DISCLAIM is the same. I only own what you don't recognize.
Chapter 1
"We are number one! We are number one!" The entire Gryffindor common room shouted joyfully. Once again, for the third year running, they had won the Quidditch cup. They had beaten Ravenclaw 230-80.
It was very late and all the younger classes were up in bed, leaving only some of the fifth years and up along with the team alone in the common room.
Harry was sitting in his favorite chair by the fire with Landon in the chair next to him, enjoying the scene. They both had a bottle of Smirnoff in their hands that they had cleverly concealed as butterbeer bottles. Desiree was sitting on a table not far away with a bottle in her hand, giggling at something someone had done.
"We did it mate." Landon said with a wide grin.
"I know. We've been saying that for over four hours now but it still sounds good." Harry said as he took a swig from his bottle.
"Move over." Desiree had left her perch on the table to sit with her two best friends. Harry obediently shifted his body over so Desiree could squeeze onto the chair with him. The entire team still wore their uniforms, but Desiree removed the sweater that they wore under their robes. Instead she word a crimson tank top with her robes open on top.
The three friends sat there in silence as the party raged on. They each felt the contentment and joy of the other. Sometimes, between friends, words are not needed. Desiree leaned her head on Harry's shoulder. They were not dating each other but sometimes Harry wished they would. They had always been comfortable with each other and was not afraid to publicly lean on the other. He could smell her apple shampoo on her hair as he lifted his hand to play with it. He dark strands slipped through his fingers like silken water.
Desiree sighed. "Harry," she started softly, "What do you think of me?"
"Like how?" Harry asked, he hoped it was what he thought.
"I mean, do you see me as a friend? Or do you see me as something more?" She lifted her head off his shoulder to gaze at him with blue eyes.
This was what Harry had been dreaming to hear for months. If he was dreaming now, he never wanted to wake up. Landon was no longer sitting near them, he left without them knowing.
"Something more." Harry answered so softly he could barely hear it. Desiree smiled ever so slightly.
"Good. Me too." Harry leaned down to kiss her for the first time, but could not because Hermione Granger's voice echoed in the common room.
"This is a disgrace!" All heads snapped in her direction. Hermione Granger was not exactly well liked on campus. Aside from being a know-it-all prefect, she was constantly in other people's affairs; nosing around to try to get people in trouble. Needless to say, she and a troublemaker like Desiree did not get along very well.
Hermione stalked over to where Landon was sitting with a group of pretty girls. "Landon you are a prefect! You should not be allowing this!" She snatched the bottle of Smirnoff from his hand and smelled it. "This is alcohol! You're not supposed to have it on school grounds! It's forbbiden!" She shrieked.
"Yeah, well, so's the forbbiden fruit but we still endulge in it. Oh wait, you wouldn't know about that, would you Granger?" Desiree said cooly from her and Harry's corner. Hermione turned to face Desiree with strong dislike in her eyes, color rising into her face. Her and Desiree stared at each other, daring the other to move. Sensing trouble, Harry stood from their chair.
"Let's call it a night. We've been up too long as it is." Slowly, people began to make their ways back to their dorms. Desiree and Hermione, on the other hand, had yet to move.
"Yes, well, Desiree, at least that shows that my parents actually care about me. At least I don't have to look for love anywhere else." Hermione said in an equally cool voice. She knew she hit a nerve with Desiree because Desiree's eyes twitched a deep growl rumbled from her throat.
"What did you just say to me?"
"Dez," Harry said as he took her face in his hands so she had to face him. "Go get some rest." She glared at him but Harry refused to let her face go. "Ignore her. She doesn't know what she's talking about." Harry kissed her forehead and Desire nodded mutley and stalked up the stairs. Hermione was not far ahead of her.
"Those two will wind up killing each other when they reach their dorm." Landon said as he and Harry made their way to their room.
"Probably so... but probably not. Desiree wouldn't do that in a place full of witnesses.
Landon laughed softly. "So, uh, Harry," He said in a low tone, "What happened between you and Dez?" They stopped several steps away from their doorway and Harry repeated what happened between them. "Did you get to kiss her?" Landon asked in an excited voice.
"No," Harry said disgruntled. "Hermione came down at the worst possible moment. I was this close." He held his fingers millimeters apart to emphazie just how close he was.
"Sucks to be you mate." Landon said as he pushed his friend further up the stairs. When they got to their dorm, it was already full with the other boy's getting ready to go to sleep. Ron Weasley was in the midst of them talked as loudly and obnoxiously as any teenage boy.
