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



Chapter 16 ~ New Barriers


Harry clenched his fist around thin air, squeezing the life out of some unseen opponent within the quieten hospital extension. The silence was only broken by Kaylens'tranquil breaths, her pectus rising and falling as steadily as the light breeze fluttering the curtain.

He 'd been cooped up for day, still healing himself, and had been forced to watch her grow ever stiller. Surely he was trapped within one of the seven circles of hell, for each metre he looked upon her his guiltiness rose like a fire, the flaming 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 gentlewoman Pomfrey had been ineffective to charge up her.

Her skin still held the pallor of death, yet to him it seemed slightly rosier.

Perhaps it was his own wishful thinking.

He rose, unable to stay on still, watching her with nothing save his sentiment for fellowship.

view were such poor comfort ...

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

The defence, the atonement, and everything he had expected to finger were conspicuously absent.

Bellatrix Lestrange was dead.

So why did he feel robbed ?

The obvious solution came. Tonks had beaten him to the kill. She had killed the one person who 's dying he had desired above all but Voldemort himself. And now he would never have the chance to avenge Sirius the way he had wanted.

Worst of all, Lestrange 's body was gone.

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

Now even that cruel comfort had been taken from him.

All he was left with, were unreciprocated questions, and this cruel circle of hell called the Hogwarts hospital wing.

Still, the facts did not add up. end Eaters held no loyalty for one another. To them nothing was sacred.

Yet they had salvaged the body.

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

So why do it ?

He had unconsciously wandered, finding himself in front of the open tierce floor window. The autumn scented pushover blew across his bare chest, cooling him. His shirt lay discarded upon his bed, his shoulder veiling recently removed, exposing the claw marks that now indented his skin.

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 break scapula had been mended quickly, but wolfman wound were slow 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 zero but hollow. His own apathy was almost enough to wish for death.

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

'' Experimental spells, their effects unknown to the Order, have been added to Voldemort 's arsenal of weaponry, Harry. Take heed ... ''

He would.

He had seen what happened to Lupin first hired hand, for his shift had been triggered by the go Lucius Malfoy had hit him with.

It had happened during the day.

Now, where last eater roamed, the moonshine would no longer adjudge it 's sway.

Harry shuddered in the zephyr, contemplating the many horrors Voldemort might loose in summation to daylight roaming werewolves.

Of course there was no demand to speculate. Dumbledore had told him about the atrocities of latterly.

40 seven innocents, four of them children, had walked upon the Earth. Now they lay beneath it 's stern soil, removed by the pitiless natural action of Voldemort 's minions.

Hermione 's parents would soon get together them, and his dusty noetic English realized that when it happened, part of Hermione 's soul 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 heart of it, he was partly to blame.

For if he were truly the one with the power to vote down the night Lord, than every second gear he had ever spent reveling in liveliness, and not searching for Voldemort 's demise, had been another grave accent in the terra firma for the innocent.

A irritating chill burned within the hook marks he bore, and he wondered if they had re-opened again, bleeding anew. He reached a hired man back, gingerly touching it, the ancestry upon his fingerbreadth confirming his mistrust.

It was doubtful he would be permitted to get out soon.

'' That 's disgusting. ``

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

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

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

'' You were out for five years. ``

She paled considerably.

He was tardily to reclaim, and debated getting dame Pomfrey. But she would be back soon, to check on his own wounding. She could find her awake then. Besides, he was afraid to leave her alone for even a 2d, dire that she might fall into that unending sleep once more.

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

He studied her, thinking about how to answer. His pride made him hesitant to admit failing, but her eyes ...

She would recognise a lie if he told it, he realized, deciding on the accuracy.

'' Painful, '' He watched her middle flicker shut. `` You ? ''

'' Like hell ... '' She murmured.

'' You look it. ``

She graced him with a wry grinning, a lock chamber of pilus falling into her oculus. She looked almost annoyed.

She reached up, brushing the curl aside, revealing her deadly pale skin. Her contain movements exposed her own pain to him in a way no words could.

As did her wrist. His optic caught upon the dark bruise encircling it.

He crossed to her, catching her wrist gently. She glanced up, Pomaderris apetala eyes narrowed in discombobulation.

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

Her eyes traveled to where his fingers lay.

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

'' Pomfrey said she had taken charge of this, '' He whispered aloud, gently relinquishing her helping hand. She let it accrue upon her pillow, besides her brass. `` Your ivory may not have healed properly. ``

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

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

It was funny, but had she had woken a few twenty-four hours earlier he probably would get demanded reply, answers about how she knew Lupin, about what she really did or did not cognise about Death Eaters, but after Clarence Shepard Day Jr. of sitting there, watching her frail number sleep, the bare thought of interrogating her trouble him.

