AN; can't think of anything to say..., except Teep. Mibble. Humbug. Muggle
and flabber.
Chapter 19.
Watered Down
Half an hour later the students were organized in pairs, each put with another student and instructed not to leave their side, and told to stay in large groups. Harry was with Neville, who appeared much relived that he didn't get put with one of the younger ones. Hermione and Ron were together, Ron glancing at Parvati as often as possible, making Hermione sigh.
The large group of students split up, Harry's group of students and Order Personnel to head up to where (Lupin confided quickly in hushed tones the giants were massing) and the other smaller group to stay with Dumbledore and head down where (Lupin said) the Death Eaters where slowly heading inwards through the deserted streets of London.
Harry was a little resentful at not being chosen to go with Dumbledore and fight the Death Eaters, but Neville appeared relived so he didn't say anything.
It began to rain, big droplets hitting their shoulders and lowering the temperature quickly. Harry, Krum, and Kingsley were leading, Harry trying to encourage Neville to smile and calm down, and the others talking quietly.
They were ten block from St Mungo's with limited visibility (even with Harry's water proof glasses) and quickly becoming cold when a inhuman roar spilt the air.
From in front of them ten giants appeared from behind buildings and coming out of waterways, all of them swinging clubs. The closest stepped over a house with amazing speed and swung its chunky club with a 'gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar' of pleasure.
The group scattered, Harry grabbing Neville and propelling him into a alleyway. He stood at the corner and watched the giant.
"Know any spells?' asked Neville through chattering teeth.
"None. But we have to try."
Harry stepped smoothly round the corner and lit his wand ignoring for the moment the screams of his schoolmates, followed by Neville. The bright light attracted the attention of the two nearest giants. Mesmerized by the light the stepped closer and Neville and Harry in perfect synchronization called out "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The two clubs rose majestically into the air and landed on the giant heads. There was no thickening crack, only a dull thud and Harry swore rather violently. The giants roared in anger at having their light extinguished and Harry and Neville both yelled the levitation spell again, and this time dropped the clubs from a greater height. There was a sickening crash and all noise in the street stopped as everyone, both giant and human watched in awe or anger as the two fell.
The giants took offence. Harry grabbed Neville and tugged him back around into the alleyway, and the next instant both were knocked of their feet as the giants club smashed the building they were standing next to bits and rubble flew everywhere. Harry landed on a brick, hurting his ribs and hands. He coughed as the dust cleared and looked around. Neville was lying a few feet away, unconscious and with a bloody forehead. He pushed his way through the broken bits of roofing and shook Nevilles shoulder. In the street he could hear spells being shouted and angry roars from the remaining eight giants, but again ignored them for the moment and shook Neville awake.
"wha?" asked Neville groggily, and then seeing Harry, "crap."
Harry chuckled and hauled him to his feet.
They ran back out into the fray, and had to duck as another club flew their way. Harry looked around for Ron and Hermione, they were attacking the legs of a giant with spells opposite, but had not noticed the giants friend coming up behind them, ignoring the spells that Lupin, Kinglsey and Tonks were throwing at it.
"RON!! HERMIONE!!!" he bellowed, sprinting forwards, Neville beside him.
"HEY YA BIG WINDBAG!!" shrieked Neville, and the giant paused in its club swinging to lumber round and blink at him stupidly for a second, then-
"NEVILLE LOOK OUT!!! Came from a dozen voices.
The club slammed full force into Neville, clipping Harry. Harry flew sideways, and looked up to see Neville sailing up and up and up and up, and then down, straight into the half full water way a half block away.
Harry ignored the pain in his only recently healed shoulder and tore down the rubble strewn street to the waterway (AN; canal thingy, rivulet, whatever you want to call it) and slipped down the sloped concrete to where Neville was lying on his stomach, half in the water. Harry rolled him over and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his friend breathing. Neville opened bleary eyes and managed to say between what appeared to be broken teeth, "ouch."
Harry chuckled and hauled his friend out of the water. There was a whooshing in his ears and he was breathing heavily from running.
Neville, only semi conscious frowned and said, "I hear water." Harry smiled and patted his friends arm and glanced at the water in the flat of the concrete rivulet. Then he frowned too, was it his imagination or was there more water than a few seconds ago?
