DISCLAIMER: Harry Potter and all other characters and locations belong to J. K. Rowling.
Chapter Thirteen -Bells in the Night
Anywhere else the sudden down fall would have been seen as abnormal, but within the tree line of White Forest it was ordinary, perhaps even expected. Sighing as snow swirled around him, Harry shrugged Pansy's arms from his waist and tossed a leg over BlackHeart's withers. He slid down the hippogriff's side carefully, avoiding a flexing wing with practiced ease. Brushing snow off the top of his head, he drew the hood of his cloak over his wet hair and trudged around Blackheart.
"What's going on?" Pansy asked, fingers snatching at the saddle horn as the large hippogriff shifted impatiently beneath her. Her eyes were wide as she followed Harry's movements, her breathing a little faster then it should have been.
Harry glanced up at the witch, one eyebrow hitching as his gloved fingers fought with the stiff ties of the saddlebags slung across BlackHeart's rump. "It's snowing," he said dryly, eyes narrowing as he glanced down at the knotted leather. With a shake of his head, he drew a short dagger and sliced neatly through the ties.
"This isn't normal." She hissed, angered at his sarcastic answer. Straightening her back, she put her nose in the air and glared down at the wizard digging through the shadowed saddlebags. "I demand you tell me what is happening."
"You demand?" Harry asked, hands stilling within the depths of the leather bags. Emerald eyes were raised slowly, locking with the haughty blue orbs that had been fastened upon his bent head. BlackHeart rumbled softly, his sensitive ears picking up the anger contained within the two words. "What right do you have to demand anything of me?"
Pansy tossed her head before lifting a hand and patting her carefully constructed coif. "You're a servant, which means I have every right to demand whatever I want of you. Now, answer me at once." She narrowed her eyes and boldly met his gaze, hands quiet atop the saddle horn.
Harry gave a short bark of laughter before shaking his head and returning to his task. He rifled through the saddlebags in search of the long rope contained within, fingers gliding over the various pieces equipment he always carried with him when he went on a mission. "People like you really make me wonder." He muttered, smiling victoriously as he drew one end of the rope from the bag.
"People like me? You mean individuals with noble blood and a good education?" Pansy hissed in outrage, stifling a shriek of fear as the hippogriff stretched his long wings and gave a couple of powerful flaps. Face reddening in embarrassment, she drew the folds of her long cloak closer to her body and glowered down at him.
Continuing to draw the black, silk rope from the saddlebag, Harry raised his head and met the witch's eyes. "No, I get the whole 'I'm-better-than-you' attitude, in this line of work we see it regularly. However, every now and then we're unfortunate enough to encounter individuals, such as yourself, who cross the line of acceptability. Pointing out your superiority is a no-no, especially when you can't be sure if you're higher in rank than I. You don't like me, it's as simple as that."
Pansy's mouth flew open in a shocked gasp, her eyes widening. "Dislike is an understatement! I can barely tolerate you, you insufferable bastard! Just look at what you did to Draco. You led him on and then went out and slept with some whore! What type of honourable wizard does something like that?" Fury and anger coloured each screeched word, the entire sentence seeming to echo inside their snow filled world.
Harry dropped the rope into the snow at his feet and focused blazing emeralds completely on the witch before him. "What are you talking about?" He snapped, hands balling into fists at his sides. A warning snarl had him taking a few steps back and making soothing noises as the hippogriff lashed its dark tail.
"You know what I'm talking about! That night in Haardein when you were nowhere to be found and everyone said you had gone out on business. There is only one business a wizard conducts at midnight and there's nothing honourable or good about it! You're just like every other wizard for hire I've ever met! You're good for a quick shag but after that you vanish." Pansy replied sharply, her elegant face pinched with distaste and hatred as she stared down at him.
"You're pointing that wand at the wrong wizard." Harry returned, stepping forward and scooping up the rope he had dropped. With one last narrowed eye glare at the witch, he turned his attention on the length of dark silk, running it attentively through his fingers in search of any weaknesses or tears in the material.
He was in mid tug when it mentally clicked. Draco had only started flirting with Seamus and Dean the morning after he had come back from his flight over White Forest. The blond had refused the seat next to him at breakfast, had even turned down the chance to ride with him several hours ago.
"Are you saying you didn't go out that night?" Pansy questioned, pushing down the feeling of victory that was rising within her. She bit back her smirk and folded her hands together, knowing there was only one answer he could possibly give.
