(17)The First Strike
Merida headed for the dungeons after her last encounter with Lupin. She opened the door to find the classroom void of life. Surely she hadn't been THAT long with Lupin to actually miss the whole Potions lesson! Merida headed for Mcgonagall's classroom. Again, all she found was emptyness. She returned to the DADA, but Lupin was gone as well. Only the caged boggart indicated movement.
Getting frusterated, Merida began moving along towards the Gryfindor Tower. She was not about to start chasing after non-existent classes! It was as if the students were given a half day. Was that the Hogwarts Express horn she just heard? What was that train doing here at this time? Merida rounded the corner & just ahead of her was Harry walking with Ron. She was about to run up to them but Cho & Susan grabbed her.
"Something's wrong!" Cho said in a hushed voice.
"Just a moment!" said Merida. She started for Harry & Ron. Susan yanked her back.
"All Professor's are in Dumbledore's office," added Susan. "& the Hogwarts Express is here!"
"What?" muttered Merida as she watched Harry & Ron disappear around the bend.
"Everyone else is in the Great Hall!" said Cho. "Come on! Let's go!" She & Susan began dragging Merida away.
"Well, it's started!" said Dumbledore. "Voldomort has destroyed Cammoelot High. Snowfort is still standing, but barely. He's working his way here!"
"How long?" asked Moody, Lupin & a few others at once.
"Soon," said Dumbledore. "Very soon!"
"So is that why we weren't allowed to use the Floo powder?" asked Snape.
"Yes, Severus," answered Moody.
"Your friends are watching the network closely!" growled Lupin.
"Silence!" Snape snapped. "You perverted dog!"
"Oh ho ho!" Lupin mocked. "Just for that, I'll spend another night with her someday!"
"You..........!" Snape couldn't finish what he wanted to say!
"Enough! Both of you!" Dumbledore ordered. "Now back to the subject at hand!" He glared murderously at both werwolves, almost daring them to even think to continue their argument.
"Are we closing the school, then?" asked Mcgonagall, trying to get everyone back in line!
"Yes, Minerva," Dumbledore looked grave. "However, we will send the students home in small groups, just in...in case something....!" he decided not to elaborate. "Probably three or four trips should do it. Slowly but surely, ever so often."
"The first train is already on it's way!" said Tonks.
"Good Dora!" said Dumbledore. "Now the rest of you, stay calm around the children. Do not say anything that would worry them just get them ready to leave!"
"Yes, sir!" said everyone as they began to leave.
Of course, Hogwarts & secrets rarely go together! Soon, small groups of students could be seen whispering to each other about the rise of the Dark Lord & the attacks on the other schools.
Merida tried to get close to Harry, but her girlfriends were always around her. After a few days, she finally managed to pry herself away from them & found Harry & Ron late one evening in the common room playing Wizard Chess.
"Knight to E5!" said Harry. Merida noticed Ron grinning evilly & knew that Harry had made a really bad move!
"Checkmate!"
"That's it!" Harry groaned. "I've had it!"
"You should have ordered your Rook to D7!" Merida cut in on the game. "Then you would have had three more moves to play before Ron would Checkmate you!"
"Either way I'd end up losing!" Harry sighed. "Best end the misery right now! I knew I lost this one!"
"That's because you lose all of them!" sneered Ron as he began to re-arrange the chess board.
Harry got up & sank into the long couch by the fire. Merida sat beside him, wondering what to do. "I suppose your father still wants me dead?" asked Harry.
"Just a bit!" Merida smiled weakly. "but I told him to stay out of my love life so he said we might as well get back together!"
"Really?!" Harry yelped. "That's great! I've missed you!" He pulled Merida into a firm kiss before she could say anything else. Ron rolled his eyes downward to the chessboard!
"I've missed you too!" That was true. She had missed him. Even though now, she was in love with two men, she had missed Harry a lot.
Two men? Eh, Merida's Veela. She could handle it! Right? Oh, right! Lupin didn't want her saying anything. But he also ordered her to go back to Harry! Yet, often, Merida would catch Lupin gazing at her from afar. He had been avoiding her & yet he still wanted her. If only she could tell Harry but Lupin was worried about getting into another battle. He was just to wounded by her father & didn't want to risk it happening again.
"So, I hope you make the next train out of here!" Harry broke into Merida's clouded mind.
"What? Oh, yeah! Maybe!" Merida cuddled up to Harry but he pushed her up & glared into her eyes.
"You WILL leave on that train!" Harry ordered. "You're not safe here anymore. You're a Snape, remember?"
"Haven't forgotten!" sighed Merida. "He wants me gone to! But what about you?" Harry didn't answer.
"You're staying?" yelped Merida. "Just bcause of a stupid Prophecy? You can't stay! I thought you said that Prophecy was broken in the Ministry Of Magic? It' no longer exists! Right?"
