A/N: From now on it is going to take me longer to update. School's coming up, and it's apparent that I won't be able to finish this before it starts.

Disclaimer: I do not own Teen Titans or Harry Potter.

Chapter 8: Into the Dark

The next day was the Quidditch match against Slytherin, but Harry didn't feel like playing. Dick had to tip the mattress just to get Harry out of bed. "Okay," said Ron, "no more late nights before Quidditch games." Harry yawned and slowly got to his feet.

Dick laughed. "Don't make fun of him, Ron. I had to pour the whole basin of water on your head to get you to open your eyes." Now Harry laughed.

Ron scowled. "I don't see how you're so cheerful in the morning."

Dick grinned and said, "I'm used to it."

Harry and Ron groggily dressed. Then the trio traveled down the stairs to the common room where they met Hermione. "Hey, Hermione," Ron said.

Dick smiled at her. A quick scan of the room, though, showed him something was missing. "Where's Raven?" he asked.

Hermione sighed. "Still asleep. I tried to wake her, but she sleeps like the dead."

"Are the girls still in the dormitory?"

Hermione gave a puzzled look to Dick. "No, they've all gone down to breakfast. Why?"

Dick quickly turned. As he ascended the stairs to the girl's dormitory, he said, "I'm going to check on Raven." Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed.

When Dick reached the door, he opened it a crack. He gave a relieved sigh and then turned to his friends behind him. "She's fine. Let's go."

Dick tried to close the door, but Hermione stopped him. Pushing the door open further so that she could peek in, she said, "You don't know that. You try to wake her and…" Her voice trailed off. She stared wide-eyed into the girl's dormitory.

"What is it?" asked Ron, pushing past Hermione. When he saw what she was looking at he simply stated, "Bloody hell."

Now Harry pushed past Ron. Harry's mouth fell open at the sight. Raven was still asleep, but her body was levitating about a foot over her bed. Ron turned to Dick. "You call that fine?"

Dick pushed past the Ron and walked to his levitating friend. "Don't worry," he began, turning back to the gaping group. "This is normal."

"Normal!" Hermione exclaimed. "How is that normal?"

"She's just healing herself. It's happened before."

"What is she doing now?" asked Harry.

Dick twirled around to see Raven slowly returning to the bed. Once she had completely landed, Dick bent over her and whispered, "Raven, can you wake up?"

Her eyelids fluttered open and smiled. "Hey, Robin."

Dick smiled and sat on the side of the bed. "Call me Dick, remember?" Raven sat up and grimaced. "Are you okay?"

"Just peachy," Raven said, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

Dick chuckled slightly. "You scared our friends." Dick pointed behind him to Harry, Ron, and Hermione who were still in the doorway. "That makes you happy, doesn't it?" Raven smiled. "But seriously," Dick's voice changed to his 'leader' tone, "how are you doing."

Raven groaned, "Well, I had to spend about three hours in my mirror last night, but I'm really okay."

Suddenly, Ron interjected, "What are you guys talking about? She was floating in midair! And what mirror?"

Raven laughed slightly. "I thought wizards wouldn't be so freaked." Throwing the covers to the end of the bed, Raven revealed her black leotard. She stood and stretched.

Dick stood as well. "We'll meet you in the common room. You can have breakfast with us."

"I'm overjoyed," Raven remarked walking to her trunk. Dick laughed as he ushered Harry, Ron, and Hermione out of the dormitory.

At breakfast, Raven was sipping herbal tea, Dick and Ron had piled their plates with all sorts of food, Harry was poking his eggs half-asleep, and Hermione was reading. Suddenly, Harry threw his fork down. Everyone looked at him surprised, except for Raven. She looked more annoyed than surprised. Harry leaned over the table and whispered, "This thing is bugging me."

"What thing?" asked Ron, eggs spewing from his mouth.

"This thing with the dementors! It's obvious Voldemort sent them." Ron cringed at the name. "The thing is, though, why does he want Raven out of the picture."

Raven set her cup down. "Well, he obviously thinks that I can stop whatever he's planning."

Harry banged his fist on the table, catching the attention of a few of his peers. "But what is he planning?" Harry nearly yelled.

