Chapter 6
Soraya's Dragon Run
They stopped when they reached the bottom and saw Paul looking straight at Soraya with a school boy grin on his face.
"I need you to do the dragon run for me today as my mothers sick so I have to see her."
"What about Anthony?"
"Oh, he's sick as a dog when I last saw him." But Soraya could swear he winked at her when he said this.
"Sarah and Derick said you could do it...remember what to do?" Soraya nodded. "Good, and tell me about it when I get back." So Soraya and Amily flew to the spot of the dragon run. They saw that Jane was on top of the cliff talking to the students. So they landed next to Jane and relief spread across her face for she had been stalling. Then the relief quickly turned to panic.
"Soraya? Amily? W-what are you doing here? Where is Paul or Anthony?"
"Paul had to see his mother and Anthony's sick. So he said I should do it and my parents have given permission for me to do so."
"What? She's doing it? She'll get eaten by the dragons no problem." Malfoy had a smirk on his face as he said this and all the Slytherin's chuckled horribly behind him. Soraya growled and gave Malfoy a very piercing look. He became quiet instantly.
"For you information Malfoy I have performed this run a few times before you came here. So button it and let me do what I got to do!"
"You know I think Malfoy has a point." It was Snape who spoke next. He had that old familiar sneer on his face which Soraya had grown to hate.
"Well Malfoy's wrong. I have done this the first few times with a supervisor and the last four by myself!" Dumbledore beamed at her and the students smiled apart from Malfoy and the Slytherin's. Snape looked taken back that he of all people was spoken to in such a way.
"Ok then Soraya. Go to the starting position as we have wasted enough time and the dragons sound restless."
"Yes Jane."
So leaving Amily on top of the cliff over looking the lake Soraya and Jane proceeded to the barn covering the dragon's entrance. Soraya took her position in front of the barn doors and waited for the signal. The dragons could be heard pawing the ground and doors inside the barn.
"Ready? 3...2...1...GO!" Jane pulled the leaver and a rush of green scaly dragons with huge wings came pelting after Soraya.
Soraya followed the route perfectly just as Paul had taught her. There were oohs and aahs, gasps and shocked faces as she led the dragons on. She dived into the canyon and went from one side to the other and out again. Like always this was where the adult dragons broke off and landed in the lake. Next came the caves riddled with giant holes and she weaved in and out of them perfectly. Then she proceeded to take the dragons the rest of the way to the lake and dipped her tail in it. The young dragons like their parents landed in the clear blue water and joined up with their parents. Soraya rose back up again to be met by cheers and applause. She took one look at the Slytherin's and Snape. They had very sour looks on their faces, 'enough to sour a ton of lemons' Soraya thought. She flew back and landed next to her friends. They kept on congratulating and patting her on the back until they had to fly down to the edge of the lake.
What Jane said next made the class stop cheering almost at once. For fear had spread instantly over their faces. Jane proclaimed that it was time to feed the young dragons.
"Don't worry their very docile compared to the parents unless you make them angry of course. We have to feed them separately to their parents otherwise they won't have any chance of being fed at all."
So everyone apart from Hagrid mounted their brooms and flew down to the lake. Soraya looked back curiously as Dumbledore handed Hagrid a big red bird the size of a swan. Miraculously it lifted Hagrid off the ground without any strain at all. Soraya and Amily's mouths dropped at the unusual site. Dumbledore smiled at the bewildered looks on their faces and so he explained to them the reason why the bird could do what it did.
"That's Fawkes...he's my phoenix. Phoenixes can carry immensely heavy loads." This was very true in Hagrid's case as he was very big and very heavy.
Everyone landed beside the lake and watched as Jane took out a crate from a nearby barn. She levitated it until the crate was in front of the students. It was very large and wooden with metal handles and smelled a bit odd. There were red stains all over it, the students got the impression that these were blood stains and so they backed off.
"Now listen very carefully to what I have to tell you. When you take a piece of meat like so." Jane opened the crate and took out a piece of meat the size of her arm. Some of the girls covered their noses and backed away. Soraya looked to Amily and they rolled their eyes.
"Drop it in front of you and wait for a young dragon to come up." As she did this a young dragon the size of a wardrobe and the width of a bed swam up to her with its jaws slightly open.
"You then take a step back so it can eat it. If the dragon doesn't like you then proceed to another."
Everyone were nodding their heads, but Malfoy looked as though he wasn't even listening. Instead he was counting his fingers and looked very bored. He didn't seem to like lectures or do as he was told.
When Jane had finished telling them what to do everyone took a piece of meat. The young dragons immediately came swimming up to them. At first the girls were a bit squeamish about picking up the meat but complied when Soraya and Amily picked it up so easily. Neville was petrified but made no mistakes at all. He found it easier to do the second time round. Malfoy on the other hand was having no luck at all. His dragon didn't seem to want to take it from him and proceeded to someone else. Malfoy was spoiled and too used to getting his own way that he didn't like being ignored at all. So he lost his temper and yelled at it.
"Come and take it you great big lizard. Then I can go and not look at your repulsive scaly Hyde any longer." The dragon didn't respond and before anyone could stop him Malfoy threw the piece of meat at the dragon.
He meant it to land in front of the dragon. But Malfoy was a poor shot and it landed with a 'smack' painfully on top of the dragon's nose as there were bones sticking out of the meat.
