Faith Chapter 26: Attack, a harry potter fanfic

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A/N: Thank you everyone who's reviewed and who hasn't given up on me yet! Thank you so much!

Chapter 26: Attack

Lavender rubbed her arms briskly, shivering in the chill twilight. A light dusting of snow covered the school grounds, making the sharp outlines blur and fade. She scanned the tree line carefully, hoping to catch sight of her fox. She almost missed him – his dark coat blended into the shadows of the Forest, making him difficult to see. She smiled brightly, waving once, signaling to him from where she stood in the shadows of the castle.

She glanced behind her, making sure there were no students or teachers anywhere in the vicinity. She transferred her gaze to the door seal around her and scowled briefly – Dumbledore had implemented new 'security' measures a few weeks previous – no student was allowed outside of the castle after sundown unless specifically allowed by the Headmaster or by their Head of House. Anyone who did set foot outside caused an alarm to go off and a subsequent detention and subtraction of points was hastily meted out. There had been no little confusion and embarrassment to the many alarms that had been triggered right after its implement – although surprisingly most of the rule breakers had been Ravenclaws and Gryffindors, and not the Slytherins that everyone had expected.

She shook herself out of her musings and looked up, jumping slightly – the gaunt, brown haired man gave her a toothy smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. She smiled back hesitantly and fidgeted with her robes nervously.

"What news do you have for our Lord?"

Lavender gulped and felt a blush rise over her cheeks as he leaned towards her, his eyes intent. "Potter continues to be surrounded by the Slytherin students – so it is difficult to get near him, or determine a set pattern of his movements before and after classes. He seems to be frail – his health is very uncertain right now; he's missed several classes – and not being punished for it either." Her face darkened and she sneered as she spoke; she thought the teachers were babying the brat for no good reason – and she longed for the day when he would finally be put in his place.

"Is that all?" Lavender froze at the animagus' velvety voice, her eyes widening as he began to scowl at her, his arms folding across his chest. She shook her head frantically and felt herself pale.

"No, no. Weasley has taken it upon himself to 'punish' his once sister and Potter. Weasley blames the other boy for his sister's desertion to Slytherin. His plans are scattered and vague at best, but he hates with intensity." The fox raised an eyebrow at her, tilting his head to one side. "Dumbledore has also implemented new 'security' measures – alarms for students out of the castle is all that I'm aware of. There might be more." Lavender's voice was breathy and rushed; she knew she was close to babbling, but she didn't care.

"Good. Anything else?"
"Black was here for a while, but he left a few weeks ago – no one knows where. He supports Potter and has cut all ties with Gryffindor House for now. All attempts by us to talk to him were rebuffed. Bill once-Weasley is also still here; he has been teaching DADA. The old professor has been – away, or unwell, we're not sure."

The fox nodded silently and gestured for her to continue. Lavender took a deep breath and gave him a shaky smile, her shoulders curling inward fractionally.

"That's – that's all really." She winced at the glare he gave her, hunching even further into herself. "I'm sorry, but that's all I could find out! Well, everything important really." She stuttered to a stop and twisted her hands into her robes, desperation causing beads of sweat to break out on her face.

"Our Lord will not be pleased." Lavender shrunk from the animagus, tears filling her eyes and running down her face. The gaunt animagus sneered at her tears, his teeth flashing in the dim light.

"I'm sorry," she sniffed miserably, wiping her face with her sleeve. The animagus snarled at her, moving so that he towered over her, his eyes dark and threatening. Lavender shook and tried to hold back her sobs, canting her head down and not meeting his eyes.

"I will be back after the Christmas Holidays. I expect Potter's full itinerary and habits. You are also to foster Weasley's hatred of Potter – he will serve excellently as a scapegoat. You disappoint me."

With a pop he changed back into his animagus form and glared at her once before running for the tree line. Lavender shuddered and began to sob, moving quickly back into the darkness of the halls, hiding herself away so she could cry in peace. Oh please, she prayed, curled up on a window seat near the Divination tower. Please let there be something for me to report after the Hols. Please let the Dark Lord like it…please…

*_*_*_*_*

Draco smiled at Harry's bent head; the dark haired boy was studying furiously at one of the long tables near the fireplace in the Common Room. The smaller boy had his tongue poked out slightly from one side of his mouth as he frantically scribbled on his parchment. Pansy pushed Draco's shoulder, nudging him forward to the last open seat at the table – conveniently situated right next to Harry's studious form. She moved around to the other side of the table, squeezing herself in between Ginny and Millicent – and earning herself a glare from Blaise, who found himself nearly pushed off the bench because of it.

Draco plunked himself down next to the other boy, grinning at Harry's startled jump.

"Draco!" Harry barked, jerking his quill away from his homework before he could ruin the paper. "Don't do that!"

            "But you love it when I do that." Harry rolled his eyes at the blond and turned back to his homework. "What is that for?"
            "Make up work for Transfiguration. Professor McGonagall has been very upset with me for missing so many classes. She's assigned me five essays to complete before the winter holiday."
            "Five?"
            "Yeah, I know. The only good thing is that I've already read the sections she wants me to write on. Now it's just the process of writing them."

"That's five essays in little more than two weeks!"

Harry shrugged and frowned at the paper in front of him. "I know. But this is the third one, and the next two are really very simple." Draco looked at the dark haired boy oddly, shuddering faintly.

"Nerd," Draco said with conviction. Harry snorted.

"Shut up, you prat."

