You know what? Originally, I was going to try and wrap everything up in this chapter. Then I realized that would be sloppy and anti-climatic, so I worked with ideas that I got from your reviews and extended it a bit. Enjoy.

By the way, three things. One, I finished The Half Blood Prince the day after I got it, and I have to admit it was much darker than I expected, but still a good book. Two, if you like Harry Potter, you should really read the Artemis Fowl series. It's my absolute favorite fantasy series. And two, it's currently August 5th. Not only does this mean I've been on for two whole years, but it also means that the fourth Digimon Movie broadcasts for the first time tomorrow and Sunday! Yippee!

Disclaimer: I don't own Digimon or Harry Potter. So sue me. No wait…don't.

Chapter 38: Never That Easy

"All right!"

BurningGreymon's excited whoop echoed around the small group as they kept moving. It'd been several long hours since their escape from the Malfoy mansion, and they were still on a nice, direct course back to Hogwarts. Though they were all tired, the Digimon Spirits were so happy to be running that the humans using them couldn't care less how worn out they were.

The 'passengers' had sort've shuffled and redealt themselves amongst the Digimon as they moved. Harry was now being carried by BurningGreymon, talking softly with Takuya and Tomoki while Junpei slept. Hermione and Ron were now with KendoGururumon, while Zyphermon carried Kouichi. The Warrior of Light was a little annoyed with this situation…naturally enough, he'd wanted to make sure his brother was okay…but Kouichi was several levels beyond worn out, and falling asleep while riding something is a good way to drop off, in more ways than one.

Tomoki muffled a small yawn, rubbing one eye sleepily. "How far are we from school, anyway?"

"Not far." Hermione called up. She was watching the stars carefully as they went. "I'd give it another ten minutes until we reach the grounds. Maybe less."

Ron looked around somewhat nervously. "Er…does that mean we are where I think we are?"

"Oh, lighten up, Ron." Harry craned his neck over the edge of BurningGreymon's arm. "It's not like we haven't been in the Forbidden Forest before."

The red head turned to give his friend a cold, almost sick look. Harry just grinned at him, but the truth was he had a sinking feeling in his stomach as well. This wasn't right. They'd done what they needed to do, they'd gotten Kimura back, everyone was safe and sound, and most importantly, no one was dead. So why on Earth did he have this disgustingly sick feeling in the very pit of his stomach, like he was going to be sick…?

KendoGururumon shook his head slightly with a soft little growl, turning his head up to look at the flying purple Digimon above him. "…How is he?"

Zyphermon smiled, looking down at the dark-haired figure in her arms. "He's still out cold. Poor Kouichi-kun, he's completely exhausted."

The boy shifted slightly, burying his eyes in Zyphermon's arm, mumbling in his sleep. The wind warrior had to smile again, even more gently. It's true of most people, especially teenagers, that they look utterly angelic in their sleep, and the Warrior of Darkness was no different. The mother in Izumi was tickled pink at the 'kawaii-ness' of it all.

The silence of the forest was suddenly broken by an unusual sound. A series of fast, high-pitched, metallic beeps floated over them at a rapid pace, barely pausing half a second between one squeak and the next. In truth, it sounded like a cricket's chirp, synthesized by a computer and sped up quadruple time.

Junpei jerked from his stupor, blinking around half-heartedly. "Wha…Whazzat sound?"

"Beats me." Takuya turned his dragon-like head back and forth, the Digimon's extrasensory hearing driving him crazy. "May this place has some huge crickets."

"It sounds…metallic." Tomoki mentioned softly, cupping a hand around his ear.

Zyphermon's ears twitched, trying to figure out where the sound came from, but she was distracted by a sudden movement from the boy in her arms. Kouichi groaned audibly, shifted painfully, and gasped for breath heavily, as though a great weight was being pressed on his chest.

A wave of worry slid over Zyphermon's face. "Kouichi-kun?" She asked softly, her voice hidden by the beeping.

The boy groaned, shifting in a way that made it hard for her to keep a hold on him. He was gripping something between his hands…his D-Tector she saw after a moment, and it was acting strange. The screen was glowing bright white and flickering with each of the beeps.

Wait a minute…That's where the noise was coming from!

"Guys, something's wrong!" She called, putting on the brakes and hovering in mid-air.

KendoGururumon's head snapped up first. "What is it?"

"I'm not sure…" Izumi shook the boy in her arms gently, trying to wake him up. "But he's not doing so good. I think something might be…"

Kouichi's eyes sudden shot open and he sat up suddenly with a slight cry. Zyphermon flared her wings and looked about to respond, but suddenly a the beeping increased to an ear-splitting level and a huge burst of light shot from the machine and swallowed the Digimon with a frantic scream.