The next thing everyone knew the dragon's roar cut through the air like a knife. He charged at Malfoy who managed to move just in the nick of time. The dragon might have killed him if he didn't move and then Snape stood in front of Malfoy and raised his wand. He shot a spell at the dragon but it moved too quickly for the spell to hit it in the eyes. So it just bounced off its back. The dragon roared again and knocked the wand out of Snape's hand with one quick swish of its tail. What could the others do? The students magic wasn't strong enough to deal with a dragon and there weren't enough grown ups with a wand to stop it. Young dragon or not you need at least five qualified wizards to bring one as big as this down. But there were only four and Snape's wand was in the lake so that made three. 'No matter how powerful Dumbledore is there are not enough people. So what can any one do?'
Then Soraya did something as the spike tip on the end of the dragon's tail moved where it was now pointing at Snape's throat. Whilst the dragon's head was keeping an eye on Malfoy it was big enough to keep an eye on Snape too. Although the dragon didn't worry about Snape his tail was poised to strike if Snape moved. Soraya didn't know what she was doing when she mounted her broom. All she knew was even though she hated Snape and Malfoy they didn't deserve to die...well not now anyway. So without hesitation she rose in to the air and charged at the dragon's head. Jane saw what she was doing.
"SORAYA NO!!!"
But the call was too late. The dragon was about to bite Snape's head off. But Soraya hit the dragon in the eyes with her broomstick tail. She flew a few feet forwards and did a three hundred and sixty degree turn to face the dragon. It screamed in pain and rubbed its eyes with its giant claws. It blinked a couple of times before a huge jet of flames erupted out of his mouth towards Soraya. She dodged the jet with ease and saw the dragon looking furiously at her roaring it's head off. But the dragon still had Snape and Malfoy trapped between a large boulder and itself. They had no where to run and Soraya was doing some very quick thinking. She remembered that dragons could understand what people say and so decided to insult the thing to get it to chase after her in the air.
"Come on you over grown lizard is that all you got?" The dragon roared even louder with a piercing rage and went straight for her.
Soraya swerved and dived in to the canyon. 'That's it just follow me, and then everyone else will be safe.' She thought in her haste as they flew to the end. But then Soraya realised she had to go back. She had a very near miss with a fireball when she turned round and headed back the way she came. A thought crossed her mind as she dodged flame and fireballs on the way back. 'Wait a minute....I'm on the dragon run route. What if I take him on it and maybe...just maybe he will land in the lake? Then I will be home scot free.'
So she came out of the other side of the canyon again and then proceeded to the caves. The dragon was still breathing fire and fire balls of it at Soraya all the while hot on her heels. Halfway through the cave route Soraya turned round and saw the dragon was gone. 'Maybe he got bored and went back to the lake?' She thought hopefully still seeing no sign of the dragon. Until she looked up that is.
Ahead of her the dragon was blocking the exit to the cave. 'Oh you smart little bastard!' She had no time to turn round as she was going at full speed. It released a huge jet of fire which billowed in to the cave. There was a small gap between the bottom of the cave and the fire and it was her only chance. She dived just in the nick of time as the fire flew over her head and streamed out the other side of the cave. She zoomed out of a small gap beneath the dragon. Soraya thought she was safe and the lake was the last stop. She was exhausted with the effort of keeping the dragon from frying her. She had used all the tricks she knew on a broomstick to dodge the jets and balls of flames.
But she didn't realise how wrong she was. For when she past underneath the dragon Soraya felt the spike tip of its tail tear in to her back. She spun around for a few seconds on her broom hearing screams and shouts below her. Then she headed for the lake as fast as she could with her tail smoking. The pain in her back was unbelievable. But with the shock of it all the pain died down and all she could feel was her back going numb. Soraya dipped her broom tail in to the lake and her broom hissed as it went out. Her heart leapt with joy as she heard the dragon splash in to the lake and she looked back to see if it had calmed down. It looked as though he did considerably but shot a fireball at her all the same.
Soraya then landed next to the others and had an extremely angry look on her face. She approached Malfoy with a balled fist and punched him on the side of his face. He fell to the ground looking shocked and holding his cheek. Everyone looked stunned as he got up with his hand on his cheek. Soraya spoke in a very dangerous tone as Malfoy looked directly in to her eyes.
"Next time someone tells you something you listen. Pure blood or not I don't care. Because next time you don't pay attention here no teacher, member of staff, student or me will be able to save you if you make a big error of judgment like this again with very dangerous creatures. GOT THAT???" Malfoy nodded his head slowly as he looked in to Soraya's eyes. He didn't know whether to be shocked or deeply embarrassed. Soraya strode away from Malfoy and didn't look back as she was still very angry. She thought she might hit him again if she did.
Soraya then felt someone grab her by the arm. She turned round to look at the person and was at peace when she saw it was Dumbledore. He had proud look on his face.
"Soraya you have shown such bravery that very few people have, and you have performed it for those you hate." Snape gave Dumbledore a funny look and then moved it to Soraya. She looked away to avoid Snape's eyes and looked back in to Dumbledore's.
For a moment she felt fine until the pain in her back came flooding back. Then she kneeled to the ground on all fours in pain. Her whole body was shaking with pain and exhaustion. The girls screamed and some of the boys gasped as they saw the full extent of her injuries. The gash in her back was deep and bled a lot. The back of her clothes were covered in blood. It proceeded to trickle down to her front to the ground and then in to the cracks of the rocks.
"Make way! Make way!" It was Madam Pomfrey and she had some sort of purple liquid in a bottle. Soraya was breathing sharply and deeply, never in her life had she ever felt such pain. She was still on the ground with her face contorted with pain.
"I shall pour this in to the wound my dear...now this may sting a bit." Madam Pomfrey proceeded to pour the liquid in to the wound on her back. All the while she gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming.
But that was nothing to the pain she felt when the solution went in to the wound. At first nothing happened and Soraya just kneeled there on all fours. Then Soraya growled loudly through gritted teeth. She could feel the solution bubble and froth inside the wound. Soraya pounded the ground with a balled fist and stopped only when the solution had passed.
