A/n: Anyone heard of Rachael Yagamata's "Worn me down"? Okay now this story is going to be taking a real turn…I do believe. I'm getting rid of a lot of the things I planned because this story's getting a bit lengthy (last time I checked it was 96 pages). The last two or three chapters of this story (yes, it's finally coming to an end) will probably take more than a week each but definitely not too long. Anyway I just wanted to say thanks to everyone who's stuck with this story from the very beginning (or now).
Laura: I'm so glad you feel that way, seriously. Oh boy I forgot what else I was going to say.
Anasazi: lol boy oh boy that review was great hehehe. I can say I definitely enjoyed writing that. Yeah, Helen really does need to be watched sometimes but it's not nice to spy… oh and in case you want to check out that Alejandro dude his last name is Vamas or something like that (name tags are GREAT) and he works in the Alliance Duty Free Shop (according to the bag). That Rammstein song sounds SO weird but I like weird stuff lol.
Quesomonkey: Lol nice line. Don't be scared of Helen MUAHAHAHAHAHA chokes making the evil laugh I'll be sure to read once it's been updated!
Chapter 18: "Reformed"
Lunch was an exciting time for everyone. That morning Ravenclaw beat Slytherin 160 to 80. The only person who wasn't shouting with joy was Helen.
"Gryffindor is going to play Ravenclaw for the cup!" Neville cheered. "Great, isn't it, Helen."
"Sure," Helen played around with the food on her plate. Neville looked to Hermione, Ron, and Harry as if to ask 'What's wrong with her?' but Hermione was pretending not to notice any change whereas Harry and Ron were staring at Helen, as if to question her every move and expression. Whatever they were thinking…they didn't like.
"I hope your playing isn't going to be affected." Harry continued to stare.
"Oh is that all you're worried about? My Quidditch skills or lack of?" Helen threw down her fork with a clatter. "Is that why you followed me? To make sure Draco didn't kill me so I couldn't play?"
"I wouldn't put it past him…" Ron mumbled.
"Knock it off, Helen! Can you stop acting like everyone's the enemy? I know you've got trust issues but why Malfoy and not us?"
"Would you like me to watch you and Hermione make out?" Helen snapped.
"Look, I admit what Ron and I did was wrong but if you knew all the things that jerk has done to all of us…even Hagrid…then you'd be able to understand our side."
"What about Pansy? Why don't you give Ron grief about her?"
Harry rubbed his temples and shook his head.
"Pansy doesn't spend the night in Ron's room."
"Like you and Hermione don't? Not that it's any of your business but we didn't do anything except sleep. Wait…how did you know?" Helen pointed at Harry accusingly. "Oh! So instead of following me you decided to monitor my every move from the map. GREAT JOB, GUYS!" Helen remarked.
Harry had never seen her so angry and upset and just beside herself because she wanted to punch them out so badly but wouldn't allow herself to. She settled for screaming in frustration and smashing her eating utensils into the table.
"Helen…" Hermione said quietly and calmly, "Don't make a scene. Save it for the common room or somewhere private."
Helen opened her mouth to yell back at her but she decided it wasn't Hermione's fault that Harry and Ron lost all their brains. What Helen needed was an outlet to vent her frustrations into. She grabbed the book Draco gave her and excused herself to go outside for some fresh air.
As she walked over to the lake she noticed Draco sitting all alone.
"Hey," Helen put a hand on his shoulder and he smiled faintly.
"Did you see the game?" he asked.
"No, actually."
"It wasn't worth seeing, anyway."
"Don't say that."
He just laughed bitterly.
"Bet you're glad Gryffindor is playing for the cup."
Helen tugged his robes, turning him to face her. His entire faced changed.
"What's wrong?" He asked worriedly.
"I had another argument with the peeping toms."
Draco's mouth formed a silly grin.
"It's a bit amusing if you think about it."
"Really? I don't see how." Helen frowned.
"So you haven't forgiven them yet?"
"I don't plan on it anytime soon."
"You don't mean that," Draco ignored the look she gave him. "They're your best friends. You certainly have the right to be mad at them but…God I'm going to regret this but…maybe you should forgive them…"
"Are you kidding me? And why are you laughing?"
"You look so cute when you're angry."
Helen struggled to keep a straight face.
"I'm trying to be serious!"
"Don't let me stop you! It's really adorable." Draco laughed harder and harder; especially after Helen tackled him.
"As much as I wish Potter had no involvement in your life…he does. Go make up okay?"
"Fine. I'll come back when I'm done."
"Good. You never know if that one conversation will be your last."
Helen was a bit shaken by Draco's words but she walked back to the castle a lot happier then she'd been leaving it earlier. She was surprised Draco actually wanted her to stick with her friends. Just goes to show how much he really has changed…or what was like all the time but never showed. Maybe now Harry could put his past issues with Draco away…
[PAGE BREAK]
In time (late April) Helen thought Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco could put aside their differences and see eye to eye on some level…or any level! She's tried with talks in Hermione's study but it didn't turn out too well. There was only a minor improvement by May but even that was still not enough to break the tension…that is until the day Helen asked all of them to have a defense against the dark arts practice (where Harry, Ron, and Hermione went against Draco and once Draco recovered…he and Helen went against the other three. During that time everyone was too out of it to bicker).