"Oh no, I went out. Do you want to know where I went?" Harry bit out, throwing down the rope and taking the two steps that would bring him directly before the witch. He snagged the front of her cloak and pulled her closer, jamming his face into hers and peering into her frightened eyes. "I was looking for werewolves in this forest. Does that make you happy? Does it? Do you enjoy screwing around with your friend's minds? Hurting them because you're bitter and jealous?"
Pansy's face paled as her mouth fell open, her hands rising to wrap around the large one currently clutching the front of her black cloak. "What?" She whispered, wide blue eyes meeting the emeralds burning brightly in front of her.
"You have issues, Miss Parkinson. Bitterness is an emotion one can't afford, especially when it begins damaging the relationships they have with their friends. I don't know who hurt you, nor do I really care, but I suggest you speak with Draco and apologize." Harry snapped, loosing the witch and turning around. Shaking his head in disgust, he picked the rope up and secured one end to his saddle before walking through the white curtain of snow.
XxXxX
Draco peered around with wide eyes, his gloved fingers interlocked in front of Ginny. He shivered as snow settled upon his blond hair, trying to ignore the chill creeping up his spine. An eerie wind stirred the deluge, sending the large flakes of powder swirling through the air. The mare beneath him stamped a shod hoof and spun suddenly, turning her rump into the wind. "What's happening?" He asked, clutching at the black cloak the witch wore in an attempt to recover his balance.
Raising a narrow hand, Ginny pushed the hood of her long cloak back and twisted so she could see the wizard sitting behind her. "It's snowing," she said with a laugh, tipping her head and lifting a hand to catch several of the falling flakes. "Welcome to White Forest, Draco."
Draco grinned at the redhead's infectious happiness. "It's always like this?" He asked, glancing at the wall of white that encircled them. Nothing could be seen beyond the snow, not even the riders who had been only a couple of feet ahead of them.
"Yes, it's how the forest got its name. Sudden snowfalls like this are to be expected, though I thought we'd get a little further in before we got hit." Ginny explained, narrowing her eyes and peering around them in search of anything familiar.
"Shouldn't we try and catch up with Harry?" Draco questioned nervously, his eyes darting from the left to the right. He hissed as melting snow dripped down the back of his robes, the sudden coldness causing him to jump slightly.
"No, we're better off waiting for the snow to ease up." She tapped her mare on the shoulder softly before sliding her fingers through the well kept mane, automatically looking for knots or burrs caught in the rough hair.
Shaking the snow off his head, Draco tugged the oversized hood of his cloak into place and sighed at the immediate protection it provided. "Why?" He loosened his grip on her waist and stretched his arms, groaning as he began to work kinks from the underused muscles.
"Because of what Minerva just did. I have no idea which direction the others are in and I'd only get us lost if I attempted to find them." Ginny explained, frowning as her fingers encountered several clinging burrs twisted together.
Draco nodded slowly, wincing as he discovered a sore spot on his arm. Assuming it was a bruise from the recent carriage accident, he continued to stretch. "Can't you use magic?"
Halting her attempts to extricate the burrs, Ginny drew her wand and rested it upon the palm of her hand. "Point me." She stated firmly, stretching her arm further away as the piece of wood began to spin slowly. Within seconds the wand was a blur of pale brown, spinning in one direction only to halt and spin in the other. "White Forest is pretty much a magic free zone. Smaller spells will work but magic that requires more power won't."
"Do you think everyone else is alright?" He asked finally, watching Ginny tuck her wand away. His face reddened when the witch arched an eyebrow and smiled innocently at him. "Well, Seamus was teasing Blaise horribly on the way up the hill, I can just imagine what he's doing now."
"Worried about Harry, are you?" Ginny questioned sweetly, snickering when the wizard's cheeks flushed. "I'm sure he's just fine, though he is stuck in the middle of this blizzard with your terrible blonde friend."
"Pansy's not terrible! She's just a little stuck up." Defended Draco, grimacing at the sad excuse he gave for his friend's behaviour. He dropped his eyes and fiddled with the clasp of his cloak, sighing lightly as he remembered the witch was still mad at him. "She's a good friend."
Ginny snorted and tossed her red locks, picking up the reins and straightening them against her mare's strong neck. "Whatever you say." She muttered, flipping her hood back up and staring silently ahead. A light clucking noise had both riders jerking around and staring into the snow. They sighed in relief as a cloaked figure emerged from the wall, a rope held in one of his hands.