She then looked up with her whole body shaking and cold sweat dripping down her face. Madam Pomfrey tapped the wound with her wand and reassured Soraya.
"That should heal in a couple of days." She then made the blood disappear and bandaged the wound from the inside of her clothes. Then with another swish of her wand Soraya's clothes were fixed. "Good as new... well you will be in a couple of days. Come and meet me by the cabin tomorrow so I can check up on you."
"Yes Madam Pomfrey and thank you."
Madam Pomfrey smiled and stepped back to give Soraya some air. Soraya's breathing was still a bit erratic but quickly steadied after she was healed. Her legs were still shaking as she wiped her face dry. Soraya noticed that she didn't release a single tear.
After a minute or two she got up with her legs and nerves shaking a little. Madam Pomfrey protested that Soraya should sit down a little while longer. But Dumbledore held up his hand and she fell silent. Everyone was looking at her as though she about to keel over and die or something. She ignored the looks and the pain left her face. Her nerves were still jumbled and her legs felt like jelly but she felt sound in mind and exhausted through the shock and pain.
"I think I'll skip dinner tonight."
A few people laughed, some chuckled and others just smiled. Soraya could swear she saw a slight flicker of a smile on Snape's lips and then vanish without a trace. She looked at Snape for a couple of seconds longer than Malfoy. Was that gratitude she saw in his eyes? She looked again to see the cold steely look of Snape was back on his face. She picked up her Firebolt and talked to her friends. Soraya felt sick and very tired but relieved it was all over.
"As of the recent events lessons shall proceed tomorrow." Nearly every student cheered at Dumbledore's proclamation. The Slytherins and Snape proceeded back to the cabin with a still shocked looking Malfoy. Everyone else crowded round Soraya and congratulated her.
"WOW!"
"Next time Soraya leave the rescuing to the adults."
"Yes Jane."
"Cool!"
"Excellent!" This went on for about a good half hour until she turned to Dumbledore and mouthed soundlessly to him. 'Help me.'
"I think Soraya needs some peace and quiet. Her friends may accompany her. But everyone else please leave the young lady alone. She looks like she could do with some air." Soraya breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the others go. Only Ron, Hermione, Harry, Dean and Amily were left.
She was too tired to walk and decided to fly. Her friends did the same as they followed her to the other side of the sanctuary. She landed unsteadily a few feet away from the edge of the cliff. Then spread her cloak on the ground and sat down calm and happy to be alive. Her friends landed a few minutes later beside her. They talked about what happened and then bombarded her with a series of questions.
Harry could see she didn't want this and spoke up.
"I've been through ordeals like these in the past. Let her answer the questions when she wants too. For as Dumbledore said what she needs now is some peace and quiet." The others stopped their questions and decided to talk about what happened amongst themselves. Soraya looked at Harry with a strong feeling of gratitude.
"Thanks Harry." She rolled on to her side and looked at the sea. Feeling tired and sick from the shock her eyelids felt heavy and closed. She had a pleasant sleep for three hours until she was woken by Harry.
"Bet you feel better now don't you?"
"Yeah, but I still feel a bit sick and tired."
"Eat something and you should feel a bit better...the food will give you some strength. Trust me it will work."
So everyone got on their brooms and landed outside the cabin again. There was a huge table laid with a delicious looking feast. This was set up outside the cabin.
"Ere comes the guest of 'onour." Hagrid proclaimed as they landed. 'Oh for god sakes.' Soraya felt even sicker and said again and again that what she did was stupid. But it seemed no one wanted to hear it and she looked exasperated as she was steered towards one of the six seats. The seats had been reserved for Soraya and her friends. Soraya thought it couldn't get any worse until Dumbledore held up his hand to make a speech about today's events.
"We are here today to congratulate a very special young lady who found the courage to save those she didn't even consider as friends or even allies. But she did and with great risk to her own life. That is the kind of thing that I hope to see at Hogwarts." Soraya looked down. She could feel her face burning and turning very red. She looked sadly at her feet waiting for this speech to end quickly.
"So I will with great pleasure inform those of you who don't know yet. Late as Soraya is because of a certain arrangement I have great pride in accepting her and Amily to attend Hogwarts this year."
A great storm of cheering and shouting echoed in to the night. Even some of the Slytherins and (without wanting to) Snape clapped. Soraya was coaxed into eating a bowl of salted noodles but could only bring herself to eat half of it.
"Feeling any better?"
"No Harry, not at all I'm afraid."
"Ok then just ask Dumbledore to go and I'll meet up with you later."
"Where?"
"The pond where they keep the dragon flies."
"Ok I'll see you there." So she excused herself and walked towards the pound dragging her broomstick behind her as she went. Soraya barely had the strength to carry it and let go of it as she sat on a rock near the pound. Soraya saw the water ripple with the breeze and watched the fireflies dancing on the water. The wind breeze blew her hair this way and that, but she was so tired that she couldn't bring herself to get it out of her face.
Ten minutes later she heard footsteps coming form behind her. But was too tired to turn around and just guessed to who it could be.
Harry?" Her heart sank when the person answered her question. It was Snape, and she didn't want to see him at all.
"No. Mr.Potter is still at dinner where you should be."
"I couldn't eat much sir. How are you?" She thought it very strange to ask him this but thought it was courteous and good manners to do so. She didn't want another lesson from Snape and didn't have the strength. "Compared to Mr.Malfoy very well, and you?"
"I'm fine." She said this trying not to sound weak and tired. She hated showing weakness of any kind in front of him.
