Disclaimer: as much as I'd love it to be so, it ain't mine. Savvy?
Dedication: to the Red Dragons Order
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, guys, but I got kind of a crowded, school and all that. I hardly had time to check my e-mail, never mind writing! Also, I'd like to announce that I've started my own Yahoo! Group –link in the bio-. I'm not finished with it yet, but when I will finish working on it, the following elements will be contained: everything I ever wrote on this account on ff.net, my 'Wars of Fiction' story, which is co- written by me and King Akvar, a few polls, a lot of great pics –not mine-, some editorials and maybe a 'pass it on' story, but I'm not sure about that.
So, on to our story!
/*-/*-/*-/*-
Chapter 26: The Forest
"And what would ten teens be doing in the Forest?" the voice asked.
Harry saw who it was... And wow... was she an exceptional appearance! He actually didn't know what was more impressing about the twenty year-old looking woman: her face, surrounded by shoulder-long dark brown hair, delicate face, and were those pointed ears?! Or was her slim body more impressing? Or maybe... maybe it was her clothes. She had a short blouse, revealing her abdomen, long loose pants, looking like silk, a mantle hanging on her back, her long elegant gloves or the half-moon scythe-like weapon she had in her hands. She looked other-worldly, to say it in one word. The fact that she wore a necklace with a glowing medallion also helped that impression.
"Holly shit..." Draco muttered.
"Doubling that" Ron said.
She smiled a little.
"I asked, what would ten teens be doing in the forest?"
"We umm..." Hermione said, still staring.
The woman looked at them and her eyes settled on Harry's forehead.
"Are you Harry Potter?" she gently asked.
"Yes, sir... I mean madam" he replied. Sir?! She looked nothing like a man. Must have been reflex.
She chuckled.
"No problem. You have quite the identity card there, Harry. So, you must all be then students of Hogwarts!"
"Yes, yes we are" Jane said. "But who are you?"
"Are you an elf?" Hermione asked, managing to stop gaping.
"An elf?" She asked. "Oh, no. The pointed ears you see and the appearance were a gift from the gods. But I was born as human. And even now I am only half elven. It was a favor from my dearest spiritual father, who saw how much alike I had to the elves. And I will ask again, perhaps this time I will get an answer! What are ten teens doing in the Forbidden Forest, you know this is it, for it is Hogwarts that first called it so, if I remember correctly, and at this time of night, no less?"
"We were umm..." Draco said.
"Yes, I got the umm-ing part" she said with a small chuckle.
"We were searching for something and we said it would be safer to walk in groups" Luna said.
"Ah, yes, safety in numbers" she said. "Well, as I can see, you haven't encountered the giant spiders yet. They were pissed off at me for escaping their hands, err, webs. So, what is the 'something' you are searching for?"
Harry was at a loss. He had expected many things, but encountering someone in the Forbidden Forest who would ask them what they were doing there was not through them.
"We don't even know you, so why should we tell you?" Draco asked.
"Slytherin or Ravenclaw?" she asked.
"Slytherin, but..." Draco started.
"Yes, I can see it now. So, why tell me? Because I know this Forest quite well and I could help you on your path"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Draco started saying. "You mean, 'tell me and I'll help'. What, do you think we're crazy?"
"No, I don't" she replied. "Alas, I forgot you don't know me"
"Good point, who are you?" Draco asked.
"Are you asking of my name?" she replied with a question.
"Duh" he replied. He had switched back to Slytherin-mode, her appearance and the surprise of it losing their importance.
"I have many. Which ones would you like? Or better, let me choose" she replied. "I'm often called Demonheart, although I do not agree with that nickname. It's a long story behind it... Or you can call me Sania."
"Err, right, Sania" Harry said.
"Sania?!" Hermione said. "Isn't that the name Towers said before fleeing?"
"Towers? You know Jacky?" she asked.
"Jacky?" Draco asked and she smiled deviously.
"Yes, well, he always hated me when I called him that. So, when has he... fled?"
"Today" Hermione said. "This morning, to be exact. He was cornered by some Aurors and transformed himself in an Ancient Sautaus Dragon and flown away"
"Really?!" she asked. "And he hasn't come to meet me yet. I feel betrayed" she said with a small smile, proving she felt nothing like it. "So, he's flown out of Hoggie. That means Iris is going back and Jacky's on the run"
it was quite amazing to see her say it with small humor, a smile on her lips, feeling comfortable, and yet not seeming quite impressed by the facts.
"Iris?" Mark Evans asked.
"Yes, Iris Rose. She was your teacher. You should remember her" she said in the same slightly amused-not impressed manner. "Now, tell me what 'something' you search for. Or maybe I should just tell you directions? We're on the same side, by the way"
They all stared at her as she started saying.
"Well, the spiders are somewhat to north-east. There is this small giant in north-west. Grawp, I think. The centaurs are straight out north, holding a great meeting. There are a few unicorns towards east; I think they'll be here soon. There's a Phoenix somewhere, but that one keeps moving, so I've no idea where it is. There's a buried treasure in the east! Of course, it's supposed to be hard to get, so... And in the west... many things happen in the west. But if you told me what you're looking for, perhaps we wouldn't waste all day."
"Our business is our own" Ginny said.
"Yes, but do you know what you search for? Or where it might be? Because this Forest is larger than it seems and there are many traps for unsuspecting eyes and many portals to other places, not as peaceful and safe as this forest."
Harry raised an eyebrow. Since when was the Forbidden Forest peaceful and safe?
"And trust me" she continued "I wouldn't have spoken so freely to you if you'd have been anybody else, or if I hadn't been told that you would arrive."
"What?!" Neville said. "You knew we would come?"
"Well, not that you would come. But I had been told a group would seek through the Forest in the search of something I could help find at a time when dragons fly. And in that group, one would be marked so I could see them as whom they were. And one of you is marked."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Take a guess. Who always carries his ID with him?"
"I... oh, my scar" Harry said.
"Yes. Well, you are a group in search of something and one of you is marked, therefore you must be my group." She said with a smile. "Trust me or not, it makes no difference. You can either tell me and we'll search for what you seek or you can keep walking around through the Forest. So, what do you choose?"
"Could we... consider this in private?" Draco asked.
"Of course" she answered, smiled, turned her back on them and moved away, far enough to not be able to hear them if they didn't speak loudly, but close enough not to lose them from sight.
"So, what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"Tell her to hit the road" Draco said. "I don't know about you, but I definitely do not trust weird women who just appear in the middle of the Forbidden Forest and offer help for nothing in return"
"But there's something about her" Amala said.
"Just my point!" Draco said. "There is something about her. And I don't think I want to know what"
"I kind of agree with Draco, Amala" Harry said. "She is weird. Impressive, beautiful, mesmerizing even, but I don't think we should follow her lead."
"I know, I know..." Amala said. "Maybe we could ask her for something to prove she's on our side?"
"Like what?" Mark asked. "I don't think she'll have anything the Dark Side couldn't have!"
"Kido's right" Draco said. "What could she have?"
"Kido?!" Mark said, a bit offended, but Draco took no notice.
"Well, we can't know until we ask" Jane said. "What's the worst that could happen? Her not having anything."
"What if she attacks us?" Neville asked.
"Well, um, I think we can take her down..." Ginny said.
"Right" Neville said.
"So, what do we do?" Harry asked.
"Ask for a proof she's on our side!" Hermione said.
"And if she has none?" Ron asked.
"Then, we tell her to hit the road!" Draco said.
"I don't agree" Amala said. "Perhaps we'd be losing great help."
"Or perhaps we could end up in Voldemort's hands" Harry said.
"We won't! Elves are good creatures" Amala argued "and even though she's just half-elven does not mean she could be evil. You heard her, she has many things in common with the elves!"
"Gryffindors do not have much connection with reality, do they?" Draco asked. "Hello, people! She said she has much in common with elves, not somebody else!"
"I think she's telling the truth" Luna said, half dreamy.
"Oh, boy..." Draco sad with a sigh. "And how did you come to this astonishing conclusion?"
"She has a good twinkle in her eyes..." Luna said and Draco banged his head against Hermione's shoulder –she was closest-.
