Stars Walk Softly
Chapter 4: Tschus
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and I'm not trying to either. I'm just using the characters for my own story.
(qwertyuiop)
"They're here!' Was the cry that rang through the halls of the old building as Sly tore down the hall with envelopes in his hand.
"What is 'they'?" Questioned Draco.
"Our plane tickets you moron," replied Richard. "We leave from New York at the John F Kennedy International Airport today at 11pm."
"What?!" questioned Draco and Pansy indignantly.
Amerath replied with a sneer. "You do realize that red eyes are cheaper then normal international flights and seeing as to how we are all teens on fake passports it might be a good idea to not be flying first class in broad daylight. So we booked first class in the middle of the night, therefore it looks like our parents are nice enough to send us on a field trip, but there won't be to many questions asked. Smart huh."
"Yeah, yeah, shut up." Growled Draco.
Harry snickered and the others shared mirthful smirks and then all cleared out to pack the few items they had to their names. They each packed one duffel that they would use as a carry on, containing their wands, a change of clothing, their cell phones and personal items that they held dear. Amerath also added a laptop to allow for their research and easy connection between the ever-expanding distances they seemed to travel in their quests for a meaning in this war and the truth in the fight.
A suitcase was packed full by everyone containing clothing and small weapons. The larger more likely to be noticed ones, they had sent priority mail to Hermione's family home, allowing for them to easily pick up their weapons before catching the train to school.
(qwertyuiop)
At 7 pm the group of teens caught a cab and headed for the airport allowing them to arrive by 7:30pm and therefore giving the group three and a half hours to process everything before their flight was set to take off. The fact that it was a red eye made the airport less crowed and the team had made it to the flight gate by 10:15pm, which meant they had at least a half hour to kill, but they were not exactly discouraged. Hermione sat and read, while Blaise and Draco finished their summer work. Pansy and Richard were playing War and Harry and Amerath were speaking in hushed tones while rapidly typing on the laptop.
"You do realize how dangerous this is, don't you?"
"Of course, I don't take risks unless I know the consequences, or at least until I understand the possible outcomes."
"What if Dumbledor finds the link between you and I and in turn, you and tom? Then the suspicion switches to me and I go from Hero/scapegoat to betrayer/ 'boy who lived to destroy the world.'"
"No, then you hate me, don't talk to me, I feel awful, see the error of my ways and I run to Dumbledor asking for forgiveness and a way out. No one blames you."
"Do you really want to work for Dumbledor? I thought that you would refuse to work for him no matter what…"
"No, I don't want to work for him but we do need to play our cards right. We have to be playing both sides of the war because the two sides cannot realize that a third side exists. That would mean that we would no longer have the upper hand and unfortunately in the game of war, you have to be holding all the cards to win.
Harry frowned. "Your right you know, but lives for information, that doesn't equate to a fair trade."
"No but you have to look at it this way. Do the ends justify the means? Because in reality so long as the result serves the greater good the means are of no consequence."
"But that's looking from the outside in. What about from the inside out?
"We don't have a say if we're on the inside. Once you're in, you're in and it was your choice and you not getting out unless 'The Man' says you are. It's like the Mafia. You chose it, you take the consequences."
"But I didn't choose anything! This was not my choice. I don't want it. Fate and Dumbledor picked this for me!" Harry's voice echoed eerily through the empty flight gates and those who sat half awake hoping the flight would be on time because they wanted to sleep, jerked to attention and turned to glare at the child who disturbed their peace.
"You have a right to complain, but don't you think that the rest of us are in the same boat? Sly and I didn't choose this life and Draco, Blaise and Pansy had their lives preordained and laid out in a smooth pattern for them. They might have chosen this path now, but that's because it's their last option, not one of many and Hermione only picked to be here because her brother and boyfriend took this path, even if her brother had no say in the path he took." Responded Amerath in quiet comforting tones.
" I'm sorry" Harry responded. "I didn't think. We're all in the same place and here I am being selfish and thinking only about my own problems."
"Shut up" snarled Draco. "You're a complete idiot for thinking you're being selfish. We might have problems here but you have the lowest self-esteem I've ever seen. You need to vent and you're allowed to. Just try a bathroom or a dark closet, not the middle of an airport where people are trying to relax."
"Sorry" Mumbled Harry.
"Dude, stop apologizing!" Hollered Sly from his card game.
At this point Harry laughed as Hermione deposited herself in his lap. "Don't worry big brother, I'll be here to help you whenever I can." She smiled.
"Thanks sis" He replied kissing her on the forehead. Blaise looked up at this point and growled, "This had best be a platonic relationship, kids. Or I'm going to have to break it up."
Hermione merely smiled. "No I'm madly in love with the man I consider to be my brother and I've been cheating on you since we started going out Blaise."
" Oh, well if that's all than have fun."
"Thanks" Smiled 'mione as she stuck out her tongue.
"We are no boarding first class for flight 457 to London at gate 15B." Said a female voice on the announcement system.
"She does realize that everyone taking this flight has been sitting here for the last half an hour, doesn't she? Questioned Blaise.
"Not necessarily replied Hermione. They could be eating some where at one of the venders in here.
"Oh right"
"CAN WE GO?" Growled Draco. "I am tired! And don't like flying unless I'm the one driving."
"Alright, alright, lets go," murmured pansy as she led Draco to the check in counter.
The flight was rather uneventful. Most of the group did not sleep, excluding Blaise who seemed to be able to sleep anywhere and Hermione, seeing as to how she fell asleep on his lap, but occupied themselves with games and every now and again would look something up adding to their ever-growing list of reasons to each side of the war's want to fight. The stewardess were less than helpful constantly offering them food and beverage which after the second glass of wine, no one really wanted. Their passports stated they were legal adults and so did their other forms of ID, but none the less they all wanted to be as aware as possible because being caught or kidnapped by the wrong side of the war would result in their imminent death and a bit of a problem for the idea of reaching a peaceful conclusion to this revolution.
A/N: Next chapter: Home again?
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