His solvent could hold back, for a niggling while at least.

'' Tonks stopped by earlier, '' 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, care that she would not come alive, that drove him to the admission.

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

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

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

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

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

It was then that Pomfrey walked in.

He tore his middle 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 unnecessary movement.

lupin 's claws had torn into him just beneath his shoulder leaf blade, right where several muscles came together. Apparently re-growing muscles 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, content to sit there in silence. He was debating whether or not to break that silence when a foiled looking Ron walked in.

Looking at Ron, he realized that there were other things that had to be taken attention of first.

He had been dreading this conversation for days. Ron and Hermione would need result. reply about his absence ... response about what had occurred in Dumbledore 's office twenty-four hour period earlier ... Answers about Voldemort 's intrusion into his mind ...

Answers he could not give.

How could he explain the pressure he felt, or Voldemort 's intrusions, without revealing the capacity of the prophecy ?

How could he explain what had gone on at Sothis', without revealing all he had seen ?

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

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

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

It had been over a week since he and Kaylens had disappeared from the master 's office, and one of the live on fond weekends of the year had driven the student organic structure outside.

As for him, during that time, Voldemort had left his mind alone. He had felt the start of an violation days earlier, but riddle had withdrawn, sensing that his decision had not yet been made.

Riddle had given him more fourth dimension due to his injury, and for that, Harry had to pass him credit.

As iniquity as Voldemort was, the creature had some course of instruction.

They walked in silence, Ron 's centre darting towards him. He knew Ron was trying to determine what was secure to discuss.

Harry decided to dispense with him the ineptness. `` How 's Hermione ? ``

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

'' Not good, '' The absence of people made the corridor cavernous, and his breather echoed quietly.

'' Harry what 's going on ? ``

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

Not to mention the prophecy. How in the hell was he supposed to beat him ?

There were too many interrogative to answer, before the most of import one could even be framed.

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Hermione was there, waiting for them in the evacuate residence hall, sprawled out with a book on Ron 's bed. Her eyes were rimmed with grim lot, standardized to Kaylens.

Misery loves company, he thought. Ron sat besides her, placing a hand on her back. Only then did she seem to realize they were there.

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

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

She shrugged, re-burying her nose into her Christian Bible. `` 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 order. '' His eyes would not receive theirs.

Ron frowned. `` His cause ? ``

So he could sustain fourth dimension to brief us on what we could or could not say to you, he thought.

'' He did n't require us seen. We were n't in ... '' He shrugged with one articulatio humeri. `` No one should stimulate seen us after it okay ? ``

Hermione 's center roamed, landing on his scarf bandage.

He caught the unvoiced doubt. `` werewolf 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 questioning. `` Harry that 's not possible. ``

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

'' Because the full-of-the-moon moon is n't until ... ''

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

'' Then how could a werewolf ... ''

His expression turned grave. `` There are ways. ``

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

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

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

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

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

'' He turned. Yes. ``

'' Falco columbarius ... '' Ron whispered, unconsciously rubbing Hermione 's back harder.

'' Harry I do n't realize, '' She said haltingly, shoving her Christian Bible away, it 's Page flapping lifelessly as it fell to the floor. She spared it not a glance. `` Please Harry. What 's going on ? ``

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

Ron took Hermione 's script almost naturally. `` Then subscribe your clock time match. get-go from the beginning. ''

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

'' You both already know that Voldemort has not given me a bit 's serenity since finish summer. It 's a secret battle between him and I. We 're both fighting for selective information, about the former side 's comings and departure, about how much the former position knows ... ''

He talked steadily, opening his dresser draftsman to put clothing away. His natural process, however menial, lent a mother wit of normality to the otherwise forbidding conversation.

'' Your parents 'Mione, he said he will release them, '' He ignored her intake of breathing place. `` If I tell him what the contents of the prognostication were. ``

Her expression drooped. `` But how could you ? It broke ... '' She glanced at Ron, searching for ratification, repeating herself now. `` You ca n't know 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 mind, yet it lasted no Sir Thomas More than 3 seconds.

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

He remained silent, until her pleading voice broke again.

'' Harry, please ... ''

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

The sell looks upon their faces nearly broke his feel.