"Gryffindiots" he mumbled.
"For your information, she's a Ravenclaw" Hermione told him.
"So what?! She's been affected by the famous Gryffindor idiocy."
"Not that Ravenclaw wouldn't be the brightest House" Ginny said.
"So?!" Harry said, deciding to stop the whole House arguing. "What will our course of action be if she can't prove she's on our side?"
"As sorry as I might be for Amala, we'll tell her to leave us alone" Hermione said and Amala looked at her with a frown.
"Fine!" she said through clenched teeth. "But if we get lost in this bloody forest, it will be your fault!"
"Oooh, Wright is right down mad..." Draco said with a smirk. "So, let's chat with her, shall we?"
They broke the group and made a sign for her to come back, which she did.
"So? What is your decision?" she asked.
"Can you prove you're on our side?" Hermione asked.
"Prove?" she asked. "Um, no, I don't think so... No. Gods." She whispered.
"Then, bye, bye" Draco said.
"Um, wait?" she said when turned his back on her. "I might have something... I dunno... I'll show you everything I've got, if anything helps prove I'm on your side... Just a moment, I'll be right back, ok?"
They all stared at her as she turned her back on them and ran to a tree nearby and picked up a few things which she brought back.
"Thank God I had set camp here, otherwise I'd have had to run all across the Forest" she said with a smile.
She had brought back a small leather bag –but not the normal type, it was a rather weird type, it seemed to be made for someone who walked around forests- and a few bags all tied on a rope.
"What the-?" Draco mumbled.
"So, these are bags with herbs... Elves taught me how to use them for wounds and for other things" she said, showing them the bags on the rope.
"That proves nothing" Draco said.
"I guess not" she replied and took her bag, knelt on the leaves on the ground and started taking thins out. "My food for today" she said, taking out some weird-looking plants "remind me to restock it, some unicorn hair" the little bag with silver hair was put neatly near the plants, on the ground "a vial of powerful healing potion" the vial was put near the unicorn hair "a map of London" the map was right next to the others
"What the bloody hell" Draco muttered, staring at it.
"A pen and a notebook, a spider" the little being was put on the ground gently "wonder how that got there" she commented "a Water Amulet, for summoning water" the blue thing was put next to the others "a dagger" the black-handled weapon was put on the ground, "a Bible..."
"You are joking?" Jane asked.
"Nope" she replied and kept taking out things "a postcard from Greece..."
Luna couldn't manage anymore and started laughing like crazy, tears in her eyes.
"I'm not done yet" Sania muttered "a phoenix feather, some galleons, sickles, knuts, some nuts, some pounds"
The pile of things was getting larger and larger and Amala and Luna were laughing their hearts out as she kept taking things out of her bag.
"An elven necklace" the beautiful necklace was gently put on the pile of things "a phone number of my friend's" a small piece of paper was put on the pile "a Muggle adventure book, a wooden stick –works wonders on vampires..."
"Reason for carrying a wooden stick in a bag while living in a forest: unknown" Draco commented.
"Hey, I like that stick!" she said. "A rock..."
"What the f-?!" Draco said. "Who the hell walks around with a rock in the bag?"
"Me. It's small!"
Jane and Hermione had joined the other girls in laughing their hearts out and Ron was also chuckling like mad. Mark was already on the ground.
"A piece of parchment, three Daily Prophets, soap, shampoo, another dagger, a cockroach, still wondering how my bag keeps getting bugged, a knife, a fork"
"Why drag around a fork in a forest?!" Draco asked.
"A few roots... and that's all"
She looked at her bag and then at the huge pile of things.
"Heh, I guess the engorgement charm does work" she said.
"Well, except for the fact that you're crazy as hell, this proves nothing" Draco said.
"Actually, it proves I have a great bag" she said. "But... I guess apart from that..."
"Actually, Draco, I don't think Death Eaters or their kind carry such things in bags around a forest" Hermione said between chuckles.
"Oh, you never know" he said. "Got anything else in that miracle bag of yours? A hippogriff, maybe?" he asked.
"Um, no, no hippogriff" she said, taking a peek inside.
"Well, then, sorry" Draco said.
"Jack'll have my head!" she said.
"Towers?" Ginny asked.
"No, not... Oh, yeah, Towers. Forgot his name for a second, he used to call himself Gates before that. Unfortunately, everybody though he was the brother of a certain Bill, so he switched it to Towers" she explained.
"What about the brother?" Draco asked. "I don't get it."
"Bill Gates..." she said, looking at him a bit odd.
"I still don't get it" Draco said.
"Oh, no one, just the richest Muggle on the planet..." she said. "You, my friend, know nothing of the Muggle world"
"I don't and I want to keep it that way" Draco said. "So, sorry to leave you, beautiful, but we're on our way"
She sighed, and took another peek in the bag, only to have her eyes widen.
"Right!" she said, her face lighting in a smile. "Got it."
She took out a small round golden, round shaped medallion and showed it to Draco.
"I do believe you know what this is, do you not?" she asked.
"A Golden Amulet" he whispered. "But I've never seen the rune before..."
"Bet you didn't" she said with a small smile. "They're not for sale, ever. They are given by the servants of the Light One who has the rune inside."
"And whom might that be?" Draco asked.
"His name shall not be said, enough to know he is powerful and protector of the ones in the great adventures and who do great deeds"
"Nice choices, then" Draco said. "Choosing those who can take care of themselves"
"Oh, no" she said. "Those are in the greatest need for him. They pass through their tests alone, but guess who guides them, who shows them the way and who watches them from the shadows, remaining unknown?"
"So, he's not so smart in choices" Draco said. "But I don't know the rune"
Hermione had closed up on them and took a peek at the Amulet before nearly crying.
"That rune! It's on our Amulets, too"
"Really?" she asked. "How did you get them?"
"A guy sold them to us on Diagon alley" Hermione said.
"You mean, a guy gave them to you there. I hardly doubt he asked for a lot of money"
"No, it was a ridiculously small amount of money" Hermione said.
"Symbolical" Sania said. "Yes, well, he must've been sent by the Light One..."
"Who's the Light One, anyway?" Harry asked.
"Well, actually, there are few that go by this description" Hermione started.
"Yes, and he is one of them, but as I said, no names" Sania completed. "So, do you trust me now?"
"Yes" Draco said with a sigh.
"Then, let me pack these things and we'll be off" Sania said.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Where is Potter, Albus?" Severus asked that morning at breakfast.
"I do not know, I have not seen him yet" Albus replied. "But he has been late for breakfast before, so why do you worry?"
"Because his no good friends are missing, too"
"Well, if one is late, Severus, then I find it understandable that the others are not here either."
"But there is something else that bothers me..."
"Yes?"
"Draco Malfoy is also missing. And he usually isn't late"
Albus shot a glance towards the Slytherin table.
"Indeed, interesting. I hope there is nothing wrong."
Severus looked around the Hall. His girlfriend wasn't there either. Maybe Albus was right. Maybe it was nothing. But why risk something?
"I'll go ask their colleagues where they are" Severus said. "They might be oversleeping since it is Sunday, but I have a bad feeling"
Albus nodded and Severus got up and went to the Gryffindor table where he immediately spotted Dean and Seamus. Well, why not ask them? But how to get a good answer from the teen? Maybe he'd just cover for Potter.
"Mr. Finnigan!" he snapped.
"Sir?" Seamus said, voce shaking.
"Tell me, what did Potter tell you last night?"
"Excuse me?"
"What did he tell you? How did he reason his not sleeping in his bed tonight?"
"He didn't reason it..." Seamus said.
"No?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow. "You just entered the bedroom and saw empty beds?"
"Yes, sir. What did he do?"
"Oh, but don't you mean what did they do?" Severus asked.
"Alright, they..." Seamus said.
"Not much. Not much at all. It's just that Mister Weasley, Mister Potter and Mrs. Granger were caught sleeping with a few others in the middle of a bathroom!"
"Who others, sir?" Seamus asked, shakingly.
"I think you know" Severus said, his eyes becoming smaller and looking at him dangerously.
"I... I don't, sir"
"Then you might be involved in this..."
"In what, sir?"
