Lavender was screaming, the sounds ricocheting against the stones of the tunnel. It was a chilling sound, the fear and anguish in the screams as evident as anything else. Looking at Lavender, though, it was plain to see the young woman was feeling something more; something similar to fury.
"I don't want to do this anymore!"
Hermione closed her eyes against Lavender's wails. They were all shaken up by watching Anastasia disappear but it seemed to be affecting Lavender most. The girl was pounding her fists against the black wall of the tunnel they now stood in, wailing in protest.
"Let me out of here!" she screamed. "It wasn't her fault, it wasn't her fault!"
Finally, Parvati stepped forward and peeled her best friend off the wall, encasing the young woman in a tight hug instead. Lavender cried quietly on Parvati's shoulder and Hermione turned to look at Ginny behind her. The redhead was crying as well, albeit a bit more subtlety. Hermione watched as quiet tears ran down her dear friend's face and she herself had to bite back a sob. The situation was getting more and more desperate.
"We can't just stay here," Olivia said forcefully. "We have to move!"
"I-it wasn't supposed to be like this," Lavender whimpered, looking up from Parvati's shoulder at last. "T-this isn't what this was supposed to be about!"
"Well none of us are exactly having a picnic!" Olivia's friend snapped bitterly.
Lavender shook her head back and forth.
"That's not what I mean," she replied, finally speaking in a steady voice. "Everything we've been taught about the Sylvan Court has been about a community working for good, to protect others! This was supposed to be about love and loyalty, not this…this…darkness!
"It's not right," Lavender finished in a whisper. "The Sylvan Court is supposed to be a place for good magic, not this."
Hermione bit her lip and nodded, for once understanding completely where this young woman was coming from. She reached out a tentative hand to grasp Lavender's, trying to convey some sympathy or acknowledgment of her feelings. Just as quickly, however, Hermione stood tall again and spoke.
"Olivia's right though. We need to complete this next task," she said, peering down the long tunnel. "Whatever that is."
The other girls stood and looked down the tunnel as well, each wondering what horror might await them down the seemingly innocent tunnel. Not a one of them was fooled by its plainness.
"I'll go first," Olivia said. Her voice was so quiet; Hermione thought she might have imagined it. But then, sure enough, Olivia began a slow walk down the tunnel.
At ten feet in, Olivia looked over her shoulder to the group still at the mouth of the walkway. She broke out into a wide smile and spoke.
"It's okay!" she shouted back. "I think it's going to be…"
Olivia stopped suddenly, never finishing her sentence. Instead, he eyes shot forward as if watching some phantom. Her posture shifted so that she was hunched at the shoulders, her body tense as if facing something incredibly frightening. The young woman began mumbling quietly, the words coming out louder little by little.
"No, no please, Serena, no!"
Hermione didn't understand. She didn't see anything. What is happening?
"Serena," Olivia's lady in waiting said softly. "That's her sister's name."
"Her sister?" Ginny asked, not understanding.
"Yes," the friend replied, staring ahead in shock. "She was killed two years ago.
Hermione's head snapped immediately back to Olivia, understanding flooding her senses.
"It's boggarts."
The girls looked at one another in horror for one long moment before Olivia's mumbling turned into screams, terror filling the young woman's voice.
"It's not real!" Hermione yelled as loudly as she could. "Olivia, keep walking! It isn't real!"
Olivia was paralyzed, not moving ahead, just standing as the invisible ghost tormented her with God only knows what images.
"I have to go to her!" Olivia's lady shouted.
"You can't!" Hermione said fiercely. "The boggart will turn on you too and you'll be no help. She has to overcome it, she has to stay strong!"
With that, the other girls turned to shout encouraging words at the frozen Olivia. After countless moments, something shifted in Olivia, as if she could hear somehow the pleas of the girls behind her. She took one step forward, still crying and wailing in pain. But little by little, Olivia made it to the end of the long, dark tunnel. When she reached the other end, she collapsed in a shaking heap. Her outline could just be made out through the small white circle of light at the other end.
"Are you all right?" Olivia's lady called in worry. Olivia assured them all she was fine and encouraged her friend to begin the trek toward her. As the young woman began the perilous walk, Hermione turned swiftly toward Ginny, taking her by the shoulders.
"Have you ever faced a boggart?"
Ginny shook her head no, closing her eyes tight.
"What's your biggest fear?"
Ginny's eyes shot open at the question, opening her mouth and closing it helplessly.
"I-I'm not sure," she said worriedly. "It could be so many things, all of you…Harry, Mum…I love all of you so much…"
Hermione nodded and shook Ginny again, trying to quiet her explanations.
"Whatever it is, Ginny," Hermione said slowly, "you have to remember it isn't real. These things are horrible even when you have a wand to defend yourself. Without wands, we're just going to have to take it. And you have to keep moving. Do you understand me?"
