DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Eleven - The Wolves of Versil
Harry's fingers glided around the heated metal of his dagger's hilt, reaffirming its position on his hip. Breathing slowly, he turned in a circle, eyes seeking the shadowed form that was stalking him silently. A gust of wind sent snow whirling around him, leaving him standing in the center of a white world. Squinting against the blowing powder, he drew his weapon and bounced its comforting weight in the palm of his hand.
The whipping snow halted abruptly, the final flakes settling atop the blanket already decorating the earth. With the white curtain gone, Harry could easily make out the broken snow cutting between the nearest shops, the path packed and frequently traversed. A sharp burst of yapping barks had him straightening and looking down the road.
Perched upon the snow-draped boardwalk, a black wolf lowered its head and rumbled. Flashing yellowed fangs, it leapt neatly to the ground and flattened its ears to its skull, hackles along its back rising. "Just wolves." Harry murmured softly, his gaze ghosting over the skeletal form of the beast. The wolf's fur was grimy, hanging limply around its sleek body. Snarling, the animal prowled cautiously forward, amber eyes glazed with hunger.
A piercing scream in the distance had Harry's head swiveling, eyes narrowing as he tried to discern what was going on. Wind whistling down the alleys stirred the snow, sending it billowing out into the street in a shielding wall, hiding the carriage and its guards from his view.
Swearing, Harry jerked his gaze back around to locate the wolf, his breath leaving him in a puff as the animal slammed into his chest. The dagger he had drawn went sliding through the snow, vanishing beneath the fluffy blanket. Snapping sharp fangs, the black beast grabbed for his throat, locking its jaws around the forearm thrust into its gaping maw.
Hissing in pain, Harry raised a fisted hand and slammed it into the top of the wolf's skull, ignoring the quiet pop as one of his knuckles dislocated on contact. Yelping, the wolf released its grip and skittered backwards, tail tucked between its legs. A baying call had the animal wheeling suddenly, golden eyes focusing further down the street as he forgot both his pain and his prey. In a blur of dark fur, he disappeared into the blowing snow.
"Merlin's beard." Harry growled, gloved hands patting the snow in search for hard metal. A grin curved his lips as he pulled his dagger from the concealing blanket, metal shimmering as snow fell from the blade. Rolling to his feet, he shot a quick glance at the blood running down his arm before plunging toward the hidden carriage, consciously aware of the wolf seconds ahead of him.
Snow stung his eyes as he jogged toward the carriage, the yells of his team and the scream of horses ringing loudly in the air. Among the familiar sounds were the growls and barks of wolves. Grimacing, Harry held his arm close to his chest and stumbled into the melee. His eyes found his friends easily, their dark cloaks billowing and floating in the wind that howled around them. Swords and wands were held loosely in gloved hands, some already bearing signs of a canine encounter.
"They're every where!" Dean called, swatting a lunging animal with the flat of his sword. The pale wolf was sent rolling through the snow but regained its paws, flinging itself back into the chaos quickly.
"Tighten up!" Ron called, the tip of his wand following the ugly, yellow beast pacing just outside the circle they had formed around the carriage. Growling the wolf darted away from the wizard, disappearing from the redhead's view and becoming someone else's problem.
Harry whistled loudly, the sharp sound cutting through the noise and drawing the attention of the five guards attempting to force the wolves away from the carriage. "Kill them! They're crazy with hunger and have nothing to lose." He ordered, sliding the dagger away carefully and pulling his long sword from its sheath. The blade left the leather with a threatening hiss, catching the faint light of the sun.
The horses tied to the back of the carriage screamed and reared in fear, flinging themselves against the ropes holding them in place. Blood spilled from bite marks on haunches and chests as the odd wolf risked a flying hoof for the taste of flesh. Metal creaked and groaned as the horses lurched against the rungs they had been tied to, the large black carriage rocking with the force of their tugs.
Swearing crudely, Harry swung the blade at the head of a wolf as the animal lunged at him. With a crack, the sharp steel was buried deeply in bone, dropping the wolf into the snow. Placing a foot on the carcass, the raven-haired wizard pulled his sword free and shook congealing blood from the metal.