"Don't play games with me, Mister Finnigan!" Severus snapped. "You know very well, what!"
"No, no, sir, I swear!" Seamus said, trembling.
"Then who are?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" the boy said.
"Boy, who are the ones who didn't sleep in their beds last night, that's who! And you're in their league!"
"N-no... I don't understand, sir..."
Severus was starting to lose his patience. When would the boy spit out names?
"You and Longbottom are in this... But how come you didn't drag him with you when you escaped?"
"Neville? What is he in, sir? No, he didn't sleep in his bed last night, but I wasn't with him"
"Then who was?"
"Maybe Ginny Weasley or Amala or Hermione! I don't know! It wasn't me!"
"What about Parvati Patil?!"
"What about Parvati Patil?" Seamus asked, confused.
'Oops' Severus thought 'wrong shot'.
"Oh, you were with her, then..." Severus said with a smirk.
"Huh?" Seamus asked. "Why would I be with Patil?"
"How should I know, Mr. Thomas?"
This was going very wrong.
"But if you tell me all the names of all those who slept outside their beds I might not send you for a whole month into detention and I just might forget I wanted to take 100 points from Gryffindor"
"Um... Well, there's Jane Chase, Mark Evans, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Amala Wright and Ginny Weasley."
"Nobody else?"
"No, sir."
"Well, that's too bad. And I who thought some got away" Severus said with a smirk. "Goodbye Mr. Thomas"
He turned away and left, heading towards the Head table. Interesting. So, eight Gryffindors had slept out of bed last night, including his own girlfriend. What was going on? And as he passed the Ravenclaw table, he heard some voices commenting that Luna Lovegood was also missing. Weirder and weirder. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who rushes in adventures, but then again she had been last year at the Department of Mysteries. And by the way, where was Draco?
He went to the table of his own House and reached Crabbe and Goyle.
"Where is Mr. Malfoy? I had some things to discuss with him" he said towards the two boys.
"We don't know, sir" Crabbe said. Hmm, maybe he could make them say if he had slept in his bedroom last night?
"Did he even sleep in his bed last night or was he with another girl?" Severus asked, a small smile on his lips.
"He didn't sleep in his bed, sir" Goyle said. Thank God for stupidity! And now to make sure the kid gave him that kind of information again. He smiled a bit wider.
"As I thought. Then, I'll search for him myself. Thank you, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle..."
He nodded goodbye and went back to the Head table, wiping the smile off his face. What was going on?
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Time we camped!" Sania said, stopping suddenly.
"Thank God!" Ron said. "I was getting really, really, really tired."
"Yeah, I know" she replied. "We've been walking all night"
"No shit?" Draco asked.
"None" she replied with a smile. "Ok, so here comes the really bad part"
"What 'really bad part'?" Ron, Draco and Jane asked at the same time.
"The really bad part" she replied. "Unfortunately, the Green Flame Torch is not in the Forest."
"What?!" most of them asked at the same time.
"That's right. It's not in the Forest" she said.
"Then where the bloody hell is it?!" Draco cried.
"Don't know for sure, but you can get to it by going through some place in Hogwarts."
"Then why did you drag us here?" Ron asked through clenched teeth.
"Because even though the Torch isn't here, the directions towards it are. And I know exactly where."
"So, we're going through this whole Forest to find the directions to the Torch" Jane said desperately.
"Well, to put it shortly, yes" she said.
"You are joking!" Mark cried.
"Actually, no, I'm not!" Sania said. "If I were joking, I would have said: a horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks 'why the long face'?"
Luna started laughing tiredly.
"So, you're not joking" Harry concluded. "Hip, hip, hurrah"
"But don't despair!" Sania said. "This step is necessary to get it, so I haven't brought you here for nothing."
"Great..." Neville mumbled and sat down against a tree. "Can we get some sleep?"
"Sure" she replied. "I'll stay on guard. One day of no-sleep shan't do any harm, anyway I slept the whole day yesterday"
The teens lied down and got themselves comfortable. A night of no sleep plus the previous days' events meant they were out of energy. Harry just took one more peak to the half-elven woman and fell asleep.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Minerva, I have no idea where they are" Severus said. "Ten of our best students are gone!"
"Out of which eight are from my House..." Minerva answered. "And you don't know where they are either?"
"No. I've told you a thousand times: no!"
"Maybe You-Know-Who..."
"Voldemort has nothing to do with this" Albus said. "I'll get Fawkes to find them."
"But where could they be?" Minerva asked.
"I do not know for certain, but I have a few hunches" the Headmaster replied. "I do believe they might be in the Forbidden Forest"
"The Forbidden For- now, why would they be there?" Minerva asked, while Severus raised an eyebrow.
"It is a magical place. Things have happened there before and I think there are some answers there now" Albus replied. "Fawkes. Do me a favor and get this to Harry Potter, will you?"
The phoenix let out a few trills and took the piece of parchment from the Headmaster's hand and flew right out the window.
"Trust Potter to get into trouble" Severus said.
"I just hope they are alright" Minerva said in a concerned voice.
"I hope so, too. And I believe they are" Albus said. "I believe they are..."
/*-/*-/*-/*-
Sania looked at the ten teens in front of her. Ah, another day with no sleep. Thank God her elven side could stay up so long or she would collapse in tiredness. But this way, she could go on for days in a row.
"Now, where is Dark Claw?" she mumbled to herself. Where was her old friend anyway? She raised her head, hearing sounds of wings. Being half-elven helped a lot. A flaming red phoenix came through the branches of the trees. Unexpected, but welcomed. "Hello, beautiful, who are you?" she asked and it let out a few soft sounds. "I don't speak phoenix, unfortunately" she whispered to it. Then, she noticed that the bird had let a small piece of parchment on her legs. She picked it up and read it.
Dear Harry,
I'm sending this letter through Fawkes since he is the only one who can easily find you. I would like to ask you to come back to school, since the Forbidden Forest is not a place to be. Come back, Harry. And take your friends with you. It is not safe there.
Albus Dumbledore
"So, you're Fawkes" Sania said in a slow voice. "Well, Fawkes, I'm afraid Albus Dumbledore will have to wait. He doesn't know about Harry being the Bearer, does he?"
The bird made a sign that clearly said 'no'.
"I thought so. Well, let me write a letter back, then"
She took out her pen and the parchment she had left and wrote back. Then, the bird took off with the parchment.
"Wish I was a witch" she muttered to herself. "Maybe things would be easier that way"
She looked sadly at the ten teens. Living in the Forbidden Forest was alright, but she missed company. A lot. But her part was far from over, as her spiritual father had said. So, she was to guide them through the darker parts of the Forest and then remain there. Well, at least she had a friend, although not human. Where was he, anyway?
/*-/*-/*-/*-
At noon, Albus got the reply from Fawkes at the table. The whole student population watched in awe as the fiery bird landed gracefully on the table in front of Dumbledore, but the old man acted completely natural so they assumed this happened a lot to him. Severus, however, knew better.
"Well?" he asked and Dumbledore passed him the note.
Dear Mister Dumbledore,
I am afraid that Harry Potter cannot return to Hogwarts at the time being. As expected, he ahs not told you about his current situation: he is the bearer of the Green Flame Torch and therefore he must seek for it. He has good guidance and should be back in one or two days. I am certain that you could make up some story to cover for him? –not that it will be necessary, once he gets the Torch, but until then-. Also, I'd like to say that there are ten teens here right now –in case there are more missing, please do not blame me-.
Yours,
Sania Demonheart
Severus didn't know whether to smirk or burst in laughter or worry. Yes, trust Potter to get himself in a lot of trouble. Here he was, the Bearer of the Green Flame Torch, a new responsibility, some more trouble. Oh, hell with it. And who was Sania Demonheart, anyway? He knew she'd heard her name before, but where?...
"Oh, my God" he mumbled. "They've met Towers' contact!"
"Yes, they have, Severus" Albus replied. "So they must be safe"
The Potion Master passed the note to Minerva and glared at the Hall. Glaring always made him feel better.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"We're only a few hours away from the spot" Sania said.
"A few hours?!" Draco complained.
