Disclaimer: I do not own Sailor Moon or Harry Potter.
Note: Yes, was finally able to update! Document manager was giving me trouble. Sorry this update is late. I was in a car accident on the first and I really didn't feel like writing. School's back in session and updates won't be very regular.
--
Hogwarts Secret Scandal 25
Field Trip to Where?
Now that Mina was with her dream guy, Serena humbled herself to forgive Harry for his remark about her and "her boyfriend." . After Quidditch practice, Harry went to take a bath in the prefects' bathroom. Being the Quidditch Captain of the Gryffindor team he had the privilege of using the prefects' bathroom. He didn't use it very often but today he thought he'd give himself the luxury of bathing in that swimming pool sized tub once again. To his surprise, someone was already there. Draco Malfoy.
"Evening, Potter," said Draco, "just come from Quidditch practice, have you?"
"Yeah," said Harry, pulling his robe off and stepping into the warm water across from Draco.
"Is Serena still on the team?"
"Yeah, she came to practice," Harry replied. "She pretty much forgave for the stupid things I said when we broke up."
"That's good to hear," Draco said, "thanks, by the way."
"Thanks for what?" Harry inquired, who was about to shut his eyes.
"I know you two broke up in front of everybody like that for Mina's sake," Draco said, "I don't think she would believe that you two really broke up if one of us told her. It made her rethink our relationship a little bit."
"No problem," said Harry, "hey, are you dating that girl from Durmstrang?"
"Lavra?" Draco inquired. "I didn't ask her yet."
"Why not?" Harry asked. "Isn't she the one you want to be with?"
"Yeah, she is," Draco said.
"Why haven't you asked her out yet?"
"I needed some time to sort through my feelings. I'm not sure how things will be. I just broke up with Mina after dating her for a year and I can't go to Lavra on the rebound."
"I guess I see where you're coming from," Harry comented.
"You know, as hard as it was to break up with Mina," said Draco, "but it will be even more difficult to tell Lavra my feelings. I guess I'm just afraid she doesn't feel the same way. If she turns me down then I would be alone."
"What if she does?" Harry asked. "You won't know how she feels unless you talk to her."
"I know," Draco said, "but it's difficult not being able to talk to her. Durmstrang is really far, you know."
"School is almost over," Harry told him. "You can go Bulgaria and see her or she can come over here."
"Yeah," Draco said with a slight smile. "She did offer me a job at her store. She says one of the workers is a real idiot and needs to be replaced."
"Maybe she does want to be with you," Harry said.
"Maybe," Draco said, "I guess you're right. The waiting is killing me. I have to know for sure." Draco pushed himself out of the tub and put on a robe.
"Good luck, Malfoy," said Harry.
"Thanks, Potter," Draco said as he went to the door. A thought came to him and he turned around. "Oh, and Potter? I know I gave Mina up but I still love her. You'd better treat her right or I'll curse you into oblivion."
Harry knew by the calm yet stern expression on Draco's face that Draco wasn't playing around. Harry nodded. "You have nothing to worry about. You're not the only one that loves her."
"Just don't make me regret breaking up with her," Draco warned as he stepped out of the bathroom.
--
As Aimee was leaving a class, she saw smoke rising. The fire starters were approaching. Everyone knew what this meant and the teachers and prefects went to face the fire starters. They had know idea what they were about to face. Were they demons? Or pyromaniac wizards? The school had to be ready for anything.
The forest was in flames as they approached it. The students and teachers used the water spell to put the flames out. Then they beheld the creatures behind the wildfires. They were tall flickering figures of flame.
"Heliopaths?" Ami gasped out. "They
do exist?"
The heliopaths hurled fistfuls of fire at the
prefects and teachers. All of the students ran for safety
inside the school—all but one.
"Miss Arroser, return to the school at once!" Madame Maxime told her student.
"I can help!" Aimee said defiantly. "Trust me! Aguamenti!"
A jet of water shot out of Aimee's wand and turned a fireball into smoke. Aimee continued to help the teachers fight off the heliopaths. Fire was burning everywhere. Their water spells were not enough against the heliopaths. Smoke stung Aimee's eyes and she was separated from the teachers. The heliopaths had burned so many villages. She couldn't let the school be next. She fell to her knees. She tried to choke out a spell. She needed to make some kind of wall of ice around her. It was too hot for her wand to make an ice spell. What could she do? Then she remembered her Planet Renovation Rod she received for Christmas. It was her only hope. She reached it into her pocket and drew it out.
"Mer—Mercury…" she gasped.
She started coughing and dropped the rod. She couldn't get the words out. Then something happened.
"NEPTUNE HIGH TIDE!" shouted a female voice.
The fire was depleted with a giant wave of water. Aimee blinked with her sore, red eyes.
"Are you all right?" asked the same voice.
Aimee looked up to see a woman with sea-green hair and eyes wearing a white and sea-green outfit with fin-like wings. In her hand she held a golden trident and strapped to her waist was a handheld mirror. This was Eternal Sailor Neptune. Her eyes traveled to the rod next to Aimee.
"You're one too," she said, "go ahead and use it now. I'll cover you."
"How--?" Aimee began.
"Quickly!" shouted Eternal Sailor Neptune, turning to fight the heliopaths.
Aimee picked up the renovation and stood up. "MERCURY PLANET POWER!"
After shouting the incantation, the forest disappeared and Aimee was at the North Pole. Ice crystals flew toward her but instead of impaling her; they formed a leotard out of white silk. A blue skirt with an ice blue layer appeared on the leotard, followed by gloves and boots. The blue symbol of Mercury glowed brightly as a pair of wings made out of ice sprouted from the scout's back. Once she was transformed, her memories of Ami Mizuno returned to her mind. Eternal Sailor Mercury gasped and put her hand to her head for a moment.
"I remember…everything…I was a sailor scout once," she said, "Sailor Neptune is here. We can win this fight!"
