Ah, back to this story…a story I immensely enjoy writing. There's something really fun about writing a sort of adventure story as opposed to what I usually write…angsty romance stuff. I feel like it's a whole new side of writing that I get to explore…although I'm sure some angsty romance stuff will end up popping up in the end—mostly because I have no control over any of the characters. And hey, I'm a little weirded out by the fact that I only got one review for the last chapter…please review, okay guys?

Pobbin: Your review makes me want to change the entire storyline to be about shampoo. As for the Fred and George typo thing…I dunno, I guess I kind of think of the twins as one entity…

Note: Yes, I realize that Chionia is an original character…but…you know, forgive me and stuff? You don't know how long I stressed about the whole idea of an original character, I must have taken that universal Mary Sue test like five times for her and she keeps being in the clear…You guys understand, right? You guys know I wouldn't do it unless I thought I could do it without being a lamehead…

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter.

Warnings: Mild swearing, lots of snow…fun times.

The Eternal Snowlands

Chapter Three

Harry's face was numb and he had given up reaching up to pinch feeling back into his cheeks. The journey over the sea had taken all night and now the first rays of dawn were peaking out from his right. He took the opportunity to glance back at his fellow fliers. They all looked just as weary and cold as he did.

Ahead of him, Chionia was flying on her cloud-throne, but he couldn't see her face. He didn't imagine the cold was bothering her any. He was at the point of cold that he was seriously considering lighting himself on fire. He'd be warm then.

But he looked past Chionia and saw that there was a great expanse of heavy grey cloud coming up fast. It was so vast that he wondered why he had not noticed it before, but then, at night, it all looked the same, didn't it?

This must be it…

They were so close now that they were about to be engulfed by the thick clouds. He heard Chionia call something over her shoulder, but he couldn't quite make out what it was. He wondered what his plan was now. They would touch down and have to do battle with Death Eaters…they'd have to come up with a plan…

He saw that Chionia was beginning to descend and he turned around to shout out to the others that they were landing. He heard a general agreement of something like 'About time…' and knew the others had heard him.

One moment, the sky was pink and purple, and the day looked like it was promising to be a clear blue sky, and the next moment, he was swallowed by the clouds and it was snowing heavily, thunder boomed all around, and lightening flickered.

Are these storm clouds!

They'd have to land no matter what, he didn't want to be flying about and get zapped by lightening. Chionia was nowhere to be seen and he figured he might as well just land. The storm was growing more and more furious as he flew on and he had a creeping feeling that it was going to get worse and worse the further he flew in. But how was he supposed to land when he couldn't see where the bloody ground was?

A ball of bright red light suddenly flew past him and he watched it as it went through the thick white falling sheet of snow and landed, about thirty feet below him, temporarily casting a sheen on what could have only been a high crown. He didn't glance back to see what it was, he quickly landed and stood next to it. He saw that it was just a simple light spell, colored to be more easily seen. Chionia was standing there with an impatient frown, which seemed to be the only way she ever looked.

There were small thuds all around him as the others all landed. The second that Tonks, who was the last one to touch down, had her feet firmly planted on the ground, the storm stopped. The snow stopped falling, piercing blue sky reined over head, and suddenly he was surrounded by dazzling white snow, or green snow, as seen through his goggles.

"Did you not hear me?" Chionia turned imperiously on them. "I said to land quickly. As soon as you pass over the Bay of Snow Drops, the Storm begins."

"It was hard to hear." Harry cupped his gloves around his face and blew into them, the warm air momentarily brushing over his face before disappearing just as quickly. "Why did the weather change so fast?"

"That is the nature of the Snowlands." Chionia looked up at the bright blue sky. "No one may fly into the Snowlands, not even birds. A great protection against those who would try to fly brooms to my palace."

"We have to walk to your palace?" Ron asked with a groan.

"Is it close?" Tonks inquired hopefully.

"It is located in the heart of the Snowlands." Chionia answered. "We are far from it, we are on the shore of the Bay of Snowdrops."