"Harry!"
His screeched name had him turning his head and searching for Neville, finding the wizard attempting to shoo a trio of wolves away from the prancing thestrals. The lithe horse-like animals were rolling their eyes and lunging against the harness, the reins wrapped around the brake handle jerking with every tug. Harry grit his teeth as the Top screamed and reared, dragging Tip up with him. The growling and snapping wolves slunk around the thestrals, advancing and retreating as Neville swung his sword at them.
In a shriek of bending metal and cracking wood the horses tied to the back broke loose. The pair of winged horses opened long wings and threw themselves into the sky, ropes and reins waving in the wind. Squealing and bucking the rest of the herd fled the attacking wolves, their tails raised like banners as they thundered away into the blowing snow.
"Cross!" Fred bellowed, not even bothering to glance up and see if the winged horse had responded.
"Criss!" George called, following the shout with a piercing whistle. He sank the blade of his dagger through the ribs of a dark wolf, yanking the blade free and wiping it on the sleeve of his robe before searching out his next opponent.
"Tip! Top! Halt!" Neville's cry was heralded by the groan of wood as the brake gave under the horses weight. Snorting and grunting, the team threw themselves against the heavy harness and staggered into motion, ignoring the carriage they dragged in their wake. "Harry!"
"Draco!" Harry screamed, emerald eyes widening as the carriage bumbled after the galloping thestrals. Disappearing through the wall of white, thestrals and carriage vanished silently.
A sudden barrage of stupify's had wolves halting in mid-motion, their bodies freezing in place as Hermione, Dean, Ginny, and Seamus raced towards the other guards, wands clutched in gloved hands.
"BlackHeart! Hie!" Harry shouted, jamming his sword into its sheath without bothering to wipe the blood from the metal. In a flurry of dark fur and feathers, the hippogriff thundered towards the raven-haired wizard, wings arched in preparation for flight. "Fred! George! Recover the other horses! Once you've regrouped, catch up with me!"
"Be careful, Harry!" Ginny hollered, raising a hand to protect her eyes against the snow sent flying by waving wings. Hippogriff and rider surged into the air, black tail and cloak lapping together. The Red Lions were left standing in the snow, the twins slinging themselves onto their skittish winged horses and the rest surveying the carnage they had wrought.
XxXxX
Draco grabbed for one of the small leather handles hanging from the roof as he was bounced around mercilessly. Each jolt and rock of the carriage sending all four of them sliding around the soft benches and into each other. Their ears were filled with the overpowering rumble of spinning wheels and beneath that, the thunder of hooves slamming into the frozen ground.
"What's going on?" Pansy cried, clinging to the curtains that had once hung over the carriage door. Pale faced and trembling, tears of fear ran down in her face as she was tossed onto the hard floor, ripping the curtain from its moorings.
"Perhaps we're fleeing something." Blaise hollered, attempting to brace himself in one of the corners. His splayed hands were shaking as he tried to maintain the position, every tilt and lurch of the carriage weakening his arms just a little more.
All conversation was cut off as the group was thrown to the left side of the vehicle, gasping for breath as the air was knocked from their lungs. A piercing squeal rang out, barely audible over the shouts and wails the three nobles released. Wood screamed as the side of the black carriage was banged ruthlessly against something hard, scratching and dragging as the thestrals galloped on.
Drawing in a deep breath so he could scream loudly, Draco was sent flying into Severus' lap as a loud crack ripped through the air and everyone was tossed forward. In a moment of clarity, he realized the carriage was sitting unevenly as it was pulled onward, the right front corner hanging a just a little lower. "We've lost a wheel!" He shrieked, arms wrapping around Severus' neck.
"Don't lie to me!" Pansy screamed, fingernails buried in the soft fabric covering the benches. She was panting for breath and her pale eyes were startlingly wide, entire body quaking as she desperately pressed her back to the side of the carriage.
