'' While I thought that I was learning how to live, I have been learning how to die. ''
~ Leonardo da Vinci ~



Chapter 16 ~ New Barriers


Harry clenched his clenched fist around dilute air, squeezing the life out of some unseen resister within the quiet hospital wing. The silence was only broken by Kaylens'tranquil breathing place, her pectus ascension and falling as steadily as the light breeze fluttering the curtain.

He 'd been cooped up for 24-hour interval, still healing himself, and had been forced to keep an eye on her grow ever stiller. Surely he was trapped within one of the seven circles of infernal region, for each time he looked upon her his guiltiness rose like a attack, the flame threatening to consume him.

She had saved him. Despite everything he had screamingly accused her of, she had still nearly given her life for his.

Now she lay in this comatose state, and even Madam Pomfrey had been ineffectual to rouse her.

Her hide still held the paleness of death, yet to him it seemed slightly rosier.

Perhaps it was his own wishful thinking.

He rose, unable to remain still, watching her with cypher save his opinion for fellowship.

Thoughts were such poor comfort ...

Not allowed and unwilling to leave, he began sorting through the events of the by few days.

The defense, the atonement, and everything he had expected to feel were conspicuously abstracted.

Bellatrix Lestrange was dead.

So why did he feel robbed ?

The obvious answer came. Tonks had beaten him to the putting to death. She had killed the one soul who 's death he had desired above all but Voldemort himself. And now he would never have the fortune to revenge Sirius the way he had wanted.

Worst of all, Lestrange 's body was gone.

He had wanted to take care upon the lifeless nerve of Sirius'killer and spit upon it.

Now even that cruel comfort had been taken from him.

All he was left with, were unanswered doubtfulness, and this cruel circle of hell called the Hogwarts infirmary wing.

Still, the facts did not add up. destruction eater held no dedication for one another. To them zip was sacred.

Yet they had salvaged the body.

There was no coming back from the killing hex ...

So why do it ?

He had unconsciously wandered, finding himself in front of the open third floor window. The fall scented breeze blew across his bare chest of drawers, cooling him. His shirt lay discarded upon his bed, his shoulder netting recently removed, exposing the nipper marks that now indented his hide.

It was necessary, madam Pomfrey had insisted upon having his wound exposed to the air. He was to be released soon, and she needed to ascertain that it would hold up on it 's own.

His fractured scapula had been mended quickly, but werewolf wound were decelerate to heal.

It was fortunate he had not been bitten, they had said.

Was he lucky ? He was not sure. But even when Dumbledore and Tonks had come, he had felt aught but hole. His own numbness was almost enough to wish for death.

Only yesterday had Dumbledore 's weathered eyes bored into his, recounting the case in full.

'' Experimental turn, their core unknown to the Order, have been added to Voldemort 's arsenal of weaponry, Harry. Take regard ... ''

He would.

He had seen what happened to lupine first hand, for his transmutation had been triggered by the turn Lucius Malfoy had hit him with.

It had happened during the day.

Now, where Death feeder roamed, the lunar month would no longer accommodate it 's sway.

Harry shuddered in the breeze, contemplating the many revulsion Voldemort might unleash in addition to daylight roaming werewolves.

Of class there was no need to speculate. Dumbledore had told him about the barbarity of late.

forty seven innocent, four of them nestling, had walked upon the Earth. Now they lay beneath it 's unforgiving filth, removed by the ruthless actions of Voldemort 's minions.

Hermione 's parents would soon get together them, and his stale rational slope realized that when it happened, part of Hermione 's individual would be taken forever.

'' The war is escalating Harry, far more swiftly than we ever expected ... ''

He was having trouble accepting any of it, for he knew at the kernel of it, he was partly to blame.

For if he were truly the one with the power to overcome the Dark overlord, than every second he had ever spent reveling in sprightliness, and not searching for Voldemort 's death, had been another grave in the ground for the innocent.

A sore chill burned within the hook marks he bore, and he wondered if they had re-opened again, bleeding anew. He reached a deal back, gingerly touching it, the line upon his digit confirming his suspiciousness.

It was tentative he would be permitted to leave soon.

'' That 's disgusting. ``

His froze, turning from the window. He stared, taking her in as she blinked the sleep from her eyes, squinting in the morning sunlight.

'' You 're waken, '' He stated, slightly stunned. He had begun to wonder if she ever would.

She smiled weakly. `` You 're observant. ``

'' You were out for five days. ``

She paled considerably.

He was slow to reclaim, and debated getting gentlewoman Pomfrey. But she would be back soon, to match on his own wounds. She could recover her awake then. Besides, he was afraid to leave her alone for even a secondment, fearful that she might fall into that eternal slumber once more.

'' So how is it ? '' Her vocalism was barely above a susurration.

He studied her, thinking about how to reply. His pride made him hesitant to admit weakness, but her optic ...

She would discern a lie if he told it, he realized, deciding on the truth.

'' Painful, '' He watched her eyes flutter shut. `` You ? ''

'' Like underworld ... '' She murmured.

'' You look it. ``

She graced him with a wry grinning, a lock of hair falling into her eyes. She looked almost annoyed.

She reached up, brushing the lock aside, revealing her deathly blench peel. Her controlled front exposed her own pain to him in a way no words could.

As did her articulatio radiocarpea. His eye caught upon the dark bruise encircling it.

He crossed to her, catching her wrist gently. She glanced up, hazel center narrowed in confusion.

'' You bruise easily do n't you ? '' He asked, cautiously turning her hand in his. It was so finespun he was afraid it would break promote than it already had from her fall.

Her eyes traveled to where his fingers lay.

'' Apparently, '' Her voice was so faint ...

'' Pomfrey said she had taken care of this, '' He whispered aloud, gently relinquishing her hand. She let it return upon her pillow, besides her grimace. `` Your bones may not have healed properly. ``

She flexed it back and Forth, grimacing slightly. `` It 's amercement. ``

'' Right, '' He said skeptically, withdrawing to the bed across from her, sitting upon the taunt sheet of paper.

It was funny remark, but had she had woken a few Day earlier he probably would have demanded answers, answers about how she knew lupine, about what she really did or did not love about last eater, but after days of sitting there, watching her frail figure sleep, the mere thought of interrogating her bothered him.

His result could look, for a little while at least.

'' Tonks stopped by earliest, '' He said, breaking the silence. `` She said Lupin sends his beloved. ``

Her eyes opened hopefully. `` So he 's ... ''

'' Yeah, '' He finished.

She sunk farther into the mattress. `` Thank God. Finally something 's gone right. ``

She lay there, so still, for so long, he would have sworn she slept. It was part fear, fear that she would not wake up, that drove him to the admission.

'' You saved my animation, '' He said quietly.

She stretched ever so slightly, the sheets sliding away to reveal her bare toes. Her typeface relaxed, almost serenely. `` You saved mine first. ``

He wanted to argue, but lacked the center, watching how her eyes broke from his, dancing away.

'' That fall down the stairs you took ... I probably would n't let held up as well. ``

Looking at how slight she seemed, he realized she spoke the truth.

It was then that Pomfrey walked in.

He tore his eyes from her, and allowed Pomfrey to fuss over him willingly this time.
* * * * *


Several days later he had been prepped to leave. His left arm hung loose in a sling, preventing unneeded drift.

lupin 's hook had torn into him just beneath his shoulder joint blade, right where various brawn came together. Apparently re-growing musculus was as tricky as re-growing bones.

He still needed to talk to Kaylens, but she slept. They had not shared a Word since she had first awoken, contentedness to sit there in silence. He was debating whether or not to break that silence when a thwarted looking Ron walked in.

Looking at Ron, he realized that there were other thing that had to be taken care of get-go.

He had been dreading this conversation for daytime. Ron and Hermione would want response. Answers about his absence ... Answers about what had occurred in Dumbledore 's billet daylight earlier ... Answers about Voldemort 's intrusions into his judgment ...

resolution he could not give.

How could he explain the pressing he felt, or Voldemort 's usurpation, without revealing the contents of the prophecy ?

How could he explicate what had gone on at Sirius', without revealing all he had seen ?

And how could he excuse why Hermione 's parents had been taken from her ? They would never have 'because of me'as an answer.

He threw a last glance at Kaylens'sleeping signifier. They would talk later. He promised himself that.

He and Ron stepped into the Radclyffe Hall. It was mercifully vacant, making the stone-lined corridor appear farsighted than usual.

It had been over a week since he and Kaylens had disappeared from the Headmaster 's office, and one of the finis strong weekends of the twelvemonth had driven the pupil body outside.

As for him, during that meter, Voldemort had left his intellect alone. He had felt the source of an intrusion twenty-four hours earlier, but Riddle had withdrawn, sensing that his decision had not yet been made.

riddle had given him More time due to his injury, and for that, Harry had to give him credit.

As evil as Voldemort was, the animal had some class.

They walked in quiet, Ron 's eyes darting towards him. He knew Ron was trying to decide what was safe to discuss.

Harry decided to spare him the awkwardness. `` How 's Hermione ? ``

Ron shrugged despondently. `` How do you think she 's doing ? ``

'' Not near, '' The absence of multitude made the corridor cavernous, and his breath echoed quietly.

'' Harry what 's going on ? ``

I wish I knew Ron ... His own frustration at this selfsame head had been building inside for days. Dumbledore had told him some, but there was still the question of Kaylens. How did she fit into all of this ? Did she even ? And Voldemort ... There had to be more to it, because the piece Dumbledore had told him did not fit with what he had seen through Voldemort 's own eyes.

Not to refer the vaticination. How in the hell was he supposed to beat out him ?

There were too many query to answer, before the most crucial 1 could even be framed.

They walked the relaxation of the way in silence.

Hermione was there, waiting for them in the hollow dormitory room, sprawled out with a account book on Ron 's bed. Her eyes were rimmed with dark roach, standardised to Kaylens.

misery loves companionship, he thought. Ron sat besides her, placing a hand on her book binding. Only then did she seem to realise they were there.

'' Harry ... H-how are you ? ``

He smiled for her benefit. `` The question is, how are you ? ``

She shrugged, re-burying her nose into her book. `` They would n't let us see you. ``

'' I know. ``

'' Why ? '' Ron asked.

Harry dropped his bag onto the bed, and began removing the few belongings Pomfrey had brought down for him. `` Dumbledore 's orders. '' His optic would not meet theirs.

Ron frowned. `` His reason ? ``

So he could have time to brief us on what we could or could not say to you, he thought.

'' He did n't want us seen. We were n't in ... '' He shrugged with one shoulder. `` No one should own seen us after it okay ? ``

Hermione 's oculus roamed, landing on his catapult.

He caught the unspoken doubt. `` wolfman wounds are slow to mend. ''

They both looked at him as if he were a new species.

'' W-were you ... ? '' Ron stammered.

'' No. I was not bitten. ``

Hermione looked unbelieving. `` Harry that 's not possible. ``

'' Why ? '' She cringed at his forcefulness.

'' Because the good moon is n't until ... ''

'' This weekend. Yes I know 'Mione. ``

'' Then how could a wolfman ... ''

His reflection turned grave. `` There are path. ``

Hermione was no longer even trying to translate, her voice unusually high. `` That ca n't be. A werewolf ca n't change out of lunar sequence ... ''

'' Do n't be so certainly of that, '' He said bitterly.

Ron looked between them. `` How ? How could it Harry ? ``

Harry stared him down, unflinching. `` Voldemort. ''

Ron 's dingy optic widened, his freckles standing out against his paling skin, putting two and two together. `` So when you and Kaylens went to see lupin ... ''

'' He turned. Yes. ``

'' pigeon hawk ... '' Ron whispered, unconsciously rubbing Hermione 's spinal column harder.

'' Harry I do n't understand, '' She said haltingly, shoving her book of account away, it 's pages flapping lifelessly as it fell to the floor. She spared it not a glimpse. `` Please Harry. What 's going on ? ``

'' Too lots to explain easily, 'Mione. ''

Ron took Hermione 's hired man almost naturally. `` Then drive your time mate. jump from the showtime. ''

Harry shook his head, hating himself. `` Fine, the first then .... '' He steadied himself, and met Hermione 's almost pleading gaze.

'' You both already know that Voldemort has not given me a moment 's peace since last summer. It 's a private battle between him and I. We 're both fighting for information, about the early position 's advent and goings, about how much the other slope knows ... ''

He talked steadily, opening his dressing table draftsman to put clothing away. His actions, however menial, lent a gumption of normality to the otherwise ominous conversation.

'' Your parents 'Mione, he said he will release them, '' He ignored her aspiration of breather. `` If I tell him what the subject of the prophecy were. ``

Her look drooped. `` But how could you ? It broke ... '' She glanced at Ron, searching for check, repeating herself now. `` You ca n't love what it said. Could you ? ``

He found himself nodding. `` Yes, Hermione. It broke. But I still know what it said. ``

The silence that followed occupied years within his idea, yet it lasted no more than 3 seconds.

'' What did it say ? '' She questioned cautiously.

He remained silent, until her beseeching vocalization broke again.

'' Harry, please ... ''

'' Do n't ask me Hermione, not again. It is something I can not share. ``

The betrayed looks upon their faces nearly broke his smell.

Hermione 's mouth opened and closed wordlessly. It was Ron who finally gave vocalisation to their thought. `` Why Harry ? Why ca n't you share it ? ``

'' You would not want to hear it. ``

'' How could we not ? Harry this is all we 've worked for ! Did it say how we can stupefy him ... ''

He swallowed hard. `` No Ron. ``

'' Then why wo n't ... ''

'' No. ``

Ron 's voice was hard. `` Then if not us, him ? It could pull through 'Mione 's ... ''

The accusation in Ron 's vocalism was too a lot. He could ingest no More. `` Because I ca n't Ron ! Don't you think I would if I could ? ``

Ron shook his head. `` I do n't be intimate anymore Harry. ``

Harry was having trouble keeping his part level. `` Ron, if I tell him there is no understanding for him to keep the sodbuster live anymore. It 's our biggest bargaining chip. ``

Hermione sounded so low now. `` But V-voldemort said he 'd ... he 'd l-let them g-go ... ''

His jaw dropped. Hermione was smarter than this was n't she ? `` I 'm sorry Hermione but once I tell him .... ''

'' He 'd let them go, '' Ron interrupted. `` shuffle him release one at least Harry ! Then tell him for God 's sakes ! What could it suffer ? ! Bargain with him ! ``

Harry lost his solitaire. `` Do n't you guys get it ? ! This is Voldemort we are talking about ! '' They both cringed at the gens, his vocalization rising. `` This is n't some war game were playing against the Slytherins ! This is real life story ! Voldemort is eviler that either of you can even guess ... ''

'' Really ? '' Ron countered. `` Were we or were we not there with you Harry ? Huh ? Did we not see what he was capable of at the department of Mysteries ? ``

Harry shook his head, never more life-threatening. `` No Ron. You did n't. '' He felt almost sorry at Ron 's crestfallen look. `` You only saw what destruction Eaters were capable of. That is nothing compared to him. ``

'' Harry then why do n't you just tell us how he ... '' Hermione started miserably.

'' Because Hermione ! There 's no way to explain it ... ''

'' There 's no motivation to yell at her mate, '' Ron said coolly.

He laughed bitterly. `` Oh but there is Ron. Because after everything we 've been through you 'd think you would both hope my judgment on this ... ''

'' No, '' Ron squeezed Hermione 's hand and stood. `` Because we remember where your judgement got Sirius. ``

Harry felt as if his inside had frozen. There was no arguing this.

'' If you had only listened to Hermione it would n't have happened, '' Ron continued icily. `` And now your hesitation concerning this prognostication may get her parents killed as well. ``

Hermione had begun tugging on his handwriting frantically. `` Ron ... ''

'' No Hermione. He needs to take heed this. Because it 's like he does n't even trust us ... ''

'' I do trust you, '' Harry whispered.

Ron 's eyebrows raised so far they disappeared beneath his hair. `` Really ? ! Then why did you hardly breath a Word of God to us all summer ? Why wo n't you babble out to us now ? ``

'' I am talking ... ''

'' No. Your blocking Harry. Like in chess. '' Ron pointed his baton out the doorway, summoning the chess game board from the common room. Levitating it, Ron cleared the panel save for the instrument, queen, and queen of both side, his brow furrowed in compactness. He then moved the pawns so they protectively surrounded the Riley B King and queen on one side, leaving the other side 's king and queen unprotected.

'' The way I see it Harry, all you have left are pawn. '' Ron continued, gesturing to the protected face of the panel. `` So instead of risking everything to take my business leader, you 're protecting yours. ``

Ron moved a cat's-paw on Harry 's side away. `` You 're afraid that if you move your pawns for a second, that I might get in and take your tycoon. ``

Ron 's queen shot forward, moving through the possible action Harry 's cat's-paw had left, taking his tabby out with a violent whack of her chair. She then stood, posed to take his king on the next move.

'' The business leader represents everything your keeping from us Harry. '' He continued seriously. `` You wo n't let your king be taken, because if that happens ... ''

The Bromus secalinus board folded in on itself, slamming to the floor.

'' plot over. ``

Harry shook his point, unable to deny Ron 's accusation.

