A/N: Yes, it has been a very long time since I updated. Please forgive me!(whimpers in fear before going on hands and knees and begging for forgiveness.) I've been extremely busy, and I've written this chapter three times now before actually thinking it's semi good enough to post( a severe case of writers block didn't help). I originally said that Professor Blaze would be two chapters, but I've changed it to three. The next part will be out soon and is the prank and detention. I don't think this chapter turned out the way I wanted it too, but it has been so long. This chapter doesn't really have Professor Blaze in it, but this chapter is his first class and gives information on a few things that will be quite major in the sequel. I hope you enjoy and please read and review. Also I'm pretty sure I can't do reviewer responses anymore, don't want the story being pulled, I will however try to answer questions I can at the author's note in the beginning. I'll stop now and let you read, enjoy.
Disclaimer: Look to previous entries to find disclaimer.
Harry Potter and the Core of Evil
Chapter 12: Professor Blaze part two
Harry watched as one-by-one his students and former friends and enemies walked through the doors he had set up. Unfortunately for most of his students, they were not together by house, whichever door they were closest too was the door they had to enter. Goyle unfortunately had gotten stuck with three Gryffindor girls and Seamus, which thankfully for him didn't include Lavender, and looked like he was quietly sulking. In a ironic and cruel twist of fate Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, and Blaise Zabini had been the ones closest to the fire door, and were now paired together. They all seemed to tremendously hate their teammates, he didn't know who would crack and attack first, he hoped they would be able to not kill each other long enough to do the assignment he had given them. As he glanced around he saw Pansy Parkinson, Dean Thomas, two Slytherin girls Harry didn't know the names of, and Lavender Brown together by the door with the lightning bolt. Which ended up leaving Neville Longbottom, Vincent Crabbe, Millicent Bulstrode, Theodore Nott, and a Slytherin girl who Harry was almost positive the name was Daphne Greengrass. Harry felt extremely sorry for Neville, who was looking for all the world terrified out of his mind, and although they had the most numbers, they would probably knock Neville out to stop him from, messing anything up.
"One last thing before the doors close in behind you. Some of the 'rewards' that you may find, may help you try to stop me, and if not, you get to at least keep whatever it is you find, and beware my traps. I shall not hunt you, you must find me first, once you find where I am, you can either challenge that copy of myself right then and there, or you can retreat to try to find more items or regroup, let it be known if one of my copies sense your presence, the hunt will begin. Also a word of advice, I may not fight you right away, nor one of my copies, but I have many allies and they won't hesitate to do what I ask of them. So be careful, work together, and good luck."
All of them looked nervous and then they each walked in as their doors opened, Harry watched them go, and began to concentrate, he had to do some hunting, and unknown to them he was employing more than any other teacher, for although the room was fake, anything that happened in it was real, especially the creatures he put in to stop them, fortunately he made it so none of them could be hurt for real, one major perk about his room. Harry took a small piece of wood out of his pocket and transfigured it into a chair. He set it down on the ground, sat down closed his eyes and right before dozing off he heard the faint shutting and locking sound from the four doors.
(RHDB)
The four students Ron, Hermione, Draco, and Blaise stepped through the door and were surprised to find out they were dropping straight down, they all let out a scream and while still falling heard the distinct sound of shutting locking doors. The four fell for quite some time and as they looked downward they could see the distinct form of the outline of a hole entrance, for the whole trip down it was extremely dark, but as they exited the hole they saw flaring red lights, could smell the distinct smell of decaying, ashy, and melted shoes. All of them, not that they knew it, but all of them were trying to figure out a way to stop their still descending descent, when suddenly they stopped and were being pulled softly down to the ground, by an enormous hand made of rock and sand. The four took a moment to catch their breathe before Draco interrupted the silence.
"Who the hell does he think he is? I could have died! If father weren't in prison he would be hearing about this!" Draco said angrily.
"Oh go to your daddy, like always." Ron said annoyed.
"Shut up! Weasel. Your parents wouldn't even be able to try doing anything."
"Oh, yeah, well at least I'm not a death eater's son, I'd rather be poor than have to associate myself with that kind of company. Oh by the way, how's your dear old dad doing anyway, like prison?" Ron said venomously, and a fight would have definitely erupted if it weren't for the fact Hermione intervened.
"Oh honestly. The two of you act like little kids, act your age, you remember what Professor Blaze said?" Both Draco and Ron looked at her blankly. "He said the only way we would get out is if we defeat him or-"
"Die." Blaise cut in in an ominous and slightly crazed voice. The three looked at him, he had been so quiet and most took him for somewhat stupid, or at the least insulting, he was so quiet, that they had forgot he was there.
"…Yes." Hermione said finally.
"What do you mean? You mean if we don't win, we die?" Ron asked in a slightly panicking voice.
"No. You fool, he wouldn't be able to do that." Draco said confidently before turning to Hermione and saying "Would he?"
"No, if you listened he said if any of us die, nothing would happen except we would be the objects of a prank at dinner tonight. Personally, if he can do anything like this, I would rather very much be left out of any of his pranking." Hermione said.
"So what do we do?" Ron asked more to himself than anyone else, but he received an answer all the same.
"We plan. We look around, it may be just me, but I'm almost positive we shouldn't just sit here. Besides anyone remember him saying anything about rewards?" Blaise said again in a deep, yet not as crazed voice, he looked at the other three and then turned around and began walking straight.
"That's right. He did say something about them."
"Hey, Zabini, where are you going?" Draco called out at his fellow Slytherin, wanting nothing less than being alone with two of his most hated Gryffindors.
"Yeah, where is he going?" Ron said confused.
"I'll see you losers later. Or not." Draco said with a grin before turning around and calling out to Blaise. "Hey, Zabini, wait for me!"
Ron and Hermione looked at one another before silently agreeing and chased after the two vanishing Slytherins, there were some things more important than house pride.