She could hear Snape moving and stop right behind her. She felt the neck of her shirt being pulled backwards. In the reflection of the water in front of her she held back a gasp at what she saw. Could she see a slight look of concern on Snape's face? From him of all people? 'I must be seeing things...yes I'm tired and I'm hallucinating.' She was very disturbed by this thought and looked at her feet instead. She didn't show that this disturbed her and hid it well.
"Hmmm, no more blood..." He pressed her cloak and put pressure on the wound and she flinched.
"You still feel pain...that should be gone by tomorrow."
"Why the concern sir?"
"You saved my life so I am in your debt, I-"
"Please stop sir...you are not in my debt. Take your thanks yous and keep them. I did a very stupid thing and I am not a hero. I don't know why I did it but I did."
"There is no doubt in my mind about that. For you see I hate heroes, and I agree what you did was very stupid....but you did save my life just the same." Soraya sighed deeply and felt tired again her head felt like cotton wool so it was hard to think.
"Look you don't like me and I don't like you. So let's just keep it that way ok sir?"
Snape moved in front of her noiselessly and Soraya had barely enough strength to look up at him. So as not to show any weakness Soraya slowly lifted her head. Their eyes met and Snape looked as though he had something to say. He opened his mouth but then thought better of it and just nodded. Soraya looked back down and yawned as a new wave of sleep consumed her. So she pulled up her hood and turned on her side instantly falling asleep. Snape looked at the sleeping girl with a deeply puzzled face. His usual cold look came back on to his face eventually and he walked away with his cloak swishing behind him. For twenty glorious minutes she was in a deep sleep. She felt very content and didn't want to be woken.
But then Harry came and woke her up with a deep look of concern on his face. Soraya was annoyed that she was woken but didn't shout or say anything as Harry is now her friend. She looked around and was very thankful that he was alone as well.
"Where are your friends?"
"Still at the feast...how are you feeling?"
"Ummm...very tired but nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."
"You really sure your Ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine Harry; I just want to get back to sleep." So they mounted their brooms to fly back to the house...well at least Harry did. Soraya was so tired that she fell off and couldn't hold her broom steady. So Harry mounted her on his broom in front of him and held her tightly so she wouldn't fall off. Soraya used one hand to hold her broom and used the other to hold on to Harry's.
There was silence for most of the journey. They were nearly at the house when Harry spoke in a curious sort of way.
"Soraya, do you know anything about me and Voldermort?"
"Yes Harry, Dumbledore told me all about you and Voldermort. He did the same to my parents too."
"Did he give you that scar?"
"No...his dirty great snake left that. But right now I'm really not interested in anything else. I just want to get back to sleep you know?"
"Good."
"Hmmm?"
"It's just normally a lot of people are always flicking their eyes to my scar and feeling sorry for me."
"Oh...well you don't have to worry about that Harry. I don't see you for your fame, I see you for the friend that you are to me and nothing else." Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this and landed by the back door.
Soraya was so tired that she had to catch herself nodding off a couple of times whilst they walked up to her room. Harry and Soraya proceeded up the stairs. Then she heard a voice that she didn't want to hear right now and by the look of things neither did Harry.
"So the old hero takes the new hero to bed?"
"Orders from Dumbledore to make sure she got to bed ok. Got a problem with them sir? Take it up with Dumbledore." Soraya looked at them and soon understood what Dean meant by them hating each other. Snape was surprised at Harry's insolence and looked daggers at him. Soraya looked tiredly at them both and then rolled her eyes as she went up the stairs. Harry broke eye contact with Snape and followed her up the stairs.
He followed her to the door of her bedroom and then stopped to study the plaque on her door.
"A gryphon? Could be a sign you might be destined for Griffindor."
"Dumbledore said that. But as long as it's not Slytherin then I don't really care Harry. Mind you...I suppose it would be nice to be in Griffindor as I already have friends there." Harry nodded and escorted her to bed where she flopped on to it with pure exhaustion. She had never felt like this in her life and thought she would sleep forever. Harry helped Soraya off with her shoes and her cloak and said she should get changed.
"I don't think I have the strength Harry, and besides I am perfectly happy to sleep on top of my bed with my clothes on."
"Oh, OK then...is this your school letter?" Harry picked up her letter and gasped with horror. He looked again and again not daring to believe what he just read.
Soraya yawned tiredly and read the look on Harry's stunned face.
"They expect you to do six years of work in one? That's disgusting!"
"Ever since I was ten I seemed to just absorb information and Lei found this strange. So he took me to a special sort of wizard...who can tell you if your child has a special talent or something."
"Uh-huh go on."
"Well he said that I am the few in the entire world that has a...a photographic memory. So I'll absorb the information Harry and there won't be a problem."
"Yes but..."
"Look Harry I don't mean to be rude or anything. But I am so tired and just want to get back to sleep."
"Yes...sorry...go right ahead. If your awake in the morning meet me by the cabin so we can talk about-"
"Oh let me worry about the books and what they plan for me to do this year! Good night Harry."
"Good night Soraya. I'll see you tomorrow."
Harry left her room quietly and propped her broom outside her room. The tail of the broom was still black and no longer golden brown as it should have been. A figure stooped down to pick it up when Harry left and made sure no one else was around. The figure looked in to Soraya's room and waited. The figure took her broom as she passed out on her bed and breathed gently in a very deep sleep.
*** This is my favourite chapter. My character got to hit Malfoy right in the face now that's bloody excellent! I think I might have made Snape a bit more softer than I should have but he will be in his character for most of the story I can easily promise you that, as I like him being the vindictive git we all know and love.(or hate...whatever the case maybe.)
