Chapter 15 - Christmas sorrows and Demons a lurking

Author's Notes:

So I love Charmed? Shoot me for it.

Previously on HPGS

The day of the ball arrives and Maddie's plan works perfectly as Harry manages to drag Ron down to the Hall and him and Hermione FINALLY get together. Draco's date surprises some and angers others. Maddie decides to have a romantic moment herself and god knows what happened to poor Neville: P

Harry, Maddie, Ron and Hermione, once the ball ended, decided to take a stroll around the lake as it was only 9pm and although most were tired, the four didn't spend the whole night dancing, meaning their was a lot of energy still to burn.

They walked passed the Whomping Willow and Harry felt his eyes sting. He could nearly see the black haired dog bounding over towards him and although he had tried not to think of what had happened, right now he felt that if there was anything he would be allowed to do, it would be to cry. He bid them goodnight, telling them he needed some time alone, if that was okay, and headed in the opposite direction towards the Quidditch pitch. He sat down on one of the benches and, his head in his hands, wept. His sorrow had never truly been let out, and over all the years of his life, there was a lot that could drive some insane if they kept it in for too long.

He sat there, until the sky had turned truly black, and the moon shone upon him like a spotlight. The stars twinkled, the earth turned, and although for him time has stopped, he knew that everything else had moved on, leaving him to catch up. For a second he sat staring at the grass below, until he noticed someone walk towards him. He knew it was a student, because of the ball gown, but ignored them. They could leave him well alone, or he'd blow. And he knew he would.

Maddie wasn't for sure whether her wishes truly could come true until now. She had walked with the new lovebirds for what must have been hours, and didn't leave them until they themselves had decided to go to bed. She walked on her own for a while, and thought of where Harry might be. Not knowing for sure where she was going, she wished she could be with him, and help him in some way. She didn't have to be at Hogwarts to know the situation thanks to her Grandfather, but Dumbledore was so wise that he would constantly try to overpower his emotion. Like the pulling of his heart he felt placing Harry on the Dursleys' doorstep, with nothing but a measly note. He felt sick, but his mind overpowered him and he knew that to the people around him, he was a strong old bloke, and could keep a stiff upper lip throughout anything. They didn't know how he felt, leaving that old Irish farmhouse, an adoring wife and two adorable kids, just so he could protect everyone else. He knew it was his destiny, and although it was hard, understood that. But his eldest son didn't and never forgave him for it. He changed religion so that his granddaughter now was a Christian witch, and if a paper found out, although it wasn't really a big deal, they'd twist and fumble it into blue murder.

Maddie pushed the rushed thoughts that had come to her to the back of her mind and made her wish. Next thing she knew she was in none other than the Quidditch pitch and a dark figure sat on a bench, his head in his hands, she could feel him weep, and knew not to disturb, but for a second she thought he could not see her, as he seemed to look straight at her but then look away. She slowly walked over and sat beside him.

"Are you okay?" she asked.

"Do I look it?" he replied, his voice hoarse.

She put her arm around him slowly he wept. He wept of everything, of his parents, of his guardians, of his true guardian, but most of all, he wept of his loneliness, he was free, but had no where to go. They sat there for long but neither noticed, and it was only as the sky turned pink, that he looked up and eventually smiled. It wasn't a grin; it wasn't even a happy smile. It was calm, and of nothing in particular, except that of all the people around him that had died, he was still standing. Although most of the time, he would feel guilt or sorrow for it, looking up at her, he felt grateful.

"We better go," Maddie said, looking at her watch. "It's 6am and hopefully most of them lot will still be asleep by the time we get back, are you tired?"

"Not really." Harry said.

"Well we'll get changed and then go down to the Great Hall for breakfast k?"

"Sure."

He smiled again and they walked off together. Walking through the castle, they noticed how empty it was, and knew that quite a lot of them would probably still be in bed until lunch. Especially since it was the first day of the Christmas holidays, and most of the students would be returning home.

Dumbledore met them in the corridor, and for a minute, they thought he wouldn't notice their clothes, but there was something that troubled Maddie, and although she didn't want her grandfather to find out they had been out all night, she couldn't let it go.

"Um…sir?" she said, not knowing what to say.

"Yes, Maddie?" he greeted her with a smile, and although they did look rather weird in a huge dress and a tux, he pretended not to notice.

"Well, am I going home for Christmas?"

The fire in his eyes burned out and he looked very sad for a moment, something Harry had never witnessed in all the years he had known him.

"I want the truth." she said, unsure of whether he was thinking up a lie.

"Well If I am honest dear, I would say not."

"Will I ever go home?" she asked her eyes, filling with tears.

