Dark Days Pass But Are Never Forgotten
By: LogicalRaven
I was afraid if I didn't get something up tonight, you all would assume I had died or stopped writing this story. Not the case. I've had a 20-page research paper, a 45 minute presentation, and finals keeping me busy. Add to that the past duel, work on the site and my computer cord catching of fire… and you'll see why I haven't updated in checks calendar four weeks.I have about 3,000 more words written, but they don't go with this chapter at all, and I realized I wouldn't be able to finish it tonight. Instead, ya'll will have to wait till this coming weekend to see what I have planned. Sorry for such a disappointing chapter for such a long wait… but
"All good things to those to wait." Right?
Harry's eyes slowly opened as morning intruded upon him. It was early, but the Academy and his responsibility were beckoning him. As the day greeted him, so did another sight.
"Morning…" Cho whispered as Harry caught her eyes staring at him.
Harry grinned slightly before he sat up and put on his glasses.
"It's still early," Cho commented.
Harry yawned, "I need to get back. I had to beg Tonks to give me the night off as it was."
Cho sighed; "You know there are other options? You don't have to go back to the Academy if you're unhappy."
"I'm not unhappy," Harry replied as he made a reach for his robe.
"You've been distant lately, even last night…" Cho started.
Harry grimaced.
"You can't keep blaming yourself," Cho finally stammered as she looked desperately at Harry.
Harry shook his head; "I don't blame myself—everybody else does it for me."
"You didn't kill Ron," Cho affirmed, "It's a war, things happened."
"The war is suppose to be over," Harry retorted.
Cho's face drew blank as she suddenly lost her urge to argue, she didn't know what else to say.
"Do you still want to go to your father's?" Harry asked, hoping to pull away from the currently subject.
Cho nodded, "He's really taking the news of our engagement well. He's mellowed out since mum passed."
"It can't be easy for him in that house, alone."
"He's keeping busy with work," Cho said quickly, trying to keep her emotions in check.
Harry glanced at her and took a seat back on the bed near her before seizing her hand; "Listen, things are going to be fine. Once we're married and I'm done with training, life will be normal. I'll kick these gits out of here, make them find a place of their own—you'll see."
"Dean may protest if you kick him out of his love pad," Cho said softly.
Harry let his forehead rest against hers as she smiled slightly.
"Things won't be normal until this new rising is controlled. Dumbledore said…"
Harry silenced her with a brief kiss; "I don't care what Dumbledore says. We know Malfoy's behind it, he's gone into hiding since Dumbledore has been elected. Once we control him, the rebellion will disappear."
"Confident, aren't we Potter?" Cho teased nervously.
"Yes, Mrs. Potter," Harry replied with a smile.
Cho raised her eyebrows; "I'm not Mrs. Potter, yet—though I could get use to the sound of that."
"I almost forgot!" Harry suddenly said as he made a reach for the drawer of his bedside table. "If we're going to your fathers, we better make it look official."
"Make it look official?" Cho questioned.
Harry nodded as he grabbed Cho's hand and slid on the ring Remus had given him.
"Oh, it's beautiful," Cho said looking slightly taken back.
Harry shrugged; "Remus wanted me to use it for our engagement."
Cho bit her lip as she examined it closer; "It that a moon etched in the gold?"
Harry glanced down at Cho's hand; "I think so."
Cho pulled her hand into her chest; "It's perfect."
Draco sat in the dark corridors of his father's realm twirling his wand between his fingers in boredom. Since Dumbledore had taken office he had become a trapped rat. Dumbledore was no Fudge, especially with Potter sitting on his right side and Moody sitting on his left. Fudge was all but powerless. Dumbledore had kept him on the main advisory board and a small supervisory position in the Office of Foreign Relations.
"I'm tired of this," Draco snapped as a few cloaked figures turned their heads towards him.
"If my father asks, tell him I went out."
"Young master, it is not safe," replied one of the figures, graveling low in a signal of respect.
Draco sneered, "Don't concern yourself with my safety. I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself."
"Master, you're wanted for questioning…if you're seen."
"They have nothing on me," Draco snapped, "I've done my time, and I can be connected to nothing that is even remotely tied to our cause. My job was to make connections."
