*~* Chapter Sixteen: Here We Go *~*

KayKay flopped into bed with a sigh, trying to banish the mild headache that threatened to intensify with a painful throbbing.

"You too?" Megan asked, stumbling to her trunk for pajamas. KayKay hadn't even bothered to change out of her robes.

"Ugh, why do Astronomy exams have to be so late at night?" KayKay groaned, rolling over on her stomach and grabbing her exam schedule from her bedside table.

"I wonder if it has anything to do with the need to see the stars?" Megan asked sarcastically.

"It was a rhetorical question," KayKay said, looking down at the schedule.

" 'May twenty-third' . . ." KayKay read out loud. "Ugh, Potions. I guess tomorrow and Sunday will be devoted to trying to memorize every potion we've done . . ."

"And practicing the ones we haven't. I wouldn't put it past Snape to give us an unfamiliar assignment." Megan said dryly.

"Yeah," KayKay yawned. "Amazing, I actually wish the exam was in the dungeons. I could do with a change of scenery."

"I say we just fly our brooms out of the window and sleep under the stars."

"Yeah right," KayKay snorted. "If the Heir didn't get us, the creatures in the Forbidden Forest would. I don't think they're as timid when they're dealing with sleeping victims."

"Okay then, the Great Hall. It's almost like sleeping under the stars—"

"Megan, it is sleeping under the stars." KayKay scoffed, putting her schedule away and flopping out on her bed as comfortably as she could manage.

As she drifted off, KayKay could hear Megan muttering, "This is . . . Megan . . . KTRT . . . announcer . . . good bye."

KayKay drifted into a fitful nightmare, not unlike some others she'd had recently. She moaned and curled into a fetal position as the familiar vision began to unfold . . .

She was walking down a bare stone corridor. She could hear footsteps beside her, but looking over she saw nothing, save a shadow on the wall. Deciding it must have been the echo of her own steps, she continued walking. The corridor did not curve, and it had no apparent end. The torches on the wall were all identical, as was every last stone in the wall.

KayKay wondered vaguely how long she'd been walking when she noticed something peculiar. The shadow against the wall was not her own. It was taller than hers, and shaped differently. Stopping to inspect it, she gasped and stumbled back against the far wall as she realized that not only did the sound of footsteps continue, but also that the shadow continued moving. Seemingly pulling itself from the wall, the shadow stepped into the open as KayKay shrunk back farther.

Her fear turned to amazement as the shadow lightened, turning slowly to a more definite, three-dimensional form.

"KayKay," it stated simply. It was like a picture coming into focus . . . the features were slowly sharpening. She could see Hogwarts robes . . . sandy-hair . . . a Head-Boy badge!

"Brian?" she asked in astonishment.

The boy stepped forward now, looking as solid as real.

"In the flesh . . . well, as a manner of speaking. What is troubling you KayKay?" He asked.

"I don't know . . . I wasn't aware that anything was troubling me." KayKay said, starting to walk with him down the corridor.

"There must be something. Otherwise you wouldn't be dreaming this dream." He said, falling into step beside her. His voice was distant, and it echoed somewhat . . . like the sound wasn't coming from the boy beside her, but from somewhere up above.

"Maybe . . . maybe it's this Heir thing," she confessed. "I feel like there's nothing I can possibly do to stop what's happening."

Brian nodded. "That sounds plausible. It—"

There was a sudden commotion up ahead. KayKay stomach tightened at the sight . . . someone, in a black cloak embroidered with green snakes along the hem and cuffs, was facing a girl and . . . Brian?

KayKay made to run ahead, to stop what was happening. The Brian beside her, however, held her back.

"Let go, I need to help—"

"Stop, KayKay, stop!" he said, holding her back as she struggled to pass him. "You can't change it. It's already happened."

"No . . . no, it hasn't!" KayKay pleaded. "I can stop them, I can save you two!" she could feel tears beginning to well up in her eyes. "How can you just stand there, you're being killed! It doesn't have to be like this!"

"Yes it does, KayKay," he said, gently yet firmly. "It does."

She looked at him and was startled to see tears in his eyes as well.

"I'm glad I got the chance to meet you and talk to you before . . . you know . . . it happened. But now it has. We can't change that. It was wonderful knowing you, KayKay." He said, pulling her into a friendly hug.

"This just in! Troubles in Common—let me check this memo again—ah, common rules!"

"What?" KayKay almost asked Brian, but even as she looked up, he was fading away, even though she still felt his embrace. The colors of the dream seemed to be dripping away, running down the walls and mixing together.

"But more on that after this song, request from one of my listeners! We're jumping back a decade, with 'I Will Survive' from Selena Quintanilla!"

"What?" KayKay repeated, forcing her eyes open. It was still dark outside, the clock by her bed read 5:07 AM, but Megan was sitting up in bed, chattering away. Her ramblings must have forced into KayKay's dreams . . .

KayKay tried to sit up, struggling a bit as she was wrapped tightly in her sheets.

"Well, that explains it feeling like a real hug" she muttered, trying to extract herself from the jumble of blankets. Propping herself up on one elbow, KayKay squinted through the darkness.

"Megan? Do you have any idea of what time it is?" she asked.

"And we have a confused listener. Just got back from out of state, adjusting to the time change? It's approximately 5:10 AM, my friend. Next caller—"

"Megan, why are you up so early?"

"Early?" Megan continued in her radio voice, adding a chuckle. "No, no, no, it's late, very late . . . too late. I have to apologize, you missed the start of the morning show. But that's all right, because we have more hits on the way! It's Blast from the Past day! Go downstairs—where you keep those albums—and revisit the old memories. And coming to you from the Beach Boys: California Girls!"

Megan waved her wand with an idiotic grin, and music filled the room.

"Megan! Snap out of it and shut up so I can sleep!" KayKay said. Now seriously—"

"Megan! KayKay!" Ron burst into the room. Before he could continue, KayKay let out a sarcastic laugh.

"Oh, I get it . . . great prank you guys, now take the charm off of the window and reset my clock so I can get back to sleep."

"Young man, where is your visitor's pass?" Megan asked in a scandalized tone.

"Prank? What prank? I didn't—"

"Megan, shut up with the radio commentary already!" KayKay exclaimed, settling her feet on the floor and standing up.

"You guys, this is—"

"You can acquire a visitor's pass at the receptionist's desk in the lobby"

"Megan, cut the comedy!"

"Really Megan, you—"

"I'm sorry, you have to have a visitor's pass!" Megan interrupted Ron.

"Megan!"

"I'm serious you two—"

"Security!" Megan called.

"THERE'S BEEN ANOTHER ATTACK!" Ron shouted, ending the pandemonium. KayKay gaped at him as if she'd been slapped. Megan, however, rolled off of her bed and ducked behind it with her hands over her head.

"Security!" she screeched, "Activists! They're threatening to attack! SECURITY!"

"Megan, if you don't shut up, I'll slap you, I swear I will!" KayKay exclaimed.

"Two of them! SECURITIEEE—"

She stopped abruptly, clapping a hand to her cheek.

"Don't say I didn't warn you," KayKay said, straightening up and rubbing her hand.

"What was that for!?" Megan demanded.

"For acting like an inattentive child when somebody's been attacked!"

"What!?" Megan gasped. "When? Where?"

"Just a bit ago, I woke up and couldn't fall asleep again," Ron explained.

"Funny, I seem to have had the same problem," KayKay gave Megan a "look".

"But how could you have found it without leaving? Unless—" Megan stopped, her eyes widening.

"Not in Gryffindor Tower!" KayKay exclaimed, not wanting to believe it. Ron, however, nodded.

KayKay and Megan sprung into action, stumbling down the stairs behind Ron.

"Oh no." KayKay moaned sadly, walking immediately towards the Portrait Hole, where a young boy was sprawled.

"Oh, he's a First Year, isn't he?" Megan asked, looking at the boy. "I think his name was Innes . . ."

"Yes, he was always a sweet kid . . . I think that Sabrina Dawson liked him . . ." KayKay agreed. "What does his face say?" she asked Ron.

" 'TIME' " he answered. "But the question is how the Heir got in."

They all stood in silence for a minute, before KayKay admitted, "I really don't know. But a bigger question is, how do we get Dumbledore? We don't have any Floo Powder, or—"

"Floo Powder! That's it! KayKay, you're a genius! I'll bet a teacher left some Floo Powder in a Common Room, or that a student snuck into their Head of House's quarters!" Megan said.