            "Ponce."
            "Blond."
            "Hey!"
            Pansy snickered at the two of them and gently elbowed Ginny, nodding in their direction once she had the red head's attention. The younger girl smiled at the sight they made and then looked down, watching her hands as she fiddled with her quill. Pansy got her attention again and jerked her head to the side, winking slyly at her, while also reaching behind and tugging on Millicent's robes until she had her attention.

While the boys bickering swiftly moved into an argument about Quidditch, the girls rose from the table and made their excuses, leaving the boys to their own devices. Draco and Harry shared one confused look before returning to the argument that had sprung up between Blaise and Neville as to which team in the league had the best Keeper. With a shared shrug they turned back to the table, never seeing the girls disappear into the hallway behind them.

The girls holed up in Pansy's room, closing the door securely and making sure the privacy spell was intact before they all began to giggle quietly. Pansy sat on her bed, a mischievous smile on her face as she looked at the other two in her room.

"Alright. This has gone on for long enough. They need to get a clue."

Ginny snickered and nodded her agreement while Millicent merely rolled her eyes at Pansy's melodramatic tone. The small redhead sat herself at the end of Pansy's bed, curling one leg underneath her and neatly folding her hands in her lap.

"I still say we should just lock them in a closet until they admit they have feelings for one another." Millicent sat herself in one of the chairs by the fireplace, folding her hands across her stomach, slouching happily into the large, overstuffed chair.

Pansy frowned. "No, no. It has to be more romantic! How about we set them up to meet each other in a room and have a nice candle lit dinner laid out? And then lock them in until they fess up!" Ginny laughed, covering her mouth with her hand. Pansy winked at her.

"No. Lets just – inform them. Bluntly. Tell Harry that Draco likes him and that we know he likes Draco and that he has, oh, a day or two to tell the blond about it?" Pansy and Millicent started at Ginny, aghast.

"No! Far to abrupt! Slytherin, girl! Slytherin! Hints! Not blunt honesty!" Pansy's mock horrified expression sent Ginny into a fit of giggles, with the other girls following soon after.

"Well, something has to be said, otherwise Harry wont get it. He's a bit – lost – when it comes to emotional things." Ginny said after a while, her expression turning serious. "I blame his relatives for that." She looked down at her lap and flicked away a piece of lint, a frown on her face.

"Are they really that bad? All we've ever heard were rumors about Harry's home life – nothing concrete." Pansy sat up fully on the bed, her face also serious. She impatiently batted away stray strands of hair that had come loose and focused on Ginny. "How do they treat him at home?"

Ginny sighed and looked away, not meeting their eyes. "They – I don't know if I should even be saying this. I mean, Harry's never, never mentioned it to anyone; it's only been found out by – slips of the tongue he's made over the years." She sighed and looked back down at her hands. Pansy got up and sat next to her, taking one of her hands in her own.

"Ginny, please. You, Harry and Neville are Slytherins now, family. You can tell us anything."

Ginny bit her lip, thinking. "Alright. But what I'm about to tell you can't leave this room, understood? I want your oath on that." Pansy and Millicent exchanged long looks before finally agreeing to the younger girl's demand. Ginny let out a relieved breath.

"Harry's relatives – hate him. They hate magic, anything out of their idea of normal. After Harry's first year, Ron and the twins got worried about him, you know, because he wasn't owling like he'd said he would. They'd just had a – a – really bad feeling, you know? So they stole my – Mr. Weasley's car and went to Harry's house. They found him –," she broke off and cleared her throat, shifting uneasily. "He was locked in this bare room and they'd barred up his window and weren't letting him out."

"They what?" The two girls shrieked. Ginny winced. Millicent sat up straight in her chair, her eyes wide.

"And he was skinny, and rather grimy – like he hadn't had a shower in ages. When mu…Mrs. Weasley saw him she got awful worried. And mad. But he just – shrugged it off, you know, like it was no big thing to be locked up by his relatives." Ginny bit her lip nervously, glancing at the other girls from the corner of her eye.

Pansy was livid. "How dare those bloody blasted muggles…" Millicent raised her hand sharply, silencing the blond girl, even though she looked like she was also going to explode at any moment as well.

"What else?" Millicent's tone was chill. Her body was perched, tense at the edge of her seat. Ginny paled and swallowed painfully.

"I – I used to have this huge crush on Harry, you see. And, well, when he was staying with us, Mum…Mrs. Weasley had taken a load of his clothes from his trunk to wash. A letter had fallen from the trunk and I had picked it up to put it back when I noticed what it was. It was his first Hogwarts letter, and the address…it was addressed to the cupboard under the stairs. Not just No. 4 Private Drive, but to the cupboard under the stairs at No. 4 Private Drive. I – I couldn't believe it." Ginny shook her head slightly, disbelief still washing through her when she thought about it.

"The cupboard under the stairs?" Pansy's voice was faint. Ginny nodded miserably. "They'd been keeping him in some bloody cupboard?" Ginny shrugged and bit her lip.

"He's never talked about it really. Except to say how he was happy he now had his cousin's second bedroom, which none of us understood until I saw the letter. I guess his relatives moved him in there after the first letter came and they saw the address on it." Pansy's hand trembled around Ginny's.

"That's – that's child abuse!" She spat, a fine flush coming over her features. Millicent looked grim. "And Dumbledore sent him back there?"

"Apparently he's safe there, from Voldemort. That's why he has to go back."

"That's ludicrous!"

"It's the truth – at least according to the Headmaster." Ginny shrugged and shook her head faintly, a troubled expression coming over her face. "I still don't understand it really. I mean, there's a thousand different ways to protect him here, in our world, and yet, " she shrugged, "He keeps being sent back."