"Jobs change," the other figure, obviously a woman, retorted, "It is advisable to stay low and out of sight. Our enemies would find you a valued target."
"I didn't trade in Azkaban for a different prison. If you have a problem with that," Draco hissed bitterly.
"I have not problem, my lord."
Within moments Draco had apparated in Knockturn Alley. The fresh air touched his lungs and a rarely seen smile touched his face. He had no plans of being kept in the dark lair his father had adopted as home.
Draco entered into the first shop he saw, glad to finally having some scenery of change. His excursions lately had been under the cover on night, and in small company. His meeting with Noel O'Riley twirled through his mind, but he didn't dwell on it. She was merely a toy, something that was currently entertaining him.
"Malfoy."
Draco cringed slightly before turning to see who had identified him.
"You aren't supposed to be out."
Draco rolled his eyes as Gregory Goyle approached him, looking as confused as ever.
"I realize that you moron, thanks for pointing out to everybody who I am," Draco scowled.
Goyle's eyes came together in confusion, causing Malfoy to roll his eyes.
"Nevermind."
"Did O'Riley show last night, I delivered your message," Goyle said lightly.
Draco narrowed his eyebrows, "Idiot…"
Goyle glanced around, "Nobody here is dangerous, it's safe to speak freely."
"No place is safe, the enemies has ears everywhere," Draco spat acidly.
Goyle nodded stupidly; "How did you know that girl would be at that pub last night?"
"Because Potter was there," Draco said bitterly under his breath.
"You're too good for her, Draco. Don't waste your time on a blood traitor," Goyle said bravely as he shook his head in concentration.
Draco cut his eyes; "Don't call her a blood traitor."
Goyle looked taken back for a second; "I didn't mean to offend you, my lord."
Draco sighed, "Goyle, don't be a git."
"So, why are you out during the day, and in Knockturn Alley. Didn't the Dark Lord order you be kept under strict restrictions by keeping your head low? Isn't think place a bit too open?"
Draco shrugged, "Do I look the type to follow orders?"
"What if Moody catches you, he has been granted permission by Dumbledore to bring you in for questioning. Dumbledore knows your father isn't dead," Goyle warned.
"He doesn't know… he can't know," Draco murmured.
Goyle looked around; "I hear things, Dumbledore isn't as gullible as Fudge."
"Dumbledore's days will be short lived, as will the ministry's," Draco said softly, "You know what our cause possess."
"Do I ?" Goyle asked, "Half of use loyal aren't positive it exists, we've only seen it once."
Draco narrowed his eyes; "Then you aren't truly loyal."
The Torto Death Journal was not a hoax, even if Luna Lovegood was the only one
who realized it. She had believed in fair stranger things in her lifetime,
although some were just a front to fool her enemies. Still the old tattered
journal that lied in her hands was real. The evidence was overwhelming for
those who were not too foolish to see. The tides were turning, and as Professor
Trelawney would have said, "Terrible tragedies were ahead, death."
What her master, Lucius Malfoy, didn't realize was that Draco was unstable and a danger to the cause. He would betray them if it benefited him to do so.
Luna had seen him falter, and knew of the stupidity men would fall to for a
romantic prize. Not that Luna knew anything of romance. Once someone had caught
her eye, but their were not be fated together. She was destined to follow the
dark lord and his destiny was to die.
Slowly she moved her wand across the ancient spine, causing the book to shudder
and fall open.
"I seek to speak to Sirius Black," Luna said firmly as the pages of the journal
filled with black ink.
We do not take orders. we are one, and answer as so.
"My questions are directed towards one who is not part of your collective,"
Luna continued.
Collected? We are one, and forever so will be.
Luna drew a deep breath; "The one I seek is not part of one, but a singular
soul. My questions can only be for him."
We are one.no more.
Luna slammed the book shut with a frustrated sigh. How could this be? Why
couldn't she simply communicate with those on the other side? She carefully
flipped through a few pages of the notes her mother had left behind, but it was a
problem her mother has also encountered, and never overcame.