Eternal Sailor Mercury extinguished more flames as she went to Neptune's side. "How'd you find me?"
"I'll explain later," she replied. "We have to destroy these things."
Eternal Sailor Mercury gasped. "My teachers! I have to get to them before they die!"
She took off into the air and touched her earring, activating her visor. Through the smoke she saw the figures of her headmistress and teachers. She raised her arms in the air and summoned a pair of ice boomerangs. She swung her boomerangs into the air and water fell from them like rain, extinguishing the flames. A few of the teachers were passed out while others were still trying to fight.
"Get back to the school!" Sailor Mercury commanded. "There's nothing you can do to stop them."
"Let's do what she says," Madame Maxime said to the other teachers. As the teachers left, Sailor Mercury constructed a barrier of ice to keep the heliopaths from following them. She turned back to the heliopaths and pushed the ends of her boomerangs together. The boomerangs made a sheet of ice in the middle.
"Time for you all to chill. MERCURY ICE PUMMEL!" Sailor Mercury a nearby heliopath with sharp ice shards. Instead of the ice melting, the heliopath disappeared into smoke. Her power of ice and water was stronger than any witch. Sailor Mercury used her ice boomerangs to make ice creatures and attack the heliopaths.
"This will you finish you off," Sailor Mercury said as her giant ice creatures went to the heliopaths. "I won't let you burn my school the ground."
An ice horse the size of Beaxbatons' horse lifted up its hoof and stomped on a heliopath to put it out.
Sailor Neptune and Mercury got back to back. "When did you get so good?"
"I think when I got my new powers," said Mercury, "we have to finish them up. Let's attack together."
"Right."
"NEPTUNE HIGH TIDE!"
"MERCURY ICE PUMMEL!"
A wave of water mixed with ice shards fell onto the remaining heliopaths and destroyed them. All was left was smoke.
"That takes care of them," Sailor Mercury said, placing her ice boomerangs back into her subspace pocket. "How did you find me, Neptune?"
"I followed their burning trail," Sailor Neptune replied, "with a little help with this." She held up her mirror.
"I'm glad you came when you did," Sailor Mercury said, "Or I would've been a goner. None of my spells worked on them."
"I know," said Sailor Neptune, "they're not made of ordinary fire. Tell me, do you know where the others are?"
"Not everyone," Sailor Mercury answered, "I met Saturn and the rest of the inners at the Winter Wizard Olympics. Rei, Makoto and Hotaru are students in Durmstrang and Usagi and Minako are in Hogwarts."
"They received their transformation pens too?" Neptune inquired.
"Yeah," Sailor Mercury answered, "and as far as I know, only Saturn, Mars and Jupiter has used them."
"What about Pluto and Uranus?"
"I don't know where they are," Mercury replied.
"Do you know who sent us our transformation pens?"
"My guess is Luna," Mercury answered. "She gave us our transformation pens when she first met us."
"You don't think we have any new enemies, do you?"
"I'm not sure," Mercury said softly. "But something must be up if Luna is trying to reunite us again."
"That's what I believe," Neptune said with a nod. "The sea has been roaring lately. It's a warning. We have to be on our toes. I think the heliopaths were just the start of it."
"I wonder why the heliopaths attacked," said Mercury as she looked over the burnt plants. "Where they just on a rampage or did someone send them?"
"I didn't even believed that heliopaths were real until they attacked," Neptune said.
"Nor I," Mercury agreed, "well, they were no match for us. If someone is behind this, we'll find out and put an end to them."
Neptune smiled. "We sure will. I must go and make sure there are no other heliopaths around. Let me know if you hear from the others."
"Of course," Mercury said, "It was good to see you again, Michiru."
"You too, Ami. Take care."
The two scouts of water embraced and Sailor Neptune left the smoking forest. Sailor Mercury bent down and analyzed the damage of the heliopaths. "I don't know how these things came to be, but I'm going to find out."
"Aimee!"
Sailor Mercury gasped. The teachers were calling her. She de-transformed into Aimee Arroser and came out to see her teachers.
"Here I am," Aimee said, "I'm all right. How did you stop the heliopaths?"
"It was someone else," Madame Maxime said, "she must have left by now. Get inside."
"Yes, ma'am," Aimee said and she walked into the school. Her head was swimming and it wasn't from inhaling all the smoke. It was the memories that had returned to her. She was Sailor Mercury again. There was something Aimee did not undersand. Why did Luna send out the transformation pens instead of meeting everyone in person?
Aimee decided not to think it over. She sent owls to her friends about what happened right away.
--
"Oh my goodness!" Lavra and Martina exclaimed at the same time. They were both reading two different letters but their reaction to them were the same.
"Guess what?" Martina asked Lavra.
"Draco says he loves me!" Lavra shouted before Martina could explain.
"Eh, what?"
"That's why he broke up with Mina," Lavra said, "he knew what it was like for Mina to be dating him when she had a thing for Harry. Now he says he wants to be with me. I've got to write him back!"
"Write him back later," Martina said, "this is important. Aimee has used her renovation rod and she met Sailor Neptune. That leaves just Serena and Mina."
"And Setsuna and Haruka…wherever they are," Lavra said, "well, we'll soon be reunited. Then everything will be like old times. I got to go write Draco."
"But Lavra…" Martina began.
"Hey, when a guy confesses his feelings to you," Lavra said as she got up, "you may understand."
There was a small awkward silence.
"Actually, maybe not. Constantine confesses his feelings to you every day and you still don't get it."
"Hey!" Martina shouted at Lavra as she ran out at the dining room.
--
It has only been a couple days since Draco had wrote Lavra but he was still nervous about hearing her. He did not know if she felt the same or not. Was it wrong of him to tell her?
An owl came to the Slytherin table. Draco held his breath and closed his eyes. That was probably Lavra now. He didn't hear the owl land near him or tug on his sleeve.
"I got post!" squealed a voice a few seats over.