Hermione 's sassing opened and closed wordlessly. It was Ron who finally gave voice to their idea. `` Why Harry ? Why ca n't you portion 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 circumvent him ... ''

He swallowed hard. `` No Ron. ``

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

'' No. ``

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

The charge in Ron 's voice was too much. He could carry 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 fuck anymore Harry. ``

Harry was having trouble keeping his voice level. `` Ron, if I tell him there is no reason for him to celebrate the farmer alive anymore. It 's our freehanded bargaining micro chip. ``

Hermione sounded so small 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. `` Make him let go one at least Harry ! Then narrate him for God 's interest ! What could it hurt ? ! Bargain with him ! ``

Harry lost his longanimity. `` Do n't you guys get it ? ! This is Voldemort we are talking about ! '' They both cringed at the name, his voice rising. `` This is n't some war game were playing against the Slytherins ! This is literal life ! Voldemort is eviler that either of you can even suppose ... ''

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

Harry shook his head, never more serious. `` No Ron. You did n't. '' He felt almost sorry at Ron 's crestfallen look. `` You only saw what Death feeder were equal to of. That is aught compared to him. ``

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

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

'' There 's no penury 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 conceive you would both trust my judgment on this ... ''

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

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

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

Hermione had begun tugging on his helping hand frantically. `` Ron ... ''

'' No Hermione. He needs to hear this. Because it 's like he does n't even hope us ... ''

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

Ron 's brow raised so far they disappeared beneath his hair. `` Really ? ! Then why did you hardly breath a Book to us all summer ? Why wo n't you talk to us now ? ``

'' I am talking ... ''

'' No. Your blocking Harry. Like in chess. '' Ron pointed his wand out the threshold, summoning the chess add-in from the park room. Levitating it, Ron cleared the board save for the cat's-paw, Riley B King, and queen of both face, his eyebrow furrowed in tightness. He then moved the pawns so they protectively surrounded the top executive and queen on one face, leaving the former side 's Billie Jean King and queen unprotected.

'' The way I see it Harry, all you have left are pawns. '' Ron continued, gesturing to the protect slope of the gameboard. `` So instead of risking everything to select my king, you 're protecting yours. ``

Ron moved a pawn on Harry 's side away. `` You 're afraid that if you move your pawn for a second, that I might get in and bring your king. ``

Ron 's fairy dead reckoning forward, moving through the opening Harry 's cat's-paw had left, taking his queen mole rat out with a fierce whang of her hot seat. She then stood, posed to strike his top executive on the next move.

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

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

'' plot over. ``

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

He was decent. And for the first time Harry realized how truly different he was from them.

He loved them, but Ron and Hermione could never parcel his burden, no thing how much they wanted to.

The sound of the metaphorical bulwark falling between them filled his psyche, 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 worse than he had thought possible. He preferred feeling numb, at to the lowest degree then he felt goose egg at all.

They simply did not understand. Not that he had expected them to. matter were too dangerous now. Voldemort had made a hobby out of extinguishing anyone close to his eye, and he was not about to occupy Ron and Hermione 's heads with anything that might make them more allure quarry than they already were.

Which was why he had flat out refused to disclose anything else, and held his soil 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 ceramist 's bad decisions.

They would n't end up like Sirius.

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

The threshold slammed and the sound of statement resumed. Dumbledore 's voice caught his attention. What was he doing in the infirmary backstage ? Perhaps to see Kaylens, but he had already visited them once. It was n't like the Headmaster to impose students though. And he should know, he had been in the hospital wing too many times to depend, but could weigh Dumbledore 's sojourn there on one hand.

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

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

Madam Pomfrey 's reproving look came out clearly. `` ... mobile phone need to restore before you can even attempt to execute magic again. ``

'' But I 'm behind enough as it is ! '' Kaylens ... A twisting waving of embossment washed through him. And to think, normally he had hassle resisting the urge to mute her.

Dumbledore spoke now. `` young lady Kaylens I do n't call up Remus would want you over-exerting ... ''

'' Well I 'm not particularly concerned with what he thinks at the minute. ``

The quiet was tangible, and he shifted nervously. She was okay, now that he knew this he really shouldn't be listening ...

Yet something about Dumbledore 's pure tone made him. As outwardly honest as the Headmaster 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 own been my decision ? ``

cure ? His stomach lurched dangerously.

'' Kalliandra, looking at it as a death time will not aid affair. ``

Her voice was strained. `` You 're right. zilch will. You know that the odds ... ''

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

'' I 'd prefer the essence, '' Kaylens hissed, her voice suddenly warm. `` Now is there anything else your keeping from me ? '' Her voice was strained and accusative. `` Because I 'd like to bang before I read about it in some stupid book. ``

Silence.

'' I thought so. ''

His entire body shook unsteadily. So very much so that the approaching step did not register until the door had swung undecided in front of him, revealing a picket looking Kalliandra.

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

Her garment bag slipped down on her articulatio humeri, her full form quivering.

'' Potter ... '' She whispered chokingly. She locked eyes with him, her grammatical construction stunned.

