A/N: Here's chapter 36 for you all. Chapter 37 is being pecked away at, never fear. Enjoy. Thank you everyone who's reviewed. Your reviews really mean a lot to me, so thank you. Also, a huge thank you to Moonfairyhime for betaing. Dankes =)
ALSO: The story is having issues formating, so there are no indents. I have mucked about with it as much as I can, but ffnet is still refusing to let me have indents. So, I'm sorry?
DISCLAIMER: I don't own any of them, well…actually I do own Sasha, and the DADA instructor…and the fox. And a number of other subsidiary characters, but none of the important ones, unfortunately. I just play with the world, no money being made here. whimper I wish I did.
Chapter 36: Shadows Fall"Harry?" Draco pushed the door open slowly, peering around the corner and into the room. Harry was sitting in the same chair as the Morrigan has been seated at, staring into the fire blindly.
The blond slipped into the room and quietly shut the door behind him. He rested against the wood for a moment, staring at Harry's still form. "Harry?" The other boy still did not respond. Draco crossed the room and knelt down at Harry's side, resting a hand on the dark haired boy's knee.
Harry jumped, swinging around to face the blond with wide eyes. He blushed hotly when he caught sight of Draco, quickly scrubbing at his face, ridding himself of the shiny tear tracks.
"Hey," Draco searched his boyfriend's face, his gray eyes dark. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine, really. Sorry," Harry muttered, looking down at his hands, his shoulders hunching slightly. His face was pale and pinched, with faint lines already forming at the edges of his mouth and eyes. He looked far too old for his years.
Draco frowned, rubbing the other boy's knee gently, wishing for a way to rid him of his pain. "Whatever are you sorry for?" He flashed upon a sudden idea and stood up, grabbing Harry's hands and pulling him out of the chair. The blond then stole the seat and grabbed Harry's waist, spilling the smaller boy into his lap.
"Draco!" Harry squirmed, but Draco wouldn't let him up. Finally the dark haired boy laughed. "Fine, fine." He relaxed into the blonde's lap, letting Draco put his arms around him and pull him close. "Happy now?"
"Mm, sort of. We're still clothed, however, which is a slight put off."
"Draco!" The green eyed boy flushed hotly, turning his face away from the blond. I can't believe he just said that…
"Just joking, seriously Harry. I'd much rather our first time be on a comfortable bed – but if you insist –," pale hands disappeared under the hem of Harry's shirt, making the boy gasp.
"H-hey!" Harry shuddered and tilted his head back, his breath catching in his throat. He opened eyes he never remembered closing, shaking his head a bit. "Draco…" he bit the inside of his lip, tensing slightly.
The pale hands withdrew, straightening Harry's clothes with a sigh. The arms circled him again and squeezed tightly. "Shh, you bloody fool. It's fine." There, he's got his mind away from the guilt enough to start this conversation I think.
Harry sagged into Draco's hold, turning slightly to bury himself into Draco's neck and wrapping his arms around the blond tightly.
"It's not your fault, you know." Draco rubbed his cheek on the dark hair, relishing the feel of it against his skin. "You can't save people from themselves, Harry. They make their own choices, and they are the ones that have to deal with the consequences, not you."
"But," Harry frowned, shrugging slightly. "If I hadn't –,"
"Harry." The arms around him tightened considerably. "This is not your fault. I don't care how many times I have to say it, but until this simple, easy to remember concept gets through your bloody thick skull I'll keep repeating it. This. Was. Not. Your. Fault. Understand?" Draco frowned over Harry's head at the flames in the fireplace, shifting the boy in his arms carefully. I'll get you to believe it yet, you blasted fool. I'll not have that scheming Headmaster let you take on the world's problems on your own. You're mine, and I won't have anyone harming you, not if I can help it, I swear.
"Now who sounds like Professor Snape?" Harry sighed but slowly wrapped his arms around Draco. "Promise?" he whispered, the room blurring slightly.
"I do." I do.
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"You just let him walk away?"
Sirius ducked the book that was flung at him. "Remus, look –," he dodged a cup and winced as he heard it shatter on the ground behind him. "Draco was going in to talk to him – and you know Harry! He's so private and – and contained and –,"
"Which is why you should have gone with Malfoy you prat!" To say that Remus was livid was an understatement. The werewolf stood near the door to their small library, his amber eyes glowing in the dim light. "Sirius Black how could you!"
The animagus eyed his partner carefully – he could have sworn Moony had just growled. "I'm going to talk to him tomorrow, okay? I promise."
Remus' eyes narrowed as he looked the animagus up and down. "You'd better." The werewolf marched into the bedroom and came out a minute later with a blanket and a pillow.
"Remus!" Sirius started towards the other man. "What are you doing? Don't sleep out here just because you're mad at me –,"
"I'm not." The werewolf tossed the blanket and pillow at him, folding his arms across his chest as he stared at Sirius. "You're going to sleep out here until you go and talk to Harry. Deal with it." With that Remus spun on his heel and marched back into the bedroom, slamming the door behind him.
Sirius could only stare, his mouth hanging open in shock.
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The Next Day
Harry's quill paused briefly as Sirius' head poked in past his door. "Harry?"
The boy suppressed a sigh as he carefully set down his quill. "Hullo Sirius." He forced a smile onto his face as his godfather slipped into the room.
"Hey kiddo." Sirius smiled at him and leaned back against the door, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably. "How're you doing?"