Still she had something. She knew that Sirius Black had fallen through,
and she knew that most who feel through lived out the rest of their
meant life in the void. She also knew that Harry Potter's one weakness
was watching those he loved suffer. This was her leverage.
"POTTER!" Noel shrieked.
Harry's eye grew wide as Noel tried to fling off the mess of a potion that had just exploded all over her.
"Can't you remember anything?" Noel hissed, "you aren't suppose to add the diluted borehorn until after it simmers for thirty minutes… you didn't even let it simmer two!"
"Harry has never been very good at making potions," Susan supplied as she carefully set her borehorn aside.
Noel narrowed her eyes, "How do you propose we pass our assessment if you can't get a simple cloaking potion correct?"
"It was an accident," Harry said slowly as Noel wiped her face on the back of her robe.
"Honestly, they could have left us with our wands."
Susan smirked; "Well, it is a potions assessment."
Michael held up a vial; "We have some Bundimun Secretion if you want to make a cleaning solution."
"Lovely, I can just use it directly and melt off my skin," Noel snarled.
Susan nodded softly; "Quarreling isn't going to get us anywhere. Lets just move on to the next brew. We're suppose to make the Draught of the Living Dead. Harry, pass me the wormwood, would you?"
"Remember it only take a pinch," Noel added shaking her head in disgust, "I'll redo this mess."
It seemed like hours before the entire potion list was complete and the assessment was over. Twenty-five potions, and all but two of them looked idea. The four trainees would know if a few hours time if they would be granted the honor of Rank V.
Until that time, the trainees were instructed to remain in their dormitories to practice charms and defense spells. As they entered into the dormitory Michael walked over to his bed and collapsed.
"Come on Michael, we're suppose to be practicing," Susan urged turning to go into the practice rooms.
"Bones, give it a rest… we've been working all day," Michael whined.
Susan sighed; "But we were given a direct order."
"Michael's right, it isn't going to hurt to rest a minute or two," Harry argued as he collapsed into his own bed.
Noel simply took a seat on the couch and tried to clean herself with a towel.
"Catch," Harry said quickly as he reached across his bed and grabbed Noel's wand off her bedside table.
Noel made a motion to catch her wand before using a simply spell to clean the mess up; "Thanks, Potter."
Susan frowned, "I'm going to practice. I'm already concerned that we didn't do well enough to pass our Rank V."
Michael sighed as Susan disappeared into the practice corridor before rising from his bed; "Hey, Susan, wait up!"
Harry didn't budge. Susan's guilt trips may have worked on Michael, but he for one felt no remorse for taking a bit of a break. Noel made a bit of a noise of annoyance before stretching her legs out a bit.
"Aren't you going to wash that mess off?" Harry asked, it was almost as if he enjoyed drawing her into argument occasionally.
Noel rolled her eyes; "After fixing from your foul-ups I think I deserve a bit of a break."
"Yea, thanks for that," Harry supplied with a yawn.
"Don't mention it," Noel said sharply as she shuffled to get a bit more comfortable.
Harry closed his eyes when suddenly a question that he had long avoided surfaced.
"I wouldn't drink anything she offers you."
"Hey, O'Riley," Harry said suddenly as his eyes popped open.
Noel sighed loudly, "What is it now, Potter?"
"You're might handy with potions," Harry started slowly wishing he had a better view of her expression.
Noel's lips twinged; "Suppose I am."
"Why did you do it?" Harry asked bluntly, he learned it was much more effective when dealing with Noel O'Riley.
"I haven't the slightly clue what you're talking about," Noel said instantly as she suddenly stood up.
Harry propped himself up on his elbows and bit his lip, deciding whether to push the topic further. "Well, Cho sincerely hates you. Lucky we weren't together at the time."
Noel suddenly drew in a dark breath, "So you think I slipped you a potion out of desperation?"
"No, I wouldn't be asking if knew why you did it," Harry said slowly.
"I've already explained it to December…she is the one who told you, isn't she? I thought I could create something to help in interrogations, I got carried away. It had nothing to do with you. It wasn't anything personal," Noel said flatly as she reached the opposite side of the room.
"I never said it was," Harry replied as Noel disappeared into the wash rooms.
Soon, but no promises…