I wish to apologize once again for the delay, but much schoolwork has unfortunately come my way. But here it is, another chapter, finally delivered. My sincere thanks to reviews sent. Not long now before Atara's secret is completely uncovered. By the way, a word of caution to those who read this story, I am changing the summary but do not think much of it. It's just a summary.
Chapter 8- In Flight and Pain
The news that Draco Malfoy was now the official boyfriend of Atara Lilith from Durmstrang spread through the entire student body faster than anything ever mentioned about Harry Potter. Different thoughts passed through the minds of people as soon as the news reached their ears, but all summarized the same question: how did that happen? The two of them were continuously attacked with numerous interrogations everyday, and although Malfoy seemed to be enjoying the attention, Atara remained stubbornly silent to their questions, evidently oblivious to the fact that she would never be left in peace by anyone.
But the mystery of their relationship wasn't the only topic the students were interested in: the first Quidditch match of the season was scheduled a few days after the Halloween Ball, in which Slytherin fought against Gryffindor. The Quidditch House Cup was to be held this academic year as well, so there was an evident sense of excitement in the atmosphere, and tension among the Slytherin team.
'Okay, men, we all got that?' said Montague gruffly, glaring at the rest of the Quidditch players around him. When he received a wave of nods, he slammed a fist into the chalkboard behind him, resulting in the formations of the players he had just drawn disappearing in a puff of white powder.
'The only problem I have, chief, is that we're women, not men,' piped up Dawn, leaning her chin on the tip of her freshly polished Firebolt. 'I mean, I understand that as a whole, the term 'men' means all people, both women and men. You know what's weird? There's a word 'mankind' but there's no such thing as womankind. I'm just saying, only FYI, you know...'
There was silence for a few moments, then rest of the team broke out in reaction. Atara and Maria nodded in agreement to Dawn's statement, Crabbe and Goyle, the two Beaters, were clutching their large bellies with a stupid grin on their faces, and the Seeker Miles Bletchley was giving out a sort of grunt which could only be classified as a laugh considering that he had a broad grin on his hard-featured face. Montage, however, merely raised an eyebrow.
'Oh yes, captain,' said Atara, after Bletchley's grunts had subsided, 'I have a question. Can I just add... to those formations you just erased?'
'No way,' snapped Montague, avoiding her gaze. 'My plans are good enough and you will stick to my plans!'
'Dude, calm down!' said Maria lazily. 'What's with the sudden outburst? You're not still jealous of Atara and her beloved blond now are you? I saw you practically crying yesterday when you saw them together. Ah yes, that must be it... it's obvious jealousy...'
Immediately Montague's face turned a deep red. 'It is not!' he retaliated. 'Now let's go play and kick some Gryffindor ass! No way am I letting them win this year! Bletchley, beat the crap out of Potter for me, will you?'
Miles Bletchley sniffed loudly and nodded. Malfoy had quit the team the previous year, and the team had suffered quite a loss. After the event of the tryouts, Montague had stripped Bletchley of his title as Keeper, and made him Seeker instead. Montague then declared himself the Keeper, considering the change as for the better because 'I've got built and thus block more of the hoops. The bigger the bulk, worse the impact.'
With his face still flushed he strode past them and out of the locker room. Maria giggled, and she and the others stood up and followed him.
'Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the first Quidditch match of the season!' cried Lee Jordan. 'With GRYIFFINDOR VERSUS SLYTHERIN!'
The pitch erupted in a deafening chorus of cheers. Draco yelled and waved a flag of the Slytherin crest in the air, anticipating the moment when the players would appear onto the pitch.
The weather seemed almost perfect for the battle that was soon to take place: the bitter cold of November had begun to settle, and the sky was cloudy and a dreary gray, threatening to let snow free any given moment. The pitch was already covered with thick white bundles, and the stands were smothered in sheets of frost. Sharp gusts of biting wind blew hard around the area, and Draco wondered whether anyone would be able to fly properly without being blown off course.
He scanned the area; it seemed that everyone from the entire school had to come to watch. The stands were flooded with students and many teachers, and Draco grinned. He knew most of them were eager to see what the three new girls could do. He grinned broader at the thought of Atara.
They had only been together for a hardly a week and yet Draco was the happiest he had ever been in his entire life. He wasn't quite sure of his feelings for her though; in fact, he constantly wondered whether he liked her out of lust or love, it was hard to tell. Nevertheless, no greater bliss could compare to that he felt when he kissed her. Other than that, he delighted in being the center of envious regard.
He gave out a mighty yell as the seven Quidditch players walked out onto the field.
'ATARA!' he bellowed, waving the flag madly. Several Slytherin students heard him and began shouting her name as well, and also Adelheid's and Tempestt's, who waved wildly at everyone they faced.
At the same time the seven Gyffindor players appeared on the opposite side. At once Slytherin broke into chastising boos, and Draco sneered as loud as he could at Potter, who, to his delight, looked evidently nervous. Draco almost wished he didn't quit the team last year. He couldn't be bothered to live up to the responsibility of being a player, but then... fighting Potter's not worth my time, he thought with a shrug.