"Well, let's do something about telling a teacher first, huh? Now, how—"

"What's going on here?" a voice asked.

KayKay looked down as Cocoa walked beneath her legs and sat down, looking up at her.

"Cocoa can do it!" KayKay exclaimed.

"What? Do what? What is it?" the Caranax asked fearfully.

"Please, we need Dumbledore, or Professor McGonagall." KayKay asked. "It's urgent, they need to come at once."

"What, no Common Post owl? Or maybe a . . . oh, I don't know . . . puppy?" Cocoa asked sarcastically.

"Cocoa, you're not still jealous, are you?" KayKay asked. "Come on—"

"Cocoa, go get the Headmaster." Ron commanded. "Now."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

" 'I'm the Dark One's only heir. The time has come.' " KayKay read from the paper she'd been scribbling on with her quill as the group talked. "That doesn't sound good."

"Well, you wouldn't expect it to be talking about daisies and green meadows now, would you?" Harry said sarcastically. "Of course it won't sound good."

KayKay made no indication that she'd heard him.

"The time for what, though? Obviously something bad, but what?" Ron asked, looking around the table.

Harry sighed. There wasn't anything they could do unless some new clue just popped up underneath their noses, and that didn't seem at all likely.

Hermione made some noise of irritation then dropped her head to the table, burying it in her arms.

"I'm out of ideas." She mumbled.

"That's it!" KayKay said, throwing her hands in the air in what seemed to be a gesture of helplessness. "We're dead, we're all as good as dead. If Hermione doesn't have a clue, then nobody does. I'll write down requests for tombstones. Ron, what would you like yours to say?"

"Nobody is going to die!" Hermione said, taking the quill out of KayKay's hand and putting it on the table. Everyone stared at her, and Harry had to resist the impulse to laugh.

"Okay, okay, I set myself up for that one. But really, everyone acts like I'm the only intellectual. But really, there's people smarter than me . . ."

"Yeah," KayKay said, "One of which was made Head Boy for it and is now . . . what's the word? Oh yes . . . dead!" KayKay screeched the last word, before propping her elbows on the table and burying her face in her hands.

Hermione mouthed over her head to Megan, "What's up with her?" Ron shook his head cluelessly and mouthed back, "No idea."

"Still no patterns in the killings, as far as I can tell." Megan said, out loud this time. "Good Lord! Why does he need and Heir anyway? He thinks he's going to live forever . . . why doesn't he grant himself that illusion? Why do we have to pay?"

"Because he isn't stupid." Harry said, sounding much less angry than he was. "He's made plans and followed steps to ensure immortality, but he knows that people can invent new spells of destruction the same way he made spells to protect against his demise. Plus, I'm sure it serves to amuse him, making the least safe place for us the one place we should feel safest . . . right in the school with Dumbledore."

"Well, aren't we the expert all of a sudden?" KayKay said sarcastically, not lifting her head. It almost sounded to Harry like she was crying.

"Any idiot with half of a brain can figure out at least some of Voldemort's intent!" Harry snapped angrily.

"Well, then how did you find out?" KayKay asked, looking up with a mocking sneer. She had been crying. Harry stood up quickly, his chair falling over behind him.

"Why are you so quick to find suspicion in what I say or do?" He asked angrily, ignoring Hermione's plea for him to sit down. "Shall we discuss you, perhaps? Like how the attacks began the very night you came back? Or how you have no alibi except for 'walking through the halls' at the time? Or maybe how you were so very conveniently the one who found the first two victims? You're hardly one to imply things, Miss Catch-Me-if-You-Can!"

KayKay had risen to her feet as Harry ranted.

"Well," she hissed, "aren't we defensive? Guilty conscience? Or do you normally respond so quickly to sarcastic quips, and I just didn't notice?"

"Harry, KayKay, think about who you're accusing! You both know what you . . . possess." Hermione said.

"All the more motive for Voldemort to use her." He said, pointing a finger at KayKay.

"Don't talk about me like I'm not here!" KayKay exclaimed.

"What are you going to do?" Harry taunted with a sneer, "Run away? Go dashing to your wonderful Head Boy, Brian, for comfort? Oh wait, my mistake, I forgot—he's dead."

Hermione gasped, and KayKay stumbled back almost as if she'd been struck, inhaling sharply.

"You are, without a doubt, the most horrible, cruel, stonehearted boy I've ever had the misfortune of meeting," KayKay said in a menacing whisper that carried with it the shock and sadness she must have also felt. "He's—"

But whatever "He" was, Harry never heard, for KayKay turned and ran away, one hand over her face, the other guiding her way, fingertips trailing along the banister as she disappeared up the spiral staircase to her Dormitory.

Harry slowly sat back down, perfectly aware of all the disapproving looks he was being given by his friends.

"Well . . . um . . ." Ron fumbled in supplication, "So, no patterns to the attacks, eh? Horrible, that is, horrible . . . anyone else have any ideas?"

Harry listened blankly as Hermione offered her insights. He knew his friends were carefully avoiding how blunt and cruel he'd just been . . . He might eventually regret it, but right now he was just too angry. Perhaps not all the anger was due to what KayKay had said, but instead due to his state of confusion in regard to the Heir. Maybe he just needed some way to vent his frustrations, and KayKay was provocative enough to allow him to do so.

Oh well, whatever the case, Harry truly didn't care at the moment. Let KayKay cry. Angry or not, Harry didn't mind. He just wished his friends would stop looking at him that way that clearly said, "How could you be so callous?"

Maybe he would regret it later. Maybe. But maybe not. Either way, later was later.

* ~ * ~ * ~ *~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

KayKay sighed contentedly, flopping back onto her bed. It had been a long day . . . well, at least they were finally finished with exams . . . and it was a relief to sink into a cool, comfy bed.

She had been running on pure willpower, devoting nighttime, mealtimes, and any other spare moments to studying. Sometimes she'd been lucky to get even four hours of sleep at night, so determined was she to get high marks. After all, it was counting towards her career.

And so now, after the conclusion of the Transfiguration exam, and thus the conclusion of exams altogether, she felt serene . . . perhaps it was the absence of what was normally a towering stack of homework.

Crossing "Transfiguration: June 3rd" off of the slip of parchment on her bedside table, she sighed happily again, pulling the hangings of her four-poster shut. Burying herself under the blankets and breathing deeply, she could nearly feel herself sinking lower into her bed and could almost hear all the different parts of her busy mind slowing down and drifting off to sleep.

Given her state of utmost calm, one would imagine her dreams to be fanciful and carefree, and true, they began as such . . .

KayKay kicked off of the ground on her broom, letting the wind whip her hair as she breathed deeply of the fresh air. Looking around, she realized she was playing Quidditch with her friends.

"What are you doing up there with the Beater's club?" Brian shouted up to her. KayKay looked in surprise at her right hand, which was holding the club. Funny, she hadn't had it a moment ago . . .

"Yeah KayKay, we talked about this in the recording studio," Matt said, looking odd wearing cowboy boots, his Western hat, and flying a Hobbyhorse instead of a broomstick. "While we were recording the new album."

"You're a Chaser, remember?" Hermione said from over by the goal hoops.

"You're Keeper? But . . ." KayKay protested. "I thought Ron was—"

"A Beater." Ron finished, taking her club and flying up near Megan, who was holding the other one.

"Megan? But I thought Ginny was—"

"Seeker, of course," Chad said, flying up behind her wearing a referee uniform.

"But I thought that Harry was the Seeker. Not that I care, but won't he be mad?" KayKay asked, looking at them.

"Harry?" they all echoed, looking at each other.

"Who the heck is Harry?" Ron asked.

And KayKay suddenly realized that she didn't know who Harry was, who on Earth she was talking about. She grinned and shook her head.

"Just teasing. Let's start!"

She flew down next to Brian and Matt, and they grinned at her before bolting off after the Quaffle. They'd just barely begun playing when Chad blew his whistle at KayKay.

"Foul!" he said loudly.

"What for?"

"The Snitch flew under your left knee and you didn't hit it with the Quaffle." He said, as if this much should have been obvious.

"But I didn't have the Quaffle!" she protested.

"Then you'll have to go get the Snitch, won't you? It flew over there," he pointed to a sparkling path leading into the woods. "Don't worry, we'll wait for you.