"You played well today Ron." Dean Thomas said from his bed.
"I know." Ron said as he took his Quidditch robes off. "Next year, however, when I'm captian, I plan to make some changes. Maybe I'll start with the line up."
"Let it go." Landon said as Harry's eyes narrowed on Ron and his jaw set. Everybody knew that Harry would be the Quidditch captian after Katie Bell left in the summer. It was obvious. He had set school records and had been the youngest seeker in a century to be put on a house team. Ron had only been on the team for two years and he was not the best, but he was good.
Ron's runaway mouth and ego were not the only reasons Harry did not like him; Ron had the sweet pleaure of kissing Desiree before he, Harry, did. They dated for about a week last term, or at least until Desiree got bored with him, whichever came first. Harry no problem with Ron's brothers or sister. He, Fred, and George had been great accomplices in crime when the twins were here. Ron was just a different breed from them.
Harry began to undo the lacing on his robes, but stopped when he faintly heard the sound of thudding.
"Harry?" Landon looked back at him with questioning eyes. "You all right?"
"Did you hear that?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Hear what?" The rest of the guys stopped what they were doing and listened closely to the sound of the sleeping castle.
"Harry, maybe you should get some sle..." Landon stopped. He heard the thudding too.
Desiree ran through the doorway. "Please tell me you heard that." She asked with wide eyes. Harry and Landon nodded. The three stared at one another until they all simultaneously threw all the books and clothes that sat atop Harry's trunk and opened it. Harry withdrew a piece of old parchment and with the rest of the dorm watching, the three pointed their wands and recited the incantation.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Little lines began to trickle on the yellowish paper to form the Marauders Map.
"Oh shit." Harry breathed as he saw what was doing the thudding. Death Eaters had assembled outside the main doorway.
"Dumbledore's gone." Desiree said as she noticed the absence of the headmaster.
"So is McGonagall and Hagrid." Landon said.
"And Snape." Harry finished. "All of the Order."
"Pretty lucky of Voldermort choosing the one night when the Order's not here don't you think?" Desiree said sarcastically as Neville Longbottom broke something in fright when she said Voldermort'.
"There's a mole in the Order." Harry whispered. "There has to be."
"What do we do?" Landon asked as they saw nobody going to the front doors to defend them.
"Uh,...." Harry dropped the map and put his hands in his hair and gazed frantically around the room. "Uh,.... Okay I got it! There are three houses that aren't running to help Voldermort," He pointed at the Slytherin common room where all the Slytherins were assembled for something. "Dez you take Gryffindor and take them to the one-eyed witch passage. Landon you take Hufflepuff and take them to the meadow painting passage. I'll take Ravenclaw and we'll go out under the hidden stairwell. I'm going closest to the doors so I'll take the map. You guys have your mirrors?"
Desiree and Landon nodded.
"Good. Let's go." Each of the three rounded up the needed house and tried to make it out of the castle as quickly, undetected, and calmly as possible. The serenity of that lasted about fifteen minutes. The army of Voldermort breached the doorway and began to pour inside the school.
"Hurry up!" Desiree screamed to the Gryffindor's who were flooding the passageway. She stood outside the passage to guard it. They sent the youngest first but they were only on the fourth years because of the small space the passage offered. "When you get down run! Desiree cried again, pressing the importance of haste. Shadows moved in the dark hallway that was only lit by a few wands.
Desiree's breath quickened at the soft sound of footsteps coming closer. "Stupefy!" She cried into the darkness. The red beam of her spell lit the hall for only a fraction of a second; nobody was there.
Somebody grabbed her shoulder.
Desiree gasped and swung around with her wand raised. It was Hermione. "This is not a time to argue Granger!" Desiree said through clenched teeth.
"I won't if you tell me what is going on!" Desiree groaned and pulled her away from the passageway.
"Voldermort's breached the castle walls. They're here in the castle. We have to get as many to safety as we can. This tunnel leads to Hogsmede where they can call for help." Desiree whispered quickly.
Hermione's mouth dropped open at the news. "How?" She asked fearfully.
"I don't know." Desiree answered truthfully.
"Dez? Ya' there?" A tiny voice cried from Desiree's pocket. She quickly withdrew the mirror to find Harry's face bouncing as he apparently ran somewhere.
"Yeah, what's going on?"
"All of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are out but there are Deatheaters coming your way. Is everybody out?"
Desiree looked back at the shorter line of Gryffindors. "No. We're only on fifth years. The opening is only big enough for one person at a time."