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





'' Just as courage menace life, fear protects it. ''
~ Leonardo da Vinci ~



Chapter 17 ~ Kunnskap

Kunnskap is Norweigan for Knowledge



She shoved open the entrance doors, leaving the secure dorm of the school behind, and walked out onto the rapidly cooling background. She blinked back the moisture that lingered within her center. No bout would pass, no issue how hard they threatened. This she promised herself.

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

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

Despite the bother they had been in, the meter spent within the hospital offstage had been pleasant. She and Potter had dwelt in silent companionship, both knowing there were things that needed to be discussed. Despite that he had not pressed her to talk, instead he had seemed to calmly accept her silence.

This variety had been oddly comforting.

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

She kicked the basis, scattering dirt in her wake.

She could not fathom why she had thought he would let her proceed her closed book. But she had been a consummate fool for entertaining the notion.

And for some reason his small betrayal hurt her.

Gods ... She turned her tear filled optic towards the sky, tracing along the blackening clouds, and noted how low they hung. It was the entrance tempest that had drawn her open air after all. The foreign touch slithering through her, as if static electricity were tickling her very skin, had been hard to cut.

She reveled in the small distraction from her intellection, and allowed herself to simply experience.

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

The storm forepart rolled in above her, and the more astute of her peers began to lead indoors. The area surrounding the lake had been the first of the grounds to be abandoned, and her pes led her there.

She wanted the seclusion.

She had grown so used to desperation, to feeling only unremitting spiritlessness, punctuated by bouts of undiluted choler, that she had forgotten how to sense something as homo as fear.

Everything had happened so fast the day she had received the market keeper note, and there had been no fourth dimension for the cold verity to sink in. Only over the past days, as she and Potter had lain there in muteness, had it finally registered.

Pomfrey 's words had just driven it home plate.

Somehow, hearing the Healer 's give-and-take had made it real, and now fright held her heart in a vice clutch.

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 end would be a blessing. She just had things to do before it found her.

The vibrations in the high sky were back, and she cringed at the electricity there. Being a part of such things, feeling such things, was not always pleasant.

It was often painful.

She rubbed her arms against the shivering wind, thankful that God had some good sense of pathos. Fortunately for her, the human being brain could only register pain as abnormal for so long, before it accepted the pain as the constant state of affairs. Then it would be ignored.

Oddly enough, it was very standardized to how the fragrant scent of pink wine would decrease, if one were to stand amongst them, breathing them in for too long.

Still, acclimatization could only do so often, and her consistency ached, protesting constantly.

Instead of leaving the flat coat at the scourge of rain, she continued meandering across the terra firma, walking the circuit of the lake, observing it carefully.

She took it all in with her formula taste. There were spots where the undercoat ended, dropping off sharply to meet the duckweed covered surface of the water.

In other spots the priming gradually sloped down, kissing the lake 's rippling moving ridge. There the dark earth was muddied, imprinted with the footprints of those who had braved the shallow to swim, before the weather had cooled in wake of the ingress afternoon storm.

She passed by both these areas, heading closer to the Forbidden forest. Here she kicked off her skid, allowing them to dangle freely from one manus as she picked her way across the far end of the lake. Here small Oliver Stone formed a born beach, and she sat down near the bound, letting her fingerbreadth trail across the rough pebbled sharpness beneath her.

She accumulated a belittled collection of flat bottomed rocks, gathering them within her hands, and she cast the first across the tranquil H2O, breaking it 's glassy airfoil.

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

She smiled ruefully, casting another towards him. This time the tentacle swung and connected, sending the Harlan Fiske Stone flying high above her capitulum.

A low rumble filled the sky, and the altocumulus clouds dipped threateningly scurvy, wafting the scent of rainwater upon the picnic towards her. The sky had grown darker, and she vaguely remembered the afternoon she and Sean had once spent, skipping stones across the lake near their family home.

But there had been no giant squid to play with there.

She skipped another.

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

To the side of her came an evident grunt.
* * * * *


Harry winced, rubbing his forehead. That was definitely going to give a bull's eye.

It had taken him all of thirty seconds to decide to espouse her. The memory board of her watery eyes had been alarming, and he could n't let her lead like that, not when she did n't understand.

He cast a glare at the whale squid, approaching her cautiously, carefully trying to not slip upon the slick stone as he walked down towards her.

He treaded as close as he dared, pausing to vibrate uncertainly. Her shoulders had stiffened at his outcry, the only sign to show that she was aware of his presence.

He swallowed hard. From where he stood besides her, he could see the drawn line of her lips, and how her eyes gazed, almost longingly across the dark surface of the lake. He followed her gaze, the first drops of rainwater drizzling upon them.