Shooting her an offended look, Draco shook his fist while trying not to bounce onto the floor. "I am not, you stupid witch!" Before the squabble could progress, a terrible groan filled the air and the front of the carriage dropped sharply. Everyone was sent tumbling as the carriage rolled completely over, sliding through the snow on its roof. Seconds after that they were tossed sideways as the carriage spun and slammed into something, knocking them together as they fought for air. The sound of shattering wood was loud as the carriage slid forward a little more.
Stillness came suddenly, the carriage seeming to swing gently in the wind as silence overtook it. Pansy pushed herself up her knees but froze as the carriage rocked sharply, sliding a little more. "Wha-"
"Don't move." Severus breathed, holding a finger up in warning as three mouths opened in protest. Under them, the carriage bobbed slightly, rocking with the slight movement Pansy made as she dropped back to her stomach.
"What now?" Blaise asked, the side of his face pressed against the cool wood of the carriage roof. He rolled his eyes so that he could peer around him, wrinkling his nose as he discovered Draco's feet inches away from his face.
Exhaling slowly, the older wizard settled his chin atop his folded hands. "We wait." He breathed out, eyes dropping to half mast as he began to work at calming himself. Complete and utter silence settled on the carriage, all four of them straining their ears for sounds of an approaching rescuer. They could just make out the dull thud of slowly moving hooves and the groan of wood as the pair of thestrals tried to drag the front axle through the snow further down the road.
"How long?" Blaise asked softly, interlocking his fingers with Pansy's and placing a light kiss on her knuckles. He pressed his ear to the roof of the carriage, feeling the slight vibration of the wood as the ground trembled under the hooves of the thestrals.
"Until someone comes to get us." Severus hissed in exasperation, freezing as whatever they were caught on groaned and creaked plaintively.
"Harry will come." Draco whispered, hands balling into fists as Pansy let out a scoffing snort. He narrowed his pale eyes and attempted to sneer at her over Severus' back, grimacing as their chaperone pushed his face back against the carriage roof.
Frowning, the witch shook her head slowly, the pale locks of her blond hair stirring with the movement. "Why do you believe so strongly in him? He's been unpardonably rude and forceful with you. He just threw you into a carriage and spelled the door away, and yet you still believe he's going to come for you?"
"Yes, I do." Draco murmured, closing his eyes. He heard Pansy's mumble of disbelief but chose to ignore it, choosing to focus on taking long even breaths instead.
"Why?" Pansy demanded suddenly, raising up on her elbows. The quick movement caused the carriage to rock dangerously, the coach sliding a little further. "Why do you trust him so much?"
Draco took a moment to ponder the question, pale cheek cradled in the palm of his hand. A slow smile crossed his face as the answer came to him, tightening his chest and making his icy eyes twinkle. "Because he hasn't let me down yet. When the griffin's attacked, I would have been killed if he didn't save me. Do you remember how sick I was when we were crossing Ludwyn's Lake? Harry rode through a storm to get me to dryland and the warmth of the Wolves Run. He may be mean but he cares in his own way and perhaps that's enough." Everyone was quiet, pondering Draco's response to the question. Before anyone could comment, a welcoming whicker rang out.
XxXxX
Harry directed BlackHeart down, his narrowed eyes on the carriage dangling over the edge of the Versil's Bridge. He bit his lip and braced himself as the hippogriff flared powerful wings and slammed into the ground, jolting Harry's mauled arm. As stars danced before his eyes, he leaned his head on the black beast's neck and peered around.
Tip and Top stood with their heads down, foam clinging to their sides as they breathed heavily. They tossed their heads and pawed at the ground, held in place by the axle lodged in the deep snow behind them. Both appeared unharmed but would sicken if they weren't cared for soon.
Taking a deep breath, Harry threw a leg over BlackHeart's rump and slid to the ground, allowing the reins to slide through his fingers. He walked towards the carriage slowly, attempting to figure out how much longer it would balance so dangerously on the precipice. Already it rocked slightly under the blowing wind, hovering on the verge of sliding completely over. The wood had been scratched and torn as it rolled, weakening the outer structure of the coach.
