Escape From Hogwarts Chapter 7
"Five minutes Forest! Bring your trunk! We've gotta go!" Forest packed the remaining bits of his clothing into the great wooden trunk and shut it. He left his room dragging it behind him through the hallway and out the door. The Ryger house was a small cottage in a clearing of woods, the house had siding that was orange and green. On the drive was his father Lylar loading up the boot of their 1990 Mitsubishi Vanwagon, it was solid white. They lived near Barnsdale.
"Alright, I'll just put that in and we'll be off." His dad said he wore spectacles and his head was gray and shaven close. "Do you need a Drameine.. Sweetie?" His mom Tansy asked. She was fair of hair like him. "No I think I'll sleep most of the way." The van was finally loaded and Forest laid down on the foam mattress in the back, they had a long way to go.
The rolling of the van down the dirt road lulled him to sleep instantly. He dreamt of Hogwarts and its many turrets, him and his friends shooting skeet by the lake, and of Buckbeak flying overhead. But he awoke as they went over a number of potholes in Bridgwater. As it was they still had an hour before they reached Devon and the quiant village of Ottery Saint Catchpole.
"Honey are you sure about going to this World cup? Me and your father think those wizardfolk have got it wrong. The World cup was held in America all the way in sunny California, a whole month ago.." Forest could see why his parents thought them to be ignorant. The Weasley's had sent a parcel the size of a shoebox wrapped in spellotape and stamps from all periods even those as far back as 1840.
"I've told you its the wizarding sport Quidditch! It's fine mom the Weasley's are a good family." He said. "But didn't you say a whole host of people are going to be over? Are you even going to have a bed to sleep on?" She asked. "Yes we will all have a place to sleep, after tomorrow we'll be camping out at the stadium grounds in luxury to hear them tell it." His parents shared a look.
"No wild animals will be roving around will they?" Forest shook his head at once. "Wizards especially encamped are strict on security to the point where not even a single wild animal can get in without being stopped." The scars from the claw and teeth marks ran up his arms into his torso, most were still hard white and risen.
He was glad this occasion had finally come. As he had literally counted the days off on his calendar. The end of the school year and the summer itself was a whirlwind of change some for good but most for ill. His parents had inquires about the attack, the official story was that a loose flock of landbats attacked them and he wanted to leave it at that.
As they rolled through the village of Ottery Saint Catchpole, over the green distal hills and foggy banks. They pierced what seemed like some great barrier on a lone country road his parents surely thought to lead to nowhere. But just as Lylar was about to turn the wheel did an ancient stone fence come into view, with a gate in the center that hung crooked on its hinges.
The van rolled its way forward at a speed of less than ten miles per hour, down not even a dirt road but a path trimmed in the tall grass and nettles around. When the Mitsubishi approached the gate it creaked open on rusted hinges. They proceeded up a gravel path which revealed a marvel of a home. It was a cottage on the bottom but above was several added haphazard stories.
Ginny ran out of the front door along with Ron, Hermione, and the twins Fred and George. As the lumbering vehicle came to a sliding stop in the ruts did Mr and Mrs Weasley come out. Hurried footsteps could be heard around the van and then the door opened. "Forest!" A hecatoncheires seemed to have a hold of him as he was pulled from the mattress he was laying on and out into the light.
"We've been waiting all day for you to get here!" The twins intoned. "The heroes back!" Ron said lightly punching him in the arm. "It's so nice to see you finally, its been two months." Hermione chimed in. Despite all of their cordial greetings he noticed how their hands lingered over his grievous scars. "Sorry the drive was a long, four hours one way." He broke away from them to greet his elder hosts.
"Hello Mr. Weasley and Ms. Weasley, Sorry we had to drive through your lawn a bit." He said. "It's no worry dear nice to see you." The redheaded woman greeted. "Not at all my dear boy, what a marvelous machine this is." He went over to the passenger side and opened the door for his mother. The adults stepped out and exchanged greetings.
Mr Weasley couldn't help but eye them in amazement as well as the modified van with cargo rack and tire mounted on the back. "Wonderful, wonderful, please come inside.. Molly will make you a cup of tea. The kids and I will get Forests things from the boot and bring them in…" The mob of adolescence opened the double doors and began taking Forest's things out. The number of them being so great that it only required a single trip to get everything.
They went inside the Burrow, the ground floor was cozy and ran in a circular hallway pattern but Ginny who had the front handle of his trunk led him upstairs, onto two landings and then finally into a medium sized rectangular room with two fiery beds against a wall, around the room on shelves and dressers were strange devices and impedimenta.
"You'll be sleeping in our room tonight." Fred said. "Yeah good thing its you.. if it were that Castelnowl bloke then he'd be a canary by morning." George added. "So Castel accepted?.." Forest asked hardly believing it. "Yeah, he said he felt like a house elf shut up in that giant mansion of his. An owl came this morning that said to expect him by three." The red head girl grinned to herself.
The group went downstairs to the den where his parents were relaxing sipping tea. Mr Weasley was in a deep conversation with Lylar about power steering, while his mother Tansy complemented Mrs Weasley on her knitting. The muggles were clearly fascinated by the dishes washing and the sock hamper mating themselves.
After a few more minutes of chatting his parents got up and the party moved outside. His mum and dad hugged him goodbye, wishing him a good term and to have fun at the match. "Damn!" His father swore upon seeing the front driver side tire flat. "Please excuse the boys they leave out murdel root out and it tends to do that to tires." Mr. Wealey took out his wand and pointed it at the flat. Repairo The tire instantly patched itself and inflated. Impervious The wheel and rim glowed blue for a moment. "That should get you along, Mr and Mrs Ryger I hope you have a safe journey and you are welcome to come stay anytime."