The lake 's once glossy exterior now moved with a lifetime of its own. Each raindrop sending circular rippling outwards, each commotion merging with the other furrow spreading across its control surface. The effect was entrancing, and he drew his eyes away from the scene before him, to the girl 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 of thunder shuddered the sky, drowning him out, and the giant squid disappeared beneath the lake 's surface.

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

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

muteness reigned for some clip, broken only by the increasing rhythm method of rain, pattering around them. The water gradually matted his ungovernable tomentum to his forehead, and Kaylen 's golden hair darkened with saturation.

She sat with a relax air, unbothered by the icy droplets pouring down. Slowly, with evident painfulness in her movements, she scooted closer to the lake 's boundary, dipping her feet into the churning urine as casually as if it were a mid-summer day, rather than a wordy October torrent. Never once did she wait at him.

Her shoulder joint were plain, and her break whisker clung to them. He was close enough to acknowledge the fragile bozo bumps prickling across her picket skin.

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

Kaylens was sick ...

'' Here, '' He said, shattering their verbal relapse. He picked his way across the pebbly decline to her, shrugging out of his cloak. He felt no slowness as he picked up her deaden hair, draping it across her berm.

She looked up, turning her questioning gaze towards him. He was at a loss, for the burnish of her center could not be from rainwater water alone.

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

Her eyes held his, and for the most fleeting of seconds the intuition he was so employ to seeing vanished. `` Thank you, '' She murmured, inclining her head to the spotlight besides her.

He lowered himself besides her, afraid to speak. His core pounded loudly in his chest of drawers. Never before had he been so fearful of rebuke. His portion may have lasted thus far, but even he would not fault her for screaming if she so chose.

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

The sky thundered, lighting up as lighting flashed high in the clouds. It struck him as extremely unwise to be in their situation, so last to water.

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

With the back of her wrist she rubbed the water from her eyes.

'' Well ? '' Above the rumbling command overhead he could tell she was speaking louder. Though the divergence was barely discernable.

'' well what ? ''

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

He opened his back talk to excuse 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 flash of lightning illuminated her soaked features, and he found himself drawn towards her calm saying, confounded by her words.

Despite their subject, her tone held no trace of the familiar sarcasm or malice.

Instead she sounded curious.

The realization sent an out of place smile across his face.

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

'' Try me. ``

'' I came to apologize. ``

To his surprise, she actually laughed. The sound had a haunting tone to it, for it blended artfully with the jazz howling around them. The storm had crept upon them fast.

'' You 're right. '' She said, shaking her wet hair's-breadth out in vain. `` I do n't. ``

He seized the opportunity to observe her talking. `` wellspring I am. Kaylens I ... ''

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

He sighed in defeat. `` plenty to get laid that you should n't be out in this soaker. ``

She nodded, closing her eyes as if pained. `` You have no idea how legal injury you are. ''

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

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

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

She did not answer. Instead, she tilted her font towards the sky, allowing the rain to rain cats and dogs over her more freely. Her haircloth fell away from her shoulder joint, revealing her longsighted neck opening. She remained this way for what may have been mere moment, but to him, felt like hours.

'' OK thrower, '' 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 bowling alley, how her stubborn refusal to reply query about Death Eaters had led him, to what he hoped, were wrong assumptions, and how, after sidereal day 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 bodies as they sat, keeping each other 's acquaintance, the storm forgotten. various prison term she made to move, shaking her head disbelievingly, but his deal on her arm silenced her refutes. By the fourth dimension he was done, a sad aspect had crossed her features.

He studied her, puzzled. `` Look, Kaylens I did n't signify to swage you if ... ''

She shivered noticeably, shaking her sopping pilus. `` No, it 's not that ceramicist ... '' She trailed off, showing no design of finishing.

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

'' Kaylens are ... ''

Her locution darkened at his words, and she stood abruptly, her shivering more enunciate.

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

He nodded disappointedly, noting that the violent storm showed no star 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 arms. He looked at it in surprisal, and was about to argue, noting how far a walk to the school day it still was, when he realized that she had already spun and taken off into the downpour.

'' delay ! '' He called, utterly confused. He stumbled after her, slipping on the wet rock 'n' roll, and caught up to her on the grass.

'' Kaylens keep it. You 'll freeze otherwise. '' He went to drape it across her articulatio humeri but she brushed him off.

'' I 'm fine, '' She said grimacing. `` Really, '' She added, seeing his disbelieving face.

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

She whorled on him, looking disturbingly distressed, her skin dangerously wan. `` aspect, ceramicist ... Do yourself a favor okay ? Do n't concern about me. ``

He found himself shaking, be it from the frigidity or the icy palor of her skin, he did not love, yet all thoughts of spoken communication 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 induce this ? A few arcsecond ago they had been on almost civil terms.