"Can't you…you know…" Ron tried to articulate his question with hand gestures that were failing. "Just…turn it off? So we can fly there?"

"Turn it…off?" Chionia's expression suggested that not only was that the most foolish thing that someone had ever asked her, but also that it was completely impossible. "No, I cannot."

"But you're the queen." Fred pointed out. "Isn't that something you can deal with?"

"You are mistaken. I am queen, I rule over this land, but I do not control this land, I was born of it." Chionia's pointed features looked even more so as she explained this.

"Oh!" Hermione cried out in wonder. "Look!"

"At what?" Ron looked at her. "The snow?"

"No!" Hermione grabbed his shoulder irritably and turned him around so that he was facing the way that she was. Ron gasped and the others immediately turned to see what it was.

They were about forty feet from the shore and they could see the water lapping up against it, except that it wasn't water, it was flowers…thousands and thousands of tiny white flowers that spread out as far as the eye could see. They sparkled and rippled as the water moved, making the sun shine on different points.

"The Bay of Snow Drops…" Harry remembered its title. He and the others had no idea that it was going to be a literal title.

"It's so beautiful…" Hermione breathed. "But how is it possible for them to grow in the water like that?"

"That is just the way things are." Chionia was looking out onto the bay as well, looking extremely proud. "Now, we must go, we cannot afford to waste time right now. After everything has been put right, I would be more than happy to show you all the wonders that my land has to offer."

"She's right." Harry tore his eyes away from all those flowers. "We have to get going." It was strange how awake he suddenly felt, maybe it was the idea that they were setting out on an adventure, or something, but he suddenly felt extremely alert.

"I'm freezing." Ron complained, clapping his gloved hands together and rubbing them together. "I know it's supposed to be cold but cripes!"

"Wait!" Hermione put down her pack, rummaging through it quickly.

"Did she bring a book on how to stay warm?" Fred stage whispered to George.

"If she did, I say we start a fire with it." George sniggered.

"Oh, shut up." Hermione snapped at them as she finally pulled out what she had been looking for. A Pin Wheel. They all just stared at her. She rolled her eyes and tapped it with her wand. "Afflo calefacio." Then she blew on it. Harry knew it was only giving off warm air now.

"That's great Hermione." Tonks clapped her on the back. "Except that you only have one." Hermione continued to beam as she tapped her Pin Wheel once more.

"Acervo pentas." Hermione murmured and suddenly she was holding six Pin Wheels, the one she originally had, and the five that she had made. When each person had one, and everyone was feeling much warmer because of them, Chionia spoke again.

"There are two ways to get to my palace. One way is very safe—"

"I choose that way." Ron voted. Chionia's eyes narrowed and he quickly looked down at his feet.

"As I was saying," Chionia began again, "One way is safe, but it takes much, much longer. The other way is much quicker but is very dangerous. The safe way is also not much good after we go around the Impregnable Mountains—" Tonks smothered a snicker and earned herself a dirty look from the Snow Queen. "For they will be able to see us coming a long way off. The quicker way," It was clear by then which way Chionia wanted to go. "Means we will have the element of surprise."

Harry was about to ask what the others thought of this but saw that they had all turned to look expectantly at him. But why? They had said he was leader, but he had supposed they just meant it in an offhand way. Why would they let him be leader anyways? Fred, George, and Tonks, were all older then him.

He decided he couldn't make this decision alone.

"Let's vote." Harry suggested. The others nodded and there was a general murmur of assent. "Who votes we go the safe way?" Hermione and Ron both put up their hands.

"Sorry, it's just that slow and steady still wins the race…" Hermione blushed. "Besides, maybe we can figure out a way to camouflage ourselves…" Ron didn't seem to have the same reasons but stayed silent.

"And all those in favor of going the quicker way, even though it's more dangerous?" Harry asked, raising his hand, as well as Tonks, Fred, and George. The twins said something about how it wouldn't be any fun without some risk involved. "Alright, we're going the quicker way." Chionia seemed pleased. "Now, everyone attached their broomsticks to their packs? Okay, good, let's set out then."

