THE OTHER SIDE OF THE VEIL
Mwahaha, I'm so glad people catch on so quickly, but I daresay it was pretty obvious. Thanks to my dear sister for coming up with the name, 'Remellus', ain't she strange?
Hee, and thanks to hecate-19 for making me laugh with the 'concubine' comment that made my day. ^_~ :P
A/N: I will be introducing OCs soon, because it's quite impossible to write this kind of a story without a few OCs and make that a couple of OOC things too ^_~ Am I right? Of course you already know Remellus but he hardly counts, since… well… if you haven't figured it out yet… Well don't get all panicky about it because they're the same OCs I use for all my stories of HP and this is hardly a Mary-Sue in any case. So just enjoy, ok? Thanks loyalties.
So you can be
prepared, the 'important' OCs to look for are:
Star Clubs, Diamond Winters, Aster Straeh, Spade Silver, & Sapphire Dele.
After this chapter I'm sure you'll understand, just what they are...
Thanks again, and enjoy!
Journey Begin!
Hermione tapped Ron on the shoulder and thrust the wizarding paper into his hands.
The Daily Profit read as follows: Malfoy Heir, Draco, son of Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy has been reported missing this morning. There was no trace and no signature magic has been used aiding in locating the boy. It is suspected that he has run away. "I don't know why he would!" Pansy, a school friend told reporters. "His life was perfect, he had no reason to run away! I bet he was kidnapped!"
"Wish that was the case." Ron said, putting the paper down beside him and returning to his breakfast.
"Do your parents know you're here?" Molly Weasley asked Hermione.
"I left them a note." Hermione replied.
"I'm disappointed in you," Molly continued. "Who knows how dangerous it is out there! You could have been in great trouble!"
"I know, I'm sorry, it won't happen again." Hermione answered.
"I should say so." Mrs. Weasley said continuing her work.
Ron and Hermione shared a look. What would she say if she found out about Harry?
~~
"How do you know this is the right way? I'll bet you got us lost already! We're probably years away from that first medallion, why the hell did you give your broom to Granger? We need it more than she does!"
Harry's head was spinning, why wouldn't he just shut up?
"Be quiet Malfoy or we'll never get there."
Harry was looking down at a strange compass the woman had given them before they had left. It was supposed to point them in the direction of the closest medallion and then the second and so on, but it kept changing its mind and spinning around in circles. It was hardly his fault if they got lost.
"I mean," Malfoy continued. "She could have just walked, right? We're the ones who have to travel across a whole world to get some stupid medallions just so we can get into a castle and—"
"Will you just stop talking!? It's too late now so drop it already!"
How was he expected to put up with this for so long? He'd go insane! The boy was the most annoying person he'd ever met!
"Don't tell me what to do," Draco was saying and Harry was trying desperately to block him out.
"Look, it's stopped spinning," Harry commented gazing at the metal contraption in his hand. "It's pointing west."
"So?"
"So we go west."
"How far?"
"I don't know, just stop asking questions. We'll know when we get there."
Draco huffed but followed Harry to the west.
~~
Remus Lupin awoke to yet another dreamless state and was entirely exhausted. How was it possible to sleep in so late and still be so tired? It was after noon now.
He slid to the side of his bed and messaged his temples with his fingertips. This was not good. Not good at all, but he couldn't clear his mind and he couldn't concentrate for long on anything.
He got up and made a cup of coffee, but threw it out when he mistook salt for sugar.
He decided to go back to sleep instead, or at least try and sleep.
It didn't take long for sleep to come with the sleeping potion he had been taking for a while now, since sleep was impossible without it.
This time though was different. Instead of the gray and misty shadows that lurked behind his eyelids, he dreamed... he dreamed of castles and blue grass... and Sirius...
~~
They had been walking for two hours now and there was still no sign of anything up ahead. It was plain all around; the only solace they had in knowing that they were headed in the right direction was the dysfunctional compass in Harry's hand.
He'd passed it to Draco a few times because he was thinking the piece of metal was going to burn a hole through his hand, but every time Draco had it, it started spinning again and Harry had to take it back.
"That things faulty, it's probably leading us to our deaths. Though I can't say I'd care if it was you, but I'm much too handsome and young to die."
Harry rolled his eyes, Draco hadn't let up one bit with his consistent whining and attempts to start an argument, but Harry hadn't given in though. He was on a mission and he'd be damned if he fell to Draco Malfoy's level.
Harry hadn't said one thing to Malfoy since they started walking towards their unknown fate and Draco didn't seem to mind, in fact he appeared to prefer it this way. He could say anything he wanted and Harry wasn't doing anything about it.
