This Chapter is for Cleeasto.
In a violent flash of blinding light I found myself suddenly amidst an enormous expanse of winding gardens, aged and majestic.
I blinked once to clear my mind. Then again in my stupor, eyes wandering upwards towards the formless sky. "Owe, my head."
Where was I? How did I... get here?
Waves of dull throbbing crashed over me as I struggled to make sense of everything. The longer I waited the more the numbness took hold. A great uncertainty. An unfamiliar fog clouding my mind. Muted colors and sparkling twilight overwhelmed me.
My name is Al... Albus something... I... I live at 12 Grimmauld Place... in the city of... somewhere... I have a sister... and two brothers...
I had a best friend... I think... we... were going to change the world...
It was at that that an icy breeze swept by to pull me softly from my listless daze, the delicate air caressing my cheek.
A chorus of whispers, prickling at the flesh.
'Don't... forget... us...'
'Nothingness'
'we... were... real!'
'Immolate!'
'Slaughter!'
'Maim!'
'lament... us... our... hatred...'
'the... fear... in... our... hearts...'
'sorrow... for... the fallen...'
'for only death...'
'exists... here...'
'In the VOID!'
"Enough!" I shot outwards, dispelling the cacophony of voices with the sheer force of my will.
"Where am I?"
No response. My words merely rang mutely through the hedged maze, more a plea than a question. 'You are nowhere... murderer...'
I shook my head forcefully at that, trying desperately to free myself from the anesthetizing fog. 'Albus Peverell...'
My lids slid slowly open again, a languorous endeavor that seemed to drain every ounce of my energy.
Outstretched before me, a lifelessness beyond measure. Each groomed path of flowers stretched out of sight into the nothingness of the echoing wind. Marbled statues depicting famous wizards or witches from ages past stood weather worn husks of unrecognizable stone. Even the fountains that I knew once shot streams of water in elaborate patterns were now still and motionless. Only the leaves rustled, only the wind howled its dreadful song.
It was as fear began to take root inside of me that the world shifted angrily sideways. I had been tackled to the ground with a resounding thud by some unknown force. It wasn't until I was staring directly up into the most vivid blue eyes i'd ever seen that I realized it had been Scorpius who'd pinned me catlike to the ground. A jolt of recognition.
"Gotcha." He teased lightheartedly, a smile on his face running from ear to ear. The boy looked like some playful animal cub.
"Scor?"
"Hey Al."
I couldn't help but blush with him on top of me, my heart beating out of all control.
"What are you doing here?" I asked a little confused. I didn't really understand what was going on.
"What are you talking about? We're always here, aren't we?"
The way he spoke caused the fog in my brain to thicken even more densely. I couldn't think properly, couldn't reason.
Scorpius let go then, helping me back to my feet with a strong pull of his arm.
"I'm still mad at you." I offered, a little irritated with the idiot. How could he think it appropriate? To tackle me like that when I'd been so furious with him already.
"What? Mad? Why?"
"Our fight of course."
The boy looked at me for a moment, terribly confused by my accusation. He tilted his head and smiled as though he thought i'd been joking. Scor leaned in and brushed his nose delicately against mine, as if to playfully reaffirm the suspicion. "You and I never fight silly. What could we possibly have to fight about?"
I blushed furiously at the motion, not capable of controlling my embarrassment. This wasn't like Scorpius at all. He was never so forward. My brain froze at the statement. Wait... why had I been mad? I couldn't remember now what he'd even done to anger me. It seemed such a trivial thing whatever it was. Nothing could possibly keep us separated for long.
A spark ran through my body as though a part of me had suddenly vanished. The fog was so thick that I couldn't understand what was going on. All there was was Scorpius and his radiant smile. Even the howling wind had ceased.
Without warning the boy grabbed my hand and pulled me then towards a grassy hill by the side of the lake. I watched absently while he made a series of complex movements with his index finger. His spell caused a field of brilliant flowers to erupt into bloom everywhere around us. I gasped at the wild array of colors. They were like a swirling tapestry, dancing as the air shifted and pulled in every direction.
"Pretty neat huh Al?" He asked smirking. 'Always such a show off.' I smiled, shaking my head at his antics.