Draco opened his eyes and saw Mina with a letter in her hand. She turned around hissed at her cousin. "Serena! I got an owl from Aimee!"
"What?" Serena cried over all the noise in the Great Hall. There were two in between them.
"Oh, whose idea was it to put the Gryffindor table clear on the other side of the room?" Mina demanded as she got up from the table.
"Probably the founders?" Blaise Zabini answered.
"Well—they made a stupid choice!" Mina snapped. "I'm sick of having to get up just to say something to my boyfriend or my cousin."
Mina walked over to the Gryffindor table and handed the letter to Serena. "I got this from Aimee."
"Wow, looks like heliopaths really do exist," Serena said, "this will make Luna's day."
"You can't show Luna that!" Mina muttered. "She'll go straight to Daddy and he'll do another article on them."
"Hey, did you hear about all those heliopaths terrorizing France?" Luna asked, popping out of nowhere.
"Uh…no," said Serena as she tucked Aimee's letter into her pocket.
"It seems that they were born from some wildfire and burned down every village," said Luna, "they almost got Beaxbatons too but two very skilled water witches destroyed them. I wonder if Daddy knows yet."
"How'd you find this out?" Serena asked.
"My Beaxbatons pen friend," Luna said, "Gabrielle Delacour. I told her the mysterious creatures where heliopaths. I was quite certain...ooh, I'd better tell Daddy. He always wanted to write another article on the heliopaths after writing the first one."
"What was the first one about?" Serena inquired, rubbing her head.
Mina groaned. "Oh Daddy thought Fudge had a n army of heliopaths."
"He did," Luna said, "and that's what got him sacked. He should know he couldn't control fire beings."
"Fudge never had an army of heliopaths!" Mina exclaimed. "He was sacked because he lied about You-Know-Who and they wanted someone that would keep them safe."
"Oh I don't know," said Luna, "Scrimgeour is a vampire after all."
Serena laughed as Mina slapped her forehead. Luna hummed to herself as she walked out of the Great Hall.
"I can't believe she's my sister!" Mina groaned. "What gave her the idea that he's a vampire?"
Harry chuckled. "I know, he doesn't look like a vampire at all."
"I'm glad you believe me," Mina smiled as she put her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Hey, you've got some free time after your first class?"
"Yeah," Harry said, "what've you got in mind?"
"I was thinking maybe we could for a broom ride," she said as she attempted to smooth his unruly black hair. "the weather's perfect for it."
"I'll meet you on the Quidditch Pitch," Harry said.
"Great," said Mina and she kissed Harry. "See you then. Bye Serena."
"Bye," Serena said, waving and going back to her breakfast.
Draco smiled as Mina returned at the Slytherin Table. Seeing Mina happy made him happy. Suddenly it didn't matter if Lavra returned his feelings or not. It was worth it to see Mina so happy.
Serena glanced at Mina then to Harry with a grin on her face.
"What?" Harry asked.
"Nothing," she said, "I'm just happy for you two, that's all. You make a cute couple. I've never seen Mina so happy."
"Well, I'm glad I can make her happy," Harry said.
Sometimes Serena couldn't help but watch Mina and Harry. They looked so happy and so in love. Serena was happy for the both of the time but watching the couple made her want to have some love in her life too. Serena scanned the faces of the male students in the room. There were certainly some handsome young wizards in the room but none of them seemed to be the one she wanted to be with. Serena wasn't quite sure who she wanted to be with herself.
Serena sighed and picked at her breakfast. Was her true love even in his room?
Darien caught himself staring at Serena another time. When was he going to quit that? Sooner or later she'll notice him gawking at her and he'll do something stupid like drop food all down his front. Deciding that he was full, he stood up and stepped down.
"You all right, Serena?" Hermione asked. "You hadn't eaten much."
"Oh, I'm fine," Serena lied standing up to leave, "I'm just gonna…aah!"
Serena's foot caught on the bench and she about smacked the floor, had not someone caught her. A couple students at the Ravenclaw table turned around to look at her. Serena hit a poor third year Ravenclaw in the head on the way down and caused his face to go in his bowl of porridge.
"Oh man, I'm sorry!" Serena muttered. "I didn't mean it…my foot got caught on the stupid bench!"
"Apology accepted," said the third year as he wiped his face.
"You all right, Miss White?"
"I'm fine," Serena said, standing up and brushing herself off. "Thanks for catching me—Professor Shields…Professor Shields?"
Serena looked up suddenly and realized it was Professor Shields that had saved her fall. She didn't' feel angry, just a little embarrassed. She felt her cheeks grow warm. She stared at him for a moment, twisting her toes on the floor. He was so good looking. She wondered what it'd be like to kiss him, to date him. Wait. Why was she thinking that? He was a teacher! What if he was already dating somebody? Why did he have to be a teacher? Why couldn't he be another student? This would make things a whole lot easier!
"I ah…ha…um…" she mumbled nervously.
"You sure you haven't hit anything?" Professor Shield's hand dropped on her shoulder and Serena's whole face went red.
"Nope, haha! I'm fine!" Serena said, laughing as she backed up. "I'm just clumsy! I fall down all the time. Nothing to worry about…"
"Well I'm glad that you're…"
Before Professor Shields could finish his sentence, Serena had turned around and high-tailed it out of the Great Hall. Professor Shields stood where he was for a moment, feeling awkward. Both tables, nearly the whole Great Hall was looking at Professor Shields. Professor Shields cleared his throat.
"Please be careful when you get up," he said, "you might trip."
Professor Shields stepped out of the Great Hall and Lavender looked at Parvarti. "Whoa, did you see that?"
"Yeah," Parvarti said, "makes me want to purposely trip so he can catch me too."
--
Madame McCloud's flying class had no idea that Mina and Harry were on the roof making out. Madame McCloud's had each student fly through spinning hoops and when it was Rose Parkinson's turn, she saw Harry making out with Mina jerked her broom to the left and fell.