It was about another forty-five minutes when Harry noticed the change in the weather, the sky was being filled with dark clouds and the wind was picking up.
"I think it's going to rain." Harry commented looking skyward.
"Well of course it's going to rain, you stupid, anyone could tell that and don't talk to me, I'm through talking to you."
Harry ignored him. Draco had figured out Harry wasn't listening to him a while ago and he had not taken it well. Malfoy was such a child sometimes.
"Whatever, Malfoy." Harry said and just kept walking.
It was another ten minutes when Harry thought he saw rain in the distance, hurtling towards the ground up ahead.
"It's going to hit us." He said. They were now walking through a rich valley with lots of huge boulders and caves.
"Great," Drawled Malfoy sarcastically. "These robes are expensive dammit."
Harry was frowning in concentration at the 'rain' up ahead. It wasn't acting like any rain he'd seen before. Whenever it hit a tree, bark flew.
As the rain grew closer Harry's gut instinct twinged... something wasn't right here...
"Malfoy! Run towards that cave!" Harry yelled out and shoved Draco in the cave's direction as thousands upon thousands of needles descended upon them.
~~
"Do you think we should try and talk to him?" Ron asked, fingering the arrow pendant.
"Not yet," Hermione said. "Not right now, they might be really busy, by the sounds of it, they have a really extreme journey ahead of them."
"I guess," Ron replied. "But what if Malfoy like, murdered him in his sleep?"
"Ron, stop being silly. I'm sure wherever they are, they're fine for right now. They'll contact us if it's really important."
"Ok..."
~~
Remus awoke with a start, he'd dreamt he's been stabbed thousands of times in a rain storm... he shook his head to clear the images from his head and decided to go work on something... he should probably try and keep busy for the time being...
~~
"What the hell kind of rain was that?" Draco asked glaring at the world outside the cave and carefully taking off his shirt. Wincing as needles lodged in his skin came with it.
"I don't know." Harry said, pulling tiny steel needles out of his arm.
"That was totally uncalled for, this world is so stupid." Draco growled, needles puncturing his precious, flawless skin.
"Suck it up," Harry said. "Stop being such a baby, you've done nothing but whine since we left."
"Well what do you suggest I do, Potter? We can't all be fearless leaders like you."
"Well you could shut up for starters." Harry growled back.
Draco didn't reply, instead busied himself in getting the needles out of his legs.
Harry shook his head and needles flew out, he winced and pulled one out from the back of his neck.
It was thirty-two minutes exactly when the 'rain of pain' ended. The white sun came back out and they were clear to continue their journey, but they weren't quite ready yet.
"I don't want to go back out there," Draco said, trying to reach the needles in the middle of his back. "What's next? Hippogriff snow?"
"Like we have a choice." Harry stated. He was watching Draco, amused; the boy was totally missing the right place.
"Here, just let me." Harry said and pulled a particularly long needle from the pale boy's back.
"Ouch!" Draco cried and jumped away from him.
"Don't be a wimp," Harry said. "Just hold still."
And about another half-an-hour, both boys were 'needle-free'.
"Now we'll never talk about this again," Draco said, pulling his shirt back on. "Agreed?"
"Yeah, sure. Can we go now?" Harry asked.
They exited their safe cavern and entered back into the dangerous world.
They continued heading west for a long, long time. It was an hour past sunset when they finally noticed a large tower, penetrating the clouds up ahead.
"I think that's it!" Harry called out, increasing his stride and forcing Draco to do the same.
"If we're in the wrong place, Potter, I'm going to kill you." Was Draco's reply.
The arrived at the gates in no time and the guards at the gates looked over them both.
"Can we help you?" A guard asked.
"We're looking for... uh... a medallion?" Harry supplied.
The guards looked at each other and smirked. "Good luck." The other one said and Harry could have sworn he'd heard doubt in his voice.
The first guard hit the ground with his staff and the gates opened before them.
The city before them was entirely of gold.
"Wow!" Draco exclaimed. "I could live here!"
Harry ignored him, as usual, and walked into the city.
The gates closed behind them, ensuring their stay...
~~
No matter what Lupin did, he just couldn't concentrate for much longer than ten minutes on anything. Books, paper, nothing could keep his attention.
He was forced to think of 'other' things and he wondered if Harry was doing all right, he did lose his godfather after all... and if he was taking it as good as Lupin was...then Harry wasn't doing too good at all.
"Maybe I'll write to him," Lupin said to no one in particular. "But what should I say?"
~~
Harry and Draco had walked up and down the streets of the 'golden city' but no matter where they went, no one was around. It was like the whole city had been abandoned.