Hermione turned to the curious students. "Uh, Quidditch. You know, it's all strategy." The students looked hardly convinced, but returned to whatever they were doing none-the-less. Glaring at Harry, Hermione said, "Keep your voice down." Dejectedly Harry resumed poking his eggs.

Raven whispered to Harry, "We'll just have to wait until he makes a move."

"Whatever."

Soon it was time for the Quidditch game against Slytherin. Katie Bell, the new team captain, was at the front of the room giving a pep talk. Harry and Ron were completely ignoring her. Instead, their minds were focused on the events of the previous night. Ginny, a chaser, seemed half asleep. All attention turned to Dean Thomas in an instant, though. The third chaser reared back and let out a huge, full-bodied sneeze. After wiping the mucus from his nose with a tissue, Dean slumped back down in his seat, his eyes half closed. Katie groaned. He was a sight. His eyes were puffy, and his nose was pink from sneezing. His cheeks were bright red, alluding to the fever he probably had. Katie walked up to him, scowling. "How long have you been like this, Dean?"

"About a day. I'm really okay." His voice sounded like his nose was completely filled.

Katie rubbed her temples. "You're sick. I can't make you go out there."

"What!" yelled Ron, jumping to his feet. "This is the match with Slytherin! We can't forfeit!"

Katie glared at Ron. "Just look at him," she said, gesturing to the invalid. "He can't even fly a broomstick like this let alone play!"

Now Dean stood. Rubbing his aching head, he said, "It's okay. I'll go out there and just sit on my broomstick, maybe fly around a little. You guys can play without me, but we won't have to forfeit." Katie thought it over and reluctantly nodded.

"Alright!" exclaimed Ron. "Let's go kick some Slytherin butt!"

Out on the field, the Gryffindors were doing well even though they were a player short. Dean sat on his broomstick high above the goal posts so as not to come into contact with any rogue bludgers. Harry came up to check on him about every minute. About halfway through the game (Gryffindors in the lead) Dean started getting very cold. Dean rubbed his arms and chest to keep warm, but he felt as if his blood had turned to ice water, chilling him as it flowed through his veins. Dean leaned over his broomstick and dry-heaved, losing the last bit of water his body held. Images danced in front of eyes, hallucinations. Dean saw shadows coming toward him, monsters circling his broomstick. They reached out to him. Dean yelled and jerked away from the images manifested by his mind. As he pulled away, he lost his balance. Dean was falling, falling at an enormous rate to the hard ground of the Quidditch stadium.

Dumbledore saw Dean's falling form and quick as a flash waved his wand to slow Dean's descent. Dumbledore rushed to the field yelling for someone to fetch Madame Pomfrey.

Raven, who was sitting with Dick and Hermione in the stands, watched with her classmates as Dean fell. Raven pushed through the crowd, trying to make her way down to the field. Once Raven had finally made it to the ground, she ran to the fallen boy. "Out of my way," she growled at the teachers. Stunned by such treatment from a student, they backed up. Raven knelt by Dean. He was unconscious. Raven raised her hands and set them on Dean's chest. Her hands started to glow with a shimmering blue light. The light traveled to encompass her entire body as well as Dean's.

Raven's essence swam through Dean's veins, lowering his body temperature as she went. She was looking for the source of his sickness, but her first task was to lower his raging fever. Raven reached his mind where his fever had gotten so high he began to hallucinate. Raven reduced his temperature to something considered normal which stopped the illusions. Now she searched for the cause of his illness. Raven used her essence to examine his blood closely. She felt something wrong, new, and deadly. Raven tried to examine this more closely, but she was rapidly losing energy. She pulled back into her own body.

Dean's eyes opened at the same time as Raven's. He was now warm, and the monsters were gone. Dean smiled as he looked into the face of the woman above him. A bright blue aura still surrounded her, reflected in her deep amethyst eyes. Dean smiled before drifting back into unconsciousness.

Raven looked around her. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was there, complete with broomsticks and amazed expressions. Madame Pomfrey was also there, looking equally astonished. Dumbledore only smiled. Raven tried to stand but wobbled. She began to feel dizzy as the last of her energy was spent. She started to fall, but Harry and Ron caught her. "Thanks," Raven said, before she too gave in to the allure of sleep.

