaters paused, like on tape, once more. Only three were still on their feet, although a couple who were on the floor had their wands out. About half a dozen were very and quite horizontal. Swishing a glowing yellow hand at two of the remaining Death Eaters, they slumped quietly to the floor. Closing in on the last one, the leader, she leaned forward.
"Give a message to Uncle Voldie for me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Professor Flitwick was in his study when he heard Dumbledore's voice through the fireplace. His small face paling, he jumped up and Aparated towards the Gryffindor common room. Upon his arrival, he found Professors Torquil and Sinistra already entering and heading towards the stairs.
"What's going on?" Flitwick's voice, usually high, was barely audible.
Torquil whipped round. "Someone has broken into the school! We don't kno- Death Eaters!" Torquil's wand was at the ready in a split-second, and Flitwick barely had time to turn around before bolts of light were flying back and forth. More teachers joined them, and soon the air was streaked with colours. The noise was tremendous, and that was the problem.
Harry Potter had been lying awake, thinking. It was annoying, really. After all those names had been read out, and his hadn't been one of them, he had been terrified of going back to the Dursley's. But he had been sure that Dumbledore would let him stay, and sure enough the Headmaster had consented after Harry had stated his case. Ron and Hermione had been happy to have him stay, but they had been rather odd lately. He never saw them, and they would come back to the common room at midnight saying they had been "studying". Judging from the dishevelled state of Ron's hair and robes, Harry suspected this studying was rather physical. Of course, he didn't say anything, at the risk of sounding accusing. *Well, it's nice to see they're finally together, in a way.* Harry thought to himself. But it was annoying. Harry would die before he hung out with Draco, Neville and Luna Lovegood seemed to be going the same way as Ron and Hermione, the Weasley twins were never around, and Ginny was very introverted lately. And Sirius was never far from his head. Trapped by his thoughts, Harry never slept well anymore.
He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of things breaking, crashing, and falling; the zip and shriek of multiple spells crossing in mid-air. Fumbling out of bed, he saw Neville open his curtains and gaze groggily at him.
"S'happing?" Neville slurred in his half-awake state.
"I think... we're under some sort of attack...." Harry started to answer before he heard a scream that the duo recognized.
"Hermione!" Harry started towards the door, not even bothering to grab a robe. But before he could bolt towards the girls dorms that were inaccessible, the door opened and Hermione and Ginny raced through.
"Harry!" Both girls hugged the startled teen in their semi-terrified state. Stepping back, Hermione hugged Neville as well. "Honestly, you two, the teachers! Their fighting Death Eaters in the common room!"
"Bloody heck!" Harry stared at Hermione while disentangling himself from Ginny. "Are you SERIOUS?"
"Yes! Oh Harry, we heard fighting and we went to the landing and we saw them- all these Death Eaters fighting our Professors! Sprout seemed unconscious and Torquil was barely standing..."
Harry leapt up. Finally, something to do! "Ginny, Hermione; you stay here. Neville, grab your wand, I want to check it out."
"Harry, no!" Said Neville, in a wavering voice. "We can't! YOU can't! They're probably after you! You can't run right into their hands!"
"I won't, I'll only go to the landing to look-"
"Harry, I can't allow that." Ginny strode to the door and stood in front of it.
"Ginny, this is no time for-" Harry never finished his sentence. With a shattering sound, the door flew into fragments revealing the overbearing figure of a Death Eater. He looked around the room, and his eyes honed in on Harry. Seeing this, Hermione automatically raised her wand and shot the Impedimenta Jinx at the intruder. A shield went up and the spell was reflected back towards Neville, who leapt out of the way. Feet from Harry, the Death Eater aimed his wand quickly and cast a spell. At the last second, Hermione jumped in front of the beam, taking it full in the chest. With a moan, she collapsed backwards into Harry, who tried to get her out of the way. Neville grabbed Ginny and forced her behind the bed, shielding her from the Avara Kedavra spells the ricocheted off the walls above them. Hermione falling beside the crouching figures, Harry sprinted round the Death Eater, who was randomly shooting at anything that moved. Making a break for the doorway, he was almost there when he felt a shot take him in the back, and he went down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Artemis sat at the edge of a comfortable chair in Dumbledore's office. Snape and McGonagall were there, talking with the Headmaster about their situation.
