Darkness and Light
AN: I am very sorry for those of you who thought that the story died, but my computer had a virus and I had to delete all my files...or something but it was all gone and I didn't have time to type because I needed to install stuff. So...again, sorry, and I'll try to make this one extra long.
The five went up the old stairs and opened the door to find Sirius sitting on the floor casually.
"You wouldn't happen to have any food with you? I'm starving."
"Er...no." Harry said. Sirius turned to Chibiusa.
"Who are you?"
"Chibiusa Tsukino," She answered, bowing out of habit.
"Where's..." Hermione started.
"Oh, her," Sirius said. "I got out of my transformation before I knew she was in here, so when I saw her I just used the expelliarmus charm." He motioned to a dark corner of the room where Tonks lay unconscious.
"We need to get out of here," Hermione said. "There's some odd fog surrounding the place, they'll suspect something."
"Would anyone really come into the Shrieking Shack?" Ron asked.
"Snape did." Ginny stated.
"He was bribed by Harry's dad." Hermione explained. "But we should be going; it's probably about time to go, anyway."
"You know, I didn't think you'd be so rule-conscious." Ron said. "I mean, after last Saturday..." He trailed off.
"What did you do last Saturday?" Harry asked. (M-Chan and Cassie: Ooooh!)
"I...We snuck into the restricted section to look for a book...and Ron thought that that book would be...very...restricted..." Hermione said. Of course, they weren't in the library. But she wanted to make her story believable.
"Yeah! (I love that song.) It was a book on...er...what was it, Hermione...It just slipped my mind, there!"
"Um....lovemaking!" Hermione said the first word that came to mind, although why it was the first word that came to mind was a mystery.
"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed. "You promised me you wouldn't do that until after you got out of school!"
"Um, can we just go?" Ron said.
"That's a lovely idea!" Hermione said and the two walked down the stairs, Ginny following them, lecturing Ron. Chibiusa walked down, after, laughing lightly, as she knew what the two were really up to. They might actually need that book sooner or later...
Harry walked out as well. Sirius got up from the floor and made some effort to brush off the dust on his clothes. He looked towards Tonks.
"Thanks." He said softly. "Guess your mum was wrong when she said you had no talent for theatre." He turned back into the dog and set off on his way.
Sirius walked them outside, and then the two set off on their separate paths.
"...And even though it's a legend, I still felt sorry for-"
Hermione stopped the two fifth year's conversations as she looked at her surroundings.
"We should have reached Hogwarts by now." She said. "Are you sure this was the right path?"
"Well..." Ron said.
"You got us lost?!" Ginny shrieked. "First you go look for some porn book and THEN you get us lost in freezing cold weather!"
"Well if you weren't distracting my thought-"
"What thought?!"
"All right!" Harry said. "We'll just go back the way we came..." They all turned around but the path was nowhere to be seen.
"This is just like Magic Knight Rayearth..." Chibiusa commented. "Where's Ferio?"
"We can just use the four-point spell, right?" Harry asked.
"Well...to find Hogwarts, yes, but to find the beginning of the path, no...If this is the correct spell...I mean you could just walk in the general direction of Hogwarts and you'd get there theoretically..." Hermione said. They made to go in that general way but the brunette stepped in front. "But when I say theoretically, I mean, if there weren't and human-eating plants, any giant spiders (Ron shivered) and other...creatures, then it would be fine, but if that protection spell was put on the whole path, it would include this, and we'd be safe as long as we're on the path."
"So, I guess we have no choice but to follow this path." Chibiusa said.
They all agreed to do the above and walked off as the sun set.
Harry hoped they would get back soon. Not for any fear, like Ron, or because he couldn't successfully conjure up food, like Ron. But because he wanted to see Neco and give her his gift.
The doors of Hogwarts swung open and snow swirled in. A lone hooded figure, clad in red, stood in the doorway. It was quite an overdramatic sight.
Cosmos stepped in and closed the grand doors, letting her cloak slide off and disappear into subspace. She walked into the Great Hall where the feast was starting. As many of the students had left, there was just one table filled to capacity with food of all sorts. She seated herself between Snape and Dumbledore and chose to fill hers, and everyone else's, goblets with rum.
"Professor Dumbledore, please forgive my unexcused absence, there was some business I had to take care of in the Cauldron. Now...let's get drunk!" She toasted.
And for a while, they...or everyone but Snape...did, and ate the lovely food ...and the lovely dessert...and everything was just so loverly when you're drinking rum....And they found out that Dennis Creevy liked Hermione....And Josh and Ryan both liked Zoe...and eggs are square...