Ginny nodded dimly. Hermione looked up to see both Olivia and her lady safely at the other end. She turned then to Lavender and Parvati.
"One of you should go next," she said simply.
"Why?" Parvati asked, frightened.
"I'm going last," Hermione replied, leaving little room for argument. Lavender and Parvati shared a look and without discussion, Parvati turned and walked bravely down the tunnel. Almost immediately, Hermione could hear the girl's sobs. Cries of "Padma!" and "Help her!" could be heard echoing down the long tunnel.
"I'm here!" Lavender yelled, her face a pitying twist of sorrow for her friend. "I'm here Parvati, you can do this!"
Parvati seemed to hear her friend and made small movements forward, slowly but surely. As she walked, Parvati visibly cowered away from some invisible image and periodically wailed out loud. Ginny, Lavender and Hermione watched, each silently urging Parvati on.
"I thought I had it all figured out."
Hermione turned to look at Lavender at the girl's statement.
"What do you mean?" Hermione asked softly.
"I thought there was something special about this place, because of the magic behind it. You told us, remember? The magic is strengthened by the bonds of true love, making this the most compassionate and empathetic place in the world!"
"I-I didn't know you were listening," Hermione replied, eyes wide.
"Of course I was! I believed in this Hermione and now none of it makes any sense!"
Hermione grabbed Lavender then, hugging her close. The blond girl embraced Hermione tightly in return, each of them more alike in that moment than they ever had been before.
"I believed it too, Lavender," Hermione whispered.
"Ron's the only boy I've ever felt…well, that way about," Lavender said into Hermione's shoulder. "That's why I invited him, I thought I would need him for this. But, I was wrong."
The two shared an honest stare then and Hermione nodded slowly, letting Lavender know she understood.
"I-I think it's my turn," Lavender stammered, looking past Hermione's shoulder to the now empty corridor. Hermione moved out of the way and gave Lavender a weak smile of encouragement. Then, Lavender began her slow walk.
"Never thought I'd see the day you and Lav would be friends," Ginny said quietly.
"I can't blame her for having loved Ron," Hermione replied, her eyes not leaving Lavender's figure as she walked. "It's an easy thing to do."
That's when Lavender's cries began. Ginny and Hermione watched on helplessly as Lavender fought with the phantom of some deep fear, holding her arms in front of her as if to ward something off. Her cries became more desperate and quickly turned to screams, the fear in the sound so chilling the hairs on the back of Hermione's neck stood up.
"Get off of me!" Lavender wailed. "Please, get off of me!"
"Wha-"
Hermione cut off Ginny's question.
"Greyback."
Hermione's throat felt thick as she watched Lavender fight off the imaginary werewolf, obviously remembering the feeling of almost dying at his hands. In her struggle, Lavender lifted up the crossbow in her hands and began shooting frantically. The arrows flew from the bow, impaling the walls of the tunnel as Lavender struggled forward. The young woman surged on, shielded by the flying arrows from the monster she imagined in front of her. Finally, Lavender collapsed into Parvati's open arms at the end of the tunnel.
Hermione let out a deep breath, readying her for what was to come. Already, Ginny was stepping forward. The redhead spared a quick glance over her shoulder to look at Hermione. Her stare said everything. Ginny was afraid, but determined.
"Now or never."
Ginny began walking, her step steady and sure. Hermione could tell almost as soon as the boggart revealed itself to the redhead. Ginny didn't stop moving but began speaking, her voice low. Hermione strained to hear and realized with sorrow who Ginny was talking to.
"I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Ginny whispered, her voice something akin to a cry. "I can't stay here with you Freddie, I have to k-keep moving. I can't help you…"
Hermione closed her eyes tight, a lone tear sliding down her cheek.
"I-I don't want to leave you here but you're not real. You're not real, Fred."
Ginny continued on like that, whispering "You're not real" over and over again. As she reached the end of the tunnel, the whispered protest had become louder until she was shouting the words. When Ginny eventually joined the group at the other side she collapsed to the floor, her sobs echoing across the corridor to Hermione. One wail- "Fred!"- could be heard repeatedly throughout the tunnel, the word ripped from a trembling Ginny. Hermione placed an arm against the cold wall and leaned her head on it, crying in earnest as well. Her shoulders shook with the effort.
It was hard to believe that there was something more horrific waiting for her, something more awful than watching Ginny experience the loss of Fred again. But Hermione knew it was true. There was no question in her mind that it wouldn't be McGonagall she faced this time around.
Squaring her shoulders and taking a few calming breaths, Hermione made ready to begin.
"I'm coming, Ginny!" Hermione called out, before tentatively stepping forward.