Soraya's Dragon Run
They stopped when they reached the bottom and saw Paul looking straight at Soraya with a school boy grin on his face.
"I need you to do the dragon run for me today as my mothers sick so I have to see her."
"What about Anthony?"
"Oh, he's sick as a dog when I last saw him." But Soraya could swear he winked at her when he said this.
"Sarah and Derick said you could do it...remember what to do?" Soraya nodded. "Good, and tell me about it when I get back." So Soraya and Amily flew to the spot of the dragon run. They saw that Jane was on top of the cliff talking to the students. So they landed next to Jane and relief spread across her face for she had been stalling. Then the relief quickly turned to panic.
"Soraya? Amily? W-what are you doing here? Where is Paul or Anthony?"
"Paul had to see his mother and Anthony's sick. So he said I should do it and my parents have given permission for me to do so."
"What? She's doing it? She'll get eaten by the dragons no problem." Malfoy had a smirk on his face as he said this and all the Slytherin's chuckled horribly behind him. Soraya growled and gave Malfoy a very piercing look. He became quiet instantly.
"For you information Malfoy I have performed this run a few times before you came here. So button it and let me do what I got to do!"
"You know I think Malfoy has a point." It was Snape who spoke next. He had that old familiar sneer on his face which Soraya had grown to hate.
"Well Malfoy's wrong. I have done this the first few times with a supervisor and the last four by myself!" Dumbledore beamed at her and the students smiled apart from Malfoy and the Slytherin's. Snape looked taken back that he of all people was spoken to in such a way.
"Ok then Soraya. Go to the starting position as we have wasted enough time and the dragons sound restless."
"Yes Jane."
So leaving Amily on top of the cliff over looking the lake Soraya and Jane proceeded to the barn covering the dragon's entrance. Soraya took her position in front of the barn doors and waited for the signal. The dragons could be heard pawing the ground and doors inside the barn.
"Ready? 3...2...1...GO!" Jane pulled the leaver and a rush of green scaly dragons with huge wings came pelting after Soraya.
Soraya followed the route perfectly just as Paul had taught her. There were oohs and aahs, gasps and shocked faces as she led the dragons on. She dived into the canyon and went from one side to the other and out again. Like always this was where the adult dragons broke off and landed in the lake. Next came the caves riddled with giant holes and she weaved in and out of them perfectly. Then she proceeded to take the dragons the rest of the way to the lake and dipped her tail in it. The young dragons like their parents landed in the clear blue water and joined up with their parents. Soraya rose back up again to be met by cheers and applause. She took one look at the Slytherin's and Snape. They had very sour looks on their faces, 'enough to sour a ton of lemons' Soraya thought. She flew back and landed next to her friends. They kept on congratulating and patting her on the back until they had to fly down to the edge of the lake.
What Jane said next made the class stop cheering almost at once. For fear had spread instantly over their faces. Jane proclaimed that it was time to feed the young dragons.
"Don't worry their very docile compared to the parents unless you make them angry of course. We have to feed them separately to their parents otherwise they won't have any chance of being fed at all."
So everyone apart from Hagrid mounted their brooms and flew down to the lake. Soraya looked back curiously as Dumbledore handed Hagrid a big red bird the size of a swan. Miraculously it lifted Hagrid off the ground without any strain at all. Soraya and Amily's mouths dropped at the unusual site. Dumbledore smiled at the bewildered looks on their faces and so he explained to them the reason why the bird could do what it did.
"That's Fawkes...he's my phoenix. Phoenixes can carry immensely heavy loads." This was very true in Hagrid's case as he was very big and very heavy.
Everyone landed beside the lake and watched as Jane took out a crate from a nearby barn. She levitated it until the crate was in front of the students. It was very large and wooden with metal handles and smelled a bit odd. There were red stains all over it, the students got the impression that these were blood stains and so they backed off.
"Now listen very carefully to what I have to tell you. When you take a piece of meat like so." Jane opened the crate and took out a piece of meat the size of her arm. Some of the girls covered their noses and backed away. Soraya looked to Amily and they rolled their eyes.
"Drop it in front of you and wait for a young dragon to come up." As she did this a young dragon the size of a wardrobe and the width of a bed swam up to her with its jaws slightly open.
"You then take a step back so it can eat it. If the dragon doesn't like you then proceed to another."
Everyone were nodding their heads, but Malfoy looked as though he wasn't even listening. Instead he was counting his fingers and looked very bored. He didn't seem to like lectures or do as he was told.
When Jane had finished telling them what to do everyone took a piece of meat. The young dragons immediately came swimming up to them. At first the girls were a bit squeamish about picking up the meat but complied when Soraya and Amily picked it up so easily. Neville was petrified but made no mistakes at all. He found it easier to do the second time round. Malfoy on the other hand was having no luck at all. His dragon didn't seem to want to take it from him and proceeded to someone else. Malfoy was spoiled and too used to getting his own way that he didn't like being ignored at all. So he lost his temper and yelled at it.
"Come and take it you great big lizard. Then I can go and not look at your repulsive scaly Hyde any longer." The dragon didn't respond and before anyone could stop him Malfoy threw the piece of meat at the dragon.
He meant it to land in front of the dragon. But Malfoy was a poor shot and it landed with a 'smack' painfully on top of the dragon's nose as there were bones sticking out of the meat.
The next thing everyone knew the dragon's roar cut through the air like a knife. He charged at Malfoy who managed to move just in the nick of time. The dragon might have killed him if he didn't move and then Snape stood in front of Malfoy and raised his wand. He shot a spell at the dragon but it moved too quickly for the spell to hit it in the eyes. So it just bounced off its back. The dragon roared again and knocked the wand out of Snape's hand with one quick swish of its tail. What could the others do? The students magic wasn't strong enough to deal with a dragon and there weren't enough grown ups with a wand to stop it. Young dragon or not you need at least five qualified wizards to bring one as big as this down. But there were only four and Snape's wand was in the lake so that made three. 'No matter how powerful Dumbledore is there are not enough people. So what can any one do?'