Harry cursed as sped up. "Be on the lookout and tell them to hurry. There's about three or four Deatheaters coming your way so be ready. I'm coming to help." The mirror went blank.
Desiree ran back to the opening and began to roughly shove people in the opening. "Hurry up! They're coming!" Desiree managed to get several more people in the passage to Hogsmede before streams of red and purple light sped their way. "Keep going!" She screamed to the others who were about to bolt down the hallway to false safety.
Desiree began to quickly cast spells and continue to shove people down the witches hump. Several other sixth and seventh years began to cry curses as well. All of a sudden, silence and darkness greeted them. There was no sound of feet or light from wands, just the sound of their own fearful breathing and the darkness of their own dread. "Keep going." Desiree said quietly to the person by the opening. She kept her wand raised, just in case.
When there were only a few seventh years left, footsteps were heard pounding down the hall. Desiree raised her wand in the direction. "Lumos maximus." The bright light penetrated the hall for only a moment but showed the silhouette of Harry coming towards them.
"Are they out?" He asked quietly when he reached her and grabbed her by the arms.
"All but those." She nodded to the barely seen shapes of three people trying to get out.
"Are you okay?" He asked as they, too, moved toward the passage.
"Yeah. Where's the map?"
"Landon has it. He went to make sure the teachers got out. He should be out of here by now."
"Harry," Desiree said softly as her nails gripped his arm. "What?" "We're not alone." She whispered just as the person in front of her slipped down the hump.
"Stupefy!" Two red beams were aimed at where Desiree and Harry stood.
They leapt out of the way, but the spell caused the passageway to concave. It was impossible to get out of it now; they were trapped. Harry and Desiree clung to each other with one arm and held their wands steady with the other. There was no light in the hallway; only darkness. After several tense seconds of silence, the sound of a man softly laughing was wafted to their ears.
"At last, we meet again."
The torches that lined the Hogwarts hallways lit up instantly. Thier flames illuminated the faces of Slytherins dressed in Deatheater attire, minus the masks. Draco Malfoy was at the front with a triumphant expression on his face. "My master will be pleased to see that we have caught the ones he wanted." Draco said in the soft, successful tone that was commonly used by his father.
Harry opened his mouth to curse Draco but was silenced when a curse hit him and Desiree both in the back. The laid unconsious on the stone floor, unaware of the horrendous events to come.
Chapter 1
"We are number one! We are number one!" The entire Gryffindor common room shouted joyfully. Once again, for the third year running, they had won the Quidditch cup. They had beaten Ravenclaw 230-80.
It was very late and all the younger classes were up in bed, leaving only some of the fifth years and up along with the team alone in the common room.
Harry was sitting in his favorite chair by the fire with Landon in the chair next to him, enjoying the scene. They both had a bottle of Smirnoff in their hands that they had cleverly concealed as butterbeer bottles. Desiree was sitting on a table not far away with a bottle in her hand, giggling at something someone had done.
"We did it mate." Landon said with a wide grin.
"I know. We've been saying that for over four hours now but it still sounds good." Harry said as he took a swig from his bottle.
"Move over." Desiree had left her perch on the table to sit with her two best friends. Harry obediently shifted his body over so Desiree could squeeze onto the chair with him. The entire team still wore their uniforms, but Desiree removed the sweater that they wore under their robes. Instead she word a crimson tank top with her robes open on top.
The three friends sat there in silence as the party raged on. They each felt the contentment and joy of the other. Sometimes, between friends, words are not needed. Desiree leaned her head on Harry's shoulder. They were not dating each other but sometimes Harry wished they would. They had always been comfortable with each other and was not afraid to publicly lean on the other. He could smell her apple shampoo on her hair as he lifted his hand to play with it. He dark strands slipped through his fingers like silken water.
Desiree sighed. "Harry," she started softly, "What do you think of me?"
"Like how?" Harry asked, he hoped it was what he thought.
"I mean, do you see me as a friend? Or do you see me as something more?" She lifted her head off his shoulder to gaze at him with blue eyes.
This was what Harry had been dreaming to hear for months. If he was dreaming now, he never wanted to wake up. Landon was no longer sitting near them, he left without them knowing.
"Something more." Harry answered so softly he could barely hear it. Desiree smiled ever so slightly.
"Good. Me too." Harry leaned down to kiss her for the first time, but could not because Hermione Granger's voice echoed in the common room.
"This is a disgrace!" All heads snapped in her direction. Hermione Granger was not exactly well liked on campus. Aside from being a know-it-all prefect, she was constantly in other people's affairs; nosing around to try to get people in trouble. Needless to say, she and a troublemaker like Desiree did not get along very well.