Recently a great thing happened…Gryffindor won the Quidditch Cup. But now was not the time for her to dwell on that. She needed to worry about N.E.W.T.s which were creeping up on her and the divination lesson she was droning out.
Helen glanced over to where Harry laid. Lately he hadn't been looking too well, as if he was getting restless, which wasn't surprising…considering that fact that Mars was in fact getting brighter with each passing day and Firenze was getting worried about the 'war to come'. To be honest…Helen couldn't help feeling like prey waiting for the hunter to make its move. This was the year it all ended. It had to be this year. She was so sure of it.
"OH GOD!" Harry screamed and clutched his forehead. Helen, Ron, and Firenze immediately jumped to his side.
"Harry…Harry…"
He kept screaming and crying out in pain in a way that chilled Helen to the bone. The scream reminded her of how she sounded when she was being tortured.
"Harry…" Helen grabbed his hand which he squeezed so hard she had to yank her arm back.
"They're here."
"What do you mean, Harry?"
"HERE!"
Helen had no idea whether she or Harry did Legilimency but the image of someone in Dumbledore's office came into her mind. All at once Harry stopped screaming and got to his feet. Ron tried to restrain him but Harry and Helen dashed around him and were out the door, making their way to Dumbledore's office.
"Cotton Candy,"
With their wands out Harry, Ron, and Helen blazed in, finding Dumbledore with his back to them.
"Alby."
"They have it." Dumbledore said quickly
That was all he needed to say. Helen looked to all of them and back at her guardian, placing a hand on his shoulder.
"They're gone now," he spoke up, "but they will return for you once they find one more gold piece…the magician card. They'll need you to put it in the Stone of Worset for them."
Professor McGonagall, Snape, and Mrs. Baker rushed in, followed by Hermione and Draco.
"Albus…"
"Minerva, you will once again be in charge while I am away. Severus and Tori will come with me to the Cliff Estate—"
"Why my house?" Helen raised an eyebrow.
"That is where the last card is."
"Then I'm coming with you."
"Me too." Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Draco chimed in.
"No. All of you will stay here."
"Alby!"
"Now is not the time to argue, Helen."
"If the school isn't safe enough for me then nowhere is. I may as well keep away from these walls incase they decide to storm up here and the other students get in the way."
"Then let us be off."
Everyone tagged along after Dumbledore and out of his office but instead of going back to where the stone gargoyles were, a hallway opened up; the three adults and five teenagers walked swiftly in single file until suddenly they were outside and off school grounds.
"And now we apparate."
Harry was surprised that Dumbledore didn't realize that Harry hadn't taken his apparating test…or maybe he knew Harry hadn't taken the test but could apparate anyway.
"Coming, Potter?" Draco asked before disappearing.
Oh he was coming all right.
Harry came just in time to see Helen sprinting up to the third floor with the others at her heels, himself included.
"Where is it?" Helen asked, looking around the misty room.
"Perform the summoning spell." Dumbledore instructed. She looked at him incredulously
"That's it? That's all it takes to find it?"
"Why else would I have gone to get the last card immediately?"
"Accio Magician"
Nothing happened.
"You have to say in Eriam."
"Accio magcarere."
Still nothing happened. Harry could see her forehead crease with worry.
"Why isn't it here? What's wrong?"
An eerie scream (consisting off a never ending stream of different sounds) flooded their ears.
"SHUT THAT BIRD UP!" a voice came from somewhere downstairs.
"Buster! My jobberknoll!" Helen grabbed the doorknob and flew out.
Helen ran with her hands over her ears to where her usually silent pet was mimicking every sound it had ever heard. Suddenly it burst into dust. Harry turned to see who finished off the bird.
"Wormtail."
Peter Pettigrew turned his eyes away from Harry's penetrating gaze. A cackle of mad laughter filled the air as black shapes emerged out of thin air, forming a circle around them, wands pointing ahead at their hearts.
"Alby…" Helen whispered but got no answer. She turned around but he was nowhere to be found. Where'd he go?
"Draco!" one of the shadowy figures spoke. Draco stepped forward in front of the group.
"The Dark Lord was not pleased when you failed to bring the gold card pieces."
"I was caught," Draco answered.
Helen frowned at the exchange of conversation going on. Draco was asked to take the cards away?
"Fine. We have all of them already. Now we need the girl. Bring her to the Worset Room on the third floor."
Draco turned his wand to Helen.
"Traitor!" Harry yelled.
"Shut it, Potter."
Helen looked into Draco's bluish-grey eyes. This couldn't be happening. Draco wouldn't do this to her…
"Good son, bring her upstairs."
"Yes," Draco's lip curled in disgust but his eyes were telling her an entirely different thing. They seemed to say 'Trust me'. Helen let him lead her past the sneering faces until they reached the end of the room.
"Now, you die Potter," Lucius drawled. Three massive fireballs from Draco was enough to distract the Death Eaters and give Harry, Ron, Hermione, Helen, Snape, and Mrs. Baker the chance they needed to launch their own attack. Two figures came after Helen and two more after Draco.