(GPEJS)
Oh the cruelties, Gregory Goyle really wished he had ditched class today, the minute the door shut, a strange wind blew them foreword at an extremely fast rate. Five minutes later and all of his teammates along with him found themselves in a desert. Cruel twists of the knife, he took one look around and realized in that one second that they were in the middle of a hot, blistering, water-depraved desert. As much as Gregory wanted to continue acting stupid, he realized he would have to be more careful with the way he acted. After all he was with four Gryffindors, and not even the Slytherins knew the true him. No one knew, but both Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle were more Slytherin than many of their house. Always striving towards the best at its worst, keeping the family secrets in only the family. He was one of the true Slytherins, oh yes, he was more Slytherin than the wimp of a fool they always followed around. Besides one who played dumb could overhear many things that if they were smart would never hear. His father made him follow around Malfoy for Voldemort, who had some plans for Draco once he joined up, as well as to spy on him and make sure he didn't get cold feet. Goyle couldn't care less what he was supposed to do, he did it and that was that, and thus it was both his father, Malfoy, and Voldemort thought him loyal, but they were wrong. Oh yes, they were all terribly wrong, they hated the hypocritical Dark Lord's butt, if they were strong enough they would kill him in a heartbeat. But neither Crabbe nor Goyle were loyal to the light either, the bumbling bee who was less of a man than his great grandmother. Goyle wasn't neutral either, just because he wasn't with the Dark Lord or Dumbledore didn't make him neutral, oh not at all. He was in his own group, a group that had already begun to grow, one that was more powerful than Voldemort or Dumbledore could ever be, who tapped into powers beyond those known to mere mortals. They both received orders, bide their time and wait, they were to wait until one side won the war, it didn't matter who, whoever won would be at a major disadvantage, and then, then the Order could strike, until then he would bide his time, no one would realize the truth, not until it was too late. His thoughts were interrupted by the annoying voice of Seamus.
"So." He began. "Anyone have any idea what we should do?"
"We should head back the way we came." Parvati Patil said suddenly. Goyle almost snorted in the stupidity of what was just said, but he kept it quiet.
"No, don't be stupid." One of the Gryffindor girls Eliza Summers snapped.
"Oh you think you know any better?" Parvati growled back.
"Quiet! It would be foolish to head back the way we came, one it is probably a couple day journey, plus before we do anything we need to look for water. We ARE in a desert after all." The other Gryffindor girl Jasmine Vole said smartly. Goyle groaned in annoyance, a slightly dumber Granger, oh the horror.
"Wait. We can't be in here that long, can we?" Seamus asked worriedly
"This is the last class of the day." Eliza said smartly.
"But, didn't he say something about dinner?" Parvati cut in.
"Quiet! We didn't ask you." Eliza growled.
"Make me you over zealous bimbo." Parvati snapped back. Goyle could already tell the two were at each others throats, he was surprised he didn't think Gryffindors would behave like that.
"Ladies. Ladies, you can fight about me later." Seamus said the last thing he saw for a while being two fists come at his face. Goyle looked at the scene in mild amusement, not that anyone could see it, he walked over and picked up Seamus and slung him over his shoulders before grunting and pointing to a mountain range in the distance, he then started walking that direction, the screams of the three Gryffindor girls heard in the distance, yet he knew they would realize he was gone and so, their only protection besides their wands would be gone, sure enough a few minutes later he heard the sound of feet moving towards him.
"Hey, what's the big idea?" Eliza said angrily.
"Y-yeah." Parvati said breathing heavily, Eliza was the only one of the three girls not panting.
"Water." Goyle grunted before turning his back to them and heading in the direction of the mountains, which seemed a very long way off.
"Huh?" Both Parvati and Eliza said simultaneously.
"Water. Mountains, high elevation, and you see those clouds off in the distance, their may not be much, but whatever the case there will be water there. I am curious, how'd you know?" Jasmine asked Goyle. Goyle had two reasons for going in the direction of the mountains, the first being water, the second was that was where he thought he would be able to find the copy of Professor Blaze, he wanted to get out and away from his teammates and the easiest way would be to either win, or have the professor capture or kill him. Goyle heard the Gryffindor's question and just grunted before continuing in the direction he was going, an unconscious Seamus Finnigan on his shoulders and three Gryffindor girls traveling close behind.
(PPDTLV)
Dean Thomas, Lavender Brown, Pansy Parkinson, Terra Lee, and Wu Besai had entered the door and had found themselves in a tunnel, they had traveled for quite some time, most ignoring Pansy's annoying talking and finally found the way out, actually it was the only way they could go, so one-by-one they got out of the tunnel and then wished they could get back in, but that wasn't to be. The moment all of them were out the tunnel disappeared and anyway to it vanished, it was then the five took their first look around. The only reasonable thing to say was they were on a plain, a very, very large plain, a dead plain. The sky was dark, the clouds were dark and the continuous rainfall was even dark. Lightning lit up the sky every now and then and some came very close to the five students. In the distance they saw a large tower seeming to attract the lightning, it was a lightning tower, what for, however they would probably never find out. None of them stopped to think, they all wanted to get to the tower which besides drawing the lightning, also looked like it had a small shelter to get out of the rain. They all raced hurriedly to the tower, only to discover that is was smaller than they thought and only one person could fit under the small shelter away from the rain and lightning. Thunder roared in the distance and lightning lit the sky again a few seconds later, and they saw another silhouette in the distance. They went to it, they didn't know how long it took, but after what seemed like days upon days the four reached the twenty-seventh tower, this one looked big enough to shelter four people from the rain and lightning, by now all five of them were hungry and tired, exhausted, and also worried about how long they had been there. Of course it wasn't known to anyone, but for every day you spent in the realm, only an hour past, Harry could change it at will, as they got better every day would only be a minute and as it got even longer and harder a second, one major perk of being a magi and owner of Hogwarts. Surprising enough the Slytherins and Gryffindors were too exhausted to rile the other one up and it was relatively quiet. While walking Dean had found a small stone and decided to pick it up to give to his mother when he returned to home. The others allowed it only because he had agreed to stay outside the shelter. Besides being exhausted, tired, and hungry, they were also cold and wet, and if they were struck by lightning, none of them wanted to think what would happen.
