Chapter 20

Animal Attraction Charm

"Stupid cow," muttered Harry, his eyes wet with angry tears, which he furiously wiped away. "Well I'm going to tell some teachers, then I'm going in there."

"Harry, I really don't – ok, you can if you want to," she said quickly, noticing the infuriated look on his face.

He started running towards the castle, followed by Neville, Ron and Ginny.

"You two stay there!" he yelled back to Roxanne and Mark.

"I haven't been here long but I definitely know that wasn't like Hermione," said Mark.

"Same," mumbled Roxanne. "She didn't really have to have a go at him like that."

"I think Harry's in a bit of a stress. He's been like that since I met him."

"Well can you blame him? What do you think you'd be like if you knew you might be killed and you see visions of your parents getting murdered!" exclaimed Roxanne.

"I know but he doesn't have to take it out on his friends…" said Mark, blushing slightly.

"He needs a break. I can't wait 'till this is all over!"

"Until what is?"

"This whole fiasco! Voldemort and deaths and fear! Its destroying Harry from the inside! Do you know what I mean? All the pain is eating away at his…at his…"
"Sanity?" suggested Mark.

Roxanne glowered at him. "I was going to say his feelings." She sighed deeply. "But you're right. He just seems different. And I know this sounds stupid but it seemed like I've known him all my life and now –"

"How could you feel like you've know him all your life?"

Roxanne blushed slightly. "I bought every single article, book and magazine with him in. Not because I was obsessed with him but just because I looked up to him. I thought he was amazing, all the things he did. I even sent him an owl in fifth year about the article where he told the truth about Lord Voldemort." Mark flinched slightly. "But I used a different name."

"Have you ever told him this?" he asked.

"No…it is kinda embarrassing."

Mark laughed but quietened down quickly. "I never had the slightest idea we could be related."

"It's a shame you didn't come to Hogwarts a couple of years earlier. He really needed a family to live with since he was one year old. He has got a house to stay in but it reminds him of Sirius too much."

"Man…he's been through a lot, ain't he? Most people would have just – never mind…"

"What?"

"Well I don't know this for sure but after all he's been through most people would have just ended their lives sharpish. Not that he will!" he added quickly.

But Roxanne was worried. She suddenly remembered something. She grabbed her necklace and spoke the words "Always Together" to it.

"Harry! Are you there?" she said to it.

"Huh? Oh!" said his voice, which sounded distant.

"Where are you?"

"Nobody flipping believes us!"

"Go to Professor Scota!" said Roxanne.

"Oh yeah! Bye."

"Bye…" she muttered. She turned back to Mark. "He sounds pretty stressed."

Mark sat on Hagrid's step. "I've got a really bad feeling about this."

"Me too," she said, sitting next to him.

"Not that I don't think Harry can handle it. But I don't think we could. They've been through stuff like this before. We haven't," he said, picking at the grass.

"They need Hermione," mumbled Roxanne.

"Yeah but she'll never come."

"I could try and persuade her?"

"I doubt that would work. Wait 'till Harry comes back."

They sat in silence for another five minutes then they saw five dark silhouette come running towards them. It was Harry, Ginny, Neville, Ron and Professor Scota.

"I've sent an owl to Professor Dumbledore so hopefully he should be here soon. Until then we should stay right here –"

"No way!" Harry interrupted Professor Scota. "We have to check it out!"

"I am not letting you go in there, Harry, when there's manticores and god knows what else running about," said the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, folding her arms forebodingly.

"You can't stop me –"

"But we can," said Roxanne. "Now I'm going to talk to Hermione, if we have to do something we need her on our side."

"What? I don't want her with us!" exclaimed Harry.

"Stop being so stubborn! I'm going to talk to her and if I can get her to come down here you're going to apologise or else!" she said. "Ron can you come with me please? Professor please don't let him out of your site!"