KayKay obliged, landing her broom on the path and getting off, looking behind rocks and bushes for the Snitch. She heard, quite distinctly, the flitting sound it made up ahead on the path. She began to run towards it, and the dream suddenly changed. The path was no longer glittery, bright, and broad, but dark, narrow, and crooked. And she no longer felt like she was running to a Snitch, but rather away from something in fear.

She turned to see how close it was to her, still not knowing what "it" was supposed to be until she saw it gliding through the trees with an inhuman scream.

The same glowing green snake that she'd encountered on Christmas was bearing down on her, jaws wide, fangs bared . . .

KayKay screamed and bolted straight up. She hadn't woken up from fright . . . no, that wasn't it . . . it was . . . pain.

KayKay found herself unconsciously rubbing her left arm. Rolling up her sleeve, she gasped for air as the pain became nearly unbearable.

The tattoo upon her arm was glowing an ominous green, but that wasn't the half of it. The words had changed to read, "READY? HERE WE GO . . ."

"What is it, KayKay?" Lavender asked groggily, obviously woken by the scream. KayKay answered, but the words were not her own.

"Bad . . . bad dream" she gasped, wondering helplessly how she was saying so without wanting to.

"Oh. All right, then." Lavender said, rolling back over and going back to sleep.

What was that all about? It was like someone was controlling what I said! I . . . I think I need to go downstairs and get some air. Maybe that'll help. I doubt I could go to sleep again anyhow.

Standing slowly, KayKay made her way quietly to the door, opening it only enough to squeeze through so that the room wouldn't be flooded with light. She blinked, dots swimming in front of her eyes as she adjusted to the change. Without waiting for the world to come into focus, she set off down the stairs, stopping just short at the bottom when she saw, to her surprise, that there were people sitting at a table near the fireplace.

"What are you guys doing down here?" KayKay asked as she walked over to join them. "Isn't it, like . . ."

"Eleven-thirty," Ron supplied, "not all that late. Seems everyone else was tired from exams. But we just decided to stay up."

"Yes, and we've been talking about last Saturday, haven't we, Harry?" Megan said, giving Harry a significant look. KayKay glanced at him briefly before looking again at Megan.

"See, we can't really function as friends if two of our friends hate each other." KayKay began to protest, but Megan cut her off. "You don't have to like each other," she continued, "but you don't have to be at each other's throats all the time either. Can't you just agree to not talk to each other and leave it at that? We're all stressed out, and you're just making it worse."

"But he started it!" KayKay exclaimed rather childishly, pointing a finger at Harry.

" 'Don't talk about me like I'm not here!' " He mocked as way of retort.

"Chill!" Megan snapped, glaring at Harry before turning back to KayKay. "We all know that he started it, and that's why he's going to finish it."

"Come again?" KayKay asked, looking at Megan in confusion. Harry then made a sound somewhat like clearing his throat, causing everyone to look at him.

"I apologize." He said with some difficulty, not meeting her eyes. KayKay was laughing inwardly at how humorous his statement was.

Megan then looked at KayKay expectantly. She would have very much liked to say, "Apology not accepted, you bloody prat." But Megan's statements did have some wisdom to them. If she just accepted his apology for saying such cruel things regarding her and Brian, then everyone would be at least a little more at ease. Refusing, however, would lead to more bickering, more stress, more anger, and no solutions.

Thus were KayKay's reasons for replying, just as stiffly, "Apology accepted."

But not returned, she thought. I may have not been a regular Mary Jane when you were a jerk, Harry, but at least I didn't make below-the-belt comments about your friends!

"So, any other reasons that you guys are up?" KayKay asked.

"No, besides the fact that sleep was eluding us. You were lucky to be able to sleep." Ron said, punctuating this statement with a wide yawn.

"Don't Ron, you're going to make me s-s-sleepy," Hermione said, failing to stifle a yawn. "See?"

"No actually, not lucky." KayKay said, feeling that her dream needed to be shared. "I had a bad dream, I was running through the forest—"

"The Forbidden Forest?" Ron interrupted.

"No, the Emerald Forest of Oz." KayKay drawled sarcastically.

"Oz?" Ron echoed blankly.

"Nevermind," KayKay said, shaking her head. "But that snake that I saw on Christmas was there. It came charging at me, and that's when I woke up—"

"Short dream," Megan commented.

"No, see the thing is, I woke up, and my tattooed arm was burning. It—"

"Well, you saw the snake, maybe it triggered part of your memory." Megan said.

KayKay tried again, getting thoroughly frustrated by this point. "No, it was because—"

"Or maybe the Heir made another move and attacked someone else—"

"Or maybe they did this!" KayKay exclaimed, pushing her sleeve up to reveal the new words. Megan took one look at them and jumped up from her chair with a shriek, covering her eyes.

"No, no, no!" she yelled, "No, stop, I don't—sorry everyone, technical difficulties, but we're back!"

"Megan, now really isn't the time—" Hermione began.

"Time! Time, young lady, time!" Megan shouted, pointing a finger at Hermione. "I'm late for—no, it's early, too early for—what is time? Why do we have time? The soul does not keep track of time, for the soul is eternal—ashes to ashes, dust to dust—And time keeps ticking away! As the past gets further past, the future looms ever closer, and with it, the arrival of destiny!"

KayKay stared at her friend in wide-eyed shock, as did the rest of the group. Megan was speaking in her radio voice, as was normal, but she was in a frenzy!

"Neither time, nor space, nor culture, nor gender, nor society can change the beating of human hearts!" Megan pushed over a chair, her eyes wild. "No measurement is anticlimactic, so thus comes the conflict that plagues men! War, battles, disputes, plans, plots, all centered about the pinnacle of time, the apex, the climax . . . 'Behold' he says, 'be ready, for I shall come soon!' Soon, soon, I shall come soon! Be assured of this, I shall not delay! Do not rebuke me, for it has been wrought slowly and shall occur in due time!

"Kayleigh Determan!" Megan pushed herself onto the table and stood up, towering over her friend. "You know this! You what is and is to be! Destiny changes for no one—"

A sudden change seemed to come about Megan, and she continued a bit less aggressively, a cloudy look coming into her eyes. "Miss Determan, congratulations! You win a free call to Madame Charvonte's Psychic Hotline! I shall—"

She shook her head roughly and she continued in her passionate way.

" 'The time draws near. The Heir of he, the Dark Lord, the Master, is no longer dormant—' "

KayKay blanched and stood up, shaking. How could Megan know, how could she have found out? She had told no one about Professor Trelawney's prophecy!

"Megan, what are you . . . how did you . . ."

" 'No, not even the Heir knew their destiny, but it has already begun. Indeed, in these times the danger is greater than ever before—' "

"Megan, stop! This isn't funny!" KayKay shouted, not paying attention to the fact that now everyone else was looking at her with nearly as much shock and confusion as they were giving Megan.

" 'The Heir shall not die, no matter what attempts are made . . .' Isn't that so, Kayleigh, young, childish Kayleigh?" Megan asked.

"Megan, why are you doing this?!" KayKay asked in panic, unconsciously taking a step back as Megan jumped off of the table and landed in front of her. "Why are you—"

"Why? Why? 'Why us, why must it be on our hands, we're just children!' The time draws near, but 'No! We are only children, that's all, only children! Why does it fall to us?' They're always there, watching from the sidelines, but do the qualified ones help? Huh? Nooo, they sit in their plush office chairs in their Ministry of Magic offices and bar out the outside world. 'Nevermind them, they're just children!'

"But he knows that! The Dark Lord can see it, can hear it, so that's where he works—wherever the Ministry isn't, he is. Why?!"

She kicked over another chair, and KayKay stepped back involuntarily again.

"And we could be crying out for help!" she yelled. Her screams seemed not to be directed at her friends, but at some disembodied deity that it would seem only she knew of. " We could be begging, pleading, wishing, praying, but no one could know! No one could know because they're too busy ignoring us, or those who aren't assume it's stress, fear, exasperation—GOOD LORD, WHY US, WHY ME, WHY US, WE'RE JUST CHILDREN!"

Megan collapsed to her knees, clutching her head and wincing. KayKay took a step closer, and Harry was getting out of his chair when Megan screeched again.

"No! No, I'm just a kid, we're all just kids! No, no, no! Why? Why? NO!"

With this final scream, Megan fell silent again, hunched over so far that her forehead nearly touched the carpet, motionless in all aspects but breathing.

"Megan?" KayKay ventured cautiously, lowering herself to her knees next to her friend. She only glanced briefly at Harry, who was rubbing his scar, but otherwise mirroring KayKay's actions.

