Chapter Six
Harry and Ron pack their clothes in relative silence, every once in a while one of them asking if the other knew where something was. "Hey mate, you seen that sweater mum knitted for me last Christmas?" Ron asked once, obvious homesickness in his voice. To tell the truth, Harry felt the same way; they had both been looking forward to returning to the Weasley's huge house during the upcoming holidays. The fact that they wouldn't be going had hit them both hard, and though she tried to hide it, Ginny was also missing her family.
"No Ron, have you looked under your bed?" Harry had replied, looking under his own bed for anything that he might have forgotten.
"Oh yea! Here it is! Thanks mate!" Harry had to give his friend props, he was trying very hard to sound cheery and excited not wanting to bring Harry down, but it just wasn't enough. For either of them.
Finally, both their trunks were stuffed to the brim and they sat down with a huff on Harry's bed. They sat side by side, staring at the floor, both knowing something should be said but neither of them knowing what that something was. It was Ron who finally broke the silence, "I feel like we're going off to find horcruxes again."
Harry gave a stilted attempt at a laugh, but he only succeeded in receiving a less than fooled look from Ron. He sighed and ran a hand through his unruly hair before replying morosely to his best friend, "Yea, but at least this time we know…" He had been going to say they knew they would come back, but did they? Was it truly certain that they would all come back? What if there was some freak accident and they all died? What if a Death Eater somehow managed to follow them and killed them while everyone else was asleep? What if, what if, what if? Harry sighed again and stood, charming his trunk to float out in front of him with Ron quickly following suit. "We know that we're all together and friends and that there isn't anything that can ever change that." Harry finished, trying to give his friend – and himself though he didn't want to admit it just yet – some much needed courage.
Ron only gave him a half grin in reply before walking past and heading down to the common room. Hermione, and Ginny were already there waiting for them; both lounging for what may be the last time that year in the large luxurious chairs before the fire place. When they realized the boys had entered, the two girls looked up, anxious faces on both of them. "Well it took you two long enough." Hermione chastised, her nerves putting her on edge. Harry and Ron both made a mental note not to do anything that would make her mad. "Well, since you both made us late, we better hurry down to the great hall right now and try to make up for lost time." With that, the young, muggle-born witch turned and swept out of the common room with Ginny close on her heels. Harry and Ron exchanged tense glances before following them.
The walk down to the Great Hall took only a matter of minutes as the stair cases were being unusually helpful. Harry wondered if McGonagall had anything to do with that. Surely not, she's probably waiting right now and getting ready to get on to us for being late. He thought before putting any thought of the new headmaster and his transfiguration teacher out of his mind.
As the four of them rounded the hall, raised voices reached their ears. One was McGonagall's and one was the voice of a man they didn't recognize, and then came Myrina's voice filled – as always – with irritation and resentment.
"Now I am sorry, you are getting two more students than you had expected, but with these constant raids I cannot in good conscience keep them here!" McGonagall was saying rather loudly. Harry could just picture her face as they slowed down just before they reached the corner; curled wisps of graying brown hair would be sticking out of her usually neat bun, her green eyes would be wide, and the nostrils of her sharp nose would be flared like a rearing mare's.
"How dare you stand here and act like this is okay?" This was the unrecognizable voice and all four of the students instantly found they disliked it from the start. "Do you understand what kind of an insult this is to my-"
Whatever he was going to say was instantly cut off and ever voice went silent as Myrina's voice snarled over them. "Enough!" She hissed, a sharp pain jolting through Harry's head and, by their collective winces, his friends' as well. "Ivan, I know you feel like we have been slighted in a significant manner, but if you would only take the time to gather your wits you would see other wise. And, Professor, I know you feel as if you are completely in the right here, but do you not think that it might have been a better idea to check with us before you made such a decision on your own?" She paused for a moment, glancing up as Harry and the rest rounded the corner as silently as they could. "But both of you –"
"No!" The unrecognizable man was speaking again, shaking his head and clamping his hands over his ears before looking up and pointing an accusatory finger at Assyrian who Harry knew to be Myrina's brother. "You! You don't put words in her mouth! She speaks for hersel-!"
The strange man went flying to the left when the female shapeshifter's fist connected with curve of his jaw. She leaped at him, and pinned him down by straddling his chest and pressing her fist into his throat. A snarl curled her lips and her beautiful, raven-like wings flared away from her body in what Harry guessed to be a display of dominance. One fist slowly pulled back in a position ready to strike as she spoke, her voice warped by fury that this man had dared to raise his voice at her brother. "I will tell you one time and one time only, speak to my brother in such a manner again and it will be the last time a word ever leaves your mouth." Her last few words came out as a hiss, her silver eyes narrowed with irritation. After what seemed like an eternity, Myrina rose and backed away from the stranger. Her wings were ruffled and still flared however, a sign of her lingering wrath. "Now, a word to all of you, we will be taking these five students and any others that Professor McGonagall decides needs our protection. Any one with complaints may take it up with me, understood?" She glanced around at her men, Assyrian the only one able to meet her searing gaze without needing to look away. Once she was certain that there would be no objections, the female shapeshifter gave a brief glance to Harry and his friends before giving a curt bow to McGonagall and walking out, her men and the five students – Luna had been waiting for them with McGonagall in the Entrance Hall – following after them.