"No problem Miss Winters. Harry, tell me everything you saw," she said warmly. She made to put a calming hand on his shoulder but decided against it.

Roxanne and Ron found Hermione in the library surrounded by books.

"Hey Hermione," said Ron, walking over slowly.

"I was waiting to see how long it would take you to come running to me," she muttered, staring at the book, which was called Powerful Modern Charms. It had the skull mark on the side which told them that it was from the Restricted Section.

"Hermione, we really need you," said Roxanne, sitting opposite her. A book lay opposite her open. The page heading was Controlling Animals.

"I'm aware of that," she muttered. "What else would you do without me?"

"Why are you reading these books?" asked Ron, looking at a green one called Controlling Charms & Domineering Spells.

"Well if you must know, I'm helping you by finding out what is happening. But that's all I'm doing," she said, turning the page. "And I'm not doing this for Potter either. Its for you lot, my real friends."

"Harry is your friend! This is just a little argument, you'll get other it!"

"Oh no I won't. I don't want to talk to that idiot ever again," she replied, slamming a book and picking up another, her eyes speeding across the writing.

Roxanne cast Ron a worried look. He grimaced.

"So what are you looking at here then?"

"Animal Attraction spells or charms," she said, as if it was obvious.

"Why?"

"Honestly, Ron. Because it seems all the animals have disappeared, including the owls and Crookshanks," she added, her voice wobbling dangerously.

"Ebony and Ivory!" gasped Roxanne, putting her hand over her mouth. She looked about as if to see them but of course couldn't.

"But that doesn't explain Hagrid and Snape," Ron pointed out.

"Well Hagrid is a giant, and they are not classed as humans. And Snape…well I don't understand that much."

"Maybe he went in there to check it out?" suggested Roxanne.

"I doubt it, he's not stupid."

"I beg to disagree," said Ron.

"Look Ron, just because you hate someone does not make them stupid or ugly or heartless, right?" she snapped, slamming the book shut.

"Ok…sorry."

"Because you do tend to do that a lot! Victor is not all as bad as you think he is! He's very nice and I am not going out with him, so don't get any ideas," she muttered, grabbing another book.

"I know, 'coz your going out with Neville."

"No I'm not."

"Why not?"

"He dumped me," she said abruptly, opening another book.

"He dumped you? Why?" gasped Ron. Roxanne rolled her eyes. Voldemort could be in the Forbidden Forest and Ron was talking about dating.

"He…he said I was too bossy," Hermione said quietly, blushing. "Apparently I intimidated him."

Roxanne couldn't help but let out a snort of laughter.

"Sorry!" she said immediately.

"Its alright, I didn't like him in that way anyway. We're just friends."

Ron opened his mouth to question further but Roxanne interrupted.

"Shall we help you to look for this Animal Attraction thingamabob?"

"No…I think I've found it," she said, looking closer at the open page. "Animal Attraction Spell. It attracts animals of all kinds excluding humans to the place the charm is taking place. That's what's being used. It must be a very powerful one, usually people just use this to find their pets, and only a certain species."

"Ok, well we'll take the book down to Professor Scota then and see what she thinks," said Roxanne, putting a piece of paper in the page to mark it. It seemed odd that Voldemort would want to gather a bunch of creatures into the forest. She was starting to doubt he was behind this. How would he get into the school grounds?

Hermione picked it up and all three of them ran back to Hagrid's cabin.

"Here they are," said Mark, waving at them.

"We…found…something," gasped Hermione, giving Professor Scota the book. She had her back to Harry, whom was looking at anything else but Hermione.

She opened it to the marked page and read it quickly, her eyes constantly moving over the page just as Hermione's had. A look of dawning comprehension crossed her face.

"Ah yes, that would probably be it. In that case we are definitely not going in. Albus will be here any minute now."

"But Professor –" started Harry.

"No Harry! I would be a murderer if I let you go in there!" she snapped, her usual placid self disappearing.