Offering them an amused smile, Harry handed the woven cloth to Ginny and grabbed the mare's bridle. "Happy to see me?" The raven-haired wizard asked with a grin, he turned the horse around and took the rope back from the redhead, sliding it through the loop the stirrup leather made.
"Yes," Ginny said, reaching out and patting Harry on the cheek. "I see you survived having only Pansy for company."
Emerald eyes rolled as the guard shook his head. "Barely," he mumbled, checking the rope one last time before vanishing back into the snow.
Ginny snorted humorously, tossing Draco an I-told-you-so look around the edge of her hood. Rolling his own blue eyes, Draco wrapped his arms around the witch's waist and waited for the procession to begin moving again. Within minutes the rope tightened and Ginny put her heels to the chestnut's sides, urging the mare forward into the white wall.
XxXxX
The sudden downfall ended as quickly as it had begun, leaving the Red Lions and the nobles covered in snow and strung together like pearls on a chain. Banks of white powder had blanketed the trail making it almost impossible to discern whether or not they were actually following the correct path. As it was, the horses were struggling to push through the deep snow, plunging and lunging forward with every stride. In the sky, the sun began its slow surrender, sinking ever lower.
Harry's eyes had followed the blazing trail of the sun, mentally gauging the hours of remaining daylight before they would have to make camp. With a sigh, he shook his head and raised a hand, bringing the string of heaving horses to a shuddering stop. "We'll camp here." He called over his shoulder, slapping BlackHeart on the neck in a playful gesture of thanks. Dismounting stiffly, he offered the quiet witch a hand down and waited while she got her footing before moving away.
Groans and moans of thank you filled the air as the riders slid from their mounts, stretching their legs and loosening girths while observing the area they had halted in. A band of pine trees provided a semblance of shelter, their thick branches holding back the blowing snow. Naked oak and birch dotted the rest of the area, their skinny arms casting weaving shadows upon the ground. In the small covered area, the powder was shallower, allowing everyone to move around without having their boots fill with snow.
Reunited, the nobles stood awkwardly together, shivering beneath their thick cloaks and rubbing their gloved hands together. Around them, the Red Lions made camp swiftly; each member assured of their task and performing the same chores they had done numerous times before.
Neville, Ginny, and Hermione collected the horses from where they had been left, their heads drooping tiredly. The three stripped the animals of their saddles and bridles, sliding halters over their ears and threading a line through the jingling metal hoop under their chins. Feed bags full of grain were strapped over the horses muzzles while a bloody ferret was thrown at the taloned feet of BlackHeart.
A fire was quickly brought to life in the center of the clearing, its dancing fingers reaching toward the sky as the twins tossed more timber upon the blaze. The flickering flames fought back the chill and the darkness, drawing the nobles ever closer.
Dean and Seamus had assembled a small pile of gear from various saddlebags and were tenaciously piecing it together. Their hands moved surprisingly quickly as they untangled a long line of thin rope, each gentle shake sending the tinkling of bells through the air. A nod from Dean had Seamus rising and moving into the darkness, the string of bells merrily singing as his black cloak allowed him to vanish among the shadows. By the time Dean reached the last bell, Seamus had circled the clearing and strung the line of silver bells between the trunks of trees, offering the group some warning should something attempt to slink up on them in the night.
Harry leaned against the trunk of a nearby tree, his eyes cast heavenward as his team worked diligently around him. The wizard sighed before straightening, lifting a hand and rubbing his face before moving to aid Hermione and Ron by the fire. Snow had been piled into a cauldron and hung over the crackling blaze so it could melt, leaving warm water boiling in the iron pot. With careful movements, the three added various ingredients into the bubbling water, chatting quietly amongst themselves as the various members of the Red Lions drifted slowly back from their self-appointed tasks.
"I'm starving, Harry." Fred called, brandishing a large wooden spoon at the raven-haired wizard's back. His twin answered the challenge with a war cry, waving his own spoon before him.
Harry chuckled and shook his head, giving the soup one last stir before nodding at Hermione. "It's done," he announced, stepping back and handing the ladle over to the bushy haired witch. Moments later, bowls filled with steaming soup were passed around and spoons crafted of wood and steel offered to everyone.
Glancing at the blond perched upon part of a broken log, Harry heaved a soft sigh and sat back on his haunches just outside the glow cast by the fire. He ate slowly, savouring each bite while scanning the darkness around him. The shadows shifted and stirred, drawing his cautious gaze and keeping him on alert. Ron and Hermione joined him, their own bowls held carefully as they settled themselves to either side of him. As night fell upon the tired group, weapons were adjusted and resettled, eyes darting from shadow to shadow while ears strained to hear the soft tinkle of bells.