"Hagrid has already checked in, Headmaster. Luna Lovegood is safe and being brought here as swiftly as possible. The others should have reported by now, which leads me to believe that they are under some sort of attack near Gryffindor Tower." Snape's face was gaunt and anxious, his voice quicker than usual, with less oil to it.
"Headmaster, we must help them! And get the Death Eaters out! How did they get in, in the first place?" McGonagall's voice was as strained as Snape's face.
Artemis took the chance to jump in. "I think the attack in November weakened the magic surrounding the school. Voldemort might have found a hole in the spells and used it to get in. And they will only leave if A, we make them or B, they get what they want."
"And the certainly won't get what they want." Dumbledore's eyes were tired but blazing. "Minerva, head to Gryffindor Tower. If they need help, summon me. Severus, I want you to help me start on a banishing spell."
"If I may, Headmaster." Nemesis strode into the room, Hagrid behind her carrying Luna Lovegood. "I can get rid of them, as Artemis is obviously weakened," – here Artemis made an angry face – "But then I must leave you. I've found what I came to find and so my job is done. Besides, Artemis really is the 'supposed' expert on this, aren't you, Arty?"
"ARTY?" Artemis's face was livid.
"Now, now, no time for emotion, dear sister." Turning back to the white- haired wizard, she continued speaking. "There are nine Death Eaters in the Elevator," – as if on cue, the secret panel opened, revealing nine unconscious black forms tied together with a band of glowing orange – "And here's what's left of their wands." She tossed a handful of broken bits of wand onto the floor. "Except for this one, of course." Nemesis held up a normal-looking wand, beech, 9 inches; she twiddled it between her fingers before pointing it at Artemis.
"You see, Arty, I tried to break this one, but it didn't work..." Taking the wand between her hands, she brought it down – hard – on her knee. A ripple spread out from the wand, through everyone in the room, swirling outward.
Artemis stared. "You found it! Wow, I didn't think you actually would!"
Nemesis rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you are so dense sometimes. Obviously the only thing we share is DNA." Sliding her hands up the wand, she quickly found what she was looking for and snapped it open. "Here we go..." she muttered to herself, as the electronic insides of the wand were laid open. "Ingenious, really... quite a clever design..." She fiddled with it for a minute, before (with a final sort of click), flicking it shut.
"Well, my job is done. Now, I know I said I could get rid of them, but really, I think that it would be better if you did it. So I recommend you all head on up to the Gryffindor common room to save all the teachers who are currently fighting Death Eaters. I will get Draco and meet you in the Great Hall to say good bye." With that and her sarcastic smile, she turned and left the room, leaving four stunned teachers, two dazed students, and one fuming interdimensional traveler behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Draco sat on his bed, wondering about the short kiss he had shared with Nemesis. He'd always thought he liked her, but now... there hadn't been any, spark, when he kissed Nemesis. And now his fear might be true.
He might just be gay.
He screwed his eyes shut, rolling over, trying to push the thought away. It was the one that haunted him, made him be mean to escape it. And he was sure Nemesis had seen it when she was with him.
"Good god, Draco, what are you doing?" He muttered into his pillow, hitting it, punching his feelings out. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to. How did you come to terms with something like this? Especially when your father hated it?
Nemesis's words came back to him, creeping into his head. "You aren't just Lucius Malfoy's son. You're Draco, Light Element Controller. Light doesn't mean good. But you can be good, Draco."
|You can be good.|
The words chased themselves around his head. He thought Nemesis could save him. He thought they could be friends. Or more. And he thought he could save her. But he realized that in truth, she didn't need saving. It was her personality to be cold, withdrawn; and she didn't need to be changed to be fine with that.