As they waved them down the drive they saw two specks in the air high up in the clouds only Ginny's eagle eye was able to spot first. "It's them!" As they grew into flies then human shapes. "Brilliant." Ron said mouth open. Harry Potter rode on his Firebolt his trunk tied behind him, with his godfather Sirius Black who rode a nimbus two thousand and one. The duo made a close pass of the van and landed beside the door.
Harry was immediately surrounded by all of them. "We've been waiting for you all day Harry." Ron said. "Yeah Harry." The twins entoned. "Sorry me and Sirius got up late like usual.. it took us extra long to find all of my things." Harry said. Molly Weasley approached Black as he gathered their brooms. "Mr. Black.. how was the flight?" she asked him.
"Very good Molly, blue skies and white clouds below." He said genial. "Tell me again about the cottage you and Harry are staying in." She asked staring at him sharper. "Its on the Isle of Mann its charming, three rooms, four walls and a roof. A bungalow just perfect for our needs." Molly looked shocked. "Bunga-what you mean like one of those muggle hovels made out of straw?" Mrs. Weasley looked offended, with all of their combined money she thought the man at least would have had the sense to acquire at least a proper home.
"It may not be an estate like the Malfoys, or a house like my forefathers owned, but its home to us." He said a little stiff jawed. Arthur walked over to Sirius and shook his hand cordially. "Mr Black please come inside and have a cup of tea, Mr Lovegood and Mr Castelnowl should be here shortly." Forest heard the golden trio immediately break into rapt conversation.
They were led again into the den where hot tea and ginger biscuits were laid out on platters. Ginny took a seat beside, eyeing him up and down. "How are you feeling?" She asked with some trepidation in her voice, he knew what she was referring to. "Fine Ginny... the hunger this month isn't as bad. But as that light in the night sky grows larger, so does my thirst…" He shook inperceptively and Ginny laid a hand over his.
Ever since last June the hunger had liken to drive him mad, and it was not any natural craving of the flesh. But it was for.. BLOOD. Merlin how it had consumed him that first fateful month. Any and all blood he saw or even smelt drove him into an addictive frenzy. His nose seemed to be able to sniff it out from several hundred feet away.
There was somethings he had done in desperation, that he had not even told his dearest friends or even Luna in fear that they might think him a beast. During this period in July as the moon waxed ever closer, one day his cat Jetty caught a wild sparrow in the woods and drug it half alive to the doorstep. Upon seeing this in a mad rush, Forest seized the fowl and twisted its neck drinking the fluid from its crushed body. To his horror he liked the taste and the feel of momentary warmth it gave his bones.
Right after he threw the animal away did his father round the corner and saw blood running down his mouth and lips. Lylar looked instantly shock and ran up to him yelling. "What happened!?" Deciding a white lie was the best course of action, he had not even fathomed of telling his parents he was afflicted so, thinking this would be straw that broke the camels back. Resulting in him being taken out of Hogwarts.
Forest made a quick story about how he fell and hit his mouth on a hard rock and that he needed help immediately. His father bought it and took him inside for first aid. After that occasion he was careful only to drain the blood dry out of steaks or the raw meat his mother brought home and this seemed to help his hunger substantially .
Before long the fireplace roared to life in the kitchen with green and gold flames and out stepped two figures with light fair hair. It proved to be Luna who wore a wispy velvet robe that covered her body and Xenophilius who wore a light blue and yellow robes and a strange symbol around his neck.
"Hey Luna!" Ginny got up at once and hugged her, Luna had scars like Forest but no bite marks, they went down the nape of her neck all the way down to her milky white thighs. The whole room exchanged greetings with the Lovegood's the girls hugged Luna, while for the men and boys and boys handshakes all around. "Black!… The Sirius Black?" Sirius shook his hand. "Have we met before?" He looked confused. "No but your disguise has proved to be effective even against the ministries finest.. But Doris Purkiss tipped me off that you went into hiding after the incident playing with the Hobgoblins.. It is you Stubby Boardman.. Isn't it?" Mr Weasley and Sirius shared an awkward look, then Sirius burst out in a laugh.
"I haven't heard that theory yet Xenophilius but its as good an explanation as any other for my escape from Azkaban. The prophet and other papers have been going mad all summer trying explain away my flight from Azkaban. As if it were so simple a happenstance of a mistaken identity. The Wizengamot never even put me before a trial." Xenophilius was fascinated and talked with the two men for several minutes when a distant CRACK sounded outside in the far lawn.
"No way." Ginny was the closest to the window, a grin tugged at the corned of her lips. Forest went over quickly and pulled the curtain aside to see Castelnowl walking up the uneven drive wearing a magenta robe and cap. Beside him was a much taller even darker man with styled cornrows slicked back. Behind them floated Castelnowl's luxury trunk and broomstick. "Look he's got a Oumuamua." Ron said amazed. "Yeah it doesn't have as good acceleration or speed as a firebolt, but it can turn on a whim." Harry added.
Mr and Mrs Weasley rose and greeted them at the front. "Greetings." The man offered in a deep African voice that had an inflection of french.. The man and boy ceremoniously bowed. "I hope you both had a pleasant journey here. I am Arthur Weasley and this is my wife Molly." The man smiled putting a hand on Castelnowl's shoulder. "I am Otaba Castelnowl and this is my nephew Rielus. He is here to attend the Quidditch world cup and I believe some of his classmates are among the few." Castelnowl spotted his three classmates grinning faces and couldn't help but look away in embarrassment himself.
