-cackles- this mysterious figure seems ominous right…HAAHAHAHAHA
Chapter 12
A sharp poke to the small of her back brought a sniffling Ebony out of her damp hideout in the duvet, she peered out from the gap she had created in time to have a face thrust into her view, surprising, from the glinting ring in the nose, to the shocking pink spiky hair on top of the head. Pulling back in surprise, Ebony could clearly see the person crouched in front of her. The woman grinned, pearly white, even teeth, flashing in the darkness of the curtain drawn room, she was dressed all in black, boots, trousers, top, right down to the glimmering gloves she wore and the hood around her neck, her luminous pink hair was such a contrast that Ebony was temporarily speechless, a rare occurrence for her, and blinked a few times to clear her eyes of sun spots.
"Wotcha!" whispered the woman, plunking herself noiselessly on the edge of the bed, "I'm –"
"Tonks" Ebony interrupted, "yes, I know…"
"And you'd be Ebony right? Albus said you'd know a lot, and not to question why…" commented Tonks as she gripped under Ebony's arms and dragged her out from under the covers, one hand over Ebony's mouth to keep her from making a sound. "We're going on a journey, Ebs, and I'd appreciate it if you kept schtum, cos we b really /b don't wanna attract this kind of attention" murmured Tonks as she handed Ebony warm clothes and turned her back so Ebony could change. "Where are we going?" Ebony whispered furiously, "the Malfoy's will kill me! Lucius b paid /b for me, I'm a b slave /b to them!"
"Not according to the law," muttered Tonks grimly, handing Ebony a pair of goggles, "as Lucius well knows…the transaction of human beings for money was outlawed in the 17th Century, breaking this particular law is punishable with removal of titles from noble families or banishment." She shook her head disapprovingly, muttering. Ebony felt faint, she had never considered that her sale might not have been legal…she was free…
Tonks pushed her to the window, where a broomstick was hovering just below the window ledge, "hurry," she whispered, "he can't hold them off for long…" and she pushed Ebony awkwardly onto the back of the broom, as she swung leg over the broom herself and got into a more comfortable position, "Wotcha broom," she murmured, "fly top speed got it?" and they glided into the air.
The broom raced across the wide expanse of the Malfoy Estate. Ebony could see the lake, with the boat hut and jetty mere dark outlines against the aquamarine of the lake as it reflected the cloudless sky. She could see the stables as well, with the stalls full of pure white Lipizzaners, and the grazing fields with the horses prancing about next to the corral where an hostler was breaking one of the foals, its soft ivory coat shimmering in the sunlight. She also saw the green meadows and rolling vermillion hills that surrounded the manor, creating a natural barrier between it and the outside world. And she saw the manor itself, the limestone walls glinting harshly against the backdrop of delicate emerald, so harsh that she couldn't quite look at it directly, although she could see the Malfoy crest on the flag that was strung high on the flag pole at the top of the northern most tower, the dragons on the shield wavering as the breeze caressed the silk they were set on.
Suddenly the air seemed thick, the broom slowed and as Ebony moved her hand to shield her face it felt like she was moving it through treacle. The air had taken on a faint yellowish tinge that seemed to sparkle. And then as suddenly as it began, the feeling stopped, and Ebony was left gasping for breath as she heard Tonks call to her, asking her if she was alright, "I'm fine!" she gasped, "I think…" she added as an after thought as she massaged her neck. A moments silence and then, "what the hell was that anyway!" she yelled, and she saw Tonks grin, "it's an energy ward used to stop intruders on the Malfoy estates!" Tonks replied, "If we didn't have Mad-Eye casting a malleable spell on it then it would have been solid as granite, and invisible to boot, that's why we had to hurry, he can't hold such a powerful spell for long!"
They continued to fly until Ebony saw a low outcrop of stones which had a person with wild grey hair standing in the centre, arms stretched out to the sky. As they landed she could see yellow sparks, the same colour as the energy ward has been, flying out of his wand tip, dissolving into the air a foot above his head, leaving a shimmering mirage of air around him. He faltered when he saw them and broke off his spell, the air around him clearing as he stored his wand in a holster strapped around his waist under his robes.