He stiffened, gripping Neville's wet and bloody shirt tighter, and very, very slowly turned his head to look up stream. He should have been very surprised by what he saw. He wasn't. A great black wall of water rushing towards him. He hoiked Neville up higher against his chest, yelled at his friend to take a deep breath, and took one himself and then the water hit them.
(AN: anyone who has ever been dumped by a wave knows this feeling. It's hard to describe, but I reckon almost every one has been dumped or shoved into a pool or fallen, im not very good at describing this so just think of what it feels like.)
Icy water swirled around them; Harry and Neville (the latter quite unconscious) were churned around with dizzying force in the icy blackness, Harry gripping Neville grimly and kicking weakly. The sense of utter helplessness made Harry more scared than he had ever felt before.
Then a flailing hand broke the surface and with one strong kick broke through. He took one big gasp before the current shoved them under again. Harry kicked frantically, silently cursing his cloak and robes and they broke water again. This time Harry managed to keep them afloat, desperately keeping Neville's head above water. And the swift moving water carried them a way before an exhausted Harry saw salvation. Up ahead there was a low bridge, low enough-?
His hand smacked the wet metal and -miraculously- gripped it. Harry hung there, exhausted, the current dragging at his feet, Neville weighing heavily in his arm. The arm holding onto the framework of the bridge was already tired, but at this new kind of torture it screamed in protest. Harry looked left, then right. The left bank was closest. Slowly, painfully, Harry spread the fingers of his hand out, dragging them a millimetre sideways. He repeated this process-oh, about one hundred times before they reached the edge of the bridge. Harry hung there, exhausted beyond measure. The water seemed to be pulling more strongly now, and he looked down at the rushing swirl. It seemed very inviting. Besides, he reasoned, he didn't have enough strength to push Neville out, and if he just hung there his hand would give out and they would both drown, better to let go and try and find another place, a flatter place to get out!
His hand slipped, and he looked up at it, wondering what to do. Such is the human mind I suppose, that he wondered if Voldemort had some hand in this water. The thought of Voldemort gave him unexpected strength and he gripped the bridge tighter.
Two pairs of hands came from nowhere. One pair wrapped around Harrys wrist, the other grabbed his unconscious friend. They were hauled over the side, dripping and exhausted and a voice gave a cry of amazement, "Harry!?"
It was Mr Longbottom. Harry gasped for breath, and then;
"My god, its Neville!" cried Neville's mother, leaning over her son. Mr Longbottom joined her and Harry struggled to a sitting position on his own, breathing deeply and consciously relaxing his muscles.
"Harry!" Mrs Longbottom's voice was shaking, "what happened to him?"
"giant." Gasped Harry, still sucking air.
"Good grief!" muttered Frank.
"We had better get him-them- to St Mungo's Frank!" said Alice, carefully lifting her sons head. Harry wached as Frank hefted his son into his arms. Neville groaned as sore ribs moved.
"St Mungo's?" Harry asked wearily as Alice Longbottom pulled him to his feet.
"Yes Harry, over there." She said with a quizzical look.
Harry looked. Sure enough, St Mungo's stood there, about three blocks to the left. He blinked. Surely his wild ride had been more than ten blocks? It had seemed like forever!
"We saw someone hanging onto the bridge out the window," Alice told him as she helped him along, "and we came to help."
"I'm glad you did." Harry confessed, "I was just about to let go."
"Well I'm glad you didn't!" said Alice at once. Harry smiled.
Inside the hospital he was given warm, dry clothes and he sat outside the Longbottom's ward while they waited for their son's diagnosis. Alice came to tell him when she heard.
"He has several cacked or broken ribs, a broken nose and a cracked shoulder blade and a chipped hip. And lots of bruises. And he has hypothermia; the nurse says it's lucky we got to him when we did. But he wont wake for a while."
She disappeared back into the room before Harry could say anything, and he sat again, but only for a minute. He got up and went to the reception desk where he knew there was a drink machine. He figured out how to work the infernal machine and drank a little, and was leaning against a statue wondering what to do next when shouts made him spin around.
The doors banged open, and fourteen very wet figures rushed in the door, three of them carrying their partners.
It appeared that Dumbledore's group had arrived.
An; aren't I mean? No, don't answer that. Just review. Tell me if I've missed something somewhere along the line. I think this is the chapter ill be proudest of. Well, I'll wait and see what you think. Did I do the fights and water scenes right? TELL ME!!!!
Another thing, I judge how good this story is by the amount of reviews I get.so get reviewing.