The Weasley's ushered the eccentric wizards in and they all took a seat in the den again, not a single cushion was empty. Castelnowl took a seat beside Forest and Ginny on the old ottoman. "How has your summer been Rielus?" Ginny asked conversationally but when their eyes met both had to look away not to laugh. "It's been fine, boring I must say.. I haven't told you guys yet I have a-"
"A tutor?" Luna interrupted. "How did you know?" The boy whispered. "It explains a lot, especially its one of the reasons why you wanted to come stay here." She explained. "Yeah my Mum and Dad hired a wand tutor she said this muggle business with a knife must end and I must take to my wand instead." He looked down. "I'm guessing you haven't made much progress." Ginny said carefully. "Yeah. I would have wrote to you guys if I had gotten any better.. Most of the summer outside of private lessons was spent on repairing and riding my racing brooms." His parents were not a big fan of him participating in European sport they knew, but he had a fervent desire to fly that was apparent from the countless hours he had talked about it before.
"Yes sire if Rielus here would be permitted to sleep in your abode tonight and tomorrow he shall sleep in the Al Falaa tent his parents sent with him. Any of you that wish to quarter inside as well are welcome." They saw a packed tent that seemed to be woven out of copper colored silk. "Of course, we will see to his every need and we will make sure he is safe and taken care of.." Otaba stood and shook Mr. Weasley's hand again. "Very well, behave yourself Rielus and have a good school term. I'm sure you will make us proud." He put a hand on the boys shoulder. "See you uncle." and the man left along with Xenophilius after he bid his daughter goodbye, outside they heard two CRACKs.
"So I suppose we are all here?" But when Forest looked up he saw two new faces standing in the archway. Ginny stood up. "This is my brother Charlie." The young man had short red hair and a wicked burn scar. "Hello." "And this is Bill my oldest brother." Bill looked mature and cool with long red hair and a fang earring. "Nice to meet you." He said upon shaking their hands. "I've heard so much about all three of you in Ginny's and Mum's letters. Thanks for looking after my sister." He couldn't help but smile.
Supper was prepared shortly after and they were all given tasks, Bill and Charlie moved the tables, Luna and Ginny set them, Forest and Castelnowl carried the dishes to and fro. While the Gryffindor trio washed the tablecloth. "I've never had to do house elf duties before.." his companion mentioned in passing. "Well get used it Mrs Weasley is more muggle than me in some regards." The look of worry on his friends face tickled him.
As they stood on the shining lawn Bill and Charlie enchanted the tables to fly into the air and bash against one another. "Would you keep it down you two!" A bespectacled face yelled down from a window on high. "Sorry Pierce!" Percy Weasley slammed the sil shut while they laughed below. Soon after the girls came out with the plates and behind them Mrs Weasley with pitchers of floating pumpkin juice.
After the food was brought out and everything put in order everyone sat down for supper. Mr. Weasley insisted that Forest and Harry sit on his left and right respectively. Throughout the meal he asked them both a myriad of questions on muggle life from things as complex as high finance and government all the way down to things like rubber bands and saw blades, Sirius joined in talking about how he used to have a muggle motorbike. Bill chatted with his Mum, Ron and Hermione talked to Bill. Luna and Castelnowl chatted with each other quietly between mouths of food.
Another distant pop sounded on the fence closest. It was Regulus Black their head of house. "Ah Reggie.. You made it, I hope Kreacher didn't hold you up too long, I'm sure he was busy polishing your boots or that picture frame of mother." Sirius said. "Kreacher has been very happy to see me, ever since my return he has really gotten back into the groove. You should have seen what it looked like when I first went in." His brother replied hopping off the fence and taking the open seat beside Luna and Hermione.
"Spare me, I'll never go near that place even with a ten foot broom." Sirius said knocking back his goblet of mead. "Come on Siri its not Azkaban.. You'll like it when it looks a little nicer." Sirius shook his head. "No it will remind of the place more, mother always demanded the elf to clean the place spotless." Regulus stayed silent for awhile then finally asked.
"How are you two fairing today?" He asked causally but they knew what he meant. "A little worse than others but its not terrible." Forest didn't want to try to hide his hunger it would be even more terrible if he ignored it. "What about you Luna?" He asked. "It's about the same with me today," Regulus rummaged around in his robe. "Here take these." He handed them two red bottles. When Forest uncorked his he could smell the sweet red liquid though only he and Luna could. "Mr Black welcome!" Molly greeted. "I hope I'm still on time for pudding Mrs. Weasley." She seemed to like Regulus a spot more than his wilder older brother. "Of course."
He drank deep before the others took notice, the blood seemed to warm him to the very core like a anathor. With a personal handkerchief he wiped his mouth and leaned back feeling the ecstasy flow through him. "I thought that would do you some good. While at Hogwarts from now on you will get all you require and of course your.. potion." Regulus said.
"Potion?" Regulus nodded. "Yes the wolfsbane brew, it allows those who go through a transformation to retain the use of their mind. Unfortunately Remus forgot to take his dose that fateful night and thats the reason why you are.. afflicted." He explained.
"Good at least that means we won't run wild every month." Luna said. "Trust me its fun running around after dark more than you may think. Me James and Remus did.. forgive him if you could find it in yourselves you two... Remus is going through a dark period at the moment, he feels solely responsible for this whole mess." Sirius said looking down.
"I don't blame him." Forest said. "If anyone I blame Peter but he's dead and he can't pay for his actions anymore. At least his body cleared the Black name and allowed the both of you to reenter society." Forest said. "Not to mention I moved out of Privet Drive. Without that I would still likely be stuck with Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia." Harry said.
"Part of me wished Peter would have seen Azkaban like you Sirius." Harry commented. "Yeah but Peter was a slippery rat. I think somehow he would have weaseled out of it, or died the cowards death." Molly came in with the treacle and banana fudge pudding, they all dished out portions on their plates.
