Title: Wrong Frame of Mind
Part:7/18
Author: Jmaria (Jill)
Rating: R
Spoilers: Ats: S5 'You're Welcome' HP: OotP
Disclaimer: I own Jillian, everyone else belongs to J.K. and Joss
Distribution: TtH, ff.net, if you wanted, ask. I usually say yes.
Summary: Down, but never out. . .
A/N: Brain went on meltdown for like the last two weeks. I know what's supposed to happen, it's just. . . well, the brain wouldn't cooperate. I got bits and pieces of dialogue, but then I had to work out how it all fit into the scope of the series. But then, I fell of a step-ladder yesterday, so the voices in my head (er, I mean muse) got a rude awakening and I scribbled out two chapters in my classes instead of dosing during boring lectures. Tada! the glory that is pain. . . ok, relating too much to scary Jillian . . .(c'mon, she's the spawn of Voldemort and Gwendolyn Post, she's not gonna be the sanest girl on the block, people.)
Chapter Seven
It was almost as if he was a walking mouth full of biting sarcacasm. A bloody, bruised, battered, and probably almost nearly filleted walking mouth. No, the Slyterin Prince was his usual sneering self, but then he was being attended to by a ghost woman, St. Potter, and a crazed looking muggle boy.
No, Draco was little more than a bloody bag of pulp, resting his head on the pristine cream colored sofa. Sirius Black, or the ghost of him, had faded out again. Cordelia, still in what she had now dubbed 'Guardian Mode' was freaking out. Connor had just sat completely still. And Harry was waiting for some real answers.
That was when the Anya woman showed up again. A bright smile was plastered to her lips. To the tired, annoyed, exhausted warriors, it was just another annoyance.
She proved to be just that.
"Hello, young, swarthy men-children." Cordelia groaned. But Anya plowed right on. "It is good to see that you all aren't bloody and writhing in pain."
"No, don't mind the severely injured individual on the couch. Wouldn't want my bloody condition bothering anyone. Maybe I'll just die over her. Bloody and writhing." Draco spat acidly, though his eyes were closed.
"Anya. . " Cordelia started. But the other woman plowed on again.
"Yes, the mini Spike. He, of course is very bloody. I can see why his inappropriate sarcasm would be the only thing to be heard. His kind never do shut up."
"Mini Spike?" Cordelia asked.
"Yes." Anya smiled brightly. "Well, besides the much loved sarcasm, there's also the hair. And look, the way he holds his mouth. On the edge of a fearsome sneer, but a tad bit comical too. That and the all bloody and pathetic look he has going on right now."
"Anya, what's going on?" Cordy snapped, eager to change the subject.
"The dark haired one didn't do that to him, did he?"
"Connor? No." Cordelia tried to change the subject, but Anya went ahead anyway.
"No, not that one. The glasses. It's always the quiet ones that are into the kinky things.
"Yes, I let Potter beat me into a bloody pulp." He growled, "It's how we normally get off. We take turns."
Cordelia rolled her eyes. This was getting them nowhere.
"He was beaten by some gross looking guy." She explained.
"It wasn't Pettigrew." Draco said quietly. When he saw that he got everyone's attention, he continued. "It was Voldemort's daughter."
"Voldemort has a daughter?" Harry cried out. "Who'd be sick enough to even -"
"Any Deatheater who wanted more power." Draco replied.
"Any deatheater. . . "
"Not only that, but demons did too." Anya added. When they all turned to stare at her, she smiled brightly. "Halfrek did. But then he tried to kill Harry, and well she was a vengeance demon for children, so she ended it quickly."
The room was awkwardly quiet. No one really knew what to say to that. It was Cordelia who spoke again.
"So who tortured mini Spike." She paused a beat, "I mean the name of the girl."
"I do have a name, here, people. I'm not just mini Spike. It's Draco Malfoy."
"Sorry, mi - Draco. What was the name of the girl?"
"Wormtail called her Miss Jillian."
"Jillian?" No one heard Connor.
"I knew she was in on it." Harry said, angrily.
"She wouldn't. . . I've known her since we were kids, and I visited Lisa and Uncle Paul and Aunt Beth here, for the first time. . . but I was -"
"Connor. . . " Cordelia started.
"What the hell is my real name? Am I Connor, or John, or Steven. It's like I'm living four different lives. . .but I can't really remember all of them. Just bits and pieces."
"It's Connor. I was there when you were born." She said, quietly brushing a strand of dark hair back from his eyes.
For the third time in less than an hour, the room was completely silent.
"Well, that's lovely. What's going on here?" Draco demanded.
"A prophecy." Anya replied.
"Another one?" Harry groaned.
"Yes, another one." Cordelia said.
"You must ask Dumbledore about Ramedilla Crow's Prophecy of the Stones." Anya said quickly.
"Why can't you just tell us?"
"Because we're out of here -" Anya started to say, but the two women blinked out of existence.
Just as this happened, Lupin and Tonks burst in. Relief, uncertainty, and shock at the sight of the three teens just sitting there played over their faces.
"Harry, what's going on?"
"You need to take us all to Dumbledore. There's a prophecy we need to hear." He said wearily.
"'We'?" Draco asked.
"Yes, bouncing ferret. We. All three of us."
* * * * *
"Two children, cast to the stones
Never knowing if it ever ends
Chosen to be great
Given over to hate
They fight the loss
They can never replace
And in their Souls they feel
A pain that burns
Guardians of light
Powered by the Might
Of the heavens
To see the seven
Seven chosen by the Powers
Seven gifted by the Heavens
To see the light
In the darkest of nights
To feel the Life
Through bitter strife
Marked as one
With a burning sun
Though never seen
Till light burns red."
The three teens sat back, dazed, confused and tired. Malfoy had been healed awhile ago, but he was still sore. Connor was still hurting, and Harry. . .well finding out in the span of three months that there were possible two prophecies about you could tend to be very draining.
"Did you notice any new scars?" Dumbledore asked them.
"No, but then I wasn't looking for one." He said tiredly.
"Harry, when'd you get that tat on the back of your neck?" Tonks said, as she slowly carried the tray of tea into the room. "Wicked. Like a little blazing sun."
"Blazing sun?"
"Very natural looking. Good choice, going with brown. Hey, you've got one too!" She said to Connor. "I wouldn't have guessed that Malfoy would join in this little bonding moment, though."
"What?" Draco demanded.
"Well, you've got one too. You need to get off all that caffeine, Cuz."
* * * * *
"Well, I must go now. Boss man'll explain everything to you, alright?"
"Wait, who's boss man, and where are you going?" Cordelia demanded.
But Anya had already disappeared. Cordelia and Sirius groaned, each frustrated by the lack of answers they were getting.
"What, you ain't happy to see me, princess?"
Cordelia when completely still. She knew that voice. But she hadn't heard it in so long. She turned to face Anya's boss man. Her jaw dropped.
"Doyle?"
*** End Chapter 7 ***
A/N2: ch 8 will be out either Sunday or Monday. Feedback always loved, so how'd I do?