"I'm all wet, this better not do anything to my robes." Parkinson said breaking the silence.
"Who cares if it does." Dean said from outside the shelter, and in more of a statement than a question. Parkinson just glared at him.
"Well, who wants to take a guess at how long we've been gone? Anyone?" Terra asked, she was beginning to get quite bored.
"It seems like days, but the teacher wouldn't be allowed to do that, would he?" Lavender asked.
"In my home country, there was a room in the temple, it was a well known fact that time seemed to stop while within, could Hogwarts possibly have this as well?" Wu said, surprising the other four, she didn't talk very often, not even to other Slytherins, it was very rare occasions she would ever speak, she was almost a Ravenclaw, yet her lust for power overruled that.
"Not that I know of, I hear Hermione speak of Hogwarts all the time and never once is there something about a slow of time." Lavender said superiorly.
"Shame." Wu said before falling silent once again.
Dean was still sitting outside, the rain continuing to poor heavily down upon the ground, he stared at where the sun would rise if it was ever seen, and at that exact moment a burst of lightning lit up the sky in the direction he was facing. He couldn't believe it, he didn't want to believe it and find out it was false, but the hope that it was real clung to him. Out in the distance atop a small hill surrounded by flared trees, a lone building stood out among all else. From the distance he was at, he could tell it was like Hagrid's hut down by the forbidden forest, just as big too. He quickly told his group members of the hut, and at first they didn't budge. He then added it probably had nice beds away from the rain, and perhaps they could scrounge around for food, at the mention of food the girls had gone ahead of him and Dean was left wondering what happened.
(NMVDT)
Trudge one, two, three. Trudge one, two three. Over and over and over again they went. The group consisting of Neville Longbottom, Vincent Crabbe, Millicent Bulstrode, Theodore Nott, and Daphne Greengrass; had chosen the door with the snow. Not the best choice they could have chosen, even though they weren't the ones who chose it. When they had first arrived, what seemed like three or something days ago according to Nott who was very gifted in astrology, at least that's what he said, none of them believed him, they had landed in snow. It took them only moments after to realize that everything around them was covered in snow, snow which was so cold that a heating charm didn't even help. There were trees here and there, most covered in snow and ice, a lake was frozen, which although they did not realize it, was actually the beginnings of a large body of water, a few animals were seen here and there, a white fox, three owls, Neville saw something that he swore looked like the wings of a dragon, but they were gone by the time everyone else looked up. There was a cave they discovered every certain amount of miles. The Slytherins had put Neville up in front saying the courageous Gryffindor had the right to go in front of them, when Neville innocently asked who was watching the back, the Slytherins turned on one another and started fighting for reasons not to be there, in the end Vincent Crabbe was put at the back due to his strength. Millicent Bulstrode was before Crabbe, then Theodore Nott, Daphne Greengrass, then Neville in the front. One of the small furry creatures with shiny white hair, Crabbe had 'accidentally' sat on, and that became their dinner. They were all quite cold, angry, hungry, the usual, but they did not give the lone Gryffindor any trouble. Not much anyway. So it was three days later, all of them were somewhat mad and the four bottles of fire whisky that Theodore had shrunk in his pockets made for dinner each night, it also kept them warm, not that they could tell they were cold. It was night of the third day, the previous day that had been stuck in their cave all day due to a storm outside, it stopped early that morning and they only stopped just now at who only knows what time. They had two bottles of fire-whisky left, Neville was in charge of the fire-whisky as he was the only one of them who wouldn't drink any, he also was the one who stayed awake until all of them were sleeping, so he could put out the fire, all of this without magic. For some reason whenever one of them tried to use magic with any form of fire or chemical substance it would do nothing except sprout pink and yellow tulips, and Neville was the only one knowledgeable enough to make a fire, not that the others didn't try, no they tried to much. Vincent always broke the sticks when he tried, Theodore tried and ended up setting himself on fire, it wasn't even by the firewood they had gotten from the tree outside. The two girls both had no idea what they were doing, the Slytherins didn't really as well, so that left only Neville to keep them all alive. The first day Daphne had slit her foot on a loose piece of icy rock, it was Neville who helped make sure it didn't get infected or frostbitten, a few of the plants he knew of, one in particular which helped slow the flow of frostbite and the other to help clean a wound. Daphne began to be nicer to Neville after that, and even Theodore was nicer to him after one of his plants saved him from sickness or death after eating a frozen berry, which ended up poisonous. Each member of the group began to bond, it was strange, yet in all its own reassuring, Slytherins and one Gryffindor working together to survive the element. One of Harry's duplicates watched them from a far and smiled, it was time to test his students, this was to be the first group.
(NL)
Neville Longbottom, mess up, screw up, and Professor Snape's personal favorite Dunderhead Commander took a quick glance over his shoulder. Daphne was slowly moving with the rest of the group moving slower behind her. Neville was tempted to call out and tell all of them to stop, yet he knew he couldn't. They needed to keep going, hopefully they would be able to use magic somewhere, or at the least be able to escape. If they stopped to rest they would be easy prey for any enemy as well as the elements of the cold. They could always just forfeit, yet they all agreed it was better try dying, than escape dying. The road they were traveling was being made as they went, however not less than an hour ago, Millicent spotted mountains in the distance, they changed their course and headed in that direction. It was of course much farther than they would have liked, quite a few long hours later they had finally arrived at the mountains. In reality they weren't mountains, they were two huge ice cliffs and a path was between them leading inward, it was here they would decide what to do.