"Ouch!" Rielus jumped up, everyone looked over to see a garden gnomes teeth latched to the boys shoe. "Relashio!" The small creature flew off of Castelnowl and landed in a patch of potato plants nearby. "They do that sometimes, outside in the summer its best to sit cross legged or toes pointing down." Percy said putting his wand back into his robes. "Thanks.." Castelnowl sat back down and began speaking to Percy in his reserved and aristocratic tone.
"Daddy has the chamber ready, that is after the match." Luna said, a bitterness filled his mouth that even the treacle and pumpkin juice couldn't drown out. "So soon…" He said his mind trailed off to the experience last July but Luna soon snapped him out of it, "It will be better for you and me, I think and when we get to Hogwarts Professor Dumbledore will have the potion to ease our pain." Forest didn't believe it, he simply got up and took his plate to kitchen like the others.
The rest of the day they played four aside Quidditch. With Harry, Ron, Charlie and George on one side. Rielus, Fred, Bill and Forest on the other. The game was close but Forest's team constantly had to pick up his slack resulting in a defeat for them. Afterwards everyone retired inside the burrow to the den and multiple rooms. Ginny led all of them to her room a few landings up.
The pink wallpaper inside was plastered over with strips of gray and black, a full bed was nestled against one corner and a desk and mirror opposite it. She went over to her bed and pulled out her Webley out from the holster attached to the side. "Daddy dug me a berm in the back garden. Fence has stopped by a few times and with my spare sickles I've been able to buy practice ammo to keep my skills sharp." She spun the gun from the fore of her finger.
"Lucky you, I've had to hide my guns at the bottom of my trunk all summer. If my parents caught me with them they would put me in a troubled boys home." Forest said. "Wow.. daddy is fascinated by them! I have to watch him closely when he handles it. Sometimes curiosity gets the better of him. Speaking of which I need to see if he has a certain screw. My lanyard ring fell out." She showed them the ring missing from the butt of her pistol. "Follow me I think daddies in his workshop."
Forest, Castelnowl, and Luna followed Ginny to the ground floor and to an oaken door. Down a flight of rickety steps into a dimly lit basement which doubled as Mr. Weasley's workshop. "Hello kids he said looking up at them bent over a push mower. "Hey daddy, I just needed to see if you had a screw for my pistol." Mr. Weasley grabbed his spectacles off the bench nearby. "Yes darling let me see here..." He pulled open multiple drawers which had an assortment of items. Doorknobs, bath stoppers, washers, eye glasses. But finally he found the screws.
"I've been working on that damned mower for the longest time." Castelnowl messed with the machine while Mr. Weasley found the right screw for Ginny. "There we are." The man said upon finding the right one. He handed back Ginny the pistol when he finished. "That should do it dear." Ginny smiled but then looked down to she Castelnowl tinkering on the engine. "What are you doing?" He did not respond only stood up and pulled the cord after turning the choke.
FRRRRROOOO The engine sputtered to life sending exhaust everywhere into the room. Everyone nearly choked and ran up the steps to the safety of the kitchen. "You were able to actually fix that thing boy?" Mr. Weasley asked. "Yes you forgot to put enough oil into it and the choke wasn't all the way on. Didn't you read the manual beside it?" Harry and Ron bunked in his room, while Luna Ginny, and Hermione in her room. Forest bunked with Fred and George, while Castelnowl slept on Percy's floor.
Mrs. Weasley seemed to shake them awake instantly upon lying down saying. "It's time to go boys time to get up for breakfast." Forest and the twins rose groggily and went downstairs to the kitchen where a large pot of porridge was being stirred. When Ginny Luna and Castelnowl came down the latter stared at his bowl in cold disgust as if he was being fed horse feed.
"What is this gruel?" He asked as Ginny took her first bite. "It's the only home cooked meal you will get in at least twenty four hours. I hope you enjoy it." He swallowed then began eating, so did Forest and it wasn't that bad. It had stewed apples and cinnamon to flavor it.
After a hurried goodbye and a stern send off for the twins Mrs Weasley bid them good luck and they marched the long way towards Stoke's Head Hill the nearst portkey destination for the world cup. "Why can't we just all apparate in turns? I've done it before its not so bad." Rielus said three miles in. "Treat this as a training exercise Castel, imagine a big mug of pumpkin juice waiting for you on top of that hill." Forest pointed to the one high above the village. "More like a mug of firewhisky." He said. Ginny kicked him in the calf.
The climb up stokes head hill was miserable for Harry Ron Hermione and the Weasley's aside from Ginny. Even Rielus managed a better time as he carried his tent and broomstick. As they waited at the top for them Forest noticed the would be portkey. "An manky old boot?" The others didn't seem perturbed by its placement.
"Two minutes.. everyone... grab a hold of the boot just in case." Mr Weasley said as he tried to get lungfuls of air in. 5:42 He checked his watch. After a few long moments a hook seemed to pull at them and into a world of whirling shapes and phantasmal colors they went, until they spun so much they appeared in somewhere else altogether. A green moor, with the morning sun overhead. Forest checked his watch again. 5:43 They had appeared nearly instantly in the world cup camp grounds.
After talking to a very heavily confunded muggle manager they finally found their to be campsite beside a group of Ireland supporters. The Weasley's set up two white dingy tents that he doubted could hold four, Castelnowl whistled in a strange way and snapped his fingers when the elder wasn't looking and instantly the silk tent erected itself. It appeared to be slightly larger than the others.
He saw Mr. Weasley and the trio enter theirs. Castelnowl motioned to Forest. "Come on in.." He crawled inside first then Forest followed. It was like the interior of the earth, the silken walls seemed to shine with a jeweled brilliance there was a fire pit in the middle and two low couches around it, on another side of the tent was a table and cushioned chairs. An ornate wizarding chess set sat beside a butterbeer fountain and a number of cloth doors led to what Castelnowl said were small private rooms.