'The players take their positions,' continued Jordan, between huffs of cold. 'Looks like it's going to be an exciting game everyone, with the new comers from Durmstrang playing as the Slytherin chasers,' –Draco catcalled along with the rest of Slytherin- 'and word is Draco Malfoy's dating the black-haired beauty Atara Lil...'
'JORDAN, PAY ATTENTION TO THE GAME!' Draco could hear Professor McGonagall yell.
'Sorry, Professor. Captains shake hands, players prepare for take off as they mount their brooms...'
Draco stared down at the ground. Madam Hooch seemed to be lecturing Montague about something, but finally, she gave a loud blast on her silver whistle. The game had begun.
'The Quaffle is immediately taken by Slytherin Chaser Dawn Adelheid -my, she's cute- and she fires off on that brilliant Firebolt of hers –wait, no, Alicia Spinnet of Gryffindor grabs the Quaffle back and hurtles towards the other side – she dodges a Bludger -WAIT, now Quaffle's with Atara Lilith of Slytherin and off she goes –hey, where'd she go? Oh, there she is –that was fast –she swerves down, just avoiding being hit by Angelina Johnson –wow, Angelina, didn't think you could be so violent...'
'JORDAN!'
'...Lilith throws the Quaffle to fellow Chaser Maria Tempestt, another pretty one –and she's doing some sort of dance out there –now she's speeding towards the Gryffindor hoops- I think she's gonna –please Ron, save it –he dives –OH NO SHE SCORES!'
Draco let out a loud cheer as Slytherin scored its first goal. The house burst into peals of laughter as Weasley's face turned beet red.
'Okay, that was quick... now Gryffindor back in possession of the Quaffle, in the hands of Katie Bell there –she's flying up, Lilith's real close on her tail, and AHH... she grabs the Quaffle, nice distraction by Tempestt –hang on a sec, there seems to be a sort of fight between Beater Goyle of Slytherin and George of Fred Weasley, whatever, now a Bludger's heading straight for –WATCH OUT HARRY! Whew, that was close, nice dodging... wait a minute, WHAT ARE SLYTHERIN'S CHASERS DOING?'
Draco widened his eyes as far as they could go to figure out what the three girls were doing: Atara seemed to be yelling instructions to Tempestt and Adelheid, and they were circling around her vertically, with their brooms still facing forward. Atara was slowing down, but she held on fast to the Quaffle. Several of the other players had stopped to watch them, with an occasional movement from the Beaters in their blows against the Bludgers.
Tempestt and Adelheid began moving faster in their motion around Atara, who seemed to be gaining speed again as well. Suddenly she screamed something and she disappeared out of her straight position and into the rotating circle of the other two, and in a split second Tempestt came into Atara's previous position in the center of the circle. Much to Draco's awe she was now carrying the Quaffle tightly in her arm, and Atara and Adelheid around her.
'My, this is certainly something we've never seen before!' yelled Jordan breathlessly. 'It seems to be a sort of strategic formation, and looks like it wasn't part of the original play plan, judging by Montague's expression –now the three are going faster, and LOOK –now Adelheid is in the middle, and she has the Quaffle –this is absolutely amazing, they're going towards the three hoops –don't know if Ron Weasley will be able to withstand such play –I can hardly see them, they're going too fast... it's like a blurred tornado –they're bound to run out of, uh, gas soon, the field's not that big –there's a bell... WAIT, WOAH, SLYTHERIN SCORES!'
There was a momentary silence before the stands erupted in loud noise. Draco clapped violently, not quite believing what he had just witnessed. The three girls came into sight behind the Gryffindor hoops, looking nauseous and dazed. Adelheid gently floated down to the ground and plopped herself onto the cold snow, while Tempestt stretched herself on her broom with her mouth hanging wide open. Atara just looked around with half-closed eyes, one hand in her sleek hair.
'Slytherin has twenty points, with Gryffindor still at zero. The players resume positions, and the Quaffle... seems to have disappeared. Oh, there it is, in Katie Bell's possession –and she flies off towards the opposing hoops –looks like Slytherin's Chasers are too tired to follow, well, with that extraordinary display –and OOH, Bell narrowly avoids a Bludger –passes Quaffle to Alicia –come on, Gryffindor... Ahhhhh... YES! SHE SCORES! FINALLY, TEN POINTS TO GRYFFINDOR!'
Draco ignored the cries of joy from the other three houses, and the taunts towards them that echoed around from the Slytherin house. He didn't notice that the wind had picked up, and was now delightfully blowing in a continuous manner instead of short bursts. He didn't even realize that someone was tugging his arm vigorously. Something was wrong with Atara.