She thought of Jane, and of her family, there was only the three of them but she couldn't ignore them, and didn't think they could just stop loving her.

"That is a matter you are to discuss with your father."

"Yes." she said. "Your SON!"

Tears spilled down her face at the calmness of his character and the prospect of never seeing them again.

"You left him a-and now h-he's leaving me, its not fair, I never said I wanted t-to come here, it was just something I thought I must do, and this is my reward."

"Please, don't cry you can talk to him" Dumbledore said.

He placed his hand on her shoulder but she moved away.

"What am I gonna do eh? You think he'll like me sending him an owl, yeah that'll really help won't it?!"

With that, she ran off, down the corridor and turned the corner out of sight. Harry ran after her, and being faster than her, didn't take long to catch up with her.

"Look don't worry, there must be a Muggle post box in Hogsmeade, how about you write that letter and then we'll go down to Hogsmeade and see."

"Yeah your right, I'll write it so beautifully that he'll be crying with guilt." she grinned.

Harry laughed at her enthusiasm and when they got back to the common room, they found a sheet of Muggle paper and a biro and Maddie wrote. She wrote of her emotions having to change her lifestyle, and insisted she still felt her close relationship with God as she had always done. She argued that she had a right to see her Grandfather and except the gift she had been given, even if he had chosen not to. Ending her letter, she asked of the family and wrote how much she still loved them all.

"Are you done?" Harry asked.

"Yes." she said, smiling, "But you look tired."

He yawned.

"Nah, I'm not." he replied.

"You are, go to bed, I can go on my own, I have wishes remember."

He stood up and stretched.

"No way, I'm coming, whether you want me to or not."

She smiled.

"Okay, well I thought instead of going down to Hogsmeade I can just wish to be at the nearest you know what."

Harry looked at her bewildered before realising that she didn't want her wish to actually happen when she was repeating it. He took her hand and she cleared her throat.

"I wish me and Harry could get to the nearest post box." she said.

Looking at the ordeal, they seemed to be thinning out until eventually they disappeared. Within seconds they arrived at a road. It was more like a lane really, with surrounding fields. Maddie noticed the post box and wished them back at Hogwarts.

When they got there, they realised that not only they had got there safely, but they were dressed in normal clothes, something that must have changed in case someone arrived when they were there. But in the common room there seemed to be a bit of a commotion. A seventh year boy, who seemed very red in the face, was shouting at Ginny. She looked like she was about to burst into tears, so Maddie quickly went to where they were.

"What's going on?" she asked them.

"I'll tell you what's going on, I'm older than her and there is nothing she can say that'll make me let him into this common room."

Maddie looked to where he was looking and saw Draco sitting in a chair as if watching the view.

"Yeah well, he's staying here you gotta problem with that?" Maddie said,

"Yeah I have, you gonna stop me from kicking him out are you?" he replied.

"No but I will." Harry said, butting in.

Maddie looked at him in surprise. If there was anyone who wanted Draco's ass kicked it was him.

The boy looked at him as if he was crazy, and just as he reached into his pocket for his wand, Harry took his chance and punched him hard in the jaw so that he stumbled backwards, into a table.

Maddie said nothing, just looked at him in surprise, but Ginny grinned. She did not see the difference in the seventh years face, neither did Maddie. But Harry, running a hand through his hair in a rather stressed manner, swore as saw what the seventh year did next. By this time Ginny was sitting in Draco's lap and Maddie was still in half shock. He needed to notify them with scaring anyone else.

"Err…Maddie, look." he said, hoping others wouldn't follow.

Maddie jerked from her trance and looked at where she was commanded, gasping. The boy had changed, he was no longer a boy even, he grew muscles in his arms and grew taller, and his face was of pure anger. His clothes had changed to black and in his hand - Maddie gasped again, and slowly backed away. It may have been aimed at Draco and then turned on Maddie, or he was waiting for her all along. - His hand looked like it was on fire and nobody seemed to notice.

"Okay people, everyone in dorm please, we have a tiny little problem here." she said.

People were confused and looked around them, wondering what was going on, it was like they couldn't see they guy at all.

"Go on!" Harry said.

They jumped like sheep and went to their dorms.

"Where do I go?" Draco asked.

"Um… well you can't go with Ginny…" Maddie began.

"Why not?"

"Err…hello?" Maddie began again.

"Err…no, let him go." Harry said.

Draco climbed the stairs with Ginny, and although Harry expected his own little amusement show, the boy was able to go straight in.

"Bad Luck Potter." he called, and disappeared behind the door.

"Will you look at that, how is that possible." Harry asked.

But Maddie hadn't been listening, instead she was slowly backing away from the changed boy and Harry, realising where he was, followed her lead.