They were given the task to collect some firewood by hand the muggle way, the task was not foreign to them, they made a b line for the nearest wood and quickly began hacking on a dead fall. Soon enough they all had arm fulls of wood, as they passed the waking residents of the camp. Most that rose early were children and the elderly, who ambled around their fires enchanting them to life when they thought no one to be looking.
"Let me help you daddy I've been practicing." Ginny said as she took the book of matches out of his hands. With one deft movement she lit the tinder bundle and less than a minute later the fire roared and crackled to life. "Bravo! Impressive my daughter can light her fires the muggle way!" He called out and pointed to show his merriment.
The Golden Trio came back soon after with a pale of water and they all made small talk as they waited for the coals to heat up to cook. "So who do you think will win?" Ron asked them. "Ireland.. they have the best chasers in the world." Ginny said at once. "That Krum is good though, I wouldn't be surprised he if caught the snitch within a few minutes." Luna added. "I think no one will win." But this garnered a few dark looks from the Weasley's. "Or maybe the Irish team…. After they ask Harry to take Lynch's place when he's knocked from his broom." Forest said to some laughter.
Ludo Bagman the head of magical games and sports made an appearance soon after taking up bets. Barty Crouch came around and had a quick word with Arthur. They ate hot sausages and teas fresh from the fire as they waited for the day to whyle away until the long shadows of evening fell.
Pale blue lanterns lit up on the edge of the wood lighting a path to the stadium. "It's time!" The boys jumped up and made as one down the way. "Wait up for us!" A few hundred meters through a sea of wizards from every country, race, and blood origin and they were there. A massive dome that was like to seat half a million.
The ticket man took their stubs and said. "Arthur your group goes all the way up to the top box enjoy!" Luna sidled beside Castelnowl and said. "Thanks for buying me and Forest those tickets, we probably would have had to wait a week beforehand to even see the game." The boy waved a hand. "Don't mention it Lovegood, my father got me top box seats on a whim."
Their party went up and up and up until they opened a door onto the top box and to their surprise saw two people already sitting in the front row. "Sirius, Regulus what are you doing here!" Harry exclaimed. "Came here to watch a wicked game with my godson. Dumbledore pulled a few strings and was able to secure us a couple." They took the lavish seats beside them. "
"Hey do you guys want to see my new kit? It gives you a better view of the game, even more than omnioculars." Regulus took out of a backpack beside him a most odd assortment of items. The first was a pair of over head goggles, that seemed to give the user bug eyes. As antennaes stuck out like whiskers were the eye holes were. "What in Merlin is that!?" Rielus asked horrified. "It's called an fpv or first person view headset. It allows you to see through the drone camera of this in real time." He pulled out of his bag an even weirder device.
It was a fusion of polymer, plastics, wire and metal. It was undoubtedly a flying device as it had four helicopter like propellers attached to arms extending out from the main body. On the front was a large camera. "Let me turn it on for you to see.." He clicked a button on its battery and it vibrated to life like a transformer. "Marvelous!" Mr. Weasley exclaimed as the LEDS that ran down the length of its arms lit up and pulsed in a multicolor glow.
"It's called the DIJ fpv, high tech and heavily modified." Hermione stared at it in amazement. "I haven't even seen anything like this… even on London's high street gadget market." Regulus nodded. "You wouldn't... because this is not from the year 1994.. Its from 2021 or at least thats what Trelawney said."
"You mean that shallow old fraud?" Ron asked with a sneer. "I wouldn't say she is a fraud Ronald, through a magical ceremony I was able to convey my will to her…. And as a seer she produced a mighty fine result, after a single session I had the schematics to build this. But that was only half the work." He pointed to a strange thing on the side of the drones air unit that looked like a old timey vacuum tube.
"Aside having to switch this from digital to analog frequency I had to invent this." The tube thrummed. "It's called the magic obfuscator I had to invent it to deal with the effects spells, incantations, and other magical formulae have on muggle electronic devices…. It works well I think but only with the analog frequency. So that means less range and lower picture quality, but it still is great."
Their head of house took out a controller finally that had many switches and two joysticks as well as two long antennaes crossed. "This controls the drone.. let me give you a demonstration." Pointing the antennas straight up and putting the goggles on, he powered up his controller and flicked the left joystick all the way up. It caused the drone to shoot up straight up into the air with a great burst of acceleration and hum of electric engines, it took only a couple seconds to hover more than a hundred feet overhead.
Impressive as it was they all watched in awe as Regulus dove down the stands towards the green Quidditch pitch below. "Absolutely amazing, Mr. Black how marvelous!" Ginny had to grab the tails of her fathers robes to keep him from falling off the railing of the top box. "Wow he's all the way down there!" Ron said looking at the drone through a newly acquired pair of omnioculars. Regulus raced across the green, towards a red alcove hidden even to the omnioculars in shadow.
"It's the Bulgarian locker room! I'll give them a surprise they'll never forget!" Regulus smiled, but a bead of sweat ran down his forehead. "Merlin! I see people naked… not just anyone Veela!" Regulus swayed and nodded. Luna smacked his face and he came to racing out of the alcove. Within half a minute he was back and landed on the ground in front, Regulus took of his goggles and looked exhausted. "What did you see?" The twins asked but the younger Black just shook his head.
"If you want to give it a try I'll let you." He said to Forest. "Sure how do I-" Regulus quickly took him through what the controls do and how to fly. "I'll put it on sport mode for you." He handed Forest all of his kit. The gear felt weird in his hands and the headset too tight. "If Rielus would like to watch as well, I can get my other headset out and it makes it to where he can see exactly what you are seeing." Castelnowl said yes and soon enough another headset was linked up by a wire with the other one.