Chapter 19.
Watered Down
Half an hour later the students were organized in pairs, each put with another student and instructed not to leave their side, and told to stay in large groups. Harry was with Neville, who appeared much relived that he didn't get put with one of the younger ones. Hermione and Ron were together, Ron glancing at Parvati as often as possible, making Hermione sigh.
The large group of students split up, Harry's group of students and Order Personnel to head up to where (Lupin confided quickly in hushed tones the giants were massing) and the other smaller group to stay with Dumbledore and head down where (Lupin said) the Death Eaters where slowly heading inwards through the deserted streets of London.
Harry was a little resentful at not being chosen to go with Dumbledore and fight the Death Eaters, but Neville appeared relived so he didn't say anything.
It began to rain, big droplets hitting their shoulders and lowering the temperature quickly. Harry, Krum, and Kingsley were leading, Harry trying to encourage Neville to smile and calm down, and the others talking quietly.
They were ten block from St Mungo's with limited visibility (even with Harry's water proof glasses) and quickly becoming cold when a inhuman roar spilt the air.
From in front of them ten giants appeared from behind buildings and coming out of waterways, all of them swinging clubs. The closest stepped over a house with amazing speed and swung its chunky club with a 'gaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaar' of pleasure.
The group scattered, Harry grabbing Neville and propelling him into a alleyway. He stood at the corner and watched the giant.
"Know any spells?' asked Neville through chattering teeth.
"None. But we have to try."
Harry stepped smoothly round the corner and lit his wand ignoring for the moment the screams of his schoolmates, followed by Neville. The bright light attracted the attention of the two nearest giants. Mesmerized by the light the stepped closer and Neville and Harry in perfect synchronization called out "Wingardium Leviosa!"
The two clubs rose majestically into the air and landed on the giant heads. There was no thickening crack, only a dull thud and Harry swore rather violently. The giants roared in anger at having their light extinguished and Harry and Neville both yelled the levitation spell again, and this time dropped the clubs from a greater height. There was a sickening crash and all noise in the street stopped as everyone, both giant and human watched in awe or anger as the two fell.
The giants took offence. Harry grabbed Neville and tugged him back around into the alleyway, and the next instant both were knocked of their feet as the giants club smashed the building they were standing next to bits and rubble flew everywhere. Harry landed on a brick, hurting his ribs and hands. He coughed as the dust cleared and looked around. Neville was lying a few feet away, unconscious and with a bloody forehead. He pushed his way through the broken bits of roofing and shook Nevilles shoulder. In the street he could hear spells being shouted and angry roars from the remaining eight giants, but again ignored them for the moment and shook Neville awake.
"wha?" asked Neville groggily, and then seeing Harry, "crap."
Harry chuckled and hauled him to his feet.
They ran back out into the fray, and had to duck as another club flew their way. Harry looked around for Ron and Hermione, they were attacking the legs of a giant with spells opposite, but had not noticed the giants friend coming up behind them, ignoring the spells that Lupin, Kinglsey and Tonks were throwing at it.
"RON!! HERMIONE!!!" he bellowed, sprinting forwards, Neville beside him.
"HEY YA BIG WINDBAG!!" shrieked Neville, and the giant paused in its club swinging to lumber round and blink at him stupidly for a second, then-
"NEVILLE LOOK OUT!!! Came from a dozen voices.
The club slammed full force into Neville, clipping Harry. Harry flew sideways, and looked up to see Neville sailing up and up and up and up, and then down, straight into the half full water way a half block away.
Harry ignored the pain in his only recently healed shoulder and tore down the rubble strewn street to the waterway (AN; canal thingy, rivulet, whatever you want to call it) and slipped down the sloped concrete to where Neville was lying on his stomach, half in the water. Harry rolled him over and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw his friend breathing. Neville opened bleary eyes and managed to say between what appeared to be broken teeth, "ouch."
Harry chuckled and hauled his friend out of the water. There was a whooshing in his ears and he was breathing heavily from running.
Neville, only semi conscious frowned and said, "I hear water." Harry smiled and patted his friends arm and glanced at the water in the flat of the concrete rivulet. Then he frowned too, was it his imagination or was there more water than a few seconds ago?