Then Soraya did something as the spike tip on the end of the dragon's tail moved where it was now pointing at Snape's throat. Whilst the dragon's head was keeping an eye on Malfoy it was big enough to keep an eye on Snape too. Although the dragon didn't worry about Snape his tail was poised to strike if Snape moved. Soraya didn't know what she was doing when she mounted her broom. All she knew was even though she hated Snape and Malfoy they didn't deserve to die...well not now anyway. So without hesitation she rose in to the air and charged at the dragon's head. Jane saw what she was doing.
"SORAYA NO!!!"
But the call was too late. The dragon was about to bite Snape's head off. But Soraya hit the dragon in the eyes with her broomstick tail. She flew a few feet forwards and did a three hundred and sixty degree turn to face the dragon. It screamed in pain and rubbed its eyes with its giant claws. It blinked a couple of times before a huge jet of flames erupted out of his mouth towards Soraya. She dodged the jet with ease and saw the dragon looking furiously at her roaring it's head off. But the dragon still had Snape and Malfoy trapped between a large boulder and itself. They had no where to run and Soraya was doing some very quick thinking. She remembered that dragons could understand what people say and so decided to insult the thing to get it to chase after her in the air.
"Come on you over grown lizard is that all you got?" The dragon roared even louder with a piercing rage and went straight for her.
Soraya swerved and dived in to the canyon. 'That's it just follow me, and then everyone else will be safe.' She thought in her haste as they flew to the end. But then Soraya realised she had to go back. She had a very near miss with a fireball when she turned round and headed back the way she came. A thought crossed her mind as she dodged flame and fireballs on the way back. 'Wait a minute....I'm on the dragon run route. What if I take him on it and maybe...just maybe he will land in the lake? Then I will be home scot free.'
So she came out of the other side of the canyon again and then proceeded to the caves. The dragon was still breathing fire and fire balls of it at Soraya all the while hot on her heels. Halfway through the cave route Soraya turned round and saw the dragon was gone. 'Maybe he got bored and went back to the lake?' She thought hopefully still seeing no sign of the dragon. Until she looked up that is.
Ahead of her the dragon was blocking the exit to the cave. 'Oh you smart little bastard!' She had no time to turn round as she was going at full speed. It released a huge jet of fire which billowed in to the cave. There was a small gap between the bottom of the cave and the fire and it was her only chance. She dived just in the nick of time as the fire flew over her head and streamed out the other side of the cave. She zoomed out of a small gap beneath the dragon. Soraya thought she was safe and the lake was the last stop. She was exhausted with the effort of keeping the dragon from frying her. She had used all the tricks she knew on a broomstick to dodge the jets and balls of flames.
But she didn't realise how wrong she was. For when she past underneath the dragon Soraya felt the spike tip of its tail tear in to her back. She spun around for a few seconds on her broom hearing screams and shouts below her. Then she headed for the lake as fast as she could with her tail smoking. The pain in her back was unbelievable. But with the shock of it all the pain died down and all she could feel was her back going numb. Soraya dipped her broom tail in to the lake and her broom hissed as it went out. Her heart leapt with joy as she heard the dragon splash in to the lake and she looked back to see if it had calmed down. It looked as though he did considerably but shot a fireball at her all the same.
Soraya then landed next to the others and had an extremely angry look on her face. She approached Malfoy with a balled fist and punched him on the side of his face. He fell to the ground looking shocked and holding his cheek. Everyone looked stunned as he got up with his hand on his cheek. Soraya spoke in a very dangerous tone as Malfoy looked directly in to her eyes.
"Next time someone tells you something you listen. Pure blood or not I don't care. Because next time you don't pay attention here no teacher, member of staff, student or me will be able to save you if you make a big error of judgment like this again with very dangerous creatures. GOT THAT???" Malfoy nodded his head slowly as he looked in to Soraya's eyes. He didn't know whether to be shocked or deeply embarrassed. Soraya strode away from Malfoy and didn't look back as she was still very angry. She thought she might hit him again if she did.
Soraya then felt someone grab her by the arm. She turned round to look at the person and was at peace when she saw it was Dumbledore. He had proud look on his face.
"Soraya you have shown such bravery that very few people have, and you have performed it for those you hate." Snape gave Dumbledore a funny look and then moved it to Soraya. She looked away to avoid Snape's eyes and looked back in to Dumbledore's.
For a moment she felt fine until the pain in her back came flooding back. Then she kneeled to the ground on all fours in pain. Her whole body was shaking with pain and exhaustion. The girls screamed and some of the boys gasped as they saw the full extent of her injuries. The gash in her back was deep and bled a lot. The back of her clothes were covered in blood. It proceeded to trickle down to her front to the ground and then in to the cracks of the rocks.
"Make way! Make way!" It was Madam Pomfrey and she had some sort of purple liquid in a bottle. Soraya was breathing sharply and deeply, never in her life had she ever felt such pain. She was still on the ground with her face contorted with pain.
"I shall pour this in to the wound my dear...now this may sting a bit." Madam Pomfrey proceeded to pour the liquid in to the wound on her back. All the while she gritted her teeth to stop herself from screaming.
But that was nothing to the pain she felt when the solution went in to the wound. At first nothing happened and Soraya just kneeled there on all fours. Then Soraya growled loudly through gritted teeth. She could feel the solution bubble and froth inside the wound. Soraya pounded the ground with a balled fist and stopped only when the solution had passed.