"Have they ever – hurt – him?" Millicent's voice was cold. Ginny shook her head vigorously, finally looking up and meeting Millicent's eyes.

"No, no. We've never seen any marks on him, although he did say once that his cousin liked to torment him. I don't think they ever really touched him, you know? He's always been really – awkward – about hugs and stuff. It's like he doesn't know what to do when people touch him affectionately."

"Which is still abuse in its own way," Millicent grated out, her hands balling into fists. "Children need touch, affection and everything that goes with it. And you're saying they never did that?"

Ginny shook her head solemnly.

"I – I – I – he can't go back there!" Pansy burst out, dropping Ginny's hand and getting up, pacing the room angrily. "He just can't. You have to tell Professor Snape about this!"

Ginny paled and shook her head vigorously. "No! Harry'd be horrified if I did! He doesn't want anyone to know about this!"

"Well, I'd be willing to wager that all of Gryffindor knows about this now. It can be used against him, Ginny. His relatives sound like just the sort to throw him out on the street if they're paid off!" Pansy shook her head and sighed.

"They – they wouldn't!" Ginny protested. "I don't think they can. Harry's been threatening them with his godfather in order to keep them in line –,"

            "Which will do him no good if their greed wins out over their fear!" Millicent snapped, her eyes spitting fire. Ginny blushed and looked down at her hands.

            "Something has to be done about them." Pansy stopped her pacing and faced the fireplace, her arms wrapped tightly around her midsection. "If Harry wont speak up voluntarily about it, then we'll just have to trick it out of him – ideally when Severus is in the room. Any hint of something being off in Harry's home will have Severus all over him, and he wont stop until Harry's told him everything, either. And then the Professor can lodge a formal complaint and get Harry out of there." Pansy's hands clenched and unclenched briefly. "Then he'll be safe."

            "Harry wont like it." Ginny's voice was soft, and she didn't look up from her hands. Pansy looked over at the younger girl and the tension drained out of her. She crossed the room and sat down next to Ginny, gently tipping her face up.

            "He might not like it at first, and he might be embarrassed because we all know – but what's important is that he'll be out of the muggle world, away from those blasted fools, and safe here, with us, to watch over him and protect him. He can be upset all he wants, but he'll soon see the light of it, don't worry."

            Ginny sighed and finally nodded, dropping her gaze from Pansy's. "Alright," the small redhead said quietly. "Alright. But he'll be furious, I'm warning you. And Harry when he's furious…" Ginny shivered.

            Pansy's mouth tightened into a thin line. "He can be furious all he wants – and we'll be there to tell him over and over again that he deserves to be away from those bloody muggles, with us, with people who care about him." Ginny nodded briskly, tears coming to her briefly. "Oh, don't cry honey. It'll be fine, you'll see." Ginny cleared her throat and sniffed, looking up at them with watery eyes.

            "But that still doesn't solve anything between him and Draco," she pointed out.

            Millicent frowned. "Actually, it might just be the catalyst Draco needs to blow up and admit his feelings. The blond poof can be extremely – protective – over those he loves."

            "Harry's a lucky boy," Ginny whispered. Pansy looked at her for a moment before slipping an arm around her shoulders.

            "We love you too, you know." Ginny looked up at the blond, startled. "It's not just Harry who's been used horribly – you deserve a home and a family that cares about you too. No matter what those bloody Weasley's say." Ginny's lower lip trembled and she blinked rapidly. Millicent got up and sat on the other side of the younger girl, her arm also going around her thin frame.

            "Don't fret honey. We're your family now, all of us Slytherins – even Professor Snape. We'll do anything for you – because you deserve it, because we care for you. You're ours," the plump girl said fiercely, hugging Ginny tightly. "And no one hurts what's ours." Ginny dissolved into tears, collapsing into the two girls embrace. She'd always known that they'd cared in their own way for her, but it was – reaffirming to hear it. It soothed the still bruised parts of her soul where her former family had taken chunks from it. It was good to know that she would never be alone, ever again.

*_*_*_*_*_*

            "She's a slut!"

            "Hermione!"
            The bushy haired girl barred her teeth at her boyfriend, refusing to back down. "She hangs all over you, fawns over your every word and you let her do it! Right in front of me! I can't believe you're sticking up for her!" The two of them stood in an empty classroom near the Gryffindor tower. Hermione had dragged the tall redhead there immediately after breakfast, a determined expression on her face. She'd gotten him to the classroom – and then she had exploded.

            Ron sighed angrily and turned away, putting his back to her, staring fixedly at the other wall. "You're blowing this way out of proportion. We're just friends, that's all Hermione."

            "Friends with benefits it seems!"

            Ron turned back around and looked at her oddly, his head cocking to one side. "We're what?" Hermione waved the muggle saying aside and scowled.

            "What I'm saying is that you're making a fool out of me, in front of the entire House! You let her fawn over you, stroke your arm, simper at you – everyone thinks you two have something on the side and nobody wants to say anything to you, or me, because it'll cause a 'scene'," she spat, crossing her arms across her chest angrily.

            "Like the one you're staging right now! And the House doesn't believe that, Herm. It's probably just those bloody Slytherins starting evil rumors, just to get at me by targeting you. There's nothing between me and Lav, I swear!" Ron's face flushed and his eyes sparkled dangerously. "And I just bet Ginny was the one to –," Hermione threw up her hands, a disgusted expression on her face.

            "Would you stop blaming everything on the Slytherins for once and start taking responsibility for your own bloody actions!" She finally shrieked, her hands balling into fists at her sides. She didn't have time to react as Ron's hand flashed forward and connected solidly with her cheek.