Cosmos began acting out scenes from Pirates of the Caribbean with some of them who had seen it. In this time, Fawkes flew in to Dumbledore and gave a message, though this was hard as he was being scared by the redhead and the brunettes turning themselves into skeletons. ("Couldn't resist, mate!") Dumbledore set Fawkes off and stood up. He raised his wand and off went the rum. Many students screamed and a few fainted.
"Why is the rum gone?!" Cosmos exclaimed, mimicking Jack. Dumbledore ushered everyone out.
"Except," said the old wizard, "you two." He motioned to Cosmos and Snape.
"Whadido?" Cosmos slurred.
"Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Miss Tsukino, and both of the Weasleys are missing."
"Jack saw them in Hogsmede." Cosmos said addressing herself. (I call myself Jack a lot...) Dumbledore raised his wand again and Cosmos was drunk no more. She seemed to have realized what she had done and tried to regain her form. "Erm....Perhaps they have lost track of time."
"Possible, but I do believe that our young Miss Granger would have prevented that." The wise wizard said. "I was hoping that you two would make sure they're safe."
Snape looked like he'd rather be courting with Hermione. But just then, one of the drunken students came back in and gave Snape a hug. He decided to leave.
"All right!" He yelled to all of them, pulling out his wand and threatening said student. 'How many times must I surrender to that damn woman?'
Cosmos summoned her cloak back and they headed out into the night. Oooh, how romantic sounding. (Snape: It is not in any ways romantic!)
Dumbledore sincerely hoped that they would both come back alive. He also hoped that 'it' would not happen tonight. He walked away just before the door slammed shut. If he had not left, he would have seen Cosmos summon more rum.
&
"What time is it?"
"Seven-thirty."
"Are we there yet? Did you see them?"
"No."
"Now?"
"NO! Finite Minuos!" Cosmos was rid, yet again, of her intoxication.
"...Now?"
"........."
The two were in a carriage to Hogsmede, assuming that they would be there.
"I only do it because you're such an easy target." Cosmos explained. "And, you really shouldn't feel like you're the only one who feels like a Mercuian in an all-Martian school. I know many people who relate, and I believe you know one, also."
Snape ignored her.
"I'm serious, someone who only had but two or three friends, but was always cast away from them until you eventually realize 'What sort of friends are people who ignore you and spend more time with everyone else, and what sort of friends are people who act like you're not there, even though you're right in front of them.' Someone who was ignored and abused by his guardians. I know someone like that." Snape continued to ignore her, so she continued. "It's Harry."
The man glared at her.
"You find that I relate to Potter?"
"I do. Plus, both you and Harry have a lot of enemies."
"And how is it, exactly," He said, "that you know of my past?"
"Well, I could have just looked at the time stream, but I decided to be fair and look in your pensive." She answered.
"I don't have a pensive."
"Yes you do, Severus." The senshi said. "And from the way you looked at Lily, I think you owe it to her to be nice...r to Harry."
Snape glared again.
"It isn't my problem that he'd rather look at his face on a magazine then pay attention in class."
"Give him private lessons."
Snape, again, glared.
"Okay, I know the whole Occlumency thing didn't work out, but this time will be different."
FLASHBACK
Snape was teaching Occlumency when Harry and Hermione began questioning him about Death Eaters. He would've probably shot curses at them if not for Professor McGonagal coming down to ask for his assistance. Harry noticed Snape's pensive that he always put some of his thoughts in. He and Hermione looked inside, after confirming that the others had altogether given up being sent against the wall. They saw a memory of Snape getting teased by Sirius and Harry's father, and then Lily getting him out from the circle of students. And then Snape pulled the two out from his pensive. He looked so mad it was scary. And he spoke in a deadly whisper.
"Having fun?"
"N...no!" Hermione squeaked.
"Amusing man, your father, wasn't he?" Snape said.
"I-didn't-" Harry started.
Snape threw the two down and towered over them.
"You will not repeat what you saw to anybody!" Snape bellowed.
"No," Harry said, the two getting up and heading towards the door, yet not wanting to turn their back on him. "No, of course I w-"
"Get out, get out, I don't want to see you in this office ever again!"
END FLASHBACK
"Just give the boy private lessons and don't act like a Death Eater and don't say or do anything that would provoke a question." Cosmos said.
"I will not give him anything!" Snape said, his voice rising.
"YOU WILL GIVE HIM!" Cosmos said, standing up. She paused and then slowly sat down. "Private lessons."
"...Fine." He said sullenly.
"Good. And I'll buy you a huge lollypop and a white cloak." She said. And just to annoy him, she added, "Daddy."
Luckily, the carriage stopped at Hogsmede. The two split up to look for the lost group.
Back with Harry & Co.