She then looked up with her whole body shaking and cold sweat dripping down her face. Madam Pomfrey tapped the wound with her wand and reassured Soraya.
"That should heal in a couple of days." She then made the blood disappear and bandaged the wound from the inside of her clothes. Then with another swish of her wand Soraya's clothes were fixed. "Good as new... well you will be in a couple of days. Come and meet me by the cabin tomorrow so I can check up on you."
"Yes Madam Pomfrey and thank you."
Madam Pomfrey smiled and stepped back to give Soraya some air. Soraya's breathing was still a bit erratic but quickly steadied after she was healed. Her legs were still shaking as she wiped her face dry. Soraya noticed that she didn't release a single tear.
After a minute or two she got up with her legs and nerves shaking a little. Madam Pomfrey protested that Soraya should sit down a little while longer. But Dumbledore held up his hand and she fell silent. Everyone was looking at her as though she about to keel over and die or something. She ignored the looks and the pain left her face. Her nerves were still jumbled and her legs felt like jelly but she felt sound in mind and exhausted through the shock and pain.
"I think I'll skip dinner tonight."
A few people laughed, some chuckled and others just smiled. Soraya could swear she saw a slight flicker of a smile on Snape's lips and then vanish without a trace. She looked at Snape for a couple of seconds longer than Malfoy. Was that gratitude she saw in his eyes? She looked again to see the cold steely look of Snape was back on his face. She picked up her Firebolt and talked to her friends. Soraya felt sick and very tired but relieved it was all over.
"As of the recent events lessons shall proceed tomorrow." Nearly every student cheered at Dumbledore's proclamation. The Slytherins and Snape proceeded back to the cabin with a still shocked looking Malfoy. Everyone else crowded round Soraya and congratulated her.
"WOW!"
"Next time Soraya leave the rescuing to the adults."
"Yes Jane."
"Cool!"
"Excellent!" This went on for about a good half hour until she turned to Dumbledore and mouthed soundlessly to him. 'Help me.'
"I think Soraya needs some peace and quiet. Her friends may accompany her. But everyone else please leave the young lady alone. She looks like she could do with some air." Soraya breathed a sigh of relief as she watched the others go. Only Ron, Hermione, Harry, Dean and Amily were left.
She was too tired to walk and decided to fly. Her friends did the same as they followed her to the other side of the sanctuary. She landed unsteadily a few feet away from the edge of the cliff. Then spread her cloak on the ground and sat down calm and happy to be alive. Her friends landed a few minutes later beside her. They talked about what happened and then bombarded her with a series of questions.
Harry could see she didn't want this and spoke up.
"I've been through ordeals like these in the past. Let her answer the questions when she wants too. For as Dumbledore said what she needs now is some peace and quiet." The others stopped their questions and decided to talk about what happened amongst themselves. Soraya looked at Harry with a strong feeling of gratitude.
"Thanks Harry." She rolled on to her side and looked at the sea. Feeling tired and sick from the shock her eyelids felt heavy and closed. She had a pleasant sleep for three hours until she was woken by Harry.
"Bet you feel better now don't you?"
"Yeah, but I still feel a bit sick and tired."
"Eat something and you should feel a bit better...the food will give you some strength. Trust me it will work."
So everyone got on their brooms and landed outside the cabin again. There was a huge table laid with a delicious looking feast. This was set up outside the cabin.
"Ere comes the guest of 'onour." Hagrid proclaimed as they landed. 'Oh for god sakes.' Soraya felt even sicker and said again and again that what she did was stupid. But it seemed no one wanted to hear it and she looked exasperated as she was steered towards one of the six seats. The seats had been reserved for Soraya and her friends. Soraya thought it couldn't get any worse until Dumbledore held up his hand to make a speech about today's events.
"We are here today to congratulate a very special young lady who found the courage to save those she didn't even consider as friends or even allies. But she did and with great risk to her own life. That is the kind of thing that I hope to see at Hogwarts." Soraya looked down. She could feel her face burning and turning very red. She looked sadly at her feet waiting for this speech to end quickly.
"So I will with great pleasure inform those of you who don't know yet. Late as Soraya is because of a certain arrangement I have great pride in accepting her and Amily to attend Hogwarts this year."
A great storm of cheering and shouting echoed in to the night. Even some of the Slytherins and (without wanting to) Snape clapped. Soraya was coaxed into eating a bowl of salted noodles but could only bring herself to eat half of it.
"Feeling any better?"
"No Harry, not at all I'm afraid."
"Ok then just ask Dumbledore to go and I'll meet up with you later."
"Where?"
"The pond where they keep the dragon flies."
"Ok I'll see you there." So she excused herself and walked towards the pound dragging her broomstick behind her as she went. Soraya barely had the strength to carry it and let go of it as she sat on a rock near the pound. Soraya saw the water ripple with the breeze and watched the fireflies dancing on the water. The wind breeze blew her hair this way and that, but she was so tired that she couldn't bring herself to get it out of her face.
Ten minutes later she heard footsteps coming form behind her. But was too tired to turn around and just guessed to who it could be.
Harry?" Her heart sank when the person answered her question. It was Snape, and she didn't want to see him at all.
"No. Mr.Potter is still at dinner where you should be."
"I couldn't eat much sir. How are you?" She thought it very strange to ask him this but thought it was courteous and good manners to do so. She didn't want another lesson from Snape and didn't have the strength. "Compared to Mr.Malfoy very well, and you?"
"I'm fine." She said this trying not to sound weak and tired. She hated showing weakness of any kind in front of him.