Harry wondered how Chionia would move very fast with those heavy looking skirts, but he didn't ask questions. Just as they were starting to walk through the snow, Hermione leaned over to whisper to him.

"I knew I was going to be out voted…but I didn't want Ron to feel like he was the only one who wanted to go the safe way. I did want to go, because it seems a bit more sensible, but I'm betting the quicker we get this done, the sooner we'll be back home…" Hermione looked worried and he knew that part of her wondered what would happen when they got back, mostly because he was thinking about it underneath it all as well. They wouldn't…send them away, would they? It was okay for Tonks and the Weasleys, they at least had family on the outside, but Harry never wanted to see the Dursleys again.

"I'm never going to complain about the heat again." Harry vowed as they continued to tramp through the snow. It crunched underneath his feet as he went along and no one said anything for a very long time.

He looked out before him and saw that the land seemed to be rising uphill and that he could make out something in the distance that looked like mountains, which was promising. The Pin Wheel was keeping him warm enough, even though it seemed like the cold had settled into his bones and he would have loved to somehow take a hot bath, but he just kept on going.

Fred and George decided to begin amusing the others by one of them periodically saying, "It sure is white." And the other one saying, "Really? I hadn't noticed." It would vary each time, but at least it was something to do.

Then Tonks stopped suddenly. "Did you see that?" Tonks pointed to their left and Harry turned, but couldn't see anything. This area was had little mounds everywhere, which didn't make a whole lot of sense, but he supposed an entire bay full of flowers didn't either.

"What?" Fred looked around.

"There!" Tonks pointed a little ways away.

"No!" Hermione gasped in disbelief.

"It couldn't be." Tonks shook her head.

"What?" Ron was looking in all directions, a completely bewildered expression on his face. Then something popped up from behind a small mound about ten feet away. It looked around nervously, its nose twitched, and then it disappeared from view again.

"Snow bunnies." Hermione put a hand to her head. "I didn't think they were real…"

"They're quite common, but only in places where there is always snow." Chionia explained to them. "I am surprised that you have never seen them before."

"If only Luna was here…" Harry trailed off, grinning a little. Another one popped up, looking every bit like a regular rabbit, except that it had an almost round face and its large floppy ears looked an awful lot like Luna's.

Chionia cleared her throat quite pointedly and they began walking again, although Hermione was wondering if there was some way to take one home so she could study it.

"Though I suppose I couldn't…" Hermione lamented. "Crookshanks might not understand and it's not always snowing…it'd be mean to take it out of its natural environment."

"At least now we know that Lovegood isn't completely off her rocker…" Ron pointed out, trying to cheer Hermione up.

Luna sneezed. Ginny looked up at her and the absent minded girl gave a small shrug in response. All of the kids were sitting in the common room. Everyone but Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, and Tonks that is. Hermione had been the only one who left a note to explain where they were going, but she wasn't the only one who left a note. Fred and George had left one that swore to Ginny they would make it up to her one day.

Hell hath no fury like Ginny Weasley scorned.

"How could they just run off without me!" Ginny asked for the thousandth time today. "I thought Fred and George at least—"

"Maybe they thought it'd be too dangerous." Cho tried.

"For me!" Ginny was clearly far from forgiving them.

"Why don't you peasant children do me a favor and shut up?" Draco yawned lazily from across the room.

"Don't even start with me Malfoy because I'll slap you six ways to next week." Ginny threatened.

"Zabini, do something now because if I have to endure your girlfriend's moaning for another second—" Draco was predictably cut off by simultaneous cries of, "Shut up Malfoy!" "I'm not his girlfriend!" and "She's not his girlfriend!" He sighed heavily in reply.

"I wish I could have gone with them." Ginny glared at the other side of the room, where Draco, Nott, and Blaise were all sitting.