She stepped off the broom and promptly fell over, her legs prickly and dead from disuse while sat on the broomstick. Her arse wasn't much better she noted, numb from the cold flight and sore from the uncomfortable side saddle position that she had adopted in the flight over, in order to get a better view of the grounds. Tonks sniggered as she jumped nimbly to the ground by the broom and took the broom as she enveloped Mad-Eye in a one armed hug, his grizzling complaints about how long they had taken trailed off as a pleased rose tinge appeared on his cheeks and he smiled faintly into Tonks' cloak.
Coughing lightly, Ebony managed to attract Mad-Eyes attention and bustled over to his broom, all business again. Once more Ebony boarded the dreaded flying object and she winced as her already sore bum lowered onto the broom, 'the sooner this is over the better' she thought bitterly as Tonks guided the broom into the air, 'and I won't miss it for the world…trust me…'
At last they landed in a quiet cobbled street, somewhere in the upper class area of London, not far off from Kings Cross station. Tonks tapped Ebony on the shoulder and handed her a slip of paper which read, i 'The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.' /i which swiftly burst into flames once she had read the note. 'Oh' thought Ebony faintly 'I don't believe it…' and, in front of her, a grey stoned house appeared in the space where previously the stood a whole lot of nothingness.
A large bustling women with flaming copper hair that was straining to escape its confining bun, came tripping down the steps, her homely looking apron billowing behind her in a flurry of flour and dust, "you're here at last dear!" she called, enveloping Ebony in a hug to rival a bear, "Albus has been so worries, we had been keeping an eye on you and then that awful Lucius Malfoy had to go and buy you from that step mother of yours! He's going before the Wizengamot later this month, at least He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named didn't get to you!" At this last bit Ebony gulped and kept silent, she'd only tell them if she had to! She decided defiantly. "I'm Molly Weasley by the way dear" said Molly, finally pulling away from her, "now, do come in, you look half frozen! And you must have something to eat dear, they must have been starving you, you're far too thin!" with that, Molly half pushed Ebony up the stairs and into the entrance hall of Grimmauld Place. "Now, you must be quiet in here my dear," whispered Molly, "we still haven't been able to remove an old painting that causes us a bit of trouble if we're too loud…"
"Oh yes…" murmured Ebony, "Mrs Black's portrait…I remember…" she peered around, and therefore missed Molly's shocked expressions and the slight shake of Tonks' head, which happened to distract Tonks just enough to knock over the troll leg umbrella stand, again.
Mrs Black's shrieks joined the clatter of the magical umbrellas as the opened and closed voluntarily, flapping uncertainly about two feet off the ground. Tonks apologised profusely while trying unsuccessfully to wrench the curtains back over Mrs Black's portrait with Molly, who was muttering something about "clumsy fools", and so Ebony ran to help them, however, as soon as Mrs Black's portrait caught sight of Ebony, it fell silent, and smiled, a calm, radiant smile, which changed the woman in the portrait from a mad old hag, to a calm and beautiful young witch. It was the kind of look Ebony used to get from her favourite aunt Nina, the one who always bought her the latest Harry Potter books. And it thoroughly unnerved her. "At last," whispered Mrs Black's, now calm, portrait, "I knew you would come for me my dear, that you would come to take auntie's portrait away from this nasty house, I knew you'd come…" and with a creak, the infamous portrait of Mrs Black, a last reminder of those who had lived here before, fell from its place on the wall.
Straight into Ebony's arms.
A hushed silence fell as a man with sandy hair and intense amber eyes walked to Ebony from his position at the bottom of the stairs. He placed a reassuring hand on Ebony's shoulder as he hefted the silent and still portrait out of her grip and tucked it under his arm. Reaching into his pocket, Remus Lupin drew out a bar of chocolate and handed it to Ebony, who took it wordlessly, still staring from the portrait in his grip to the clean white space on the wall where it had previously stood. "come now," he murmured to her, "I think there are some people who would like to meet you Ebony…"
Haha! I'm leaving it there! Dum dum duuuum…what's with the portrait? Why does everyone know her? WHY HAS SHE BEEN TAKEN TO THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX! -sobs- I miss Sirius…
Anyhoo, REVIEW PLEASE MON CHERIES! LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK!
Thank you. -smooches-