"I'm fine Sirius, really." Harry folded his hands in his lap and stared up at his godfather. I am fine, really. It's just that the world is falling to pieces around us and we can't seem to do a damn thing about it, even when we want to. Oh and it gets better – even though the wizarding world hates me, somehow I'm supposed to save them all! So, of course I'm fine. Now walk away and go talk to Ginny. Harry had to close his eyes and forcefully push away the snide voice that had snapped at Sirius – I spend too much time with Professor Snape.
But for once Sirius didn't buy the lie. The fidgeting stopped as blue eyes narrowed. The animagus tilted his head to the side as he studied the younger wizard carefully. Finally he licked his lips and cleared his throat. "You know Harry, I used to say the exact same thing to James when I was upset about something."
"You did?" Harry blinked at him owlishly, his mind going blank. Why ever would Sirius say something like that to Dad? I mean…
"Well," Sirius pushed away from the door and walked towards the fireplace, his hands clasped behind his back tightly. "Nearly. I never called him Sirius, though."
Harry ducked his head slightly and smiled. The smile dimmed as he looked back up. "Why? Were you upset, I mean."
Sirius' shoulders tensed briefly before slumping. He turned and sat in one of the chairs, his expression hesitant and more serious than Harry could ever remember it being.
"My – family and I were never very close. You know a lot of that story, I know, but," Sirius frowned and stared at the tops of his knees. "You see – everyone saw me laugh and joke around at school. Live with James and his family, be happy, shag lots of people, be one of the most popular boys in school. That's what everyone saw – or wanted to see."
The animagus absently picked at his robes, his next words hitting Harry hard. "You see, what no one knew was that I …" he shrugged, still looking down, "I blamed myself a lot early on for all my family's problems."
"You?" Harry winced at his incredulous tone. You idiot, he fixed his gaze on the ground, a mortified flush spreading across his face.
To Harry's surprise the animagus laughed. "It's alright, Harry." The boy glanced up at Sirius through his bangs. "Really." The man smiled at him and patted the chair next to him. "C'mere."
Harry hopped off his chair and crossed the room to sit next to Sirius.
"You see," the animagus looked past Harry and into the fine once again, a small frown on his face. "Your dad – he really was the prankster in the group. But I was the one who always laughed – no matter what. Your dad – he really tried to get me to laugh, and for that I will always be in debt to him." He spared a small painful smile at Harry. "But it was his mother that really helped me sort it all out."
"But – your family is – was all Dark, weren't they?" Harry fidgeted on his seat.
A smile tugged at the corner of Sirius' mouth. "Yeah, they were. They could never figure out why I was the way I was. It – offended them, Harry. It really did." He sighed and focused again on the boy in front of him.
"James' mum – your grandmum – she was an amazing woman. A little behind the times, but she had a heart that was as big as the ocean. She loved everyone – and most everyone loved her. She was the one who used to find me in the middle of the night, bawling my eyes out near the fireplace."
Harry looked up at Sirius oddly, who caught the look and chuckled painfully. "Oh yes, Harry. Don't look so surprised." Harry flushed guiltily and looked down at his hands. Sirius sighed and ran a hand through his hair, irritated at himself.
"Look – I'm not saying this right and I'm sorry. I just – I just wanted you to know that I…understand. I know, at least in a way, how you're feeling. Like everything you do just screws up everything else even more, and you just get so frustrated and upset when things just spiral more and more out of control…" the animagus trailed off, staring blankly at the floor. He shook his head slightly and glanced at Harry. "I – I know I don't seem like the…the serious," he made a face, "type, or whatever, but Harry," he turned to his godson, his expression open and pleading. "If you're upset, about anything, I want you to know that you can always come and talk to me. About – about anything, life, death, boys, whatever."
Harry sputtered for a moment, before beginning to laugh. Sirius grinned back at him hesitantly, holding out his arms for a hug. Harry jumped into the embrace, his arms going around the older man's neck, holding on tight. "Thank you Sirius," he whispered into the animagus' neck, tightening his hold on the man.
Sirius blinked back tears as he wrapped his arms around his godson, pulling the boy onto his lap. "Any time, Harry. I'm always here, and I'll always be here, no matter what."
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"Alright." Draco planted his hands on his hips as he looked out over the Slytherin Common Room. "This is how we're going to do it." He picked up a sheet of paper and scanned down the names quickly. "Sasha, you, Pansy and Millicent will get the herbs we need from the Professor. Get that Gryffindor of yours to keep an eye out for his Housemates – we're going to need the small clearing behind the hothouses to do all of this, and Merlin knows that that is the place those bloody ponces like to go to make out."
There were a number of ewws echoing around the room. Draco ignored them as he scanned down the list in his hand, a small frown on his face.
"Now Ginny, you, Blaise and Neville need to get the books we need from the Library. Go in as pairs, taking a few books at a time. We have a week, but I'd like to get done sooner. Here's a list of the ones we need right away." He handed her a small sheet, which the auburn haired witch looked over quickly, nodding to herself quickly.
"Not a problem." She tucked the list away in her book bag, her eyes clear and determined.
"Good. Now, Harry and I will be preparing the circle. It's going to take at least three days to do, so we all need to be on a look out for anyone hanging about. I want at least two pairs of teams watching the exits around us at all times. Trade off, Pansy has a list of whom you will be teaming up with on each day. We'll have the lists posted in the Common Room, so don't mess up. Does everyone understand?"