"What's going on?" said Ron as him and Hermione appeared from the dorms.

The boy turned and shot the fire at Ron, narrowly missing him, as it burnt out near his feet.

"Blimey." he said.

Slowly he and Hermione went to where Maddie and Harry stood, they, in unison slowly backed away before ducking behind a chair, Ron and Hermione followed suit, and the boy roared with an evil laughter. Maddie stood back up, and instead of going backwards, she went forwards.

"Who are you?" she bellowed.

"That's for you to find out." he said.

He threw fire once more towards her, and although she tried to move, her feet were rooted to the spot - like in a bad dream. She wasn't sure what to do, and then, as the fire nearly touched her, she felt this fluffy sensation, and a green bubble formed around her, reflecting the fire and sending it back to its master.

"Whoa, what was that?" Harry asked, now right beside her as he had headed towards her as soon as the fire went from the boys hand. As soon as it struck him, he seemed to go on fire himself, he screamed out in pain before disappearing in the flames.

Minutes later, Maddie burst in her Grandfather's office. He stood up, upon her arrival, and smiled.

"What the hell was that?" Maddie exclaimed.

"That was a Demon." he replied.

"A what?"

Dumbledore sighed, looking towards the door, he could see Harry and the others silently waiting outside and wasn't sure whether to let them in.

"Hello?" Maddie said, impatiently.

Dumbledore sighed again.

"Have you ever seen Charmed?" he asked, sitting down again.

"Err…yeah I'm a huge…oh…."Maddie said "But that stuff ain't real."

"You'll be surprised at some of the info they come out with and how surprisingly accurate it can be."

Maddie sat down, taking it all in…was that the reason she took such a shine to the show?

"No I would say it's just a very good show." Dumbledore answered her.

"Okay so why was this Demon in the common room." Maddie said, she tried to remain calm like Dumbledore seemed to be able to master, but anxiety was slowly growing on her.

"Well, if I assume correctly, they were after you, either you or Mr. Malfoy."

Maddie eyes widened, she was glad he saw the situation, but seeing 'Mr. Malfoy' in the Gryffindor common room as well…. Oh and she'd sent him up to Ginny's dorm…..

The other three had now come in, at the news and they wondered why someone or something would be after either of them.

"They may be after you Maddie because of reasons I can't explain at the moment -" Dumbledore said.

"Oh no-no-no, you are not doing this to me Mister, you tell me the lot." Maddie said, knowing that her being in the lurch may seem protective to him, but more frightening for her.

"Well, it's your blood Maddie, your grandmother was in a line of wizards and witches, and one of her ancestors defeated one of the most powerful Demons of all time, and his ancestors cannot get their power back without killing off the family line. That Demon may have been related but I would say not- they normally get others to do their dirty work."

"But why me, aren't there any other family?"

Maddie didn't like the way this was coming out, she'd only been a witch for about a month and she already had 'demons' attack her.

"Well you're the youngest."

"And if they kill me, the line will stop is that it?"

"Actually Professor Smith has a son and they will go for him next, they could of gone for him first and then you but it seems they have different opinion to me."

Maddie sat there in silence. She wasn't sure what to do, was she supposed to do what her 'ancestors' did? Or just run away, though if they can come and go like that guy did supposedly there would be nowhere to go where they couldn't find her. She put her head in her hands and let out a sigh.

"How am I supposed to deal with this?" she asked.

"Well they may not be after you remember, they may be after Mr. Malfoy." he replied.

"Can you tell me why?"

"I can but I will have to ask you three to leave."

They walked out and in frustration; Maddie waved her hand, slamming the door behind them.

"Oh my, what did I just do…?" Maddie said, standing up and turning around.

"Not to worry it's perfectly normal, things like that are going to happen when your emotions get high."

Maddie started to pace the room, her hands together, trying to take in the details. She stopped and turned towards him again.

"Why would they be after Draco?" she asked.

"Well, they are very close friends of Voldemort, do a few errands for him, and if Mr. Malfoy decides his destiny does not include being a partner of Voldemort, they'll take him to him by force - dead or alive."

Some would have gasped; Maddie wasn't really the type, even though she had gasped a lot more lately. So either they were after her, or they were after him, and in the end they'd be after Harry as well. It was so confusing, all the detail or the links that were entwined into each other, and now, Ginny would be involved as well. Did she even know?

"Okay, well is that it?" she asked, wanting to get moving to try and lessen the confusion ASAP.

"Yes, that's it, but please be careful,"

Maddie sighed,

"I will."

She headed for the door and with a whip of her hand she opened it and left. Outside, the other three were waiting, all of them looking rather anxious. She walked ahead, not saying anything and realising this was not really the time for discussion, they followed her in silence. As they got to the common room, she muttered the password and they went through, collapsing in a chair each.