            They both froze, neither quite believing what Ron had just done. Hermione brought up a trembling hand to touch her cheek, tears beginning to fill her eyes. Ron took a step towards her and then stopped when she flinched away from him. The outline of his hand slowly began to bleed into existence on her pale skin, and she covered it with her own, shaking the entire time.

            "You – you – you –,"

            "Herm, I'm sorry. Please, I'm so sorry. I didn't mean it, I swear. I'm sorry. I – you just made me so angry –," Ron reached out to her, panic, anger and confusion all flashing across his face.

            "Shut your mouth Ronald Weasley." Hermione's whisper silenced him. She shook her head slightly, taking a step back from him, an expression of revulsion coming over her face. "We're over. I want nothing more to do with you." She scrambled at her wrist for a second. She cocked back her arm and fired the silver bracelet Ron had bought her at his head, tears finally spilling over and running down her face. "Never talk to me again!" she spat, before whirling and running from the room.

            "Herm! Hermione! Wait!"

*_*_*_*_*

            Ron stormed into the dorms, an anguished expression on his face. Lavender glanced up from her textbooks and immediately perked up. Ron looking so upset had to mean something she could report to the Dark Lord. He spotted her and paused, a torn look flashing across his face before settling into a resolved set. He strode over to her, grasped her arm and pulled her up. Lavender squawked and scrambled to stand, her books and quills flying everywhere in her haste.

            "What –,"

            "I need to talk to you." Ron's voice was flat and dangerous. Lavender felt a flash of fear spike through her and she frantically pushed it down. She nodded once and he led her to the far corner of the room where he pushed her down onto one of the chairs. She landed with a silent curse, pulling the book she'd landed on out from underneath her.

            "Is it true?"

            Lavender looked at him blankly, confused. "What?" Her voice was weak.

            "The rumors about us having a fling. The ones that have Hermione in a snit. Are there really rumors all over the House about us or is it all just Hermione over reacting?" Ron stayed standing, crossing his arms across his chest. Lavender swallowed with difficulty, her mouth dry. She knew exactly what rumors he was talking about – she'd started them after all.

            "What rumors?" she asked with false innocence. She plastered a happily vacant expression on her face, hoping he would fall for it. He did.

            Ron's stance relaxed and the tense expression faded from his face. He slumped into a chair across from her and buried his head in his hands.

            "God, Lav. It's all such a mess."

            She leaned forward and hesitantly placed a hand on his arm. "What's going on?"

            "It's Herm. She's flipped. And those bloody Slytherins – it just has to be them. I mean, you know, Lav, right?" She blinked at him stupidly and nodded, lost.

            "S-sure. What's Hermione upset about? Those – uh, rumors? Who do you think started them?"

            "Who else? The Slytherins of course. Probably little miss Ginny Nobody herself. To 'get back' at me or some such shit. She knows how much Hermione means to me. She'd just love to break us up now." Anger twisted his face into an ugly mask. "I should teach her a lesson. She can't win. I wont let her win." Lavender suppressed a shudder at his tone, while a small part of her gleefully cheered the redhead on.

            "What are you thinking about doing?" He glanced at her and gestured her close. She moved to sit next to him and leaned close as he began whispering intently in her ear. She nodded every once and a while, a wicked smirk occasionally crossing her face.

            "We'll need some help." She said after he was finished outlining his plan. Ron cocked his head to the side and thought for a moment.

            "My brothers will help. Dean too. Lets go get them." They shared a tight smile, a dark intent light shining in their eyes. As Lavender got up to follow him she let a vicious sneer flash across her face. The Dark Lord will be very happy about this.

            Neither of them saw Seamus in the other corner of the room, watching them quietly over the top of his textbook. His eyes narrowed as he tracked them leaving the room, and made a small note on a pad of paper next to him after they had gone. He shifted in his seat, wished faintly for Sasha to be there with him – she'd know more about what was going on there than me, he sighed and tried to focus on his homework. He glanced up once more to the door where Ron and Lavender had left through, a small, uneasy feeling working down his spine. He shivered once and returned to his book – but couldn't get any studying done. There was something wrong, but he didn't know what.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*

            Ginny hummed happily to herself as she headed to the Slytherin dorms. Professor Snape had praised her in Potions Class – she'd almost dropped her wand in shock. She looked over her shoulder and bit her lip, hesitating at an intersection of hallways. She was alone – she hadn't meant to be – and she wanted to get to the dorms as quickly as possible. That meant slipping past Gryffindor tower first. She shifted from foot to foot for a moment, before grabbing her courage and bolting down the corridor leading near the Gryffindor tower. I'll be fine, she mentally nodded and picked up her pace slightly. Just fine.

            She hadn't meant to be alone after Potions, but Professor Snape had caught her so off guard she had ducked out into one of the small alcoves to catch her breath.

            She had been struggling with the assigned potion for the day, and had become quite frustrated with it. Her frustration had become apparent to the other House in the room as well, and she'd also had to endure their snickerings and whispers throughout the class as well. But she'd been able to finish the potion, on time, much to her amazement. And the Potions Master had praised her for the clarity and quality of her potion; it had done wonders to shut the other House up.

            When she had gotten over her shock and reemerged from the alcove she'd found she was alone in the hallway, and that the Potions Master was gone from his classroom. She'd bit her lip for a moment, and then decided to chance it – she hadn't been bothered by her once-brothers in some weeks, she was sure she'd be able to get back to the dorms without any problems.

            She smiled to herself and turned down one of the many long passageways to the dorm. She was more than halfway there and past the proud tower that contained her former family members. She let out a relieved breath and shook the tension out of her shoulders. She never saw the curse that hit her square in the back, sending her to the ground with a shriek of pain.