I had to shield myself on reflex alone when he siphoned some water from the lake to stream it jet like at my face. One wrong move and I'd have been soaked. I scoffed at him. What a sneaky little...
"You treacherous snake!" I cried indignantly as his arms renewed their serpentine movements through the air. I had little time to curse though because this time there were two streams flowing intricately above the surface of the lake. This was a water dance!
It was so beautiful a thing to watch that I again had difficulty anticipating the next attack. I dodged the first strike and blocked the second. He smirked at me and started to move faster and faster.
"Stop it Scor! I'm getting all wet!"
Despite my accurate movements, the impact of the water against my shield charms sent a spray of droplets into the open air. It was almost like rain.
"I'm getting soaked you idiot!" I yelled, half laughing at his playfulness.
Finally I'd gotten so tired of the splashing that I slammed my foot into the ground, magically sending a tremor through it with a spell. The earth under Scor's feet shifted angrily then, rising to toss him unceremoniously into the air high above the pond. There was an explosive crash as he fell into the water that rivaled the sound of a car backfiring. I physically had to bring my hand up to my mouth to stifle the giggling. What a sight! Scor looked like a drowned cat that had been left out in the rain.
The blond swam towards the shore under the weight of his sodden clothes, managing with only minor difficulty to climb out again. "I can't believe you did that!" He groaned loudly, removing his wet shirt and then his... pants. I blinked rapidly at his movements.
"Where on earth are you staring Al?" Scor asked mischievously. My gaze darted immediately back towards Scor's face, trying to ignore his emerald underwear. When my eyes had risen to meet his, I noticed he'd already taken out his wand.
Oh shit. No fair.
He smirked, pulling me in one jerking motion through the air and into the water. The dark liquid flooded my vision in a swirling mass of bubbles and foam as I swam back up to the surface. The rumbling laughter reached me immediately. The cackling was not appreciated.
I crawled out onto the earth the same way he had, now utterly chilled to the bone.
"You smug bastard! I'm going to freeze now!" I pouted grouchily.
He simply came over to me then, loosening my tie and unbuttoning my shirt with careful precision. He peeled the fabric off of me as I started to shiver. My embarrassment had already begun the process of warming me back up at the thought of his hands working to undress me. I got my shoes and pants off on my own by the time he'd grabbed a beach towel from under one of his roofed guest platforms. The areas were designed to be lightly shielded from the elements, with tables for lunch and lounging chairs for relaxation. The Malfoy's properties were really something.
"Sorry Al. There's only the one towel..." He offered sheepishly as I made my way towards the comfy couch which overlooked the gardens. There was a small cocktail bar to entertain company with a stocked fridge and modern muggle grill built also into the structure. With a quick blur the blond tossed me a small metallic bag. I recognized it as a muggle juice container, the kinds from the late nineties that you had to pierce with a straw. I couldn't help chuckling to myself at the random bits of commercial goods that Draco's housekeepers must have stocked up on.
"Only the one towel! Now i'm definitely going to get sick! If I don't turn into an icicle first."
Scor merely tilted his head like a confused puppy, sitting there in silence for a few moments. Strange... i've never seen him do that before.
The fog in my head started to thicken again as a jolt ran through me. I watched him, draped in his over sized towel, looking strangely at me as though I were an idiot. He merely sat there and sipped on his juice pack, skeptically examining me. Finally when I was all but frozen he shook his head and lifted his left arm, patting the space next to him.
"Oh... That was dumb." I offered stupidly to myself. I leapt over the low sitting glass coffee table and plopped down in the seat, letting him cover me with the towel. We only needed the one. We could share it. Like we shared everything. Every hurt, every joy. I could feel the sudden warmth of his skin on mine as his arm came around me. He shifted even closer then so we'd dry more quickly, my heart speeding up at the contact. All I could think about was the warmth of his body next to mine. After a few moments my anxiety subsided and I could breath normally again, taking in the crisp fresh air with pure delight.
We both merely stared out at the gardens, watching the sky darken dramatically as clouds formed overhead. Trees swaying, leaves and petals sailing softly along the whirling currents. A forked bolt of light, then a roaring thunderclap far off in the distance. It seemed to shake the water right out of the sky, because at that moment, a blanket of rain came pouring towards us from the east, descending like a curtain over the landscape. It was oddly soothing, being able to sit here with him like this. It seemed too peaceful a thing for an age of plots, intrigue and terrorism.
