This is my new story, I've had the idea a while now but been slow in writing it down.
Disclaimer: The only thing I own is the precise order of these words, everything else belongs to the amazing J K Rowling.
Also just to make it clear, this story is set sometime in 1980.
Hestia sat at the table staring absently into space. It was late and her eyelids had begun to drop.
Suddenly the silent room erupted into noise. Someone was banging hard on the door. She leapt up. Who could it be at this time. Unless, no, it couldn't be.
She was tempted to fling to door open and hear the news quickly but she restrained herself. She mustn't be stupid. In her panic ' she managed to garble out the security question.
'The last enemy to be defeated is...' she began the quote and was answered by a familiar voice responding 'death'
The second she heard the word, she tapped the door with her wand and after the lock clicked she flung it open.
'Fabian' she gasped out the second the red haired man entered the room. 'Is it do we know... do you know where it is?'
He nodded but so grimly she felt worried. 'What... Fabian... what's wrong?'
'They.. the death eaters know too' he began 'That's how we know. Snape reported it to Dumbledore'
'But' she felt lost. She felt like she ought to spring into action, but she felt so shocked her head was spinning. After months of waiting they knew where it was. the problem was, so did the death eaters.
'The death eaters will already be on their way. We need to leave now. Hestia are you ready?'
'Yes, of course' She tried to shake the doubt from her mind and sound confident but she was not sure if it worked.
'Gideon will be waiting for us there' and with that they strode out of the dark room.
Though Hestia didn't know where they were she could guess it was somewhere near the sea for the wind whipped at her hair and she could smell salt. She looked around. They stood on a dark cliff staring out to sea. Rain was lashing down and there was nothing in sight except a dirty mud path down to a tiny beach below.
'Fabian where are we?'
'Not exactly sure' he said, really inspiring her confidence, 'It's kept in 'the earth's mouth' according to Snape but how the death eaters found it or what the hell that is I have no clue'.
Despite the seriousness the situation Hestia couldn't help but laugh. 'You have never heard of the Earth's Mouth? Fabian Prewett have you ever read a book? It's legend!'
He just laughed 'Hestia darling you know I've never read a book, what's the point, you will just tell me what's in it, why waste my time?'
She sighed and then began to recite. 'The Earth's Mouth is an ancient legend. It is believed all the prophecy's of old are kept there. Prophecies from Merlin's time. Though it was believed lost for centuries many remain convinced of it's existence. I can't believe the death eaters actually found it, but it makes perfect sense our prophecy is there'
'And here endith the second lesson' Fabian added mouth twitching.
However remembering where they were he quickly returned to seriousness. 'Where the hell is Gideon we'll have t..'
CRACK at that moment a second red haired figure landed on the windswept clifftop.
'Now that we are all her shall we go then' input Hestia a little peevishly 'We've wasted enough time as it is. The death eaters could already be there.'
'Yes right sorry' said Gideon running a hand through his hair.
With that Fabian began to lead the way across the cliff top. The rock was wet and they made slow progress. 'Fabian why on earth couldn't we have apparated nearer we've been walking for ages!'
'We couldn't have done the wards are too strong, anyway we're getting close now' he replied.
After almost 20 minutes of stumbling through the darkness they arrived at a small cove, and at the far side of the damp, little beach Hestia could see a dark opening in the rock.
'Is...is that it?' we whispered over to Fabian.
They had to be quiet now for the death eaters could appear at any moment. They had their wands firmly grasped in their hands as they made their way across the beach.
'Yup' he replied grimly.
They were all thinking the same thing but Gideon was the one who voiced their fear. 'Do you... do you think they're already in there?' he muttered to the other to two.
'Only one way to find out' answered Fabian and he strode forward purposely, the others at his heels.
As they marched over the wet sand Hestia couldn't help but feel very worried. Where were the death eaters? She had to master the urge not to start firing off curses at random. Everything about this was wrong, she knew it. She could feel that the others felt the same, however no one wanted to voice their thoughts.
The walk across the small beach seemed endless and she twitched at every small noise. Eventually they reached the cave opening. 'The earth's mouth' really was a very suitable she thought to herself grimly.
They all stared at it in silence for a minute until Fabian broke the silence.
'I suppose there will be defences... I guess there's no other way to find out though'
They stepped cautiously forward but were almost immediately blocked by a invisible barrier. Hestia slowly put her hand out and felt the apparently empty air. It felt as if there was a sloid wall before them. She whispered a word and her wand began to emit a soft gold light. As soon as the light reached where the invisible barrier would be it turned poison green.