"Bloody hell Reggie! The Malfoy's are coming up the spiral step get into your animal form now!" Sirius said peering over the railing. "Good luck you two.." Regulus said then turned into a ginger cat, stretched and then curled up in Hermione's lap. Sirius turned into a dog and went to lie below Harry's feet.
"Whoa I can only see our shoes!" Castelnowl exclaimed upon putting the fpv goggles on. "Alright I guess I'll take off, merlin help us." Forest armed the drone and slowly turned the throttle. The blades spun up slowly the Wooshhh They were off the ground, behind both of their sitting forms was the minster of magic and the Malfoy's shaking hands.
He was nervous at first but Forest went over the railing of the top box and zoomed slowly over the sea of witches and wizards. "Brilliant, I can see like a bird. But I can still feel and hear everything around me." Rielus said. "Yeah Castel it's a weird sensation."
"Yeah why is your neck craned to the left? Your mask is hitting me" He heard Ginny say beside him. "Sorry Ginny its hard to tell sometime which way I'm looking." "WELCOME TO THE FOUR HUNDRED TWENTY SECOND QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP!"Fudge bellowed his voice magically amplified to ring off the stadium. He introduced Bulgaria's illustrious veela mascots first to the mens delight and then Ireland's leprechauns who won the favor of all by showering gold.
The Irish team came out first zooming on firebolts, then the Bulgarians scowling Krum at their fore. They all met at the pitch, Hasan Mustafar the referee made them shake hands and blew his whistle to begin the match. The golden snitch was loosed and it flew out into the blackness. This didn't stop Forest from going after it himself like what Krum and Morian were doing.
The Quidditch players brooms seemed to have a higher top speed than the drone but the hair pin turns suited Forest better. "Forest we are right on it's arse. If I was there I could reach out and grab it!" Castelnowl said as they followed the snitch mere feet away. Then just as suddenly it careened and vanished out of sight.
Forest unintentionally did a front flip then dove down in hopes to catch a glance of the golden ball. He saw Krum diving down fast with Morian close behind. "He see's the snitch! Follow them!" Rielus barked. He dove as fast as he could but could not catch them until. "Ouch that's gotta hurt!" Fudge bellowed. "The Romski fient!" Ron said as Morian was revived by medi wizards.
Forest went to do a high pass over the top box. "Where's the- SNITCH!" Forest yelled as Krum came straight at his drone head on, as if to grab it. Forest tried to dive down but it was as if his propellers stopped working. To their horror they were spiraling right for the top box and it seemed right for their heads. "Watch out!" He yelled as the drone soared down. "Wait!" He heard Luna say. "Catch it!" Mr. Weasley said.
In his last semi circle he saw that he was going to bash either Harry, Ron, or Hermione and he was powerless even to slow the fall. Right before he hit the camera seemed to cut out and Twack A roar of applause that drowned out every sense went on for a whole ten seconds and took awhile after that to subside. Forest struggled with the goggles to get them off his head. Apparently Rielus had trouble aswell beside the cable attaching them was getting jerked.
When finally sight came to him he saw Harry with the drone in one hand and the snitch in the other. The look on his face was just as disbelieving as the rest. "The wings got caught in the propellers." Hermione said. "NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS WOULD I HAVE THOUGHT TO SEE SOMEONE IN THE STANDS CATCH A SNITCH! BUT NONETHELESS MR HARRY POTTER!" The crowd roared all the spoke with Hasan and other judges before he made the announcement. "IT IS RARE THAT A CROWD MEMBER EVER CATCH THE SNITCH! THOUGH THERE HAS BEEN RECORDED CASES BEFORE. BUT NEVER HAS THERE EVEN BEEN SUCH A CONCLUSION TO A WORLD CUP FINAL! IN INSTANCES BEFORE THE SNITCH IS CONSIDERED 'CAUGHT', BUT NO POINTS ARE AWARDED EITHER SIDE. THE GAME FINISHES WITH NEITHER KRUM OR MORIAN CATCHING THE GOLDEN SNITCH, SO THE POINTS AS THEY ARE NOW DECIDES THE GAME!
The crowd seemed to look at the scoreboard as one and it read IRELAND 80 – Bulgaria 70
The Irish fans broke out in a mass applause and cheer. The Irish team on the pitch was hugging and dancing to the teams celtic theme while the mascots had a general melee around them.
All of the spotlights seemed to pan to the top box where they all sat. It seemed as if a number of influential and powerful wizards materialized from nowhere all wanting to be center stage. Fudge, the Bulgarian Minster of magic, and Ludo Bagman all went around shaking hands. "Our gold Mr. Bagman we said Ireland would win but Morian wouldn't catch the snitch.. We will take it in full, galleons please." They held out their outstreched hands and Bagman filled them with gold coins to their delight.
The Bulgarian and Irish teams came up to take a photo with all of them, both Seekers on either side of Harry as he held the snitch high in a clenched fist. The wizards beamed at the Quidditch players as if they were Hollywood celebrities. It was quite comical, Forest could care less. He was just concerned with the bent and broken propellers on the drone from the crash.
Thankfully after they left the stadium, the smell of cooking bloody meat carried on the night wind as they walked the few hundred yards back to the camp. Forest grabbed Luna's hand and squeezed it, he knew she was just as hungry as he was. "We'll be eating those flank steaks Molly sent with us, Hermione, Forest, would you mind helping with the meal? I still don't understand how these work." He held out the cast iron pots and pans. "They are just like wizard one's Mr. Weasley.."
Forest and Luna helped tenderize the meat with hammers, sucking the blood off their fingers when no one was aware. Hermione tended to searing the meat itself and cooking the vegetables in a pot. While Ginny, Harry, and Rielus, diced carrots, tomatoes, and celery for a soup. After the meat was done they used the beef grease in the pan as stock and boiled the soup. Within half an hour it was done and they were eating with Regulus and Sirius who were sharing stories about their old Quidditch days.