Quick nods from all around answered him. Draco smirked, They're Slytherins, of course they understand. He turned to a pair of third years who were waiting at his elbow. "Here, this is what I need made, do you think your father can get it done in time?"
The dark haired boys bent over the list, scanning down the small number of items. "It'll cost you, but he can have it done." The taller of the two looked up at Draco, a small smile on his face. "Father'd be proud to make this for you."
"Good, send the list home today. Your father can expect payment within the next few days." Draco dismissed them and turned to Harry, who was calmly setting up a large table near the fireplace. "Are you sure it will be alright if we get a few of the pieces for the altar late?"
"Yes, Draco." Harry's eyes were remarkably clear and calm as he poured a small handful of salt onto each corner of the table.
The blond watched the other boy for a moment, a small knot loosening in his stomach. He'd been worried when the animagus had gone in to talk to Harry the day before – but whatever the mutt had said, it had sent Harry into a calm the blond had not seen in some time. "Do you have enough supplies to sanctify the makeshift altar as is?"
A small smile creased Harry's face. He looked up at Draco, his green eyes shining. "Draco, the intent is the most important thing you know. I could probably do this successfully with birthday candles and a piece of chalk; I'm fine."
The blond snorted and rolled his eyes at him, which only succeeded in making Harry grin at him even more. "Well excuse my good taste, but looking at it from a proper wizarding background…"
"But this isn't about reciting spells, Draco." Harry straightened up and dusted off his hands, surveying his work carefully. "It's about faith, not logic. It's about belief, not results. We have to believe, we have to have faith that this will work – and it will. To go through the motions will bring about only failure and false hope. If we believe," he turned shining eyes at Draco, "then it will happen. Do you get it?"
The blond snorted inelegantly, but nodded. He faintly recalled his grandmother taking him to Stonehenge when he was a small child, bending down to whisper tales into the tiny shell of his ear, her eyes shining in the warm summer twilight. His grandmother had had faith in the old traditions, in the old ways. His grandfather hadn't – but had humored the love of his life with her wishes for candles imported from all ends of the world.
"Fine, fine," Draco folded his arms across his chest and leaned up against the couch, happy to just watch what Harry was doing. "Carry on then." He smirked at the other boy.
Harry laughed and flipped him off, but returned back to his work.
The next few days were hectic for Slytherin House. At almost any time of the day the Common Room was buzzing with students; books were piled on the tables, as well as vials of potions ingredients, packets of chalk and salt, amongst other things.
There had been a near brush with trouble early on in the week. A trio of third years had run into Ron and his click on their way back from the greenhouses. Weasley had been instantly suspicious of them, and had demanded that they all turn their pockets out for inspection. Luckily the Slytherins had been saved by the most unlikely of people – Hagrid. The burly man had literally stumbled upon the confrontation and had gotten none too irritated with Ron when the redhead had explained what he had been doing. In the end, Hagrid had shooed the young Slytherins off, and had shook his finger at Ron, very disappointed in him.
It only served to anger the redhead further.
The next day the two girls from the group Ron and the other Gryffindors had encountered were mysteriously drenched in mud and muck from the animal enclosures. It stank horribly, and by the end of the day there were a dozen insults and catch phrases flying around school. The girls had had to go to the Hospital Wing to be sedated and to get a number of cuts and bruises healed by the Head Nurse. Slytherin House had been outraged at the attack, but officially the prank was blamed on Peeves. In response Draco had asked the Bloody Baron to torment the poltergeist horribly. The House ghost didn't have to be asked twice.
That night Harry had stormed into his room and returned moments later with a thin book, clutching it to his chest tightly. The two girls were still in the Hospital wing, having gone into hysterics after the prank was pulled on them. He came to a stop in front of Draco, his green eyes glittering in the light of the room. He flipped the book open to a marked page. "Think you can make this tonight?"
Draco looked at Harry briefly before taking the book from his hands. He read over the potion, a line appearing between his brows. He ran a finger down the list of ingredients and did some quick mental calculation. "Yes, I think I could get it done by tonight. But…"
"Good." Harry's eyes were narrow and cold. He looked at his boyfriend, noticing the wheedling expression coming over his face. Some of the frost melted as he rolled his eyes and laughed. "Fine, I'll do your transfiguration homework for you – but that's all, got it?"
The blond considered it carefully before nodding. "Alright," he said grudgingly, suppressing the grin that threatened to break over his face. "I assume you want me to add in spider parts for the catalyst then?"
Harry's grin turned wolfish. "You bet."
Draco tilted his head back and laughed.
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Harry was out of bed and ready to go early the next morning. He slipped into Draco's room and woke the blond up hastily – I don't want to miss a thing. Draco had stared at him blankly for a few moments before falling back onto his bed, drawing the covers up over his head.
"Harry – get out. It's far too early to be up. I don't think the house elves are up yet…" the whine did not deter Harry in the slightest.
Twenty minutes later a very grumpy Draco and a strangely perky Harry were headed down to the kitchens to see a certain house elf named Dobby.
"What are you doing up this early?" Ginny slid into the seat next to Harry, her eyes twinkling happily. "Has hell frozen over? Are vampires walking in the sunlight?" She peered at Harry intently, a small grin hovering at the edges of her mouth. "I see…" she closed her eyes and leaned back, doing her best impression of Professor Trelawney. "The third planet has aligned with the fourth moon of Jupiter…yes, I see strange things in your future, young man…purple socks, a large king sized bed, limp wrists and chocolate…" She yelped when Harry poked her in her side and then began to laugh hysterically when she caught sight of his face.