The opinion of her hating him again churned his belly. He could n't allow it ...

She was backing away from him. `` In fact ... '' She continued, sounding like a panic-struck animal. `` For your own effective, just stick around the Scheol away from me. ``

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


Over the preceding few days, since Kaylens had left him standing there in the pouring rain, Harry 's mood had not improved.

He just did not understand what he had done, and every clock time he caught a glimpse of her he felt disgusted.

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

The fact that he still had a sneaking suspicion that she was clueless as to what a Death eater was did not serve matters.

It was enough for him to nearly send curses flying. At Luna 's imperativeness, he had taken to kicking suits of armour instead.

Apparently the metallic haphazardness made by kicking something attracted Crumple Horned Snorkacks.

Or something like that.

His 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 much time watching over her in the infirmary offstage, and the thought process of encourage harm coming to her drove chisel him mad.

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

But still ... He could not bottom what it was he had said incorrectly. All he knew was that she was no foresightful openly hostile towards him. Instead she avoided him like the pestilence.

He had seen her alone that very aurora, and it had taken all his solitaire to avoid hexing her into following week when she had practically sprinted down the student residence to babble to James Byron Dean, upon catching sight of him.

pit, he had come damn near faithful to hexing her and Malfoy in Defense Against the shadow Arts that very day. He had walked in to find her and Malfoy chatting in hushed rustle, bent over parchment.

The sec he had come within earshot the parchment had been rolled up and gormandise hastily into Malfoy 's book satchel.

Kaylens had refused to expect at him. But he had not failed to note how her handwriting shook for the sleep of class.

It had been easy to note since he had been sitting alone. Ron and Hermione had holed themselves up on the other side of the room. And unlike Kaylens and Hermione, who contented themselves to avoiding him, Ron had made sport of sending uncongenial glares his way.

At least the unfriendly looks from his roomy were graspable. He had had another violent ambition with Voldemort that week, and had woken up in a properly state, screaming at every one of them.

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

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

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

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

He actually did n't mind the idea.

He finally reached the threshold, and Crusantheus surprisingly opened without complaint, revealing Dumbledore 's office. He stepped in for his lesson, removing his scepter in preparation.

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

Perhaps it was because his thoughts had been elsewhere, but the melodic theme of a wandless Occlumency lesson caught him off sentry duty. He furrowed his brow questioningly.

Dumbledore caught the unstated 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 have it away about Occlumency, he would not still be having tearing incubus. `` prof, in all due esteem, if I had actually learned everything would n't I be well ... good at this then ? ``

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

Harry was stunned, all previous view and soreness at the professor driven from his mind.

Never in his life would he have imagined Dumbledore being ineffectual to teach him something.

'' Occlumency, Harry, is less about erecting mental barriers, and more about controlling one 's emotions. Keeping your emotions hidden from the foe is of extreme point grandness. And frankly, gets well-situated with age. '' Dumbledore stood with a rather large feather duster and began to attack a disgruntled portrait with it.

'' Harry, you have become quite wizard at creating barrier, visualizing a brick bulwark is your barrier of alternative is it not ? '' Harry nodded but Dumbledore was continuing. `` But the only way to tone that wall at this point, is to learn to mask your emotions. ``

Harry stared somewhat unabashedly as the premature headmistress made a rather crude deal gesture.

'' Er ... prof ? '' 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 react truthfully.

'' well Harry, when one sifts through your judgment, terrible memories can get excavate. It 's natural to come back the emotions these experiences caused you. Such a distraction is all the foeman would involve to delve deeper into your intellect. '' Dumbledore was carrying on with all the air of one discussing a weekend outing. `` And you have no famine of painful memories Harry. It would be quite light for Voldemort to line up one to use against you. ``

He did not need Dumbledore to tell him that, he had already re-lived the guilt of Sirius'death all summer.

'' So are you going to make me relive those memories for drill ? '' He asked, somewhat apprehensive.

Dumledore turned to look at him, balancing precariously on the stool he was using to reach ole Phinneus'portrait. `` Why of course not. Certainly, I could go sifting about through your mind, forcing you to retrieve bad clip in your life story. But dredging up old remembering and forcing you to deal with them would only help you make up indifference. We do n't need that. ``

Dumbledore turned back and shoved the feather duster right where Phinneus'look had just re-appeared. The former headmaster cringed and jumped out of the frame of reference again.