There was no response from Megan, so KayKay put a hand on her shoulder. "Megan?"

The girl responded instantly to the touch, her head snapping up and her arms shooting out and latching onto KayKay and Harry's wrists. Her eyes were intense, focused, but without a trace their host in them, her grin was that of a maniac, and her grip was hard, tight, and rough.

This all registered immediately for KayKay, who'd known the girl from six years by this time and knew immediately that this wasn't right, that something ominous was lingering on the horizon. KayKay tried to pull her arm away, but Megan jerked her closer and, without so much as a trace of her normal self, hissed, "Ready? Here we go."

The lights all went out in the same instant that they all disappeared in a flash of green light, the darkness howling as KayKay thought, This can't be happening!

The next thing she knew was darkness.

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

"Ugh . . . my head . . ." Harry moaned quietly. It felt like a jackhammer had been let loose inside his brain and was now attempting to split his skull open with a horrible headache.

"Well it's about time you woke up!" an all-too-familiar voice said peevishly. "I've been trying to think of an escape plan for the past half hour, and it would be nice if I knew all of our assets."

Harry cracked open his eyes and sat up slowly, wincing even though light was dim. KayKay was sitting on a thin, rickety bench with her back against a cold, damp, and mildewed stone wall. Harry questioned why she'd lean up against something so filthy, knowing the utter disgust the girl normally had concerning such things, but what he ended up asking was different.

"Where are we?"

"Looks like the dungeons of the old Riddle house to me." KayKay replied, as calmly as if they were discussing the weather. "This is where they kept me last Spring. Of course, that time they had my wrists shackled up. I'm glad to see that they didn't bother this time. It wasn't very enjoyable."

She didn't look around much as she spoke, just kept her head tilted back against the wall, as if she didn't have enough strength within her to move.

"Do you have your watch?" she asked with a trace of hope in her voice.

His watch. Such a simple asset, but the thing that had saved their lives the year before. If it hadn't been for the portal to Hogwarts magically embedded in his watch, they would never have made it back. The watch could save their lives, even right now.

Except he didn't have it.

"No . . . I didn't wear it today." He said slowly.

"Great. Freaking great. The one thing that could save out lives right now, and you don't have it!"

"Hey, it's not like I planned on being captured by Voldemort today, all right?" Harry snapped. "If I had known, I—"

"I know, I know . . ." KayKay sighed, taking Harry by surprise. She wasn't going to argue with him? That was odd . . .

"It's not your fault. It's just that it'd be nice to have someone to blame . . ." KayKay continued wearily.

"I know what you mean." Harry said.

"Do you realize that this is the first time in months that we've agreed on something?" KayKay asked him.

"Yeah, well, escape plans are easier to make when people are getting along."

"I can see the logic in that. Okay, so how did we get here?"

"Are you really asking that? You know as well as I do that it was—"

"That two-faced, conniving little bit—"

"Madison?" KayKay gasped, scrambling to the other end of the bench and pulling herself into a standing position so the could look through a high barred window.

"KayKay?" the source of the angry voice asked incredulously. "You're here too?"

"Yeah, Harry also." Harry heard what sounded like Madison standing on her bench, and her voice became clearer.

"Who brought you guys here?"

"As you put so eloquently, 'That two-faced, conniving little bit—' "

"KayKay, Madison, now may not be the best time to talk about Megan's idiocy over how we're going to get away." Harry interrupted.

"Yeah, yeah, another logical point. Madison, do you have any ideas?" KayKay asked through the window.

"Nada. We don't seem to have many options available to us, do we? I'm surprised you both are so calm though . . ."

"Yeah, well, Harry just woke up, and a few Death Eaters already stopped down to ensure that I didn't have much spare energy, if you get what I mean."

Oh, so they'd used the Cruciatus Curse on her. That explained why she wasn't strong enough to sit up without leaning against the wall.

"You know, Madison, I don't get how Megan got you here. She took us from the Common Room, but . . ."

"She popped up in my Dormitory. Hell if I know how she got there! She didn't even say anything when I started yelling at her about being in Slytherin's Dormitory, just grabbed me with this insane look in her eyes! Next thing I knew . . ." Madison trailed off.

"You were here." KayKay finished. "I wonder why she'd want you, though . . ."

"Hello? Madison? KayKay? Escape plan?" Harry prompted. "We're kinda running short on time, in case you didn't notice!"

"We noticed, okay?" KayKay snapped. "All right, does anyone know how to make a Portkey?"

Everyone was silent, and KayKay growled in frustration.

"I'll take that as a 'No', then."

She sighed, leaning her head against the cold and clammy dungeon wall. She began hitting her forehead against the stone lightly, then her expression grew even more frustrated and she began to hit it harder.

"KayKay, what are you doing?" Madison asked.

"Isn't—" thud, "—it—" thud, "—obvious?" thud, "I'm trying—" thud, "—to find—" thud, "—a secret—" thud, "—exit!"

She let her head hit the wall with a final "thud" and left it there, sighing deeply. Harry felt just as frustrated. For once, he had time to get away, and there were no options!

"Come on guys, there must be a way out!" Madison exclaimed.

"Yeah, preferably one we can discover within the next few minutes?" Harry suggested anxiously.

"So sorry, Mr. Potter," a voice said coldly, "but I do believe that your time just ran out."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ * ~ *~ *

KayKay turned quickly in surprise at the new voice, all of her hopes snuffed when she saw the Death Eater at the door. Behind him were five others.

"Alohomora." the one in front said, tapping the lock that had confined them to their cell.

"Hey, why didn't we think of that?" Madison asked from the cell next-door.

"Maybe because we don't have our wands? Crazy-Evil-Man Rule 101: keep victims unarmed." KayKay told her through the window.

"That's enough Determan! Now come with us peacefully, and your friends won't get hurt." The Death Eater commanded. KayKay laughed inwardly at this outright lie.

"And this," KayKay said to Madison as she hopped off of the bench, "is called playing onto the hands of the bad guy. It's a classic good guy blunder."

"Yeah, yeah, enough of the comedy." A different Death Eater growled, grabbing KayKay roughly by the arm and all but dragging her out of the room.

"Didn't your teachers always tell you to keep your hands to yourself?" KayKay snapped, yanking her arm away. "I can walk unassisted, thank you very much!"

"Didn't your parents ever tell you not to sass your betters?" the man hissed in angrily, taking her arm again.

"It doesn't seem that there are any of them around though, now does it?" KayKay said, not even seeing his hand as it flew across her face, nor hearing Madison's cry of outrage. As it was, it took her a full five seconds to register the pain of her cheek and the iron taste flooding her mouth as she bit her cheek.

"Jerkins, don't bloody up the prisoners too much. That's the Master's job." He laughed, and the sound of it sent chills up KayKay's spine. Only then did fear set in. She and Harry had escaped by pure luck last time—it was hard to expect that they'd manage to do so now.

KayKay looked over her shoulder at Madison. She could barely believe that not long ago they had hated each other. Why was it again? Oh yes, their meeting at boot camp. Back then she wouldn't have been surprised a bit if someone said Madison or her parents were in league with Voldemort. But now . . .

Madison's eyes met hers, and KayKay tried to give the girl a reassuring smile. Goodness, she looked nothing short of petrified! Of course, KayKay had been scared the first time she'd run in to Voldemort too.

That wasn't to say that she wasn't frightened now. She was plenty scared, but the majority of her mind was numb with fatigue. Her state of unconsciousness hadn't really offered much as far as rejuvenation went.

Actually, it hadn't offered much as far as anything went.

KayKay looked back again at Madison, and got a sick feeling in her stomach at the way one of the Death Eaters was examining the girl as he led her.

"What's with this new one, anyhow?" he asked loudly. He didn't sound much older than Harry and Ron.

"The Dark Lord and his Heir have their reasons. I'm not about to question them. But if you wish to . . ." the other Death Eater trailed off, his tone indicating perfectly what would happen if any of them second-guessed what their master ordered them to do.

"Well, if he's just going to kill her anyhow, can I have her first? She's a pretty little thing, and I'm sure she's—"

He was interrupted by Harry and KayKay's furious threats.

"If you lay so much as one finger on her—"

"You do anything and I'll make sure you wish you'd never been born!"

"You sick, disgusting, son of a—"

"SILENCE!" a Death Eater near the front bellowed. "You shall do no such thing, Sendon—"

"Thank God . . ." KayKay murmured, and Madison sighed gratefully.