"Shut up you." Harry finally gave in to temptation and began to smile as well. "What are you on about, limp wrists?"
Ginny snorted softly and wiped her eyes, a flush fading from her cheeks. She glanced at Harry oddly. "I did say it right, didn't I? What muggles refer to when they talk about homosexual males? The limp wrist thing?"
"The muggles talk about what?" There were blank looks from all around them.
Ginny shrugged. "I dunno. I just remember…a time when I got a hold of some muggle magazines and was looking through them. They were talking about homosexuals and it wasn't very nice. Anyhow, one of the things they mentioned was the 'typical limp wrist syndrome' whatever that was." She fidgeted and glanced at Harry. "I only meant it to be a joke. It's funny, right? In the muggle world?"
Harry sighed and shook his head. "Gin, I may have spent the first ten years of my life in the muggle world – but to be honest with you, I don't know a lot about it. I can tell you how everything in the kitchen and the garage works, but I couldn't tell you what is the new fashion or whatnot. I never had time to watch television like Dudley, and I never had friends as I grew up. So," he shrugged, "your guess is as good as mine. I think it's supposed to be an insult, a pretty mild one, but I'm not sure."
"Oh," Ginny's face fell slightly, "I'm sorry."
Harry smiled and bumped her shoulder with his own gently. "It's fine Gin." Pansy and Millicent exchanged a glance, remembering what Ginny had told the two of them in confidence about Harry; Pansy canted a look at Professor Snape, but Millicent merely shook her head and mouthed later at the other girl. They turned back to their food before anyone could notice their small aside, picking up the thread of the new conversation easily, laughing as Harry poked fun of Draco's grumpy mood.
Just then a loud group of students plowed in through the doors, Ron Weasley's voice easy to pick out in the rush. Harry's head whipped around and he watched the redhead carefully, settling into his seat as though he were ready to pounce.
"Draco?" Ginny eyed Harry worriedly. "What's wrong with Harry?"
"Nothing." The blonde's voice was muffled from where his head was pillowed on his arms. "He's just mildly psychotic today." He didn't care how many times Pansy kicked him, or the quantity of juice Blaise flicked into his ear – he was too damn tired to sit up straight and the others could just deal with it. After all, I am a Malfoy and we are never out of line – everyone else is. He hoped Harry would like his present – After all, I did stay up half the damn night modifying it. The things I do for you Potter…
"Shh! He's about to drink." Harry's eyes were wide and eager. His fingers drummed on the tabletop as he watched Ron down his first cup of pumpkin juice – just like he did every morning. The dark haired boy smirked as Ron polished off the last of the cup and then swayed abruptly in his seat.
Ron looked at the students around him, his breath coming in panicked gasps. He scrambled away from Dean with a cry, wiping at his clothes wildly, shaking like a leaf.
Harry frowned and nudged Draco sharply. "I don't think it's working. He's supposed to think he's…"
"I modified it." Draco raised his head and blinked sleepily at the commotion at the other side of the hall. "Instead having the potion makes him think he's something, the potion will now make him see spiders everywhere. Welcome to hell, Ronald Weasley."
Harry raised his eyebrows, impressed. He turned back in time to see Ron scream as Parvati reached for him, swatting at her wildly in an attempt to keep her away. Harry had to cover his hand with his mouth as Ron took one last look at the hall, whimpered, and then fell over in a dead faint. "Perfect." He sighed and turned back to his breakfast, tucking into it with a gusto he hadn't felt in a long, long time.
"Why thank you Draco. You're welcome Harry. It wasn't a problem, oh no, not at all, it just kept me up half the bloody night…" Draco tried to ignore the small hand that slipped into his own, as well as the heat from the body that slid closer to him. He finally gave up and muttered a curse, glaring at Harry blackly but lacing their fingers together tightly. Irritating prat, he stabbed at his sausage viciously, glaring at the snickers and smiles that were tossed his way.
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"Alright," Draco rubbed at the back of his neck tiredly. "We're ready. You have the incantation, right Harry?"
The dark haired boy nodded and picked up a vial of salt, holding it loosely in his right hand. "Yes." He checked the time. "We're ready."
"Okay." Draco closed his eyes and tilted his head back, calming his thoughts. He rolled his head from side to side, trying to ease some of the tension.
They were ready. All of their supplies had come in and the night was perfect. A full moon had just risen over the horizon, large and bright in the clear night sky. The area they were in was perfect for their needs – once a large atrium centuries ago, it had been torn down and replaced with smaller, separate hot houses that sat side by side. Fortunately for them, the wards extended some distance beyond the ends of the hothouses, creating a small clearing for them to work in at night, and yet still be considered 'in' the castle by the alarms.
Guards were posted around them, keeping an eye on the hallways so that they would not be disturbed. Sasha and Ginny stood next to them quietly, watching the boys carefully as they cast the circle. They had decided to try and invoke Danu first, and had agreed that a female presence would be their best bet in doing so. Harry and Draco, being the two strongest wizards in the House, would cast the circle and the wards so that nothing could come and interfere.
Harry turned to face east, drawing in a deep breath and letting it out slowly, pushing all of his worried thoughts away. He opened his eyes and held out the vial, tilting it so that a small stream of salt began to pour out. He carefully walked the circle, keeping up with Draco as he read the formal incantation for calling on the protection and guidance of the four directions. Please let this work, he approached the east once more, pausing for a moment to let Draco read off the last lines of the rite. Please.
