Oh dear, Has it really been almost two months since I last posted up a chapter? How disappointing. But who can really blame me for not having the inspiration to write more, especially since I have been busy with writing my own book, doing some hardcore reading, and life in general. Sometimes it's just so easy to get caught up in the whirlwind that you never have time to write anything else. I would like to thank all who reviewed last chapter and I also thank you for being patient with me. Some very odd things happen in this chapter, don't worry, all will be explained in due time.

Disclaimer: If only I owned Harry Potter….

Chapter 18: The Attacked Protector

By: tojot

Both Harry and Hermione kept their agreement to never speak of their newfound relationship. The fact that they both knew how the other felt was enough for now and they were content with that. At this time there were too many things going on, too many dangers in their path to be letting on that they were lovers in secret. The fact that they were friends and had normally been around each other for years, they were able to be around each other, to talk each other and joke with each other without anyone noticing the difference.

The Morning after what happened between them, they didn't let on to anything, they just joined the group of Ginny, Neville, Ron, Dean and Seamus as they went down to breakfast. Along the way they encountered Luna, whom of which looked dreamier than usual as she fell into step next to Ron.

"You think something might have happened last night?" Harry asked Hermione quietly as he referred to Ron and Luna in front of him. Hermione shrugged in answer, but then giggled when she saw the couple in question clasp hands.

They entered the Great Hall. For once in Harry's life were the whispers not about him. Once people had seen Ron and Luna together, it became the number one topic for discussion.

The gang minus Ron and Luna sat down to their breakfast. Ron sat down after Luna had pecked him on the lips and traipsed off dreamily to the Ravenclaw table. Wolf howls and cat calls sounded throughout the hall.

"This is quite the development." Harry teased.

Ron turned bright red "Well…"

"I thought that you had a thing for Hermione." Seamus blurted.

"I did too." Ginny added with a raised brow.

"Me three." Neville added as well.

"Interesting choice in women, Weasel." A snide voice said behind them. It was Pansy, whom was flanked by Crabbe and Goyle. "Though not entirely surprising, If you get right down to it, belonging to such a muggle-loving family I thought you would end up with the mudblood over there." She said as she pointed to Hermione. Harry brought his hand off the table to pull his wand from his pocket, but before he could do so, Hermione grabbed his hand under the table. He looked at her in question. The expression she wore said, 'She's not worth it.'

"Seriously Parkinson, are you trying to get revenge for your imprisoned Boyfriend by harassing Potter and his friends?" Blaise Zabini countered behind the three intruders. "Or are you trying to get imprisoned yourself because you can't bare the thought of how lost poor ickle drackykins gets with out you?" all the Gryffindors laughed at this.

"Crabbe! Goyle!" Pansy said shrilly, "Get him to shut up."

"Resorting to brute force, eh? I wouldn't attack me if I were you, considering that a very nasty detention could only be several steps away." Blaise commented as he glanced up at the head table where several teachers sat.

Pansy grunted in frustration.

"Don't grunt, it's not very ladylike." Blaise said quickly.

"You mark my words, Zabini, I'll make you pay." Pansy said dangerously as she stomped away with the two dimwits close behind her.

"Oh. I'm shaking in my robes." He finished sarcastically. The entire spectacle ended in clapping from the Gryffindors. Harry heard Fred and George call, "Bravo! Encore! Encore!"

Blaise bowed, "Thank you, thank you! I'm here till Friday." He announced jokingly. A mass groan was heard at the lame joke, several people rolled their eyes. He squeezed in between Ron and Seamus.

"Blaise, aren't you worried about her?" Hermione said.

"No, I have had threats like that since I started my career here at Hogwarts. Believe me when I say this, I had to learn the Imperturbable Charm at a very young age if I didn't want myself or my stuff bothered with." Blaise answered as he snatched a piece of toast from the platter.

"Good thinking." Harry commented.

"In Slytherin you always have to think, if you don't it could have some very nasty consequences. You basically have to rely on wit, skill, and alliances to survive." Blaise added. "So Potter, when do you think is the next DA meeting?

"We had one last Wednesday, considering it is a week before were out for the Christmas holidays, I'd say after we return to school. Why do you ask?

"To tell you the truth, these meetings have given us few Slytherins who are in the DA something to look forward to these days, since the purebloods are running the show everywhere else. At least the Ferret is out of the picture."

Topic of discussion soon turned to Quidditch considering Blaise had sat himself between two big Quidditch fans.

Harry felt like he was being watched and turned to see who it was. It was Snape. Harry quickly averted his eyes. He knew Snape was a Legilimens, and Gryphon did not trust him. He remembered that McGonagall said Gryphon was a pretty good judge of character. He instead let his eyes fall on Gryphon's empty chair as he felt Snape try and fail to penetrate his mind. Staring at Gryphon's chair, something didn't feel right. Where was Gryphon? Not that it was unusual that she wasn't there. He noticed a worried look on Hermione's face as she too stared at the empty chair.

In an instant, Harry's scar started to burn fiercely and Hermione whimpered and clamped her left hand over her right. In another instant a flash of black lightning flashed from outside followed shortly by an earsplitting and inhuman scream and a blue light emanated from outside. Harry looked out the window just in time to see a large, white creature fall from the roof above. Harry immediately pulled out his wand and ran outside into the cold winter blizzard to find the creature. He was closely followed by Hermione and Ron. Above shone a spinning crest of sorts in a bright blue light. Harry made it outside fast enough to see a dark figure retreat into the dark shelter of the forest. Something evil was there and Harry knew it.