I felt his fingers suddenly swirling against my shoulder where his arm was resting and couldn't help but respond, closing my eyes to purr contentedly. The pitter patter of raindrops against a roof had always been the most mesmerizingly beautiful sound to me. The chorus of water droplets had lulled me into a new haze. A haze from which I had no intention of emerging.
"I'm glad I get to share these moments with you Scor." I offered sincerely. My head fell to rest softly against his shoulder and i could feel his warmth again radiating off of him. Instead of replying, he merely slirped noisily at the last drops of juice in his container. I grinned at his silliness. I liked this Scor. I didn't really know who he was... but he was amazing... every version of him is amazing...
That thought sent another jolt through me.
'Where are you!'
'Hugo Weasley was killed in that bombing. The Speaker of Mysteries has lost her mind.'
I heard a buzzing noise inside my skull and realized he'd been making bumble bee noises against the side of my head. I started to giggle like a child at that, pulling myself off of him to watch this ridiculous boy who'd been my best friend since forever.
"How did you ever get so silly?" I asked, a little confused.
"You made me like this... centuries ago. That'll happen to you when you spend as much time with a person as we do each other."
Centuries? People...
I realized all of a sudden that aside from nature... the grounds were oddly quiet. Usually there were gardeners or groundskeepers. Where were the elves? The peacocks and other birds? Where was everybody?
My body shivered slightly before the fog came rolling back to obscure my thoughts. I felt a little dizzy. Had he really said centuries?
'The pure bloods have made their move! We have to warn Harry!'
'What about Scorpius?'
'This is madness!'
'Get out of here now!'
"Are you alright Al?" He asked gently, his concern as delicate as a feather.
"Yeah... I think so." I offered quietly back at him, shaking the voices from my head. Scor looked at me fondly for a moment before leaning in to kiss me on the lips. It felt like the most natural thing in the world... and yet... it wasn't. The last time i'd kissed him... he had freaked out to a degree that had plunged a stake into my heart. Now he'd done it as easily as that. As though it was something we'd done a million times before.
"Where are you right now silly? You seem so distracted." He observed curiously. He was so casual. So at ease. "I want you right here with me. Not far off in some other universe."
A moment passed before I decided to lean in and kiss him again, lifting my hand to rest it against the side of his face. He smiled softly, still looking a little confused by my behavior. I thought before that I would give anything, do anything, be anything, to get him to look at me like this. Like we belonged together. Like it was the most natural thing in the world. But this isn't Scor's way... this isn't who he was back when... what's happening to me?
All of a sudden... the thought returned... slapping me in the face.
'WHERE ARE THEY?'
'Think Al!'
'THIS ISN'T RIGHT!'
"Scor... what's going on? Where is everyone? Why are you acting this way?"
"What? What are you talking about?"
"Kissing me so casually. Speaking to me like i'm yours."
"I still don't understand what you mean."
"Scor i'm not playing around. Where are all the people?"
"Are you... really serious?" The skepticism in his expression had me frightened beyond belief. He looked like he thought I was the one who'd lost his mind.
"Mortally serious. I don't know what's happening to me right now."
"You... well I mean... They're... dead... Al. You killed them all... this was ages ago. We've been stuck in this place for a millennia at least. Don't you remember? The day they murdered me? The day you set the world aflame... your vengeance like the shadow of judgement over everything?" He asked as a wave of fear flooded my mind. Chaos. That's when I saw it. A wall of fire as high as the sky rumbled forward, bellowing over the horizon, swallowing everything in its path. Trees were scorched in moments, like matches set to the torch, while the earth itself was burnt and glassed beyond recognition.
'Only Flames... and Death... IN THE VOID!'
I woke up explosively, drenched in cold sweat, my heart beating wildly out of all control.
A gasp had escaped me as I jolted awake. I had to grab my chest in pain, desperate for air yet unable even to catch my breath. I merely lay there, paralyzed by the weight of my anguish as my body settled. Dreams? or Premonitions? A possible future? Or the one I was destined to live?