"Okay, let's rest here for a few minutes." The Slytherins and Longbottom sighed in relief and sat down on the cold snowy ground, it not even effecting them anymore. "We've come all this way, and as you can now tell, they were not mountains."
"No really?" Daphne said sarcastically, Theodore missing it entirely.
"Yes, really. Now we have to decide what we will do. We've traveled all this way, Neville has done a good job so far, but now what?"
"I say we should risk the path." Millicent said, while Vincent grunted in response, for what none, but him knew.
"I agree." Neville said Daphne nodding her head up and down beside him.
"Crabbe you have anything to say?" Nott asked him.
"Risk." Vincent grunted.
"Yes, it is a risk, we do not know what is in the pass, but does that really matter? I mean we didn't and still don't have any idea where we were going before either. This looks like a way out of this hell hole. If we have to we can split up, but I shall take the pass, the rest you can choose whatever you like. Anyone coming with me speak now." No one spoke, but the whole group walked over to him except for Crabbe.
"Vince you coming?" Millicent asked softly. Vincent just stared at her, something going through his mind, though what, it was not known, eventually he came to a conclusion and went over to Nott. Nott had become leader for Slytherins and as being brightest was also more in charge than Neville.
"You in?" Nott asked.
"Yes." he slurred stupidly.
"Wonderful, let's head in. Follow behind and watch out for falling rock and ice." Nott said leading them into the passage. The walked for about an hour, getting deeper and deeper into the passage, which ended up getting bigger and bigger. They eventually came to an open clearing and the passage continued on the opposite side. They however were not going to make it that far. In the middle of the clearing was a rock, the rock had strange lettering on it and although it was unreadable, they all knew it was important somehow. As they all went closer to the rock, the trap was sprung. It happened so fast, it was almost like they appeared out of thin air, which Neville swears they did. There were six of them, six of the foul beasts. None had ever seen the beasts before, they were all big and ugly. Two each covered each of the exits, while the other two began circling their prey. The creatures were large and gruesome, both of the girls cowered in fear and disgust. The creatures looked like giant centipedes. They had many spindly appendages, bumpy backs with sharp crystals sticking out on the top, the tail seemed to have a stinger on the end, it was white, totally white, blending in perfectly with the snow, the main reason they hadn't been seen before. The heads were the worst part, they were large and sickly, saliva dripping from the mandibles of the great creature, the eyes a brilliant shade of sky blue, eyes that seemed to glow, the only thing that made the creatures distinguishable. The two in the middle began forming a circle around the five students, when done they were trapped within the circle of one of the insect creatures and the other looking ready to attack. The students drew their wands and began firing curses at the creature, the spells being absorbed by the crystals on the body. Every curse they could think of, save the unforgivable were fired, each spell being absorbed by the crystals, the five students soon realized they would have to use something other than magic to stop the creatures. If they only knew the spell to change the wand into muggle weapons, then maybe that would work, they unfortunately did not. Vincent Crabbe began throwing rocks at the creature, the same amount of damage being done as the spells, none. The creature just watched them with its sky blue eyes, as they tried in vain to harm it. Eventually it seemed to have enough and went foreword to attack them. A flash of light and the creature froze in its tracks, seeming to bow its head to the new arrival. He appeared suddenly, without warning. He was blue, all blue, with crystal like wings sprouting from his back, with three horns on his head, it stared at them with red eyes. The figure was roughly six feet tall and carried a sword in one hand and in the other a pole of some sort with a sharp end. He lifted his hand, brought it up to just above his shoulder and waved it around, as soon as that was done the creatures vanished and he was left alone with the five.
"Who are you?" Neville asked meekly. The figure just stared at him, before a sneer graced his face.
"Hey, didn't you here him? Who are you?" Daphne yelled at him. The figure sneered more before a smile graced his face and he spoke. His voice icy and cold just like the winter season.
"You may call me Tariv. Ruler of this realm, and the first peace of the puzzle, allied with Keeper. I have been watching you and although you failed to defeat me or even one of my friends, or the Keeper. You have formed quite a relationship, I release you from this game, you'll meet up with the rest later, we shall meet again. Remember you have lost and you have won, congratulations you are free from being pranked. Professor Blaze shall talk to you when everyone has arrived, I cannot leave at this time so farewell for now, may we one day battle for real." The figure or Tariv told them, he was one of the puzzle pieces and friends with Harry, despite his looks, he was quite kind and extremely powerful, but the Keeper was more powerful than all the Ruler's of the Realm, and eventually they would have to fight.
(DLP)
The group of five, Dean in the front had finally reached the hut, it was a little bigger than Hagrid's and also was quite more colorful. As they peered through the window they could make out a figure sitting by a fire. Dean shivered and wished fervently that, that could have been him. Besides the fire, they could also see plates of food on the table, lots of food. The four girls looked at each other before grinning evilly and turning to stare at Dean. Dean was too busy ringing out his clothes to notice, but when he looked up and saw the four faces staring intently at him, he knew something bad was about to happen.
"What?" He asked, the girls continued to look at him before telling him what he was to do. Less than ten minutes later, the girls were out of sight and Dean was on his way to the door. 'What did I do to deserve this? Did I offend the Gods in a previous life or what?' He walked up to the door and knocked.
It was a minute or so later when he heard the shuffling of feet and the figure in the house walked over and opened the door. The figure turned out to be a young girl with long green hair. She wore very little, she wore extremely short shorts, and the top seemed to be fabric just crisscrossed like an x over her body, showing a little bit of cleavage, she wore large blue shoes, and on her arms were the same fabric her shorts and shirt were made of, except for these had little pink wings on them. Her hair was wrapped up in a large ponytail, and her eyes seemed to be grey, but when Dean looked again they had turned dark blue. Dean thought maybe he hadn't offended the Gods too much in his past life.