"The Forest is huge and it continues in other worlds you don't even know of... If it were at the farthest place from us, it could take us nearly a month to get there, so a few hours is nearly nothing"
"A month?!" Hermione asked. "But how... Certainly, the Forest can't be that huge!"
"Oh, not in Scotland, but it is absolutely large if you measure it in all the worlds it stretches in. I mean, it has to be at least as large as the whole European continent."
"Ok, what worlds?" Draco asked. "You keep saying things about other worlds..."
"Well, there are a few elven worlds I love. I bet four or five are connected to this Forest. Then, there is Alcara. That's a nice world, lots of kings and queens and generally warriors go through there. From all types of worlds. It's a place full of forests and mountains. Wonderful. Also, there is the Dark Forest, but that's a place I've never been in. And there are a few connections to other worlds... But those are generally not known"
"So, you're telling me this is a crossing place?" Draco asked.
"Precisely. And Alcara is, I believe, the place where the Fal'sil have retreated one thousand years ago"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco asked.
"The Fal'sil were those who belonged to the kingdom of Falan" Luna explained. "They were nomads and all types of people, from Muggles to pureblooded wizards. I even heard of a few non-humans who joined. Elves and vampires, even a phoenix..."
"Yeah, right" Draco said.
"But she is right" Sania commented. "But after the Ghost War a thousand years ago, they retreated to Alcara"
"What Ghost War?" Mark asked.
"The Ghost War a thousand years ago, when this threat hung over Earth and then something happened and the threat disappeared" Hermione said.
"The war after which Slytherin parted from the other Founders" Draco added. "Yeah, I heard about the Fal'sil, too, but I didn't believe they were real"
"Guess what? They were" Jane said.
"I wish I could join them. They have nothing against Muggles"
"Hmm?" Draco hummed
"I said they have nothing against Muggles" she repeated.
"And people who have something against them annoy you?" he asked.
"Yes." She said with a small laugh. "Seeing that I am a Muggle"
"You're a what?!" Draco said.
"Yes, Draco Malfoy, I am a Muggle" she said with a smile.
"But no... how can... no way..." the other mumbled.
"How come you know of us then? Of wizards?" Hermione asked.
"Simple. My spiritual father told me. He guided me here."
"How?" Jane asked.
"It's a long story"
"It's a long walk" she replied.
"Very well, then" she replied with a sigh. "Well, I'm no witch. Never have I ever made any spell, never have I used a wand. Keep that in mind. Well, I was a normal Muggle child, going to a normal Muggle school and having above normal grades. Yes, everybody agreed I was good at school. Yet something was missing from my life. A part of me wanted adventure, exciting events, freedom. Yes, freedom. The freedom to do what I wanted with my life and I wanted to be able to look at the sunset without anybody asking me what I was doing, I wanted to think and sing without anybody judging me. And then, at that point of my life, He came."
"Who?" asked Hermione.
"My spiritual father. He came to me and told me things that I knew from before, but did not dare believe. He spoke to me of freedom, of my destiny, of courage and bravery. He spoke to me of harmony with nature and battles with enemies. He told me about friends I could have, about triumphs that could be. And I listened."
"And you went with him, just like that?!" asked Neville.
"No, of course not! I was 16!" she said and smiled widely. "But I listened. And weeks after, during a Physics class, his words came back to my mind and his face appeared in my memory. I lost track of the lesson and when the teacher picked me to answer her question, I couldn't answer. She got pretty upset and started telling me about how important Physics are for life and how we must learn as much as possible while we are in school. And His face appeared to my mind and some of his words came back to me. He also spoke of learning, of courage, of daring. My teacher kept babbling on and on and I stopped her and asked her if we should be always attentive. She said yes. I asked her if in life we should look after signs. She had no idea what came over me and asked me what I was talking about. Then I asked her if she thinks that we should live our lives our way, but still learn as much as we can. She said yes. Yes. And I knew it was true. School, colleagues, they taught me nothing any more but random useless facts. I remember I smiled and she was staring at me. And then I said I'll go live my life. And find my destiny."
She stopped and they all stared at her.
"Well? What did you do?" Hermione asked after a while.
"I rushed out of the classroom. Oh, it was obvious, my father had called me and he told me that if I decided to follow my heart, he'd always be with me. I went home and grabbed the things he had given me: clothes he had charmed to be more resistant, a wonderful, long, light sword, a bow and arrows and a... bag, you could call it that had never ending food in it. I got dressed in the black pants and blouse and took the light, perfect shoes and put them on. And I also took my traveling mantle, also given to me by him, a dark red with gold one. I tied my hair in a pony tail and didn't forget to leave some of it out and then fastened everything to myself.
I then left a letter to my parents, telling them I'll visit them and not to worry about me, that I'd be fine. I told them that I had found my Master and he had called me to go with him. Well, I have no idea how they reacted when they got it. But when I'll go back, I'll ask them. And I wasn't lying when I had said he was my Master. He is one for me.
Next thing I knew, I locked the door and got out, leaving the key where I said I would. A few of my colleagues were running towards me and I suddenly realized how little it had taken me to do everything. They told me that my teacher was calling me back. I laughed and I told them that if anybody would want to talk to me, they would come to me, like I would go to them. And then I went back to my school –which, by the way, was quite close to my house- and went to another class in which I had a few friends. It must have been a funny scene. They had an English class and I came in and said I was sorry for interrupting and then I said 'I'm off to find my destiny. Would anybody like to come with me?' They all stared at me. I knew I looked like a warrior or queen or something. Well, nobody volunteered, so I said good bye and left. Then I met my Physics teacher who tried to stop me, but couldn't. And then she asked me to stay until my parents arrived. I knew that if I stopped, then I wouldn't be able to leave, so I left then."
"Wow!" said Hermione.
"Wow indeed. I went on the streets, people starring at me –I must have looked weird in my deep red mantle and with a bow and arrows on my back. I finally got to the edge of the forest near our town, turned back, waved good bye and left."
"And you got here" concluded Harry.
"Not so quick!" she said and laughed. "No, my spiritual father noticed that I left and guided me well. He eventually appeared a few weeks after I left, telling me that I should go at one of the elven cities that were well- hidden. I accepted and he took me there. The elves were very good to me. They taught me many things, about fighting and nature and that kind of things. He used to come around from time to time.
A little more than a year ago, he gave me elven blood –he can do that-. See, I have pointed years! And very good senses too –and do you think I always looked like this?- He said that I had already proved myself to be like an elf, since I loved music and stories and jokes, but also battles and heroic deeds. And then he told me that I should test my knowledge in the Forbidden Forest. I've been here for a year now."
"Wow!" they all said.
"I even made friends with a tiger."
"A tiger?!"
"Oh, yes, a wonderful, yet gentle beast! Dark Claw is his name and he should be around here somewhere. Should being the key word here"
"But if you're half elven, it doesn't mean you're a Muggle" Draco said.
"Slytherin, obviously" she said with a smile. "Still stuck on that part?"
"He's always stuck on that part" Hermione said.
"Not always" Draco said.
"Yes, always" Ron replied.
"You shouldn't be" Sania said. "The blood that runs through our veins can be changed and it is not all that there is. See? I'm a living proof that blood doesn't matter"
"Yeah, maybe" the blond replied.
Sania smiled. They would reach the place soon and then she'd lead them back to Hogwarts. She would rather stay a longer time with them, but she knew she couldn't.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
AN: So, done with another chap. Hope you like it! And as you can see, Sania isn't a Mary Sue, although she might have seemed to be one at the beginning.
To:
Babyjayy: Thank you.
The Red Dragons Order: Thanks and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too.
Skillz: Thanks! -And I love Snape, too-
Violet: *grins* I like to respond to reviewers, since I love to see who's written one, to see what was written... even if it's a flame! Anyway, thanks for always reviewing and some good news: I don't think I'll stop writing too soon.
Other chapters:
Jimmy: I was thinking in general mode then, with Cho. But I guess you would've forgotten tha review by now.
Aalikane: thanks.
Bored: *bursts out laughing* Should I reply to that?