"Remember that game in seventy seven when James caught the snitch diving down like that Krum, he caught it right in front of your nose." Sirius said picking at his teeth with a knife. "Yeah it was right in front of me Sirius!" Regulus said and hiccuped, Arthur, Sirius, Bill, Charlie, and Regulus passed around a quart flask of fire whiskey. "Well why didn't you reach out and catch it then Reggie?" Regulus glared at his older brother for a moment then they both broke out into laughter.
They all milled about the fire for another half hour before Ginny dosed off dropping her tea and saucer into the dirt. "I think it's time we all went to bed." The boys went to sleep inside Castelnowl's spacious tent, Harry, Ron, Fred and George slept on silk hammocks. While Rielus and Forest got plush camp beds.
Strange dreams haunted Forest as he wandered through those night lands, he dreamt of being in haunted houses made to sleep alone, and of putrid bathrooms covered in excrement and feted water. "Get up! Get out of bed Forest! The mob is like to trample us down!" He was shook awake by Rielus who looked mad with distress. His black tactical knife was strapped to his side. "What's wrong?" He asked confused and groggy. "The followers of the dark lord they are attacking the muggles and the mudbloods in the camp." Everyone in the tent was in a similar state of distress.
Mr. Weasley came in, with Regulus and Sirius close behind. "Boys you have to run into the woods and hide, all men of age will help stop these masked hooligans. Don't delay a second you have to go!" Arthur roused them only to get their shoes on and rushed them out the tent. "I'll find you afterwards Harry.." Sirius said and ran off towards the masked men. "Stay together and keep your weapons close." Regulus left and chased after his brother.
Fred, George, Harry, Ron, and Hermione broke off and ran in one direction and the Usec students to another. But Forest soon realized Castelnowl ran back to the tent so he led the girls back through the oncoming sea of people fleeing in every direction. They found him snapping his fingers infront of the tent muttering strange formulae. "What in the hell are you doing? Trying to get yourself killed?!" The death eaters battling with the wizards was a mere hundred meters away. The odd jet of light flew past them.
"Packing the tent! Mum and Dad will kill me if I leave this for a second. Setting up the tent was easy but the reversal spell isn't working. Damn!" He shouted snapping his fingers in a mad frenzy. "Look we will help you do it by hand. But we have to be quick about it!" Ginny began unpegging the tent poles. They all pitched in working with a mad fervor. But a few minutes later. Wwhhooshhh A purple spell flew over their heads
Forest turned around to see three masked men with wands pointed at them thirty or so meters away. "That one looks like a muggle get em!" A muffled voice said. He pulled out his pistol instantly and pointed the sights at the mass of silvery faces after he cocked the hammer back. He hesitated for a split second then pulled the trigger POW The revolver went off, a loud yell issued from the middle man and he fell backwards his mask falling off his face.
They didn't see his face but heard him as he gasped. "My ear!" And he suddenly turned on the spot and disapparated. The one on the right conjured a wheel of fire and threw it at them, thankfully they ducked in time. Castelnowl ran forward at them bellowing in a rage. The masked man in front of him said simply. Petrificus Totalis! And this arms and legs snapped together frozen, he fell forward and the blade sunk up to the hilt in the dirt.
The one on the left sent a barrage of non verbal hexes at the trio who barely dodged them, one even bounced off the barrel of Ginny's Webley sending the spell careening off into the distance. But suddenly with a burst of green light a skull with a snake protruding from its mouth lit up the night sky. "He can't be here!" Forest heard one of the masked men say and suddenly they disapparated as well and the only thing they were left with was beating hearts.
Luna revivified Rielus and they all stood staring at each other. Expelliarmus! A dozen voices shouted at once all of the weapons they held were blasted from their hands. Forest in a move of panic tackled Rielus, who toppled over Ginny, who made Luna trip. Thankfully they all landed in the grass as the red stunners flew over their heads. "Thats my daughter and her friends! Hold your fire!" He heard Mr. Weasley bellow.
Almost all of the wizards present including Mr. Diggory was suspicious of them or should they say Castelnowl and Luna. Two ministry wizards took them aside for questioning. After a few minutes of interrogation nether proved to know anything or be connected. "But look here." Mr. Crouch said as he picked up the mask, it was a grotesque human face made of silver. It had a small twenty two caliber bullet hole in the very left edge. "The hooligan complained of a wound to the ear." Ginny said. "No hooligan girl, death eaters. The blood here is evidence of that, I'll have the aurors see if they can do a blood trace."
Then they were all surprised by Mr. Bagman's discovery of Mr. Crouch's own house elf Winky who had Harry's lost wand in hand. They checked the last spell preformed on the wand and low and behold it was the skull above. Bagman and Diggory vehemently pushed for charges against the house elf. But Mr. Weasley and Crouch insisted the matter could be dealt with in other ways. So in the end Crouch gave his elf clothes much to its shock and grief. The whole affair seemed heartless and cold to them but Mr. Weasley ordered them to pack up camp as he fetched everyone else.
They worked in a dread silence until the rest returned, they all helped pack and retold the story of what happened in hushed silence. After they were all loaded up they went to the port key point at five twenty in the morning and was soon at Stokes Head hill. They made the journey back to the Burrow in shorter time than it felt going and a frantic Mrs. Weasley was waiting for them like to pull her hair out. After an emotional scene she welcomed them in and offered breakfast. Luna and Forest said yes please and asked most graciously or the drained blood of the pork.
Everyone ate, then Mr. Weasley said it was time for them to get their trunks to head off to Luna's house as planned. They went upstairs and got their things Castelnowl and Ginny accompanying them. "Are you sure you don't want us to come?" Both shook their heads.. "You don't want to see us in our shame.." She only wiped tears from her eyes and hugged them both. Castelnowl shook both of their hands somber.