"Who are you? What are you doing on the Storm Plains?" The girl who had to be at the oldest nineteen asked in a soft and sweet voice, but with a hidden edge as well.
"Excuse me miss. I didn't mean to intrude. My name is Dean. Dean Thomas, I was sent here for a school assignment and have gotten lost and separated from my companions. Would it be too much to ask of you to allow me food and drink, as well as rest?" Dean asked thinking 'that's what they deserve for what they've done to me.'
"Why aren't you a polite young man. Although I'm almost positive no schools were assigned here this week, I'll take the benefit of the doubt and believe you." She said before leaning close to Deans head making him swallow nervously. "If I find out you're lying, you shall not live long enough to do anything more than cry out in pain. Your innards shall be used for a few potions, my sister is a Potions Mistress and can always use extra ingredients." Her voice was cold and harsh for a moment before reverting to the first form and ushering a very nervous Dean into the house.
The four girls watched all this in growing horror, thinking the worst and quietly grieving for the fallen comrade. The four girls finally worked up the courage and thought, to finally come up with a plan, they walked up to the house and quietly undid the lock to the cellar of the hut, and began walking quietly in.
(GG)
Goyle and his companions, Seamus now walking on his own to feet being repulsed at the thought of a slimy Slytherin carrying him, and the girls watching Goyle with interest, almost passed it by. They were on the way to the mountains, which it seemed was much, much farther than they had originally thought. As they were walking totally concentrated on the mountains and nothing else, they almost passed the Oasis, almost. Goyle saw it right away, he thought about grabbing the attention of his annoying followers, but decided against it reasoning at least one of them would see it. So when no one did, Goyle growled angrily to himself, before running straight ahead and towards the Oasis, which when the others saw him running looked at him and towards the Oasis for the first time, they began running as well. Eventually they all reached the Oasis and when Goyle was asked how he knew, he just feigned a confused look and continued eating his mango. The others soon took it that Goyle had no idea what he had done and was just using his stomach like always. It was funny really, how they could use the excuse as their obsession towards food for so many things. It came in handy extremely well during second year when they faked eating the potion cakes, it was truly one of the best things they had done. The trio anyways. It had given them an excuse to do something of utter importance for their Order. They knew how long the polyjuice potion would last and had subtracted ten minutes from it for when they would need to return to the closet, it worked like a charm, and whereas they normally wouldn't have been able to do anything, they had come up with a perfect alibi. Of course the bumbling fool Dumbledore had tried to read their minds and when they gave him nothing besides a cake and then awakening in a broom closet, he had gotten the rest from the trio. Goyle was almost positive Dumbledore suspected him of something, of what, he did not know, and he hoped Dumbledore hadn't figured out anything either. This and last year had been much easier on all of them, as Dumbledore was more preoccupied with other things, and of course what Professor Blaze had said about where the Death Eater was definitely helped throw suspicion off him and any other Slytherins.
Plans were soon going to be set, already the wheels of power were moving, it was set up, all they needed was a winner. A few of their plans were already set, some were in the process and then of course Project AD was of utmost importance. Hopefully they would soon be able to begin the Project, it was really quite annoying the amount of time they had to wait. Goyle looked off at his comrades, all of them continued to look pathetic. Seamus was the most pathetic having fallen asleep with mango juice and pieces running down his chin, curled up in a fetal position, on the edge of a rock which could at any minute fall into the small body of water. Goyle thought about 'accidentally' bumping it and sending him in the water, however he rethought that and realized he probably shouldn't unless ordered, or it was for food. The girls had also fallen asleep scattered around him, he was on a large flat rock on the edge of the water, but quite high up. He shut his eyes and was just about ready to go to sleep when he felt someone try to break the shields in his mind. He grunted aloud and began mentally pushing back the force. Whoever this new force was, they were extremely gifted in the art, a few memories rushed to the surface, luckily none of importance. He continued to fight only unimportant memories surfacing, but then he felt the force in his mind start looking deeper, Goyle grunted aloud once more his face mixed in effort and anger as he finally succeeded in pushing the outside force away. Goyle was now very alert and sensed the same force go into the minds of the others, not that he cared, but he was annoyed when a voice from the forest of the Oasis began chanting.
"5 Little children sitting on the floor.
One by one and out the door.
Clogged over the head
Now they're dead.
Zero children sitting on the floor
That's because little old Retz
Has gave them the test
None have passed and it's eternal rest"
After the terrible and extremely annoying chant, a small goblin-like man appeared with an extremely large hammer in his hand. He was a little taller than an elf, the hammer however was the size of a large staff for a regular sized wizard. He had pointed ears, green skin, and two long yellowish fangs protruding from his mouth, All in all the little creature looked like a cross between an elf, a goblin, and a vampire, the creature even had a dark red cape, and bone teeth necklace.
The chanting had only awoken one other person, and from what Goyle could tell it didn't look like they would be waking up anytime soon. The person that was left with him was Seamus, who apparently had gotten far enough away or something to stay out of the reach of the obvious spell. The creature noticed two were left and grinned evilly at the two of them.
"What's we here? Two escaped Retz's spell? Looks like Retz shall have to do this old fashioned way." The creature called Retz then held the large hammer in front of him and it began to grow larger and with spikes on the sides which Retz handled with clear precision.
"Who are you?" Seamus asked Retz.
"I's already told you. I's is Retz.. Your destroyer."
"Why? What did you do to the girls?" Seamus asked again seeing how Goyle wasn't asking questions, Goyle played dumb and just flexed his fingers and hit his hands together in fake anticipation.
"Whys? He wants to know whys? I's is hired by chieftain Mahg. Yous are wanted out of heres. To answers second questions, girls gone, a bye bye." Retz said grinning triumphantly.
"What? They're dead?" Seamus asked worried where Goyle asked in his fake stupidity.
"Who's Mahg?" Seamus looked at him surprised, it seemed Retz was as well and must have been told Goyle would be the least likely to talk.