"Well this is just swell." Draco had growled, crossing his arms and glaring at Harry.
"It's not my fault!" Harry cried.
"Sure it is, Potter, everything is your fault. They probably heard we were coming and took off."
"Why would they do that? If they took off, it'd be because of you... how can anyone stand you for so long?"
"Me? You're the one who won't 'lower' yourself to have a decent conversation with someone as profound as me!"
"Profound? Ha! And 'decent?' Sure, if your idea of decent conversation is threats and insults!"
Suddenly a loud cheer rose up and both boys twirled around to try and find the source of the sound.
"And the Black team is losing one-forty to one-sixty! If Gold's seeker catches the snitch it's all over!" Someone said, sounding over a microphone of some sort.
"Is that what I think it is?" Harry said. Staring at the large stands in the center of the city, behind the Quidditch Pitch was a large tower.
"A Quidditch Stadium? Why I believe it is." Draco returned and they headed in that direction.
They got there and made their way up into one of the stands, the Black side.
It was indeed a Quidditch game; one side was dressed entirely in black and the other in gold, but not gold enough to blind the offenders.
"Oh! OH!!" The person on the microphone suddenly yelled and Harry was reminded of Lee Jordan, in a whole other world. "Gold's seeker, Lady Star has caught sight of the snitch!"
One of the player's in gold suddenly dived downwards, chasing after a flickering gold object, minute to the naked human eye.
The seeker of the Black team dived down after her.
Harry then noticed that all the players had identical brooms, not the vast variety of booms like Hogwarts' teams.
"AND LADY STAR HAS CAPTURED THE SNITCH!!"
The crowd went wild, even the Black side.
Draco and Harry took that opportunity to get out of the stand before the rush to get out started. They made their way back to the outside of the stadium and realized then that the whole entire town had been at the Quidditch game, thus the appearance of a ghost town.
People started to emerge from the stadium and Harry thought it best to ask one of them about the 'Medallion'
"Excuse me?" He asked, approaching a woman of mid-age with curly red hair and about four kids. "We're looking for a… 'medallion' of some sort—"
The woman took a look hard look at both Harry and Draco.
"Well you'll have to go to the tower for that then, won't you?" She said and then started scolding one of the kids for pulling his sister's hair.
"The tower?" Harry said looking towards the high silver tower that disappeared into the clouds.
"Let's go then." Draco said looking around, "It's getting dark and falling stars might burn us to death or something." He was obviously still mistrusting of the weather of this screwed up world.
They walked past the Quidditch Stadium and to the large double doors of the Tower.
"You're not from here, are you?" A female guard asked them, when they approached the doors. "No, I'd remember if I saw someone like you." She said motioning towards Draco.
Draco was visibly delighted to hear this and he winked at her.
"We're looking for a medallion." Harry said, choosing to ignore the disgusting display.
"Oh… really?" She looked surprised. "And here I thought you were just here to see the Quidditch game and get autographs… well… very well then." She let them pass.
Upon entering the tower they soon came to realize that whoever resided behind these walls must truly hold a high position of power.
The room they were in was huge with at least twenty elevators and huge billboards telling you which floor had what.
Floor Two: Quidditch Supplies, Floor Three: Injury Ward… The list went on and on, up to Floor Two-hundred and twenty-two… surely that wasn't normal… but then in this world, nothing was quite 'normal' by their standards.
"Which floor are we looking for?" Draco asked, scanning over the 40-65 floor names.
"I don't know," Harry replied. "Medallion floor?"
"Funny." Draco said sarcastically.
After a moment Draco spoke again. "Do you think this is like the 'Quidditch part of the world? Half these floors have something to go with it."
"I don't know, seems like it."
After another ten minutes of just scanning the floors a woman in a business suit came out from one of the golden elevators.
"Hello." She said and headed towards the door.
"Wait!" Harry called out and went after her. "Can you tell us which floor we can get a—uh… medallion?"
She looked at him a blinked, "A medallion? You're planning on going to Opal hill are you?"
Harry nodded.
The woman sighed and pointed to the seventh billboard.
"Then I imagine you'll want to see Lady Star Clubs, floor one-thirty nine."
"Thank you." Harry said walking towards one of the elevators and Draco went with him.
"Good luck with that." The woman said and left.
"What did the floor description say?" Harry asked, since Draco had looked at it and he had not.
The elevator was going up.
Draco looked a little paler than usual.
"Draco?" Harry asked.
"Floor of Mortal Peril." Draco said quietly and the moment after that was utter silence.
They knew this journey wouldn't be easy... but this was way off the scale.
"And beside that," Draco said afterwards. "Was 'Floor of Cemetery'."