Dick and Hermione ran out onto the field. Vic, Gar, and Kori were also running to the scene, but with a shake of his head, Dick stopped them. He didn't want to give away their cover just yet. Vic and Gar looked angry at this, and Kori looked worried. Dick ignored their looks. He and Hermione ran to Harry and Ron. Madame Pomfrey, who had quickly taken control, levitated Dean and Raven using a spell. With another flick of her wand, she had the two floating in front of her towards the castle. Harry, Ron, Dick, Hermione, and the rest of the Gryffindor Quidditch team followed closely behind.

In the hospital wing, Raven and Dean were given beds. As soon as Madame Pomfrey had checked Dean and Raven (with an almost frightened look on her face as she examined the half-daemon), she went off to find Dumbledore to get some answers. The Gryffindor Quidditch team was looking for answers as well.

Katie Bell rounded on Harry, "Okay, Harry, what happened?"

"Why are you asking me?" Harry demanded defensively.

"You and your friends are the only ones that ever talked to Raven. You must know what happened."

Dick stepped between Katie and Harry. "Raven was healing him," Dick explained.

Katie looked suspicious. "What are you talking about?"

Dick sighed. He hated explaining things to people other than Starfire. They didn't have a sweet way of asking like she did. "Dean was sick, I don't know what she did, but you heard Madame Pomfrey say his fever was low. Raven did that. She might have done more than just lower his fever, I'm not sure."

Ron was looking at Dick oddly. "You didn't tell us she could heal other people."

Dick cradled his head in his hands. Hermione glared at Ron. "He didn't need to tell us."

"Well, he could have told us this morning when she was doing the whole floaty-healy thing," Ron argued.

The entire Quidditch team stared at the fighting couple until Ginny yelled, "What the hell is going on?"

At this, Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Lupin, and Hagrid came in followed by Madame Pomfrey. Shortly after this group entered, Gar, Vic, and Kori came.

Professor Dumbledore smiled at the large group standing in the hospital wing. "I suppose," he began, "the knowledge of what happened will get around school soon enough, and people will want answers."

Dick groaned. "I don't have to explain in front of the whole school, do I?"

Dumbledore chuckled. "No, Mr. Grayson, I will take care of that, but I believe Ms, Weasly would like an explanation right away." Ginny blushed. "I will explain. These five young people are the Teen Titans," Dumbledore gestured to Dick, Kori, Vic, Gar, and Raven, "a group of muggles who protect a city in California using special powers."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait," Ginny said, waving her hands. "They're muggles?"

"Yes!" Dumbledore continued, "I asked them here because there was a daemon in the Forbidden Forest. They have dealt with daemons before so they have experience where we are lacking."

"A daemon!"

"Yes. They have taken care of the daemon, but I asked them to stay as a precaution."

"Hold on," said Ginny. "Are you guys serious?"

The teachers and the Titans all nodded. Starfire rose into the air and flew before Ginny. "Yes! I am Starfire."

"Are you flying!" yelled Katie.

"Yes everyone from my planet can experience the joy of flight."

"You're planet?" After Ginny said this, everyone heard a quiet groan. The group turned to Raven to see her slowly sitting up and holding her head.

Dick rushed to her. "Raven, are you okay?"

Raven lifted her head to look at Dick. She drowsily turned and examined the many faces staring at her. When her gaze rested upon Dean (still unconscious) in the bed next to her, her expression changed. She looked worried, even frightened. Now with quick movements, Raven looked back at the rest of the group. "Everyone get out of here," she said hurriedly.

"Raven-" Dick began, but she cut him off.

"Now!" she yelled. A band of black energy surrounded the group and pushed them out into the hall. Raven ran out after them.

"Raven, what's going on?" asked Cyborg.

"Yes," said Professor McGonagall. "What is the meaning of this?"

Raven closed the doors to the hospital wing and then began to speak, "I couldn't figure out what was making Dean sick."

"What?" Madame Pomfrey sounded like she wanted to tell Raven to leave the healing to her.

"I found something, but it didn't seem like a virus or bacteria, and it didn't have any traces of magic that I could see. What I could tell though, was that it was deadly, very deadly. We're dealing with something new."

Everyone stared at Raven with open mouths.