A/N: Again I ask to be forgiven…I do realize that Katherine's part was short but the phoenixes…they are just willing to help. To those of you who are asking about the animals. You'll see why I've done this…probably in the next chapter when everyone is together. I have a REALLLY good reason...I only ask that you trust me in your waiting time. OH! And if ANYONE knows of a good Inu fic PLEASE tell me…my brain might pop if you don't…oh and to the newest reviewer of my last chapter.
Blck fire: I'm happy that I was able to have someone who's never review a HP fic before review. I'm also glad that you like my OC's because I like them too!
Chapter Eight: Katherine / Voldemort's Keep
Katherine fell to the ground in astonishment when she saw the view. Hundreds of phoenixes all gathered in what seemed to be a meeting. They were all singing eerie tunes. That seemed to be how they communicated. Katherine transformed and flew to the center of the commotion only to be met by the sound of angry phoenixes.
"Who is this outsider?"
"Why are you here?!"
"Get away!"
"Leave us be!"
"QUIET!"
Everything went silent. It seemed the blue phoenix was the head of this meeting. She landed on a branch and listened carefully as the blue bird spoke to her.
"You are the witch we have been expecting, no?" it asked.
"Yes. I am Katherine."
"I am Aldebaran, the Seer. I foresaw your arrival. You come to ask our help in the fight against the Dark Lord. We are assembled and ready."
"Not to be ungrateful for your assistance but, why are you so ready to fight?" Katherine asked.
"We are a humble breed. The humans have assisted us in the years when we needed them the most. They have helped us and it is time we return the favor."
"NO! It is a lie! The old one knows not what he speaks of!" a phoenix piped.
The others went berserk and attacked him. Apparently they held a high respect for their Seer.
"Anytime you are ready we shall leave." He cawed.
Katherine nodded humbly as the flurry of feathers around her began to calm and all were ready. She whispered a spell that she had learned with Hermione to transport large groups using apperation. They all disappeared and the land went quiet. The absence of the phoenix's songs was bone chilling.
Voldemort's Keep
"Let us GO!" Mr. Granger yelled at the stone walls around them.
Mrs. Granger sat next to him silently. She knew no one could hear them unless they wanted to. Voldemort wouldn't free them in any case. He had sent Richard Morrison, her former husband, to fetch them. He fed them lies and they had believed them. The memories played back in her head and she could have kicked herself for believing that treacherous snake.
A knock rang through the quiet Granger home as the two sat peacefully. They had come back from their dentist's convention and tried to relax, though Hermione's absence was very strange indeed. She was usually home on these days. Mrs. Granger heaved herself out of the chair and opened the front door to come face to face with a rather tall and skinny man. He had black hair and sapphire colored eyes which seemed to be very familiar.
"Jessie…" the man croaked.
His voice was very hoarse and he knew her name. How could he know her name? Mr. Granger got curious and walked up behind her which earned him a slight glare from the man in the doorway.
"Who are you?" she asked calmly.
"Why…I though you would remember me. It's me…Richard…"
Jessie's face darkened as horrible memories of beatings and bruises ran through her mind. It felt as if every injury he had ever given her was showing back up. All the bruises and cuts felt like they were materializing again. She could practically feel the blood streaming down her body again. She hated that feeling. It was the worst feeling in the world.
"Why are you here?!" Mr. Granger growled.
"Well Kyle…I found some information on your daughter. She's been taken by an evil sinister man. I came to tell you. I know where she is. He said if you came then he wouldn't harm her." Richard said slyly.
"Fine…come on Kyle." Jessie said.
"But how does he-?"
"Never mind that now. We have to save our daughter right now!"
They had set out and soon enough ended up here. They had been tricked and were now being used as a lure to get the others to come here. Voldemort had a sinister plot cooking but no one quite knew what it was yet. She shook her head sadly and motioned to her husband to sit down. They tried everything to escape but the security in this place was incredibly tight. They didn't even know what country they were in! Though they did note that it was incredibly cold almost all the time.
"Do you think we'll ever see Hermione again?" she sniffled.
"Of course. She's strong and she can get us out of here. Plus she has her friends. They would never leave her." He replied as he stroked her hair.
Back at the camp
"Where could Katherine and Hermione be? Do you think something happened with the wolves and phoenixes?" Ashley asked nervously.
"Can we just not talk about them? I'm already worried enough as it is!" Draco said, completely taking the group by surprise.
His cheeks tinted with a bit of pink but he continued to stare into the fire. Suddenly a pop echoed and his head snapped up in hopes to see Hermione. Instead he saw a large amount of phoenixes and Katherine standing a few feet away. His heart dropped a bit but he was still thrilled to see that she had made it back unharmed. He saw Lupin rise and greet them. His hand went to each person to name them. Again at the mention of Harry he received praise of his heroics.