"Me too." Neville agreed solemnly. Cho, Ginny, and Luna all stared at him. His ears went red. "They get to miss Potions. Now I don't even have Hermione to help me…"

"Don't worry, I'll help you." Ginny patted his arm comfortingly while Zabini began to make faces and sputter on the other side of the room.

"Perhaps I can help too." Luna volunteered dreamily. This caused everyone's eyes to flicker upwards, towards her floppy white bunny ears that she still hadn't gotten rid of. Strangely, most of them were finding it harder and harder to remember what Luna looked like without them. Then everyone glanced at Cho, who just sat there, blinking before she seemed to realize why they were staring.

"Oh, uh, I'll help too." Cho nodded quickly. "I'm pretty good at Potions."

"She's also good at setting herself on fire." Draco volunteered.

"I'm going to set you on fire." Ginny muttered darkly.

"I can't hear it when poor people talk." Draco waved a dismissive hand at her.

"Oh, I can't stand this anymore." Ginny stood up and walked out of the common room, down the hallway to all the rooms. She heard footsteps behind her and turned to see that Luna and Neville had followed her. She turned on them. "You know what we should do? We should sneak off like the others did and go after them. Everyone's busy running around right now."

"I don't think that's such a good idea." Neville murmured, turning quite pale.

"Why not?" Ginny noticed that Luna suddenly looked extremely vague and was humming to herself. The youngest Weasley turned around very, very slowly.

McGonagall had never looked scarier.

"None of you will be running off." McGonagall shook a forbidding finger at them. "The situation is being taken care of and in the mean time, you will all remain at this castle or I will lock you in your rooms myself."

"You need people to go after them, don't you?" Ginny pointed out. "I could help!"

"Believe it or not, Miss Weasley, but this situation requires a tad bit more experience than a fourteen year old witch could possibly possess." McGonagall's tone left no room for argument.

"But they got to go…" Ginny argued stubbornly.

"They left without permission." McGonagall crossed her arms. "And they will be punished when they're brought back. Make no mistake, going to the Eternal Snowlands is far from being an adventure—it's dangerous in ways they couldn't possibly imagine." And then she swept off down the hallway. Ginny gave her instructor a dirty look but it was really only half-hearted and she felt it was a lame form of retaliation.

"See, McGonagall says it's dangerous." Neville looked relieved to see that he had backing.

"Well, they better die while they're up there because when Fred and George get back, I'm going to kill them." Ginny vowed and then went into her room, slamming the door behind her. Neville glanced over at Luna, who was looking a lot less vague now that McGonagall wasn't there.

"Let's find a zagam for Ginerva." Luna nodded to herself.

"What's a zagam?" Neville inquired curiously, albeit apprehensively.

"It's a kind of demon that can change copper into gold and lead into silver." Luna answered and Neville looked relieved, although the word 'demon' was slightly alarming. "It feeds primarily on human blood." Then she seemed to wander off down the hall.

"Please say those don't really exist." Neville pleaded with the now empty hall. "They're like snow bunnies, right?" Then he decided to stop talking to himself or else Malfoy might catch him and do something horrible to him. Ginny Weasley was still there to stand up for him, but he was pretty much a moving target without Hermione, Ron, and Harry looking after him.

I wish I could be more like them…

I hope they come back alright…

"I think we should set up camp here." Harry decided. They had found a small clearing right before the land began to go steeply upwards as far as he could see in both directions and he knew that climbing that huge hill would be a task better left for a group that had gotten some sleep.

"Good idea." Hermione nodded. "We can get some rest and tackle that hill tomorrow."

"I do not require the rest that you do." Chionia looked as though this was a luxury she was granting them. "I will watch over the camp while you sleep."

"I didn't even think about having someone of guard duty…" Harry admitted. "But thanks Chionia, good idea." Chionia blinked in such a way that Harry knew he shouldn't have been so casual in address.

"Yeah, great idea Your Frostiness." Fred saluted. Chionia looked down her nose at him and then turned, walking a few feet away.