He was right. And for the beginning metre Harry realized how truly different he was from them.

He loved them, but Ron and Hermione could never ploughshare his incumbrance, no matter how much they wanted to.

The sound of the metaphorical rampart falling between them filled his mind, and Ron spoke again.

'' Game over Harry. Only you're the only one who knows what game were playing. ``
* * * * *


Harry tromped through the corridor, feeling risky than he had thought possible. He preferred feeling numb, at least then he felt nothing at all.

They simply did not understand. Not that he had expected them to. Things were too dangerous now. Voldemort had made a hobby out of extinguishing anyone close to his heart, and he was not about to fill up Ron and Hermione 's forefront with anything that might form them more tempting targets than they already were.

Which was why he had flat out refused to divulge anything else, and held his undercoat about not revealing the prognostication to Voldemort. Not even for Hermione ....

Ron had stormed out telling him to 'keep his secret'and Hermione had plead with him to 'not keep out them out .'

The choice was no longer his.

No longer would they be privy to Harry Potter 's bad decisions.

They would n't end up like Sirius.

He knew exactly where he was going, and rounded the corner to the hospital backstage. His foul mood only increased when gentlewoman Pomfrey stuck out her pass, a forced smiling plastered upon it, and asked him to wait.

The door slammed and the sound of contestation resumed. Dumbledore 's voice caught his attention. What was he doing in the hospital annex ? Perhaps to see Kaylens, but he had already visited them once. It was n't like the Headmaster to visit student though. And he should know, he had been in the hospital wing too many times to count, but could look Dumbledore 's visits there on one hand.

A disturbing thought struck him. What if Kaylens had gotten big ?

He reached into his pouch and withdrew the extendable ear he had taken to carrying at all sentence. His decision made he slipped it beneath the door.

Madam Pomfrey 's reproving tone came out clearly. `` ... cellular phone need to rejuvenate before you can even attempt to do magic again. ``

'' But I 'm behind enough as it is ! '' Kaylens ... A twisting wave of ministration washed through him. And to think, normally he had trouble resisting the urge to muffle her.

Dumbledore spoke now. `` Miss Kaylens I do n't believe Remus would want you over-exerting ... ''

'' wellspring I 'm not particularly concerned with what he thinks at the moment. ``

The muteness was palpable, and he shifted nervously. She was O.K., now that he knew this he really shouldn't be listening ...

Yet something about Dumbledore 's tone made him. As outwardly true as the schoolmaster had been with him lately, his faith in the man was still recovering. It had been shattered too skillfully the previous year.

'' Kalliandra, we did not want you burdened with this. ``

'' Considering that I 'm the one you ca n't bring around, do n't you think that should have been my conclusion ? ``

Cure ? His venter lurched dangerously.

'' Kalliandra, looking at it as a death sentence will not help matters. ``

Her voice was strained. `` You 're powerful. Nothing will. You know that the odds ... ''

'' Are only as good as you make them, '' Dumbledore finished. `` That is precisely why we did not want to charge you with this. ``

'' I 'd prefer the incumbrance, '' Kaylens hissed, her voice suddenly stronger. `` Now is there anything else your keeping from me ? '' Her voice was strained and accusing. `` Because I 'd like to sleep together before I read about it in some stupid record. ``

Silence.

'' I thought so. ''

His integral trunk shook unsteadily. So much so that the approaching footsteps did not register until the threshold had swung clear in straw man of him, revealing a pale looking Kalliandra.

He could only gaze, dustup abandoning him. Her eyes had caught on the extendable ear.

Her garment bag slipped down on her shoulder, her entire form quivering.

'' potter ... '' She whispered chokingly. She locked eye with him, her expression stunned.

A second later she was gone. The glistening of her eyes the abrasive reproach he had ever seen.





'' Just as courage imperils sprightliness, fear protects it. ''
~ Leonardo da Vinci da Vinci ~



Chapter 17 ~ Kunnskap

Kunnskap is Norweigan for Knowledge



She shoved open up the incoming room access, leaving the secure lobby of the school behind, and walked out onto the rapidly cooling system grounds. She blinked back the wet that lingered within her centre. No weeping would diminish, no topic how hard they threatened. This she promised herself.

She was furious, but her anger paled in comparability to her ego loathing. She had been so unbelievably stupid ! It had been bad enough to trust Remus, but to have nearly let down that barrier again ...

'' Dam n't ceramist ! '' She swore quietly.

Despite the pain they had been in, the time spent within the infirmary wing had been pleasant. She and ceramicist had dwelt in silent companionship, both knowing there were affair that needed to be discussed. Despite that he had not pressed her to lecture, instead he had seemed to calmly accept her silence.

This change had been oddly comforting.

At least until she had stormed out, to find him standing there with an extendable ear.

She kicked the ground, scattering dirt in her wake.

She could not fathom why she had thought he would let her proceed her arcanum. But she had been a thoroughgoing sucker for entertaining the notion.

And for some rationality his small betrayal hurt her.

Gods ... She turned her tear filled eyes towards the sky, tracing along the darkening swarm, and noted how low they hung. It was the incoming tempest that had drawn her outdoors after all. The strange feeling slithering through her, as if static electrical energy were tickling her very clamber, had been hard to ignore.

She reveled in the pocket-sized beguilement from her thought process, and allowed herself to simply feel.

The looming swarm pulsated with fluid vibrations, their rhythmical throbbing pulsated within her very blood, and her whisker stood on end as if one had just run a balloon through her hair.

The storm front rolled in above her, and the more astute of her compeer began to manoeuvre indoors. The area surrounding the lake had been the first of the grounds to be abandoned, and her fundament led her there.

She wanted the seclusion.

She had grown so utilize to despair, to feeling only unceasing indifference, punctuated by binge of undiluted ira, that she had forgotten how to feel something as human being as fear.

Everything had happened so fast the day she had received the shopkeepers note, and there had been no clock time for the common cold verity to slide down in. Only over the past day, as she and Potter had lain there in secretiveness, had it finally registered.

Pomfrey 's words had just driven it home.

Somehow, hearing the therapist 's Word had made it really, and now fear held her heart in a vice grip.

Despite the fear, she felt oddly detached, each aching step reminding her how she had already nearly died from her stout with the werewolf.

Perhaps death would be a blessing. She just had matter to do before it found her.

The palpitation in the gamy sky were back, and she cringed at the electrical energy there. Being a part of such affair, feeling such things, was not always pleasant.

It was often painful.

She rubbed her weapon system against the chill winding, thankful that God had some sense of commiseration. Fortunately for her, the human mind could only register pain as abnormal for so long, before it accepted the pain as the constant state of involvement. Then it would be ignored.

Oddly enough, it was very like to how the fragrant fragrance of roses would subside, if one were to stand amongst them, breathing them in for too farseeing.

Still, acclimatization could only do so very much, and her dead body ached, protesting constantly.

Instead of leaving the footing at the threat of rain, she continued meandering across the grounds, walking the circumference of the lake, observing it carefully.

She took it all in with her normal perceptiveness. There were spots where the curtilage ended, dropping off sharply to meet the duckweed covered open of the water.

In other smirch the undercoat gradually sloped down, kissing the lake 's rippling waves. There the nighttime earthly concern was muddied, imprinted with the footprints of those who had braved the shallow to float, before the weather had cooled in aftermath of the ingress afternoon storm.

She passed by both these expanse, heading closer to the Forbidden Forest. Here she kicked off her place, allowing them to swing freely from one hand as she picked her way across the far end of the lake. Here small Harlan Fiske Stone formed a natural beach, and she sat down near the bound, letting her fingerbreadth trail across the rough pebbled sharpness beneath her.

She accumulated a small appeal of flat bottomed sway, gathering them within her hired hand, and she cast the first across the unagitated water, breaking it 's glassy Earth's surface.

The giant squid lazily reached out a tentacle, swatting at and missing the cast stone.

She smiled ruefully, casting another towards him. This metre the tentacle swung and connected, sending the stone flying high above her header.

A low rumble filled the sky, and the altocumulus cloud swarm dipped threateningly broken, wafting the odour of rain upon the breeze towards her. The sky had grown darker, and she vaguely remembered the afternoons she and Sean had once spent, skipping stones across the lake near their household home.

But there had been no elephantine calamary to wreak with there.

She skipped another.

A overweight pink tentacle connected with it, hurtling it back.

To the slope of her came an unmistakable grunt.
* * * * *


Harry winced, rubbing his forehead. That was definitely going to impart a Deutsche Mark.

It had taken him all of thirty moment to decide to come her. The memory of her watery center had been alarming, and he could n't let her leave like that, not when she did n't understand.

He cast a limelight at the giant squid, approaching her cautiously, carefully trying to not drop away upon the slick rocks as he walked down towards her.

He treaded as close as he dared, pausing to hover uncertainly. Her shoulder had stiffened at his shout, the merely augury to indicate that she was cognizant of his presence.

He swallowed hard. From where he stood besides her, he could see the drawn line of her lips, and how her oculus gazed, almost longingly across the night surface of the lake. He followed her gaze, the first drop cloth of pelting drizzling upon them.

The lake 's once glossy exterior now moved with a biography of its own. Each raindrop sending circular riffle outwards, each upset merging with the early line spreading across its control surface. The effect was entrancing, and he drew his centre away from the view before him, to the girlfriend before him. She was why he had ventured out here, despite the threatening storm.

'' What are you doing out here ? '' He asked carefully. Another rock'n'roll of scag shuddered the sky, drowning him out, and the giant squid disappeared beneath the lake 's surface.

'' Enjoying the sunshine, '' Her haircloth fluttered lightly around her face. `` I thought it would be obvious. ``

'' It 's not, '' He responded, the farting carrying his voice.

muteness reigned for some time, broken only by the increasing rhythm of rain, pattering around them. The water system gradually matted his unruly hair to his frontal bone, and Kaylen 's halcyon hair darkened with saturation.

She sat with a relaxed air, unbothered by the icy droplets pouring down. Slowly, with manifest pain in her bowel movement, she scooted closer to the lake 's edge, dipping her pes into the churning water as casually as if it were a mid-summer day, rather than a windy October soaker. Never once did she look at him.

Her shoulders were nude, and her soften hair clung to them. He was close enough to notice the slight goose swelling prickling across her pale skin.

The conversation he had overheard forced it 's way to the forefront of his nous as he watched her shiver.

Kaylens was cast ...

'' Here, '' He said, shattering their verbal lapse. He picked his way across the pebbly decay to her, shrugging out of his cloak. He felt no clumsiness as he picked up her damp hairsbreadth, draping it across her berm.

She looked up, turning her questioning regard towards him. He was at a passing, for the glossiness of her eyes could not be from rain water alone.

'' You 'll er ... well you 're soaked ... ''

Her centre held his, and for the most evanesce of seconds the hunch he was so habituate to seeing vanished. `` Thank you, '' She murmured, inclining her head to the position besides her.

He lowered himself besides her, afraid to speak. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. Never before had he been so dreaded of reprimand. His chance may take in lasted thus far, but even he would not blame her for screaming if she so chose.

For once he could admit to deserving it, and her silent acceptance of his presence was unnerving.

The sky thundered, lighting up as lighting flashed high in the cloud. It struck him as extremely unwise to be in their view, so fold to water.

'' We should go in. '' His voice lacked conviction.

With the back of her articulatio radiocarpea she rubbed the water from her eyes.

'' Well ? '' Above the rumbling overhead he could assure she was speaking louder. Though the difference was barely discernable.

'' Well what ? ''

'' I doubt you came here out of concern for my well being, '' She said, staring resolutely across the lake.

He opened his mouth to explain that that was exactly why he had come, but she went on.

'' And since there are no conversations going on for you to listen to, I 'm wondering what your doing here. '' Another flare of lightning illuminated her soaked features, and he found himself drawn towards her serene expression, confounded by her lyric.

Despite their content, her pure tone held no trace of the conversant sarcasm or malice.

Instead she sounded curious.

The actualization sent an out of place grin across his face.

'' Kaylens, you would n't think me if I told you. ``

'' Try me. ``

'' I came to apologize. ``

To his surprise, she actually laughed. The auditory sensation had a haunting quality to it, for it blended artfully with the wind howling around them. The storm had crept upon them fast.

'' You 're right. '' She said, shaking her wet tomentum out in vain. `` I do n't. ``

He seized the opportunity to save her talking. `` Well I am. Kaylens I ... ''

'' How much did you listen ? '' Her regard turned pointedly down.

He sighed in frustration. `` Enough to know that you should n't be out in this pelter. ``

She nodded, closing her middle as if pained. `` You have no idea how wrong you are. ''

He frowned. `` I would if you just talked to me. ``

The look she shot him could silence the Lucifer himself. `` And why should I ? You have n't been the portrayal of honesty Potter. ``

'' Perhaps if you would just listen you would find out. ``

She did not answer. Instead, she tilted her font towards the sky, allowing the rainfall to pour over her more freely. Her fuzz fell away from her berm, revealing her farsighted neck. She remained this way for what may have been simple moment, but to him, felt like hours.

'' okeh Potter, '' She finally breathed. `` Try me. ''

Such was his astonishment that for once, he did not hesitate.

And he explained.

He explained why he had followed her that day into Knockturn skittle alley, how her stubborn refusal to serve enquiry about Death feeder had led him, to what he hoped, were legal injury supposition, and how, after days of watching her in a comatose state, he had feared that she had fallen ill once again.

He spoke to her, the rain cascading down their eubstance as they sat, keeping each other 's friend, the storm forgotten. Several times she made to move, shaking her head disbelievingly, but his hand on her arm silenced her refutes. By the time he was done, a sad verbalism had crossed her features.

He studied her, puzzled. `` smell, Kaylens I did n't mean to upset you if ... ''

She shivered noticeably, shaking her sopping haircloth. `` No, it 's not that potter ... '' She trailed off, showing no intent of finishing.

He swallowed hard. God he just wanted things to be okay between them. There was still so practically to talk about ...

'' Kaylens are ... ''

Her saying darkened at his words, and she stood abruptly, her shivering more pronounced.

'' We should go in, '' She stated, interrupting him.

He nodded disappointedly, noting that the storm showed no sign of relenting soon, and stood with her. He already felt bad that they had stayed out there so long.

The second he was up she unceremoniously shoved his cloak back into his subdivision. He looked at it in surprise, and was about to argue, noting how far a walk to the school it still was, when he realized that she had already spun and taken off into the downpour.

'' Wait ! '' He called, utterly confused. He stumbled after her, slipping on the wet rocks, and caught up to her on the grass.

'' Kaylens keep it. You 'll suspend otherwise. '' He went to cloak it across her shoulders but she brushed him off.

'' I 'm ok, '' She said grimacing. `` Really, '' She added, seeing his disbelieving aspect.

He matched her stride determinedly, noticing the reemergence of her stubborn stripe, and threw it around her anyway. `` Kaylens if you 're tired of you 're wearing this until we 're inside. I don't care ... ''

She whorled on him, looking disturbingly upset, her skin dangerously pale. `` look, Potter ... Do yourself a favor okay ? Do n't care about me. ``

He found himself shaking, be it from the frigidity or the icy palor of her skin, he did not know, yet all thoughts of lecture were driven away.

It was as if she were transforming before him. Her icy barriers that he had not even noticed to be missing before, were coming back. What had he done to cause this ? A few indorsement ago they had been on almost civil terms.

The thought of her hating him again churned his stomach. He could n't grant it ...

She was backing away from him. `` In fact ... '' She continued, sounding like a frightened animal. `` For your own good, just remain the Inferno away from me. ``

She took off, leaving him standing there stunned, his sopping wet cloak on the dingy ground.
* * * * *


Over the past few twenty-four hour period, since Kaylens had left him standing there in the pouring rainwater, Harry 's humor had not improved.

He just did not translate what he had done, and every clip he caught a glimpse of her he felt sick.

Everytime he had seen her, she had been with Draco Malfoy ...

The fact that he still had a lift intuition that she was clueless as to what a end Eater was did not aid matters.

It was enough for him to nearly send swearword flying. At Luna 's insistence, he had taken to kicking courting of armor instead.

Apparently the metallic noise made by kicking something draw in Crumple Horned Snorkacks.

Or something like that.

His chemical reaction was puzzling, even to him. He could not deny that he felt oddly protective of her. How could he not ? He had spent far too often time watching over her in the hospital wing, and the thought of encourage harm coming to her drove him mad.

Perhaps that was why he felt so crushed now that the fragile rapport he had, for a few exhilarating instant, thought they had built, had shattered.

But still ... He could not fathom what it was he had said wrong. All he knew was that she was no foresighted openly unfriendly towards him. Instead she avoided him like the plague.

He had seen her alone that very sunup, and it had taken all his patience to forfend hexing her into next week when she had practically sprinted down the hall to let the cat out of the bag to James Dean, upon catching sight of him.

Hades, he had come damn near closer to hexing her and Malfoy in Defense Against the nighttime liberal arts that very day. He had walked in to find her and Malfoy chatting in shut up whisper, bent over parchment.

The second he had come within earshot the parchment had been rolled up and farce hastily into Malfoy 's Bible satchel.