"No nots dead, out of heres, back in their owns world. Mahg is he. The one who sents you heres. Hired me he dids. Fights me if you wants, buts you is leaving this world." Retz said before rushing at Seamus with the hammer.
Seamus for his part began yelling spells eventually yelling 'stupefy'.
Retz just looked at him and took the spell full on before looking back at Seamus and grinning. "Stupid wizards, Retz is Gont race, we's are immune to magics." So saying he continued to take in the spells that Seamus was shooting at him, the disarming spell however blowing the little creature back a little. Goyle decided now was as good a time as any and charged the creature. The creature Retz was so surprised he was hit in the head dead on by Goyles massive fists. Retz jumped back holding his nose and glaring at Goyle before taking his hammer and knocking out Seamus from behind, then he turned back to Goyle.
"You is all alone nows. Thinks it has what it takes to stops me?" Retz said swinging with the hammer, Goyle put his hands in the air and stopped it much to the surprise of Retz.
"Whats this? Impossibles." Retz said sputtering. Goyle for his part just grunted drawing back his fist and hitting the little creature again in the face, this time Retz was ready however and after a quick move he had spun around whispered something. A small gold powder fell onto Goyle and as soon as it touched him he knew he would be asleep in minutes, reawakening back in the room.
(RDHB)
Bickering. Hermione and Ron were bickering back and forth, with Draco occasionally stepping in to try to get them to stop only causing him to begin as well. Blaise Zabini was becoming annoyed. Not that he hadn't been at the very start, but this was getting ridiculous. He had no idea how long they had been stuck in this hell look alike, and he could swear he saw something moving behind them, slowly following them. Each time he looked however, the only thing he would see were the two bickering Gryffindors and a slightly confused Draco. He had headed in this direction and had continued moving in this direction, at night, or when they thought it was night at least, they would stop and try to find a cave to sleep in. Something was following them, he was almost positive that it meant them harm. He would be waiting for it, ready when the time came, this was one game he would win. A Zabini never lost. One of the times he had looked back he could have sworn he saw the face of a girl. He blinked and the figure was gone. Was the girl part of the ones against them, or had she somehow gotten lost in this strange place? Whatever the reason Blaise decided to keep a watch for her. If she was lost, how'd she get here, and why? He didn't know why, but something about the Professor reminded him of someone, who it was he couldn't remember. Something also rubbed him the wrong way, perhaps the fact he was more powerful than either the Dark Lord or Dumbledore was what it was. For all Blaise knew his new Professor could be working his way to becoming a Dark Lord, if so, the world was screwed. It was strange though, although he pretty much told them all that anyone bearing the mark or loyal to Voldemort would regret it. But he also seemed to like wavering around that he held more power in the school than even Dumbledore, he even was able to stop the teachers and all the spells that came at him, on his first day. No one was that powerful, only Dumbledore and Voldemort even came close. If Professor Blaze was on the road to becoming the next Dark Lord when would he announce it, after one of the two groups killed the other off. Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't in it for the power, maybe he was good. But even so, what side was he on, he knew he wasn't on Voldemort's side, and he didn't think he was loyal to Dumbledore. If either side ended up getting him as a soldier, that side would win without a doubt, but then what? Would he become the next ruler, the next Dark Lord. What if he was against both sides? The thought did occur to him, why would he be against both? How many allies did he have? Would it be better to join up on the new Professor's side, whether he be good or evil? All of these thoughts were running through his mind and thus he failed to notice the girl looking at him from the dead forest.
(HRDB night)
It was a few hours later, when they all decided to take a rest. They hadn't found a cave so they were sleeping in the middle of a clearing, with one of them keeping watch and switching off throughout the night. None could sleep however and Ron and Hermione began a new argument.
"Ron! I told you, school is important we can't just miss it." Hermione said to Ron who had begun happily eating what was left over of the rations.
"Ser e can." Ron said putting his hand out for another red berry that they had found the first night of their time in the strange place.
"No we can't, I can't believe the Professor would actually do this. I mean look how much school were missing, I'm going to be so far behind." Hermione said nervously. Ron looked at her before swallowing and grabbing another handful of the rations, he waited a moment before he started to chew.
"Don't worry Mione. You're the best witch in the school. You'll make it up in no time." Ron said patting Hermione on the back and then stuffing the last of the rations in his mouth.
"I know, but what if-" Hermione said before being cut off by a very annoyed Draco.
"Oh stuff it Granger. No one cares about how far you'll be behind. This does mean however someone else will finally be ahead of you grade wise said Draco sneering superiorly.
"Like you?" Blaise asked Draco.
"Yeah."
"Doesn't this mean you'll be even farther behind Granger than usual?" Blaise asked him thoughtfully.
"Oh stuff it Zabini." Draco said irritably, and went to put his hand in the small red leather bag of rations, only to discover much to his horror there were none left. He glanced quickly at Ron who happily put the last berry in his mouth and chewed thankfully. Draco looked at him hatred burning in his eyes, before jumping at him arms stretched wide ready to strangle Ron's neck. Ron who had just noticed Draco jumping at him gave a small squeal of surprise and quickly covered his head. If Draco would have made it to Ron, to strangle his neck, the world would have been one Weasel less, at least until they escaped the place they were at. Luckily Blaise who had seen the anger in Draco's eyes had quickly grabbed him.
"Let me go. I'm going to kill him. The Weasel ate the last of out rations!" Draco screamed, having lost his cool a ways back.
"Now, now. Do you really want to do that, and he didn't eat all of the rations, remember the emergency stash?" Blaise asked Draco hoping to calm him down.
"Oh, yeah. I forgot about those. Mind if I take a few?" Draco asked strangely politely, his hunger must have changed him a bit.