Hermione gasped, clutched Harry's arm and pointed to something in the blue light shining from above, it was barely visible in the white snow because of it's white fur and mane. The only thing that was easily distinguished was the red blood that seeped slowly from its neck. It was the white creature that had fallen. And it was unconscious. The sight struck Harry as something just as similar to an instance that had happened in the Forbidden Forest his first year. A very beautiful and sad sight.

The creature was unbelievably large. Three meters in length. It was catlike in features, but by the bone structure it was a biped instead of a quadruped. A pair of wings protruded from its back.

"The thing she fears the most." Hermione muttered as she stared at the creature with wide eyes. "And it's un-collared as well."

"What?" Harry asked.

"I suggest you go back inside." A deep voice said behind them. "It is too cold for anyone to be out here."

Harry turned to see Dumbledore approaching them.

"A creature fell from the roof." Ron said.

"I know." Dumbledore said sadly as he approached it. "I saw her fall myself."

"Professor, be careful." Hermione warned. "Professor Gryphon fears it."

"I know that as well." He said as Harry noticed a collar-like amulet that he found familiar in the old man's hand. Dumbledore inspected the creature's neck wound and placed the amulet around her neck. Her eyes shot open, revealing piercing silver. With a hollow gasping sound coming from creature's lungs, she turned over and wretched before losing consciousness once more. Dumbledore picked something small and shiny from creature's vomit and used his handkerchief to wipe it clean. It was a silver ring with a blue star-shaped gem imbedded in it.

"Get inside, I have things handled." Dumbledore repeated as he spotted a white wand that was pulsing blue sticking out of the snow and picked it up, it still continued to pulse with the blue light.

"Professor, I think that Voldemort attacked this creature." Harry said. Dumbledore just looked at Harry as if to say continue. "Before the events happened my scar hurt and when came out here I saw a dark figure retreat into the forest. I could feel evil coming from this figure. Like Voldemort was controlling them."

"It is possible Harry." Dumbledore said as Hagrid came running full pelt toward them wearing his thick moleskin coat and a panic-stricken look on his face.

"Dumbledore, I saw what 'appened. An' I saw the bloke 'o dunnit."

"Thankyou Hagrid." Dumbledore replied. "I am glad you came because I am going to need your assistance with her."

"Do ya want me t' take 'er t' Madam Pomfrey?" Hagrid asked.

"No, she must go to the forest. I'll show you what needs to be done with her." Dumbledore said.

"I don't think it's a good idea to go into that forest right now." Harry warned. "That thing that attacked this creature ran in there and could easily be still in there." They heard a great rumbling from beneath them. Several thick white plantlike vines shot up from the ground underneath the creature and picked her up. Growing, twisting and wrapping around themselves and branching off and creating new and thinner branches. White leaves grew from these as well as blood red flowers. It was a magnificent tree. The creature was unharmed but incased within the thick trunk. In a small deep crevice you could see the face of the sleeping creature.

"Merlin's beard!" Hagrid said in marvel.

"Indeed." Dumbledore added. "Seems like I wont be needing your help Hagrid."

"Yes sir."

"Excuse me but can anyone tell me what is going on?" Hermione asked, clearly confused from what happened.

"In all due time Miss Granger. Now, I suggest you get back into the Great Hall. I will be making an announcement shortly."

The three did so as the blue crest continued to spin above them, the tree, and the castle. Once back inside the teachers and prefects were ushering students back into the Great Hall. Ron and Hermione quickly joined in to help. Many of the students didn't know what was going on. Others, who had seen the creature fall, were huddling in fear since they had never seen that happen before. Harry looked outside the Great Hall windows to see the white tree were no tree was before. The only other tree that grew this close was the Whomping Willow. The enchanted ceiling reflected the slowly spinning crest in the sky. The crest depicted an elaborate seven-pinnacle star. Each pinnacle had a symbol within its outline, these Harry had never seen before. The center had its own symbol.

Once all were in the Great Hall, they waited for Dumbledore to return. Harry had an odd feeling that someone was missing. The old headmaster walked in with what looked like a black arrow and took his position at the head of the hall.

"I have an important announcement to make." Dumbledore announced over the noisy din that quieted down immediately.

"As many of you witnessed, one of the main forces behind the wards that protect Howarts has been attacked," Dumbledore said and McGonagall gasped in fear, "The wards have been considerably weakened because of this.

"Because of this, I have decided to extend the holidays until those wards are back to full power. The Holiday break will begin tomorrow. Letters will be sent to families tonight. Those who have signed up to stay will have to stay with friends and family. You are also welcome to discuss with your head of house arrangement of your accommodation if you can't find a place to stay for the holidays. Those in wizarding families that have the Floo network can use the fires in the offices of your head of house. Those who do not have the Floo Network the Hogwarts Express will be available tomorrow morning. I apologize for the inconvenience."

"On another note, there will be no classes today, as the instructors will be busy helping with the arrangements of emptying the castle. The students must use this time wisely to pack their belongings for departure.

"Now, I do suggest that you all go back to your houses and prepare for departure. Off you go, do not tarry, do not delay."

Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other as the Great Hall slowly emptied. Each with a bewildered look on their faces. Minutes later they followed their peers.

Author's Note:

I am not sure when the next chapter (The Dark Arrow) will be finished, I ask you once again to be patient with me, I am trying my hardest to weave an intricate tapestry that is known as good writing. It is incredibly hard for someone (like myself) to get her thought processes to organize. In the while that I am trying to do that, I ask you kindly to please review.

Happy Easter and Passover to all of you religious readers

tojot