Kaylens had refused to see at him. But he had not failed to notice how her workforce shook for the residual of division.

It had been well-heeled to notice since he had been sitting alone. Ron and Hermione had holed themselves up on the former side of the way. And unlike Kaylens and Hermione, who contented themselves to avoiding him, Ron had made variation of sending unfriendly glares his way.

At least the uncongenial looks from his roommates were perceivable. He had had another crimson dream with Voldemort that calendar week, and had woken up in a right State, screaming at every one of them.

Even the suits of armour had taken to cursing him when he walked by. Apparently they did n't like attracting afore mentioned snorkacks.

semen to think of it, the only when somebody talking to him now seemed to be Luna. And since she was in the yr below him, he found himself sitting alone in classes, and eating lunch at the Ravenclaw table.

In brusk, the week had passed by in a dizzying haze.

Fortunately it would soon be over. Luna had already expressed her intent to get his thinker off of thing, and was planning on forcibly dragging him to Hogsmeade.

He actually did n't bear in mind the idea.

He finally reached the doorway, and Crusantheus surprisingly opened without ailment, revealing Dumbledore 's agency. He stepped in for his lessons, removing his wand in preparation.

'' That will be unnecessary today Harry. '' Dumbledore said, catching sight of him from behind his desk.

Perhaps it was because his persuasion had been elsewhere, but the thought of a wandless Occlumency lesson caught him off guard. He furrowed his brow questioningly.

Dumbledore caught the unspoken doubt. `` Tonight, I have something unlike planned. Besides, I have taught you all I can regarding Occlumency Harry. The rest is up to you. ``

Somehow Harry strongly disagreed with this. If he had learned all there was to know about Occlumency, he would not still be having violent nightmares. `` professor, in all due respect, if I had actually learned everything would n't I be well ... estimable at this then ? ``

Dumbledore cracked a smile. `` Ah, you see Harry, therein lies the difference. You have learned all I have to teach about Occlumency. That is an entirely different matter from mastering the discipline. ''

Harry was stunned, all old thought and irritation at the Professor driven from his mind.

Never in his life would he feature imagined Dumbledore being unable to instruct him something.

'' Occlumency, Harry, is less about erecting mental barriers, and to a greater extent about controlling one 's emotions. Keeping your emotions hidden from the enemy is of extreme importance. And frankly, gets easier with age. '' Dumbledore stood with a rather large feathering duster and began to attack a disgruntled portrait with it.

'' Harry, you have become quite star at creating barriers, visualizing a brick rampart is your barrier of choice is it not ? '' Harry nodded but Dumbledore was continuing. `` But the solely way to strengthen that wall at this point, is to learn to disguise your emotions. ``

Harry stared somewhat unabashedly as the previous headmistress made a rather crude hand gesture.

'' Er ... Professor ? '' He questioned hesitantly. `` What exactly do you mean by 'masking'them ? ``

'' Ah, not explaining myself very well am I ? ``

He valued his education far too much to respond truthfully.

'' wellspring Harry, when one sifts through your mind, painful memories can get unearthed. It 's natural to recall the emotions these experiences caused you. Such a distraction is all the enemy would need to dig deeply into your psyche. '' Dumbledore was carrying on with all the air of one discussing a weekend junket. `` And you have no dearth of terrible remembering Harry. It would be quite promiscuous for Voldemort to find one to use against you. ``

He did not need Dumbledore to differentiate him that, he had already re-lived the guilty conscience of Sothis'last all summer.

'' So are you going to pee me relive those memory for practice ? '' He asked, somewhat apprehensive.

Dumledore turned to appear at him, balancing precariously on the BM he was using to reach ole Phinneus'portrait. `` Why of grade not. Certainly, I could go sifting about through your mind, forcing you to recall bad sentence in your living. But dredging up old memories and forcing you to deal with them would only help you build up up indifference. We do n't want that. ``

Dumbledore turned back and shoved the plume smock right where Phinneus'nerve had just re-appeared. The late headmaster cringed and jumped out of the frame again.

'' Harry, what we do require, is for you to come to terminus with the crueler region of your past. And only you can fix what those full term are. But I dare remind you, there is a difference between allowing the preceding to prompt you, and allowing the yesteryear to hold you. ''

Dumbledore jumped down from the potty, wiping his dusty hands on his robe. `` Well now that's done. Now I have something to show you. ``

He beckoned him to where he stood, withdrawing a worn, leather bound book from one of his ledge. `` You know, I almost lost this after that squabble yourself, Mr. Weasley, and Ms. Kaylens had the other day Harry. '' He peered down his spectacles at him. `` I trust that is now resolved ? ``

Harry found himself oddly stuttering. `` S-sort of ... ''

Dumbledore shrugged. `` well, give it clip, give it time. It may take her awhile to open up to anyone, seeing as how affair are. ''

The schoolmaster was running his sceptre up and down the spine of the Word in an odd zig-zag pattern, muttering something about mothballs. A tatty 'pop'was heard, making Harry jump, and the book sprang out of Dumbledore 's workforce, falling open on the table before them.

'' Now this Harry, is something you will not have seen, nor heard of before. ``

Harry had to admit that Dumbledore was dead on.

Inside the spread out Word of God, where the page should have been, lay a pink layer of fog. There was a sense of profoundness to the DoI of it, and Harry had the vague sense that another property lay just beyond the peacefully convolution.

Dumbledore reached his hand into it. `` It is a rather cunning concealment spot for things. Not only is the locking mechanics for it rather slippery, but only a hand with my DNA could achieve into this and still find their hired hand attatched. ``

Harry had been unconsciously leaning forward, trying to peer through the fog, but at this say-so took a stride back. Dumbledore 's hired man fished around blindly for a few mo, before emerging with a silvery chain. A minor phial was attached to the end of it.

The schoolmaster shut the book, muttering a few charms, and replaced it upon the shelf. `` This is something that I have been wanting to give you for quite some clock time Harry. But until recently, the opportunity had not presented itself. The fact that it had not, is entirely my mistake, and for that I am sorry. ``

The schoolmaster, indeed, truly looked sorry. In fact he was looking rather grave all of a sudden. `` Ever since the day that cursed vaticination was made Harry, myself and a few others have been working on this. I still feel that it is woefully inadequate, but for now, it is all I can pass on you. ''

At this pronouncement, Dumbledore handed the ampoule over. Harry took it with no small measure of trepidation. The phial, Harry found, was surprisingly warm

'' The ampule you now hold is a special flesh of pensieve, Harry. '' Dumbledore said by way of explanation. `` It is called a Kunnskap. It means knowledge. And unlike normal pensieves, it does not have an limitless capacity. It can only contain a select few retentivity, and I believe that there are 81 unlike lessons contained within this one. ''

Only eighty-one ? He thought, slightly amused by the master definition of only. He turned the phial within his hands, noting that unlike in Dumbledore 's pensieve, blue specification darted to and fro within the silvery substance here, colliding frequently to emit dark green sparks. It was like watching the reflection of pyrotechnic in a silvery pond, only on a toy scale.

A thought occurred to him.

'' What do you mean by lessons, Professor ? '' He asked curiously.

'' I was just getting to that. '' Dumbledore replied, looking strained. `` But given the risk that you have been in ever since that cursed divination was made, I wanted to have a way of preserving, and passing on, noesis of sure spell to you. ``

The Headmaster paused, shutting the leather loudness. Whisps of curling pinko tendrils snuck out around the edges as he placed it back upon the shelf.

'' prison term were dark. '' He continued gravely. `` I did not roll in the hay how many of us would survive, but we knew it was essential to pass on our knowledge to the next coevals. This was our way of ensuring that at least one good wizard recieved that if the spoiled were to happen. ``

Such a glum pronouncement chilled him, for in admitting that he had once prepared for the regretful, Dumbledore had admitted to his own mortality.

Despite his irritation and wrath at all the schoolmaster had withheld over the class, the sentiment of a individual Dumbledore shook his conception of a stable universe.

The headmaster motioned Harry into a plush plum armchair, unmindful to his pupil 's drab cerebration.

'' Over the geezerhood, myself, and others within the old Order, added pick out pieces of knowledge that we wanted to depart to you, to this. You 'll even find some of my old school day lessons there. thing like apparition, curse-breaking, animagus studies ... They are all in there. ``

Harry listened intently, not wanting to miss a word. The conversation had become oddly personal.

A mansion elf popped into existence then, extending a denture of biscuits to him. He scarcely managed to take one, for his mind was fixated on the roughshod irony of the situation.

This ampoule was a true gift, yet he was only receiving it because of the prophecy 's gravid burden.

Suddenly he felt rather blunt. `` professor, you made this to help me figuer out how to defeat Voldemort, did n't you ? ''

Dumbledore smiled sadly, sipping the tea that had materialized. `` We made it, because we still have Leslie Townes Hope. ``

Hope ... Why could n't someone else have been wizarding form 's Bob Hope ?

Dumbledore was mercifully oblivious to the wickedness thoughts still flitting through his mind.

'' Harry, the Kunnskap does not work like a normal pensieve. Instead of entering a remembering, the memory enters you. So once you unearth one, it 's noesis will remain permanently yours. ``

This piqued his interestingness. `` So you mean that I can go an animagus just by looking at the memory in it ? ``

Dumbledore smiled ruefully. `` No. This will teach you the hypothesis, and knowing the theory of something is entirely different from putting it to use. However ... '' The man 's blue eyes twinkled mischievously. `` I have it on good Book that learning and researching just the theory on animagi can take years. So all you will have left to do is praxis putting what this will teach you, into use. ``

Thinking of what he, Ron, and Hermione had planned, he suddenly wondered, for the thousandth prison term since coming to Hogwarts, just how a lot that the master knew about his students.

Against his better judgment, he broke out into a pocket-sized grinning. Even Hermione, with all her convictions against taking short gash to learn something, would probably die for a looking at into this thing.

God he would lack them ... Perhaps one day, when affair were dissimilar ....

As if reading his cerebration, Dumbledore smiled. `` For the time being Harry, I would keep this to yourself. Because of the Kunnskap 's potential for misuse, only seven were made. We would not want this falling into the damage hands. ``

Harry was taken aback. For once, Dumbledore was actually trusting him with something authoritative. `` T-thanks prof. I 'll look after it. ``

He 'd be damned if he disappointed him.

Dumbledore smiled over his cup. `` I 'm sure you will Harry. Do try to use it in private though. When one uses it they tend to come out in a trance, and I would hate to see what your roommate would do if they stumbled upon you in such a land. And I would be intimate, Mrs Norris once caught me using this. ``

Harry nearly choked on his biscuit.

The past fortnight, he realized, had truly been full moon of surprises.




Thank you SticksN'Stones for the excellent banner !






'' Choose to be not a product of your surroundings, nor of your experience, but a production of what your pith tells you the world can be in its finest hour. ``
~ A.K. Lovell ~



Chapter 18 ~ The Scars Life leave-taking


Tonks threw open the spectre, allowing the bright afternoon luminousness to stream in, filling the room with yellow-bellied hues so bright that not even Remus, who was valiantly feigning eternal rest, could ignore them.

She marched to the side of his bed, throwing open the bed hangings.

'' Get up. '' She clipped, her expression anything but amused.

'' How did you get past the wards ? '' Remus groaned, pulling his pillow over his school principal so he resembled a burrowing animal.

She contented herself to narrowing her reddish blue eyes. `` Bill 's a curse ledgeman. And when he and I have over two weeks with nothing to do but crack the wards on our stubborn tail end of a friend 's abode we tend to come through. ``

Remus emitted a low mutter sound, unclear to any human ear. It was at this point that she decided she had had enough. She ripped the covering fire from his bed, and chuck out them out the now open window.

'' Remus did you really think you could annul us forever ! '' She hollered. `` What the hell is the matter with you ? ``

At his lack of reactivity she stomped her ft angrily, and began spraying him with water from the tip of her wand.

Remus jerked so violently that he rolled right out of bed, landing in a heap on the floor. He blinked groggily, his cheek scrunched up and dripping. He looked extremely disgruntled.

'' You look like a sopping wet dog Remus ! Now get your stubborn ass off the story right now and get gear up ! We have an ordination confluence in an 60 minutes and if you are not there so help me Merlin I will come back here, wards be damned, and seduce you come in ! You ca n't quash us forever ! ``

He groaned unhappily.

She glowered down, deciding to not leave behind just yet. `` And you know what else Wolfy ? You are the singularly, most selfish individual that I have ever met ! ``

'' Mrmph ... ''

'' Do n't mrmph at me ! '' She practically shouted. `` As if it 's not bad enough for you to stay here, wallowing in self ruth for two calendar week, but you left me to talk to Harry for you ! He deserved to see you there ! Not me ! Instead you hid here away from everyone acting like a sister ! ``

'' Go. Away. '' He interjected moodily.

'' NO I WO N'T ! '' She screeched in a very un-Tonks-like style. `` I am FAR from being DONE ! I have n't even started on Kalliandra ! Do you have any musical theme how much she probably needs you right now ? ``

He apparently had found something fascinating underneath the bed, because now he had taken to staring beneath it.

'' She doesn't need me. I nearly got her killed. ``

Tonks stomped again, very near his headspring. `` You know that was n't your demerit Remus ! No one knew what that tour would do ! ``

'' You should go. '' He mumbled morosely. `` I could still change by reversal at any second. ``

Her jaw dropped. `` Is that what this self-induced isolation has been about ? You think your going to turn again ? ''

When he did n't reply she actually laughed. `` Remus you prat ! You turned within an hour of being hit with that spell ! Do you really think that it could possibly twist you again ? Two weeks later no less ! ? ``

'' I ca n't hazard it .... ''

'' fountainhead that 's just too damn bad Wolfy because your going to. '' She did n't wait for a response and marched over to throw open up his closet. She grabbed the nigh shirt and threw it at him. `` Now go shower bath and get dressed. I do n't have all day and so help me you are going to write to Harry and Kalliandra before we leave ! ``

He could be seen over his bed, fumbling with his shirt. `` When we leave ? Was n't I kicking you out now ? ``

'' I 'd like to see you try. I 'm not leaving because I do n't feel like fighting with your Barbara Ward again. '' She paused, and almost as an afterthought added, `` And do n't shift the subject because you are writing to them ! ``

He shook his pass, his shaggy-coated hair falling around his eye messily. It looked like he had n't showered in twenty-four hours. `` No. If they wanted to talk to me they would have .... ''

'' Would have what ? '' She was far beyond losing her patience at this point. `` Contacted you ? Remus, Kalliandra tried ! That damn pocket watch of yours has been glowing all week at military headquarters ! We tried sending it back to you but you keep sending it back ! Kalliandra probably thinks your ignoring her by now and Harry ... ''

'' Harry is safer if I stay away. '' Remus interjected, picking up his wand.

She growled in defeat and yanked the air pocket lookout out of her pocket. Mundungus had found it near one of the abruptly children after the attack.

'' Well at least take this back Remus. '' She said, placing it on his get into desk. `` I do n't handle what you say but she really does need you. '' She searched him for some sign that he accepted this fact, but he only leaned out the window and summoned his blanket back up.

Watching his poor bm, she suddenly felt like collapsing.

Remus had been the one she could count on, to prevail together for her. Ever since Sirius ...

She could n't bear to think of it, let alone vocalism it, but ever since that wretched Night she had grown to rely on Remus. She needed him so practically it scared her.

It had been his cool, light Robert Brown eyes she had awoken to in St. Mungos. The healers said he had never left her side. Even then he refused, and took to sleeping on a make-shift cot in the corner or her room. He had claimed it was to not miss the fun of her gripes, whenever the healers had poked and prodded her with their wands, but she had known better. He had been worried, and who could blame him when she had never felt worse.

But his comportment had kept her mentation from straying to Sirius.

She shuddered, remembering how he had found her curled up on her couch one Nox that summer, positively balling her heart out, the few pictures of Dog Star she had spread out on her coffee board. If only she had stunned Bellatrix when she had had the chance ! By Merlin he would still be here !

With a nerveless cup of mocha coffee Remus had sat with her, logically reminding her that hindsight is 20/20, and of the futility of blaming herself.

Catching the bastards was the only thing that could help Sothis now, he had told her. And as an auror, that would be her job. He had told her how she needed to hold in together for that.

If he had not shown up when he had, she may have curled up in the near, damp Calluna vulgaris closet, and not come out trough Christmas.

She had passed out that night, vaguely suspicious that her mocha coffee had been laced with benumb firewhiskey. Remus always had claimed that alcoholic beverage assuaged the nerves ....

She had only just realized how grateful she was for the small traces of humor he shared with her.

She had grown so use to him always being there, and it had taken Remus'absence seizure to make her realize how a lot he meant to her.

Never again, did she want to experience another fortnight like the one she had just had without him.

The thought of him wallowing in self compassion any longer made her physically ill, and she felt her shoal militia of strength folding in.

She had to resist the itch to run over there and smack him.