"—Without first asking the Dark Lord," he finished with a dark and twisted grin. Madison's expression of relief fled immediately.

"Oh, believe that I will." Sendon grinned. KayKay was filled with an urge to punch him, and she struggled in the grip of her captors.

"Now, there's one for you, Jarrin. You like yours feisty, don't you?" Sendon laughed to the Death Eater on the other side of Madison. KayKay felt a sick sense of foreboding in the pit of her stomach.

"Yes, but I'm afraid the Dark Lord doesn't want to give me this particular one. Has it in for her. Of course, maybe he wouldn't mind . . . he could let me break her spirit before he kills her off . . . perhaps I should suggest it to him. If I explain that if he gives me this lady, I'd leave her worse off—"

"I am no man's lady!" KayKay said sharply, still tugging in an attempt to free herself and get at least one swing at a Death Eater. "And I wouldn't even call you a man . . . you're a filthy, stinking coward, not fit to breathe the same air as any human being! How dare you—"

"Nasty little temper, though . . ." Jarrin said simply.

"Are you going to let her talk to you like that?"

"Certainly not." Jarrin said, flicking his wand at KayKay calmly. "Crucio."

The pain had barely begun before it was lifted.

"Sendon! Jarrin! Quell your adolescent hormones at least long enough to deliver the prisoners to the Dark Lord!" the Death Eater in front ordered. "Then, and only then may you present your ideas to him."

KayKay and Madison exchanged troubled looks. KayKay personally preferred to die than have a murderer take advantage of her. Trying to calm herself, to insist that Voldemort would not want to wait any longer to terminate her, KayKay looked ahead again.

Harry looking back at her. His expression was troubled, but encouraging and determined. It served to strengthen KayKay's resolve, and also to fascinate the shred of her mind not focused on their predicament. At Hogwarts, it was KayKay versus Harry. They'd argued constantly, and didn't so much as look at one another when they could help it.

However, here in the clutches of Voldemort, they were a team. So even though they'd resume their arguing if (When KayKay's mind corrected) they got to Hogwarts, right now they were on the same side again, and whatever happened to one of them affected all three. It just seemed to prove that as long as Voldemort was around, whoever wasn't for the Dark side was on the same team.

The idea that they were able to be in the same vicinity without tearing each other's heads off was reassuring.

I just wish we had some sort of plan! And what role does Megan play in all of this? She couldn't be . . . she's a Gryffindor! How could she possibly have caused so much pain?

Of course, her thoughts reasoned, she IS psychic. That may be why she's been acting weird . . . maybe she could tell who the Heir was, and they started playing with her mind so she wouldn't be able to identify him. Or her.

KayKay's thoughts were cut short as the men holding her shoved her into a large room. Death Eaters lined the walls, and some were already coming forward to hold Harry. KayKay could tell that it was almost time.

What could they possibly do about it?

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

The doors on the other end of the room flew open with a bang, and the pain in Harry's scar grew considerably worse. Before even glimpsing the person who strode into the room, all the Death Eaters dropped to one knee, forcing Harry down with them.

This is it, Harry thought as his face nearly touched the paneled floor, he's here. And we have no plan, no ides, no assets . . . and for all I know, the other two might be . . .

His insides grew cold at the thought. Whether they got along or not, Harry did not want those Death Eaters . . . Sendon and Jarrin . . . to have their way with Madison and KayKay. For all he knew, that area of their lives could very well be the only part not tainted by Voldemort and his followers.

Never mind the fact that it was low, cowardly, and one of the most evil acts available to them!

The Death Eaters rose, and Harry got to his feet, watching as Voldemort slowly walked to the center of the room.

There must be a way out! Harry thought wildly, searching his mind frantically for an option. There MUST be!

"My Lord," a Death Eater said, walking forward. "A request and idea from two of my fellows under my station . . ."

The same man who'd led the group when they were brought from the dungeons . . . the one who'd seemed to be in charge . . . spoke humbly to Voldemort, relaying Sendon and Jargon's plan. The expressions on the other Death Eater's faces ranged from amused smirks to doubtful frowns, but Voldemort's expression and tone remained neutral.

"And whose idea was this?" he questioned when the Death Eater had finished. "Tell him to come forward at once."

"Sendon! Jarrin!" the Death Eater commanded, beckoning them closer.

"An intriguing idea. What motivated it? What factor caused you to consider that it was preferable to my well-laid plans?"

Jarrin seemed to sense the implications of these words and remained wisely silent, bowing his head and stepping back. But Sendon didn't seem to catch it.

"Just came from the top of my head, my Lord. I mean, would it not be better to first break their spirit? Scar them for—"

"Crucio!" Voldemort flicked his wand almost lazily, making Sendon fall the floor and shriek in pain.

"If it was better," he said quietly, words laced with malice as he stood above the panting Death Eater, "I would have ordered it to be so. Get up! Out of my sight!"

Sendon quickly complied, struggling to his feet and scrambling back among the ranks. Jarrin had already done so, though not in such a panicked manner.

Across the room, Harry could see both KayKay and Madison visibly relax, their relief evident by the looks on their faces.

"When I give an order," Voldemort addressed the group, "it is the ultimate authority. Do not approach me with suggestions for a better plan. If it were better, I would have told you to do it in the first place. If I ever want your opinion on something, I shall ask you myself. Your ideas and suggestions are worthless to me."

He moved his gaze to Harry, then KayKay, and then Madison, each in turn.

"How wonderful of you to join us this evening, my young friends. We could spend quite a bit of our time exchanging pleasantries, could we not? However, I never was one for tedious small talk. Besides, there's someone I wish to introduce to you . . . and if my sources are correct, you're eager to meet them, too."

The Heir Harry thought immediately, and he could tell that it was what the others were thinking as well. And, as if on cue, the doors Voldemort had walked through not much earlier opened again . . . albeit more gracefully.

As the Heir swept in, Death Eaters closed the door once again, and those lining the walls bowed. The Heir was donned in hooded black robes trimmed with embroidered snakes along the hem and cuffs . . . the hood shadowed the person's face, but that didn't remain a problem for very long.

"Ah, and my Heir arrives." Voldemort said approvingly as the person in question bowed to him. Then, standing and turning to face Harry and the others, the Heir raised manicured hands and lowered the hood.

Across the way, KayKay scowl darkened, with a trace of surprise detectable on her face. Harry's reaction closely mirrored hers, he was certain, for the person under the robes was somewhat suspected, yet still not expected.

Madison was the only one to voice her thoughts.

"You!" She growled. "You filthy little—"

"Now, now." Megan chastised, tossing her head slightly to shake her hair back and brushing imaginary dust from her elaborate robes. "Manners, Madison, manners. Making me angry shouldn't be high on your to-do list at the moment."

She smiled malevolently. To Harry, the sight was awkward, artificial, for he was so unaccustomed to seeing Megan sport such an expression.

And for that matter, he was unaccustomed to even the idea that Megan could be the Heir . . . and the fact that she was simply standing there, at ease, relaying the message that she couldn't care less about betraying her friends.

"So, KayKay." Megan asked, casually studying her nails, "I trust you enjoyed your dreams? Some of my finer work, I must say—"

"How could you do this to all of those people? How could you do this to us?!" KayKay demanded angrily. "It would be one thing if your weren't trying to do it, the same way Ginny wasn't trying to open the Chamber . . . what's wrong with you?!"

"My, quite a temper you have, Kayleigh," Voldemort said disapprovingly. He circled behind Megan and placed his hands on her shoulders. He smiled, or rather, smirked in satisfaction before finishing.

"I must ask you to refrain from speaking that way towards my granddaughter."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

There were cries of shock from all three teenagers. Madison's expression was of disgust mingled with surprise. Harry looked as if he was going to be ill. KayKay looked at Megan in wide-eyed astonishment.

"[I]Your[/I] granddaughter?" she asked, not wishing to believe it.

"But of course. You sound surprised, Kayleigh. I certainly wasn't planning on choosing an Heir who didn't share my blood."

"But Megan—blood wouldn't matter to her! She wouldn't do something like this of her own free will simply because she was your granddaughter!"

"Oh, wouldn't she? Very well, I shall tell you. Killing you in an hour instead of now won't make much difference to me

"When I was young . . . not very far out of Hogwarts, just starting to initiate my well-laid plans . . . I knew already that I would need an heir. Not because I lacked faith in my immortality, but because with an heir, I could ensure that my reign of terror would never be vanquished.