Gideon sucked in a breath. 'Strong magic we're facing'
Hestia however was not deterred. She lifted her wand and traced the rune for 'entrance' onto the door in fiery red. When that didn't work she tried the rune for 'open'.
The second she had completed the rune the air where the barrier must be began to 'shake'. The very air trembled and a bright white light whooshed over them.
A second later all was still. Fabian reached out a cautious hand and found no wall meeting his finger tips.
Just as they prepared to enter the cave, Hestia glanced around and gasped out loud.
Six figures had, at that moment, removed their disillusionment charms, and stood staring at the trio across the beach.
The twins had turned at her gasp and all three stood there for a moment transfixed.
Hestia could not see the figures faces but she knew they were leering at them across the beach.
All the at once the trio burst into action, all three sending off stunners into the darkness. In a matter of seconds they had retreated into the cave and Hestia had sealed the opening by casting the 'close' rune in the air.
With the barrier closed Hestia's breathing slowed. 'I.. Why did they just let us in. They need the prophecy too'
'We're going to fetch it for them' said Gideon looking very bitter. 'They'll be waiting for us outside, six against three. Easy fight' He snorted humourlessly.
'But.. surely' began Fabian 'we're talking about a prophecy right... they won't want to risk smashing it. Voldy wouldn't be happy'
Despite the severity of the situation Hestia couldn't help but find his ignorance slightly amusing. 'Fabian we're talking thousands of years ago. They are not going to store prophecies the same way they do today. It's very unlikely it's a glass sphere'.
'So... In summary you have no clue what we are looking for'.
Hestia bit her lip. 'Basically.. yes'.
'Well there's no point in moping you two' said Gideon 'hadn't we better look for whatever it is. After we've found it we an discuss the death eater issue'.
The cave seemed to shrink into a long, low tunnel which they practically had to crawl down. Hestia decided it wasn't the time to mention that she didn't like small spaces. She just gritted her teeth and forced herself not to think about it.
The path was most defiantly sloping downwards and in the darkness she began to ponder it's name. 'The earth's mouth' what if it just... went on forever...?
However the second this disturbing point had come to her the tunnel levelled out into a small damp chamber. In the very centre of the chamber sat a plain wooden box. She couldn't help thinking it was a bit anti-climax.
'Hestia darling... you said they were loads of prophecies here. You sure you got your legends right' asked Fabian with a irritating smirk.
She signed 'You answered your own question, Fabian DARLING. It's LEGEND it's not necessarily accurate, anyway I imagine, if this prophecy is as important as Dumbledore is making out then there would be a lot of legends around it'.
They all stared at the box for a moment until Gideon took the plunge and flipped open the lid. Inside sat one of the most strange and beautiful things she had ever seen. It was a smooth, flat circle of crystal. It was a bright white with sunlight, yellow veins winding through it. It was smaller then the palm of her hand and yet it seemed to be the only important thing in the room. It was pulsing slightly and Hestia could practically see the energy radiating off it.
There was a dew seconds of silence as they all stared at it. 'Well, it's lovely but if I remember correctly we have a meeting we some of those lovely death eaters. We wouldn't want to keep them waiting would we'
Hestia couldn't believe how flippant he was being. The death eaters had them trapped and he was making jokes. She shook her head in amazement. 'Fabian is right though' she conceded 'It would get better the longer we wait'.
Gideon slipped the prophecy into his robes and they made they way up the passage in silence. Even Fabian had no jokes to tell. They would be facing likely death in just a few minutes. Hestia bit her lip, of course it was worth it. Anything was worth it to bring He-who must-not-be-named down, however she didn't feel very brave.
Eventually they reached the rock face at the end of the passage and stood there staring at it full of foreboding. While Hestia should there practically shaking the Prewett twins seemed to be having a silent conversation above her head. After a silent few minutes Fabian turned to her.
'Hestia we are going to hold them off you have to take the prophecy and run'.
'No, I'm not leaving you. We fight together!'
He just sighed, 'Dumbledore needs the prophecy darling, we must not let the death eaters have it'
'They you take it and run!' she argued stubbornly.
'Nope not happening.' he said calmly.
'You can't make me go! I'll stay and fight you can't stop me!'
'We can't stop you but make us a promise. If something happens to us you will run, not waste time staying to fight', input Gideon.
Fabian took her face in his hands. 'Please darling, I can't let something happen to you. Just promise me that you will make sure you get through whatever happens'.
She looked right into his eyes and something unsaid passed between them, this was more then just about he prophecy and they all knew it.
'Promise me'
she gulped 'I promise'
With that Fabian turned to the wall and cast the open rune in the air, and they stepped out into the night.
Please review if you liked this. I will try to update soon.