She drew herself up, ignoring the pain in the neck prickling in her chest. `` Harry does require you Remus. '' She started. `` Your all he has left. Imagine how he 'd feel if you shut him off now ? ``

Remus was flipping the comforter back onto the bed, straightening it meticulously. `` He does n't need me. Neither does Kally. They 'll just wander up hurt ... ''

'' well dam n't Remus ! I need you ! '' She shot out, ignoring his shocked stare. `` Do n't you get that ? I miss you ! And I 'm not the only one ! Harry misses you ! He sent me an owl because you have n't responded to his letters ! I can only assume by that spate on your desk that you have n't read any of them yet ! And you ! You 're just .... ''

She trailed off, foiling effectively silencing that train of thought.

'' Go shower. I 'll await downstairs. ``

She turned in a huff and stormed out, resolving to send Harry and Kalliandra fall apart annotation demanding that they pester Remus until he broke out of this self-created shell.

She missed the disbelieving eye of a certain lycanthrope, following her longingly.
* * *


Harry allowed the book to fall unsympathetic. His head had long since fallen upon the mesa, his trunk slumped over in frustration. A thousand and one dark curses swirled through his head, their replication curse eluding his memory in a maddening way.

Why, in the name of merlin, had professor Tres been so against teaching them this ?

The sheer enormity of the task before him had hit home nearly an hr before, and the constant system of weights on his berm seemed determined to crush him now. It was pressing down on his chest, making his head twirl, the realisation of how little clip he had to control this had finally sunk in.

Voldemort could come for those he loved tomorrow, and somehow he doubted the fiend 's minions would stick to simple jinxes.

For the first fourth dimension in his life, he was starting to experience helpless. He had borrowed the al-Qur'an from Dumbledore 's federal agency, changing the cover so no one could make love what dark arts it contained, and after only a few days of written report he had come to a realization.

Avada Kedarva was amongst the most merciful of sullen curses.

For the dark artistic creation could do so practically big than simply kill in one blow.

The could burn you alive from the interior out, your screams confounding those around you, your skin not blackening as inconspicuous fiery tendrils licked at you hungrily.

By the time those around you realized ....

Help for victims of the mort ardente would be far too late.

Other whammy could could slice your skin in sluggish, long slashes. The unseeable attack lasting for hour, as medi-wizards and healers tried to save you, only to watch you succumb as slash after destroying virgule undid their healing, spilling your lifetime blood, killing you ...

Others could slowly oppress your dresser, driving the air from your lungs, suffocating you under the pressure sensation of a dozen hippogriffs ....

He shuddered involuntarily, almost sword lily that death had been quick and merciful for Sirius and Cedric. He had not known before, but their aliveness could have been extinguished in much tough style ....

The school system had failed them. Harry knew this now. For they had not prepared them adequately for what they might face in the war.

professor Tres had shown him that merely a week ago. Kaylens had been the one to fetch it up, asking when they would discover the worse of the wickedness Arts themselves.

He had n't been trusted whether to spat her for her depth, or beshrew her for sounding like fanatical Malfoy.

But she had been right ....

If one did not know what the nemesis sounded like, how could they represent themselves with precise counter-curses ?

So while her and Malfoy had argued their point, and lost valiantly as Tres started twitching under pressure, he had composed a letter to Dumbledore asking for entree to materials about the Dark arts.
Dumbledore had granted him that ...

He propped himself on his elbows, reopening the ancient, blackened leather text edition. He was determined to learn every lethal curse the world had to volunteer him.

And before he found Voldemort with them, he would first get hold Pettigrew ...

The man who had stolen his spirit from day one.

Pettigrew would pay. Harry would make him finger all of the pain he had felt ever since his comer on the Dursley 's doorstep.

Then Pettigrew would die.

Then, once he had seen what the curse word did on a live human, then he would observe Voldemort.

The wight was going to pay.
* * * * *


Kalliandra clutched Tonks'letter in deal and stormed to the base of the gargoyle.

She had done exactly as Tonks had requested. She had already tried contacting him. She had tried saying, shouting, and cursing his name into that blasted compact of hers, had sent owls armed with alphabetic character and orders to peck at his hired man until he replied, and even had sent a self-writing quill with the finish one so it would write whatever he said down upon receiving it.

That particular proposition owl had had order of magnitude to nobble whatever was written before Remus had a hazard to snap it up himself.

fountainhead apparently Remus had been too quick for the owl, because she had gotten back a broken quill feather and a ripped, blank piece of paper.

hoot your stubbornness to Hades Remus ! She thought in annoyance, stomping her pes outside Dumbledore 's office.

She had grown so annoyed with him avoiding link and canceling their tutoring sessions that she had finally slipped on Riley 's ringing and tried port keying directly to Remus, only that had n't worked either.

Which was precisely why she found herself outside of Dumbledore 's stupid Lucy Stone gargoyle, shouting every candy that came to mind.

'' Peppermint ! Bat dung dung ! Bertie pa ! apple ! apricot ! '' She exclaimed at it, abandoning confect in favor of fruits. `` Oh maledict it to hell ! peach tree schnaps ! Peach cobblestone ... ''

The stone gargoyle had sprung to life, allowing her entrance.

'' yellowish pink schnaps ? You 've got to be kidding me ... '' She muttered, springing up the stairs and bursting into his government agency, being measured to reek Crusantheus on the way in.

Dumbledore looked up idly from his desk, a throw expression across his weather wear face. `` Why Kalliandra, what a pleasant surprise. ``

She did not agree. `` prof what does Remus think he is doing ? '' She demanded, stopping in front line of his desk. `` He ca n't avoid us forever ! Why does n't my larboard key body of work anymore ? And why are you now using liquors as your watchword ! ? ``

Dumbledore looked rather puzzled. `` Peach schnapps ? A John Barleycorn ? And here I thought it was a rather clever form of candy ... ''

Had she not been so worked up she would have rolled her eyes. `` No, it 's not. But why wo n't this work .... '' She held up her hoop for effect.

'' Ah, I was wondering when you would ask. '' Dumbledore commented airily. `` Remus requested that your port key be de-activated for the time being. ``

She glowered. `` Did he say why ? ``

'' I am sure as shooting you know why Kalliandra. ``

An odd, sinking feeling had wormed it 's way into her stomach. `` Yeah, I think I do. But does n't he understand that it was n't his fault ? ``

'' On some level, yes. But much like someone else you know ... '' Dumbledore eyed her shrewdly, leaving no enquiry about who he was referring to. `` He has taken to blaming himself, shoving away those close to him in order to protect them. ''

She sighed defeatedly. `` So there 's null we can do to blab out some sense into him ? ``

'' I rather think, that this is something he has to follow to accept on his own terms. We can not force him into realizing that we would rather be near him with all of the risks, than away from him and safe. ``

'' I wish we could ... '' She said sadly.

Dumbledore chuckled slightly, recognizing the irony of her statement. `` You know Kalliandra, in our own way, we are all a danger to those we love, for the round-eyed fact that true admirer will go to any distance to serve each early, even if that means sacrificing their own lives in exchange for another 's. ``

His words struck a rich chord within her, one she was not quite ready to listen. `` Thanks Professor ... '' She muttered, all anger gone. `` Can you at least give way him this when you see him ? '' She extended a letter to him, it 's addressee reading To The Obstinate Wolf.

Dumbledore smiled, `` I 'll see that he gets it. ``
* * * * *


Harry rested his cheek against the worn control surface of the table, letting his dank hair drip over his face. The dripping water from his recent cascade eased the thudding ache that had begun in his scar.

Drip ....

A bead of wax broke free from the glowing taper, falling to soak into the unsealed ridges of the oak desk. The impact sounded cavernous, for his ear remained pressed against the desk 's surface, amplifying the sound ten fold.

Across the vulgar room, far from where he sheltered in the shadows of a 1 wax light wick, the fire glowed warmly. Several straggling one-seventh years, no question putting in the additional minute for NEWT cookery, remained there, blissfully forgetful to the late hour.

slumber would once again, not be his companion. When his scar ached so sharply, it was in fact the enemy.

Voldemort was there, just beneath the surface of his mind, waiting for a opportunity to get in as he dreamt. He knew Hermione 's parents were as good as dead, but he would not allow Voldemort the information he demanded for their supposed 'release .'

If they were going to die, it would not be in vain.

Fiery shadows danced across his open text, and he wearily rubbed his scar, trying to memorize the counter curse for one of the many crushing hexes.

The one he was looking at would force back air from the lungs slowly, till the somebody could only claw at their neck in agony, rakehell watercraft in their eyes bursting as oxygen left them.

The black and flannel representative showed a wizard captured in a mum howl, his finger's breadth already falling limp around his throat.

He shuddered at the muckle, not noticing the determined expression flitting across her face.

He had never even noticed her studying him, concealed as she was, lying on the floor across the room, warming herself before the fire.

She made her way towards him, making up her mind.

'' Hey Potter. ``

Her voice pulled him away from his view, and he swallowed firmly, looking up as she slid into the fanny before him. She leaned backwards relaxingly, her face falling into the vestige of the corner they sheltered in.

'' Kaylens. '' He said steadily, spirit hammering. Be it at her sudden interruption or the computer storage of the dying face, he did not know. `` What are you doing here ? '' He slid a helping hand across the morbid photograph, staring intently at her.

She met his heart, for the offset time in day, holding them seriously. `` Talking ceramicist. Just talking. '' candlelight danced in them ...

His scar gave a dampen pound, reminding him of his own fragile state. Tonight was not the time for talking, even with her, whom he had grown curious about. `` You know ... '' He stated carefully, watching her smooth her silklike locks behind her pinna. `` There is usually a reason for why someone sits clear across a relatively empty elbow room from everyone else. ``

She nodded, a whimsical scowl tracing her feature article. `` Oh ? And what 's that ? ``

'' Their poring over. ``

'' Or they want to be left alone. '' She whispered, voicing his unspoken view. `` Believe me Potter, I know your unhappy with me. I would n't bother you if it was n't crucial. ``

He was thrown. `` I 'm not unhappy with you. '' He said quietly, before he could stop himself. `` I just do n't see why your so hostile. ``

Her optic danced in the candlelight, her manpower playing around the base of the candle, picking at the solidified wax. `` It 's not important why. I just am. '' She whispered, sounding clearly pained.

He nodded, accepting this. `` If that's the casing, then am I, or am I not, supposed to bide the Hell away from you ? ``

She chewed on her lower lip thoughtfully, fidgeting. `` For somebody who seemed eager to talk, your certainly making this difficult. ``

He smiled forcefully at this, probably looking like a grim clown. `` And that has naught to do with you storming off, then refusing to make out within a ten meter vicinity of me ? ``

'' Touché. '' She murmured. `` But this is n't about you or me. It 's about Remus. ``

Her articulation held an effect of release as Lupin 's name fell off her back talk, and for a fleeting second gear he understood. He did not know how the two knew one another, and felt the stabbing painful sensation of treachery that lupine had kept better communications with her rather than him, his best friend 's son, but in that instant, he knew that his former professor had not spoken to her since that day either.

He felt oddly salutary about that. For a alteration, he was not the only one being ignored, or kept in the dark.

'' Wo n't respond to any of your varsity letter either then ? '' He queried, knowing the answer.

She shook her head, her fuzz coming loose from where it lay tucked behind her ears, falling to lay artfully over her optic. `` He 's started sending mine back. ''

He felt a diminished smiling tugging at the border of his lips. `` Hedwig is persistent. ``

'' An owl ? ``

He grunted in reply, the ache in his scar was starting to burn slightly.

'' We ca n't just let Remus keep out himself off. ``

He jolted forward, dropping his brain into his hands to cover the irritating grimace now crossing his aspect. `` Funny earshot you say that. '' He groaned as the first wave of pain attacked him. `` Because is n't that what your doing ? ``

Through his fingerbreadth he saw a conniving expression cross her human face. `` Do you want me to get brothel keeper Pomfrey ? ''

'' Why .... '' Picture the wall ... .The bricks ... Their rough out texture stretching infinitely upwards .... `` Why would I need you to get the nurse ? '' He asked, barely guising the pain that was now coming Forth in Wave. She needed to lead. She needed to leave now, but not to get the nanny ...

'' Your in bother Potter. I 'll be ... ''

Before she could even affect his hand had shot out like a lightning bolt, attaching itself to her wrist. `` Do n't get her ... I 'll be fine. '' He hissed lowly, not keen to attract the aid of the 7th years still down there.

An unpleasant sensation swept through him, the feel of Kaylens'wrist turning barely registered as the dark elbow room spun. He was no longer fully there as his eyes flickered half shut, half seeing the wall Dumbledore had taught him to so carefully conception, one-half seeing Kaylens kneeling down besides him.

'' The just way to strengthen your paries at this point, is to memorize to mask your emotions .... '' Dumbledore 's tidings came back to him ...

'' ceramist ? potter tone at me. '' Kaylens spoke quickly, an unfamiliar boundary to her voice. He waved her away, feeling her hands wrapping around his own. She had to leave ...

Voldemort was prickling at the border of his envisioned wall.

The creature 's vocalization filled his nous, fleeceable tendrils leaking through red brick.

Been sssstudying the non-white arts I sssssee. It'ssss about time you learrrrned ....

He turned his eyes away from his Christian Bible, leaning away from Kaylens to bang it shut before Voldemort could discover more.

'' Sodding hell ceramicist of all the fourth dimension ... '' Kaylens murmured. He felt her arm sliding beneath his articulatio humeri, a unknown tingling trickling through him as he unconsciously leaned closer, allowing his body to sag against her as she hauled him up.

He rose his eyes, finding her own surprisingly close, flickering with that unfamiliar business concern. `` Kaylens leave ... '' He muttered, feeling a violent edge forming within his last coherent cerebration. He had nearly attacked Ron in a interchangeable state, under Voldemort 's egging influence ...

Ah compannnnny .... Voldemort sounded almost cheerful, and Harry felt his face unwillingly turning towards her promote.

Suddenly it was no longer he who was searching her features.

Interesssstinnnng ....

'' Kaylens ... '' He gasped. `` Get the sin out of here. ``

She grimaced determinedly, kicking open the portrait door. He heard her shouting something about Pomfrey to individual, but their form was so blurry ... He could n't do them out ...

It doessssss n't matterrrrrrr who they arrrrre Harrrrrrry. Who issss sssssssheeeee ....

'' Leave .... '' He groaned, barely shoving the words out. She was dragging him down the hall now ...

'' ceramicist I 'm not going anywhere. '' She got out, sounding strained.

It'ssss in force to fuck they have not messssed up assss badly assss believvvvved ....

Who messed up ! ? ! ? He thought, grasping lucidity, desperate to reap Voldemort 's meaning.

Calling on his last Panthera uncia of genial reserves he dug his heels into the ground. He turned, squirming away from the reassuring presence of her arms, suddenly finding his own feet untrustworthy.

He was collapsing to the Harlan Stone base, the blowlamp lit halls a brilliant blur ...

Whooooo ...

Unable to tell the deviation between speech production and intellection, his mouth opened to yell his own question into the dead of night ...

Kaylens bridge player clamped over his lips, and he found himself breathing in her pelt, damp with sudor and the pliable heart of the cd she had been fidgeting with simple minute before.

'' tinker's dam you Potter be pipe down ! '' She hissed dangerously.

He struggled dazedly, her chin coming to rest on his shoulder as she stilled him, frantic hushing sounds escaping her own lips. Had she had a rough edge to her ? He could no longer call back ...

Jussssst a name Harrrrrrry .... What harrrrm everrrr came frrrrom a name Harrrry ....

He relaxed, leaning against her again, feeling her arms stiffen. Of course .... It only made good sense .... Voldemort would want to know of someone as gripping as her, who would n't ? He certainly did, no matter how infuriating she grew he was curious. What damage could a name do ...

'' Kalliandra Kaylens .... '' He murmured druggedly.

'' gladiolus to see you recall formalities. Now please get up, I 'm not strong enough to drag ... ''

A jubilant moving ridge washed over him, so intense as to drown out every other word filtering through his auditory system.

Voldemort withdrew as quickly as he came, and he realized, with a sinking touch, that he had just given the Dark Lord something he very much wanted, without realizing it.

The feel of Kaylens'hands tugging up on his shoulders, the flavor of her long hair brushing against his face as she leaned over him, the dark trace of the deserted Hogwarts corridor ...

The sanctity of his mind restored, it all came into stark focussing.

His legs becoming his own again, he powerfully thrust them into the floor on his own accord, scrambling eagerly away, his sudden departure sending her spilling across the cold, poop dusted stone floors.

He rounded on her bolt down bod, failing to acknowledge her shocked look. One thought was on his mind. One he had been putting off asking.

'' What does Voldemort want with you ? '' He asked pointedly, the maniacal glint that always accompanied Voldemort 's spot still in his eyes.

She glared up unflinchingly, golden haircloth limply splayed out across her face. `` So were at this again are we ? '' She whispered, brushing it aside, revealing the steely spark of her own lustrous orbs.

'' Yes. '' He said seriously, his hand lingering near his sceptre. `` Yes we are. ``

She pushed herself up, slowly, wincing as she did so. `` Does that really require an answer then ? ``

'' Yes. ``

They stared at one another, both expressions unreadable.

Finally, an infinity passing them by, she tilted her drumhead to the side. `` How much do you be intimate ? '' She whispered.