"Babble, babble, bitch, bitch, rebel, rebel, party, party, sex, sex, sex, and don't forget the violence, blah, blah, blah, got yo-"
"STOP SINGING!" Ron yelled at Chibiusa. Hermione was looking up at the sky.
"I think it's almost eight." She said. Harry was getting nervous.
"Um, do you really think we shouldn't just risk it and go through the forest?" He asked.
"Hey, if Harry has faced you-know-who...like...four, five times...don't you think we can survive a few creatures?" Ginny spoke up.
"Maybe we'll see those...Centaurs or whatever." Ron said.
"We can't!" Hermione said. "First off, what if this big...thing pops up, none of knows how to kill it or ward it off and it kills us? Or what if you-know-who is out there?"
"My scar would have been hurting." Harry said.
"Has it always hurt when he's near?" Hermione asked. "If I recall correctly, when we had our lessons with Quirell it never hurt. And even though you had his book and saw him there, even if it was a memory, I believe your scar would have hurt a lot in your second year. An-"
"Okay, okay..."Harry said.
"But we do need to know where this path leads..." Hermione said. "Wait - Harry! Do you have the map?"
"Yeah!" He pulled it out and said the incantation.
"See if we're on the map - look on the edge...yes! There, we're right here!" Hermione said pointing at their dots. "It looks like...It goes right back to Hogsmede. And then we can go on the original path and we'll be back there a little before nine, I imagine."
"I love you Hermione!" Ron said hugging her. They pulled away quite quickly, after Hermione mumbled something to him. "C-come on, let's go."
They walked and walked and walked and ran when they thought they heard a werewolf howl. (That turned out to be Ron's stomach.)
"Hey Harry?" Chibiusa asked, bored of the lack of talking. "You know that present I found? That flat thing? What was it?"
Harry knew that Neco wished her existence to be known only by him. But he couldn't just say 'nothing'.
"It was...a picture Colin took." He said making up something believable.
"Oh..." She said. "What of?"
Did she have to ask so many questions?
"Um..."
"Thank you Merlin!" Ron cried. They had arrived in the village of Hogsmede. They ran down the cobblestone street in search of the path. "Wait!" The redhead called. He was some distance behind them. "It is rally cold out and we need some energy...butterbeer, anyone?"
"We should be getting back; we could get in trouble!" Hermione said.
"You know you sound just like you did in our first year!" Ron said. "One final look at the past..."They all looked at Hermione. "And we're out!" They made off towards the Three Broomsticks, Hermione running behind. She caught up and drew her cloak around her.
"Well...it is cold out..."
"Hey, let's try fire whiskey!" Ron said. "Or maybe a martini...or that Three Broomsticks mix special!"
"Ron..." Hermione said. But it wasn't a warning tone, it was more soft, kind or how she used to talk to Harry. And Harry noticed this.
"I'm serious!"
They went inside and purchased butterbeers. They weren't allowed to buy whiskey anyway...
But they kind of lost track of time in the process of drinking and talking.
"...And the way Snape says your name..." Ron said to Harry. "Mister Potter...hah...just think about it...Potter...ha...ahaha...." Suddenly they all burst out laughing for no reason. It was all good.
"Mister Potter."
"Oh...Okay...stopstopstopstop..." Hermione said talking fast. Her cheeks were flushed. Maybe she was out in the cold a bit too long... "Eh...I can't stop laughing..."
"Um...I plead the fifth." Chibiusa said. Hermione looked up and saw a very disturbing sight. Snape.
"You know, Potter, some people actually thought you could have gotten attacked. Some thought you could have gotten hexed or died. But I thought you were just avoiding school. Yet Dumbledore sent me and herout here in freezing cold to find you here drinking Butterbeer." Snape said. He led them out to he carriage where Cosmos was waiting. They all got in there and set off for Hogwarts where Snape assigned them detention.
They weren't allowed to ask Cosmos where she had gone or to see if Professor Tonks had come back. They were sent off to their dorms.
"Um, you go on." Harry said. "I...need to tie my shoe." He ducked down and made a show of trying to tie already tied knot until the others disappeared around a corner. He sprung up and went behind a tapestry, up some stairs and through a mirror which wasn't really a mirror. He was now on the right side of the seventh floor where the door had been. He made his way as he fingered the case in his pocket. There was a slight problem. The door wasn't there. He tried to think, this was where it was! But then he remembered Neco walked back and forth a few times before he noticed the door. He did the same, thinking about giving Neco his gift as they sat together on the...Just then the door appeared and he rushed up these stairs until he got to yet another door which he pushed open and finally saw Neco, her hair up in a messy bun, dressed in a thin white dress that looked like it was intentionally torn at the end. But she was beautiful in Harry's eyes. Her skin shone in the moonlight. And she looked cold which gave her cheeks that rosy glow.
