Good evening once again, dear internet acquaintances. I revised this for the third (fourth?) time to match the rest of the chapters. I think I'm finally satisfied, or at least as close to satisfied as I can get, and will soon reward your patience with another chapter! Yay for me getting of my hypothetical ass and kicking writer's block in the face!

Also, even though I've been struggling through this for like, a year or something, I still can't claim ownership. There's something wrong with that... Or not. It's probably best I don't own anything, actually.

Long Way From Home

I would be sharing a tent with Rose and Nadia. Thank whatever deity is up there for giving us three-person tents, rather than two. I think I'd have to kill myself if I was sharing with only Nadia.

After pitching our tents, it was still only one o'clock in the afternoon, so we deciding to splash around in the nearby stream.

I waited for Rose and Nadia (the latter doing her best to look like a whore) to change first before ducking into the tent to rummage through my stuff. I pulled out a dark blue pair of bikinis, a purple sunshirt, and a pair of black boardies, which would cover up my wings just fine if I kept them tucked in.

Dressing quickly, I saw a pen fall out of my bag, and remembered that I had to write to Angel about her weird behaviour. I decided to do that after a swim though. I mean, I deserved a reward for being normal so far, right? Well, I thought so.

I remembered to zip the tent behind me as I left, and nearly jumped as someone's arms curled around me from behind. Recognising Fang's scent, I relaxed, and looked up.

'Hey.' I said.

'You look great.' he told me, playing with a lock of my hair.

'Thanks. I'd say the same to you, but I can't see you when you hold me like this.' I smiled teasingly, he smiled back. Well, slightly moved the corners of his lips upwards, but for Fang, that was a smile.

'Should I let go?' he asked.

'Hey, would you look at that! Fang's smiling!' I said at the same time. 'And no! Don't you dare let go, Fang!'

His arms loosened in response as he chuckled quietly, and I twisted around and pulled him into me.

'Nice try, mister.' I smirked up at him.

Suddenly, someone pulled me away from Fang, and dived into the stream, still holding me.

I pulled away, and surfaced to see Sirius' grinning face.

'SIRIUS! What was that for?' I demanded, brushing my wet hair from my face.

'You looked like you were getting a little too comfortable, if you know what I mean...' he trailed off, and winked at me.

'Ugh!' I splashed him, and he splashed me back.

Soon enough, pretty much everyone was having a massive splash fight.

And it was awesome.

-o-o-o-o-

Good to see you're having fun, Max.

Please, no. Let this not be happening...

You'd do well to listen, you know.

Did you really have to come while I was having the time of my life?

Keep an eye out, it could be the difference between life and death.

Don't you think I know that by now?

Your salvation comes in those who know.

What?

To be saved, they must know. Without them, your rescue party will be two-strong, and both will fall.

What? (man, I have a really great vocabulary!) Why is there a rescue party?

If you can stop him, there will be no need for a rescue party. But you cannot.

Who? Who am I failing at stopping?

Protect her.

Seriously, tell me who you're referring to. There's more than one dude and one girl in the world, you know.

If you fight, the Key will die.

Would it really kill you (can Voices be killed?) to make sense once in a while?

The Voice didn't reply.

Is that a yes?

-o-o-o-o-

I grabbed a branch off the ground, and dumped it onto the soon-to-be fire. Chantez smiled at me, that ridiculously happy smile that just grated my nerves the wrong way.

Evan Rosier walked over with an armful, and I gawked at him. How did he find that much?

'Did you have fun ripping trees apart?' I asked sarcastically, shooting him a Look, which he ignored.

Actually, he ignored me altogether, which was kind of irritating, despite the fact that whenever he talked to me I wanted nothing more than to kick him where it counts.

-o-o-o-o-

The fire crackled softly, reminding me of all those times we'd sat around one, just the flock, all of us tired and quiet.

Was it weird that part of me missed those days?

When Nudge didn't know anyone called Malfoy, and Angel wasn't being weird?

When I though 'relax' meant 'no Erasers shooting the crap out of us'?

Yeah, it probably is weird.

-o-o-o-o-

Despite the comforting crackling of the fire, and the gentle warmth of Fang's body, I couldn't think of a single word.

Dear Angel,

Now what? Mum had taught me this, ages ago... Greeting, then... something else...

How are you and Gazzy?

I should probably include the dogs in there as well.

How are you, Gazzy and Total?

I miss you heaps, and so do Fang, Iggy and Nudge.

Subtly, Max...

What have you been doing recently?

No, way too direct.

What've you been up to?

Well... close enough.

Has Gazzy been blowing things up again? Did Mum make cookies?

Yeah... okay, sound casual.

It feels like forever since I've seen you guys.

Better not probe too much...

Write back soon, okay? I really miss you. Give my love to Mum and Ella.

I smirked. I was definitely not writing Jeb's name there.

Love, Max

I scrawled a quick smiley face after my name, and wondered if that would be enough.

-o-o-o-o-

I stirred at the pot, staring at it, hoping it would magically tell me when it was ready. Chantez had decided that we should still stick to the muggle thing, since it was technically a Muggle Studies excursion.

'How's that pot coming along, Max?' Chantez asked, eternally cheerful.

'Uh, good?'

She smiled a bit wider at my hesitant tone, and walked over. Feeling it a bit, she nodded.

'That's great! You can take it off now.'

'Um, okay, cool.' I replied awkwardly, fumbling with the tong-things, and nearly tipping the whole pot over a Ravenclaw named... uh... Will, or something like that.

I successfully managed to put in down without killing myself (or Will, who unwisely decided not to run away screaming), and smiled, feeling accomplished.

'Look!' I hissed to Fang. 'I cooked!'

He smirked at me. 'I think I'll avoid that one, just in case.'

I stuck my tongue out at him.

-o-o-o-o-

Morning dawned. I'd say it dawned bright, but it was just early. And dark. And cold.

Really cold.

I'd also nearly screamed upon waking and finding myself face to face with Nadia Swan. I'd convinced myself she was just a horrible, horrible nightmare.

Oh, how wrong I was.

But I could deal with her. And Gilderoy Lockhart as well. And Evan Rosier. And that other Slytherin whose name I've forgotten.

I mean, I'd dealt with Erasers, and Jeb, and Anne, and Max II, and everything else.

But somehow assholes are so much harder to deal with than death threats.