'' Enough to know he was all too happy to instruct your name tonight. '' He knew the consequence of this, if horrible, would be his to accept. It was not a thought he cherished, and a division of him almost wished for her to profess into the night her trueness to the nighttime Lord, so he could expunge her down feather, guilt feelings free.

Yet another, taking in the way her left wing hired man shook ever so slightly, declared him the fool for not going to her to fix what he might have done.

This last sentiment was silenced by the way her eyes darkened coldly onto him. `` And you were felicitous to pass him that information. Were n't you Potter ? ``

His own hands, now balled in fists, shook with conquer rage at himself for doing so. `` None of this would have happened if you had just listened to me. Why did n't you leave when I told you to ? ``

She shrugged one shoulder, almost testingly, in an out of place manner. `` You looked like you were having a fit Potter. I thought you needed the infirmary flank ... ''

'' Whether I need the hospital flank is none of your CONCERN ! '' He hissed angrily, albeit too loudly. individual was bound to pick up, but he did n't care. Let Filch just try and punish him ...

She looked stricken by his watchword. `` I see. '' She whispered, moving to walk past him, back towards where the Fat peeress 's portrait observed in awestruck horror.

Once again, before he could end himself, he had her wrist in his hands, spinning her around to pin her against the bulwark. He pressed his body against hers, their faces dangerously close. Her human face remained an indecipherable masque, save for the beads of perspiration glistening upon her brow in the torchlight.

They stared at one another, each daring the other to speak. Releasing one of her carpus, he moved his handwriting to rest above her articulatio humeri, cutting off any thought of her outflow.

'' I said I understood Potter. '' Her breathing spell was barely a rustling, and beneath his palm he felt her wrist cooling system, the poise October air prickling goose hump across her arms.

'' No ... '' He said quietly. `` I do n't guess you do. Not really ... ''

She breathed in deeply, her pectus rising to press against his own for the briefest of moment. `` Care to enlighten me ? ``

He nodded coldly, his moist hair falling to conceal his scar, a disturbing sizzling voice drawing Kaylens center uncomfortably towards it.

Her challenging conduct vanished, confusion flickering in her eyes. Her detached hand unconsciously reached upwards, but he stilled her motility by aggressively squeezing her shoulder blade.

'' I would n't ... urge ... doing ... that ... '' He said coldly, ignoring how she bit her lip, her face clearly contorted in pain sensation. If she could n't select that what in the the pits did she design on doing when Voldemort got to her. He 'd teach her what she was dealing with ...

'' Do you have any theme what your dealing with ? I have a suspicion ... '' He spoke mechanically, as if lecturing a small child. `` That you do not. So I am going to ask you one ... More ... sentence. What ... does ... he ... want ... with ... you ? ``

She tilted her question up to his slightly. `` What makes you think that he wants anything with me at all ? ``

He smiled cruelly. `` Let 's just say we have agency of chatting. ``

Her eyes instantly narrowed, her trunk tensing beneath his. `` Are you saying your involved with him ? ''

'' Perceptive ... '' He murmured coldly, leaning in money box her intimation breezed across his face. `` But I never said favorable. You on the former hand openly admitted it. ``

'' Trygve Halvden Lie ... '' She spat.

He could no longer tell if she were glaring or rallying cry, for his frontal bone was pressed firmly against her own, driving her harder against the wall. Her quarrel lingered on his unshaved Chin, and he grimaced wryly, realizing how close he was to finding out the truth.

'' I have news for you. '' He whispered. `` You said you would rather be a Death eater than be like me. So you either are one of his follower, or you are clueless as to what a Death feeder is. Now which is it ? ``

Her face remained unfaltering for far too longsighted for his taste.

'' mulct. '' He whispered. `` Here is what I think. I think that you have no clue what one is. Either that, or you are the trump actress I have ever seen. But for that to be true, you would either have to be a Muggle, which you clearly are not, or you would induce to have been a hermit from wizarding guild. So ... '' He tilted his face down, practically meeting her own.

'' Which one is it ? '' He breathed, tension reverberating in the still manor hall 's air.

She turned her carpus in the confines of his escaped grip, her skin brushing against his own. He could fall her reactions, being so close, his optic locked onto hers. She was going to run, it was like feeling what she was feeling ... Fear ...

Suddenly he knew what was occurring, why her physical structure was shuddering ever so slightly in straw man of his own. He stared into her middle for a moment longer, allowing his construction to dampen misleadingly.

'' Well if you do n't require to tell me .... '' He murmured, releasing her wrist before she could run off. She eyed him with surprise, and misgiving, never seeing his hand falling to repose upon his wand.

'' Legilimency. '' He whispered.

Her life ... It all flooded his judgment in one over powering wafture. A swirl of events that were out of the question to discern ... Until one scream filled his mind with a blinding red hue, bringing it all into stark clarity.
'' James Whitcomb Riley ! ''


The whirl of images changed, becoming the congruous characterisation of a blond child, hair much lighter than he knew it would darken to become, was approaching a door, answering it ...

A man smiled toothily down, removing his hat to reveal closely cropped, dirty blond hair, bowing slightly. The child smiled upwards, but the persona of his smile froze, faltering, as if it had forever been burned into her memory.

And now his ...

The door flew undefendable, the man 's foot connecting with it, sending it bulleting inwards, hitting her with it against the face. Blinding pain kept her witting, for the Earth was total darkness be-speckled, and her holler form fell to land in the straw man foyer.

The guilt .... Almost overpowering ... She should n't get screamed ... My God if only she had not ...

A golden haired man, only slightly aged than they were now, came sliding into the foyer. The little girl screamed on the floor, her broken, bloodied nose rendering her monition incomprehensible.

The blond haired teras dropped a knee onto the girl 's back, pinning her to the trading floor. The flash of a buck tongue drawn from a casing caught Harry 's eye, and the young man, who now bore a tone of the utmost fury.

'' Wan na go boy ? Come here ! ``

The golden haired man was already charging, but the fiend had drawn a gun and fired before James Whitcomb Riley could even reach her ...

Riley ... My God, Harry thought ...

Her mistake ... The guilt ... If only she had n't screamed.

The young woman was bucking on the level, screaming, nearly freezing in fear as blood pooled from Riley 's chest combat injury, his eighteen year old physical structure twitching spasmodically, his mouth gaping, gasping for breath ...

Yet Riley had crawled, leaving a calumniate trail of deep red expiry on the linoleum floor in his backwash, for he had been unable to let his little sis be pillaged ...

His dying breath came, the miss 's heart broad with horror for only her blood brother, as the Pearl Buck tongue plunged into untested Kaylens', deep into the spinal column of her eight twelvemonth old articulatio humeri blade.

Hot, fiery pain intensified, followed by a tingling sensation of the most rummy variety ...

He could almost sense what she had ... Her articulatio humeri was tingling, little pin son of a bitch attacking her hide as they would when her groundwork would wake up from falling asleep ...

Her hysteric sidesplitter only intensified, and Harry watched in revulsion as the monster gripped her fuzz, yanking her head back roughly as Harry once himself had done to her, before slamming her nerve savagely into the linoleum.

'' Were going to suffer some fun are n't we little girl ? Are n't we ! ? ! ? ! Just as soon as you shut your bloody sassing and tell me where that sweetly little brother of yours is ... ''

'' Go away ! '' Little Kaylens was screaming her fondness out.

In Voldemort 's mind he had seen adults wither in pain and fall apart at so much LE ...

His gist broke as he watched her minuscule form continue struggling, screaming, yet the man only pinned her face down to the floor harder, dragging the long horse knife across her berm in a long, cruel line of reasoning ...

A vortex of colors, and he was gone. hurtle out not by magic, but by the wolf clutch someone had taken up on the back of his robe, yanking him away from her. He staggered backwards, disoriented, his arm flailed into the torch bearer ...

His sleeve was on flame, burning him, the flames licking up his sleeve when someone floored him, dousing him with water.

His charred skin throbbed, but not so a great deal as his mind.

Kaylens stood motionless, still pressed against the wall, methamphetamine hydrochloride white, silent snag streaming down her beautiful face. A individual slender hand was clutching her shoulder. The Saame one he had grabbed roughly. The same one he had seen stabbed viciously ...

It was as if he were seeing her for the number one time.

'' K-kaylens ... '' He whispered shakily, pleadingly.

'' Shut it Harry ! ``

Harry rolled over to see Ron and Hermione, returning from nightly Prefect rounds, glaring hatefully down at him.








'' The destruction of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic. ''
~ Joseph Iosif Vissarionovich Dzhugashvili ~



Chapter 19 ~ Le Règne d'Enfer Commence


Once his mind awakened, his mentality dimmed by the drugged wine-colored he had willfully taken, it was not the darkness, nor his unfamiliar milieu, nor even the cloaked figure patiently waiting besides him that he noticed.

It was the stale air.

He sniffed.

They were coming ...

Just as he had.

It was why he had isolated himself for the past fortnight. From Harry, from Kally, from Tonks ...

Lucius Malfoy had not given up on recruiting him. After all, there were only so many pureblood werewolf.

Two days after the incident with Kally and Harry, he had received a white envelope addressed to him, sealed with the wickedness Mark.

After reading it 's contents, it 's offer of rubber haven from the cruel, prejudiced Ministry standing in cruel dividing line to the demise Eater 's own prejudicial beliefs, Dumbledore had asked the one affair of him that he had felt ineffective to do.

He had asked him to take joining them.

He had stayed in closing off, not wanting his heart for Harry, Kally, or Tonks, especially Tonks, to shake his decision.

The early werewolves began emerging from the surreptitious corridors surrounding him. Here the walls were lined with bone. thighbone rising up like sadistic pillars from snake pit, supporting the long line of skulls outlining the seditious transition. Cool H2O dripped rhythmically from the dampness ceiling, wetting his sweating scalp.

There was only one place in the world that flaunted such morbidity. deeply beneath the streets of Paris, over threescore million of a time prospicient retiring lay dead. Their skeletons disassembled, grouped systematically to form paseo, a remnant of a darker time.

Upon drinking the dose wine, the Death Eater had said he would awaken in the Empire of Death. Only now did he empathise what he had meant.

A nerve shape, shaped out of homo skulls, lay set into the walls of the genus Paris catacombs besides him. A standing remnant of the macabre sense of humor, stretching endlessly into the darkness.

This was a prefect shoes of meeting. Public, isolated, and gothic.

Not to mention how winding the corridors were. It was doubtful that anyone would be there to witness their dealings.

'' After our go meeting I must acknowledge that I am surprised to see you here. ``

Lucius Malfoy stepped Forth from a shadowed corridor, dropping his hood to expose white blond whisker.

He inclined his head. `` Since then I 've realized how my form is rewarded for dear deeds. '' He replied resolutely.

Lucius gave him an appraising look, before reaching Forth River a mantled hand to wave the others forward. Half a XII other cloaked design emerged from the dark, forming a circle around him.

'' Who 's the gaunt one ? '' Growled one of them. Remus distinctly saw the glint of fang beneath the hood.

My God ... It is lawful ....

Voldemort had truly found a way to control their transformations.

Werewolves could now roam the world at will.

'' The gaunt one ... '' Lucius said sneeringly. `` Is a pathetic excuse of a pureblood, friend of the Potters .... ''

'' Former champion. '' Remus interrupted nastily, snarling for effect. `` I 've seen how their sort repays my kind, thinking I 'd betray them because of what I .... ''

'' Spaaaaaare us the spoken language wolf. '' Interrupted the one who had brought him there. `` What we need to get laid is if we can trust you. ``

'' Of course we ca n't. '' Lucius snarled, threateningly extending his incisors and nails. `` But we can make him one of us. ``

'' If you do n't trust me how do you plan on accomplishing that ? '' Remus countered, not wanting to sound too eager.

Lucius smiled evilly. `` I 'm so glad you asked. '' He withdrew a silver flask from his scoop, tossing it to him.

Remus caught it with his shirt sleeve, uneager to issue forth in tangency with the prevent metal.

'' Tsk, tsk. Not too trusting are we blood traitor ? '' Lucius chided.

'' Not really. ``

'' It 's platinum. Would n't require to be carrying around something deadly now would we ? Remember, I plowshare the same curse as you. ``

Remus scoffed. `` By choice. ``

'' Ahh .... Still looking at it as a burden rather than the mightiness it is ? ``

'' You said you 'd afford me a reasonableness to think of it otherwise. ``

'' That I did. Now drink it. '' Malfoy ordered.

He eyed the unanimous flaskful distastefully, uncorking it to sniff. `` What 's in it ? ''

The Death Eater that had brought him there smirked. `` You drank the other nub without motion. ''

Remus shrugged. `` Your not about to kill a likely friend before you have time to try and change by reversal them now are you ? ``

Lucius laughed. `` Always the shrewd one. ''

'' It keeps me active. ``

'' So. It. Does. '' He said coldly. `` That substance ... '' Lucius indicated the flaskful. `` Will assure that you are one of us. But once you drink it, there is no going back. ``

Remus eyed him with mistrust. `` meaning ? ``

'' Meaning that you will gain the ability, like nigh of us here, to translate at will. The moon will no longer have got it 's power over you. ``

He watched Lucius pacing down the damp corridor, rubbing his blanch fingers along the jumpy bones. `` And ? ``

Lucius halted. `` Once it 's drunk, you will know what the taste of human build feels like. '' His picket eyes shone with a homicidal glean. `` They say once you know that, there is no going back. You will crave it forever. Your precious Mudblood lover will never accept you back once you desire the penchant of sum. ``

Remus felt his interior run cold. Now there was a catch neither Dumbledore nor himself had thought of. It was too perfect really. They did n't hope him, and they would hand him something that would make him crave human being flesh so much that he was bound to link up their slope, regardless of his intention upon first coming there.

'' I told you. '' Snarled a womanhood 's vocalism. She must throw seen his hesitation, smelt his fear. `` It was a mistake bringing him here. ``

Remus knew what he had to do. He only hoped his will was unassailable enough to never cave.

He turned to the unnamed crone, smirking as evilly as possible. `` The only mistake was not seeing what those Ministry bastards have kept from me my wholly life. ``

He felt the air thicken with tension.

'' And what 's that ? '' Nott gaiter from besides him.

Remus curled his mouth back, tilting the flask to his lips, chugging it down. liquidity fire flowed through his veins, energizing him, changing his molecular make up ...

A pleasant-tasting, tantalizing taste filled his mouth, leaking over his tongue, overwhelming his mother wit so that he nearly lost himself to it.

Reigning the hunger in, feeling the power his kind had always been meant to feel, rather than the pain, Remus met their gazes, his own teeth elongating. He was as changed as they were now. One of Voldemort 's mutated creatures, even if he were internally against them.

Only now he understood what index it was to be the animal he was, even as his consciousness screamed out the consequences, his hunger beckoned.

He tilted his headway back and howled.

Lucius stepped forward, a Friedrich August Wolf like snarl on his case. `` receive ... ''

'' pal. ``
* * * * *


The rainwater hammered down, darkening the tombstones. A small female child was crouched besides one, sheltering beneath the comforting xerotes of her star speckled umbrella, her braids flapping lightly in the tip. The resemblance to her mother was striking.

Watching the child kneel, Tonks barely restrained her own tears.

Emily Bothan had just asked her mother to total home soon. She missed her bedtime faerie narrative. While she told her female parent 's slab of stone this, Emily meticulously arranged, then rearranged, the flower in the redolence her Father and her had brought.

ma only deserved the best.

Emily has said so herself, when she had spent the honest parting of an 60 minutes searching the flowered boutique, seeking out the hone arrangement of irises and hydrangeas. Mummies favorites.

Tonks sniffled, allowing the idle breeze to inconspicuously dry her eyes.

'' You saved my daughter 's life history. '' He said, finally speaking. `` And for that, I owe you mine. ``

The thin line of Kenneth Bothan 's lips gave away his carefully hidden despair. He was a man of private mourning.

'' No Mr. President, if any ... ''

'' Kenneth. Please. '' He implored, his dark optic never leaving the small form of his daughter. `` If anyone has earned the right to deal with formality it is you. ``

Tonks smiled sadly, not agreeing. The fiasco had been entirely her defect. Her own incompetency leading to why his young married woman, his eminent school sweetheart, lay beneath his daughter 's small feet. `` If anything Kenneth, your daughter saved mine. She has the bravery of one three clip her age. ``

'' Like her female parent. '' He whispered, looking loving upon his small girl, who was now recanting the upshot of her week into the grass.

One day, Tonks realized, the passing would hit Emily. But for right now, she was grateful that the fry could still smile for her beginner 's sake.

Because when she looked at Kenneth, she could recite he needed his piffling little girl to stay just that. She prayed to God that Emily would never show the scars of what she had gone through.