"Mister Potter. Fawkes has told us of your adventures and valiant deeds." Aldebaran said humbly.
"I didn't do it alone." Harry stated, "Ron over there and…Hermione helped me."
"Do not fret. She will return." The phoenix stated simply, "As for now we will need rest."
"Oh! Yes, this way." Lupin said.
After he was out of earshot everyone began speaking again.
"So…Hermione isn't back yet?" Katherine asked.
"No…" Draco sighed, his elbows now on his knees and the palms of his hands supporting his head.
Katherine glanced at Harry and motioned towards Draco with a questioning look. Harry nodded with a slight smile on his face. Ron looked at them with a confused look but then Katherine smirked.
"Ashley, Draco, could I talk to you for a second...in private?" she asked.
Ashley and Draco both nodded and walked out into the bushes. He saw the two girls glance at one another and he began to feel a bit worried.
"So…Draco…" Ashley said.
"So…" Draco replied.
"Look…"
"We know-"
"-That you like Hermione."
"And we just want to-"
"-Be sure that you're not going to-"
"-Hurt her." Katherine finished.
Draco dropped his jaw in shock. He then proceeded to open and close his mouth like a fish out of water. What were they talking about? Psht! Him like Hermione…yeah right…
"I-I don't l-like Hermione…" he said in a would-be confident voice.
"Oh! Forgive us. We meant to say love." Ashley replied happily.
If that had been a cartoon Draco probably would have fallen to the ground with one of those little frustrated drops on his head. But being in the real world he simply let his head fall down to his chest and shook it. He let a small laugh escape his lips.
"So what if you're right? What if I, Draco Malfoy the pureblood git from school who thought he was better than everyone else and would never in a million years ever cross her mind, like her? She'd never be interested in a guy like me. Not when she has her best friends with her…" he said with a sigh.
He had just told them the exact thoughts that ran through his head every night. The thoughts that kept him up until the wee hours of the morning. The thoughts that he had vowed never to voice.
"WHAT??!!" both girls practically yelled.
"SHHH!!!" Draco hissed.
"Draco…I'm surprised at you." Ashley said in a bemused tone.
"Yeah. When we all got back from school Hermione used to talk about how hot you were. But she also told us…some of the…uh…worse things about you." Katherine added.
"You were practically all she talked about."
Impossible. How could he be the guy she talked about? After being so cruel and heartless towards her she still thought about him. He frowned at the thought. All the time he had been hateful towards her he had been thinking about how wonderful she really was. Damn father.
"What do you think they're talking about?" Ron asked.
"Oh I'm pretty sure I have a bit of an idea…" his mother replied happily as she stared up into the dark sky.
It was so difficult to tell what time of day it was. They had come in the months of darkness so it was dark all the time.
"Oh really? What's your idea then?" Ron asked again.
"Don't tell me you don't know?" Ginny queried.
"Yeah I mean it's perfectly obvious." Harry said.
"Even we noticed it." Fred and George piped in.
"How is it that every time something interesting happens I have no bloody clue as to what the hell is going on?" Ron said with a sigh.
Everyone but his mother, who was scolding him for his use of language, laughed at Ron's…how should they put it? Idiocy?
"Stop it mum you're starting to sound like…Hermione…"
At the mention of her name everyone got quiet. She had been gone quite a while and there was no telling what was going on. If anyone went to find her they may be attacked and if she did return after that she would hate herself. This waiting game seemed to be taking a toll on them all. At a slight rustle of bushes everyone was up with their wands at ready. It turned out to be Draco, Katherine, and Ashley coming back from their little chat. All three jumped when they saw how many wands were pointed at them.
"You guys really should relax." Ashley said calmly as she sat down.
"Yeah. It's not like we'll be attacking you or anything." Draco joked.
"Alright now that everyone is back I think we should all turn in. We'll need to be rested up in case Hermione returns." Lupin said.
Everyone shrugged and climbed into their sleeping bags. And yet it felt strange to be lying there while there was still one empty bag…
"Kinu has put me in charge of us so you will now be following my orders." Kola said, "I heard the humans talking of one who is missing. I believe Hermione is what they call her. She is off working to get assistance from the wolf pack."
"The wolf pack?" Kiff asked nervously.
"The one that has conquered much of our territory?" Star retorted.
"Yes. But do not fret. I'm sure that there will be some way to reason with them…" Kola said anxiously.
A/N: Well? Remember that honesty IS the best policy. I would like to thank foxer for being honest and let you know that if you are still reading I hope that you will like this better when I reveal my secrets. Please review. This is the most popular story that I have ever published so far and I hope it continues to be that way. I really enjoy typing these fics up! Well until next time. OH! WAIT! I do realize that this was again a bit short but I promise the next chapter will compromise for the lack of…words…lol! Not to mention the fact that I may have it up within two days. Well now I'm going to go! Farewell!