Hermione stalked over to where Landon was sitting with a group of pretty girls. "Landon you are a prefect! You should not be allowing this!" She snatched the bottle of Smirnoff from his hand and smelled it. "This is alcohol! You're not supposed to have it on school grounds! It's forbbiden!" She shrieked.
"Yeah, well, so's the forbbiden fruit but we still endulge in it. Oh wait, you wouldn't know about that, would you Granger?" Desiree said cooly from her and Harry's corner. Hermione turned to face Desiree with strong dislike in her eyes, color rising into her face. Her and Desiree stared at each other, daring the other to move. Sensing trouble, Harry stood from their chair.
"Let's call it a night. We've been up too long as it is." Slowly, people began to make their ways back to their dorms. Desiree and Hermione, on the other hand, had yet to move.
"Yes, well, Desiree, at least that shows that my parents actually care about me. At least I don't have to look for love anywhere else." Hermione said in an equally cool voice. She knew she hit a nerve with Desiree because Desiree's eyes twitched a deep growl rumbled from her throat.
"What did you just say to me?"
"Dez," Harry said as he took her face in his hands so she had to face him. "Go get some rest." She glared at him but Harry refused to let her face go. "Ignore her. She doesn't know what she's talking about." Harry kissed her forehead and Desire nodded mutley and stalked up the stairs. Hermione was not far ahead of her.
"Those two will wind up killing each other when they reach their dorm." Landon said as he and Harry made their way to their room.
"Probably so... but probably not. Desiree wouldn't do that in a place full of witnesses.
Landon laughed softly. "So, uh, Harry," He said in a low tone, "What happened between you and Dez?" They stopped several steps away from their doorway and Harry repeated what happened between them. "Did you get to kiss her?" Landon asked in an excited voice.
"No," Harry said disgruntled. "Hermione came down at the worst possible moment. I was this close." He held his fingers millimeters apart to emphazie just how close he was.
"Sucks to be you mate." Landon said as he pushed his friend further up the stairs. When they got to their dorm, it was already full with the other boy's getting ready to go to sleep. Ron Weasley was in the midst of them talked as loudly and obnoxiously as any teenage boy.
"You played well today Ron." Dean Thomas said from his bed.
"I know." Ron said as he took his Quidditch robes off. "Next year, however, when I'm captian, I plan to make some changes. Maybe I'll start with the line up."
"Let it go." Landon said as Harry's eyes narrowed on Ron and his jaw set. Everybody knew that Harry would be the Quidditch captian after Katie Bell left in the summer. It was obvious. He had set school records and had been the youngest seeker in a century to be put on a house team. Ron had only been on the team for two years and he was not the best, but he was good.
Ron's runaway mouth and ego were not the only reasons Harry did not like him; Ron had the sweet pleaure of kissing Desiree before he, Harry, did. They dated for about a week last term, or at least until Desiree got bored with him, whichever came first. Harry no problem with Ron's brothers or sister. He, Fred, and George had been great accomplices in crime when the twins were here. Ron was just a different breed from them.
Harry began to undo the lacing on his robes, but stopped when he faintly heard the sound of thudding.
"Harry?" Landon looked back at him with questioning eyes. "You all right?"
"Did you hear that?" Harry asked, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Hear what?" The rest of the guys stopped what they were doing and listened closely to the sound of the sleeping castle.
"Harry, maybe you should get some sle..." Landon stopped. He heard the thudding too.
Desiree ran through the doorway. "Please tell me you heard that." She asked with wide eyes. Harry and Landon nodded. The three stared at one another until they all simultaneously threw all the books and clothes that sat atop Harry's trunk and opened it. Harry withdrew a piece of old parchment and with the rest of the dorm watching, the three pointed their wands and recited the incantation.
"I solemnly swear I am up to no good."
Little lines began to trickle on the yellowish paper to form the Marauders Map.
"Oh shit." Harry breathed as he saw what was doing the thudding. Death Eaters had assembled outside the main doorway.
"Dumbledore's gone." Desiree said as she noticed the absence of the headmaster.
"So is McGonagall and Hagrid." Landon said.
"And Snape." Harry finished. "All of the Order."
"Pretty lucky of Voldermort choosing the one night when the Order's not here don't you think?" Desiree said sarcastically as Neville Longbottom broke something in fright when she said Voldermort'.
"There's a mole in the Order." Harry whispered. "There has to be."
"What do we do?" Landon asked as they saw nobody going to the front doors to defend them.