Draco didn't like all these revelations. They scared him, brought up ideas he didn't want to contemplate. There would be time for that later-
A bolt of pain flashed through his head. Rolling over, he fell off the twin bed to the wooden floor, where he tried to control the raging in his skull. Suddenly, it stopped, and he knew what had happened.
Potter.
Because he was Light Element Controller, he knew what had happened. Harry – Potter – had just been hit by a spell of some sort. And damn, that hurt.
Getting up from the floor, he started towards the entrance to Fireside, planning to go see Nemesis in Woodwings. Before he got there, the door opened, revealing Nemesis looking at him.
"What happened?" she demanded, her eyes searching his face.
"What do you mean?" Draco was surprised. How did she know anything?
"You felt something. Spill, what was it?"
"Well... there was a lot of pain. In my skull. I think Potter has been abducted, or something of the sort." Draco answered, trying to keep his voice cool.
"Just what we need." Nemesis rolled her eyes, for the umpteenth time that night. "Just bloody brilliant." She looked thoughtful. "Well, it's out of my hands. Come on, Death Eaters are attacking, I have to get you to the Great Hall."
Trying to absorb and assimilate this information, Draco blindly followed the girl out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry Potter awoke and looked dizzily around him. There was nothing recognizable the he could discern. Attempting to sit up, he only felt his head throb, and opted for sliding back down onto the icy floor. Laying his ear to it, the cold eased the pain in his head.
"Well well, Mr. Potter. How nice to see you again."
Harry's moment of peace – if you could call it that – was shattered. Sitting bolt up, he ignored the pain, and stared straight into the snake- like eyes of Voldemort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Thank you both very much for reading. It's nice to know someone is!
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Nemesis didn't move, but all of the Death Eaters froze in mid-attack. Grinning, she looked around the circle. "Tsk tsk, you need to pick your fights more carefully. I suppose I could just stop you now, but really, where's the fun in that?" The grin was still there, slightly maniacal. Suddenly, the Death Eaters were moving again, and flashes of green, orange, and red were coming at her from all sides.
Nemesis swung about, shooting light, fire, spirit, water, earth, and air at her attackers. A ball of blue blasted from her hands at two black figures, pushing them back into three more. Whipping round, she passed a silver hand over the next attacker and he froze, literally, ice solid. She detected a shot behind her, and covered herself behind with a green shield. *Artemis may be immortal, but I'M not taking any chances!* As she fought, Nemesis's grin grew wider and wider before suddenly, it fell.
*Damn conscience,* she mumbled mentally to herself, and all the Death Eaters paused, like on tape, once more. Only three were still on their feet, although a couple who were on the floor had their wands out. About half a dozen were very and quite horizontal. Swishing a glowing yellow hand at two of the remaining Death Eaters, they slumped quietly to the floor. Closing in on the last one, the leader, she leaned forward.
"Give a message to Uncle Voldie for me."
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Professor Flitwick was in his study when he heard Dumbledore's voice through the fireplace. His small face paling, he jumped up and Aparated towards the Gryffindor common room. Upon his arrival, he found Professors Torquil and Sinistra already entering and heading towards the stairs.
"What's going on?" Flitwick's voice, usually high, was barely audible.
Torquil whipped round. "Someone has broken into the school! We don't kno- Death Eaters!" Torquil's wand was at the ready in a split-second, and Flitwick barely had time to turn around before bolts of light were flying back and forth. More teachers joined them, and soon the air was streaked with colours. The noise was tremendous, and that was the problem.
Harry Potter had been lying awake, thinking. It was annoying, really. After all those names had been read out, and his hadn't been one of them, he had been terrified of going back to the Dursley's. But he had been sure that Dumbledore would let him stay, and sure enough the Headmaster had consented after Harry had stated his case. Ron and Hermione had been happy to have him stay, but they had been rather odd lately. He never saw them, and they would come back to the common room at midnight saying they had been "studying". Judging from the dishevelled state of Ron's hair and robes, Harry suspected this studying was rather physical. Of course, he didn't say anything, at the risk of sounding accusing. *Well, it's nice to see they're finally together, in a way.* Harry thought to himself. But it was annoying. Harry would die before he hung out with Draco, Neville and Luna Lovegood seemed to be going the same way as Ron and Hermione, the Weasley twins were never around, and Ginny was very introverted lately. And Sirius was never far from his head. Trapped by his thoughts, Harry never slept well anymore.