            As she was picked up, her hands and legs hanging limply, useless, she managed to glimpse one of her attacker's faces.

            "Ron!"

*_*_*_*_*_*_*

            Harry glanced over his shoulder warily, unease making the small hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He hadn't meant to fall so far behind Draco and Pansy – the two blonds had been in such a hurry to get to their next class that when he'd stopped to readjust his bag and put his homework away, before he knew it, he was alone in the hallway. Trying to track the two other Slytherins had proved impossible, and soon Harry had found himself hurrying down deserted corridors, becoming more and more uneasy with every step.

            Harry shivered and drew his robes tighter around him, pausing at an intersection, hesitating on which way to go. He was close to the Gryffindor dorms, he knew, but a short walk would also put him to the entrance of the dungeons as well. He was about to go the long way around when a strange, muffled yelp caught his attention. That sounds like…Ginny? His unease deepened as he forged towards the sound – something was wrong, he could feel it.

            He turned a corner and stopped dead – completely rooted to the spot. He watched in shocked silence as Ron wound his leg back, ready to deliver another vicious kick to Ginny's prone form.

            "Ron!" He spat the name out before the red head could follow through, hurting Ginny even more. Dean and George turned towards Harry, surprise etched on their faces. Harry had his wand out before he could blink.

            "Petrifi-,"

            "Silencio!" Lavender's voice blindsided Harry, and the spell hit him squarely on the shoulder. He whipped his head around to stare at the girl, a snarl transforming his face when he saw her pleased sneer. "Fred, get him!" Harry looked once more at Ginny's still form before preparing for flight. Panic and anger surged through him; he was silent, there were five of them to his one and he wasn't at his best – but he hated it anyways. He knew he could do nothing for her now except get help.

            He gave Ron one last murderous glare before darting off into the hall, pelting for the Slytherin dorms. He knew this area like the back of his hand, and used that knowledge to his advantage, ducking down several looping corridors in hopes that he'd loose his pursuers. He'd thought he'd gotten away from them when a curse hit him in the back, sending him to the ground in a sprawl of limbs.

            He could do nothing but glare as hands picked up his unresisting form and began dragging him back, his head bouncing painfully on the ground. Tears welled briefly when he saw the spill of red hair on the ground near him when they finally returned to where Ron and Lavender stood waiting for him. I'm sorry Ginny; he closed his eyes against the frustrated raise of anger and self-loathing. I should have been faster. I'm so, so sorry.

            He could do nothing as the first vicious kick landed; he cried out silently, feeling his ribs creak and protest. He knew that unlike with Ginny, neither Draco nor Pansy would have anything to guide them towards the sounds of the Gryffindors having fun with the two of them. He could only pray that the others would find them soon.

            He managed to twitch his hand near Ginny's, but could do nothing more than rest his flesh against hers as the rain of blows continued to come down. He was worried by the coolness of her skin, and her stillness. Ginny…A particularly strong kick flooded his senses with pain, and he convulsed, breathless from the agony. Draco…hurry…please…

*_*_*_*_*_*

            Draco swore as they pelted down another hallway – no sign of Harry anywhere in sight. "Damn it, Pansy. He was right there! Where the hell could he have gone?" Pansy said nothing, her face grim and worried. They had turned back immediately when they had realized that Harry wasn't with them, but the dark haired boy was gone when they'd reached the Transfigurations classroom. There were several ways to get to their next class from there, and they'd picked one at random, hoping it was the one Harry had taken. They were wrong.

            Long minutes stretched by as they began running down hallways at random, Draco urging the pace on. Something was wrong, very, very wrong, he knew it, but could not place where. They stopped at an intersection of unused hallways, panting for breath.

            "We need to get Prof –,"

            "Wait." Draco's eyes had picked out something lying against the wall, half hidden in the shadows. He darted forward and knelt, picking up Harry's wand with shaking hands. Pansy paled, one hand reaching out to grab Draco's shoulder.

            "Draco –,"

            A moan made them both jump and spin to face a dark doorway near them. Draco's face twisted as he lunged for the sound, a thousand fears battering through his mind as he eased the door open.

            Ginny and Harry were sprawled in the unused classroom, their hair and clothes in a disarray around them. Ginny had been the owner of the moan, her unconscious form trying to curl around an injury neither Slytherin could see. Harry's stillness sent a spike of pure panic through Draco and he clutched the doorway until his knuckles turned white.

            "Pansy go get Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey." Pansy started to protest and he whipped around to stare at her. "Damn it, go. NOW!" She paled and nodded, casting one last look at the two unconscious bodies before sprinting towards the Potions Classroom. Draco turned to face the silence in the room, cold fear and white-hot rage battling inside him. He would find out who did this to them – and he would make them pay.

*_*_*_*_*_*_*

            Madam Pomfrey wiped her hands on her apron and frowned; she reached out to the small redhead on the bed and tucked a stray strand of hair back from the pale face. She glanced down at the rest of the petite girl, the reason for her frown.

            "Is she alright?" Professor Snape's presence at the girl's bedside had been a surprise at first for the Head Nurse – but, she reflected, the poor dear is a Slytherin now, and Lord knows how Severus frets over his younglings.

            "She will heal, Severus, but I'm afraid never completely." She drew the bedclothes up to the girl's chin and backed away, closing the curtains around her securely and turning to face the young Potions Master. His dark robes were a sharp contrast to the airy cheerfulness of the Main Ward.