The pulse that went through the four of them when Harry finally closed the circle was intense. The night sounds disappeared, and the outline of the circle that Harry had traced lit up briefly, making them all jump. Harry and Ginny exchanged startled glances, their eyes wide.
Sasha and Ginny then stepped forward to the center of the circle, facing each other. Ginny held a small bag of earth in one hand and a handful of seeds in the other. Sasha held the athame that Draco had had made for them in her left hand while she held a piece of paper in her right.
"We cast this circle in the name of Danu, the Great Mother, the Sleeping Lady. We invoke you on this night, under this moon, to hear our plea." Sasha held up the athame high over her head, "So above," she knelt and plunged the dagger into the ground, "so below, hear us!"
Ginny licked her lips nervously as she took up her part of the ritual. "Great Lady, Sleeping Mother, hear our call." She opened the bag of earth with clumsy fingers, letting the rich, dark soil spill out onto the ground and over the athame. "We are lost and alone, tired and cold. The light is lost and we cannot find it. We call upon you to return, to kindle the light once more, to return as the dawn, and light our way home." She cleared her throat and took a deep breath, then flung the handful of seeds into the air. "Like these seeds, let our voices carry on the wind. Great Mother, Sleeping Lady, hear us, wherever you are."
The seeds arched up, their movement a soft hiss in the still night air. A sudden wind blew hard around them, catching the seeds before they could fall to the earth and whisked them away, the sudden gale-like wind whipping their robes and hair wildly.
As sudden as it appeared, it was gone, leaving them breathless and panting. Ginny scrapped her hair out of her eyes, turning to look at Harry, who was pale and sweating. "You think it worked?"
"I think something heard us." Draco shook his robes straight, smoothing his hair back nervously. "I'm just not sure what."
"Magic." Harry's voice was strangely hollow. "I think we forgot to figure that in."
"What?" Draco turned and frowned at Harry, the tone of the other boy's voice sending shivers up his spine.
The dark haired boy brought a trembling hand up to his temple, rubbing at the skin absently. "Hogwarts is full of ambient magic. It's been here so long, it's soaked into the walls, the ground, everything." Harry's eyes lingered on the athame plunged into the ground. "It's been a long time since anyone's drawn on it specifically to do anything for them. We just did, sort of, I think. So it obliged our call."
"Huh?" Ginny wrapped her arms around her middle, glancing down at the dagger warily and taking a step back.
"Magic is…sentient, sort of. In a way. You all know about wild magic," they nodded, "well, I think the magic that's around Hogwarts is kind of like wild magic, only it's wild magic that's been…tamed, somewhat." Harry shook his head slightly, chewing on his lower lip nervously. "It could be that, or maybe it's just a freak natural occurrence. I doubt it though."
"So by invoking a goddess, and using a ritual tool inside what's considered the castle proper," Sasha's eyes gleamed, "We've been able to tap into the well of power that Hogwarts has inside it. This is fascinating."
"Should we continue, though?" Draco's eyes were narrowed with concentration as he looked from the dagger to the notes in his hand. If we don't do it now, we'll lose the timing of the moon cycle…He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, turning to look at Harry, who appeared to be thinking the same thoughts as the blond.
"Definitely! The magic can only give us an extra boost, I think. It's an added bonus, definitely, not a drawback." Sasha grabbed a hold of Ginny's robe and pulled gently, drawing her to the south. "Go on then. Hurry up before we lose the position of the moon and stars. The rituals were quite specific about that."
Draco and Harry looked at each other and shrugged. "It wouldn't hurt," Harry agreed with Sasha.
The blond frowned, but nodded. "Alright. Let's finish this."
The boys took the girls' places, Harry facing north, Draco south. Harry held a candle in one hand and a handful of seeds in the other. Draco held a large staff in his left hand and a handful of feathers in his right.
The blond raised the staff, took a deep breath, and began. "Dagda, the All-Father, hear our call. With fire we call you," Harry lit the candle and placed in on the ground carefully, making sure their robes would not brush up against it by accident. "With wind we call you," Draco tossed his handful of feathers into the air, watching as they swirled around the two of them gently. "We invoke you!" He brought the staff down hard, thumping it on the ground with force. "We invoke you!" Again the staff crashed down, but this time there was a pulse that moved through them, a heavy stirring that crept up their spines. "We invoke you!" Draco took a deep breath and brought the staff down with all his might.
The circle exploded.
"Ughn…" Draco rolled over to his side, his head pounding, "What happened?" He opened his eyes carefully, squinting up at the night sky. The moon had barely moved, so they couldn't have been out for long. He glanced around the circle, checking on the others.
Ginny and Sasha were fine, sitting up groggily from where they had collapsed at the south end of the circle. They looked a bit woozy, but unharmed. Draco frowned and turned to look for Harry. The boy was lying flat on his back, still unconscious, several feet away from the blond.
Draco crawled over to check on the other boy, shaking him slightly. "Harry? Harry wake up."
Dark brows drew together and the smaller boy groaned. He coughed and tried to roll to his side, but gave up half way through, flopping back with a grunt. "What was that?" Dark eyes peered up at Draco, clearly worried.
"Haven't the faintest clue. I think it worked, I'm just not sure how." Draco smiled at him wanly, shrugging slightly. "Next time we try smaller gods, eh?"
Harry laughed softly, nodding in agreement. He sobered suddenly, "I didn't cast the seeds, though." He held up his hand, showing Draco the handful of seeds he was still clutching.