"It did not take me long to find someone to host such a child. A Veela cooperated, after some persuasion. Even then I laid my spells carefully. This Heir, when they came, had to comply to my will with ease and, in case by that time I did not know the child, an awareness had to be automatically invoked within them once they were powerful enough.

"The Veela gave birth to a girl some time later. I do not know what she called her. I've never been much of a father figure myself. I know that one of my followers knows the woman's name, and I shall explain why.

"The girl grew, graduated her wizarding school, and set off into the world. By a favorable twist of fate, she met another young man, one who had recently graduated Hogwarts and joined my ranks.

"I feel no need to explain the situation that unfolded, but the point is that the pair were not married. The pregnancy that resulted was unintentional. Now, while any other woman would have been able to kill the child before birth, I had also taken precautions in case such a situation arose.

"The girl fled to the United States to avoid interrogation from her friends and family. She raised her baby girl to the age of one in their small apartment . . ."

KayKay looked at Megan, expecting—heck, even hoping for—some sort of reaction. Her entire family history was being retold, and it sounded dark and dastardly.

But the girl remained unresponsive, a small cynical smile playing on her lips. This frightened KayKay even more, eluded to the idea that her friend was doing all of this of her own free will.

"Feeling trapped, unable to raise the child to an age where she'd begin to ask prying questions about the identity of her father, the woman left the girl at an orphanage in California, far away from where she'd first raised her in Kansas. I took even more precautions to ensure that her file was never looked at in any adoption agency, and after my return to power, I took measures to get her placed at Hogwarts on a supposed exchange program, the same way I did to you, Kayleigh." Voldemort's gaze flickered to KayKay. "I doubt that the girl's father even knew she was his . . . am I correct, Malfoy?"

No murmurs swept the room, but all heads turned to look at Lucius. Voldemort didn't wait to continue his story.

"This year, the time came. By my understanding, it was shortly after you returned to England, Kayleigh. So, while the fact that you lived through the Summer did not please me, your presence at Hogwarts unintentionally helped the process along."

KayKay felt as if she'd been robbed of air for a moment. She had helped? How so? If it weren't for her, would Megan have even become the Heir?

"I'm certain that even she didn't intend for it to happen, but the moment she came in contact with you, the small part of her destiny that had already been awoken leeched off of some of your powers. Probably not enough for you to feel anything, nor enough to affect them, but it was enough to trigger the spells I'd laid and make them begin working within her.

"She didn't even realize she was doing it at first. After all, her subconscious mind took over every time that I desired her to rid the school of another student. She aimed low at first, unaccustomed to her new magic . . . a couple First Years here, another First Year there . . ."

It was disgusting! Someone talking so humorously about death, about killing, saying it as simply and leisurely as a normal person would comment on the time of day!

It was horrible, grotesque, it even made her feel sick, yet KayKay couldn't help but listen. Her desire to understand was too great to tune Voldemort out, and perhaps by listening she could devise a way to escape by the information they were given.

" . . . Then, she began to fight her instincts. As you've seen, she'd have tirades, and during these she'd try to drop in hints of what was going to happen because she couldn't speak outright. As it was, I made sure she could barely suggest anything at all, but she found ways to slip some clues into what she was saying.

"They obviously weren't prominent enough for any of you to take notice. She began fighting harder, and one day she actually stopped herself in the middle of an attack. This could have proved to be the end of her tyranny, but the girl luckily didn't spot her face—"

That must have been Valentine's Day, KayKay thought. Sabrina said that someone wearing dark robes sent something out of their wand towards her, but that whatever it was circled back. It must have been Megan fighting the control . . . so does that mean that she didn't really want to do it?

"I knew I had to act. Putting some of my own power over her, I dictated some of her actions, making certain that it did not happen again. The extra magic bent her to my will, but she kept a wall up in her mind, still exercising some free thought.

"It began to drive her mad, having an inkling of what she was doing yet not being able to stop it. It damaged at least part of her mind, and she began to go into her rages more desperately, trying to communicate her problems while also trying to fight me off. It was amusing."

Voldemort laughed his high, cold laugh and KayKay wanted very much to do something, anything to him to get him to stop. He was horrible, he was vile, he was—

"I had to break that barrier both to keep her from going insane and to get to you. Last night was the opportune time. The surge of power I used may have destroyed some of her previous thoughts or memories. It does not matter. It only makes her a better heir, doesn't it?"

It was obviously not intended as a question, but Madison jumped in with a reply before KayKay could catch her eyes and convey that it was a stupid idea.

"Oh yes, so admirable. Your ability to work through kids instead of showing your cowardly face is nothing short of amazing" Madison drawled.

"Crucio!" Voldemort's curse was his means of retort. KayKay watched as Madison screamed, no longer supporting herself but instead being held up by the Death Eaters confining her.

It was an unwise decision to mouth off. They had barely any strength as it was for lack of sleep, and being hit with the Cruciatus was no way to conserve that energy.

"So, you dare to mock me?" Voldemort asked, standing above Madison, who was trying to regain her breath. "You will soon find out what an unwise decision it is that you've made.

"They've been told enough." Voldemort said, looking at Megan, who smiled in reply.

"Indeed. This has been dragged out for too long." She said, walking closer to KayKay, her lip curling. "I'm growing impatient."

"Is this the part where we fight for our lives?" KayKay asked. "Mind if I take a nap first? Being captured by the Heir of Voldemort, being brought to his lair, and having the Cruciatus Curse exercised on you robs a lot of your energy . . ."

"Serpensortia!" Megan interrupted, whipping out her wand and sending a snake towards KayKay. The Death Eaters holding her let go and stepped away as the serpent advanced.

"That's a no then, I guess . . ." KayKay said, instinctively reaching a hand into her robes. Discovering she was in jeans and a tee shirt rather than her robes, she dropped her hand to her back pocket. It wasn't there.

Of course it isn't, you idiot! Megan probably took it when she brought you here!

Or is it on my dresser? I hate it when this happens! Not that it happens often . . . she thought, backing away slowly as the snake slithered closer. Is there a shovel around here? A good downward thrust will take that snake's head right off.

She stopped her train of thoughts and listened to the conversation around her, something grabbing her attention. Harry was . . . hissing? Did he actually think it would help?

KayKay gasped in surprise as the snake dropped back, looking at Harry intently before giving him what she swore was a nod and turning towards Megan.

Oh, he's a Parselmouth . . . I get it! Well, whatever he said to that snake, I'm, grateful . . .

Of course, her ease was short-lived, as Megan made the snake disappear with another wave of her wand.

"Are we done playing then?" she asked, snapping her fingers at a Death Eater while not taking her eyes off of KayKay. The Death Eater hurried to an ornate table on the other side of the room.

KayKay didn't reply. She had to do something! It was the worst paradox . . . a kill or be killed situation against her best friend! There had to be another way!

"I'll take your silence as a 'Yes'," Megan said, holding out her hands for the object that the Death Eater returned with. It was long, slender, and wrapped in ornate cloth. She unwrapped it and pulled out . . . a sword?!

"Ready?" She gave a sporting grin. "Here we go."

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ *

The Death Eaters holding Harry let go and shoved him forward the moment Megan unwrapped the sword. The room was tossed into a state of pandemonium, and somewhere among the noise and action, Harry's wand was tossed to him.

"Care to duel, Potter?" a Death Eater walked towards Harry as his comrades closed them into a circle. "Crucio!"

As the pain hit Harry, he remembered all too clearly a similar situation that had occurred two years prior. At least this duel was against a Death Eater. He doubted that Voldemort would let anyone else finish him off for good.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, leaping to his feet as soon as he was able. He ducked as the Death Eater's wand flew over his head. "Stupefy!"

Okay, one buffoon down, only . . . Harry looked around the room in a hurry and got a sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach, . . . a few hundred to go.

Harry ducked again as another Death Eater shot a curse at him. He tried his best to see what situation the others were in as he defended himself.

Madison was faring just about the same as he was. She was warding off Death Eaters, but there were so many of them! Perhaps he could figure out a way to get to her. They could watch each other's backs.

Disarming another Death Eater, Harry changed his position slightly in order to get a glimpse of KayKay between the Death Eaters.

She was only faced off against Megan, but Harry would have bet anything that her predicament was worst of all. Megan had in her hand a sword . . . was that Godric Gryffindor's sword? The one he pulled out of the Sorting Hat in the Chamber?