"Rose!" Rini shouted, covering her face.
Madame McCloud whipped out her wand, pointed it at Rose and made her stop falling. "Miss Parkinson, you need to learn to control your broom better."
"It wasn't my fault, Madame McCloud," Rose said as her feet touched the ground. "I saw two people kissing on the roof and I lost control of the broom."
"Who?" Reenie asked excitedly, hoping the couple was her future parents.
"I think it was Harry Potter and Mina Lovegood," Rose said.
"Oh, how nice for Mina," smiled Reenie. "She really likes him.
Rose glared at her friend.
"I mean…those two ought to get a room!" Reenie yelled. "You could've cracked your head open!"
"All right class," said Madame McCloud, "I want you to practice hovering in the air."
Madame McCloud picked up her own broom and flew to the roof before Harry and Mina escaped. "Shouldn't you two be in class?"
"We both have free periods," Mina stated.
"Then shouldn't you be using them to study instead of making my students lose their concentration during flight lessons?" Madame McCloud demanded, her arms folded. "Rose Parkinson already has trouble on a broom. She was just starting to improve until she saw you two."
"Yeah, we're really sorry," Mina said sheepishly.
"We didn't think anyone would see us," said Harry.
"Well, you were wrong," said Madame McCloud, "and to make my point, you will both have detention."
"Detention for kissing?" Harry asked.
"Next time I'll go to your Heads," Madame McCloud muttered, "Miss Lovegood, you can help me polish the broomsticks tonight. Mr. Potter, I'm sure Mr. Filch has something for you to do. Now go to your dormitories."
"Yes Madame McCloud," Harry and Mina said in a gloomy tone.
The couple barded their broomsticks and flew to the ground. When they landed all the kids pointed, laughed and made kissing noises.
"Enough of that," Madame McCloud said, "back to practice!"
--
As Harry Potter was cleaning all the fireplaces for Mr. Filch, Mina was inside the locker room polishing the school brooms by hand with Madame McCloud. At first Mina didn't mind it. It was just like servicing her own broom. However by the fifth broom Mina's arm started to get tired and the school brooms were in bad condition Most of them had cracked handles and Mina's hand received a few splinters. When Mina thought she was finished with one broom, Madame Cloud inspected it and pointed something out that she didn't notice before.
"All this just because I was kissing my boyfriend?" Mina demanded through her teeth, scrubbing the hound of a Cleansweep Five.
"Your kissing nearly caused the injury of one of my students," said Madame McCloud.
"But she didn't get hurt," said Mina.
"No one put any effort after your spectacle," Madame McCloud stated, "the students were talking about you and Mr. Potter. I understand that you want to be with him all the time, Miss Lovegood but you have to think of the needs of others as well as your own."
"Do you know how long I've waited to go out with Harry Potter?" Mina demanded, standing up so quickly that the broom fell from her lap. "Ever since my first flying lesson! We're finally together and I've never been happier!"
"Well I'm happy for you," said Madame McCloud, "but you shouldn't spend all your free time together. You have your future to think about. These free periods shouldn't be used for fooling around. Aren't your NEWT's coming up?"
"I don't care about NEWT's," Mina grumbled, sitting back down and picking out loose straws from the bottom of the broom. "I'm going to be a professional Quidditch Player. I think I'll try out for the Holy head Harpies. It'd be cool to be on an all-witches team after playing with wizards all the time. Hey, weren't you a professional Quidditch Player?"
"Yeah, Appleby Arrows," McCloud answered, "Chaser."
"They're a cool team," said Mina, "what made you quite?"
"Got sick of the rivalry with the Wimbourn Wasps," McCloud answered bluntly, scratching her nose. "I was going to join Pride of Portree but Hooch owled me and asked me to take her place. We were in school together."
"No way, you and Madame Hooch?" Mina asked. "How come she never went professional?"
"Because she didn't like our teacher back in the day," McCloud answered, "he was a bit of a lecher."
"Well I'm glad she took his place," Mina said and she held up the broom for her to inspect. "Is this okay?"
"Yes. You may continue with the other brooms.."
Mina propped the polished Cleansweep Five to the side and grabbed a Comet Two-Sixty to polishing. "Hey…this one's a lot smoother! I love Two-Sixties."
Mina was almost done with the broom when she noticed something on McCloud's desk. It was her Uranus Renovation Rod.
"Hey, you've got one of those too?" Mina asked, nodding at the renovation rod.
"Too?" Madame McCloud inquired. "You mean, this?" Madame McCloud picked her renovation rod and looked at it.
"Yeah," said Mina, "only it's orange instead of blue. And it's got the symbol of Venus on it."
"You know if anyone else has more like these?" Madame McCloud asked eagerly.
"Sure," Mina answered, kind of surprised at Madame McCloud's tone. "A couple girls at Durmstrang, one at Beaxbatons. We got them for Christmas while we were at the Winter Wizard Olympics. Serena got one too, but hers looks more like brooch than a stick. She wears it on her robes."
"I see," said Madame McCloud, "what kind where they"
"How do you mean?" Mina asked, looking confused.
"Well, the girls from Durmstrang and Beaxbatons," Madame McCloud asked. "Each object is for a planet, right? What planets did they get?"
"Let's see," Mina paused from her broom cleaning and started counting on her fingers. "Aimee got Mercury. Lavra got Jupiter. Martina got Mars. Angelica got Saturn and Serena's was the moon."
"Moon?"
"Yeah, it had a picture of the moon on it," said Mina. "Kind of surprised me too. I don't know why we got planets and she got the moon. So were you the only one here that got one of those things?"
"No Professor Oville got one as well."
"The new History of Magic teacher?" Mina raised an eyebrow.
"Yes, the planet she got was Pluto. Then that leaves two other planets: Earth and Neptune."
"Wait a minute," Mina said, "I got a letter from Aimee, that girl from Beaxbatons. She used her renovation rod and she met the owner of the Neptune Renovation Rod."