He stiffened, gripping Neville's wet and bloody shirt tighter, and very, very slowly turned his head to look up stream. He should have been very surprised by what he saw. He wasn't. A great black wall of water rushing towards him. He hoiked Neville up higher against his chest, yelled at his friend to take a deep breath, and took one himself and then the water hit them.
(AN: anyone who has ever been dumped by a wave knows this feeling. It's hard to describe, but I reckon almost every one has been dumped or shoved into a pool or fallen, im not very good at describing this so just think of what it feels like.)
Icy water swirled around them; Harry and Neville (the latter quite unconscious) were churned around with dizzying force in the icy blackness, Harry gripping Neville grimly and kicking weakly. The sense of utter helplessness made Harry more scared than he had ever felt before.
Then a flailing hand broke the surface and with one strong kick broke through. He took one big gasp before the current shoved them under again. Harry kicked frantically, silently cursing his cloak and robes and they broke water again. This time Harry managed to keep them afloat, desperately keeping Neville's head above water. And the swift moving water carried them a way before an exhausted Harry saw salvation. Up ahead there was a low bridge, low enough-?
His hand smacked the wet metal and -miraculously- gripped it. Harry hung there, exhausted, the current dragging at his feet, Neville weighing heavily in his arm. The arm holding onto the framework of the bridge was already tired, but at this new kind of torture it screamed in protest. Harry looked left, then right. The left bank was closest. Slowly, painfully, Harry spread the fingers of his hand out, dragging them a millimetre sideways. He repeated this process-oh, about one hundred times before they reached the edge of the bridge. Harry hung there, exhausted beyond measure. The water seemed to be pulling more strongly now, and he looked down at the rushing swirl. It seemed very inviting. Besides, he reasoned, he didn't have enough strength to push Neville out, and if he just hung there his hand would give out and they would both drown, better to let go and try and find another place, a flatter place to get out!
His hand slipped, and he looked up at it, wondering what to do. Such is the human mind I suppose, that he wondered if Voldemort had some hand in this water. The thought of Voldemort gave him unexpected strength and he gripped the bridge tighter.
Two pairs of hands came from nowhere. One pair wrapped around Harrys wrist, the other grabbed his unconscious friend. They were hauled over the side, dripping and exhausted and a voice gave a cry of amazement, "Harry!?"
It was Mr Longbottom. Harry gasped for breath, and then;
"My god, its Neville!" cried Neville's mother, leaning over her son. Mr Longbottom joined her and Harry struggled to a sitting position on his own, breathing deeply and consciously relaxing his muscles.
"Harry!" Mrs Longbottom's voice was shaking, "what happened to him?"
"giant." Gasped Harry, still sucking air.
"Good grief!" muttered Frank.
"We had better get him-them- to St Mungo's Frank!" said Alice, carefully lifting her sons head. Harry wached as Frank hefted his son into his arms. Neville groaned as sore ribs moved.
"St Mungo's?" Harry asked wearily as Alice Longbottom pulled him to his feet.
"Yes Harry, over there." She said with a quizzical look.
Harry looked. Sure enough, St Mungo's stood there, about three blocks to the left. He blinked. Surely his wild ride had been more than ten blocks? It had seemed like forever!
"We saw someone hanging onto the bridge out the window," Alice told him as she helped him along, "and we came to help."
"I'm glad you did." Harry confessed, "I was just about to let go."
"Well I'm glad you didn't!" said Alice at once. Harry smiled.
Inside the hospital he was given warm, dry clothes and he sat outside the Longbottom's ward while they waited for their son's diagnosis. Alice came to tell him when she heard.
"He has several cacked or broken ribs, a broken nose and a cracked shoulder blade and a chipped hip. And lots of bruises. And he has hypothermia; the nurse says it's lucky we got to him when we did. But he wont wake for a while."
She disappeared back into the room before Harry could say anything, and he sat again, but only for a minute. He got up and went to the reception desk where he knew there was a drink machine. He figured out how to work the infernal machine and drank a little, and was leaning against a statue wondering what to do next when shouts made him spin around.
The doors banged open, and fourteen very wet figures rushed in the door, three of them carrying their partners.
It appeared that Dumbledore's group had arrived.
An; aren't I mean? No, don't answer that. Just review. Tell me if I've missed something somewhere along the line. I think this is the chapter ill be proudest of. Well, I'll wait and see what you think. Did I do the fights and water scenes right? TELL ME!!!!
Another thing, I judge how good this story is by the amount of reviews I get.so get reviewing.