Chapter 21

::grumbles:: Stupid quickedit, deciding to stop letting me use italics.

/.../

Well? Don't you have something witty to say?

/::grins:: I like that colour on you./

Aiiiiiiiiii! Demon! ::runs::

/::cackles evilly:: Excellent. ::in a scarily perky voice:: This chapter is dedicated to searching4romeo because she's, well, her./

"Harry?" Ginny whispered. When he didn't respond she spoke again. "Harry?"

"Yes, Ginny?" Harry rolled over onto his back, staring up at the white ceiling.

"I'm scared." Ginny copied his pose, wondering why the roof was so enticing.

"Me too."

"What's going to happen to us?" Ginny's voice cracked, betraying her terror.

Harry turned onto his side and stroked Ginny's pale cheek gently. "Whatever happens," he began, "we'll go through it together."

Ginny smiled slightly. "Aw, Harry...that was the mushiest, most sickeningly sweet drivel anyone's ever said to me."

"Why thank you, Ginny."

"Ok," Aine said, looking around at her fellow students. None of them seemed to be kids any longer. Even eleven-year-old Annie had a strange maturity about her. "We're about te go an' save two people from certain death. Some o' us may die. Actually, let's be 'onest, many o' us will die. We're shorter than the enemy, weaker, less knowledgeable, fer the mos' part younger, an' there're fewer o' us. But we're goin' te figh', an' we're goin' te win." 'I hope.' Aine added in her mind.

"If we're going to fight we should go." Khalidah said mildly, her eyes glittering with pleasure at the blood she was about to shed.

Aine nodded. "Righ'. But firs'; positions. Draco, Ron, 'Mione, Annie, Luna, ye'll be with me, 'elping 'Arry an' Ginny escape. Ye 'ave their wands? Good. Everyone else, ye're with Khali, keeping the majority o' the Death Eaters at bay. Feel free te use any spells ye like, bar the Unforgiveables. Now, in normal circumstances I don' condone violence or murder, but desperate times call fer desperate measures, so remember this; these guys gave up their souls long ago when they firs' joined Voldemort. They're evil, rotten te the core. So I 'ave one rule; if it's in black, kill it. One o' the 'ouse-elves will inform Professor Dumbledore o' where we are in ten minutes, so let's get goin'. Good luck, and may the Goddess 'elp us all.

"My lord!" Wormtail exclaimed, once again bursting into Tom's room, "the forest has been breached!"

"WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT KNOCKING BEFORE ENTERING?!" Cleo shrieked.

Wormtail cringed. "S-sorry, b-but the f-forest!"

Cleo waved one hand, bored. "Have been breached, I know. Send some Death Eaters to take care of it. Merlin! You can't expect Tom to take care of such trivial matters. He's the leader. Anyone with half a brain would know what to do in this situation."

Tom was beginning to regret that he'd ever allied himself with the Vampires.

"Now," Aine said, "this way."

Her group, the 'Alphas' for want of a better name, nodded, and followed her silently.

How's your team going, Khali? Aine asked through the blood bond she and the Vampiress shared.

We Betas are in postion, Aine. Just waiting for our first victims. Ooh, here they come.

Happy hunting. Chuckling, Aine turned back to the Alphas. "Follow me." She led them to the edge of the forest, then gestured for them to hold hands. She quickly completed the circle by grasping Hermione and Ron's hands, and, gathering all her power, Aine spoke the words which would get them to Harry and Ginny's prison.

"Dea succedo mihi. Ego of vestri consiliarii. Dea queso thy sciential." Siobhan chanted desperately. The smell of fresh wildflowers filled the cave, and the Seer quickly lowered her head, black hair forming a curtain to hide her face. "Milady, I need yer 'elp."

"What's wrong, Siobhan?" Lady Brigid asked.

"It's the Changelin', milady. I canna see 'er anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"Something or someone is blockin' my view. It's exactly like when she was in Egypt. The same person must be doin' it now." Siobhan worried her lower lip with her top teeth. It was very difficult to know how Lady Brigid might react in a situation like this.

"The only one who could block your Sight is a stronger Seer." Lady Brigid said thoughtfully. "And only an Immortal Seer older than you could be stronger."

"Aye milady."

"I can think of only one such Seer."

" 'Oo, milady?"

"The Vampiress Khalidah."

"But...'ow could ye na know she was stopping my Sight?" Siobhan asked timidly.

"Khalidah is a demi-goddess, Siobhan. I am not privy to her activities or thoughts." Lady Brigid said sternly.

" 'Course na, milady." Siobhan ducked her head. "Bu'...wha' could Khalidah want with the Changelin'?"

"I don't know." Lady Brigid said, sighing. "But with Khalidah's erratic track record, I must fear the worst."

"Which is?"

"Let me put it simply, Siobhan. If Aine uses her power for evil she could crack the world in half like an egg."
Aine checked her friends over quickly, making sure they hadn't suffered any adverse effects of the unique form of transport. "All righ' everyone?"

"No." Annie groaned. "I think I'm going to be sick."

"Well don' be." Aine said, her voice no higher than a whisper. "We canna afford te lose the benefit o' surprise."

"What happened?" Hermione asked.

" 'S called warpin'. Khalidah taught me." Aine said, closing her eyes and concentrating on staying upright. Warping was hard for her at the best of times since it was a Vampirical magic, but warping so many people had taken more out of her than anticipated.

"Why didn't you bring us all to the Riddle house like that, then?!" Ron exploded. "It would have been a lot easier!"

"Are you that thick, Weasley?" Draco snarled. "Look at her! She's already exhausted!"

"And you've just shot our cover." Luna put in. "You-Know-Who will know we're here soon."

"How do you know that?" Annie's voice quivered.

"Well, he's a parselmouth, isn't he?" Luna replied. "I just saw a snake slither around the corner."

"That settles it." Annie moaned. "We're all doomed."

"No we're na." Aine contradicted. "Na if we get goin'. It's jus' gonna be a bit more of a rush job tha's all. Ye all stay 'ere, I'll see if I canna get 'Arry an' Ginny out by myself firs'." She took the wands from Hermione and put them in her jeans pocket before walking purposefully over to a pair of Shadow Mancers. "Let me pass." She commanded, drawing the persona of Meryll Dinnshencha around her like a cloak.

/Who are you?/ The female asked.

"Meryll Dinnshencha. Fool. Did Lord Voldemort not say I would be coming to interrogate the hostages?"

/No, he didn't. And I'm afraid I can't let you pass./ The female Shadow demon sneered down at her and Aine drew herself up to her full height, and, though she was much shorter than Mancers, she still managed to look sufficiently terrifying.

"What?!" She thundered. "How dare you shilow even think of disobeying me!" Shilow was the Shadow Mancers' name for the very worst of their kind, worthless scum that should be eradicated. "Let me pass or the consequences shall be dire!"

The male looked as though he would do as she said for a moment, but the female restrained him. /No, Jik, we have orders to let none but Master inside./ She said loftily.

"Very well." Aine smiled a shark's smile, a show of sharp teeth. "Affixate." The female became solid against her will. "Dissipate." With an anguished mental shriek, the Shadow Mancer burst into millions of pieces.

/Mika!/ Jik yelped.

"Going to let me in, Jik?" Aine asked pleasantly. Jik nodded, scurrying away from his post, allowing Aine to step forward. "Thank you." She opened the door, and went inside.
searching4romeo: I knew you wouldn't abandon me without good reason! ::much hugs and virtual ice cream:: Here's the next chapter, babe!