"Kouichi!" KendoGururumon growled, eyes widening as the human and Digimon fell separately from the light like rag dolls.

"Izumi!" BurningGreymon exclaimed, tossing Harry and Tomoki unceremoniously into the other arm and lunging.

There was a long moment of apprehension, followed by two loud thumps and a groan of pain as Zyphermon landed on BurningGreymon's arm as the huge fire-type Digimon caught Kouichi in the same huge claw.

"Nice catch!" Ron called up, pumping his fists.

Harry sat up from where he'd been thrown, helping Tomoki turn right side up as he looked over at Zyphermon, who was sitting herself up. "What happened?"

"I don't really know…" She groaned, rubbing her head, then something above them caught her eye. "Look!"

Heads snapped up in the direction the female Digimon was pointing. The flash of light had practically solidified, turning into a cocoon of bright blue 'data', hovering in the hair. It grew larger and larger for a moment, until it was big enough to hold a hippogriff, when it suddenly burst open with another huge flash.

The group found themselves staring, dumbfounded. The creature that had emerged from the cocoon was easily the ugliest thing they'd ever seen.

It had the emerald-green body of a giant, obviously venomous snake, at least fifty feet long and twenty in diameter, with the scaly black wings of a Hungarian Horntail on its back. Its face looked vaguely like a snake, but was ringed with a thick, dark brown mane and the beak of a giant raven. Under the mane were two furry, black, clawed hands that belonged on a raccoon or badger.

"What…What is that thing?" Ron whispered in shock.

"A Digimon?" Tomoki asked out loud.

"I've never seen a Digimon like that." BurningGreymon growled low in his throat. "It doesn't…doesn't feel right."

"Konton…" Several pairs of eyes snapped down to the struggling boy, just barely conscious in the huge Digimon's claw. Kouichi gasped for breath, face flushed and sweating as though he had a terrible fever. "Motarasu…Konton…How? I didn't…didn't tell him anything…"

It hit Harry quiet suddenly, and he cursed himself for not remembering sooner. "You didn't have to…"

"What was that?" KendoGururumon growled, glancing at the boy but keeping one eye on the creature in front of them.

"Voldemort's a Legilimens." Hermione whispered, looking terrified. "He can… 'read' thoughts. Even if you don't tell him anything, he could still find out about…"

"Oh no." Junpei groaned, looking up at the creature. "Don't tell me he made that thing!"

The Digimon above them made a loud, resounding noise that sounded like a cross between a shriek, a roar and hiss. The huge creature flapped its gargantuan wings, lifting high into the air, over the trees, and…

Turned away from them, heading pointedly in the other direction.

The group of battle-tense humans and Digimon were taken aback slightly, but seconds later it clicked.

"The school!" Hermione shrieked. "It's heading for Hogwarts!"

"Then what're we waiting for?" KendoGururumon growled, anger routed deep in the depths of his tone. "Hold on tight."

He lowered the wheels that rested on the edge of his paws, revving them up against the hard ground. Hermione and Ron quickly did as he'd asked, the latter gripping the edge of his breastplate, the former wrapping her arms around the latter's waist, making the latter turn a remarkable shade of scarlet.

"Izumi?" Junpei asked worriedly.

The purple Digimon sat up, shaking herself off as best she could. "I'm fine." she sighed, standing to balance momentarily on BurningGreymon's wing. "You two better Digivolve, and fast! We gotta go!"

With a great flurry of her silver hawk wings, she'd taken to the sky again, following the disgusting creature's path through the sky. KendoGururumon lunged forward, the wheels on his paws increasing his speed to zoom straight through the trees at breakneck speeds, his two 'passengers' hanging on for dear life.

There were two flashes of light and another rush of wind. Moments later, BurningGreymon came crashing through the trees, knocking several of them down, with Kumamon and MetalKabutarimon sliding/flying on either side.

Harry gripped the edge of the creature's arm with one hand, reaching for his wand with the other. He glanced over at Kimura, who was slumped over, his head lying on his arms, still suffering from the 'fever' he'd obtained during the appearance of the Digimon.

Harry felt a furious rage rise up in his chest, a kind of determined hatred. Thinking back, he could see the look on Voldemort's face when Kouichi had Digivolved to 'cover' him during the battle. A cold, knowing, venomous look…

He'd planned this. He'd done something, somehow, to Kouichi D-Tector, something that made…this happen. To get Hogwarts? To attack Dumbledore, on his home turf? Either way, it made Harry furious in a way he'd never known.

Takuya had called the Digital World his second home. Now Harry was going to protect his first.

TBC…

Hoe-ee…(cornered by a lot of angry-looking people) I'm sorry! The battle scene is taking forever, I just thought you might like to know what's going on! I'll it finished before I start school next week, I promise! Aaaah!