They arrived at the Lovegood's house wilth all their things by seven, after a brief welcome Mr. Weasley left. The smell of larder filled their nostrils nearly imperceptible to wizard kind but a select few. Forest could smell it plain, coppery and slightly cheesy. They went into the den and sat beside the barrel shaped fireplace.
They sat and Xenophilius brought in a two steaming cups of larder, a homemade drink that consisted of blood, marrow, and nettle wine. "Here you are dear.. Forest I shredded some Caws Cerwyn for yours." He took his steaming mug and drank deep. "So how was the game?" Luna and Forest shared a look both still having blood mustaches.
For the next hour they explained the events of the previous day, beginning with the game the upset victory and the sinister events of that night. After he penned much he closed his notepad. "Wouldn't you two like to go back to bed. You must be exhausted and of course you need rest for tonight." Both agreed, the exhaustion after was enough to bedrid one for twelve hours, but if no rest is attained beforehand a whole day of recovery is often needed.
Luna led him to her room she had a twin bed in the middle covered by a gray and black quilt and to the side was a small single bed. The room was decorated with scroll work in the shape of guns and hatchets. As Forest put on his pajamas and went to lay down in his bed Luna stopped. "Will you lay with me?…. I'm scared Forest.." He just nodded and went to the be with her, threw open the sheets and cuddled beside her.
"You don't have to be afraid. It will only be for a single night. Then at Hogwarts we'll have all the potion we can drink." He said as he tried to soothe her nerves. "We have to drink it everyday and I hear its more bitter than skele-grow." She said in a small voice, her body began to shake and she started to sob silently. Forest was never good with emotions so he just pulled her closer to him.
She squirmed against him and finally turned around. Luna pressed her lips against his and kissed him deeply. But she drew away. "I already feel it rising." He knew that she wasn't speaking of the hunger in the usual way. "Yeah I am too.. but remember what happened last time? So we need to take our dreamless sleep potion. It'll knock us out until just after dark." She let out a long hissed sigh. "Okay.."
The sleep they had was restful and devoid of stress, but everything came rushing back when they awoke simultaneously. Both were quite intimately aware of each others presence and separated to remain in some control of themselves. Good thing too because Xenophilius knocked then opened the door, poked his head in and said. "Meet me in the cellar please. And wear your whites as usual." He seemed just as resigned and nervous as they were.
Both knew time was of the essence as they saw the shadows lengthen across the floor, they stripped nude and changed hurriedly in front of one another. In a state of mind not to care and so focused as if to shut everything out. A few minutes later they raced down the spiral cellar step.
At the bottom they saw the archway that led into the Lovegood's wine cellar once, but now it was closed by a heavy iron door that Xenophilius was standing in front of with a skeleton key in hand. "Are you two ready? I have all if the preparations set and fresh rushes so it should be hopefully a pleasant experience." His daughter walked up to him and shook like a leaf. "I love you daddy... do you still love me?" He took her in his arms and stroked her cheek. "Of course Luna always.." He led her to the padded stone cell they called home every few fortnights here recently.
Forest entered as well, it was a modest cell it resembled that of a medieval monks ten meters in circumference. The walls were gouged with deep scratch and several odd teeth marks. "I guess this is it… I'll leave you to it good luck." Her father said finally and left locking the door behind him. Both sat down on a torned and stained mattresses and waited for the worst to come.
From this moment on Forest can't remember things in a linear pattern, it seems as if the transformation robs him of coherent thought and action. First always comes the fear, a terrible indescribable lurking horror. That makes the bravest want to run, hide, or scream at the top of their lungs.
So encompassing and so terrible is this fear that it seemed to drive them mad before the moon peaked out from behind a dark cloud. All he could do was scream as he felt his body convulse and writhe in the most painful spasms of dislocations. Luna was changing her skin growing pale blonde fur as her body shrunk.
He saw his hands morph into pink long nailed paws and as he screamed it was replaced with a high pitched squeak. He felt his face elongate and thick whiskers sprouted from his nose, he looked up with the last vestiges of his sanity to see Luna assume her form fully. A large blonde dire-wolf replaced the girl, with shining blue eyes. A piece of the shattered mirror still hung on the wall behind her and the sight Forest saw revolted him.
The monster was on full display and it shook him to the core even in this half sentient state. He saw his own face gray and elongated his nose sniffed unconsciously, far above in the pantry wrapped in wax paper he could smell the faint traces of….. cheese.
Then the horror came all back to him as he saw the pink tail sway at his side and all memory and thought faded from him as the realization of what he was allowed the animal inside to run free. He was a wererat an unholy trinity of man, werewolf, and animagi rat. When professor Lupin attacked them on that fateful day his mouth was full of Peters hair.
Luna had been thankfully spared his mingled fate, she had only been clawed and her lycantrophy was no where near as bad. Strangely every time she would only assume the large wolf form but was just as feral and violent as he.
The next thing Forest remembered was waking up beside Luna, both were naked their once white clothes had been torn to shreds. He felt sticky he was covered in blood, sweat, and bodily fluids. The curse still lingered in him and he wanted cheese more than anything. Thats when the bolt was thrown open as well as the door. It was Xenophilius with his head turned away. He held in one hand clean gray robes and in the other a platter of cheese, crackers, and juice. He quickly took the proffered items.
"Now Forest that you are fed, clothed, and watered. A hit piece has been in the works for a couple years now and I think with a few questions we'll have the whole thing wrapped up in the hour. Luna can stay for now she needs her rest." Forest knew what hit piece the man spoke of. "Riddle's Return."
Keep Reading To See The Continuation Of The Escape From Hogwarts Saga. Thanks ~Twisted Mister