Disclaimer: I do not own "Harry Potter". It is hereby © to J.K. Rowling. I wrote this story when I was 12 years old in the year 2003. So, "Half-Blood Prince" wasn't out yet either. It didn't exist at this point. Again, errors in spelling and grammar have been intentionally left in to preserve my skills as a young writer. This story is complete. This is a repost.
Chapter Twenty Eight: Akira's Kidnapping
The Entrance Hall door flew open with a bang. All the teachers and Professor Dumbledore stood up. The windows in the Great Hall shattered, showering several students with glass. Several students screamed, and the Great Hall doors melted away, revealing a woman in a black cloak, the hood up, so it concealed her face, hovering about two feet above the ground. She glided to the Gryffindor table and right in front of Cho.
"Can the angel of light come out to play with me?" The woman asked in a baby voice.
"Be gone from here!" Cho said in a strong voice.
"How about if I take this…?" She asked, moving her hand, so that Akira flew to it.
"Put me down!" Akira shrieked.
"Oh shut up, you!" The woman said, taking a goblet and knocking Akira over the head with it.
"Let my sister go!" Cho cried.
Tai was standing up at his place at the staff table.
"No…I think I'll keep her…she's of great use to me…"
The woman flew out of a broken window with Akira hanging limply over her arm.
Tai had summoned his broom and had just took off.
"I'm not going to let you get away this time!" He roared.
"That idiot…oh great, his whole team is going…" Cho mumbled.
The other six members of the team had just flown out through the window.
Tai was right behind her, and he urged his Firebolt to fly faster. He was right next to the woman now.
"Give her to me!" He shouted.
"No! Now go away! Aryk Fera!"
A jet of lavender light hit Tai in the leg, causing an open wound that was bleeding badly.
The woman cast two more spells of the lavender light, one hitting Tai's side, and the other his arm. Finally, Tai couldn't fly anymore. He dropped his speed and flew back towards the castle where his team mates were flying towards him. He was able to fly into the Great Hall, he was only three feet in the air, but he fell off his broom with a thud, his broom falling with a clatter, and the student body looked shocked and scared at the same time.
"Tai!" Cho exclaimed, horrified.
She took out her wand and muttered several spells, making some of his wounds heal somewhat.
"Damn bitch…she attacked me…" Tai whispered
Madam Pomfrey rushed over looking flustered. She attended to Tai immediately. And conjured a stretcher and levitated him onto it and led him away to the Hospital Wing. Remus put his hand on Cho's shoulder.
"I think…it's time we devised a plan…" He said calmly.
"What do you mean?" Cho asked.
"We're going to need to find her…we must pack rations and pack lightly. We leave in three days…" Remus replied.
"Harry, Cho, Liam, Ron, Hermione, you're all in on this together. Remus and Sirius are invited to come also. I would advise that Tai stays here. His injuries are severe." Dumbledore instructed.
The seven of them nodded and rushed off.
"Professor, what's going on? What is Professor Lupin talking about?" Several students asked.
Dumbledore stared at his students, and smiled.
"Who is up to explaining a nice little history lesson?" He asked brightly.
Professor McGonagall volunteered. Dumbledore went off to his office where he waited for the group of seven to return and receive instructions. When they did, Dumbledore told them to have a seat.
"I normally don't let students wander off and break rules, or even be on the grounds after hours. But because Sirius and Remus are going with you, I will allow it. This cannot be avoided…it is noted in scrolls from before we were born. This is meant to happen. The angel of darkness is waiting in the forest. It is a vast place, yes, but it is a perfect hiding place for her. You must find her, and put a stop to her ways. This is not the last fight, but perhaps one that will lead to the beginning of several. You all must help Cho on her way. It is her destiny…I fear that you will have to leave tomorrow morning…three days will be too long…it may take you up to two weeks just to find the woman's fortress. And yes, you are going by foot. It's the only safe way. Brooms are too obvious, and for all we know, she could be on the side of the forest that borders our world from the Muggle world. Wear muggle clothing, just in case, and keep your wands ready. I'll give you further instruction tomorrow after you've had a night to rest and a bite to eat…you can stay here if you like…now, I must return to the Great Hall…I'm sure that there's going to be an uproar at any moment…" Dumbledore explained, leaving his office.