His attention was drawn away by a burning spell he hadn't seen the Death Eaters cast. Cursing, he put it out with water from his wand and got rid of the Death Eater with a hasty "stupefy". Holding the Death Eaters off seemed easy . . . too easy. Perhaps Voldemort only meant to play with their mind, wear them out, while he dealt with KayKay.

It seemed plausible to Harry. He looked over at KayKay again. Indeed, she had it hardest. She didn't even have a wand to defend herself with. Even if she did, he doubted she'd use it against Megan.

It must be horrible, Harry thought. Seeing your best friend as a Dark Lord's heir, having them intent on hurting you, even killing you . . .

Right now, KayKay was dodging the sword that Megan was slashing lazily. KayKay looked like she was talking . . . was she trying to reason with Megan?

Harry returned to paying attention to his own predicament. It seemed that there were as many Death Eaters around him as when he'd begun, no doubt they had been reviving the ones he'd knocked out.

Concentrate! he told himself. You need to get to Madison!

But how? The circle surrounding him was tightly knit, and around that circle was another one. If he could find some way to distract them, or maybe if he could take them by surprise, he'd be able to slip by.

However, he was short on ideas and he had little room to spare for stray thoughts besides dodging this curse or blocking that curse. Disarming another Death Eater, Harry this time caught the wand and snapped it in half over his knee.

There. That would buy him a bit more time.

As he basked in a second of rest, he again considered his problem. To just go for it would be too predictable, and he probably wouldn't get another opportunity. It'd be nice if the Death Eaters simply went blind for a minute or so . . .

That was it! Blind! Okay, he didn't know blinding magic, per se, but he could send something at them to obscure their view!

"Hazatio!" Harry shouted, sending a thick fog towards the Death Eaters. He ducked and slipped through a gap between some of the Death Eaters, momentarily pleased with his success.

This bout of pride was cut short by a hard shove to his chest that sent him back into the center of the circle. It didn't take him more than a moment to realize his mistake.

He'd forgotten about the outer rank. His fog had covered his escape from being discovered by those directly surrounding him, but it hadn't extended to the next row of Death Eaters.

Okay, time for plan B . . . what's plan B?

Harry felt his wand fly from his hand and he cursed himself for not being more attentive. The Death Eater responsible for the deed stood in front of him, smirking as he held Harry's wand up tauntingly.

Okay, Plan B is to get my wand, then to—

The need to dodge another curse distracted him. Throwing himself flat on the floor, the strangest thought popped into Harry's head in place of the previous one.

This floor really needs to be cleaned.

Shaking away such crazy ideas, Harry looked up, ready to jump to his feet. Something made him stop, though.

KayKay was still facing off against Megan, but rather than girl against girl, Megan was faced off against KayKay in her Animagus form of a wolf. KayKay seemed to be dodging and weaving around Megan, trying to get the sword but not wanting to hurt Megan or herself in the process, which seemed to be an impossible task.

It gave Harry the rest of his plan B. Transforming quickly to a wolf, he threw his weight against the Death Eater above him, catching his wand in his mouth as it fell.

Of any courses of action he could have taken, this seemed to be the last the Death Eaters had expected. A few stumbled back, one even gasped before he caught himself.

Harry feinted left, then ran to the right, not stopping as he barreled into a Death Eater. As a matter of fact, he used the dark wizard almost like a springboard, leaping over the second row of Death eaters and knocking down a few of the outer ones surrounding Madison.

"What the . . .?" A Death Eater looked at the man next to him, who by the way he saw it, had spontaneously fallen of his own accord.

Harry swallowed a wolfish laugh and plowed past the last few Death eaters, stopping himself with skidding paws in front of a most frightened looking Madison.

"Thought you could use some backup," Harry said, after he'd transformed back into himself and pulled his wand out of his mouth. "Besides, we have better chances if there's two of us. Expelliarmus!"

Harry caught the wand that came zooming towards him, and like the one before, snapped it in half. Madison looked like she was going to laugh for a moment, but she only nodded.

"Together. Got it." She said, and she and Harry stood back to back. Fighting on a team almost made it feel like a game, like movies of Sheriffs and Deputies and gun-shooting Desperados. Harry had no clue where the image came from, but it was an amusing thought all the same, and made the situation seem lighter.

"Duck!" Megan shouted suddenly, taking Harry by surprise. He complied just in time, as a shot of red light passed a few inches above his head making his hair ruffle.

"Thanks." He said as they stood back up. That was a close—"

There was sudden, pained howl that morphed into a human scream. Madison, who was facing the area KayKay and Megan were battling in, gave a sudden gasp.

"KayKay!"

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~* ~ * ~ *

KayKay felt herself transform back to normal as she fell, one hand instinctively flying to her side, the other held awkwardly to protect her head from the impact.

She had leapt up (as a wolf, of course) and tried to distract Megan so that on her next pass, she could knock into the girl's arm and hopefully make her drop the sword.

As was obvious, it hadn't worked so well.

To KayKay, the ground felt harder than it should have as she fell. As her body met it, her breath was knocked out of her, as if she had sighed deeply.

She was tired, so tired, so tired. She and Megan had been playing Cat and Mouse for who knew how long by now, and all she wished to do was sleep. To drift away on a cloud, and never return again.

KayKay groaned as she faced upward and opened her eyes. The room was spinning, dizzily spinning, the colors and noises all blending together. Someone was screaming . . . she heard a scream . . . wait, was that her? Was the noise coming from her?

Moving a hand over her mouth, KayKay was surprised as the noise quieted. It had been her! It was so odd, for it to come as a shock . . . she nearly felt like she wasn't there, that she wasn't with herself.

But yet, when the screaming stopped, so did the spinning. The room came into focus just in time for KayKay to see Megan above her with the sword raised, ready to come down upon her neck.

She yelped in surprise, rolling over and up to her feet as the sword swooshed down, taking some of her hair with it. Megan growled in what KayKay recognized as annoyance, and slashed the sword again. Either KayKay was getting slower and more worn out, or Megan was getting faster and more agitated . . . KayKay thought it could quite possibly have been both.

Whatever the case, Megan's swings were getting more accurate and furious, and KayKay's mind was getting groggier, making every pass harder and harder to dodge.

There must be a way to break through to her, to reach the Megan that I know is inside! KayKay thought wildly, jumping left to avoid a forward thrust. If I can make her remember . . . make her remember about our friendship and our memories . . . I might just be able to break the control!

"Megan!" she tried, keeping the sword in her view. "Megan, remember that time when Chad kept pulling pranks on you during our Third Year? And we would stay up late thinking of ways to get back at him?" she ducked a swing that passed over her head. "Remember how we made all his robes pink and made confetti come out of his ears?"

KayKay stumbled backwards a few paces as she tripped over a loose floorboard, still moving backwards and watching Megan. She waved her arms to regain her balance and kept talking.

"And then, it turned out that he liked you! Remember that? And you thought that it was so ridiculous that you said yes when he asked if you'd date him?"

She yelped again as the sword whipped past her face, only a good three inches from her nose.

"Okay, maybe you don't want to talk about it . . . but what about on our first trip to Escondito, when we found out that we both played guitar? Man, we had fun that day . . . I think that at some point we had a crowd of people listening. Wasn't that awesome? Whoa!" KayKay tried to keep her tone light and conversational. "Watch where you're swinging that sword, Megan!"

"Yes, I should be more careful . . ." Megan said with a sickly sweet smile. "It seems like I always . . . MISS!" she slashed again as an angry scowl once again adorned her face.

"Oh, come on, Megan! How about that time later on during Third Year, you know, when Mitch cheated on me? I remember that the moment you found out, you stormed out there to find him and gave him a black eye before Chad even knew what had happened . . . remember that?"

Megan reached out a hand and shoved KayKay roughly against a wall.

"If you'd hold still for once, We could be done with this, you'd be out of your pain, and I could move on to Madison and Potter!" she snarled. The sword was poised as if KayKay were a delicate butterfly to be skewered on a pin and tacked to a board for display.

With only a moment to act, KayKay threw herself to the left, wincing as she came down hard on her side. She didn't hesitate, but pushed herself up again, adrenaline the only thing sustaining her by this point.

All she knew, all she could think of was Keep moving if you don't want to be skewered or slashed!

"Remember that?" KayKay repeated, stalling for time as she dug through her mind for a better memory. "I couldn't possibly forget it . . . you were always there for me, always. And what about when we both found out we were in Gryffindor together? The only thing better than being able to go to school in England is going to school in England with your best friend. That's how it felt for me. It was the happiest day of my life!"