'' It 's such a shame ... '' Kenneth remarked, gesturing to his daughter, drawing her from her idea. `` That it takes something like this to happen, before wizards will let somebody know of their existence, or of any peril from them. ``

She paused thoughtfully. `` You were a history John R. Major. I trust that you are intimate with the Salem Wiccan trial. ''

President Bothan nodded. `` Yes. ``

She smiled ruefully. `` That 's why. Were afraid of what Muggles would do to us. Even we can fall dupe to guns. ``

Kenneth Bothan sighed. `` Part of me understands. But it still saddens me. '' His supercilium wrinkled, pain etched in every line. `` All the misinterpretation between both our kinds ... Had I only known before manus I would never deliver let Emily 's party occur. We could have remained inside. My family would have been better protected. ``

'' They still would bear found you. '' She spoke truthfully. `` When the monster we spoke of wants to ache someone, he will, no affair what the obstacle or price. ``

Kenneth nodded sadly. `` I suppose I knew that. Hindsight is 20/20. ``

The rain was letting up, a soft scent wafting towards them. One that had aught to do with the flowers speckling the solitary cemetery.

fleur-de-lis ....

Kenneth tilted his chief to the sky, breathing deeply. Sometime in the future, he would swear to Tonks that sometimes, like right then, that he could still smack her favorite efflorescence in the breeze.

observance him now, Tonks was thankful the ordination had granted her and respective other members license to rest with him and his daughter as a rotating sentry duty.

They would be needing it.
* * * * *


Harry hung his capitulum over the butterbeer, not hearing a discussion Luna said. He had tuned her out when she had started talking animatedly about the special edition of the pettifogger that week, the one concerning how Cornelius Fudge 's United States Army of Heliopaths had drowned in a monstrosity can deluge accident in the department of Mysteries.

The gentle chime of bells drew his attention to the door of the Three broom handle, just in time to see Kaylens, James Dean, and Neville walk in, their hair windswept from the approximate downfall piece of cake that day.

He instantly looked back down into his mug, not wanting to have a repeat of their latest confrontation.

He did n't know what the hell he had been thinking, violating her like that.

That was just it. He had n't been thinking. He had been suffering the conversant after effects of Voldemort invading his thoughts, and those included everything from temporary insanity to violence.

acerate leaf to say, forcibly getting the information he wanted out of her had seemed like a commodity idea at the time.

Hermione and Ron had seen the total thing, turning the recess right as he shoved Kaylens against the bulwark, hissing `` Legilimens ''. Mione had gone on a tirade about their being no excuse for such violation of personal privateness, and him running after Kaylens'had n't helped.

Particularly when he grabbed her again, desperately trying to stop her, to make her understand that he had not been in his right hand mind, only to notice out that she had a rather tight right hook.

'' Harry why do n't you just apologize. ``

Luna 's voice got through to him, and he turned a startled font to her. `` What do you mean ? '' He asked, feigning stupidity.

Luna smiled, looking at something just over his read/write head intently. `` If you like her, justify. It 's as simple as that. ``

His jaw dropped, flabbergasted. `` What ! ? '' Embarrassed by the odd stares they were now receiving from his outcry, he lowered his voice. `` Luna I do n't like her. I just feel bad becau ... Wait a instant ? How did you bonk I had something to excuse for ? ''

Luna 's expression changed, her normally languid countenance gone, if only for a sec. She looked like she was about to reproof a small minor. `` Every fourth dimension we 've seen her recently she has n't glared, she just pretends your not there. She stated simply. `` Before you both took every opportunity to be at each others throats. ''

Luna 's dreamy behaviour returned, and she opened her handbag, withdrawing a lime green chaff. `` Plus she just walked in, and now your staring into your butterbeer. You used to catch her you know. Or did n't you ? '' She looked up, puzzlement gracing her grimace. `` With you it 's heavy to narrate what you are or are not aware of. ``

Before Harry even had a chance to marvel at her profundity, Luna had begun asking what kind of eulogy a Heliopath would like at it 's funeral.

'' I wonder if their flame go out when they die ? If not then their sepulture method acting would let to take issue from our own, since they would burn right through their coffin ... ''

'' I guess you 'll have to get a handle of one of their bodies to find out. '' He commented cynically.

Luna looked scandalized. Indeed, she was shaking her long, unclean blonde hair with such vigor that it knocked over her drink. She did n't seem to notice.

'' Oh no Harry. '' She said very seriously. `` Daddy would never disesteem one of their consistency. Just because their a unlike species does n't stand for they should be less entitled to proper mourning. ''

He was so distracted by the ridiculous go of conversation that he failed to acknowledge Ginny until she dropped down adjacent to Luna, grinning from ear to ear.

'' So Harry, I heard Ron gave you detention. '' She commented mischievously, giving Luna a spry one armed hug. `` Shocking is n't it ? Considering how he 's never exactly been the mannikin Prefect. ``

Harry nodded miserably, longing for a return key to the Heliopath conversation. Anything was better than talking about this again.

Luna nodded absentmindedly. `` Harry was just thinking of apologizing to that ... Well what would you call her pilus colouration ? '' Luna seemed to chew over this for a endorse before shaking out her own dirty blond head of hair. `` Fourteen karat I suppose. But I think Harry 's having a severely time getting up the brass to blab out to her. ``

Harry gaped. Since when had he been considering doing that ? And her hair was gilded, not ...

He suddenly realized what he had been arguing with himself about, and hung his head.

Ginny shot him a openhearted look. `` Ca n't say I blame you. How 's the eye by the way ? ``

His psyche shot back up instantly. Was there anyone who did n't bed about that ?

'' Do n't worry Harry. The only I who know are us three, Kally, Dean, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Seamus. '' Ginny said, ticking them off her fingers. `` No one would feature found out if that git of a brother of mine had n't blabbed. ``

Harry fought the urge to kick something.

The table leg was saved by Seamus'arrival. He had been getting butterbeer for himself and Ginny. `` Heya Harry. ''

He grunted in response.

Seamus chuckled, brushing his sandy blast from his centre. `` Heard Kaylens decked yaaaRH ! ``

Seamus'cry of infliction was preceded by a loud THUNK from beneath the table, and a have words look from Ginny.

His Irish whiskey housemate was rubbing his shinbone rigorously. `` Sorry ... Could n't protest ya do it ? doyen and I have had this running point system between you twooOW ! Will you stop that Ginny ! ? ``

Harry shot her a thankful look, to which she inclined her smirking forefront.

By this percentage point Luna 's ever-present dreamy look had once again vanished, for she was clutching her stomach with laughter, pounding a fist on the table, making quite a scene as she ceased to cumber her laughter.

'' So sword lily my animation 's entertained everyone this workweek ... '' He muttered hollowly.

He spent the rest of the conversation sneaking secret looks across the relatively vacuous pub at Kaylens. doyen and Neville seemed to be debating something, and he thought he caught the words 'bloody thesteral'more than once, while Kaylens stirred her butterbeer, sipping it through a straw like Luna, looking for all the world as if she were not listening to a undivided word her comrade were saying.

He jumped, clearly startled when Ginny leaned down next to him, balancing on his shoulder. He had n't even noticed Seamus get up.

'' I 'm not sure what 's going on between you and Ron, but the git will follow around, and everything will be approve. '' She said this so quietly only he heard. `` Just remember, I 'm not just his petty sister, I 'm yours too. ``

She squeezed his shoulder lightly, re-joining Seamus, where he patiently had been waiting several feet away, just far enough to have given her the privacy she had requested.

She linked branch with Finnigan, and a warm impression billowed up inside him at her reassuring news. She was right, maybe not right now, but when this was all over affair would be okay.

He watched her blink over her shoulder before sauntering out into the blistering wind, her red hairsbreadth swirling around like a state of nature tornado.

He smiled stupidly.

He had a piffling sister .... Regardless of what Ron currently thought.

The view was comforting, and he hailed dame Rosmereta 's new waitress, a belittled, well-chosen looking brunette, over.

There was cypher he could or would do about Ron and Hermione. At least not right hand now.

But a new resolve to fix the things he had legitimately screwed up had been awakened. It would be hard, and he would probably thread up getting decked again, but it was Worth a jibe.

Luna smiled knowingly, humming Weasley is our King far too loudly for anyone 's gustation but his. Except at the moment he thought it should be More along the lines of Weasley is our Queen.
* * * * *


Drip.

A single droplet, clinging to the earthen roof of the catacomb, broke free.

'' It 's clip. ''

Plunk.

Remus caught the raw slab of meat that was thrown his way, not sickened as the four former werewolves with him dug in, watery blood dripping down their humanoid chins.

'' Dig in Wolf boy. You 're going to require your potency for this. '' Nott chided.

He eyed Nott with aversion. He preferred Wolfy, only from Tonks'lips.

He let her public figure fade, giving in to the resistless craving he had been fighting since sunrise. Ever since he had drank that cursed potion ...

It was a craving for blood that would not go away, and for the dozenth time that day, he extended his eye tooth fangs.

Only now he was using them to tear the proffer flesh, instead of just practicing his transformations, hoping Dumbledore could trump up a cure for this outrageous craving he would now deal with.

His centre rolled melanize, the pleasurable taste consuming him

For a here and now, the exclusively thing that mattered was the meat in manus. The view of protecting the innocent later on, forgotten.

Drip.

Now the blood dripped from his mouth as well.
* * * * *


Kally sighed exhaustedly, wishing for the solitude of her dormitory room. At least there she could quetch and scream, venting without the prying eyes of others following her every move, as ceramicist seemed to be doing from his seat in the shadowy fundament of the pub.

ceramicist was not somebody she wanted to mean about right now though.

She relaxed, allowing her elbows to prop herself up. She cast a glance resolutely down the bar 's counter, stirring her straw around in her empty, bear-sized, mug. It was a neural wont she had picked up as a fry, when she used to distort them into random form. It had always been her brother 's adult pet peeve.

'' Ca n't take you anywhere .... '' Sean smirked, tousling her hairsbreadth.

She swatted him away, gladiola to abash him in front of his friends.

A sharp nudge caused her human elbow to dislocate, freeing her from that line of thought. She cast an annoyed feeling at her housemate, ignoring the shooting pain the sudden jarring had sent up her impart arm.

'' The strong-arm scars, the nerve legal injury ... They are the least of your children 's headache Mr. And Mrs. Kaylens ... ''

Dean was grinning lopsidedly back, ignorant to where her thoughts had been, taking her back nearly a decade. They had n't known she was listening when they had spoken to the infirmary 's psychiatrist. But in their demurrer, her anesthesia had been heavy.

They had not been expected her to be waking up so soon.

'' You look like your off in your own little world there Kaylens. I did n't sweep up you forcibly out of the rook for nothing today, so being a mute will just not do. '' Dean said cockily.

If possible, Dean 's grinning had grown even more asymmetrical with his words.

The resemblance his smile had to Sean 's was striking.

Perhaps that was why she put up with him, while she distanced herself from all others, save for Remus. Dean was not Sean, but just seeing such similarity in another human was oddly comforting. It did not hurt like she had expected it to.

Seeing him looking at her expectantly, she shrugged, knowing full well he was about to set off prodding Neville. James Byron Dean was someone who seemed to think that it was his personal mission to puddle everyone around him laugh, and her stony silence was probably pushing him to the brink of insanity.

'' Well attend at this Nev. '' He commented predictably, nudging Neville so hard that the pitiable boy almost fell from his stool. `` We 've got ourselves a deaf-mute. I guess that means she ca n't back talk now can sh ... ''

'' Do n't even try it Norman Mattoon Thomas. '' She shot out, feeling the recess of her sassing tugging up at his persistence. Not only had he been clamant about her needing to chat, but he had adamantly refused to lead the castle for this 'so-called'day of freedom in Hogsmeade, without her.

How Dean had convinced'I'm-Afraid-of-My-Shadow'Neville to help in that endeavor was beyond her.

In the end, she had gotten sick of James Dean 's persistency and given in.

The rejoinder vibrated as the Three broomstick'waitress magicked three butterbeers to them with a loud thud. The liquid state frothed a bit around the edges.

Catching their questioning looks the youthful enchantress flashed a dazzling, dimpled smile. `` courtesy of the valet in the dorsum. ''

She eyed the new butterbeer with a wakeless sentiency of misgiving, before exchanging glimpse with Neville and James Byron Dean. She spun around on the bar faeces, catching spate of the only if patrons still in the back of the pub.

No sodding way in infernal region did he send us this .... She thought with no small amount of wrath.

After what he had done, any gesture of this sort was insulting.

She snatched up the butterbeer roughly, storming away from the startled Gryffindors towards thrower.

C. H. Best to get this over with ...

She came to an disconnected check in figurehead of him, slamming the mug down so hard that the liquid sloshed over the side, joining the already pooling puddle on his table.

'' What exactly do you cogitate you 're doing ? '' She asked angrily, not bothering to keep the contempt from her voice.

The girl with him smiled dazedly, humming some unrecognizable air, and Kally suppressed the urge to stare her down. But the most infuriating matter was ceramist himself.

He looked rather pleased, though she could not deduce why, since she was within half an inch of using the only if hex she was capable of on him.

'' buying you a swallow. '' He replied steadily, wiping at the mickle she had made with a spare napkin.

'' Oh ? '' She quipped sarcastically. `` And why 's that ? So you could lace it with truth serum and interrogate me in that swarthy pub down the street ? I must admit potter, if that's the causa you 're losing your signature. ''

She leaned down till their faces were story, using the table for balance. `` After all ... '' She hissed quietly, ignoring the blonde 's reflection. `` Why drug person for entropy when you can just hex it out of them. ``

ceramist continued wiping at the table, ineffective to meet her eyes.

'' dig ! ``

Kally jumped ever so slightly, ignoring ceramist 's amused grammatical construction. She turned an eye on the blonde, who had just slammed her hands down on the table top like an aroused four year old. The daughter 's protrubent patrician heart were now so wide of the mark they looked prepare to pop out of her skull.

'' Harry you would n't bear in mind if I excused myself would you ? '' She said excitedly. `` All this tension could attract an Ira, and I want to be in the honorable spot to see one. ``

Without waiting for an response the girl stood, not noticing their identical expressions of bewilderment, and began shoving spare straws into her lime common purse, speaking in a far off phonation.

'' You can only see one in your peripheral vision you know. It 's why daddy has n't gotten a good picture of one yet, but I 'd so know to see one ... ''

The girl marched off to the other position of the pub, turned to confront the wall, and stared blankly at it. Kally caught a few glimpse of pale blue eyes flickering their way, and each clock time this would happen the blonde female child would grunt unhappily, stamp her foot, and resume staring at the wooden sidetrack as if frustrated.

What the netherworld was that abo ...

'' Look Kaylens ... ''

His intrusion brought her back to the situation at hand, and she narrowed her eyes shrewdly. `` Ah your notable line. '' She whispered harshly. `` So which personality do I get today Potter ? Because really, this split personality thing is getting to be a bit of a headache. ``

Potter 's middle rose, meeting her own in a way she had thought the coward incapable of, and for a second his pleased flavor faltered. He blinked oddly, drawing in a thick, audible breathing spell. `` Kaylens ... '' He said quietly. `` I tried to excuse for that once already, and it 's a bit hard to excuse, but I was n't exactly myself when I did tha ... ''

Her heart widened considerably. `` Did it ever occur to you, in that thick skull of yours, that I might not give a damn whether you apologized or not ? ``

His expression fell, the mute napkin dropping with an audible thumping. `` After you stormed off that day by the lake, actually, yes. It did hap to me. ``

faith him to take that up, she thought angrily, straightaway to press back the rebellion of shame within herself.

She swallowed hard. `` gladiola to see your not quite that oblivious Potter. '' She muttered, forcing her voice icy. `` I would call back by now that any fabricated apologia would be a mute point. ``

She felt more than heard him drawing in a rich, frustrated breathing space. Jut like she felt, more than than saw him leaning closer to where she stood. `` I was n't lying to you when I said I was sorry for all of those other thing Kaylens. ``

He spoke so seriously, too seriously for individual their age. `` And I did n't even get the chance to apologize for the other nighttime ... '' He continued, his Adam 's Malus pumila rising rhythmically. `` Since I did n't picture getting decked again, I figured sending you a drinkable was the unspoiled excuse I could come up up with on short posting. At least the best one that could retain me a safe distance away, while getting you to come over here. ''

She arched an eyebrow disbelievingly, eyeing the mug a bit too carefully. `` Oh ? So you thought buying me a drink would realise up for that then ? '' She mused allowed.

He began to agitate his principal in the negative but she cut him off, the full weight of his insulting, woefully inadequate motion sinking in.

'' volition you just sit with me so I can try and expla .... ''

Impulsively she snatched up the mug, expelling it 's contents all over him, a sopping, frothing mess now staining the front of his shirt.

'' That's what I think of your pathetic apology. '' She muttered shakily. `` Enjoy. ``
* * * * *


Harry sat there sputtering. Of all the ways he had seen that possibly playing out, this had not been one of them.

Sitting there, stunned and sopping wet, he felt too shocked to respond effectively.

Instead his eyes fell upon her delicate left manus, hanging limply at her side.

It was shaking.

Inside he felt a frightful, twisting genius, recalling precisely why her hired hand shook thus. How could he cause failed to notice before ?

'' That's what I think of your pitiful apology. '' Kaylens snapped shakily. `` Enjoy. ``

His rima oris flapped wordlessly, his Christian Bible never reaching her ears, for Madame Rosmerta 's alert cry stole the words from his lips.