I took a moment to collect myself before shifting in the bed. This can't be happening. It isn't fair.
There came a soft glow from my eyephone as a notification lit up the screen. A text at this hour? Gathering my thoughts, I reached my hand over towards the night stand to check the message.
[Scor: I miss you Al. I'm so sorry...]
I slid the bar to unlock my phone, watching as the three little dots kept disappearing and reappearing for a few minutes. He was struggling with what to say.
(•••)
|Al...
|I just had an attack...
|Wondering if you felt anything?
|A nightmare about you caused it.
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Really? Are you ok?
|You answered!
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Piss off...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- ARE YOU ALRIGHT!?
|Yeah... for now...
|I'd be better if you were speaking to me though.
|Or here with me...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- If you aren't dying then go away
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Please stop texting me...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- This is for emergencies only...
|Left hand completely covered in bluescale...
|In the dream you were my talking pillow :P
I couldn't help but raise my eyebrow at his use of an emoji. It was terribly out of character... which reminded me of the dream version of Scorpius... I sighed to myself as he waited in vain for a response from me. It was all he dared try. If i'd not had my own nightmare about him I wouldn't have even answered him in the first place.
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Had a dream about you too actually...
|Really?
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Yeah...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Right before... my own attack.
|Are you ok?
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- No...
|Al... this isn't normal... We aren't alright.
I was silent at that... I didn't know how to answer.
|Your dream?
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Apocalypse... Everyone was dead...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Don't text again unless your dying too.
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- you're*
|Grammar Natzi.
|Did you get the Omega alert that says they're raising the Terror Level over the next three days?
|I don't know exactly what's going on...
|but be careful Al...
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Going back to sleep now...
|I liked the songs you wrote by the way.
|I obviously knew it was you. I recognized your voice immediately.
|~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~- Bad night and miserable dreams, Prick.
|P.S. (At least I know you miss me enough
|to dream about me... whatever you pretend...)
I rolled my eyes at that, annoyed that he'd guessed at my involvement in the songs. He was right about more than that though... this wasn't normal. I lay back on my bed staring at the ceiling, thinking about the dream. I couldn't go back to sleep after an attack like that. I could think about nothing but his lips on mine and the pain in my chest. There was a reason I couldn't forgive him. He would never want what I did. He would never feel the same way I did. He was drunk that night... and I... a convenient solution to his mind on alcohol and ageing potion. It wasn't real... and if I was wrong... and it had been real... then that horrible wall of fire... would be real too.
I slid the bar to unlock my phone again, rereading the data that had come through from Hermione's office.
"101-B1 Threat Assessment * June 17th 23: 44*
Suspected terror cells as well as numerous dissident elements have increased their activities 829% in the last twenty four hours and 2478% in the last seventy two. It is the conclusion of the Central Intelligence Bureau that an attack on central London is imminent. REF-004/ Q33-8 "
I stared down at the conclusion in despair. I suppose it was only a matter of time before another attack. As my eyes read and reread the ominous CIB report an Alpha Protocol came in that made my brain go fuzzy. I could hardly comprehend what I was reading.
[TINAD]
"001-A2/3 ALPHA COMMAND: As per the CIB's evaluation, the Bureau of Anti-Terrorism is recommending the placement of all Ministry Agencies on high alert. Command Authority over the Executive Cabinet has shifted to [ML-1] or 'Marshall Law' status.
All department Heads and their deputies are to report to the ministry at once for War Time Structural Reorganization. This Command signals a general standby order to all secondary and auxiliary Medical and Law Enforcement personnel for the date of June, 18th. REF - MM/ A3-9."
Speaker of Mysteries, Hermione J. Granger
Minister of Defense, Ronald B. Weasley
[TINAD]
Next Chapter: Revolutions and Uprisings: Sylvia Valois
No Em, you haven't frightened me off, i'm merely very busy. Send me a PM to say hi. :D
Also, to Anononon... I have to say I love you to death! You should consider getting an FF account. You'll be able to get alerted to updates if you follow the story. I have a very unusual and irregular posting schedule so you might miss out. If you do get an account, definitely say hi in a PM to let me know.
TINAD: THIS IS NOT A DRILL