He was startled out of his thoughts by the sound of things breaking, crashing, and falling; the zip and shriek of multiple spells crossing in mid-air. Fumbling out of bed, he saw Neville open his curtains and gaze groggily at him.
"S'happing?" Neville slurred in his half-awake state.
"I think... we're under some sort of attack...." Harry started to answer before he heard a scream that the duo recognized.
"Hermione!" Harry started towards the door, not even bothering to grab a robe. But before he could bolt towards the girls dorms that were inaccessible, the door opened and Hermione and Ginny raced through.
"Harry!" Both girls hugged the startled teen in their semi-terrified state. Stepping back, Hermione hugged Neville as well. "Honestly, you two, the teachers! Their fighting Death Eaters in the common room!"
"Bloody heck!" Harry stared at Hermione while disentangling himself from Ginny. "Are you SERIOUS?"
"Yes! Oh Harry, we heard fighting and we went to the landing and we saw them- all these Death Eaters fighting our Professors! Sprout seemed unconscious and Torquil was barely standing..."
Harry leapt up. Finally, something to do! "Ginny, Hermione; you stay here. Neville, grab your wand, I want to check it out."
"Harry, no!" Said Neville, in a wavering voice. "We can't! YOU can't! They're probably after you! You can't run right into their hands!"
"I won't, I'll only go to the landing to look-"
"Harry, I can't allow that." Ginny strode to the door and stood in front of it.
"Ginny, this is no time for-" Harry never finished his sentence. With a shattering sound, the door flew into fragments revealing the overbearing figure of a Death Eater. He looked around the room, and his eyes honed in on Harry. Seeing this, Hermione automatically raised her wand and shot the Impedimenta Jinx at the intruder. A shield went up and the spell was reflected back towards Neville, who leapt out of the way. Feet from Harry, the Death Eater aimed his wand quickly and cast a spell. At the last second, Hermione jumped in front of the beam, taking it full in the chest. With a moan, she collapsed backwards into Harry, who tried to get her out of the way. Neville grabbed Ginny and forced her behind the bed, shielding her from the Avara Kedavra spells the ricocheted off the walls above them. Hermione falling beside the crouching figures, Harry sprinted round the Death Eater, who was randomly shooting at anything that moved. Making a break for the doorway, he was almost there when he felt a shot take him in the back, and he went down.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Artemis sat at the edge of a comfortable chair in Dumbledore's office. Snape and McGonagall were there, talking with the Headmaster about their situation.
"Hagrid has already checked in, Headmaster. Luna Lovegood is safe and being brought here as swiftly as possible. The others should have reported by now, which leads me to believe that they are under some sort of attack near Gryffindor Tower." Snape's face was gaunt and anxious, his voice quicker than usual, with less oil to it.
"Headmaster, we must help them! And get the Death Eaters out! How did they get in, in the first place?" McGonagall's voice was as strained as Snape's face.
Artemis took the chance to jump in. "I think the attack in November weakened the magic surrounding the school. Voldemort might have found a hole in the spells and used it to get in. And they will only leave if A, we make them or B, they get what they want."
"And the certainly won't get what they want." Dumbledore's eyes were tired but blazing. "Minerva, head to Gryffindor Tower. If they need help, summon me. Severus, I want you to help me start on a banishing spell."
"If I may, Headmaster." Nemesis strode into the room, Hagrid behind her carrying Luna Lovegood. "I can get rid of them, as Artemis is obviously weakened," – here Artemis made an angry face – "But then I must leave you. I've found what I came to find and so my job is done. Besides, Artemis really is the 'supposed' expert on this, aren't you, Arty?"
"ARTY?" Artemis's face was livid.