"I don't think we needed them." Draco helped the other boy to his feet, a shiver working its way up his spine. "I think you're right about the ambient magic that's in the school. You felt those pulses, right?"
"Yeah," Harry dusted off his robes and ran a hand through his hair before carefully returning his handful of seeds to the bag from which they came. "Maybe it anticipated what we needed."
"I think you're right." The blond carefully broke the circle, dismissing the corners one by one. "Sasha, Ginny? Could the two of you look into that by any chance?"
"With what, my time turner?" Sasha rolled her eyes at the blond.
"I'll do it." Ginny hesitated for a moment before bending down and yanking the athame from the ground. "I don't have OWLs this year, and I'm not preparing for NEWTs, so I have time."
"Thanks a ton, Gin." Harry smiled at her warmly. She grinned back at him, picking up her cane from where she had put it, just outside the circle. They hadn't been sure just how the magical artifact would react in the circle, so they had agreed to leave it outside. Ginny now leaned on it thankfully, her knee aching fiercely in the chill of the night.
"C'mon, I see Blaise and Neville signaling us. Filch is probably on his way." Draco gathered up the rest of their supplies and then herded the small group back into the castle.
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Hundreds of miles away, in an area of southeast England, the ground began to shudder.
Residents chalked it up to being a rare, but not unheard of earthquake. China rattled in the cupboards while the houses rocked and shifted, but as soon as it began, it was done. There was little damage done to the small village, and the inhabitants went to sleep soon afterwards, the incident almost forgotten.
However, when the inhabitants of the town woke the next morning they got the surprise of their lives as they headed for church.
The modest chapel and tiny graveyard that had been there for centuries – since the inhabitants of the town long ago converted to the One God's religion, was gone. In its place stood the pillars of the old church, the large standing stones that had once demarked a holy site for the old ways. The stones themselves had proved far too difficult to move for the builders of the church, so the architect had merely built around them, using them as support structures where he could, and knocking down the ones he couldn't, and using them for wall material.
Now the circle stood whole once more, all sign of the church gone. The towns folk found the priest passed out just in front of the stone circle, clutching at his crucifix tightly. He was a young lad, and new to the town. His sermons were full of brimstone and fire, hell and damnation, his view on the town's small tourism income baleful and extreme.
"Well, laddy," one grandmother said as she looked from the priest to the stones and back again. "Looks as though you're out of a job." There were chuckles from the crowd, and they carefully gathered the young man up and took him off to the nearest house. Many stayed and regarded the ancient structure with wide eyes, a small tide of hope rising deep within them. Tradition was a hard thing to break – especially in small towns. Folklore and urban legend was passed down from one generation to the next, keeping the old tales alive in their children, in their grandchildren, but never daring for themselves to believe that the old ways would come again.
It seemed as though that time had just begun.
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"What do you think of this outfit?"
"Pansy," Millicent pinched the bridge of her nose, closing her eyes tightly. "We have a charms exam coming up. How the hell am I going to pass said test if you keep interrupting me?" The Slytherin fifth years were seated at a small side table in the Library, their schoolbooks scattered across the table. They hadn't had much time to prepare for their OWLs that year, so they were taking every chance to study that they could – well, some of them were studying…
"Ohh, someone's crabby today." The blonde sniffed and tossed her hair back over her shoulder, looking down at her magazine once more. "I think I like it. It would be even better if they lowered the collar here…"
"Pansy…" Millicent ground her teeth together as the other girl merely looked at her blankly. "Charms. Textbook. Study. Now."
"Phhfft, you're no fun." Pansy sighed but put away her magazine, flipping open her charms book with an expression of distaste.
"I may be no fun, but if you want to go into designing you'll need all the charms knowledge you can get, so study." The brown haired girl resisted the urge to grab onto Pansy's ponytail and yank. The blonde rolled her eyes at her, but dutifully began to take notes from the text. The quiet lasted for all of five minutes.
"Did you see Andrew Kennington today? He is so pretty," Millicent slumped over her textbook, cursing whatever had turned her best friend into an airhead.
"Pansy…" Millicent began, and then paused, glancing over the girl's shoulder in time to see one Michael Corner stalk up to some Hufflepuffs. She slid to the left an inch, her eyes narrowing as she took in the boy's waving arms and frantic facial expression. "Pansy, take out your compact and take a look behind you."
The blonde blinked at her for a moment before doing as she asked. A frown stole over her face as she watched the silent argument between Corner and the Hufflepuffs. "That's odd. Ravenclaws usually can't stand to be around Hufflepuffs. They drive them insane…unless they're pretty. Which none of them are."
"Pan-sy," Millicent reminded herself that dental spells were often painful, and consciously unclenched her jaw.
"Yes, yes, Millie, I know." The blonde took up her quill and began to jot down notes as she watched the argument unfold. "I can't make out a thing as to what they're saying…you?"
"No." The bulkier girl dropped her gaze as Michael spun around and stormed out of the Library. The Hufflepuffs were in a secluded corner, much like Pansy and Millicent were – the girls had noticed the other House's arrival a few minutes after they had begun to study.
"Odd…I know at least one of those Hufflepuffs tags along behind Weasley as though he were the second coming. We know Michael Corner is involved with Weasley – but this…does not sit right with me." Pansy snapped her compact closed and pursed her lips slightly, deep in thought. "You think Corner could be running something outside of Weasley's knowledge?"