"Good evening Harry." She said. "I was worried you wouldn't come."
"I...we got caught up."
"How so?"
Harry told Neco the story of the snow and the letter and Sirius and getting lost and drinking butterbeer and getting found.
"Butterbeer..." Neco mused. "I wish I knew what that tasted like...sounds good. Do you think you can describe it?"
"Um..." Harry didn't know exactly how, but he had to try. "Well, imagine you're outside in a cold day and then someone hands you butterbeer, a-"
"Who?" Neco asked.
"Well, just someone, but it..."
"I mean, if some random person just hands it to you, how do you know it's not poisoned?"
"Um...well, just pretend I gave it to you." He said hoping that she would trust him to give her the imaginary drink. "Okay, so you have it and you take the first sip...and, um...it's like you're sitting on a couch by the fire...it kinda makes you a lot happier and it gives you energy...it's frothy...um...basically it just warms you up inside and out."
"Warm..." Neco said. "You know, I have to thank you, because without you, I wouldn't know what 'warm' really is."
"What do you mean?" He asked
"Well..." Her face turned a bit more redder than it was. "At the ball...up here...when we..." They looked into each other's eyes for a minute. Then they started talking for hours about everything. Eventually, Harry remembered what he was here for and took the small velvet case.
"I got this for you. Happy Christmas."
She opened it and pulled out the sapphire necklace. She gasped and many emotions passed through her eyes.
"I...it's..." She seemed to be lost for words so she went with hugging Harry tightly and saying "thank you" over and over again. "It's beautiful! And...I feel...I didn't get you anything!"
"No, you did get me something." He said. "You got me someone who I can confide my deepest secrets with, and someone who can give me advice when I need it. Someone who I can talk to all night."
"And a sunrise." Neco added, pointing at the pink and orange sun that decided to rise at that moment. "Harry...do you remember what I told you the other night we talked all night? I think it was when you were in the library.
"You...said 'aishiteru.' And...it means...'love' doesn't it?"
"Yes, it does, Harry. I...I love you."
Harry knew he had to say something. But what about Hermione? Then again, they haven't been doing much of anything lately. And he was suspicious that her and Ron were doing...something. And with Neco he felt at such ease...
"I love you, too."
After saying many more sweet words and making out and such, Neco told him to go to the dorm and go to sleep. Harry, still caught up in love, didn't bother to ask where she was going, which was probably for the better.
Dream
Fourteen people...no, eight people.
"Move!"
The wind behind him...a rock from the building hitting her...they wanted to all stay together but THEY split them up. Them...those creatures...or maybe not. Maybe they, like HER were forced or drawn in like a trap.
A familiar hand grabbing his...looking into her unusually white face - white with terror. Reassuring her. His friends, his reassurance, his salvation from that PLACE, dieing before his eyes. Looking into her shining brown hues...enveloping her...embracing her...dieing in her arms. And than waking up. Finding out it's all okay, that she's okay, that they can do it again. That he's not going to that place anymore. But why?
A figure appears in front of him. It's her. No, not the one he died with. It's...
"I did it because I love you."
End Dream
Harry bolted up. He had dreamt this exact same dream at the beginning of the year, but he had woken up before that other person had said she loved him. Now you, loyal reader, are probably thinking the person he died with was Hermione, but the person who said she loved him was Neco. Well, that's what Harry thought. The dream took place on the moon during the battle 1001 years ago that they had been in last year. The person he died with was indeed Hermione, but the other person was not Neco. Well, sort of not Neco. When Harry thought about that girl, three people came to mind: Neco, Cosmos, and Tonks. Harry assumed it was Neco and the other two were just there to confuse him. That's what dreams do to you. But...well, put simply, Harry was confused and he wanted to go back to sleep, but it was three in the afternoon and he was hungry.
Neco walked down the snowy grounds of Hogwarts. Her mind was fixed on Harry. He loved her! She didn't think he would...and on top of that a pretty necklace. She sat down between some trees and closed her eyes. A familiar feeling passed through her and she heard the trees around her move with wind. She reopened her eyes and saw everything a bit clearer than before. Some first year students (having a sort of snow war) ran past her. She watched as they all decided to pick up snow and attack one specific girl who fell down close to where she sat.
"Are you alright?" She asked.
"Mm-Hmm." The girl said. "Thank you, Professor."
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MUAHAHA! I'm back and I have yet another cliffhanger! And my computer isn't dead! My Matrix game won't work but I finally remembered the plot to this! If you want my computer to stay happy and healthy, please review! There'll be free eggs if you do.