Everyone set their bags against the wall in the headmaster's office and Sirius and Remus opened the door to the back and revealed a room with seven comfortable beds.
"I thought this was Professor Dumbledore's storage room…" Cho said.
"The room changes depending on the needs of the one's who open it…" Sirius replied.
"Oh." Cho said.
Everyone lay down on their bed, wide awake, trying to get all of the days events to sit in. After two hours of thinking, all seven of their minds were at ease and they fell asleep only to be awoken early the next morning by Dobby and ten house elves carrying their breakfasts. Everyone ate in silence, and turned their uniforms into muggle clothing and putting on their cloaks, and then they left the back room and grabbed their bags. Dumbledore was sitting behind his desk smiling at them.
"I have packed each of you with a map of the Forbidden Forest. It shows your location and it detects where the angel of darkness is. Now, I believe that's all I have to say…oh yes…Good luck on your quest." He said.
They nodded and put their bags over their shoulders and climbed down the stairs to the Great Hall, where all the students started whispering as they entered. The group of seven caught words such as 'prophecy', 'angels', and other related whisperings. Cho was wearing the black corset styled shirt again, with shiny black vinyl capri pants and shiny black leather two-inch high heeled boots, complete with her white cloak over it, and her bag over one arm. Everyone else had decided on jeans and t-shirts with their school cloaks draped over. They crossed the Great Hall and all the students eyes were on them. Cho opened the newly repaired Great Hall door and out the oak front doors. All the students had gotten up from their seats and watched the group of seven walk across the grounds and pass Hagrid's cabin, and walk into the dense trees of the forest.
"Why're they going into the forest? It's forbidden!" Draco asked.
"Mr. Malfoy, they have two professors with them…it's alright…" Dumbledore replied.
"They can't go into the forest! They'll be killed!" Whitney cried.
"The forest has so many things lurking in it! They'll never survive!" Alyssia added.
"Don't worry Mrs. Malfoy and Mrs. Felton. Minerva explained their powers and everything to you all last night. They'll be fine." Dumbledore said reassuringly.
Back in the forest…
Cho was seeing the dark disease everywhere. She even saw the hands reach out to her several times. All the visions were giving her a headache.
"Cho, you need to lead us to where the angel of darkness is." Remus said quietly.
Cho nodded. She went over to a tree and placed a hand upon it. The forest was flashing in front of her and she saw her destination, then she pulled out her map. It showed where she was, and it now showed where Akira was and the angel of darkness.
"Your maps. Check your maps." Cho said, taking her hand off the tree.
The six others pulled out their maps and nodded in understanding. Hermione took out her wand.
"I'm going to try this seventh year charm I learned. It's like a locator spell, but it uses white magic and it flies ahead of us and warns us of any danger, and it'll show us what the danger is…" She said.
"Charm away…" Everyone said.
Hermione nodded and waved her wand in circles and muttered something and a white sphere appeared and it zoomed ahead of them.
They continued to walk through the dense forest and they were crossing a very dense patch of trees, when they heard hooves. Ron was about to ask something, when Harry silenced him.
"Shhh…listen…it might be a centaur…" He whispered.
The white orb returned to Hermione.
"It is. Hey! It looks like Firenze." She said.
They continued to walk forward and the hooves got closer. Soon they were face to face with Firenze.
"Harry Potter, what are you doing here, with so many in your group? This forest has grown steadily more of a danger. Even to us, centaurs." The handsome centaur said.
"I'm here to fulfill the Angel's Prophecy." Cho answered.
"You are Rowena's heir?" Firenze asked.
"Yes."
"I can help you reach your destination quicker. Where you wish to go is on the very edge of the other side of the forest. It'll take you months to reach it just on foot. Wait here. I will return."
Firenze galloped away, and Harry's scar seared with pain. Suddenly Cho was coughing, and when she spoke, she had Akira's voice.