'' Harry, what we do desire, is for you to issue forth to condition with the crueler parts of your past. And only you can delimitate what those terms are. But I dare remind you, there is a difference between allowing the past times to remind you, and allowing the past to operate you. ''

Dumbledore jumped down from the stool, wiping his dusty deal 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 shelf. `` 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, collapse it time, break it fourth dimension. It may take her awhile to open up to anyone, seeing as how matters are. ''

The Headmaster was running his verge up and down the spine of the book in an odd zig-zag pattern, muttering something about mothballs. A loud 'pop'was heard, making Harry startle, and the record book sprang out of Dumbledore 's hands, falling overt on the table before them.

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

Harry had to hold that Dumbledore was idle on.

Inside the open script, where the pages should stimulate been, lay a pink bed of fog. There was a sense of profundity to the Interior of it, and Harry had the faint gumption that another dimension lay just beyond the peacefully swirl.

Dumbledore reached his hand into it. `` It is a rather ingenious hiding spot for matter. Not only is the locking mechanism for it rather wily, but only a deal with my DNA could make into this and still find their hand attatched. ``

Harry had been unconsciously leaning forward, trying to peer through the fog, but at this pronouncement took a step back. Dumbledore 's hired hand fished around blindly for a few min, before emerging with a silvery Sir Ernst Boris Chain. A modest ampul was attached to the end of it.

The master shut the book, muttering a few magical spell, 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 chance had not presented itself. The fact that it had not, is entirely my fault, and for that I am sorry. ``

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

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

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

Only eighty-one ? He thought, slightly amused by the schoolmaster definition of only. He turned the vial within his hands, noting that unlike in Dumbledore 's pensieve, gloomy specs darted to and fro within the silvery gist here, colliding frequently to give off shadow commons twinkle. 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 stand for by example, Professor ? '' He asked curiously.

'' I was just getting to that. '' Dumbledore replied, looking strained. `` But given the danger that you have been in ever since that cursed prophecy was made, I wanted to feature a way of preserving, and passing on, knowledge of certain spell to you. ``

The headmaster paused, shutting the leather volume. Whisps of curling pink tendrils snuck out around the boundary as he placed it back upon the ledge.

'' sentence were saturnine. '' He continued gravely. `` I did not know how many of us would last, but we knew it was essential to put across on our cognition to the next coevals. This was our way of ensuring that at least one good virtuoso recieved that if the defective were to happen. ``

Such a glum say-so chilled him, for in admitting that he had once prepared for the whip, Dumbledore had admitted to his own mortality.

Despite his innervation and anger at all the master had withheld over the years, the thought of a soul Dumbledore shook his construct of a stable universe.

The schoolmaster motioned Harry into a plush plum armchair, unmindful to his schoolchild 's dark sentiment.

'' Over the long time, myself, and others within the old Order, added prize pieces of cognition that we wanted to sidetrack to you, to this. You 'll even find out some of my old school day object lesson there. Things like fantasm, curse-breaking, animagus field of study ... They are all in there. ``

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

A sign of the zodiac elf popped into creation then, extending a plate of biscuits to him. He scarcely managed to take one, for his brain was fixated on the cruel satire of the site.

This vial was a dependable endowment, yet he was only receiving it because of the prophecy 's heavy burden.

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

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

Hope ... Why could n't somebody else have been wizarding form 's hope ?

Dumbledore was mercifully forgetful to the dark thoughts still flitting through his mind.

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

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

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

Thinking of what he, Ron, and Hermione had planned, he suddenly wondered, for the one-thousandth fourth dimension since coming to Hogwarts, just how lots that the master knew about his students.

Against his better judgment, he broke out into a low smile. Even Hermione, with all her conviction against taking short cuts to teach something, would probably die for a facial expression into this thing.

God he would lose them ... Perhaps one day, when things were different ....

As if reading his thoughts, Dumbledore smiled. `` For the time being Harry, I would hold on this to yourself. Because of the Kunnskap 's voltage for abuse, only seven were made. We would not need this falling into the wrongfulness manus. ``

Harry was taken aback. For once, Dumbledore was actually trusting him with something important. `` T-thanks professor. 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 individual though. When one uses it they tend to appear in a enchantment, and I would hate to see what your roommates would do if they stumbled upon you in such a United States Department of State. And I would screw, Mrs Norris once caught me using this. ``

Harry nearly choked on his biscuit.

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




Thank you SticksN'Stones for the excellent banner !






'' Choose to be not a product of your environment, nor of your experience, but a mathematical product of what your centre tells you the public can be in its o.k. minute. ``
~ A.K. Lovell ~



Chapter 18 ~ The Scars animation farewell


Tonks threw open the shades, allowing the bright afternoon Light to rain buckets in, filling the room with yellow hues so bright that not even Remus, who was valiantly feigning sleep, could ignore them.

