A/N: Sorry, this is a short chapter! I just needed to bust one out before going to sleep, so here is the result. Again, reviews, favorites and follows are most appreciated; let me know what you like and what you want to see more of in chapters to come!

Ever Yours,

SunnyBunny99

Chapter VI

"Wake up, girl, you're about to fall off your horse!"

Mad-Eye's gruff voice snapped Hermione back to reality. She shook her head, pushing a mess of curls away from her face as she righted herself in the saddle. "Sorry. Didn't get much sleep last night."

"That much is obvious," grumbled the older wizard. "We're almost there anyhow, so it would you do you well to stay alert."

Up ahead, Snape halted and held a hand in the air—the signal for complete stillness and silence. Everyone froze, their breaths fogging densely in the frigid air; even the horses seemed to sense it too. Hermione felt her heart rate kick up, her palms growing sweaty as her grip on Enya's mane tightened. She could sense the mare's anxiety through their mental link.

A throaty roar sounded off to the right, deep in the murky trees; at once all eight knights drew their weapons, seven with swords and Jones readying her bow in a flash. "Granger, to me," ordered Snape in a low, hard tone. Hermione was not about to argue and quickly trotted to his side. "If we have a confrontation, you will ride as fast as possible down this trail until you reach the castle, understood?"

"Yes," said Hermione, her voice shaking slightly even as she tried to look confident.

"Keep your eyes sharp," Snape called quietly, his own helmeted head swiveling to and fro. A stray beam of sunlight lancing down between the trees caught the edge of his blade as he hefted it, making the pristine silver steel flash. It was a very pretty sword, Hermione noted in a moment of odd detachment, the two-handed grip wrapped in black leather and the silver guard and pommel embedded with small green stones.

Another roar suddenly sounded, this one much closer, and Jones released her arrow in the direction of the noise. "No!" Snape bellowed, but it was too late. The roar was cut off by a yelp of pain which morphed into a furious growl; a heartbeat later something huge and very angry could be heard crashing through the brush towards them.

"GO, Granger!" Snape commanded powerfully, and the flat of his sword fell on the rear end of her horse. Enya gave a terrified whinny and took off at top speed, forcing her rider to crouch low and brace against the wind. Hermione managed to throw a fleeting glance behind as they fled—all she saw was a massive dark, hairy creature on four legs bursting out of the bushes into the middle of the Order. They all scattered and drew back, whirling their swords and shouting to one another. Then Enya abruptly changed direction and the group of warriors was lost to sight.

Hermione had no idea if the mare knew where Grimmauld Castle was, but she continued to press the thoughts through the mental link and hoped that it registered. Onward they pounded, the world around them a blur of green and brown. Chuffing for breath, Enya leapt up the crest of a hill, and—holy Merlin, there it was. It was all the magnificent beauty she had hoped for and heard of, built of pure white alabaster with all three soaring turrets flying that striking scarlet and gold banner which marked the Order of the Phoenix.

Down they plunged then, reckless and fearful, hurtling headlong for that monument of safety. A sparkling blue moat ringed the castle and as they rode closer on the smooth dirt road it was clear that the drawbridge was—thankfully—down.

There were two guards posted on either side of the bridge, holding lances, which they leveled as Hermione closed in. "Please, we need help!" shouted the young woman. "I'm with the Order—they've been attacked by an animal—quickly, please! Hurry!"

"Who are you? I've never seen you before," one of the guards said suspiciously, eyeing her.

"I told you, I'm with the Order!" Hermione burst impatiently. "We were on our way here when something attacked; Master Snape told me to go get help! Come on!"

"You could be a Dark sorceress trying to lead us into a trap!" the other guard accused. "How do we know you're trustworthy?"

Exasperated, the girl fixed him with her best Snape-like glower and said, "Honestly, you don't, but just know that it's going to be your fault when Lord Dumbledore's best knights end up dead!"

The guard looked like he was about to reply when his eyes flicked behind her and suddenly widened. Hearing the creak of leather, jangle of brass and clank of armor, Hermione craned around and gasped, "You're alive!"

"Barely," panted Severus Snape as he led the company past her and over the drawbridge. Before going in, however, he halted next to the guards. "Run as fast as you can and fetch Poppy Pomfrey; we have two critically injured."

"Yes sir!" Both guards were off and running at a moment's notice.

Hermione stared at Snape, her face white. "Who is hurt?"

"Jones—the stupid wench—and Podmore," replied Snape, taking off his helmet to wipe the sweat from his brow and push a few wet strands of heavy black hair out of his eyes. He blinked hard and huffed, suddenly looking more weary and put-upon than his usual proud, snarky countenance. "Get those two inside to Poppy now," he ordered; Mad-Eye and Lupin took the injured knights' horses and hurried to lead them over the bridge.

One of the guards came running back. "Master Snape, Lord Dumbledore would like an audience with you."

The black-armored man sneered bitterly and tightened his reins. "Sodding old fool," he muttered, but nudged his stallion into a trot and vanished into the darkness on the opposite side of the drawbridge.

Hermione glanced over at Tonks, whose hair was mussed and whose usually cheery face bore a grim expression. "What was it?"

"Mountain bear," Tonks answered. "Jones, what a fool...I don't know what possessed her to fire before Snape gave permission, but she sure as hell is paying for that mistake now." She shook her head in disapproval. A small, bitter laugh wrenched from her throat before she remarked, "Welcome to Grimmauld Castle," and spurred her horse away.

Hermione urged Enya to follow, and as they passed under the spiked iron gate flanked by statues of winged lions she had an eerie feeling that this place hid more things than it told.