"Did she know about her before?"
"I don't think so," said Mina.
"Is she the only one who has used hers?"
"No, the Durmstrang girls used theirs," Mina said, "just leaves us. So far we've been safe."
"I wonder if there's someone with an Earth Renovation Rod," McCloud said thoughtfully.
"I thought that too," Mina said, "but there's no zodiac sign for the planet Earth. All the rods we've been getting seem to go with the Zodiac. I'm a Libra and the corresponding planet's Venus. Serena's a Cancer it's related to the moon. There's nothing related to the Earth."
"True," Madame McCloud answered. "Um, Mina, I think you're done for the day. You may go."
"You sure?" Mina asked. "I've only got two brooms left and I'm already on a roll…"
"I don't plan on using the Moontrimmers yet."
"Well, all right," Mina said, putting the broom down. "Good night Madame McCloud."
"Yes, goodnight, and I hope you've learned your lesson."
"I have," Mina answered, "don't worry."
Mina stepped out of the locker room and walked down to the dungeon. "I've learned not to kiss my boyfriend during Madame McCloud's flying lessons anymore. That was the weirdest detention I've ever went to…"
--
Professor Shields had a surprised for all his seventh year students. He went ahead and thought of Serena's comment and planned a field trip. He was glad that his first class of the day was the seventh year Gryffindors because he was looking forward to Serena's reaction. After he gave his lesson he took the time to give his news.
"I have an announcement to make," Professor Shields stated, "this Saturday we will go on a field trip."
"Really?" Serena asked, leaning forward in her seat. "Saturday? This Saturday?"
"That's correct," Professor Shields, "we'll be back in time for the Easter holidays so those of you wish to go home can."
"We're we going Professor?" Harry asked.
"Some kind of museum?" Dean asked excitedly.
"The Ministry of Magic?" asked Parvarti.
"No," said Professor Shields, "Azkaban Prison."
"AZKABAN PRISON!" the students shouted in unison. Few of them were excited. Everyone else was shocked. Serena was confused.
"Um, Professor, why Azkaban?" Serena asked. "I don't think the prison will let us go there for a field trip."
"I have already made the arrangements," said Professor Shields, "I've cleared everything with the warden at the prison. Now you know that the dementors have left Azkaban. A number have returned, the weak ones. Some of the dementors prefer to hunt while there were those that liked being 'fed.' You will see dementors there but they will not be very strong. Nevertheless, I have some precautions for you. If you prepare yourself thinking bad memories then the dementors have no power over you."
"Oh, I get it," Serena said, "the dementors can't make us remember our bad memories because we're thinking of them already."
"Precisely," Professor Shields said with a nod. "Having the dementors strip you of your happiness is much more tiring. I will ask you to write a list of your worst memories and go over them. Just as well, write a list of your happiest memories. Upon leaving Azkaban you may re-read your list and become happy again. I will bring chocolate so…"
"Whoa, hold on!" Serena shouted. "Did you say chocolate?"
"Yes," said Professor Shields, "chocolate serves as an remedy to the icy feeling that the dmentors leave you with. It will allow you to feel better."
"Oh Professor Shields, that's, wow, you are the greatest!" Serena said, finding nothing else to say.
"Why thank you," Said Professor Sheilds with a small smile. "Now you will be traveling with the rest of the seventh years on one of the buses we took to Durmstrang. We are to meet on the grounds at seven o'clock. Any questions?"
"Y-yeah, what about breakfast?" Ron inquired.
"The house elves will be making breakfast for us early."
"Wow, you really have thought of everything," Ron said, impressed. "Oh, what about lunch?"
"The house elves will make sack lunches for everyone," Professor Shields answered.
"How long is the field trip going to be?" Parvarti asked.
"It's likely we will be gone the whole day," Professor Shields replied. "I suspect we will be back at Hogwarts by nine o'clock that night. There will be more information the day of the trip."
The bell rang and everyone piled out for their next class. Serena however remained behind to thank Professor Sheilds again.
"Thanks for planning this field trip, Professor," said Serena, "I didn't think any of the other professors would plan one. How did you get Professor Dumbledore's approval?"
"All I did was ask him and he agreed," Darien answered.
"No way!" Serena asked. "He agreed to you taking us to Azkaban Prison? He didn't make you get parent consent forms or anything?"
"Well, considering the seventh years are all of age he didn't see any need for that," Darien said, "if I wanted to take the first years, he'd be against it of course. Professor Dumbledore thought that a field trip for the seventh years would help prepare you for the NEWT's, especially those searching careers against the Dark Arts, like arurors."
"Well, I'm not planning on being an aruror," Serena said sheepishly.
"Really?" Darien asked in surprise. "How come?"
"Sounds like too much excitement for me," Serena replied, "and it's dangerous, isn't it?"
"Um, yeah, it can be," Darien smiled, fixing a few things on his desk. "But it is rewarding."
"Must be," Serena agreed.
"What do you want to do after Hogwarts, Miss White?" Darien asked.
"You know what?" Serena said with a slight grin as rubbed her bottom lip with her fingertip. "I'm not really sure! I can't seem to make up my mind. I'm excellent at Transfiguration. Maybe I'll go with something there."
"Ah, it's good to go with your strengths."
"And I really love it," Serena said, "it's always been my favorite…speaking of which…I'm late for Transfiguration! Oh, I got to go! I didn't mean to take up your time…uh…bye Professor!"
"Oh, uh, sure," Darien said.
Serena turned and ran out of the room, bumping into another student in the process. What caused her to stay with Darien so long?
--
The day before the field trip Draco received his reply from Lavra. To his relief she felt the same way and to his surprise she understood why he took his time to tell her his feelings. It made him love her even more. He immediately wrote her back to tell her how happy he was to know she returned his feelings and told her about the upcoming field trip. Draco added Lavra's letter to his list of happiest memories. He was only saddened that she wasn't physically with him so he could kiss her.