"Go right ahead, hold on, I'll get them." Hermione said going to the large pack they had made and pulling out another small red bag, however it looked like half of it was missing, a large strip had been torn off and like the bag in front of them, it was berryless. Draco seeing the bag howled in anger and hunger agony, and Blaise still holding onto Draco looked at the bag and narrowed his eyes. He looked at Ron and grinned maliciously, he then 'accidentally' let go of Draco.
"Wait a minute! I didn't ea-" Ron never got to finish his sentence, because Draco punched him in the jaw, hard. Ron moaned in pain and then began hitting back Blaise and Hermione just watching in amusement, the latter slightly angry as well.
"I'll kill you. Damn Weasley. You ate all out food! All of it! I'll kill you." Draco said angrily continuously punching, kicking, and eventually beginning to strangle Ron.
Ron started turning a different color, Draco was strangling him and wouldn't let go. Ron tried to make one final plea for help, before trying to get air in his lungs, and not succeeding went to the ground unmoving. Draco continued to strangle Ron, not noticing that Ron was no longer moving.
Hermione and Blaise looked at Ron sickly. Draco had just killed him, and was still strangling his dead body, it was strange, because Draco never acted like that. Hermione snapped out of it and let out a scream before rushing Draco and beating him up. Blaise watched and after a few minutes of Draco bashing began to look around. In the trees on the left of the clearing a creature curled around a branch had its claws in the air and was acting out what Hermione was doing, Draco now being the one choked. Blaise looked at Draco's eyes and could tell he had no idea what was going on. Blaise took out his wand and with a quick sound of expelliarmus the strange creature was knocked off the branch. Hermione at that moment seemed to have snapped back in reality and let go of Draco who after regaining air backed away from her.
"W-what's going on?" Hermione asked nervously.
"You tried to kill me, that's what Granger." Draco said in a slightly whiny voice.
"I did?" Hermione asked.
"Yes. Don't you remember any of it?" Blaise asked her. Hermione shook her head no. "You got angry that he killed Weasley." Blaise said pointing at Draco.
"WHAT! I did not. I didn't touch the Weasel." Draco said denying it loudly.
"You did. Both of you." Blaise said, preparing for the loud shout he would here.
"What? I did not!" Both yelled at him.
"You did, however, if I'm correct, not by your own free will." Blaise said looking at them, and out of the corner of his eye saw part of the creature he shot off the branch come into view behind them.
"Who would dare mess with a Malfoy's head?" Draco said superiorly. He wasn't expecting a response and Draco and Hermione both jumped about a foot in the air when a hissing sound answered it.
"I would sweetsss." The creature said full body now in view. Blaise was surprised the creature was a girl. Not the one he could have sworn he saw earlier, but still a female. The she-creature was mainly red, her hair slightly redder tint, and her upper chest area and stomach was emerald green. She looked like a snake-woman. She had a long red tail and body and had begun to slither around the three of them, she slithered over Ron's body and it disappeared at the touch. Her hair besides being of red tint also seemed to be on fire, a flaming red, literally. Her body was skinny and as she wore nothing but skin which left little to the imagination. She had large claws, dragon-like arms and claws, her eyes were turquoise, and when she smiled two large yellow fangs showed, dripping with poison. Yet despite the looks, if she had been an actual person, she would have been quite beautiful. Draco was the first to snap out of his stupor.
"Who are you?"
"My namess is unimportant." She hissed at Draco still moving and sliding up so she was face-to-face with him. Her fork tongue jetted out and her fangs seemed to grow larger. Draco just continued to stare at her enchanting turquoise eyes.
"Draco snap out of it." Hermione yelled at him. Draco did and blinked stupidly before realizing what was in front of him and backing away.
"Ugh!" He said to himself.
"Why are you here? What purpose do you have, and why did you have Weasley killed?" Blaise asked the she-creature.
"You no funss. Very wellsss. I was hired by your professor. It's almost time for you to be returning. He wantsss you outsss." She said slithering up to Blaise and hissing at him, her forked tongue licking the side of his cheek.
"A Zabini never loses. If you're goal is to kick us out, you'll have to beat us first, otherwise we're staying. Right?" Blaise asked his two remaining companions both who shook their head in a confirming matter.
The snake-girl seemed to sigh before hissing out angrily. "Very wellsss. Letss see what you've gotss." She then struck. She attacked Hermione first and her tail hit her in the side her claws ripping out and piercing her lungs, Hermione looked surprised before falling over and having her body disappear. Only Blaise and Draco were left.
"Oh my god!" Draco cried out. "She killed Granger, we're next."
"Stuff it Draco. We work as a team we should be able to work better then. Get your wand ready, when I say cast expelliarmus." Blaise told Draco who nodded although looking a little fearful. The creature looked at them and listened to what they were saying, she then went after Blaise, she whipped in her fanged head trying to tear at his skin, her claws following close behind, Blaise however was quicker and dodged it, but still getting a minor scratch. The creature turned her back and wound up for another strike when Blaise decided it was time. "Now!" Draco let loose an expelliarmus, and he shot off a blasting spell. "Reducto."
"Expelliarmus." Draco said at the same time causing the she creature to go flying and screech in pain as the Reducto curse hit her tail, causing red blood to spill. The combination of the two spells caused the creature to go flying into the forest and out of sight.
"W-we did it." Draco said out of breath, he had been dodging the tail when the upper body went after Blaise.
"…Yeah."
"You don't sound to thrilled." Draco said with a laugh.
"I'm not. Is it just me, or was that too easy?"
"Too Easy! What are you crazy, you want it to be harder? We almost didn't make it!" Draco said loudly. Blaise was hoping that no other creatures were nearby.
"Too Easy. I'm just saying, she looked a lot more powerful than she actually was fighting us. I believe she went 'easy' on us." Blaise said.
"Why?" Draco asked puzzled.
"Not sure, but she'll be back we probably hurt her pretty good. Now let's get moving and try to find the professor, it's just us Slytherins, the Gryffindors won't hold either of us up." Blaise said walking away.