"Just because the ball broke doesn't mean the words are obsolete!" sighed Harry. He wanted to get this part of the conversation over with quickly for at that time in the Ministry Of Magic, he had lost his Godfather. Harry never spoke of Sirius to Merida or anyone else for that matter. "Look, Dumbledore will be here with me! I'll be fine!" Harry hoped the conversation would end there or at least change. Speaking of Prophecies! "I wonder what that other Prophecy means?" he went on. "The one we found."
"Don't know!" said Merida. "Dumbledore sure is keeping it hushed!"
"Maybe someday we'll find out!" said Harry. "Now, promise me you'll be on the next train when it returns after tomorrow?"
"Alright!" promised Merida.
Harry hurried to catch up to Ron on the way to the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning, nearly colliding with Lupin as he came around the corner.
"Morning Harry!" Why did Lupin always get the feeling Harry knew what happened whenever he saw Harry coming? "So, is------uh--------Snivellus still bothering you & Merida?"
"No, not yet!" Harry smiled dryly.
"Good!" said Lupin, somewhat awkwardly. "That's-----good! I can kill him off for you if you'd like?" Merida suddenly stood beside them. Lupin cast a quick longing look at her & then returned his attention to Harry. Really awkward!
"It's fine!" Harry laughed as Merida moved over to stand behind him. She began mouthing words. "Tell him, you fool!"
Lupin scowled slightly in a "No way!" attitude. "Alright Harry! Let me know if you change your mind!" He walked past, glancing worriedly at Merida who was pointing to him & then Harry. Lupin shook his head & marched off.
Merida wondered if all werwolves were this annoyingly insecurly paranoid & stubborn! Snape walked past, headed for the Great Hall.
Merida decided that, yes, werwolves were stubborn at least! Great lovers, but emmensly stubborn gits! How did she allow herself to get into this fix? Lupin was crazy to think Harry would turn against him. Harry was not Professor Snape! Besides, the main reason that Merida & Lupin got together in the first place was to infuriate Snape! If anything, Harry probably would have laughed himself to death if he found out! To top that off, the plan was a failure. Snape had kept quiet about it. Oh right! He & Merida had agreed that he would stay out of her love life. That was the only reason she & Lupin did not suffer from his rath!
"Merida?" Harry again brought her back to reality. "Shall we go to breakfast?" Merida took his hand & allowed him to led her in, knowing that, ultimately, she would have to choose between Lupin & Harry.
That was a very hard decision to make! Both felt as strongly for Merida as she did for them. Who was the better lover? Lupin was a wild one! Him & his animal instincts. Merida knew just how lucky she was to escape getting a lovebite! But Harry was passionate too, so long as Snape didn't walk in on them! Alright, Harry was definitely a better kisser! That was mean. It's not Lupin's fault he has fangs of venom, ready to ruin anyone's life in just a "nip-in-time!" So why does he often blame himself for it?
Merida was hopelessly stuck! Both Harry & Lupin recieved equal points on her mental list of their individual qualities. Both were even hated by Snape! Another thing in common. Merida glanced across the Hall to her father, but he avoided looking at Gryfindor Table at all costs. Merida rolled her eyes. It was a cold fact of nature that werwolves were definitely stubborn & nothing would convince her otherwise!
"Albus!" Moody yelled as he ran into the Great Hall as fast as his wooden leg would let him. His call snapped Merida back to attention. "Albus.......Hogwarts Express........tracks bombarded......all dead!" he gasped.
"WHAT?!?!" Dumbledore shot straight up off his chair. Pretty fast for an old man! "How could that happen? I've had the Order checking the train route around the clock! Are you sure there are no survivors?"
"So far, not one!" Moody said. "Dora & a few others are on the scene right now, looking for anyone! The Death Eaters are no where in sight!"
"I'll send Remus along with you to help Dora." said Dumbledore. "Prefects? Please lead your House students to their dorms!"
Merida sat in the common room alone for a long time. Some of her friends had been on that train. She hoped that some may have survived.
"You alright, Merida?" Harry came down the stairs & walked over to the couch.
"No!" muttered Merida. "Still want me on the train tomorrow?"
Harry smiled weakly. "It probably won't even be here! It's completely derailed & smashed up!"
"Can't get on the train! Can't stay here!" sighed Merida. "I guess no place is safe now!"
"You should try to get some sleep!" said Harry.
"I can't!" Merida snapped. "Sorry! I just don't even want to be in this Tower right now! Did anyone even make it?"
"So far no one!" said Harry. A long silence past.
"Harry?" Merida suddenly talked.
"Yeah?" sighed Harry, half-asleep.
"Fred, George & Oliver were on that train,........weren't they?"
Another silence, but not as long as the first.
"Yeah!" murmurmed Harry.
"How's Ron?" asked Merida.
"Dreadful!" sighed Harry. "I think he cried himself to sleep!"
"Poor Oliver!" Merida tried not to cry. "He was so excited about being a Professional player starting next season. It's ruined now!"
"Hush, Merida!" Harry said, crying a bit himself now. He pulled Merida closer to him. They were both lying on the couch in front of the fire. Finally, they feel asleep, albeit fitfully.