Though everyone had to get up early on Saturday morning they were ready for the field trip. Darien instructed everyone to have a buddy with them as they toured the prison so no one would be on their own. Though Mina was going out with Harry, she wished to be buddies with Serena. Harry didn't mind and he was buddies with Draco. Draco told Harry the good news about Lavra once they got aboard the bus.
"So you're going out then?" Harry inquired.
"As good as you can go out in a long distance relationship," Draco responded with a sigh. "But maybe we can do something for the Easter holidays. I have to owl her about it."
"I'm happy for you, Draco," Mina said, "I really am."
"Thanks, Mina," said Draco with a smile.
Once everyone was settled on the bus, Darien gave the bus driver the order to start the bus and leave for Azkaban.
"Professor Shields," Serena called from the middle of the bus with a raised hand.
"Yes, Miss White?" Darien said.
"How long until we get to Azkaban?" she inquired.
"About four hours."
"Whoa," Serena mumbled, "that's a long trip!"
"I know," said Darien, "so you are alllwelcome to take a nap before we get there. It will be some time."
"Sounds good to me," Serena yawned, stretching. "Mina, wake me when we get there, all right?"
"Okay."
Serena put her head against the window and fell asleep within moments. Darien couldn't keep his eyes off her. She looked so peaceful asleep, so serene. If the bus wasn't full of students t the moment, he'd be sitting next to her with his arm around her. That familiar feeling entered his stomach. What was he doing? Serena was his student! How many times did he have to tell himself that? Even if she liked him too, they couldn't be with each other.
"Professor Shields," said a voice.
Darien was still looking at Serena and didn't hear the person speaking.
"Professor Shields. Professor!"
"Huh? What?" Darien mumbled, blinking. "Oh, did you say something, Mr. Malfoy?"
"Yeah," Draco said, "I was wondering if we could visit with the prisoners. My father is in Azkaban and…"
"Oh, yes, that's an excellent idea, Mr. Malfoy," Draco said with a nod. "It's encouraged that you speak to some of the prisoners, at least the ones that are still able to communicate. Find if any of them have the same life as Darcille Nox. Find out what happened in their lifetime that got them where they are now."
"All right, thank you, Professor," Draco said.
A few other students took a nap on the bus while others talked or read books. Darien couldn't feel like he could sleep or talk so he went over the schedule. The prison warden had sent Darien maps of Azkaban as well as lists of the prisoners. The prisoner list indicated the name, birthdates, crime and sentence of each prisoner as well as the number of their cell. Darien wondered how long he should allow the students to roam through the prison and when to have lunch. He checked his watch. It was ten o'clock and they haven't arrived yet. He glanced back at the students. Most of them were still asleep. Darien looked out the window and saw the blue ocean below. They must be close.
"How long, Paul?" Darien asked the bus driver, who was just a few years older than he was.
"We should make it to the island within the hour," Paul replied.
"Perfect," Darien said, standing up to address the students. "Can I have your attention please?"
"Serena," Mina muttered, nudging her cousin.
"M-wha?" Serena said sleepily.
Mina nodded at Darien. Serena looked out the window and seeing the ocean, sat straight up.
"The ocean—we're almost there!"
"As many of you noticed," Darien said, "we're over the sea and we should be arriving at Azkaban prison within the hour. I have here maps of Azkaban, prisoner lists and field trip schedules. Will the person in the back please take these to the upper levels?"
"No problem!" cried Ernie MacMillan from the back of the bus.
Darien handed the lists to Padma Patil, who was sitting up front on the right and Hermione who was sitting up front on the left. They took one of the three documents and passed them down the rows. Serena eagerly looked over her schedule.
11:00—Arrival and introduction
12:00—lunch
1:00—Visit prisoners
6:00—Depart
"Wow," Serena said, "we can visit the prisoners?"
"Yeah," Mina said, "Draco asked Professor Sheilds if we could. I think Professor Shields already had that in mind. We're going to visit Mr. Malfoy. I haven't seen him since before he was brought to Azkaban. I don't even think he knows Draco and I were going out. This will be the first time Draco is seeing him."
"He's never come before?" Serena asked. "How come?"
"Mrs. Malfoy thought it was best," Mina replied, "I think I understand where's she's coming from. The dementors are scary. They scared Draco half to death when they came to the train."
"But didn't Professor Shields say there were no dementors then?"
"Yeah, but they returned shortly after leaving," Mina explained, "the weak ones anyway. Once the dementors started breeding the weak ones went back to Azkaban. I think it's just as well. Someone has to be guarding the prisoners, right? I certainly wouldn't want to be the one to do it."
"How does Draco feel about seeing his father?" Serena asked.
"He can't wait," Mina answered, "he really misses him. Draco really looks up to him. I'm looking forward to meeting him too. I only met Mr. Malfoy once at the World Cup, but that was before Draco and I were going out. I think I was seeing Rodger Davies at the time…"
"You sure it's a good idea to see Mr. Malfoy when you're dating Harry now?" Serena asked. "Won't he be angry?"
"Probably, but Draco and Harry are friends now. I'm not sure how Mr. malfoy will take it though. I feel kind of bad for Draco. We don't' know what to expect. Mr. Malfoy has been in prison for two years."
"Hey, look!" exclaimed someone in the front. "There it is!"
Everyone pressed their faces to the window and through the mist they saw a great fortress in the middle of triangle shaped island. The bus landed on the shore and Darien stood up.
"We will go to Azkaban now," he said, "the warden will wait for us at the gates and give us a history of Azkaban. Please leave your bags on the bus. We will return here for lunch. We shouldn't see any dementors but remember to be alert. You may still feel them. All right, let's go!"
The door opened and Darien led the seventh years up to the gate where the warden was waiting for them. The warden was a tall and strong looking man despite being near the fortress for so long.
"Thank you for letting us visit today, Mr. Riley," Darien said as he shook hands with the warden.