            "What do you mean?" Severus clasped his hands behind his back, his dark eyes intent on Poppy's face.

            The Head Nurse sighed and tucked her hands under her apron, a frown crossing her face. "It's her knee, Severus. They shattered it – whoever they are. Magic can heal most things muggle technology cannot, but neither one can fully repair a shattered joint. There's simply too much trauma to the area. Muscles have been severed, delicate bone crushed…"

            "Will she be able to walk?" Severus had gone rigid.

            Poppy sighed and looked away. "Not without a cane for the rest of her life I'm afraid." Silence greeted her words. She chanced a look at the Potions Master. The younger man's face was drawn tight, anger and helplessness etched into his features. The Head Nurse looked away quickly, embarrassed she'd caught Severus so unguarded. She gave him a moment to get himself back together.

            "Did you test to see if she'd been attacked – sexually?" The last word was spat, his distaste and fury evident. Poppy shivered.

            "Yes, and no, she wasn't touched, thank Merlin."

            "And Harry?" Poppy turned scandalized eyes to the dark haired man.

            "No, I didn't test. You think someone would to that to –,"

            "Do it. Now." Severus's tone booked no argument. Poppy frowned and crossed to Harry's bed, shooing away Draco from his perch by the dark haired boy's side. Pansy and Millicent hovered at the entrance to the Ward, tear tracks visible on their cheeks. Poppy quickly checked Harry over and let out a relieved breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

            "No. He's fine. Well, as fine as he can be." She drew the blankets back up under the small boy's chin and smoothing away wild strands of hair before stepping back from the bed.

            "What's wrong with him?" Draco's voice was tight with emotion.

            Poppy spread her hands helplessly. "He's unconscious – although I fear he may be slipping into a coma. He's had several severe blows to the head – and in the state he's been lately I'm afraid this has done more harm that I can tell. Normally Mr. Potter is as hard headed as they come – but…" she trailed off, knowing the Slytherins would understand.

            "Do you think he will wake up?" Draco moved back onto the bed, unconsciously taking Harry's hand and cradling it in his own.

            "We can pray, Mr. Malfoy, that is all." Draco dropped his head to his chest, taking quick deep breaths. Poppy looked away, wishing she could give him a better answer, but not wanting to lie to him. Harry's condition was unstable – though he'd taken fewer hits and less over all damage than Ginny, his precarious hold on his health previous to the attack made guess his prognosis all the more difficult.

            "I – I – I –,"

            "Has Mr. Potter's godfather been informed?" Severus guided Poppy away from the pair on the bed, leaving Draco alone with the still boy. He shooed Pansy and Millicent out in front of them, taking one last look back at the pair on the bed before gently closing the door behind him.

            "Harry." Draco's whisper barely reached the edge of the bed. He stared blurrily down at the small hand cupped in his own and sniffed quietly. "You have to wake up." He quickly dashed the tears from his eyes and glanced around furtively, making sure no one had seen him. He glanced up at the pale face and looked back down again, turning the frail hand over in this own, weaving their fingers together. He set his mouth in a hard line, fighting the rising wave of helplessness inside him. He wanted to be able to do something, anything, to make Harry better – to make him wake up.

            "I have a secret, Harry." Inspiration struck, somewhere deep inside him, and he ran with it. A small, painful smile flitted across Draco's face, gone as fast as it came. It was a secret that had only revealed itself to him in the long seconds before Professor Snape and Madam Pomfrey had arrived in the hallway; it was a secret that scared him as much as it thrilled him. He had a sneaking suspicion that he had known it, at least subconsciously, for quite a while, but had been hesitant to acknowledge it. Harry had been going through so much, and had been hurting so much; and besides, I'm a Malfoy, we're not supposed to fall in love with skinny dark haired saviors of the wizarding world. We're too evil for that. He swallowed painfully, pushing away the small sarcastic voice and focusing on Harry instead.

            "I have a secret," he repeated, covering their interlaced hands with his free one, hoping to warm the cold appendage in his grip. "And I'm not going to tell you it unless you wake up. So you better wake up, because it's important. You have something to do with it, you see. You're a very large part of it. So wake up, you prat. Or else you'll," Draco's breath caught and he cleared his throat painfully. "Or else you'll never know." Harry didn't move on the bed, and Draco's face threatened to crumble. He held onto his dignity by a tread, and turned his attention back to warming the hand he held in his own.

            "Wake up Harry. Please."

*_*_*_*_*_*

            Seamus danced from foot to foot as he waited for Sasha in the Library. The minutes dragged on, and soon he began to fret. Sasha's never late, he checked his timepiece for the twentieth time in five minutes. There's something wrong…

            "Don't move." Sasha's voice startled him, and he began to turn to face her when her snarl stopped him. "I said don't move."

            "Sasha? What's going on? I have to tell you about a million things…"

            "Like how you're a spy for the precious Ron Weasley?"

            "What?" Seamus couldn't believe his ears. "Can I turn around, please?" Something was wrong, so incredibly wrong, and he had a suspicion as to why Sasha had suddenly turned on him. He felt sweat gather at his hairline as Sasha seemed to think his request over.

            "Hold out your arms, palms out, facing the ground. That's right. Now keep them there – if you move, I'll hex you into next week, is that understood?" Seamus turned slowly, keeping his arms well away from his body. Sasha moved out of the shadows and into the dim light of their alcove, her expression hard and dangerous. "Now tell me what you've 'learned'." She sneered at him. Seamus gulped and ignored the painful twisting in his heart.