Her face seemed to be contorted in pain, and she was holding her head with both hands tightly. Anyone would have come to the conclusion that she was experiencing the aftereffects of the twirling formation she had just performed, but her clear blue eyes told otherwise. Much to Draco's surprise and wonder, their colour seemed to be flickering, jumping between its natural blue and, strangely, a bright red. Her mouth was open slightly, and moving in such a way that could only indicate she was trying to say something. Suddenly she shook her head violently, and looked up, her pale face showing every hint of fear and terror. Then, without warning she clutched her broom and sped off out of the Quidditch pitch area and headed towards the castle, just as Gryffindor scored once again.
Draco had to do something. He didn't know why Atara acted like she did, but he was determined to find out. He wove through the crowd of students, climbed down the stairs of the stands, and shot out onto the snow-covered Hogwarts grounds.
oOo
Pansy watched Draco disappear from her sight and gave out an irritated groan. He hadn't even noticed her, and she was certain he would when she tugged his arm to get his attention.
'Where did he go off to?' she wondered aloud.
'Who?' asked a croaky voice behind her. Pansy turned around and smiled widely at Millicent Bulstrode.
'My boyfriend,' replied Pansy simply. She pushed past Millicent before she could ask more of her.
That woman's so annoying, thought Pansy with a sigh, as she climbed down the stairs heading out of the Quidditch pitch. She shivered when she came to open air, and pulled her cloak around her tightly. She hurried across the grounds until she got to the great doors of the Entrance Hall, and she was relieved to find that the one of them was already open.
Draco, where are you... Pansy walked into the Entrance Hall and scanned the surrounding. The door leading below ground was open slightly. With a grin she strode towards it and squeezed herself through the thin aperture.
The dungeons were extremely cold, and the slimy walls distortedly reflected Pansy's image as she walked past them. Suddenly she heard a clattering sound just ahead of her, where the Potions class was held. Pansy slowed down her pace and bit her lip to stop the sounds of her chattering teeth from escaping. Finally she came to the door of the Potions dungeon and let one eye peer around it.
To her annoyance, it wasn't Draco inside, but Atara Lilith. Her back was turned away from Pansy, and she seemed to be brewing something, for Pansy could just see a small cauldron beside her containing a bubbling red fluid, and she was dropping things into the concoction. She looked like she was in a hurry, though, and obviously panicked, as she was breathing hard and her shoulders were shaking uncontrollably. Her Quidditch uniform was damp in various parts, as if she had fallen on some stray snow.
A few minutes later Lilith scooped up some of the strange potion in a small phial and –Pansy pushed her head further to see more – drank it. She let out a groan, but her shaking subsided a little. Then she emptied the cauldron with a flick of her silvery wand, and began putting away the equipment.
Pansy tiptoed away from the door and hid herself behind a large jutting stone in the wall a few feet away. She listened intently to the sounds Lilith was making, her mind racing. Finally, she heard Lilith walk out of the room and her quick footsteps died after a while.
Slowly and cautiously Pansy crept up to the dungeon and checked if it was really empty. Then a small glass bottle on the table where Lilith had been working on caught her eye. It was heart-shaped, and inside it swirled a sparkling periwinkle liquid. Pansy picked it up with interest and looked over her shoulder to see if anyone was there. Then she quickly opened the bottle.
Maybe this is the one she was making, she thought with satisfaction, quite forgetting that the potion she had seen was a shade of red. Delicately she sniffed the tip of the bottle, and closed her eyes to savor the sweet flowery scent.
She looked down, and was astonished to see that the bottle was now empty. Puzzled, she turned the bottle around to inspect it, and examined the floor around her to see if the potion had spilled, but to no avail.
'Oh well,' she muttered with a shrug, and kept the bottle in her pocket. She turned around, feeling suspicious, and headed out onto the dungeon corridor.
oOo
Atara watched Parkinson walk past her. It was fortunate that there were several cracks in the moss-covered walls, most of them large enough to accommodate a person. And sure enough, the crack she was in hid her completely from view, but enabling her to see across.
She sighed, and massaged her forehead. Good thing I managed to drink the potion in time. I should have made an extra one this morning.
She let her head fall back onto the stone surface behind her, and clutched the phial in her pocket. Her eyes fell shut, allowing herself to dwell among her numerous thoughts.
What's happening to me? Why am I getting this feeling again? It can't be... it just can't be. I thought the potion was strong enough to keep it away for good. I'm feeling what I felt last year... it can't be... I don't want it to be... not now. I'm sensing more again. How did I even know that Parkinson was behind me, watching me? Why do I always know when people watch me? And my vision fading awhile ago. Everything turned red. These senses, these strange feelings... it can only be... is it... the...
'NO! IT CAN'T BE!' screamed Atara, pushing herself out of the crack and flinging onto the stone ground. 'IT CAN'T! I KILLED IT ALREADY! IT CAN'T LIVE ANYMORE... it can't, shouldn't... escape... again... not now, not ever.'
Atara's head slumped onto the cold stone. 'Not ever...' She let out a sigh and everything went black.