XxXxX
Pansy settled herself in front of Draco, folding her long cloak beneath her as she tried to find a comfortable position atop the cold ground. She absently stirred the soup, sighing as she raised her eyes to meet Draco's glazed expression. Narrowing her own orbs, she turned her head and followed his gaze, finding herself staring at a laughing Harry.
"Draco? Can I talk to you for a minute?" She asked, setting her bowl aside and folding her gloved hands in her lap. Guilt and fear rose within her, forcing her to drop her gaze so the wizard wouldn't ask her what was going on. "It's about Harry." Mentioning the raven-haired wizard's name had the desired effect, immediately bringing Draco's wistful gaze back to her.
"What about him?" Draco snapped, puffing out his chest and pretending he hadn't spent the last ten minutes watching the guard. His eyes widened as Pansy sniffed delicately, running a gloved finger beneath one of her eyes.
Snuffling mournfully, Pansy met the blond's gaze and took a deep breath, praying that what she was about to tell him wouldn't ruin their friendship. "I was wrong about him. Oh, Draco, I'm so sorry." She whispered, dipping her head as she felt the first tear begin its slow slide down one of her pale cheeks.
Draco blinked at the top of the witch's head, confusion riding him as he tried to figure out what she was speaking about. Pulling one of his gloves off, he lifted a hand and ran a soothing stroke over the crown of her head, glancing toward the shadowed spot Harry had been sitting earlier. "What's going on, Pansy? Did he say something to you?" The blond growled, pale eyes narrowing as they began to sweep the clearing for the other wizard.
Biting back a sob, Pansy bobbed her head and reached up to catch Draco's stroking fingers. She placed a kiss on the back of his hand as she drew it down into her lap. "You were so happy and I couldn't stand it. I didn't want to see you get hurt like I was. I'm sorry, Draco, I was selfish and jealous." She whimpered, staring down at the pale hand she clutched. Tears ran freely down her face as she admitted the truth to her childhood friend. "Theodore made me bitter. Made me believe that men like him and Harry were bastards but I was wrong. Harry is a good wizard, Draco. He probably really loves you but I couldn't stand the thought of you getting hurt."
"Pansy, calm down." Draco mumbled, shivering slightly as the fingers Pansy clutched began to grow numb with the cold. He stared at her bent head, mentally untangling everything she had just blurted out.
"What's going on?" Blaise asked as he dropped into a crouch beside the pair. He wrapped an arm around Pansy's waist and gave the blond a confused look as he tried to comfort the witch.
"That night Harry went out. . . he was looking for werewolves. He wasn't visiting a brothel or some woman, he was just doing his job." Sobbed Pansy, letting go of Draco's hand in favour of clinging to Blaise. She buried her face in his shoulder, using the cloth of his cloak to muffle her cries.
Draco sat back slowly, his mouth hanging open as he stared at Pansy. His hands fisted as realization struck him; he'd been yanking Harry's chain for the last few days over nothing. No wonder the other wizard had been so confused. "I have to apologize." He blurted out, setting his bowl aside and standing quickly. The sudden tinkling of bells halted him and brought silence to the clearing. In the quiet of the night, the cheerful jingle was an ominous sound.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who took the time to read and review!
GryffieGurl – lol, that's okay, I usually don't write AU fics. Glad you're enjoying it, though.
Crystal Malfoy – Pansy was actually riding with Harry. For my own devious purposes I decided the pair needed some alone time to work out their differences. I had originally thought of having Draco ride with Harry but decided after his little spat he probably would have refused so I stuck him with Ginny.
karenelaine – Very true, Harry could also have put up at least a little fight but I'm sure he'll get his chance later, maybe next chapter later.
PleiadesWolfe – The sword could possibly be Theo's because his team is also out on assignment but I haven't quite decided whose it will be yet. Damn, Draco for ruining the moment, eh?
Peaceful Angel – I can't really see any of the Red Lions following Snape even if he did try to take over. lol, yah, you might try reading less scary books before bed. Have you every had one of those dreams that was almost a little bit déjà vu? Like you'll see something in your house and the light will be hitting it perfectly and you'll remember it from your dream, or say something that is completely familiar and low and behold you said it last night?
Manny2003 - lol, I won't have to worry about work for a while as I've been given an unrequested four week vacation. I have absolutely no clue whether I should be happy or upset. Never work in anything automotive, it's a terribly unstable field.