"Uh,...." Harry dropped the map and put his hands in his hair and gazed frantically around the room. "Uh,.... Okay I got it! There are three houses that aren't running to help Voldermort," He pointed at the Slytherin common room where all the Slytherins were assembled for something. "Dez you take Gryffindor and take them to the one-eyed witch passage. Landon you take Hufflepuff and take them to the meadow painting passage. I'll take Ravenclaw and we'll go out under the hidden stairwell. I'm going closest to the doors so I'll take the map. You guys have your mirrors?"
Desiree and Landon nodded.
"Good. Let's go." Each of the three rounded up the needed house and tried to make it out of the castle as quickly, undetected, and calmly as possible. The serenity of that lasted about fifteen minutes. The army of Voldermort breached the doorway and began to pour inside the school.
"Hurry up!" Desiree screamed to the Gryffindor's who were flooding the passageway. She stood outside the passage to guard it. They sent the youngest first but they were only on the fourth years because of the small space the passage offered. "When you get down run! Desiree cried again, pressing the importance of haste. Shadows moved in the dark hallway that was only lit by a few wands.
Desiree's breath quickened at the soft sound of footsteps coming closer. "Stupefy!" She cried into the darkness. The red beam of her spell lit the hall for only a fraction of a second; nobody was there.
Somebody grabbed her shoulder.
Desiree gasped and swung around with her wand raised. It was Hermione. "This is not a time to argue Granger!" Desiree said through clenched teeth.
"I won't if you tell me what is going on!" Desiree groaned and pulled her away from the passageway.
"Voldermort's breached the castle walls. They're here in the castle. We have to get as many to safety as we can. This tunnel leads to Hogsmede where they can call for help." Desiree whispered quickly.
Hermione's mouth dropped open at the news. "How?" She asked fearfully.
"I don't know." Desiree answered truthfully.
"Dez? Ya' there?" A tiny voice cried from Desiree's pocket. She quickly withdrew the mirror to find Harry's face bouncing as he apparently ran somewhere.
"Yeah, what's going on?"
"All of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff are out but there are Deatheaters coming your way. Is everybody out?"
Desiree looked back at the shorter line of Gryffindors. "No. We're only on fifth years. The opening is only big enough for one person at a time."
Harry cursed as sped up. "Be on the lookout and tell them to hurry. There's about three or four Deatheaters coming your way so be ready. I'm coming to help." The mirror went blank.
Desiree ran back to the opening and began to roughly shove people in the opening. "Hurry up! They're coming!" Desiree managed to get several more people in the passage to Hogsmede before streams of red and purple light sped their way. "Keep going!" She screamed to the others who were about to bolt down the hallway to false safety.
Desiree began to quickly cast spells and continue to shove people down the witches hump. Several other sixth and seventh years began to cry curses as well. All of a sudden, silence and darkness greeted them. There was no sound of feet or light from wands, just the sound of their own fearful breathing and the darkness of their own dread. "Keep going." Desiree said quietly to the person by the opening. She kept her wand raised, just in case.
When there were only a few seventh years left, footsteps were heard pounding down the hall. Desiree raised her wand in the direction. "Lumos maximus." The bright light penetrated the hall for only a moment but showed the silhouette of Harry coming towards them.
"Are they out?" He asked quietly when he reached her and grabbed her by the arms.
"All but those." She nodded to the barely seen shapes of three people trying to get out.
"Are you okay?" He asked as they, too, moved toward the passage.
"Yeah. Where's the map?"
"Landon has it. He went to make sure the teachers got out. He should be out of here by now."
"Harry," Desiree said softly as her nails gripped his arm. "What?" "We're not alone." She whispered just as the person in front of her slipped down the hump.
"Stupefy!" Two red beams were aimed at where Desiree and Harry stood.
They leapt out of the way, but the spell caused the passageway to concave. It was impossible to get out of it now; they were trapped. Harry and Desiree clung to each other with one arm and held their wands steady with the other. There was no light in the hallway; only darkness. After several tense seconds of silence, the sound of a man softly laughing was wafted to their ears.
"At last, we meet again."
The torches that lined the Hogwarts hallways lit up instantly. Thier flames illuminated the faces of Slytherins dressed in Deatheater attire, minus the masks. Draco Malfoy was at the front with a triumphant expression on his face. "My master will be pleased to see that we have caught the ones he wanted." Draco said in the soft, successful tone that was commonly used by his father.
Harry opened his mouth to curse Draco but was silenced when a curse hit him and Desiree both in the back. The laid unconsious on the stone floor, unaware of the horrendous events to come.