"It wouldn't be hard." Millicent snorted and flipped to the next page in her textbook, watching the Hufflepuffs through her bangs.
"True. But why? If Corner's a Weasley supporter…" Pansy trailed off, one finger beating out a tempo on the tabletop.
"But if he's not…" The girls exchanged a glance. "Who's on watch for the tables tonight?"
"Harry and Ginny." Pansy's finger stilled and her eyes narrowed. "I'll talk to them about keeping an eye on Corner. Won't be hard for Harry, he hates the bloke anyhow."
"Pansy, your language…"
"You are not my mother, Millie. What's gotten into you today?"
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Several Days Later"You're sure about this?"
"Blaise." Neville turned to the other boy and glared at him. "My plants are dying. The Gryffindors in my Herbology class poisoned them, I know they did. I can't prove anything to Professor Sprout, unfortunately, but it doesn't change the fact that my special project is dying and it's all the fault of my ex-Housemates who're all just too damn jealous and bigoted for their own damn good!"
"Neville!" Blaise's eyes were sparkling in the twilight. "Such language."
"Gah," the sandy haired boy rolled his eyes and stomped into the hothouse where his plants were stored. "Are you going to help me or what?"
"Of course I'll help you." Blaise slid an arm around the other boy, hugging him tightly for a moment before releasing him. "What do you need me to do?"
"Alright, well, remember how well the plants responded to the Rosmertas spell?" Neville twisted his hands together in front of himself nervously as he looked up at the other boy, shuffling his feet awkwardly.
"Yes…" A line formed between Blaise's brows. "You're not thinking of invoking the goddess, are you?" He folded his arms across his chest, his mouth thinning down into a firm line.
"Uh…well…" Neville smiled wanly at the other boy as he stilled.
Blaise sighed and shook his head. "Neville, you remember what happened to Harry and the rest, right?"
"Well," Neville shifted uneasily from foot to foot. "They tried the two main gods! I'm just calling on Rosmerta…"
"Who is a very powerful goddess in her own right. Neville, she had a very large following! Temples and altars and whatnot!" Blaise threw his hands up into the air, exasperated.
"Does this mean you're not going to help me?" Neville dropped his gaze to the ground, scuffing one toe in the dirt slowly.
The sable haired boy made a strangled sound. "No." Neville looked up happily, his smile dimming a bit at the aggravated look on his boyfriend's face. "I'll help you, Merlin help me."
"You don't have to." Neville was hurt. He turned his back on the other boy and headed for his plants, his pride smarting.
"Neville, wait!" Blaise hurried to the boy's side. "I didn't mean it that way."
"I'm sure you didn't," Neville murmured, not looking at him. He set his book bag to the side and reached for his plants, fussing over the dried leaves and the wilted stalks.
"Neville…"
"Go on, it's fine. I'll do this on my own."
"No," Blaise sighed explosively, running a hand through his hair. "I'll help you. I want to."
"If you're sure." Neville didn't look up at him, running a hand over the plants, pulling off the dead leaves and setting them aside carefully. He ignored the look the sable haired boy gave him, intent on taking care of his precious project – and letting him stew. I know I'm not the best wizard out there, but it's just a little spell! All they need is a little help, it's not like I'm invoking a war god down to rage havoc against Ron and the others. Neville sniffed and scratched at his chin absently, poking at the soil in the pots, making sure the plants had enough water.
"What do you need me to do?" Blaise kicked himself mentally, but tried to keep his tone mild. Neville had the most dejected expression on his face, and it's all my fault. Good job Blaise, just insult him why don't you. He bit back a gusty sigh and watched as Neville's expression lightened just a tad.
"Here." The sandy haired boy turned to him and pushed a container of salt into his hands, along with a piece of parchment. "I need you to create a circle. Not very big. I found this little incantation in one of the books we've been reading. It should work for purifying it."
Blaise looked down at the vial and the parchment, then back up at Neville, his shoulders slumping as he nodded in acquiesce. He took the salt and studied the incantation, reading the instructions carefully as he began. Once he was finished, he turned to Neville, his eyebrows arching slightly. "Done."
"Good." Neville lifted his plants one by one and set them into the small space, fussing with them until he had them as he wanted. Then he took out another piece of parchment and looked it over. He glanced up at Blaise and gave him a small, timid smile and then began.
"With pure hearts we call you. With good intent we call you. Rosmerta! Rosmerta! Rosmerta!" Neville looked up from his notes, his eyes hopeful. There was nothing. He glanced back down at the paper, his shoulders slumping. "Maybe I did it wrong…"
A gust of wind whipped around the boys, startling them. Their robes wrapped around their legs, blowing stray bits of soil into their eyes, causing them to squint. Neville covered his face hastily, waiting until the wind had died down to look up.
His eyes widened as he looked at the woman in front of him. Just as startled, she gazed back at him, her expression open and amazed. "R-Ros – Rosmerta!" Oh shite…
The goddess' expression shifted into one of amusement as she looked the boys over, her eyes shining. She looked down at the plants between them, her eyes warming. She looked back up at Neville, catching his gaze. She winked and then vanished, leaving only the warm smell of roses in her wake.
Neville turned to Blaise, his eyes wide. "Did that just happen?"
"I think it did." They looked at each other for a long moment before smiles broke out over their faces.
Neville looked down at his plants, a startled gasp escaping him. "Blaise! Look!"
The plants were full and healthy once more.
