AR/DM: Once, again not much to say xcept read, review, and enjoy.
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It was Christmas night. I rarely slept on Christmas night. I simply didn't like to. But staying in bed didn't appeal to me either. What I really wanted was a good walk outside in the crisp air. The only problem was, students weren't allowed out of bed after hours. And it didn't help that almost all the teachers were out prowling the corridor. Still, I decided I had to risk it.
I slipped stealthily out of my bed and grabbed my warmest cloak. I knew that British winter nights were more than slightly chilly and I didn't want to catch cold.
Quietly, I padded out of the Gryffindor tower and slipped in and out of the shadows. Twice I was passed by a teacher, but neither saw me.
'It's no wonder Black got in,' I thought scornfully and stepped outside through the main door. As the fresh air hit me, I felt alive. Had I not been afraid of getting caught, I would have sung with freedom. Instead, I walked quickly and quietly down the steps and toward the Dark Forest. I knew that if I stayed along the edge of the forest, I wouldn't be seen from the castle.
I sighed as I entered the trees and began to hum. The night was so quite, that my voice could have carried all the way to the castle if anyone listened hard enough.
Suddenly, I heard the rustling of cloaks and then an intake of a slow, raspy breath.
"Dementors," I breathed and pulled out my wand. Sure enough, five dementors glided slowly out of the darkness and stood there, facing me.
Just as Father had said, they had no effect on me. I added another thing to my growing list of things I had inherited from him.
One of the dementors, the one in the middle, stepped forward.
"Don't come any closer to me if you know who I am," I said, wand pointed at them.
"Child of death," one said, it's voice raspy and barely above a whisper (AN: think of the voice of the ring wrathes in LOTR).
"No!" corrected the middle one who I presumed to be the leader, "Child of our master. The one who gave us freedom. The Dark Lord."
I nodded, shaking slightly, "Yes. My father has ordered that you are not to harm me."
The dementors let out what could only be a laugh.
"Under what penalty?" the leader asked scornfully, "The Dark Lord is gone, defeated by the Boy Who Lived. We no longer recognize nor listen to him."
"My father will return," I said defiantly, "And when he does, he'll punish you for your disloyalty."
The dementors looked at each other, clearly made nervous by these words.
"Harm me in any way now and you'll pay for it later," I threatened.
"Very well, witch," the leader said, "Tell you father we will respect his order." They turned and glided back the way they had come, disappearing into the night.
I sighed in relief and pocketed my wand. Then I headed back to the castle. I would be missed if I didn't return.
I was about to leave the Forbidden Forest, when a large black dog crossed my path. I stepped back in fright before I realized that the dog was harmless. It barked at me and wagged its tail.
"Shh," I said quickly, afraid someone would here, "Good boy." I stepped forward and patted it on the head. I nuzzled its nose into my leg.
"Bye boy," I whispered and walked past the dog. Then I turned and hurried back to the castle.
* * * * *
It was Christmas night. I rarely slept on Christmas night. I simply didn't like to. But staying in bed didn't appeal to me either. What I really wanted was a good walk outside in the crisp air. The only problem was, students weren't allowed out of bed after hours. And it didn't help that almost all the teachers were out prowling the corridor. Still, I decided I had to risk it.
I slipped stealthily out of my bed and grabbed my warmest cloak. I knew that British winter nights were more than slightly chilly and I didn't want to catch cold.
Quietly, I padded out of the Gryffindor tower and slipped in and out of the shadows. Twice I was passed by a teacher, but neither saw me.
'It's no wonder Black got in,' I thought scornfully and stepped outside through the main door. As the fresh air hit me, I felt alive. Had I not been afraid of getting caught, I would have sung with freedom. Instead, I walked quickly and quietly down the steps and toward the Dark Forest. I knew that if I stayed along the edge of the forest, I wouldn't be seen from the castle.
I sighed as I entered the trees and began to hum. The night was so quite, that my voice could have carried all the way to the castle if anyone listened hard enough.
Suddenly, I heard the rustling of cloaks and then an intake of a slow, raspy breath.
"Dementors," I breathed and pulled out my wand. Sure enough, five dementors glided slowly out of the darkness and stood there, facing me.
Just as Father had said, they had no effect on me. I added another thing to my growing list of things I had inherited from him.
One of the dementors, the one in the middle, stepped forward.
"Don't come any closer to me if you know who I am," I said, wand pointed at them.
"Child of death," one said, it's voice raspy and barely above a whisper (AN: think of the voice of the ring wrathes in LOTR).
"No!" corrected the middle one who I presumed to be the leader, "Child of our master. The one who gave us freedom. The Dark Lord."
I nodded, shaking slightly, "Yes. My father has ordered that you are not to harm me."
The dementors let out what could only be a laugh.
"Under what penalty?" the leader asked scornfully, "The Dark Lord is gone, defeated by the Boy Who Lived. We no longer recognize nor listen to him."
"My father will return," I said defiantly, "And when he does, he'll punish you for your disloyalty."
The dementors looked at each other, clearly made nervous by these words.
"Harm me in any way now and you'll pay for it later," I threatened.
"Very well, witch," the leader said, "Tell you father we will respect his order." They turned and glided back the way they had come, disappearing into the night.
I sighed in relief and pocketed my wand. Then I headed back to the castle. I would be missed if I didn't return.
I was about to leave the Forbidden Forest, when a large black dog crossed my path. I stepped back in fright before I realized that the dog was harmless. It barked at me and wagged its tail.
"Shh," I said quickly, afraid someone would here, "Good boy." I stepped forward and patted it on the head. I nuzzled its nose into my leg.
"Bye boy," I whispered and walked past the dog. Then I turned and hurried back to the castle.