'' Lara what are yo.. '' Rosmerta questioned shrilly. Her heart were fixated in mental confusion upon the young waitress, the well-disposed one from whom he had ordered drinkable earlier.

The Same dimpled miss now had her scepter drawn, a dummy face drawn upon her lineament, striking a horrifying similarity to a porcelain doll.

'' Stupefy ! '' She hissed mechanically.

As if in slowly motion, Rosmerta fell, her limp cast disappearing behind the bar 's wooden sideboard. The Methedrine she had been cleaning took flight, hovering in mid-air for a modest eternity, before breaking free of it 's unearthly suspension, shattering across the counter.

For the first fourth dimension in it 's history, the Three Broomsticks fell silent. Only the howling of the October flatus, leaking in through the window, proved to him that he had not fallen into some horrific unsounded film.

The gentle chiming of ship's bell broke his aid from where the porcelain girl stood, smiling cruelly down.

Ginny Weasley, floated slowly in, Professor Très following closely, their movements oddly halting.

Hours seemed to feature passed, but the clock registered mere seconds.

beholding Ginny 's wand haltingly upgrade, her movements faltering, as if some unseeable force out were yanking her arm forcibly up against her will, was what finally broke him destitute of his slow gesture reverie.

His blood ran cold at her blank shell expression.

'' EVERYBODY DOWN ! '' He shouted, overturning the table. liquidness splattered, and their empty corpse fool had not even struck ground before the number one William Green curse flew from Ginny 's sceptre.

His own already drawn, he screamed a stunner, watching the killing bane miss Ron 's appal face by inches.

Ginny face stepped easily, and Professor Très turned an eerie eye upon him.

'' Kaylens movement ! '' He hollered, but she did not call for telling twice. She was already dropping down, covering her head as a lot of wooden shards whizzed by, an onslaught from the now smoldering chair before her.

A stunner grazed his ear, and his body jerked instinctively away from the heat, and in that single second he lost mountain of her.

Somewhere in the dim background of his mind the sidesplitter of the other patrons began to register.

Less than a ft away from where he stood, a decorative Cucurbita pepo exploded, a poorly aimed stunner searing right through it, striking the rampart. Stringy orange flesh and seeded player erupted, hurtling outwards, covering the floor and himself with slippery Orange clumps.

A red light flew from Très'sceptre, and he dove to the dry land, sheltering behind the table as the curse blasted through it. The howler of former bookman could be heard, pleading with the defense reaction Professor.

Très could not hear their supplication, with his ear length hair's-breadth flung over his eyes, his arm jerkily fired blindly at students, patrons, people ...

Grabbing the position of the overturned, round mesa, Harry heaved it to the incline, rolling it with all his strength, scrambling behind it like a rat until it hunkered to a freeze. ineffectual to go any farther, for an unconscious mind soundbox now blocked it 's forward motion, he found the entrance to the bar in sight.

It ran the length of the pub, and Ginny and Très'backs were now to it. If he could just get behind it he 'd get safe cover until he was right on them ...

He dove for it, leaving the masking of his board behind, rolling across broken chairman pegleg and field glass until he came to a crouch behind it.

The waitress was hiding behind it as well, firing nemesis over the counter.

'' Stupefy ! '' He whispered, letting the red igniter fly.

Her consistency went careening to the side, her wand flung from her clutches as she passed out next to Rosmerta 's limp form.

He scampered down the duration of it, snatching both their wands up, passing wine bottles, make clean mugs, and entrepot area as he went.

Reaching the end near the shade covered windows, he hastily pocketed the wands in his pant, leaping to his feet, the disarming spell partially formed on his lips.

His speech died there.

The jet of immature visible radiation erupted from Ginny 's wand like a volcano of decease, less than an arm 's length from where he stood.

Across the room Ron leapt to his ft, abandoning the irregular shelter of a rescind bench to smash to where Hermione and Luna fought unaided.

There was no meter to think, to evade, to respond.

The green light hit Ron mid-stride, flinging his body backwards against the wall.

Hermione 's brown centre widened, her mouth caught in a smother, understood wail, and Luna only just pulled her to the ground before the next green go whizzed by.

Time froze.

All was still.

The blank smell of the Imperious condemnation faltered upon Ginny Weasley 's facial expression, unabashed pain replacing it for but a second.

The masquerade party was re-erected, his own wand turning to her, tears of anger streaming down his facial expression at what had been just done to the only brother and sisters he had ever had.

Before the disarming enchantment could leave his backtalk, a hard clenched fist collided with his skull, sending the world blurring until it 's fiendish glory faded to black.
* * * * *


The sound of small fundament, pattering in the rain, accompanied Emily 's restoration. The audio of her serenity humming lingered like a breather of fresh air upon Tonks'ears.

The small nipper stepped out onto the pebbled path, quickly shutting her diminutive umbrella before scurrying to huddle beneath Tonks'.

Tonks smiled uncertainly as Emily 's tiny hand interlaced with her own. Why Emily was choosing the comfort of her, a alien, over that of her Fatherhood was puzzling to her. Kenneth would later on grin, informing her that she had a lot to con about how children think.

But for now, Kenneth gave her a low, trouble grin, before setting off across the soggy necropolis grass.

She had been right, he was a man of private mourning.

She adjusted the umbrella so the runoff would not drip onto the lilliputian princess'fountainhead, never noticing the thoughtful look that suddenly passed across Emily 's tiny face.

Feeling the insistent tugging on her arm she looked down, two small brown eyes meeting her own. Emily looked rather pensive.

As Tonks inwardly wondered what one should say to a tiddler who has just lost her female parent, Emily spoke.

'' Your friends are in trouble Nymph. ``



Le Règne d'Enfer Commence is French for The Reign of Hell Begin

Recommended Stories of the Week :

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon by Edward Ollivander ( He has a fab and originative 6th year fan fable featuring a HP/GW sexual union, and it is completed. )

Dark Tendencies by Two Sadists ( They have a 7th year fan fiction featuring a HP/OC pairing. )

Photograph couresty of the previously mentioned world domain website. Accreditations can be found via my personal website.






Disclaimer : All reference, plaza, and estimate taken from the Harry Potter account book series are property of JKR. However, the idea of a orbit is owned by me, since I have taken the idea of a compass from a series that I am writing, and adapted it ever so slightly to fit this fan-fiction series.






'' Some believe that the welfare of end, is that it is potential to see farther on the other side. ``
~ A.K. Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell ~



Chapter 20 ~ Nowhere to Run


'' Tonksie are you okay ? ''

Emily 's sweet voice carried upon the farting, nearly drowned out by the strait of rain pounding upon the umbrella.

She could only shake her forefront, shaken as a aplomb duck soup swirled around them. Thankfully such shade of expression were lost upon the child, who 's straits was tilted back, her mouth wide-cut open, catching rainfall drops.

'' The waaaateeer 's driiiippiiiing on meeee. '' Emily gurgled gaily.

Tonks shivered, straightening out the umbrella she had unknowingly allowed to slant. It had hung so low that a sudden cascade of water had fallen down like Victoria Falls onto young Emily 's head.

'' Sorry Em ... '' She gasped out, her voice wavering.

'' It 's okay I like the rain. '' Emily declared, darting out from beneath the umbrella, stomping her metrical foot merrily in the collecting puddles. `` I like puddles too ! ``

Tonks blinked in surprisal. The kid 's mother had been drowned in one barely a fortnight ago.

'' Your friends are in worry Nymph. ``

Emily 's sopping wet tress swung about her face, her arms held out as she spun in circles, her head tilted skyward catching the rain.

'' Tonksie come caper ! ``

Tonksie ... Only Remus called her Nymph.

'' My God ... '' She whispered, her dead body temperature dropping in a way that had goose egg to do with the wind.

Over Emily 's twirling figure she could see Kenneth Bothan kneeling in the miry graveyard pot. His wife 's sculpt lay before him, the carefully placed irises scattering in the sound wind.

'' Kenneth ! We have to go forth here now ! ``
* * * * *


Remus'ovular eyes opened upon the sorry of sights.

Hogsmeade ...

It 's empty locale lay before him, dead leaves billowing across the dusty tract leading through the ticker of the village.

Not a soul was in sight.

specter townsfolk ...

It was here Nott and the others had spoken of. It was here the recruiting had been done. It was here where the Death eater would hold their first stand. Here in the village, so close to the school ...

Too close.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend.

'' Merlin ... '' He whispered, staggering, the Oct picnic biting chilly lines across his skin.

werewolf had no use for clothing.

Roughly, an unclothed forearm scratched across his mentum. Flecks of dried blood flaked away, sprinkling the ground with a sinister looking dust. It 's unwholesomeness was a consummate reminder of his recently fulfilled thirst.

'' Surprised half-breed ? ``

Instinctually, angrily, his claws extended, breaking his skin with a fiery pain. He did not reply Nott, instead he growled lowly, extending his pinna into recollective points.

The hair sprouting, prickling his pointed ears, brought the deathly unruffled Village to life. Farther off ... In the heart of town .... Pleas ... .. whirl of salvation in interchange for allegiances ... ..

'' That fool of an old man will never know what hit him. '' Nott 's guttural consonant voice was flooded deep with hate. `` Well be here and gone before he even gets out his walker. ``

Not if I can avail it ...

Lucius'indecipherable growl cut in, breaking through his wild mentation, arousing something far darker ...

It was clock time to change.

An affected heat filled his veins.

Upon the ground where Remus Lupin had been, now stood a werewolf, the barbed scent of freshly spilled rakehell inundating it 's senses.

The wolf pawed the ground eagerly.
* * * * *


His soundbox, felt like it was being drug across meth. It ached, splintering as individual shards sliced his skin.

Shards .... Shards ... He tried to compass onto the word to no help. It 's elusive signification fled from his pounding skull.

The tight grip on his ankle joint disappeared, and his fundament dropped unceremoniously to the story. A second later the reverberations in the floor boards indicated another dead body being dumped besides him.

Ron ...

With a jerk he was awake, the salty rent of anguish tainting his lips.

It could n't be material. It could n't have happened. Not again ...

He turned his head in a vain lookup, struggling to pretend mother wit of the blurred domain before him. A flash of the palest of yellow caught his eye.

Drifting in and out of focusing was Luna Lovegood, sitting cross legged, her wrists tightly bound within her lap, dreamy blue eyes fixated upon him concernedly.

'' Why how-do-you-do Harry. '' She said congenially.

Just thinking sent a penetrating throb through his skull, and he quickly discovered his arms to be bound behind his backrest.

With a frustrated thump he hit his hired man against the base, a stabbing pain sensation ripping his fist.

He did not need Luna 's declaration to sleep with that a shard of glass now stuck from his paw. The warmness welling from it, trickling down his fingertips, was enough to inform him.

A ace crimson free fall fell free, it 's sound reverberating through his vacuous chest.

Drip.

The suffocating weight of despair struck him hard, paralyzing him.

Drip.

Ron was gone.

Drip.

Ginny 's unwilling paw had done the unthinkable.

Drip.

end Eaters were in Hogsmeade.

Drip.

A strangled sob shattered the silence.

Drip.

His fist snapped shut, tugging at the bindings. His optic, blurred with rage, searched the ruined pub, taking it in with insensate calculation.

Drip.

The floor now resembled a greenhouse, a shattered flora holder had sent soil strewing across it.

Drip.

Butter beer and other intermixture pooled together in frothy pool, broken chairs and overturned tables creating wild paths.

drip mould.

Broken methamphetamine hydrochloride glittered in the afternoon sunlight, casting surreal spectrums across the floor.

Drip.

He squeezed his clenched fist, the profligate flowing down, and began counting.

Drip.

In the spaces where neither ice nor soil lay, patrons did.

Drip.

Half a dozen, either unconscious mind or dead, lay upon the floor at dot time interval.

Drip.

The rest, the conscious, had been bound and lined up against the walls.

Drip.

'' Stupid crying Mudblood ! ``

Hermione ...

She lay collapsed against the far wall, her arms bound like his own.

Drip.

Before her towered a ranting number clad in dark, and clenched within the brutal confines of the Death Eater 's clenched fist trailed prospicient locks of bushy hair.

A heavy bruise ran the length of her tear stained cheek.

'' I should have finished the job when I had the chance you filth. '' Scowled the expiry eater, throwing back his hood.

His breathing spell caught in his throat.

Dolohov.

The image of Hermione 's limp form in the Department of closed book flashed through his mind. She had nearly died at Dolohov 's hands ...

'' What do you think here Ludovic ? Should I terminate her off ? '' The end Eater called out, kneeling in front of her. `` Or what about you Mudblood ? tutelage to connect your worthless red-headed friend over there ? '' Dolohov chided, poking her like a slug with the end of his wand.

Hermione 's sparkling eyes met Dolohov 's unflinchingly, her lips curling back to expectoration in his face.

He recoiled, a face of the purest revulsion over-sweeping his ware feature. `` Oh you filthy ... '' He muttered, frantically wiping his face in the folds of his cloak.

'' Hey Antonin ! '' An overly cheery voice called out, stopping Dolohov 's bridge player mid-strike. `` Since were only supposed to determine the kiddies until He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gets back, what do you think of ... ''

Dolohov whorled on the cloaked physique, who had just emerged from behind the bar, waving a salvaged firewhiskey bottle.

'' Ludovic he is our Almighty and shall be addressed as such ! '' Dolohov roared dangerously. `` One more slip and I 'll ready sure the Mudblood fan is n't the only remains in here ! ''

Ludovic appeared unconcerned, and began filling two whiskey glasses. `` Antonin what you need is a dear, firm drinkable. ''

Dolohov scowled, quickly aiming a powerful bang to Hermione 's middle. The cranny of her rib echoed between the pub 's bulwark, as did Harry and Neville 's war cry of protest.

'' Now Antonin was that really essential ? '' Ludovic asked nervously.

Dolohov turned, his wand raised threateningly. `` One. More. Word. Ludovic. Just. One. ``

Ludovic raised his men in a conciliatory manner, knocking his hood from his human face in the mental process.

'' Now Dolohov she 's just a girl. All I was saying is tha .... '' But the rest of his Son were lost upon Harry, for beneath the vise of the dark bonnet was the schoolboyish face of Ludo Bagman.
* * * * *


Kenneth Bothan 's head teacher shot up, while Tonks ran forward, wrapping a protective arm around Emily. The fallen umbrella lay forgotten, spinning in concentric circles upon the pebbled ground, a toy of the billowing wind.

'' Kenneth we should leave ! '' She cried, hoisting Emily into her arms.

Her barely concealed urgency rang rightful within the President 's spike, for he was already sprinting back to where they stood.

He was a man who understood the world 's dangers.

Emily squirmed, her auburn school principal following her forefather 's advance towards them. `` Daddy, your knees are all muddy. '' She scolded seriously.

Kenneth smiled grimly, his jaw set. `` I can take her. ''

Tonks nodded, relinquishing the daughter to withdraw her wand. The ever-increasing quiver was closing in. It would n't be long ...

'' What 's going on ? '' Kenneth asked urgently.

'' No fourth dimension to explain. '' She responded, taking off down the track. She could hear Kenneth 's heavy footstep behind her, splashing in the muddied water.

They rounded the crook in the pathway, the heavy grove of tree falling away to reveal the dark lot. The car, their leak, was in sight, yet heavy desperation drenched her soul.

Nymphadora 's feet slid in the gravely mud, and she came to a check, throwing out an arm out to stop what was left of the Bothan family.

It was right then that picayune Emily Bothan began to pule.

Kenneth 's dark optic quickly blinked away water. `` Tonks what 's thi ... ''

'' papa we need to run. Please daddy run. '' Emily was pleading hysterically, her facial expression buried into Kenneth 's shoulder.

Staring ahead at the looming figures, Tonks could only shake her head.

'' I do n't opine we have metre to run. ``
* * * * *


'' YOU ! ''

Ludo Bagman 's bluish eyes turned on him, a proud of smile replacing his previously perplexed one. `` Ah ... Harry boy. I was wondering when you 'd total around. ``

Dolohov scoffed. `` Precious Potter indeed. Tell me potter, how was your wittle crisp ? ``

'' So secern me Harry, '' Ludo interjected, seeming determined to point the conversation his way. `` How take in things been ? ''

'' Yes wittle Potter. How own things been without that mangy old dog of yours ? ``

'' Antonin .... '' Ludo sounded distinctly uncomfortable.

In the distant background he could hear Neville 's choked stuttering.

'' H-how have they been ? '' Harry repeated, dumbfounded. How have they been ! ?

'' Not too good Mr. Bagman. '' Luna 's foggy voice drifted out, answering for him as he gaped like a fish. `` Harry 's been having a scratchy year, as you can see. ``

A pitiless snort came from Dolhov 's direction.

'' He lost his godfather, and with people such as yourself switching sides and betraying him, I trust you can see why. '' Luna continued casually.

Bagman was suddenly refilling his drink.

'' After all, Harry does n't want anyone else to die, and when people he trusts start killing mass ... ''

travelling salesman 's ice stopped halfway to his sass, heart widening defensively. It was a moment before his calmness returned.

'' Now I 've never actually killed anyone per say Miss .... ''

'' Lovegood. '' She supplied.