Dedication: to the Red Dragons Order
Author's Note: Sorry for the long wait, guys, but I got kind of a crowded, school and all that. I hardly had time to check my e-mail, never mind writing! Also, I'd like to announce that I've started my own Yahoo! Group –link in the bio-. I'm not finished with it yet, but when I will finish working on it, the following elements will be contained: everything I ever wrote on this account on ff.net, my 'Wars of Fiction' story, which is co- written by me and King Akvar, a few polls, a lot of great pics –not mine-, some editorials and maybe a 'pass it on' story, but I'm not sure about that.
So, on to our story!
/*-/*-/*-/*-
Chapter 26: The Forest
"And what would ten teens be doing in the Forest?" the voice asked.
Harry saw who it was... And wow... was she an exceptional appearance! He actually didn't know what was more impressing about the twenty year-old looking woman: her face, surrounded by shoulder-long dark brown hair, delicate face, and were those pointed ears?! Or was her slim body more impressing? Or maybe... maybe it was her clothes. She had a short blouse, revealing her abdomen, long loose pants, looking like silk, a mantle hanging on her back, her long elegant gloves or the half-moon scythe-like weapon she had in her hands. She looked other-worldly, to say it in one word. The fact that she wore a necklace with a glowing medallion also helped that impression.
"Holly shit..." Draco muttered.
"Doubling that" Ron said.
She smiled a little.
"I asked, what would ten teens be doing in the forest?"
"We umm..." Hermione said, still staring.
The woman looked at them and her eyes settled on Harry's forehead.
"Are you Harry Potter?" she gently asked.
"Yes, sir... I mean madam" he replied. Sir?! She looked nothing like a man. Must have been reflex.
She chuckled.
"No problem. You have quite the identity card there, Harry. So, you must all be then students of Hogwarts!"
"Yes, yes we are" Jane said. "But who are you?"
"Are you an elf?" Hermione asked, managing to stop gaping.
"An elf?" She asked. "Oh, no. The pointed ears you see and the appearance were a gift from the gods. But I was born as human. And even now I am only half elven. It was a favor from my dearest spiritual father, who saw how much alike I had to the elves. And I will ask again, perhaps this time I will get an answer! What are ten teens doing in the Forbidden Forest, you know this is it, for it is Hogwarts that first called it so, if I remember correctly, and at this time of night, no less?"
"We were umm..." Draco said.
"Yes, I got the umm-ing part" she said with a small chuckle.
"We were searching for something and we said it would be safer to walk in groups" Luna said.
"Ah, yes, safety in numbers" she said. "Well, as I can see, you haven't encountered the giant spiders yet. They were pissed off at me for escaping their hands, err, webs. So, what is the 'something' you are searching for?"
Harry was at a loss. He had expected many things, but encountering someone in the Forbidden Forest who would ask them what they were doing there was not through them.
"We don't even know you, so why should we tell you?" Draco asked.
"Slytherin or Ravenclaw?" she asked.
"Slytherin, but..." Draco started.
"Yes, I can see it now. So, why tell me? Because I know this Forest quite well and I could help you on your path"
"Whoa, whoa, whoa" Draco started saying. "You mean, 'tell me and I'll help'. What, do you think we're crazy?"
"No, I don't" she replied. "Alas, I forgot you don't know me"
"Good point, who are you?" Draco asked.
"Are you asking of my name?" she replied with a question.
"Duh" he replied. He had switched back to Slytherin-mode, her appearance and the surprise of it losing their importance.
"I have many. Which ones would you like? Or better, let me choose" she replied. "I'm often called Demonheart, although I do not agree with that nickname. It's a long story behind it... Or you can call me Sania."
"Err, right, Sania" Harry said.
"Sania?!" Hermione said. "Isn't that the name Towers said before fleeing?"
"Towers? You know Jacky?" she asked.
"Jacky?" Draco asked and she smiled deviously.
"Yes, well, he always hated me when I called him that. So, when has he... fled?"
"Today" Hermione said. "This morning, to be exact. He was cornered by some Aurors and transformed himself in an Ancient Sautaus Dragon and flown away"
"Really?!" she asked. "And he hasn't come to meet me yet. I feel betrayed" she said with a small smile, proving she felt nothing like it. "So, he's flown out of Hoggie. That means Iris is going back and Jacky's on the run"
it was quite amazing to see her say it with small humor, a smile on her lips, feeling comfortable, and yet not seeming quite impressed by the facts.
"Iris?" Mark Evans asked.
"Yes, Iris Rose. She was your teacher. You should remember her" she said in the same slightly amused-not impressed manner. "Now, tell me what 'something' you search for. Or maybe I should just tell you directions? We're on the same side, by the way"
They all stared at her as she started saying.
"Well, the spiders are somewhat to north-east. There is this small giant in north-west. Grawp, I think. The centaurs are straight out north, holding a great meeting. There are a few unicorns towards east; I think they'll be here soon. There's a Phoenix somewhere, but that one keeps moving, so I've no idea where it is. There's a buried treasure in the east! Of course, it's supposed to be hard to get, so... And in the west... many things happen in the west. But if you told me what you're looking for, perhaps we wouldn't waste all day."
"Our business is our own" Ginny said.
"Yes, but do you know what you search for? Or where it might be? Because this Forest is larger than it seems and there are many traps for unsuspecting eyes and many portals to other places, not as peaceful and safe as this forest."
Harry raised an eyebrow. Since when was the Forbidden Forest peaceful and safe?
"And trust me" she continued "I wouldn't have spoken so freely to you if you'd have been anybody else, or if I hadn't been told that you would arrive."
"What?!" Neville said. "You knew we would come?"
"Well, not that you would come. But I had been told a group would seek through the Forest in the search of something I could help find at a time when dragons fly. And in that group, one would be marked so I could see them as whom they were. And one of you is marked."
"Who?" Harry asked.
"Take a guess. Who always carries his ID with him?"
"I... oh, my scar" Harry said.
"Yes. Well, you are a group in search of something and one of you is marked, therefore you must be my group." She said with a smile. "Trust me or not, it makes no difference. You can either tell me and we'll search for what you seek or you can keep walking around through the Forest. So, what do you choose?"
"Could we... consider this in private?" Draco asked.
"Of course" she answered, smiled, turned her back on them and moved away, far enough to not be able to hear them if they didn't speak loudly, but close enough not to lose them from sight.
"So, what do we do?" Hermione asked.
"Tell her to hit the road" Draco said. "I don't know about you, but I definitely do not trust weird women who just appear in the middle of the Forbidden Forest and offer help for nothing in return"
"But there's something about her" Amala said.
"Just my point!" Draco said. "There is something about her. And I don't think I want to know what"
"I kind of agree with Draco, Amala" Harry said. "She is weird. Impressive, beautiful, mesmerizing even, but I don't think we should follow her lead."
"I know, I know..." Amala said. "Maybe we could ask her for something to prove she's on our side?"
"Like what?" Mark asked. "I don't think she'll have anything the Dark Side couldn't have!"
"Kido's right" Draco said. "What could she have?"
"Kido?!" Mark said, a bit offended, but Draco took no notice.
"Well, we can't know until we ask" Jane said. "What's the worst that could happen? Her not having anything."
"What if she attacks us?" Neville asked.
"Well, um, I think we can take her down..." Ginny said.
"Right" Neville said.
"So, what do we do?" Harry asked.
"Ask for a proof she's on our side!" Hermione said.
"And if she has none?" Ron asked.
"Then, we tell her to hit the road!" Draco said.
"I don't agree" Amala said. "Perhaps we'd be losing great help."
"Or perhaps we could end up in Voldemort's hands" Harry said.
"We won't! Elves are good creatures" Amala argued "and even though she's just half-elven does not mean she could be evil. You heard her, she has many things in common with the elves!"
"Gryffindors do not have much connection with reality, do they?" Draco asked. "Hello, people! She said she has much in common with elves, not somebody else!"
"I think she's telling the truth" Luna said, half dreamy.
"Oh, boy..." Draco sad with a sigh. "And how did you come to this astonishing conclusion?"
"She has a good twinkle in her eyes..." Luna said and Draco banged his head against Hermione's shoulder –she was closest-.
"Gryffindiots" he mumbled.
"For your information, she's a Ravenclaw" Hermione told him.
"So what?! She's been affected by the famous Gryffindor idiocy."