"Now, now, no time for emotion, dear sister." Turning back to the white- haired wizard, she continued speaking. "There are nine Death Eaters in the Elevator," – as if on cue, the secret panel opened, revealing nine unconscious black forms tied together with a band of glowing orange – "And here's what's left of their wands." She tossed a handful of broken bits of wand onto the floor. "Except for this one, of course." Nemesis held up a normal-looking wand, beech, 9 inches; she twiddled it between her fingers before pointing it at Artemis.
"You see, Arty, I tried to break this one, but it didn't work..." Taking the wand between her hands, she brought it down – hard – on her knee. A ripple spread out from the wand, through everyone in the room, swirling outward.
Artemis stared. "You found it! Wow, I didn't think you actually would!"
Nemesis rolled her eyes. "Honestly, you are so dense sometimes. Obviously the only thing we share is DNA." Sliding her hands up the wand, she quickly found what she was looking for and snapped it open. "Here we go..." she muttered to herself, as the electronic insides of the wand were laid open. "Ingenious, really... quite a clever design..." She fiddled with it for a minute, before (with a final sort of click), flicking it shut.
"Well, my job is done. Now, I know I said I could get rid of them, but really, I think that it would be better if you did it. So I recommend you all head on up to the Gryffindor common room to save all the teachers who are currently fighting Death Eaters. I will get Draco and meet you in the Great Hall to say good bye." With that and her sarcastic smile, she turned and left the room, leaving four stunned teachers, two dazed students, and one fuming interdimensional traveler behind.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Draco sat on his bed, wondering about the short kiss he had shared with Nemesis. He'd always thought he liked her, but now... there hadn't been any, spark, when he kissed Nemesis. And now his fear might be true.
He might just be gay.
He screwed his eyes shut, rolling over, trying to push the thought away. It was the one that haunted him, made him be mean to escape it. And he was sure Nemesis had seen it when she was with him.
"Good god, Draco, what are you doing?" He muttered into his pillow, hitting it, punching his feelings out. He couldn't believe it. He didn't want to. How did you come to terms with something like this? Especially when your father hated it?
Nemesis's words came back to him, creeping into his head. "You aren't just Lucius Malfoy's son. You're Draco, Light Element Controller. Light doesn't mean good. But you can be good, Draco."
|You can be good.|
The words chased themselves around his head. He thought Nemesis could save him. He thought they could be friends. Or more. And he thought he could save her. But he realized that in truth, she didn't need saving. It was her personality to be cold, withdrawn; and she didn't need to be changed to be fine with that.
Draco didn't like all these revelations. They scared him, brought up ideas he didn't want to contemplate. There would be time for that later-
A bolt of pain flashed through his head. Rolling over, he fell off the twin bed to the wooden floor, where he tried to control the raging in his skull. Suddenly, it stopped, and he knew what had happened.
Potter.
Because he was Light Element Controller, he knew what had happened. Harry – Potter – had just been hit by a spell of some sort. And damn, that hurt.
Getting up from the floor, he started towards the entrance to Fireside, planning to go see Nemesis in Woodwings. Before he got there, the door opened, revealing Nemesis looking at him.
"What happened?" she demanded, her eyes searching his face.
"What do you mean?" Draco was surprised. How did she know anything?
"You felt something. Spill, what was it?"
"Well... there was a lot of pain. In my skull. I think Potter has been abducted, or something of the sort." Draco answered, trying to keep his voice cool.
"Just what we need." Nemesis rolled her eyes, for the umpteenth time that night. "Just bloody brilliant." She looked thoughtful. "Well, it's out of my hands. Come on, Death Eaters are attacking, I have to get you to the Great Hall."
Trying to absorb and assimilate this information, Draco blindly followed the girl out of the room.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~
Harry Potter awoke and looked dizzily around him. There was nothing recognizable the he could discern. Attempting to sit up, he only felt his head throb, and opted for sliding back down onto the icy floor. Laying his ear to it, the cold eased the pain in his head.
"Well well, Mr. Potter. How nice to see you again."
Harry's moment of peace – if you could call it that – was shattered. Sitting bolt up, he ignored the pain, and stared straight into the snake- like eyes of Voldemort.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~