            "I – Fred and George came in earlier this evening all out of breath and really messed up. They had splotches of red on them, that I thought might be blood, but I'm not sure. I think –,"

            "How convenient that you tell me this after the attacks have happened, don't you think?" Sasha spat at him. Seamus glared at her for a moment, before her words sank in.

            "They – who? What happened? Was it Harry?" Seamus let his arms drop fractionally and yelped as Sasha spat a curse at him. He lifted his arms back up quickly.

            "Yes it was Harry, and Ginny, you bloody fat fool. How can you stand there…"

            "I didn't know." Seamus snarled back at her, anger sparking a fire in him. "Don't you think that if I'd have known I would have told you?" Sasha looked at him for a long moment.

            "I don't know." Her words struck him with force and he paled.

            "You don't trust me? Even after all the information we've shared?" Sasha's face twisted briefly.

            "I don't trust anyone." Her voice was harsh, but her expression was cracking. Seamus let his arms drop a little bit, and was relieved when Sasha let him do it.

            "I – Sasha, please. I didn't know, all right? Harry – he's my friend. Ginny too. What's happened? What's wrong with them? Are they all right? Are they alive? What…"

            "It's alright Sasha." A new voice made both of them jump. Neville and Blaise appeared from the stacks, their expressions grave. "Seamus can't lie to save his soul. You'd know if he was trying to pull one over on you." Seamus stared at Neville, taken aback at the grave expression on his face. Sasha relaxed fractionally, and finally let her wand drop. She looked at Seamus briefly and he was confused by the rush of emotions that crossed her face before she turned away from him.

            "Neville? What –,"

            "Ginny and Harry were attacked this afternoon by a group of people that have yet to be named. Although, I think we all know who did it, or at least who led the attack. Neither Ginny or Harry have woken up yet, but Ginny seems to be fairing better than Harry at the moment." Neville pulled out a chair and sat heavily in it, his normally cheerful expression gone. "It doesn't look good." Seamus bowed his head and let his arms drop to his sides, frustration and anger warring in him.

            "You said you had information. Let's hear it." Sasha's voice was all business, and Seamus hated it. He loved – waitaminute. I what? Seamus blinked stupidly at Sasha, ignoring her impatient glance. I – she – erm…he looked up at Sasha, catching her eye for a moment. There was hardness there, and pain, he could tell. And there was something else…

            "Hey, Gryffindork. Let's go with the information. We have injured Housemates to go see." Blaise's voice drew Seamus out of his musings and he shook his head briefly.

            "I – as I was saying to Sasha, I saw Fred and George come in this evening really messed up. Now, normally I wouldn't have thought anything of it; I mean, they're the Quidditch captains, right? But, what got me was that they were coming in, from outside, at night. Now, as far as I know, the Headmaster hasn't lifted the restrictions on students going out at night, am I right?" The Slytherins nodded slowly. "Ok. So explain to me how they were outside, looking like that, after dark?" Neville and Blaise exchanged a long look.

            "You are forgetting that they can obtain a pass from their Head of House."

            "McGonagall is pissed with everyone in Gryffindor right now. I don't think she'd give someone a pass unless they were down on their knees, begging her for them for a full day straight." Sasha snorted at Seamus's description, and he sent her a hesitant smile. She quickly scowled at him, and he glanced away.

            "So someone's either found a way through the restriction, or has found a way to duplicate it."

            "Or has found someplace outside that the wards consider inside. The castle has changed a lot over the years, and often the builders didn't plan the renovations out. They were just done. If the Headmaster cast the wards using the plans from even two hundred years ago, he could be including lots of area that would technically be seen as indoors when they're really outdoors now." Sasha looked down at her fingernails, ignoring the looks sent her way by the boys. "Not that I've looked into it or anything." Blaise smirked at her.

            "Alright, what else then?" The sable haired boy pinned him with a stare. Seamus shrugged uncomfortably.

            "Ron's been up to something; he came storming into the dorms today and damn near tore Lavender's arm out as he dragged her off to the corner. Something has gone on between Hermione and Ron as well…at dinner he tried to talk to her and she threw a goblet of water in his face. I've never seen him so gobsmacked before in my life." Neville frowned and looked at Blaise.

            "She's obviously pissed at him, but I wonder why? The last I knew she was happily in love with him."

            "She's actually been pretty jealous lately. Lavender has been, well, making moves on Ron. Right in front of Hermione, and she didn't like it at all. Add to that the rumors that have been going around…"

            "What rumors?" Sasha leaned back against the wall, crossing her arms in front of her. Seamus frowned at her.

            "You mean you haven't heard?" Sasha frowned back at him and shook her head. "There are about five rumors going around that Ron and Lavender are having an affair behind Hermione's back. It's been all over the other Houses, I'm surprised no one's told you yet."

            "We're not exactly the most popular people right now, Seamus." Blaise's tone was dry. Seamus snorted.

            "Well, excuse me, Mr. My-House-Knows-All. I would have thought you'd be right on it…"

            "Seamus, please." Sasha looked at him reprovingly. Seamus snapped his mouth shut and glared at the other boy instead. Blaise looked smug for a moment before he jumped slightly and frowned at Neville.

            "Lavender seems to be having a lot to do with the House now a days." Neville looked at Seamus, and cocked his head to one side. The Irish boy shrugged and shifted on his feet, thinking.

            "I know, it's kinda odd. She's really been into everyone's business lately. But, Ron and his brothers have really been relying on her to help them, you know. The House has been getting sorta divided lately." He sighed and shifted again. "Can I sit down or are you going to hex me if I try?" Neville finally smiled at him and kicked the chair out for him. Seamus sat with a satisfied sigh. Sasha stayed standing.