"Cho, everyone, I hope you're out there looking for me…this is the only way I thought would work…and I hope it does work and I'm not just talking to myself…this place…is really dusty…really…there's moldy books and ugh…a skeleton in the corner…it's disgusting…the witch hasn't hurt me yet…she still says I'm useful, but I have no idea how I can possibly be useful…but I hear her muttering things as she walks down the halls…saying how she's going to kill you, and bring Kashya out from me…but I'm a strong fighter, and all the things she's tried hasn't worked yet…I guess the time that I'd have to see if my heart is strong enough is drawing near…the funny thing is, she's letting me keep my wand…which I see on her part as her being really stupid…I could get free right now…but I can't…if I try to escape, the room will collapse on me…which'll mean I'll be a human pancake…Cho. I saw her face. I know who she is! But I can't tell you, or else she'll kill me, then take out my heart and use it to bring Kashya out…damn…I have to go…the witch is coming back to try and test something on me…" Cho said in Akira's voice.
"Well…that's an improvement on Akira's power…she can talk through her sister…that's a good thing…" Remus said notably.
"Yes well, all these visions, having my powers used, it's making me tired…" Cho replied, in her own voice.
Several hooves were coming nearer. Firenze had returned with four other centaurs with him.
"We're the only ones against Bane's ways. We disagree with him when he says that we shouldn't help you humans. You are as equal to us as one of our own foals." Said a silver centaur.
"Ok Ron and Hermione you get on one, Harry and Cho, pick one, Liam, take a pick at the remaining three, and Remus and I will take the last two. Girls on the outside." Sirius ordered.
The five students nodded, and Ron climbed onto the silver centaur with some help from a ruby centaur. Ron helped Hermione up, and Hermione clung tightly to Ron's middle. Firenze had kneeled down and Harry and Cho climbed on. Liam had chosen the ruby centaur, Sirius had gotten onto a blue-gray one, and Remus decided on an amber centaur.
"Cho, Hermione, hold on tight, Harry, Ron, you make sure they don't fall." Remus said.
The four nodded. Cho held onto Harry, and Hermione's grip tightened on Ron. The five centaurs broke into a quick gallop and they were passing the trees quickly…
It had been a week, and the five centaurs were still with them guiding them a safe way to the angel of darkness. It was very dark now, and the group of seven took out their wands and muttered the spell, 'Lumos' and their wand tips lit, illuminating the trees.
"Thank you." Firenze said.
The centaurs walked on through the darkness. It was very late at night…Cho was exhausted.
"Can we set up camp? I'm about to fall off…" She asked.
"It would be good if we rested too…we still haven't gotten to the worst part of the forest yet…" said the ruby centaur.
"Agreed." Replied the other four centaurs.
They all kneeled down so their riders could get off safely. The seven of them slept easily that night, and woke the next morning, ate a quick breakfast and they set off again on their journey.
"Will this ever end?!" Ron complained loudly.
"Ron!" Hermione snapped.
"Sorry…" Ron whispered.
"I'm sure you're all restless, but trust me, you would probably be about ten miles from Hagrid's cabin right now if we hadn't come along. We shouldn't have more than a week left to travel. And with the help of your magic, we can get there faster yet…" the silver centaur said.
"Couldn't Harry and Cho just apparatate us all to where ever we're supposed to be going?" Ron asked.
"No. They couldn't. They have to know where they're going. Or else they'll end up somewhere else…" Remus replied.
There was silence again, and the rest of the day they continued to walk through the forest. Eventually, Cho fell asleep, her head resting on the back of Harry's shoulder, her arms still wrapped around him securely. More days passed just as slowly. Until finally, on their second week, they were within five miles of their destination.
"Not much further to go now…" Firenze said.
Ron gave a dull clap of excitement.
"Yay! Finally!" He said, just as dully as his clapping.
They were very tired. Every single one of them. A few hours went by, and finally, they were a mile away. They set up camp and slept for the night, and restocked supplies.
Morning dawned pearly and bright, and they packed their possessions and ate quickly, then said their thank you's and goodbyes to the centaurs, and the seven of them walked the rest of the mile. It took them hours to fight through the dense branches, and they kept stumbling over tree roots. Hermione had nearly twisted her ankle when her foot got caught under a root that was peeking above the ground, Ron almost stumbled into Hermione and ended up getting caught in the same root that Hermione was stuck in. It took the other five of them to get both of them free. Night fell once more, draping them in darkness. They lit their wand tips, and they broke through the final clump of trees and into a clearing. Cho walked forward, the others tried to follow, but a barrier had put itself up. A girl in a dark cloak came from a tree top and landed in front of Cho.
"So…you've finally arrived…" She said.