"Stupefy." Helen stunned one.
"Delelve," the other cursed Helen into banging her hip against a statue.
"Ouch—shit—Petrificus Totalus."
The hood slipped off the body-binded Death Eater.
"Nott." Helen muttered before the wizard fell flat on his face. Helen stole a glance around the room. Harry was busy with Lucius and Goyle, Ron with Crabbe and Avery, Hermione with Mulciber and Jugson, Draco with the unknown Death Eaters, Mrs. Baker with Rookwood and Avery, and Snape with Rabastan and Rodolphus. So where was Bellatrix?
"Impedimenta" a harsh voice called behind her. Helen was knocked off her feet and crashed into the statue again.
"Imperio," Bellatrix aimed at her. "Go upstairs."
"How about NO! Colloportus!"
It was Bella's turn to go flying…into the door that was five yards away.
"Look busy, Cliff," someone sent a jet of red light at her which she dodged just in time.
"Jarvaline," Helen smiled at Paige's mom.
"Bit—"
"Stupefy!"
Paige's mom let out a raucous scream of laughter and she ducked.
"Expelliarmus," Bellatrix shouted when she appeared next to Jarvaline.
"Protego."
But Helen hadn't said the shield spell quick enough and her wand was roughly blown out of her hands. The two witches smiled triumphantly and moved closer to her. Helen got to her feet and two daggers materialized into her hands. A second later Jarvaline had a gash in her gut and the cold floor at her back.
"CruciOH—" Bellatrix changed a curse to a scream to put out the fire from her robes. Helen gave Draco a grateful smile then stunned the wizard who was creeping up behind him.
Helen turned around to see Bellatrix slump back against the wall.
"Alby," Helen grinned. Dumbledore nodded and went to go help the others who were having difficulties. All of a sudden Helen was aware that she was being pulled into the Worset room.
"Secare."
"You'll need your wand for that."
"Let me go, Riddle."
She knew she was asking for it…and Voldemort gave it to her…a wonderful up close meeting between the wall and her face.
"Tom."
"Alby," Helen breathed. At that moment all the Death Eaters appeared, blocking their master out of Dumbledore's view. Then a loud crumbling sound came from the east section of Helen's house.
"What the—"
"My army of giants," Voldemort answered loudly.
"Alby!" Helen screamed as the Dark Lord pulled her by the hair towards the stone. She watched frantically as Dumbledore battled with fourteen simultaneously. Helen tightened her grip on her daggers and stuck the blade into Voldemort's arm. She kicked, punched, bit, and tore…trying to break free. He hissed, knocked the daggers out of her hand, performed the Cruciatus curse on her, and lifted her to her feet. A cold hand pressed an even colder metal in her hand.
"The magician."
And before she could stop him…he pressed her hand holding the card into the Worset Stone.
"NO!"
"YES!"
It was all over. Voldemort won. He'd gotten the power of the Worset Stone.
Blinding light shot everywhere. Even as she closed her eyes the light slipped past her eyelids. Crack, crack, crumble went the sound of her house. Menacing laughter shook the foundation. Evil stirred in the air, trying to wipe out everything good in its path.
"Ah," the devil known as Voldemort leered. "Thank you for your help. It was greatly appreciated. Let me show you how."
She heard him come behind her…heard his foot steps and the swish of his robes and whoosh of his wand…but she knew there was no escaping her fate.
Not a sound came from Helen's mouth when Voldemort's wand (elongated into a spear) pierced through her back and ripped through her insides. She just looked down in pain at the wood sticking out of her, thoroughly drenched in her blood. Everything sort of went quiet as Voldemort's wand was wrenched back out of her; she could feel Draco hold her against his chest while his arms wrapped around her, keeping her upright and covering the gaping hole where her blood was escaping and coloring her now deep red clothes.
So this was her way to go.
Just another person murdered by Voldemort.
So strange. She never thought it would end this way.
The last Cliff would be gone. The last Sacred Keeper.
No chance for a family. No chance for love.
She was leaving the world in its darkest hour.
At a time when her friends needed her most.
Why?
"Draco is speaking" her brain barely processed as it was slowly shutting down. Speaking in Eriam.
As her eyes slowly began to close on her she could make out Draco's last words to her.
"I love you."
Hold on to me now
You know I can't stay long
All I wanted to say was I love you and I'm not afraid.
Can you hear me? Can you feel me in your arms…
I know you hear me,
I can taste it in your tears…Say goodnight, don't be afraid
calling me, holding me, as you fade to black.
(Say goodnight) holding my last breath
(Don't be afraid) safe inside myself
(Holding me) are my thoughts of you
Sweet rapture and life,
It ends here tonight.
"My last breath" Evanescence
A/n: Lord help me...after that scene...I could really use a Mocha Frappuccino right now. Anyway let me know what you guys think about this chapter. I'm pretty sure there will be a lot to be said about it (not really all good I presume). Well since fanfiction.net is having some problems…I'm going to start on chapter 19 before I post this...