"You're wasting your time, Determan." Voldemort laughed from somewhere. KayKay couldn't determine where, because to her, the room had darkened and narrowed, and the only things in her vision right now were herself and Megan.

"And all the fun times too . . . shopping for Christmas things, getting our Yule Ball robes . . . getting Butterbeer at the Three Broomsticks! Simple things that we've shared and that have made our lives richer! The laughter, the joking, the—"

"Shut up! Megan cried, swinging the sword blindly. KayKay jerked her head back an inch to avoid a nasty injury.

"Megan, we've shared so much . . . and I know that you, the real you can hear me and doesn't want to do this! We've always been there to give each other a hand, and that's made us as close as . . . as sisters!"

KayKay yelped and jumped to the side as Megan again tried to get her with a forward thrust.

"And what about the Johnstons? Mary and Tim? They love you already, Megan, they want you to be a part of their family! They love you almost as much as I do . . . Megan, stop doing this to yourself, you have to fight him, fight Voldemort! His power can be nearly as strong as our love and friendship!"

Megan swung again, but not so harshly, and KayKay retreated a few steps more, stopping suddenly as she felt something solid.

With a jolt, KayKay found that she was again pinned to the wall. She suddenly saw the situation as if she was looking at an image from a satellite. She could see Megan, hot with anger, breathing raggedly, clutching the sword with white knuckles, and herself, ready to collapse, leaning against the wall for support.

Megan coughed . . . or was it a sob? For once, KayKay couldn't be sure. And as Megan swung the sword, a noise was carried with the whoosh as the blade sliced the air, a noise so small and faint, KayKay couldn't even be positive it was there.

"Run."

KayKay felt as if she was moving in slow motion as she ducked, leaning to the left and swerving around Megan. She needn't have; the blade would have missed her by nearly a foot. But she couldn't take the chance of assuming Megan's whispered order was just a hallucination.

She ran hard, her breath coming in sharp gasps and her arms pumping as she nearly flew—or so it felt to her, she was getting dizzy again—through the crowd of Death Eaters. She spied Madison and Harry dueling, and she changed her course, half running and half stumbling to them.

Madison gasped. "KayKay! We heard you but we couldn't see—"

"Ah, so we have ourselves another taker?" a Death Eater asked. Both his voice and Madison's sounded far away.

"No!" Megan sharp order came from outside the circle. "No, they're mine! Get away!"

The crowd loosened slightly, and there was Megan, making her way towards them with a leisurely stroll.

"Listen!" KayKay hissed to Madison and Harry. "I have—" she stopped for a breath, "—an idea"

"Really? Well, what is it?" Madison asked quickly. KayKay looked at Megan. She was almost to the group, which meant that they had little time left.

"All we have to do is . . . RUN!"

Harry and Madison jumped before KayKay heard them follow after her. She heard voices of Death Eaters—then, Megan ("No, you fools! I told you, they're mine! You stay here in case they take the roundabout way!") before they got out of the room and her voice got quieter—but most closely, Harry, right beside her.

"That's your idea? Run? Why not tie a noose around our necks right now?!"

"Harry . . ." KayKay panted, closing her eyes for a moment to stop her surroundings from tilting and wavering, "shut up."

"No! How stupid can you get? We'll only get more tired, and there'll be lots of angry murderers chasing us!"

"I notice you're running anyhow," Madison commented dryly. That effectively quieted Harry for the moment.

KayKay tried not to look to closely at the doors flying past her at an increasingly slower rate, or how dim the light seemed to be getting. She concentrated only on putting one foot in front of the other, one foot in front of the other . . . breathe, breathe . . .

"Oh great. Now what, Einstein?" Harry quipped. She bit her lip nervously.

They'd hit a dead end. They were in a room at the end of the hall, and there was no way out except back the way they'd come.

Their troubles were increased as footsteps thudded behind them. Megan threw herself into the room and slammed the door, sliding the heavy bolt across the door to lock it. They were trapped.

"Brilliant, Determan, really brilliant." Harry muttered as Megan walked towards them, sword in hand. "I hope Death is fun, because I'd hate to end this evening on a sorry note."

"Give me your hands." Megan said suddenly, surprising them all.

"What?" Harry gasped.

"Give me your hands!" Megan repeated. "And Madison, take this sword from me and stand in the middle of all of us, will you?

When everyone stood, staring at her blankly, she shook her hands to stress the situation. "Now!"

As Madison cautiously took the sword, Megan looked at KayKay.

"Hey, KayKay . . . I uh . . . I mean . . ."

"Yeah, yeah, you're welcome." KayKay said softly, not because it was a sentimental moment, but because it was all she had energy for. She closed her eyes.

Can you stop the room? I'd like to get off the ride now . . . she thought, taking ragged breaths.

"Come on, we don't have much time." Megan said. "Harry, KayKay, you know what you have to do. Madison . . . say anything about what Harry and KayKay do to anyone, and you'll have Dumbledore to answer to."

"Megan . . ." KayKay began wearily. " Megan, I don't think I can . . ."

"Don't worry, Harry and I will carry most of it, we just need you to complete the circle." She stopped, appearing to be listening. "We have to get out of here, now!"

Then KayKay heard it . . . the pounding of many feet, coming down the same corridor they'd just used.

Not hesitating, KayKay joined hands with Harry and Megan, and together they encircled Madison, who looked utterly confused.

"Okay now . . . concentrate . . . " Megan said softly, closing her eyes. KayKay closed hers as well, but she couldn't seem to clear her mind.

Can we do it? We're weak, me especially. And if we can do it, can we do it in time? The longer we take, the more likely we are too be discovered, captured, and killed.

Realizing that worrying was doing nothing to help the situation—that it was in fact probably hindering it—KayKay sighed slowly, trying to focus on one small thought. However stray things kept popping up, such as Harry and I don't even know how to do a transportation spell! and should we all concentrate on a certain place in Hogwarts, or will simply "Hogwarts" do?

The footsteps were closer now, and pure panic fueled KayKay's thoughts.

Hogwarts, we need to get to Hogwarts, come on, I'm doing my part, why won't we go?!

Inside her head, it felt like a train was building speed, coming faster and faster, closer and closer, her tension and panic mounting with every second until it reached a deafening climax.

A roar of sound. A whirl of wind. Flying, spinning, pitching through space with a scream of fury echoing everywhere, in the air, the ground, in their very bones.

And then, silence, stillness, calmness, pure but for the sound of crickets.

KayKay chanced opening her eyes.

"Oh thank God. I'm not hallucinating, right?" she sighed.

"Amazingly, no, despite your suicidal plan. You almost killed us all." Harry muttered.

"No, you're not. We're safe now." Madison confirmed as if Harry hadn't spoken, shaking her head in wonder at the sky, pitch dark and scattered with stars.

KayKay sagged with relief as the rush of adrenaline pulsating through her veins slowed and faded. With it's departure, a new feeling arrived, flooding through her entire body at an alarming rate.

With a cry of pain, KayKay fell down to her knees, clutching her side and hunching over as far as she could, gasping for air as this feeling saturated her whole being, making the world spin faster than it had the whole night. What little light there was even seemed to pulsate. All the sounds around her echoed eerily, distantly.

"KayKay! KayKay, what is it?" Madison asked in alarm, crouching next to her. The girl gasped when she saw KayKay's hand. "KayKay, you're hurt!"

"No"—gasp—"kidding, Sherlock!" KayKay panted, pressing her hand tighter to the deep gash in her side. She'd barely noticed the wound when she was still fighting Megan . . . how could it be so bad? But of course, it must have been bad, since it forced her out of her Animagus form.

"We need to get her up to the school, right away!" Madison insisted. Harry sighed, as if he was subjecting to a horrible punishment, and bent next to KayKay, taking her arm as if to help her up.

"Don't touch me!" KayKay hissed in a weak whisper, hitting him away. Looking up as she struggled to get as much air as she needed, she saw Madison throw Harry a glare before crouching and helping KayKay up herself, bringing one of KayKay's arms over her shoulders.

The sword was left in the grass, the blade shining with blood . . . her blood, KayKay realized in naïve shock. Stumbling over her feet a few times, she struggled to stay awake as she made her way up to Hogwarts. Hogwarts, their sanctuary.

Behind her, she could hear Harry making his way up after them. Glancing over her shoulder, she saw Megan still standing there, looking down at the sword with tears in her eyes before picking it up and following, her head hanging.