She could hear Snape moving and stop right behind her. She felt the neck of her shirt being pulled backwards. In the reflection of the water in front of her she held back a gasp at what she saw. Could she see a slight look of concern on Snape's face? From him of all people? 'I must be seeing things...yes I'm tired and I'm hallucinating.' She was very disturbed by this thought and looked at her feet instead. She didn't show that this disturbed her and hid it well.
"Hmmm, no more blood..." He pressed her cloak and put pressure on the wound and she flinched.
"You still feel pain...that should be gone by tomorrow."
"Why the concern sir?"
"You saved my life so I am in your debt, I-"
"Please stop sir...you are not in my debt. Take your thanks yous and keep them. I did a very stupid thing and I am not a hero. I don't know why I did it but I did."
"There is no doubt in my mind about that. For you see I hate heroes, and I agree what you did was very stupid....but you did save my life just the same." Soraya sighed deeply and felt tired again her head felt like cotton wool so it was hard to think.
"Look you don't like me and I don't like you. So let's just keep it that way ok sir?"
Snape moved in front of her noiselessly and Soraya had barely enough strength to look up at him. So as not to show any weakness Soraya slowly lifted her head. Their eyes met and Snape looked as though he had something to say. He opened his mouth but then thought better of it and just nodded. Soraya looked back down and yawned as a new wave of sleep consumed her. So she pulled up her hood and turned on her side instantly falling asleep. Snape looked at the sleeping girl with a deeply puzzled face. His usual cold look came back on to his face eventually and he walked away with his cloak swishing behind him. For twenty glorious minutes she was in a deep sleep. She felt very content and didn't want to be woken.
But then Harry came and woke her up with a deep look of concern on his face. Soraya was annoyed that she was woken but didn't shout or say anything as Harry is now her friend. She looked around and was very thankful that he was alone as well.
"Where are your friends?"
"Still at the feast...how are you feeling?"
"Ummm...very tired but nothing a good night's sleep won't fix."
"You really sure your Ok?"
"Yeah I'm fine Harry; I just want to get back to sleep." So they mounted their brooms to fly back to the house...well at least Harry did. Soraya was so tired that she fell off and couldn't hold her broom steady. So Harry mounted her on his broom in front of him and held her tightly so she wouldn't fall off. Soraya used one hand to hold her broom and used the other to hold on to Harry's.
There was silence for most of the journey. They were nearly at the house when Harry spoke in a curious sort of way.
"Soraya, do you know anything about me and Voldermort?"
"Yes Harry, Dumbledore told me all about you and Voldermort. He did the same to my parents too."
"Did he give you that scar?"
"No...his dirty great snake left that. But right now I'm really not interested in anything else. I just want to get back to sleep you know?"
"Good."
"Hmmm?"
"It's just normally a lot of people are always flicking their eyes to my scar and feeling sorry for me."
"Oh...well you don't have to worry about that Harry. I don't see you for your fame, I see you for the friend that you are to me and nothing else." Harry breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this and landed by the back door.
Soraya was so tired that she had to catch herself nodding off a couple of times whilst they walked up to her room. Harry and Soraya proceeded up the stairs. Then she heard a voice that she didn't want to hear right now and by the look of things neither did Harry.
"So the old hero takes the new hero to bed?"
"Orders from Dumbledore to make sure she got to bed ok. Got a problem with them sir? Take it up with Dumbledore." Soraya looked at them and soon understood what Dean meant by them hating each other. Snape was surprised at Harry's insolence and looked daggers at him. Soraya looked tiredly at them both and then rolled her eyes as she went up the stairs. Harry broke eye contact with Snape and followed her up the stairs.
He followed her to the door of her bedroom and then stopped to study the plaque on her door.
"A gryphon? Could be a sign you might be destined for Griffindor."
"Dumbledore said that. But as long as it's not Slytherin then I don't really care Harry. Mind you...I suppose it would be nice to be in Griffindor as I already have friends there." Harry nodded and escorted her to bed where she flopped on to it with pure exhaustion. She had never felt like this in her life and thought she would sleep forever. Harry helped Soraya off with her shoes and her cloak and said she should get changed.
"I don't think I have the strength Harry, and besides I am perfectly happy to sleep on top of my bed with my clothes on."
"Oh, OK then...is this your school letter?" Harry picked up her letter and gasped with horror. He looked again and again not daring to believe what he just read.
Soraya yawned tiredly and read the look on Harry's stunned face.
"They expect you to do six years of work in one? That's disgusting!"
"Ever since I was ten I seemed to just absorb information and Lei found this strange. So he took me to a special sort of wizard...who can tell you if your child has a special talent or something."
"Uh-huh go on."
"Well he said that I am the few in the entire world that has a...a photographic memory. So I'll absorb the information Harry and there won't be a problem."
"Yes but..."
"Look Harry I don't mean to be rude or anything. But I am so tired and just want to get back to sleep."
"Yes...sorry...go right ahead. If your awake in the morning meet me by the cabin so we can talk about-"
"Oh let me worry about the books and what they plan for me to do this year! Good night Harry."
"Good night Soraya. I'll see you tomorrow."
Harry left her room quietly and propped her broom outside her room. The tail of the broom was still black and no longer golden brown as it should have been. A figure stooped down to pick it up when Harry left and made sure no one else was around. The figure looked in to Soraya's room and waited. The figure took her broom as she passed out on her bed and breathed gently in a very deep sleep.
*** This is my favourite chapter. My character got to hit Malfoy right in the face now that's bloody excellent! I think I might have made Snape a bit more softer than I should have but he will be in his character for most of the story I can easily promise you that, as I like him being the vindictive git we all know and love.(or hate...whatever the case maybe.)