"It was no trouble, Professor," Mr. Riley said with a smile. "I think it is good for these youngers to understand more about Azkaban. Come with me to the main office and we will look at some slides."
The main office had an auditorium large enough for everyone to sit. Mr. Riley set up a overhead machine and discussed each slide. He first talked about the island and why the wizarding law chose the location for the prison. He showed more slides about places on the island and the fortress instead of prisoners and dementors, which most of the students were grateful for. He was open to questions and comments and some students, Hermione being one of them, often commented on the slides.
"Those of you who will like to look at more slides rather than tour the prison you were more than welcome," said Mr. Riley.
"Thank you," Darien said and he ushered everyone back to the bus for lunch. The seats had been replaced with round tables and chairs. Each table had box lunches for the students.
"Wow, this is great," Serena said, "I didn't have to pack my own."
"That was quite enjoyable," said Hermione as she looked at a leaflet on Azkaban.
Serena took out her list of bad memories and went over them. "Now is a good time as any. Professor Shields said that if we prepared our selves with bad thoughts the dementors wouldn't affect us too much. It's better than being forced to think about bad things."
"I'm just glad the place isn't swarming with strong dementors," Mina stated.
After lunch, the warden opened the prison doors and let Darien and the students in. Though they did not see any dementors first hand, they could feel them.
"Draco," Mina said, "perhaps it is better you see your father first."
"All right," said Draco, looking at the passenger list. "He's on the second floor, cell five. Coming, Potter?"
"Sure."
"Is it a good idea that Harry comes with you?" Serena inquired.
"I want to tell my father that the rivalry has ended," Draco answered.
"Okay," said Harry, "he probably still hates me but I'm not afraid of him."
"Yeah, he's not the Dark Lord," said Draco, "come on, Potter."
Draco and Harry went to visit Mr. Malfoy and Serena looked at the prisoner list. "Anyone you want to visit, Mina?"
"Definently not a Death Eater," Mina answered, looking over her shoulder. "Let's find one that's not sentences here for death. Hmm, let's see…oh I know this guy! He made some dodgy things and tried selling them to Muggle kids. He's here for six months and he's got three more to go. Let's hope he can talk."
The conversation with the prisoner actually went better than Serena expected. In fact, she found it rather humorous. Besides the fact he was a little crooked, the guy was really funny. He told them all about his life story and the things he did. He really had no shame and didn't' are about going to jail. He found it a joke. Mr. Freyman used to be fat man but he slimmed down in the months he spent in Azkaban.
"We'd better go now, Mr. Freyman," said Serena, "I hope you've remembered your lesson when you're released."
"Yeah," Mina said, "you have a talent of making things but you can't go selling them to Muggle kids. Especially if they're dangerous."
"Ah, girls,' Mr. Freyman said, "it will be only a matter of time until the Muggles know about the wizarding world anyway."
"That's probably true," Serena said, "but we can't let them find out with a teddy bear that will kill them in their sleep."
After visiting a couple other prisoners, Serena and Mina met up with Harry and Draco. The boys looked a little upset. Evidently, their visit with Mr. Malfoy didn't go as well as the girls' visit with Mr. Freyman.
"Dad said if I'm going to be making friends with the 'enemy' he doesn't want to come home," Draco said glumly. "He'd rather stay here and rot."
"Draco, I'm sorry," said Mina, patting his shoulder. "I don't think he met it."
"He looked really angry, Mina," Harry said, "I think he would've hexed us both if he could."
"You want to go outside?" Serena questioned. "Maybe you can use some air."
"No," Draco said, "I want to, actually, but I can't. I ought to stay here and visit with the other Death Eaters. I really should. I want them to know I'm friends with Harry Potter."
Mina looked at her old boyfriend in surprise. She couldn't believe what came out of his mouth. He looked and sounded so determined.
"Everyone?" Harry asked. "Won't that strike an alarm?"
"The Dark Lord doesn't visit his old Death Eaters," Draco answered, "at least not now. He thinks they're all failures."
"All right, let's go," said Harry.
"Mina, let's go look at some slides," Serena said, "this place is starting to give me some creeps."
"Yeah, I can visit Mr. Malfoy later," Mina said.
The girls passed Professor Shields as they went down to the first floor and exited the fortress. They looked at a couple of slides in the office but when they started showing dementors performing the Dementor's Kiss on several prisoners they decided to walk around the island instead.
"I don't think I like this field trip anymore," Serena said as she took out a chocolate bar and broke it in half for Mina and herself. "It's depressing. I feel for all those prisoners in there."
"Me too," Mina agreed, "I wonder what Draco's going through. Looking at his father through a door like that and hearing him say those things. Can you imagine seeing you love in prison? It's worse than losing them to death. At least they're free."
"You're missing your mom, huh?" Serena inquired.
"Yeah," Mina said, "it's the first thing I put on my worst memory list. I'll never forget Luna's face when she told us what happened. She was in shock. We all were."
"We never should've left," Serena said.
"It's okay," Mina said, "I understand why your mom wanted to get away. I'm glad you're back now."
"Me too, Mina," Serena said as she put her arm around her cousin. "Me too…"
The two cousins stood looking at their reflections for a moment and then a chill came up their spines. The water started to freeze.
"What the?" Mina and Serena turned around. "Dementors!"
Darien talked to his uncle Augustus for while. His uncle was so far gone that he couldn't understand him but Darien talked to him as if everything was normal. Darien surprised that his uncle didn't' talk to him much. He wasn't in prison for very long. Perhaps the dementors got to him more than he thought.
"Look at this, Uncle Augustus," Darien said as he took out his auror certificate at showed it tohim. "I'm an auror now. Isn't that great?"
Augustus gave a small grunt.
"Yeah. I'm a teacher too," Darien explained. "Here bringing some students on a field trip. That's why there are so many teenagers here."
Darien sighed. "You really should've just stayed working as an Unspeakable, Uncle. Even then you talked more."