"But I can take care of myself!" he replied angrily.

"I know you can. Listen Harry, I know you've dealt with a lot over the past five years but imagine all that bundled up in one day! You wouldn't be able to handle it. No one would," she said in a calming tone.

Harry didn't reply but stomped over to the cabin and sat on the footstep, glowering at the ground. Roxanne nudged Hermione.

"Go," she hissed.

Hermione grumbled something and walked over. She sat next to Harry and they were silent for a while. The awkward atmosphere could have been cut with a knife.

"You were right," said Harry, breaking the uncomfortable hush.

"About what?"

"If you weren't friends with me you wouldn't have to deal with all this."

"Maybe so, but if I weren't friends with you I would have no friends. And anyway, all this is character building!" she said, smiling.

Harry smiled back at her and Hermione hugged him tightly.

"I would follow you anywhere, Harry," she whispered, her eyes watering. Harry blinked back tears himself.

"A man can't handle this much emotions in one day," muttered Ron, wiping his eyes frantically.

Roxanne grinned and ran over to them and hugged them as well, soon followed by Ginny, Ron, Neville and Mark.

Professor Scota watched on at the seven best friends until a voice broke the silence.

"You called, Cordelia?" sa

"Yes, we have a situation," she said, turning around and facing Dumbledore.

"Indeed. A serious one."

"It seems to be an Animal Attraction Spell," she said, indicating to the book she was holding.

"I thought so," spoke the headmaster, looking at the book over his half-moon glasses.

"I can't think he would be doing this, so many creatures cannot be that easily controlled. And there is no way he could have got into the forest."

"No there isn't –"

"What are we going to do, Professor?" asked Harry, joining them.

"You're not going to do anything. Miss Scota and I are going to contact the Ministry of Magic and they will send a group of Aurors –"

"But we have to help!" interrupted Harry.

"No you don't. Now please go back to your Dorms. I know you wish to aid us, Harry, but we cannot put your life in danger," said Dumbledore firmly.

Harry seemed to have given up trying to argue with the teachers.

"Fine," he mumbled. He grabbed Roxanne and the group walked back to the castle.

On the way back Harry turned his head and watched the two professors rush up to the teacher's lounge. When they were out of sight Harry stopped walking.

"What are you – oh no! No way, Harry!" exclaimed Roxanne, as she saw Harry stare fixedly at the forest, his mind working on over time.

"I have to. Hagrid is in there," he said, turning around and heading for the Forbidden Forest.

Hermione grabbed his arm and Ron grabbed the other.

"We're not going to let you!" said Hermione, pulling him towards the castle.

Harry seemed pretty strong and determined and it took Ginny and Roxanne to push his chest to get him into the castle doors.

Inside he shrugged everyone off and he marched up to the Gryffindor Tower, breaking into a run the second he was round the corner.

"Keep an eye on him. He'll try and escape," said Roxanne. She headed towards the Slytherin common room. The last thing she was going to do was go to sleep, but she knew as well as everyone else how dangerous it would be to go into the Forest.

By the time Ron got into his dorm Harry was gone. His window was wide open and his Invisibility Cloak and his Firebolt were missing. Ron swore loudly and ran off to tell Hermione.

Roxanne entered the Slytherin Common room and almost cried out in anger as she saw the person waiting for her. Draco Malfoy.

"Oh what a surprise," she muttered, carrying on to the girls dorm.

"Have you noticed all the animals escaping? All the owls have gone," he said, standing up from his chair.

"Nope," she said, lying.

"Roxanne…don't go," he said in a whiny tone.

She almost laughed but stopped herself. "Why not?"

"Because I've just seen Harry's legs fly towards the Forbidden Forest on a broom," he said, pointing at the window. He had an evil edge to his voice.

"You're lying," said Roxanne, running back down the stairs to look out the window.

"I'm not," he sniffed, sitting back down calmly.

