Author's Note: Wow, it's been awhile since I updated. And I realized how annoyed I get when people don't finish a story so here's another chapter. Also I made a few changes to the prior chapters. If you're lazy like moi then don't worry you don't have to go reread anything. You'll still understand the story. I just tried to make things a bit more clear. :)

Chapter Seven

Darkness

The Gryffindors and Slytherins walked down the grassy hill towards Hagrid's hut. He was their Care of Magical Creatures Professor.

Everyone huddled around a small wooden table, its crooked legs pushed deep into the soil to prevent it from toppling over. On the table was a lit lantern. Within the flame was what appeared to be a white lizard, only slimier.

"What is that?" said the disgusted Draco.

Hermione answered him unable to resist the spewing of knowledge, even if it was to someone who she thought to be as smart as a troll with head trauma. "A salamander."

He glared at her. "No one asked you, mudblood."

All of the Slytherins burst into laughter. Some snickers were more annoying than others. A good example was Pansy. She challenged the mandrakes' screams with her own chuckles.

"That's it Malfoy." Ron pulled out his wand.

Hermione gripped his sleeve and pulled his arm down. "Don't waste your time."

Ron reluctantly put his wand back into his robes.

"Listening to your pathetic girlfriend Weasley?" Draco tapped on the slightly warm glass. He pulled the small handle and opened the lantern. The salamander looked at Draco for a moment before crawling on his fingers. It then waited yet another moment before it bit him. Draco yelped and flung his hand sending the salamander into the air. His elbow knocked over the lantern and it fell to the ground. "The bloody thing bit me!" He stumbled back holding his fingers to his mouth. He tripped over a foot that, if anyone asked, was there by accident.

Perry looked down at him. "Oops."

Pansy ran to Draco and stroked his face. "My baby dragon, are you alright?"

"You imbecile!" Hermione shouted at Draco. She pointed to the broken lantern, now just pieces of glass and metal coated in wax. "The fire is out. Now the salamander is going to die thanks to you."

"Where is it?" Perry looked around.

"Get it off!" All eyes turned to Daphne Greengrass. "Millicent, do something." Daphne crossed her eyes as she tried to look at the salamander was stuck to her face.

Hagrid finally arrived and pushed past the students. "Will ya pipe down! You're scaring the poor thing." He pulled the salamander off Daphne's face.

Draco jumped to his feet and adjusted his robes while Pansy patted the dirt of him. "Wait till me father hears about this."

Perry looked at him. "Hears what exactly? That you were stupid enough to open a lantern and reach into the fire to touch a salamander?"

The day had past and everyone in the fifth year Gryffindor girls' dormitory had fallen asleep, except for Lavender who got up as soon as she heard snores. She pulled on her baggy grey sweatshirt; it was the nineties after all. She reached under her pillow and pulled out the map. She grabbed her wand that rested on her nigh table and tiptoed out of the room. She met Dean at the stairs.

"Do you have the map?"

She held it up.

"Excellent."

The portrait of the fat lady swung open allowing them entrance into the dimly lit corridors of Hogwarts.

Dean held his wand at the ready. "Lum–"

"Don't."

"Why not?"

"Waving around a light is going to bring unwanted attention."

Dean put his wand back in his pocket.

Lavender unfolded the map glad to see the Ravenclaws' markings still hadn't faded. Her fingers traced across its rough surface. "This will lead us to the backdoor… it's really far from the front door. How big is his office?"

"I guess we'll find out."

They followed the red line on the map. It led them in the same direction for a very long time.

Dean noticed the paper began to tremble. He looked at Lavender. "Are you scared?"

Her voice was as shaky as her hands. "Even if I am, it's not like I can turn back."

Dean offered her his hand. "I'm scared too."

Lavender took his offer and held on tight.

The sparse candlelight made long shadows that crept along the stone walls.

Mrs. Norris, the cat, appeared from behind the corner. Lavender gasped.

Dean laughed. "You scared of a little kitty?"

"No, but we better get out of here before Filch comes."

They worked their way through corridors, making sharp turns and entering mysterious passageways. Felling the threat of the caretaker had lifted Dean spoke. "You fancy anyone? Besides me of course."

Lavender laughed. "Do you?"

"Course I do."

Her eyes remained on the map. "And who would that be?"

"I'll tell you if you tell me." He tapped his wand against his shoulder.

Lavender sighed. "Fine, but this stays between us."

"Obviously."

"Ron Weasley." She shook her head. "But it's nothing big."

"You're kidding me. Ron? Have fun getting past Granger."

"They're not together… I don't think. Your turn."

"I guess we're both found of redheads. I think Ginny's pretty cute."

"The fourth year?"

"Just the way she wears her skirt."

Lavender looked up from the map. "You mean how she rolls it up?" Lavender had seen Ginny do so in the lavatory. Lavender had been doing the same, just not as high. That small fact made her feel a little less hypocritical.

"She has such a well-developed–"

Lavender let go of his hand.

"Personality," he said in an attempt to not sound like a pig. "At least I'm not one of the blokes that spend all their time at the bottom of staircases hoping to get a quick glance of knickers." It technically wasn't a lie because he only did that sometimes.

They began to wind down the passage into an unfamiliar part of the castle.

"Where are we?"

Dean looked around. As they continued along the path the style of painting began to change. The portraits went from contemporary, to cubism, and eventually Dean and Lavender found themselves surrounded by works of art from the baroque period. They were deep inside the Castle. The red line had led them to a small wooden door.

Lavender gripped the handle, took a deep breath, and opened it.

"We came all this way for a broom closet?"

"No, look!" Lavender pointed down. On the floor was a faded red carpet with its corner folded back revealing a cellar. Lavender knelt down and pulled the carpet all the way back. She pulled on the rusted handle. "It's locked."

Dean tapped the cellar door three times with his wand. "Alohomora."

Lavender pulled it open creating a loud creak.

Dean looked down. All he could see was darkness. "Ladies first."

"No way." Lavender pointed her wand. "Lumos." The tip of her wand lit up. As soon as she put her wand into the cellar its light went out. "What the…"

"Let me try. Lumos Solem." Dean squinted as a bright ray of light came from the tip of his wand. The ray vanished as he put his wand into the cellar. "I guess there's only one way of finding out what's down there." His hand gripped the edges of the cellar.

"You can't"

"We can't counter this magic. We don't even know what spell is being used."

"Be careful."

Dean gave Lavender a smile, "Hold my wand." He jumped down.

Lavender heard a splash of what she hoped to be water. "Dean!" She heard coughing and more splashing. "Dean!" She reached down. "Take my hand."

"I can't see it." He reached up, his legs frantically moving as he tried to stay afloat. He felt something brush against his torso. "There's something down here!" He flared both his hand in the air. He felt Lavender's fingers. He gripped her hand tightly. The something brushed against him again. Then he felt a sharp pain into his side. He felt himself shaking as he finally began to rise from the water.

Lavender pulled as hard as she could until with her final tug Dean landed on top of her. Water from his hair dripped along her face. Dean fell to his side.

Lavender closed the cellar. "You're bleeding." She helped him sit up. "We have to take you to the hospital wing."

"No."

"Are you crazy?"

"They'll be wondering what we were doing down here." His breathing was growing heavier. "First thing tomorrow morning. We'll say we got too close to the forbidden forest and something bit me. We don't know what."

Lavender looked at the growing red circle on his chest. "We have to apply pressure." She pulled the sleeves of her sweater down till they covered her palms. She pressed against his wound. "Please don't die." She felt her eyes begin to water.

He placed his hand over hers. "Promise."