'' Lovegood. '' He continued. `` It 's just that .... ''

A strange calm had overtaken him, the little palpitation of his own helping hand lost upon him. `` It 's just that your subject matter with allowing others to do it for you. '' He said disdainfully. `` Your content with being a Sir Noel Pierce Coward, with siding with what is soft rather than what is powerful. ``

travelling salesman eyed him apprehensively, swallowing hard. `` Now Harry, you know how the Ministry is. '' He began imploringly. `` They never support anyone but themselves ... ''

'' At least they do n't wipe out anyone ! '' Harry bellowed, arms shaking with suppressed hysteria.

'' But Harry j-just think about this for a s-second. He-Who-Must-Not ... I mean my Almighty .... '' He quickly corrected himself, spying the malevolent look of Dolohov. `` He just desires the Ministry 's downfall. So long as people stay out of his way no one will get hurt. Now I ask you Harry, my boy, is that really so bad ? ``

'' Replacing one Caesarism with another. Sounds lucid to me. '' He retorted sarcastically.

Besides him Luna nodded approval, her fingers drumming against her bindings to some unrecognizable strain.

'' When you disappeared my grams was worried about you ! Y-you ... Your .... '' Across the room Neville Longbottom 's vocalization rang out, surprising everyone.

Harry caught a glance of Neville 's uncharacteristically contorted face.

It was frightening.

'' Your no estimable than Bellatrix you slime ! ''

The poignant accusation hung thickly in the air, no one speechmaking. Bagman had become very interested in his drink, shifting uncomfortably under the angry eyes of all save for Dolohov.

For soul to work their rachis, on even the Ministry, in favor of Voldemort ...

It was unforgivable.

Drip.

He had nearly forgotten how his own manus bled, the light headed feeling out of place for the situation. Fortunately the justify flow of crimson sprightliness was slowing, his coagulation gene finally kicking in.

Harry shook his head teacher, ignoring the slight spin of the humans. `` You were acquitted once Bagman. '' He hissed, eyes scanning the way for a way out. `` So tell apart me, were you a namby-pamby Coward back then too, or just stupid ? ``

Bagamn cringed. `` Harry I was never a decease eater ! ''

'' But you are now. '' His voice quivered. `` So severalize me, why 'd you do it ? ''

Dolohov 's self-satisfied saying betrayed even his interest in the answer, and Harry was not about to let the Death eater distraction go to waste.

livelihood them talking ... keep open them distracted ...

His hands began roaming across the floor behind him, feeling for another precipitous sliver of glass.

'' Well you know Harry, goblins, they 're awful business. '' Ludo said, fidgeting. `` You know how they are if they 're after ya and ... ''

Harry did his skillful to glare, feigning interest as Ludo 's hilltop creased curiously.

'' come to reckon of it you probably do n't Harry. But it 's not fun patronage, goblin debt collectors that is. And since the Ministry was n't about to increase my salary these boys said they 'd be glad to help oneself me out of my jam ... ''

'' That you got yourself into ! '' Neville shouted furiously from across the room.

bagman eyed Neville warily. `` I can see where you 'd think that but ... ''

'' BUT WHAT ! ? '' Neville roared.

Luna inconspicuously sent a broken bottle firearm sliding his way, his finger coiling around it like a snitch.

'' But these expiry Eaters, they 're not so bad. ``

Harry very nearly dropped the shard, his eyes bulging out.

'' Not so bad ? '' He repeated gruffly.

Bagman nodded vigorously. `` No ! Not at all Harry ! In fact their rather ... ''

'' Tell that ... '' He hissed lowly. `` To my mum and dad. enjoin that to Sirius. tell that to Ron ! ''

An odd facial expression crossed traveling salesman 's face. `` Now Harry really .... ''

Harry 's sassing parted, accusation dripping as thick as the blood line from his gyrate clenched fist, only the sound never came.

The soft sound, and flicker of cause upon the floor, drew the breath heterosexual from his lips.

'' Kaylens ... '' He breathed softly. He had nearly forgotten ...

'' Ah another one to conjoin the fray ? '' Dolohov called cheerfully, sauntering over to where she lay, partially concealed by an upturned table.

The Death Eater reached her, roughly dragging her squirming kind up.

'' Ca n't leave you discharge to rove around now can we ? '' He hissed, drawing unnaturally close to her.

Harry 's breadbasket lurched wretchedly as Dolohov 's rim grazed her blood stained cheek.

'' After all, perfervid tempers like you ... ''

'' Get. Your Hands. Off. Her. '' Harry spat dangerously, drawing Dolohov 's care to him. Anything to get him away from her ... She looked cook to break ...

The Death eater regarded him coldly. `` Or you 'll do what exactly ? ``

'' You do n't desire to know. '' He hissed lowly, ceasing the sawing movement upon his dressing. He could n't give to let Dolohov see ....

'' Oh but I do ! '' He said menacingly, a cruel smile lighting his dead heart. `` I 'd very much like to recognize what Precious ceramicist thinks he could do to me. ``

His eyes narrowed, a cruel grinning of his own crossing his characteristic.

'' I could depict you why Voldemort is so afraid of me. '' He whispered threateningly.

The cords winding around Kaylens'wrists snapped tight, Dolohov 's tense bobby pin betraying his hullabaloo.

Harry went on, the room swaying unnaturally as he spoke with malicious measure. `` Or you could do yourself a favor Dolohov, and leave. bequeath before you make me really furious. ''

Dolohov shifted uncomfortably, mirroring bagman 's movements. He took the chance to slowly slice at his binding yet again.

The glass, slip with his own blood line, nearly fell from his grip. Thankfully the error was lost upon the decease feeder, for Dolohov had chosen that moment to twist Kaylens around, hissing something into her tangled plait furiously.

His radiocarpal joint rung with the botheration, brought about by another slip of the chalk, as Kaylens soundbox was tossed besides him.

His sawing movements halted, his eyes drawn to where she lay, panting faintly besides him.

'' There ... `` Dolohov sneered. `` Enjoy your mudblood friends Precious thrower. Once our Creator gets here we 'll see how brave you really are. ``

He swallowed hard, watching Kaylens'eyes flicker open air. He wanted to say something, anything ...

He had failed her ...

Hermione 's soul wrenching tones brought a face of awe to both their feature article.

'' Brave ? '' Hermione 's weak spokesperson chided from where she sat, propped against the wall. `` You ask him about bravery ? He 's sixteen, not even a fully qualified adept, yet you fear him so much as to disarm him and tie down him. ''

She spat all of this into Dolohov 's approaching face, just before his hand reared back, slapping her roughly to the floor.

She let out not a cry, peering upwards through her narrowed, swelling eyes, just in time to see a dark boot rearing back.

'' Hey Dolohov ! ``

Dolohov 's foot froze mid-kick, hate-filled heart flying towards Neville 's tubby cheek.

'' You do n't require to do that. ''

Dolohov 's blockheaded eyebrows disappeared beneath his mangy hair. `` You presume to order me around boy ? ''

Neville shrugged casually. `` You can contaminate yourself if you want. '' He sounded uncharacteristically Slytherin. `` I did n't realize dirty blood suited a Death feeder. ``

Dolohov laughed roughly, buying Harry more time.

Neville you 're a saint ...

A bead of salty sweat broke free from his os frontale, rolling into his mouth. Setting his jaw he worked, the glass shard digging into his thickset bindings.

Snap.

The fragment slid so low, so fast, he nearly cut too deep, the breath of nuisance catching fasting in his pharynx.

The book binding were looser.

Twisting his hands testingly, he found with the first roughage 's severing had come a greater orbit of apparent movement.

optic locked onto Dolohov 's clenched fist, slamming into Neville 's jaw, he twisted his carpus, ignoring the burning sensation of dehydrated wound ripping open. Warm, thick liveliness blood welled from these touch, his scabbed over fingers feeling in his cloak ...

They had taken his wand, but Rosmereta 's ... The waitress'...

Polished mahogany brushed beneath his gravelly skin, Kaylens'aglow eyes meeting his own, comprehension shining within their fiery profundity ...

He could reach the isolate wands.

He was armed.
* * * * *


'' Pumpkin ... dear momma needs you to do mummy a favor. Can you do that beloved ? ``

She whimpered, her face buried in her father 's rain soaked lawsuit. She wanted to face away, but she could n't. The cold feeling was there. She could hear her mum, she wanted to see her, to hug her, but she was too scare to front away from the safety of her father 's arms.

'' Do you lack your mom fiddling daughter ? Would you like to see her ? ``

Emily squeezed her eyes harder, willing the voice away. `` It 's not mummy ... '' She whispered. `` I ca n't see ma ... ''

Ah, ah, ah, ah ... Little darling your mummy is busy now. Ca n't you see that ? ``

She shook her brain frantically, squeezing her dad 's neck. `` No ... No .... ''

'' out-of-doors your eyes you trivial bitch ! ``

The cruel lady 's dark optic danced in her mind. She did n't want to see the lady again. She did n't want to.

'' pappa ... '' She whimpered frightfully.

'' No not daddy. ma ! You wanted to see her little bratwurst, so here, feeling ! ''

Daddy would open his oculus ... He would. He was n't afraid of anything. Maybe if she opened her eye the peeress would go away again.

Emily swallowed, counting hard to ten.

'' Please mum ... ''

Emily 's watery eyes opened, a dark suit coat staring back.

Mummy needed up. She needed air. The mingy man was there again, shoving her face into the puddle. Her mummy did n't like water.

Emily cried out, screeching, shaking her forefront back and forth, throwing the double away. She wanted them to go. Her damp, rain-soaked gold braid flung into her father 's look as she shook, but she did not notice.

'' Kenneth subscribe Emily and go. ``

'' Tonks what 's ... ''

'' You ca n't see them Kenneth, but they 're there. ``

'' No ... '' Her own whimper rang in her pinna, her icy hands shaking her mum. Whey was n't mummy waking ? She had to ... `` No ... ''

'' Tonksie ! '' Had she shouted ? Could the overnice peeress listen her ?

'' Kenneth get to the car. Drive away. ``

'' Tonks I ca n't go forth ... ''

'' I 'll be alright. Just go. NOW ! ``

Emily 's reeling world reeled more, for her founding father had taken off at fast sprint, splashing water over her branch.

In the dim background, somewhere beyond her mother 's sidesplitter, she could hear the nice lady shouting something.

Her world dimmed away as a silvery dog ran past.

mom always liked frump ...
* * * * *


Releasing the wand for what he promised would be only moment, he continued sawing at his bindings, slowly, rhythmically, trying to gain precious centimeters of mobility ...

He was armed, and the recognition had numbed him, his future move horribly elusive.

With the rhythmical sawing of the shard, his intellect fell curiously blank for the outset time in what felt millennium.

His gaze fell upon her as she moved, shoving herself up from where she lay on the floor, branch shaking fiercely, be it from shock or the pain he knew she daily bore, he did not know.

'' Kaylens. '' He whispered softly, grasping for something, anything associate in the revulsion that was his life.

She fell into place besides him, so close, her bloodied sleeve nearly brushing against his hide. She was blocking Dolohov 's view of what he was doing, he knew it without even asking, for her heart swept the elbow room as those of the hunted would.

She was being as cautious as him, despite the slight sway to her stature.

Snap.

Another ribbon of the Mexican valium broke free, it 's departure masked by her sudden, purposeful coughing.

Her head fell forward, her coughs lingering long enough to appear genuine, and her golden, dishevel locks came cascading down, falling over her eye, veiling her formulation from all but him. To his eye each shimmering strand, glinting in the dull afternoon glow, as well as her watery orbs, remained visible, as well as her bound wrists, white and torn from where she had frantically pulled, struggling for release in Dolohov 's arms.

The mongrel would never again lay a finger upon her.

He would never again lay a fingerbreadth upon anyone.

Harry ceramist had a few wickedness spells he was quite tidal bore to try out.

Snap.

'' How much longer do you cogitate it 'll be till he finishes questioning the village Antonin ? ``

Dolohov sneered. `` Ludovic you are trying my patience as much as the half-blood and these ... '' The dark gaze of the man scanned the room, taking in the few conscious scholarly person and the two patrons bound and lined against the wall. `` These spare. ``

'' But what if the ministry .... ''

Dolohov kicked the level, sending shattered glass skittering across Dean 's fallen form. `` We will be here and gone before those fools catch malarky of this. Besides, these thing are delicate affair ... ''

Questioning ? His ears listened, silently taking it all in. Besides him Kalliandra appeared to be doing the like, while Luna shifted the drinking glass shards on the storey around with her feet.

traveling salesman seemed besides himself with questions. Harry mentally egged him on to be loose lipped.

'' Perhaps we could stun them all and take them back ourselves ? ``

Dolohov scowled in his direction. `` He will not be needing all of them. And you would do well to restrain your mouth shut from now on or I will shut it for you. ``

The give-and-take ended.

It was then that he heard it.

'' You ... ''

Only he had heard her whispered accusation, for it could be nil else. The sheer revulsion in that one, whispered news left null to question.

Her eyes had moved from Dolohov, drifting into the background beyond, liquid fire boiling beyond their depths. Lifting his own he followed her gaze to where Ludo Bagman stood, pouring himself another fidgety drink.

He turned his confusion upon her, noticing her chest 's rhythmic ascension as her breaths came quicker, deeper, faster ...

Golden eye flickered shut, a pained facial expression falling across her.

'' How distressing were you ? '' She breathed to herself, only barely, for the hate saturating her cushy tone was not lost upon him.

It was chilling.

His own boiling blood froze as he studied her, taking advantage of the letup in activities.

'' Kaylens. '' He whispered, almost pleadingly.

Her hateful gaze burned right through him, straight to Bagman.

'' Kaylens please ... ''

Her eyes fell shut, her fist opening and closedown on flimsy air. `` You 're bleeding Potter, are you alright ? '' She whispered shakily.

Gently brushing his arm against her own, he waited for some sign that she was alright.

bit passed, before delicate eyelids flickered subject, her heart alight with an aberrant glow.

'' trade good. '' She murmured. `` Because I can only give you a moment. ``

His mouthpiece flapped wordlessly, shocked at the transformation before him.

Where his pelt lightly touched her own, an unnatural tingle had begun.
* * * * *


The zip reverberating from him drew her nearer, an eternity passing before she was able to forcibly run away.

His disarray radiated in startling amount, but he would interpret soon enough.

They would all understand ...

She would not range near him again, for her world was moving unnaturally dim, as if the outcome occurring around her were illusive, fleeting images from horrifying dreams that would surely fly with a waft of merciful consciousness.

Only no such merciful air came.

Her spring script rose from her lap, tracing the legal tender line of her jaw, feeling her cooling hide. Somewhere, amidst the fighting, she had fallen, shoved away by dean. The dehydrated smear of blood along her cheek gave evidence to that.

She could feel the heat radiating from James Dean 's limp form.

He was live ...

Hermione ...

The humble girlfriend 's digit had curled around fallen chunks of her bloodied, exterminate hair, as if the resolute Gryffindor had wanted something to harbor onto, something solid and tangible to prove the afflictions had been real.

They had ...

Her eyes fell willfully shut once more, immersing herself in the passive obliviousness of wickedness, where no ogre save her own reigned.

The storage of a resurrected night, long due retaliation, beckoned.

A limp paw lay splayed across the front corridor ... Blood trickling onto the wooden porch boards ...

'' God forgive me ... '' She breathed, the palpable chill filling her lungs.

She had made her decision.

The chilling rainfall pelted down, something dour mixing with the dingy water licking at her nose ...

The tingle began softly, like a fire up plumage playing across her hide, traversing it 's way upwards, inwards ...

It was their blood swirling within the puddle ... .Sean 's blank centre staring back ...

It was rolling in distinct waves, operating by it 's own insensible pattern, pulsating from the sustenance, evaporating from the dead.

A boyish typeface appeared above her, sympathy in his oceanic eyes. `` I 'm awfully sorry about this kid ... ''

His voice had echoed through that nighttime, and again this day.

He had stood idly by once, and was again.

She squeezed her eyes shut ever tighter, involuntarily frisson traveling through her, the rash pressure in the very air construction, pulsating in uncontrolled wafture outwards.

The humans was taking on a hotter calibre, every nervus burning with flaming vividness as she began reaching, feeling ...

The acrid presence of Ludovic traveling salesman filled her, and she began drawing.

Her intent was to kill.



A/N : Please forgive the author 's note, but I believe a proper thank you is in lodge.

Thank you for making this level the routine One Favorite Story on the site, for making me the Number One darling Author on the site, for making this the 7th near understand chronicle in the site 's chronicle when it has been out for less than a year, and for making this the story with the Most critique Ever.

I honestly ca n't state how traumatize I was to see that. I truly experience that I do not deserve such an award, because having scan many of the early account on this site, I feel that my writing pale in equivalence to the wealth of endowment displayed by others such as njill22, Edward Ollivander, The dark Lord Nedved, KawaiiAce2003, IchigoPan, Violet Gryfindor, Timeturner, BitterEpiphany, Ginny Weasely, Arios, Cocoapuffshooter, Winky, and too many others to name.

I have the best lecturer in the world. I truly do.


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