"Not that Ravenclaw wouldn't be the brightest House" Ginny said.
"So?!" Harry said, deciding to stop the whole House arguing. "What will our course of action be if she can't prove she's on our side?"
"As sorry as I might be for Amala, we'll tell her to leave us alone" Hermione said and Amala looked at her with a frown.
"Fine!" she said through clenched teeth. "But if we get lost in this bloody forest, it will be your fault!"
"Oooh, Wright is right down mad..." Draco said with a smirk. "So, let's chat with her, shall we?"
They broke the group and made a sign for her to come back, which she did.
"So? What is your decision?" she asked.
"Can you prove you're on our side?" Hermione asked.
"Prove?" she asked. "Um, no, I don't think so... No. Gods." She whispered.
"Then, bye, bye" Draco said.
"Um, wait?" she said when turned his back on her. "I might have something... I dunno... I'll show you everything I've got, if anything helps prove I'm on your side... Just a moment, I'll be right back, ok?"
They all stared at her as she turned her back on them and ran to a tree nearby and picked up a few things which she brought back.
"Thank God I had set camp here, otherwise I'd have had to run all across the Forest" she said with a smile.
She had brought back a small leather bag –but not the normal type, it was a rather weird type, it seemed to be made for someone who walked around forests- and a few bags all tied on a rope.
"What the-?" Draco mumbled.
"So, these are bags with herbs... Elves taught me how to use them for wounds and for other things" she said, showing them the bags on the rope.
"That proves nothing" Draco said.
"I guess not" she replied and took her bag, knelt on the leaves on the ground and started taking thins out. "My food for today" she said, taking out some weird-looking plants "remind me to restock it, some unicorn hair" the little bag with silver hair was put neatly near the plants, on the ground "a vial of powerful healing potion" the vial was put near the unicorn hair "a map of London" the map was right next to the others
"What the bloody hell" Draco muttered, staring at it.
"A pen and a notebook, a spider" the little being was put on the ground gently "wonder how that got there" she commented "a Water Amulet, for summoning water" the blue thing was put next to the others "a dagger" the black-handled weapon was put on the ground, "a Bible..."
"You are joking?" Jane asked.
"Nope" she replied and kept taking out things "a postcard from Greece..."
Luna couldn't manage anymore and started laughing like crazy, tears in her eyes.
"I'm not done yet" Sania muttered "a phoenix feather, some galleons, sickles, knuts, some nuts, some pounds"
The pile of things was getting larger and larger and Amala and Luna were laughing their hearts out as she kept taking things out of her bag.
"An elven necklace" the beautiful necklace was gently put on the pile of things "a phone number of my friend's" a small piece of paper was put on the pile "a Muggle adventure book, a wooden stick –works wonders on vampires..."
"Reason for carrying a wooden stick in a bag while living in a forest: unknown" Draco commented.
"Hey, I like that stick!" she said. "A rock..."
"What the f-?!" Draco said. "Who the hell walks around with a rock in the bag?"
"Me. It's small!"
Jane and Hermione had joined the other girls in laughing their hearts out and Ron was also chuckling like mad. Mark was already on the ground.
"A piece of parchment, three Daily Prophets, soap, shampoo, another dagger, a cockroach, still wondering how my bag keeps getting bugged, a knife, a fork"
"Why drag around a fork in a forest?!" Draco asked.
"A few roots... and that's all"
She looked at her bag and then at the huge pile of things.
"Heh, I guess the engorgement charm does work" she said.
"Well, except for the fact that you're crazy as hell, this proves nothing" Draco said.
"Actually, it proves I have a great bag" she said. "But... I guess apart from that..."
"Actually, Draco, I don't think Death Eaters or their kind carry such things in bags around a forest" Hermione said between chuckles.
"Oh, you never know" he said. "Got anything else in that miracle bag of yours? A hippogriff, maybe?" he asked.
"Um, no, no hippogriff" she said, taking a peek inside.
"Well, then, sorry" Draco said.
"Jack'll have my head!" she said.
"Towers?" Ginny asked.
"No, not... Oh, yeah, Towers. Forgot his name for a second, he used to call himself Gates before that. Unfortunately, everybody though he was the brother of a certain Bill, so he switched it to Towers" she explained.
"What about the brother?" Draco asked. "I don't get it."
"Bill Gates..." she said, looking at him a bit odd.
"I still don't get it" Draco said.
"Oh, no one, just the richest Muggle on the planet..." she said. "You, my friend, know nothing of the Muggle world"
"I don't and I want to keep it that way" Draco said. "So, sorry to leave you, beautiful, but we're on our way"
She sighed, and took another peek in the bag, only to have her eyes widen.
"Right!" she said, her face lighting in a smile. "Got it."
She took out a small round golden, round shaped medallion and showed it to Draco.
"I do believe you know what this is, do you not?" she asked.
"A Golden Amulet" he whispered. "But I've never seen the rune before..."
"Bet you didn't" she said with a small smile. "They're not for sale, ever. They are given by the servants of the Light One who has the rune inside."
"And whom might that be?" Draco asked.
"His name shall not be said, enough to know he is powerful and protector of the ones in the great adventures and who do great deeds"
"Nice choices, then" Draco said. "Choosing those who can take care of themselves"
"Oh, no" she said. "Those are in the greatest need for him. They pass through their tests alone, but guess who guides them, who shows them the way and who watches them from the shadows, remaining unknown?"
"So, he's not so smart in choices" Draco said. "But I don't know the rune"
Hermione had closed up on them and took a peek at the Amulet before nearly crying.
"That rune! It's on our Amulets, too"
"Really?" she asked. "How did you get them?"
"A guy sold them to us on Diagon alley" Hermione said.
"You mean, a guy gave them to you there. I hardly doubt he asked for a lot of money"
"No, it was a ridiculously small amount of money" Hermione said.
"Symbolical" Sania said. "Yes, well, he must've been sent by the Light One..."
"Who's the Light One, anyway?" Harry asked.
"Well, actually, there are few that go by this description" Hermione started.
"Yes, and he is one of them, but as I said, no names" Sania completed. "So, do you trust me now?"
"Yes" Draco said with a sigh.
"Then, let me pack these things and we'll be off" Sania said.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Where is Potter, Albus?" Severus asked that morning at breakfast.
"I do not know, I have not seen him yet" Albus replied. "But he has been late for breakfast before, so why do you worry?"
"Because his no good friends are missing, too"
"Well, if one is late, Severus, then I find it understandable that the others are not here either."
"But there is something else that bothers me..."
"Yes?"
"Draco Malfoy is also missing. And he usually isn't late"
Albus shot a glance towards the Slytherin table.
"Indeed, interesting. I hope there is nothing wrong."
Severus looked around the Hall. His girlfriend wasn't there either. Maybe Albus was right. Maybe it was nothing. But why risk something?
"I'll go ask their colleagues where they are" Severus said. "They might be oversleeping since it is Sunday, but I have a bad feeling"
Albus nodded and Severus got up and went to the Gryffindor table where he immediately spotted Dean and Seamus. Well, why not ask them? But how to get a good answer from the teen? Maybe he'd just cover for Potter.
"Mr. Finnigan!" he snapped.
"Sir?" Seamus said, voce shaking.
"Tell me, what did Potter tell you last night?"
"Excuse me?"
"What did he tell you? How did he reason his not sleeping in his bed tonight?"
"He didn't reason it..." Seamus said.
"No?" Severus asked, raising an eyebrow. "You just entered the bedroom and saw empty beds?"
"Yes, sir. What did he do?"
"Oh, but don't you mean what did they do?" Severus asked.
"Alright, they..." Seamus said.
"Not much. Not much at all. It's just that Mister Weasley, Mister Potter and Mrs. Granger were caught sleeping with a few others in the middle of a bathroom!"
"Who others, sir?" Seamus asked, shakingly.
"I think you know" Severus said, his eyes becoming smaller and looking at him dangerously.
"I... I don't, sir"
"Then you might be involved in this..."
"In what, sir?"
"Don't play games with me, Mister Finnigan!" Severus snapped. "You know very well, what!"
"No, no, sir, I swear!" Seamus said, trembling.