"We'll help set up the tent, Hermione." Tonks pointed to her and Ron. Hermione was unpacking what looked like a small tent that would barely fit three people, let alone six people. While they were working, Tonks turned into Ron.

"Where'd ya get this tent, Hermione?" Tonks as Ron asked, scratching the back of her head. If it wasn't for the fact that even though Ron was younger, he was a few inches taller than Tonks, she could have passed for the real thing.

"Tonks, I really wish you wouldn't do that." Hermione shook her head. "It's kind of strange…I think I'm talking to Ron but I'm not…"

"Maybe if Tonks followed her around everywhere and always did things for her while Hermione remained oblivious, she'd never be able to tell the difference." George whispered to Fred, who sniggered. Ron, who was a couple of feet from them, enchanting the tent pegs to remain firmly in the snow, turned red and pretended not to hear.

"So, is there anything we should know for tomorrow?" Harry asked Chionia, who was sitting on a convenient mound of snow that most of them couldn't remember being there a few moments ago. "Once we get to the top of this hill, I mean."

"This hill will be impossible to go around." Chionia explained. "It shows the end of the outer perimeter."

"Well, that's good." Harry nodded to himself. Maybe they'd get this done faster than he thought.

"It's far more dangerous from here on then you can imagine." Chionia's deadpan voice made his heart sink. "If we walked to where the Impregnable Mountains cross the perimeter, it would be easier but it would take about three days to reach it."

"We can go this way." Harry decided. "After all, everyone voted for the quicker way and I'm sure that we can handle it. Plus, it's safer with you being there right? Since you're the Queen and all."

"The nixies obey all my orders, but there are many creatures I do not control." Chionia's voice was just as cold as the landscape around them.

"Come on Harry, the tent's ready!" Hermione called him back over to where the others were all filing into the small tent. "It'll be a lot warmer in here."

"Great, I'm coming." Harry gave a half turn and looked at Chionia. "You'll be alright out here then?"

"I'll raise the alarm if there is any need for it." Chionia was almost absent mindedly fingering one of her strands of pearls. "Rest for now."

"'Night!" Harry called over his shoulder and went into the tent after Hermione. The tent on the outside might have looked small but on the inside it was like a small house. There was a kitchen area, a living room, and one set of bunk beds.

"What are the sleeping arrangements going to be?" Hermione and the others were all stripping off their snow gear, as Hermione had already made a portable fire for the tent, so the whole place was warm.

"The two girls in the beds, the rest of us on the floor." Fred answered easily.

"Yeah, there's plenty of blankets in here, right?" George opened a drawer of the dresser next to the bed to see that it was full of blankets.

"We'll rotate every night." Tonks had already gotten out of her things and was filling a tea kettle to put on the stove. "That way everyone gets a turn."

"No, we're fine on the floor." Harry shook his head. "You and Hermione should take the bunks."

"Yeah, you're the girls." Ron reminded them in a voice that suggested they might have somehow forgotten.

"That's stupid." Hermione looked crossly at the red-haired boy. "We'll take turns." It was clear that Hermione and Tonks weren't going to budge on this issue.

"Fine, you guys take them tonight, Ron and I will take them tomorrow, and Fred and George can take them the night after that." Harry sank down on one of the armchairs. He didn't realize how absolutely exhausted he was until that very moment. "Let's have some dinner and then get off to bed."

"I'm starving." Ron went to go see what he could do in the kitchen. Before long, everyone had some tea, a piece of bread, some cold meat, and some cheese. Afterwards, there was nothing to do but to go to bed. The boys each found comfortable places on the floor and Tonks and Hermione were snuggled into the beds.

Harry could barely remember laying down on the floor, the next thing he knew, he was asleep.

Outside, the Eternal Snow Queen sat, watching over the camp with unwavering eyes. A light snow began to fall, adding to the already white landscape. Tomorrow, the journey would become much harder.

To Be Continued