"Right well there's only one thing to do." Maddie said, standing up.

"What's that?" Harry asked, yawning.

"I wish I could have a portable DVD player and every episode of Charmed" she said, adding. "Please."

Beside her, her wishes appeared and she picked them up and picked a random disc.

After an hour of watching contently, she looked around and noticed the other three fast asleep, Hermione resting her head on Ron's shoulder. Maddie smiled. She wanted to sleep herself, but she knew she couldn't relax until she sorted everything out as much as possible, making sure she was prepared. After that the only thing she had to do, was warn Draco, and she wouldn't be able to do that anyway, until morning.

She got up, stretched and headed for the Library, although it was shut, she wished she was inside and got to work, searching the different shelves looking for a book, that may have some Demon info. She knew there wouldn't be a Book of Shadows, because if it was real she assumed the Halliwells would be real and then they'd have it wouldn't they. She looked around and finally found a shelf, dedicated to Demons, though she thought it might be in the restricted section, she couldn't really see because it was so dark. She had about five books in her arms and, opening the curtains to let in the moonlight, sat by a table and took the first book.

"Demonic Demons." she read, not thinking to lower her voice as most would be in bed. "Cheesy."

She turned the first couple pages and felt herself tire. She hadn't slept in over 24 hours but she knew she mustn't let herself rest, not until she was finished. Instead, she thought she'd try something new, she thought of the demon and his actions, his face, she thought of how tired she was and flicked her wrist. She smiled as she watched the pages turn and eventually land on a page with the heading 'Mandor'. She read the page dedicated to him. No spell or potion to get rid of him, just a whole load of information on what he was like and what he did, but she already knew that, she'd met him a while ago.

She frowned. It was so limited to her, and yet looked so resourceful. She closed the book and threw it away, picking up the next one; again she thought of him, flicked her wrist, and sighed as she saw nearly the same words. She did this another three times, and got the same thing.

"Oh what I'd do for a wizarding internet." she said to herself.

She took the books again and put them carefully back in the positions she'd found them in. She sighed and sat back down. What was she to do? She had to find something.

"Doing homework are we?" came a voice from behind her.

She jumped and sped around. Only Snape. She sighed and sat back down.

"Trying." she said.

He looked at her in surprise. No excuse? Not even a stutter? He smiled and sat down beside her.

"What is it that you are looking for so late at night?" he asked his voice formal but she cold sense the concern.

"I need to find out about Mandor, and there are no books that have any information to tell me how -" she thought for a moment. "How someone would go about, getting rid of him."

She prayed it was vague enough and hoped he would not ask questions. He didn't, instead standing up and reaching for the nearest shelf. He took a book and threw it on the table beside her.

"You do not look for the demon you look for the potion." he said, and he walked away.

She flicked her wrist and the book came to her from across the table.

"Potions of the dead Volume 1 - Good." she read. "Less cheesy."

She swallowed and did the usual procedure. The pages settled on 'Dark Demons - Mandor'

The first paragraph was in red, as if a warning, but when she read it, she was puzzled as to why the information might be a warning. It read:

Mandor was a ferocious demon living a life of a demonic servant. For many centuries he killed only for others and by doing so grew stronger. (A way of paying Mandor was power, as he not only fed on the evil that came with power, but then it made him stronger, and more successful.) In 1912, a muggle called Richard Gormley defeated Mandor, by what he called 'the help of an angel.' Through the years, wizards and witches can only conclude that he was in fact a Squib, and had just that once created enough power in one hit, before resuming to his muggle state. Mandor now resumes in the wasteland where he stayed as far as we know. (For more information on wasteland pg. 1113)

Maddie couldn't think why this particular information would be in red as it was no concern of hers how he had died. But then a thought came to her, if he had died, why was he alive to kill her or Draco? This book suggested that she had no reason to have to get rid of him, as he was apparently already gone. Although she had always trusted books since she had first learnt to read, she noted the potion down on a napkin she found in her pocket, and noted the page it was on, plus the title, (though she didn't think she'd forget that all too soon) and left thriving for sleep.

Author's Notes:

Too like Charmed? I tired my best to keep it vague. And yes, I do like cheese lol. The bit about Richard Gormley being squib I thought would be like a wizard version of scientists that a re such a believer of science that they no longer have a religion. There are a few, I'm not saying all scientists are like that lol (Don't shoot me, plz? Why not review instead?). The name Richard Gormley came from John Gormley who sold me my laptop and oh btw, if some of the sentences sounded a bit weird, then its just cuz Maddie is not the only one thriving for sleep. REVIEW REVIEW REVIEW!!!