"Then who are?"
"I don't know what you're talking about!" the boy said.
"Boy, who are the ones who didn't sleep in their beds last night, that's who! And you're in their league!"
"N-no... I don't understand, sir..."
Severus was starting to lose his patience. When would the boy spit out names?
"You and Longbottom are in this... But how come you didn't drag him with you when you escaped?"
"Neville? What is he in, sir? No, he didn't sleep in his bed last night, but I wasn't with him"
"Then who was?"
"Maybe Ginny Weasley or Amala or Hermione! I don't know! It wasn't me!"
"What about Parvati Patil?!"
"What about Parvati Patil?" Seamus asked, confused.
'Oops' Severus thought 'wrong shot'.
"Oh, you were with her, then..." Severus said with a smirk.
"Huh?" Seamus asked. "Why would I be with Patil?"
"How should I know, Mr. Thomas?"
This was going very wrong.
"But if you tell me all the names of all those who slept outside their beds I might not send you for a whole month into detention and I just might forget I wanted to take 100 points from Gryffindor"
"Um... Well, there's Jane Chase, Mark Evans, Harry Potter, Neville Longbottom, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger, Amala Wright and Ginny Weasley."
"Nobody else?"
"No, sir."
"Well, that's too bad. And I who thought some got away" Severus said with a smirk. "Goodbye Mr. Thomas"
He turned away and left, heading towards the Head table. Interesting. So, eight Gryffindors had slept out of bed last night, including his own girlfriend. What was going on? And as he passed the Ravenclaw table, he heard some voices commenting that Luna Lovegood was also missing. Weirder and weirder. She didn't seem like the kind of girl who rushes in adventures, but then again she had been last year at the Department of Mysteries. And by the way, where was Draco?
He went to the table of his own House and reached Crabbe and Goyle.
"Where is Mr. Malfoy? I had some things to discuss with him" he said towards the two boys.
"We don't know, sir" Crabbe said. Hmm, maybe he could make them say if he had slept in his bedroom last night?
"Did he even sleep in his bed last night or was he with another girl?" Severus asked, a small smile on his lips.
"He didn't sleep in his bed, sir" Goyle said. Thank God for stupidity! And now to make sure the kid gave him that kind of information again. He smiled a bit wider.
"As I thought. Then, I'll search for him myself. Thank you, Mr. Crabbe, Mr. Goyle..."
He nodded goodbye and went back to the Head table, wiping the smile off his face. What was going on?
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Time we camped!" Sania said, stopping suddenly.
"Thank God!" Ron said. "I was getting really, really, really tired."
"Yeah, I know" she replied. "We've been walking all night"
"No shit?" Draco asked.
"None" she replied with a smile. "Ok, so here comes the really bad part"
"What 'really bad part'?" Ron, Draco and Jane asked at the same time.
"The really bad part" she replied. "Unfortunately, the Green Flame Torch is not in the Forest."
"What?!" most of them asked at the same time.
"That's right. It's not in the Forest" she said.
"Then where the bloody hell is it?!" Draco cried.
"Don't know for sure, but you can get to it by going through some place in Hogwarts."
"Then why did you drag us here?" Ron asked through clenched teeth.
"Because even though the Torch isn't here, the directions towards it are. And I know exactly where."
"So, we're going through this whole Forest to find the directions to the Torch" Jane said desperately.
"Well, to put it shortly, yes" she said.
"You are joking!" Mark cried.
"Actually, no, I'm not!" Sania said. "If I were joking, I would have said: a horse walks into a bar and the bartender asks 'why the long face'?"
Luna started laughing tiredly.
"So, you're not joking" Harry concluded. "Hip, hip, hurrah"
"But don't despair!" Sania said. "This step is necessary to get it, so I haven't brought you here for nothing."
"Great..." Neville mumbled and sat down against a tree. "Can we get some sleep?"
"Sure" she replied. "I'll stay on guard. One day of no-sleep shan't do any harm, anyway I slept the whole day yesterday"
The teens lied down and got themselves comfortable. A night of no sleep plus the previous days' events meant they were out of energy. Harry just took one more peak to the half-elven woman and fell asleep.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"Minerva, I have no idea where they are" Severus said. "Ten of our best students are gone!"
"Out of which eight are from my House..." Minerva answered. "And you don't know where they are either?"
"No. I've told you a thousand times: no!"
"Maybe You-Know-Who..."
"Voldemort has nothing to do with this" Albus said. "I'll get Fawkes to find them."
"But where could they be?" Minerva asked.
"I do not know for certain, but I have a few hunches" the Headmaster replied. "I do believe they might be in the Forbidden Forest"
"The Forbidden For- now, why would they be there?" Minerva asked, while Severus raised an eyebrow.
"It is a magical place. Things have happened there before and I think there are some answers there now" Albus replied. "Fawkes. Do me a favor and get this to Harry Potter, will you?"
The phoenix let out a few trills and took the piece of parchment from the Headmaster's hand and flew right out the window.
"Trust Potter to get into trouble" Severus said.
"I just hope they are alright" Minerva said in a concerned voice.
"I hope so, too. And I believe they are" Albus said. "I believe they are..."
/*-/*-/*-/*-
Sania looked at the ten teens in front of her. Ah, another day with no sleep. Thank God her elven side could stay up so long or she would collapse in tiredness. But this way, she could go on for days in a row.
"Now, where is Dark Claw?" she mumbled to herself. Where was her old friend anyway? She raised her head, hearing sounds of wings. Being half-elven helped a lot. A flaming red phoenix came through the branches of the trees. Unexpected, but welcomed. "Hello, beautiful, who are you?" she asked and it let out a few soft sounds. "I don't speak phoenix, unfortunately" she whispered to it. Then, she noticed that the bird had let a small piece of parchment on her legs. She picked it up and read it.
Dear Harry,
I'm sending this letter through Fawkes since he is the only one who can easily find you. I would like to ask you to come back to school, since the Forbidden Forest is not a place to be. Come back, Harry. And take your friends with you. It is not safe there.
Albus Dumbledore
"So, you're Fawkes" Sania said in a slow voice. "Well, Fawkes, I'm afraid Albus Dumbledore will have to wait. He doesn't know about Harry being the Bearer, does he?"
The bird made a sign that clearly said 'no'.
"I thought so. Well, let me write a letter back, then"
She took out her pen and the parchment she had left and wrote back. Then, the bird took off with the parchment.
"Wish I was a witch" she muttered to herself. "Maybe things would be easier that way"
She looked sadly at the ten teens. Living in the Forbidden Forest was alright, but she missed company. A lot. But her part was far from over, as her spiritual father had said. So, she was to guide them through the darker parts of the Forest and then remain there. Well, at least she had a friend, although not human. Where was he, anyway?
/*-/*-/*-/*-
At noon, Albus got the reply from Fawkes at the table. The whole student population watched in awe as the fiery bird landed gracefully on the table in front of Dumbledore, but the old man acted completely natural so they assumed this happened a lot to him. Severus, however, knew better.
"Well?" he asked and Dumbledore passed him the note.
Dear Mister Dumbledore,
I am afraid that Harry Potter cannot return to Hogwarts at the time being. As expected, he ahs not told you about his current situation: he is the bearer of the Green Flame Torch and therefore he must seek for it. He has good guidance and should be back in one or two days. I am certain that you could make up some story to cover for him? –not that it will be necessary, once he gets the Torch, but until then-. Also, I'd like to say that there are ten teens here right now –in case there are more missing, please do not blame me-.
Yours,
Sania Demonheart
Severus didn't know whether to smirk or burst in laughter or worry. Yes, trust Potter to get himself in a lot of trouble. Here he was, the Bearer of the Green Flame Torch, a new responsibility, some more trouble. Oh, hell with it. And who was Sania Demonheart, anyway? He knew she'd heard her name before, but where?...
"Oh, my God" he mumbled. "They've met Towers' contact!"
"Yes, they have, Severus" Albus replied. "So they must be safe"
The Potion Master passed the note to Minerva and glared at the Hall. Glaring always made him feel better.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
"We're only a few hours away from the spot" Sania said.
"A few hours?!" Draco complained.