            "How has Gryffindor been divided lately?" Blaise leaned forward, his eyes intent on Seamus. The sandy haired boy folded his arms on the table and frowned.

            "Well, ever since Harry's been kicked out, it's been blame Slytherin for this, blame Slytherin for that, with Ron and his brothers in the thick of it. It got really ridiculous a few weeks ago when people started blaming your House for the bad grades they were receiving in Charms, or Divination; that's when I think people finally had enough of the 'blame the Slytherins' game and started to think for themselves. But," Seamus sighed and looked away from the boys in front of him, "it gets a little bit more complicated." Sasha moved away from the wall and sat next to Seamus, the edges of her robes brushing his leg as she sat.

            "How so?"

            Seamus took a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Ron and his brothers, along with Dean and Lee, have been really, well, almost enforcing this – this idea that Slytherins are all to blame. They've been really whipped into a frenzy by Mrs. Weasley I think – I know she's been sending them letters and stuff almost every other day. At least, I think they're all from her, some might be from Percy, or Charlie, I dunno. Anyhow, about a week ago, one of the first years was stupid enough to ask why Ron blamed the Slytherins for everything. He was lucky enough to be overheard by Lee, and not Dean. Lee only made the kid cry, I don't know what any of the others might have done."

            "And McGonagall just lets them get away with this?" Sasha was scandalized. Seamus smiled painfully at her.

            "No one dares tell her. She routinely checks up on us, but mostly to keep an eye on Ron and the twins. She's been really distant lately – like she can't believe that Gryffindor has become what it – well, has." Seamus shrugged and looked down at his hands briefly. "I went to say something to her, but she didn't really hear me, you know. She said that she'd been keeping an eye on Ron and the twins, and that they hadn't been causing too many problems – an that the twin's set a good example of discipline that my year might like to follow."

            Neville snorted and rolled his eyes. "In other words she's blind to what's really going on then?" Seamus nodded slowly. Neville sighed and rubbed at his temple briefly.

            "It's starting to get to the point were people are almost afraid of saying something that Ron or his brothers don't agree with, you know? It's that bad."

            "So where's the flaunted Gryffindor courage then? Why isn't anyone standing up to them?" Blaise spat. Seamus looked at him oddly.

            "Because according to the rest of the wizarding world, the attitude that Ron and the twins have is the right one to have. To stand up to them would be to challenge the entire wizarding standard – which Gryffindor has never really done. We're the ones that stand up for the ideal, the accepted symbol that everyone has in their heads, like Harry used to be. But, now that the public has gotten their heads firmly screwed on backwards…" Seamus shrugged and grimaced. The rest of the small party echoed him.

            "What do we do now?" Sasha's voice was small, and she refused to look up at any of the boys. "We're locked out of the gossip circle, the Weasley family is raising the fourth Reich in Gryffindor and the Headmaster is happily clueless as ever. What do we do?" Her mouth twisted into a parody of a smile. "What do we do?" Seamus reached out hesitantly and covered one of her hands with his own.

            "The only thing we can do. We do our best to stop it." Sasha sniffed and rolled watery eyes at him.

            "Gryffindors. How did I know you were going to say something so incredibly pedantic as that?" Seamus smiled at her, and she smiled back hesitantly. Blaise shared a look with Neville, both of them rolling their eyes at the other pair.

            "Ok, you two. Enough of that." Seamus blinked at the other boys for a moment, before coloring slightly, but he didn't move his hand. "Seamus, Sasha, why don't the two of you find all the information you can on what the Weasley's little Nazi impression is up to – and as to what their long term goals are. If Hermione has had a break up with Ron, then she'd probably be the best to start with. Neville and I are going to be working on how the twins seemed to be outside after dark…and then we'll have a nice long chat with the Headmaster when we've figured it out, alright?" Everyone nodded quickly, and Blaise smiled tightly at them. "Good. Now, if you'll forgive us, Neville and I are off to see Harry and Ginny. Coming, Sasha?"

            "In a moment." Sasha watched as the two other Slytherins departed from the small alcove, not looking at Seamus until she was sure they were gone. She glanced down at their hands and blushed slightly, shifting uncomfortably on her chair. "I'm sorry, you know. About earlier. It's just…"

            "Shh."

            "But –,"

            "Sasha. It's all right – well, try to not hex me so much, but really. I know what happened to you and your family, so I guess I can understand why you'd be so jumpy. To you it made sense – albeit twisted, yes, but…"

            Sasha rolled her eyes at him again and sniffed, her free hand coming up to rub briefly at her eyes. She glanced back down at their hands. "You can let go now if you want."

            "And if I don't want to?" Seamus kept his eyes on their hands as well, finding it easier to speak at them than looking Sasha in the face.

            "Then I'd call you a bloody masochistic fool who has no idea what he's in for." Seamus smiled and finally looked up at her, taking in her pale features and the lip she worried at constantly. He smiled at her and shook his head slightly, raising his other hand up to her cheek.

            "Then I'll just have to prove to you I'm an optimistic do gooder, who has a thing for sarcastic and occasionally homicidal girls." Sasha narrowed her eyes at him, but didn't move away, her eyes shining suspiciously.

            "Bloody fool," she whispered. Seamus grinned.

            "No, no. Optimistic masochist.   There's a difference." He brought her closer, cutting her off before she could retort.

            It was a while before either of them left the Library.

End Chapter 26

A/N: Normally, I would have a long list of names here, thanking everyone who reviewed. Well, unfortunately the computer at my list, and I've lost most of your names. So, thank you again, everyone…you're kind words and reviews really do mean a lot to me. Sorry again =/