Roxanne cursed to herself and ran to find Ron and Hermione, her eyes wet with frustrated tears.

"Wait, Roxanne!" yelled Malfoy.

She ignored him and ran outside near the lake.

"Roxanne! He's gone! He's taken his broom and his Invisibility Cloak!" cried Hermione, sobbing onto Roxanne's shoulder.

"Well that solves it, I'm going in," said Roxanne. "Please don't come as well. I don't want to endanger all your lives."

"Don't be stupid. If you go we all go," said Ron, looking around, they all nodded, rather reluctantly. Roxanne cast him an exasperated look but they all seem so resolute.

"We're coming too!" called a few people from behind them. They looked around to see Luna, Ginny and Neville.

"I suppose more people in the DA would help…" said Hermione, angst on her face.

"Accio Aurora Beam!" cried Roxanne. Seconds later she caught her broom. People who had brooms called theirs. Luna and Neville didn't have one so Roxanne lengthened hers and they sat on it. Roxanne could have sworn Malfoy was behind her but he wasn't when she looked back.

It took them a while to get to the Forest after dodging the patrolling Aurors. It was also quite difficult to navigate through the overgrowth, especially for Roxanne who had two passengers.

"Should we leave them here or send them back to the castle?" asked Mark.

"We could follow the path back to them if we left them here, they might be handy if someone was…was chasing us or something," said Roxanne, dismounting her broom. So they left the brooms near the path, hidden by the bushes. Roxanne gave her beloved Aurora Beam one last look then carried on, wondering what Harry did with his broom.

It was now pitch black in the forest, but little glows came from their wands.

"Hey, there's someone behind us," hissed Hermione, pointing to a light floating quite a bit back from them.

"It's a wand light, what shall we do?" asked Ron.

"Wait for them to come to us, be ready," muttered Hermione.

The person must have spotted all the other lights because it stopped.

"Nox," the person whispered. The light went out and the group could hear footsteps running away from them.

"Well that was scary," whispered Ginny.

"See? That's what I mean! That could have been a Deatheater!" hissed Harry.

Everyone gasped and turned back to see Harry standing there, wand ablaze.

"What the hell is wrong with you?" hissed Roxanne, pushing his shoulder viciously. "Why do you always have this need to disobey everyone?"

Harry looked hurt and when he tried to put his hand on her arm she shrugged it off.

"It was most probably a student following us," interrupted Hermione, back on the subject of their stalker. "And I doubt a Deatheater could get into Hogwarts."

"Could have been Malfoy," suggested Roxanne.

"Well screw that freak, let's carry on," said Ron, picking a twig out of his hair.

And carry on they did.

The forest was totally silent. No owls hooting, no spiders scuttling or rats squeaking. It was worse than eerie noises. The shadows moved with every step making the forest look like it was alive and ready to pounce. It wasn't too long before they started seeing animals all heading for the same direction. Squirrels, spiders, badgers, bats, doxys, bowtruckels and other various forest-dwelling creatures. They must have been walking for over an hour and they were exhausted. Then they began to hear the chanting. At first it was just a dull murmur that could have been anything but a few minutes later they could tell it was a long spell repeated over and over again.

"Oh I don't think we should go any further!" cried Hermione, shaking from head to foot. And what made it even worse, they spotted that familiar light heading in the direction they were going, but this time it ran past.

"You don't have to, but I am," muttered Harry, quickening his pace.

"You know I wouldn't leave you, Harry," whispered Hermione, straining her voice so it sounded brave and unafraid, though her voice quavered.

Then came the clearing. Over fifty trees had been cut down so hundreds of creatures could stand there staring up at –

"Wormtail!" hissed Ron, as if they needed to be told. There was Peter Pettigrew, standing over an electric blue fire, chanting in a deep voice that didn't sound like his own squeaky one. His eyes were open but only the whites were visible. Behind him in the shadows was three more Deatheaters, in the same trance.