"The Forest is huge and it continues in other worlds you don't even know of... If it were at the farthest place from us, it could take us nearly a month to get there, so a few hours is nearly nothing"
"A month?!" Hermione asked. "But how... Certainly, the Forest can't be that huge!"
"Oh, not in Scotland, but it is absolutely large if you measure it in all the worlds it stretches in. I mean, it has to be at least as large as the whole European continent."
"Ok, what worlds?" Draco asked. "You keep saying things about other worlds..."
"Well, there are a few elven worlds I love. I bet four or five are connected to this Forest. Then, there is Alcara. That's a nice world, lots of kings and queens and generally warriors go through there. From all types of worlds. It's a place full of forests and mountains. Wonderful. Also, there is the Dark Forest, but that's a place I've never been in. And there are a few connections to other worlds... But those are generally not known"
"So, you're telling me this is a crossing place?" Draco asked.
"Precisely. And Alcara is, I believe, the place where the Fal'sil have retreated one thousand years ago"
"What the hell are you talking about?" Draco asked.
"The Fal'sil were those who belonged to the kingdom of Falan" Luna explained. "They were nomads and all types of people, from Muggles to pureblooded wizards. I even heard of a few non-humans who joined. Elves and vampires, even a phoenix..."
"Yeah, right" Draco said.
"But she is right" Sania commented. "But after the Ghost War a thousand years ago, they retreated to Alcara"
"What Ghost War?" Mark asked.
"The Ghost War a thousand years ago, when this threat hung over Earth and then something happened and the threat disappeared" Hermione said.
"The war after which Slytherin parted from the other Founders" Draco added. "Yeah, I heard about the Fal'sil, too, but I didn't believe they were real"
"Guess what? They were" Jane said.
"I wish I could join them. They have nothing against Muggles"
"Hmm?" Draco hummed
"I said they have nothing against Muggles" she repeated.
"And people who have something against them annoy you?" he asked.
"Yes." She said with a small laugh. "Seeing that I am a Muggle"
"You're a what?!" Draco said.
"Yes, Draco Malfoy, I am a Muggle" she said with a smile.
"But no... how can... no way..." the other mumbled.
"How come you know of us then? Of wizards?" Hermione asked.
"Simple. My spiritual father told me. He guided me here."
"How?" Jane asked.
"It's a long story"
"It's a long walk" she replied.
"Very well, then" she replied with a sigh. "Well, I'm no witch. Never have I ever made any spell, never have I used a wand. Keep that in mind. Well, I was a normal Muggle child, going to a normal Muggle school and having above normal grades. Yes, everybody agreed I was good at school. Yet something was missing from my life. A part of me wanted adventure, exciting events, freedom. Yes, freedom. The freedom to do what I wanted with my life and I wanted to be able to look at the sunset without anybody asking me what I was doing, I wanted to think and sing without anybody judging me. And then, at that point of my life, He came."
"Who?" asked Hermione.
"My spiritual father. He came to me and told me things that I knew from before, but did not dare believe. He spoke to me of freedom, of my destiny, of courage and bravery. He spoke to me of harmony with nature and battles with enemies. He told me about friends I could have, about triumphs that could be. And I listened."
"And you went with him, just like that?!" asked Neville.
"No, of course not! I was 16!" she said and smiled widely. "But I listened. And weeks after, during a Physics class, his words came back to my mind and his face appeared in my memory. I lost track of the lesson and when the teacher picked me to answer her question, I couldn't answer. She got pretty upset and started telling me about how important Physics are for life and how we must learn as much as possible while we are in school. And His face appeared to my mind and some of his words came back to me. He also spoke of learning, of courage, of daring. My teacher kept babbling on and on and I stopped her and asked her if we should be always attentive. She said yes. I asked her if in life we should look after signs. She had no idea what came over me and asked me what I was talking about. Then I asked her if she thinks that we should live our lives our way, but still learn as much as we can. She said yes. Yes. And I knew it was true. School, colleagues, they taught me nothing any more but random useless facts. I remember I smiled and she was staring at me. And then I said I'll go live my life. And find my destiny."
She stopped and they all stared at her.
"Well? What did you do?" Hermione asked after a while.
"I rushed out of the classroom. Oh, it was obvious, my father had called me and he told me that if I decided to follow my heart, he'd always be with me. I went home and grabbed the things he had given me: clothes he had charmed to be more resistant, a wonderful, long, light sword, a bow and arrows and a... bag, you could call it that had never ending food in it. I got dressed in the black pants and blouse and took the light, perfect shoes and put them on. And I also took my traveling mantle, also given to me by him, a dark red with gold one. I tied my hair in a pony tail and didn't forget to leave some of it out and then fastened everything to myself.
I then left a letter to my parents, telling them I'll visit them and not to worry about me, that I'd be fine. I told them that I had found my Master and he had called me to go with him. Well, I have no idea how they reacted when they got it. But when I'll go back, I'll ask them. And I wasn't lying when I had said he was my Master. He is one for me.
Next thing I knew, I locked the door and got out, leaving the key where I said I would. A few of my colleagues were running towards me and I suddenly realized how little it had taken me to do everything. They told me that my teacher was calling me back. I laughed and I told them that if anybody would want to talk to me, they would come to me, like I would go to them. And then I went back to my school –which, by the way, was quite close to my house- and went to another class in which I had a few friends. It must have been a funny scene. They had an English class and I came in and said I was sorry for interrupting and then I said 'I'm off to find my destiny. Would anybody like to come with me?' They all stared at me. I knew I looked like a warrior or queen or something. Well, nobody volunteered, so I said good bye and left. Then I met my Physics teacher who tried to stop me, but couldn't. And then she asked me to stay until my parents arrived. I knew that if I stopped, then I wouldn't be able to leave, so I left then."
"Wow!" said Hermione.
"Wow indeed. I went on the streets, people starring at me –I must have looked weird in my deep red mantle and with a bow and arrows on my back. I finally got to the edge of the forest near our town, turned back, waved good bye and left."
"And you got here" concluded Harry.
"Not so quick!" she said and laughed. "No, my spiritual father noticed that I left and guided me well. He eventually appeared a few weeks after I left, telling me that I should go at one of the elven cities that were well- hidden. I accepted and he took me there. The elves were very good to me. They taught me many things, about fighting and nature and that kind of things. He used to come around from time to time.
A little more than a year ago, he gave me elven blood –he can do that-. See, I have pointed years! And very good senses too –and do you think I always looked like this?- He said that I had already proved myself to be like an elf, since I loved music and stories and jokes, but also battles and heroic deeds. And then he told me that I should test my knowledge in the Forbidden Forest. I've been here for a year now."
"Wow!" they all said.
"I even made friends with a tiger."
"A tiger?!"
"Oh, yes, a wonderful, yet gentle beast! Dark Claw is his name and he should be around here somewhere. Should being the key word here"
"But if you're half elven, it doesn't mean you're a Muggle" Draco said.
"Slytherin, obviously" she said with a smile. "Still stuck on that part?"
"He's always stuck on that part" Hermione said.
"Not always" Draco said.
"Yes, always" Ron replied.
"You shouldn't be" Sania said. "The blood that runs through our veins can be changed and it is not all that there is. See? I'm a living proof that blood doesn't matter"
"Yeah, maybe" the blond replied.
Sania smiled. They would reach the place soon and then she'd lead them back to Hogwarts. She would rather stay a longer time with them, but she knew she couldn't.
/*-/*-/*-/*-
AN: So, done with another chap. Hope you like it! And as you can see, Sania isn't a Mary Sue, although she might have seemed to be one at the beginning.
To:
Babyjayy: Thank you.
The Red Dragons Order: Thanks and I hope you enjoyed this chapter, too.
Skillz: Thanks! -And I love Snape, too-
Violet: *grins* I like to respond to reviewers, since I love to see who's written one, to see what was written... even if it's a flame! Anyway, thanks for always reviewing and some good news: I don't think I'll stop writing too soon.
Other chapters:
Jimmy: I was thinking in general mode then, with Cho. But I guess you would've forgotten tha review by now.
Aalikane: thanks.
Bored: *bursts out laughing* Should I reply to that?