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Cho huddled in her cage, wrapping her arms around her middle tightly, staring out through the bars at the madman in front of her. Voldemort was reclining in his chair behind his desk, staring at the walls of his torture room blankly. He paid no attention to her, for which she was supremely thankful. Disgusting nasty horrid beast, she crept to the very back of her cage, pressing up against the cold stone and metal bars, ignoring the chill that crept into her flesh.
Since she had been taken, Cho's life had become one unending torment after the other. She was rarely dressed, and when she was, it was a hasty robe thrown over her body to hide her nakedness. Her mind flitted past the men that had come to her cage, pulling her out and taking her on the cold, hard floor as Voldemort merely watched and nodded, his wand twitching every so often when she screamed. The Dark Lord had had his torturer put her on the rack a number of times, branding her flesh with strange runes that moved with minds of their own, causing wave after wave of pain to crash through her at the oddest times.
She was near the end of her endurance and she knew it. She closed her eyes and fought down a whimper, bringing a faded image of her mother and father to the forefront of her mind. They were all she had left and she clung to them tightly, never letting the details of their faces fade from her memory. They were her lifeline, her only safe haven from the insanity that surrounded her. She had faith that she would see them again, she had to see them again, if only to tell them that she had not done this of her own violation. I promise Papa, I didn't mean to. Mama please, I never, ever meant it…
"Ezekiel!" Cho stuffed a hand into her mouth to hide her whimper, hunkering down in the furthest corner of her small cage. She watched as the thin torturer appeared in the doorway, his eyes bright and eager.
"Yes, my Lord?" He crossed the room swiftly and knelt at Voldemort's feet, turning his eyes up to his Lord.
"I want you to tell the others that the Dark Mark will not be used until I say so. Everyone is to go out tonight, here is a list of the towns I want destroyed." Voldemort reached for a scroll and handed it to the torturer, his eyes flicking past Cho and then returning to her. "Take the child. Make sure a few survivors see her. The rest of my orders are in the scroll. Go."
"Yes, my Lord." Ezekiel kissed the hem of Voldemort's robe, lingering briefly before bounding once more out of the room. Cho dropped her eyes to the floor, huddling in on herself as she felt the Dark Lord's gaze return to her.
Oh Harry, she shuddered as a few tears escaped down her cheeks. I'm so sorry.
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"There were no Dark Marks whatsoever?" Albus sighed and rubbed at his temple fitfully. "Are you sure?"
"There's nothing, Albus." Alastor Moody glared down at his teacup, his mouth set into a grim line. "Just bodies. Lots of bodies."
"But you are sure it was Voldemort?" The Headmaster pushed the stacks of papers on his desk aside, his expression troubled.
"One hundred percent. They were all executed by the Killing Curse, except for the children. They were tortured with the Cruciatus Curse until they died."
Albus paled and turned his face away, pushing down the rage that threatened to rise up and wash over him. "What else?"
"There were two survivors from all the towns. None of them are exactly sane, but what they are able to tell us makes sense. The Death Eaters came at nightfall and went from house to house, gathering them all up. Then they took the children and tortured them, chanting in a language they could not understand. Then the executions began." Moody set his teacup down with a crash, his eyes shining fiercely. "Something must be done, Albus!"
"I know, Alastor. I know." Albus sighed and looked down at his hands, his mouth thinning down into a hard line. "Are you certain they all claimed Ms. Chang as the ring leader in the attacks?"
"Yes, Albus. Their descriptions were spot on."
"Merlin." Dumbledore bowed his head for a moment, sorrow threatening to engulf him. "Is there any way to suppress their statements from the press?"
"No. Fudge has refused to give them protection. Their families are being badgered by the press as we speak, undoubtedly tipped off by the lying little bastard himself," Alastor growled, his eyes turning dark.
"Undoubtedly." Albus drummed his fingers on the arms of his chair, removing his emotions and looking at the problem logically. "Is there anything else?"
"No, Albus. I'm sorry." Moody shook his head sorrowfully, "I wish I could give you more information."
"It is enough." The Headmaster spared him a tight smile, but it didn't reach his eyes. "On your way out, could you tell Remus and Sirius I need to speak to them?"
"Of course, Albus." Moody stood and inclined his head slightly, then turned to the door and strode out, making for the suite of rooms the two Order members shared.
Albus watched him go with tired eyes. Events were speeding up, much to his displeasure. Tom what are you doing? He closed his eyes and counted to ten slowly, ignoring the pain spreading through his stomach and into his chest. What do you have to gain from killing these muggles? What is your plan? He opened his eyes, his mind coming up with nothing.
He knew one way to get into Voldemort's mind, but he was loath to use it. Ah, Harry my lad, you have already done so much. He turned his gaze to the fireplace, watching the flames as his mind turned over the pieces of the puzzle in front of him. There were too many facts, and nothing to link them together. When Severus was in the inner circle we at least had an inclining of when, how and why Voldemort was attacking. But now…he dropped his gaze back to his desk, his eyes resting on the third drawer done on the left hand side.
It wasn't pilfering, really. What Severus made belonged to the school, technically, and as the Headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus was entitled to use whatever was created within the walls of the school. What a pretty little lie. He reached out and opened the drawer, eyeing the small vial of liquid for a moment before closing the drawer once more. Forgive me, children. He knew what he had to do…for the good of them all, no matter if his heart ached to do it. He had no other options left.
End Chapter 36Again, thank you all who've reviewed. It really means a lot to me. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!