Running a hand through the blood on his arm, he flicked the clinging drops at the carriage door and whispered the counter spell. In a flash of lavender light, the door reappeared. "I need you all to remain perfectly still." He called, reaching out a hand and resting it on one of the back wheels. His words caused an immediate outcry, making him wince as he wrapped his fingers around the door handle. With a quick prayer, he pulled the door open and looked into the interior.
Draco was lying closest to him, body stretched upon the roof at the back of the carriage. Next to him, Severus watched with nervous eyes, obviously wondering how the younger wizard was going to pull this off. Beyond him, Blaise and Pansy gaped, their eyes wide and their bodies trembling.
"Pansy first." Harry whispered, stretching a hand toward the witch. He winced as her fingers interlocked with his, pressing against his injured knuckle. "On the count of three I'm going to pull. You're not going to push or wiggle or kick. You have to remain stiff." When the witch nodded, he took a deep breath and tugged her carefully over the three wizards and out the door.
As soon as she was free of the coach, Pansy made a dash for safety, wrapping her arms around her waist as she fled to the opposite side of the bridge. She winced as the carriage shifted, seeing the tension build in Harry's shoulders as he held the door open and stared into Draco's wide eyes.
"Now Blaise." Harry murmured, extending his hand to the wizard and yanking him free without further warning or comment. The sudden shift of weight had the carriage rocking and sliding forward.
"Harry." Draco whimpered, his lips trembling as he watched Harry moving cautiously outside the coach. The wizard offered him a small smile, reaching out and running a gentle finger over one of his pale cheeks before offering Severus his hand.
"On the count of three." Harry said, eyes locked with Draco's as he prepared to pull the noble's chaperone from the coach. "Be ready." He warned Draco, eyes narrowing as he tightened his grip on the callused hand in his. Steadying the older wizard carefully, he aided him from the wrecked coach, gritting his teeth as the almost empty rig rocked. With a groan of wood the carriage started to slide forward, forcing Harry to swing Severus around and push him away before grabbing for Draco's reaching hand.
The black Hogwarts carriage fell out from beneath the blond, leaving him hanging in mid air with only Harry's hand to hang onto. Blood ran from the raven-haired wizard's arm, dripping over his gloved fingers and onto Draco's upturned face. "I'm going to swing you." Harry croaked, clearing his throat loudly. He closed his eyes as he worked up the courage to actually start the movement, taking a deep breath and twisting his wrist. His arms burned with the continued strain of holding the blond, the force of each swing making him wince. With one last heave, he swung hard and yanked, dragged the noble onto the bridge and into his lap.
Groaning with exhaustion and blood loss, he slumped backwards, a quaking Draco cradled in his shaking arms. "You're okay?" He questioned, emerald eyes wide as his hands searched the blond for any injuries. Finding none, he jerked the other wizard down and tightened his arms, slamming his lips into Draco's without warning.
Draco gasped at the contact but eased into the kiss, opening his mouth under the soft caress of Harry's tongue. Whimpering, he allowed the dark-haired guard to explore his mouth, only pulling back when he could no longer breath. Panting, he blinked as he stared into the sparkling emeralds peering up at him. Anger and realization took him suddenly and had him trying to wiggle free of the arms wrapped around him. Narrowing his eyes, he drew back his hand and slapped Harry across the face.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review!
NinjaoftheDarkness – lol, yah, something happened but it wasn't what everyone was hoping for.
Peaceful Angel – I only dream when I've slept to long, like my brain is awake and has decided to entertain itself until the body is ready to get up.
LandUnderWave - Actually, when I was running my grammar check it picked whore as a mistake. I was then informed whore was an offensive word and I should avoid using it. lol, but I couldn't pick any other comment suitable for that argument so back alley whore it was.
lina – lol, not quite but they did attack the carriage which led to an awesome chase seen. Now think about the consequences: no carriage, only 9 mounts and 13 riders, where is everyone gonna sit?
Jenny18 – The first kiss. I can only update once a week due to my working schedule, I wish it could be more often but what can one do?
Crystal Malfoy – lol, you really got me back in front of my computer Sunday afternoon and I hope you know that. I've decided Theo is going to be an exboyfriend of Pansy's that should definitely make her anger at Harry more reasonable.