"Do you think, they're really dead?" Draco asked.
"Yes." Blaise said in a melancholy sounding voice.
"What!" Draco said not thinking that would be the answer.
"Yes. They're dead from this world, they probably have already woken up back in that weird classroom, waiting for us."
"Oh. That's good, Professor Blaze is a little odd. I didn't want to die. I have my whole life ahead of me." Draco said sounding snobbish. He probably would have continued talking, but was interrupted by a loud moan.
"What was that?" Draco said feeling a little skittish.
"What was wha-" Blaise stopped as the moan rang out again, he heard it this time. "It sounds like a moan, maybe someone's in pain, let's check, maybe they know where we should go next." Draco nodded at Blaise's logic and went with him to find the hurt person, they entered the forest both failing to notice, that it was different from the one from before, instead of dead trees there were live ones, they entered the forest and didn't look back.
(about ten minutes later)
"Damn." Draco swore loudly. The wails of pain hadn't stopped and they seemed to be from further in the forest. Draco knew even if Blaise didn't that they were lost. They had entered the forest and as soon as they had taken about ten steps the forest seemed to expand and grow larger. When Draco looked behind him all he could were large trees, trees that had appeared quickly and suddenly, trees that weren't there less than a minute ago. Draco slapped his arm, a stupid mosquito was sucking his blood so he slapped it to its death. Blaise was getting ahead of him so he jogged to catch up, no way would he get lost in the forest, he was a Malfoy. He may have been a Malfoy, but the Malfoy in question didn't seem to notice the two turquoise eyes that glared at them from the treetops, Malfoy didn't but Blaise did.
(B)
Blaise looked behind him and saw Draco running to catch up, the wailing was no longer going, but he continued to head in the direction he thought it was last heard. He heard a hiss in the dark above him and looked up expecting to see the snake creature. Instead of a snake creature, a beautiful scantily clad young woman was on a branch and it seemed her leg was bleeding profusely. Blaise motioned for Draco to stop and look up. Draco looked up expecting to see the snake-creature and instead saw the girl. His mouth formed in an O and he mouthed 'what should we do?' Blaise just continued holding his hand out and then pointed up, he grabbed onto a nearby tree and began working his way up to where the hurt girl was. It was a little over ten feet off the ground, and Draco just stared at him.
"Guess, I'll wait here then?" He asked, but Blaise was already to high up to hear his whisper. If Blaise would have been closer to the ground he would have heard a shriek of terror come from Draco and a muffled sound of fighting, and then no more. But Blaise was too high up so he didn't here a thing.
Blaise reached where the girl was injured, and was surprised, whatever happened, the girl had somehow landed on a small patch of leaves and underneath it was a big tree limb. Blaise looked into the face of the girl, the girl had her eyes shut and acted like she was sleeping, but Blaise saw through it. The girl wore very little, it looked like a two piece bikini, she had extremely small red shorts made from what he believed were leaves, and a small top that were made from seemingly green leaves, on her right index finger was a ring, that looked very similar to the one Professor Blaze had. The girl was the same one he had seen previously, how she ended up where she did he didn't know, he decided to ask.
"Hello. Miss? Are you alright? Can you here me?" Blaise said softly and then a bit louder, when she opened her mouth he put a potion down her throat.
"Owe." the girl replied. She looked around sixteen, but he couldn't tell for certain, it was just a hunch. The girl moaned again, and he asked another question.
"Who are you?" Blaise asked quickly doing a spell to heal the wound tying it up with a piece of fabric from his robes. The girl seemed surprised, her leg didn't hurt as much.
"What did you do!" She screamed at him.
"What?"
"My leg it doesn't hurt anymore, what poison did you inject into me?" The girl hissed, her turquoise eyes holding a flame in them.
"Poison. I didn't inject you with no poison." Blaise said sounding confused, perhaps she meant potion, surely she wouldn't think he had poisoned her? "Do you mean potion? It should help your leg heal faster."
"You didn't poison me?" She asked timidly.
"No. I could never."
"Oh. Why'd you do it?"
"Do what?" Blaise asked confused.
"Heal me." She said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Uh. I'm not sure. May ask your name?" Blaise asked thinking why did he help her, he wasn't a righteous Gryffindor, he was a Slytherin, and what he just did was a very Gryffindor thing to do.
"You're not sure." Her eyes narrowed at him, growing dark before suddenly returning to normal. "That's okay I guess. You wants, I mean want to know my name? Tell me yours first."
"The name's Blaise, Blaise Zabini, pleasure to meet you, miss?"
"Malris. Rinna Malris." she said quickly, and although Blaise didn't notice, she quickly wrote something with a rock on a piece of wood and stuck it in her only pocket of her shorts.
"Delightful to meet you miss Malris. Mind me asking how you came to be here?" Blaise asked Rinna.
"Huh?" Rinna said.
"How you came to be here. This world I mean." Blaise said.
"Oh, uh. I'm not sure. I don't really remember anything before my seventh birthday, I've lived here as long as I can remember." She said sounding sad.
"I'm sorry. Is there anything I can-" He was cut off by a loud screech from the trees, a large green and blue bird shot out of the trees. The eyes of the bird were blood red, and it seemed to have already made a kill, the talons were bloody and the razor sharp teeth had smears of blood. It was easily as big as a hippogriff, if not a little longer. Flapping its wings it started shaking the branch before diving right at them. Blaise not thinking grabbed Rinna and rolled right off the platform with her. It was by accident, but the damage was done and both fell away from the bloody bird and to the hard ground below. His game was now over, little did he know he had a hitchhiker with him.
A/N: There it is, a little longer than usual, to make up from taking so long. I don't really think this chapter went the way I wanted it to and I might change it later. New character has just entered and a few of the others you will see again either later this story, but definitely in the sequel. Hope you enjoyed, please read and review, thanks.