Darien got up, patted his uncle's shoulder and left. He went to another cell but it was empty. "Sirius Black's cell…" Darien murmured, looking over the list.
Darien remembered seeing Black once when he came to Hogwarts. Darien wanted to stick it to Percy Weasley and showed them he could catch Dark Wizards. Darien would sneak out and look for Sirius Black. One day, he had met him.
Flashback
Darien was trying for days to catch Sirus Black. He had no idea where he was any more than the dementors or the ministry. He looked at everything for clues: footprints, fingerprints, pieces of clothing. He was standing outside of school one night and he saw somebody by the whomping willow. A person.
"Sirius Black," said Darien, following suit.
When Darien went to the whomping willow, he found no one there. He was sure he saw a person here. Darien turned to move and then he was thwacked to the side by a branch.
"Stupid tree," Darien grunted, trying to get himself up. When he stood upright, he was knocked down once again.
A dog came out of nowhere and began tugging Darien's pant leg to get him away from the whomping willow. "Where did you come from?" Darien asked it.
When the dog had pulled Darien far enough from the tree, the dog changed into a person. However, Darien was too winded to notice. "Are you all right, Darien?"
"H-how do you know my name?" Darien inquired as the person pushed Darien into a sitting position. "Who are you…wait…you are…" Darien squinted. He can tell by the length of the hair and the beard he was looking at the face of Sirius Black.
"I'm not going to hurt you, Darien," said Sirius.
"Yeah, right," Darien reached into his pocket for his wand.
Sirius turned around and ran off. Darien struggled to get to his feet.
"Stop! Stupefy!"
The spell got no where near Sirius Black. Darien cursed to himself. He had gotten so close but never got close again.
End Flashback
Darien stared into Sirius Black's cell. Why did Sirius help him? Why didn't he hurt him and why did Sirius know who he was?
"Professor Shields," a Ravenclaw walked up to Darien with a question. "Why don't aurors become the new guards?"
Suddenly Darien couldn't hear the student speaking to him. He got a very sick feeling in his stomach and a sharp pain in his chest. Something was wrong. He didn't know what exactly, but something wasn't right.
"Professor, didn't you hear me?" the student inquired.
"Hey, where did all the dementors go?" asked Dean Thomas.
Darien broke into a run and the students stepped to the side to let the teacher through.
"Hey, Professor, where are you going?" called the Ravenclaw.
"I think a new prisoner is being brought in!" said Seamus Finnegan excitedly.
"Let's follow him!" said Dean.
--
"Quick, Serena, think of something happy!" Mina said, pulling out her wand.
"I...I can't," Serena mumbled. The only thing she could do was stare at the dementors surrounding them. There were so many. She couldn't understand what they were doing outside. She felt so cold. Many bad things filled her head. Things that made no sense. The memories didn't even seem hers. She wasn't reliving any of the memories she had written down on her list. She wasn't remembering the time when her aunt died and when they left for America. She didn't remember the time when one of her good friends from school got very hurt. She didn't remember the time when her parents said they were leaving America.
She was thinking of five girls in strange outfits fighting monsters. She was on the moon. There was a great battle. So many people were dying. She was dressed up like a princess and she was holding an injured person in her arms
"Dear Darien, you can't go!"
"No Darien, I wont' leave you!"
"No, their star seeds! Galaxia, this must stop!"
Serena put her hands to her head and sunk to her knees. "What—what is this?" She let out a loud scream.
"Serena!" Mina gasped, shaking her shoulder. "Get up!"
Serena wouldn't get up. She was too distraught. Something wasn't right. Serena had never been around dementors before like Mina has. Mina didn't like them at all but she saw them at the school when they were looking for Sirius Black. They didn't affect her at all like this.
"Serena, hold on," Mina encouraged. Mina pointed her wand at the nearest dementor and thought about her first kiss with Harry Potter. "Expecto Patronum!"
A silver shield held the dementor at bay for a couple of seconds. Mina wished she had asked Harry how he had taken on so many dementors in their third year.
"Serena, I know it's hard," Mina said, "but you've got to help me! I can't do it all myself!"
Two dementors got too close for Mina to make a Patronus and they sucked out some of her happiness. Mina screamed and sank down near Serena.
"Serena…"
More memories came to Mina's head but they didn't seem like her own. She was fighting monsters. She got really hurt. She saw her comrades got hurt. She saw them die. She saw woman in gold armor hold up her arms.
"Give me your star seed!" The woman cackled
Mina felt something rip right out of her chest.
"Ow…it…hurts!" Mina howled. "What's happening to me?"
A dementor swooped down onto Serena and grabbed her by the throat. Serena could feel the rank breath of the dementor as it brought its face down to hers.
"No...don't…please," Serena whimpered.
Then Serena heard a voice within her head. Do not despair. It is not over yet.
Serena felt as if something possessed her. She felt as if she went into a trance. Serena grabbed the dementor's arm and forced it away from her. Serena floated up in the air, her hair growing down to her ankles. Her pink kerchief flew away from her hair and waved in the wind. Serena's whole body began glowing silver and a golden crescent moon appeared on her forehead
"Away from me you soulless fiends!" Serena shouted in a mystical voice.
The silver aura surrounded Serena grew larger and brighter. She opened out her arms and a great silver wave hit the dementors just as Darien and everyone came onto the scene.
"Serena!" Darien called.
"Whoa, look at that!" Ron cried. "Have you ever seen a Patronus like that?"
Serena's kerchief fell down by Darien. He caught it in the air and came to Mina. "What happened?"
Mina was crying too much to talk. Darien looked up at Serena.
"Serena, can you hear me?"
With all the dementors destroyed by the silver light, the mark on Serena's forehead disappeared and she stopped glowing silver. She fell down and Darien caught her.
"Serena! Serena, look at me!" he said desperately. "Serena!"
" Darien…" Serena mumbled before losing consciousness
TO BE CONTINUED