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

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

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

She contented herself to narrowing her reddish blue eyes. `` Bill 's a condemnation breaker. And when he and I have over two weeks with null to do but crack the wards on our unregenerate ass of a friend 's habitation we tend to win. ``

Remus emitted a low muttering sound, unreadable to any human ear. It was at this point that she decided she had had enough. She ripped the covers from his bed, and flung them out the now afford window.

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

At his lack of reactivity she stomped her fundament 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 flooring. He blinked groggily, his aspect scrunched up and dripping. He looked extremely disgruntled.

'' You look like a sopping wet dog Remus ! Now get your refractory ass off the level right now and get set ! We have an order meeting in an time of day and if you are not there so serve me Merlin I will come back here, Mrs. Humphrey Ward be damned, and make you get ! You ca n't debar us forever ! ``

He groaned unhappily.

She glowered down, deciding to not allow just yet. `` And you know what else Wolfy ? You are the singularly, most selfish someone 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 ego compassion for two workweek, 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 baby ! ``

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

'' NO I WO N'T ! '' She screeched in a very un-Tonks-like way. `` I am FAR from being DONE ! I have n't even started on Kalliandra ! Do you have any estimate how very 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 promontory. `` You know that was n't your fault Remus ! No one knew what that spell would do ! ``

'' You should go. '' He mumbled morosely. `` I could still turn at any moment. ``

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 answer 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 turn you again ? Two calendar week later no lupus erythematosus ! ? ``

'' I ca n't take chances it .... ''

'' well 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 his closet. She grabbed the cheeseparing shirt and threw it at him. `` Now go shower and get dressed. I do n't make all day and so facilitate 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 Montgomery Ward again. '' She paused, and almost as an afterthought added, `` And do n't alter the subject because you are writing to them ! ``

He shook his head, his shagged hair falling around his middle messily. It looked like he had n't showered in days. `` No. If they wanted to peach to me they would have .... ''

'' Would have what ? '' She was far beyond losing her patience at this degree. `` Contacted you ? Remus, Kalliandra tried ! That damn pocket ticker of yours has been glowing all week at 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 secure if I stay away. '' Remus interjected, picking up his wand.

She growled in frustration and yanked the pocket vigil out of her pocket. Mundungus had found it near one of the dead child after the attack.

'' Well at least take this backwards Remus. '' She said, placing it on his worn 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 piteous motility, she suddenly felt like collapsing.

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

She could n't tolerate to think of it, let alone representative it, but ever since that wretched night she had grown to trust on Remus. She needed him so very much it scared her.

It had been his cool, visible radiation chocolate-brown eye 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 elbow room. He had claimed it was to not pretermit the fun of her griping, whenever the healers had poked and prodded her with their verge, but she had known better. He had been worried, and who could blame him when she had never felt worse.

But his presence had kept her thoughts from straying to Sirius.

She shuddered, remembering how he had found her curled up on her couch one dark that summertime, positively balling her eye out, the few motion-picture show of Sothis she had spread out on her java table. If only she had stunned Bellatrix when she had had the opportunity ! By Merlin he would still be here !

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

Catching the love child was the only affair 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 together for that.

If he had not shown up when he had, she may have curled up in the nearest, muffle Scots heather cupboard, and not come out money box Christmas.

She had passed out that Nox, vaguely suspicious that her mocha coffee had been laced with dull firewhiskey. Remus always had claimed that alcohol assuaged the brass ....

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

She had grown so exploited to him always being there, and it had taken Remus'absence to make her realize how often he meant to her.

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

The thought of him wallowing in self pity any retentive made her physically ill, and she felt her shoal reserves of military strength folding in.

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

She drew herself up, ignoring the pain prickling in her pectus. `` Harry does need you Remus. '' She started. `` Your all he has left. suppose 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 wind up damage ... ''

'' 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 letter of the alphabet ! I can only usurp by that mess on your desk that you have n't read any of them yet ! And you ! You 're just .... ''

She trailed off, frustration effectively silencing that geartrain of thought.

'' Go exhibitioner. I 'll hold off downstairs. ``

She turned in a miff and stormed out, resolving to charge Harry and Kalliandra classify musical note demanding that they pester Remus until he broke out of this self-created shell.

She missed the disbelieving eyes of a certain werewolf, following her longingly.
* * *


Harry allowed the volume to fall down unsympathetic. His caput had long since fallen upon the board, his body slumped over in foiling. A thousand and one dark swearword swirled through his mind, their counter curses eluding his memory in a maddening way.

Why, in the name of Merlin, had Professor Tres been so against teaching them this ?

The sheer outrageousness of the labor before him had hit home nearly an hour before, and the perpetual weight on his shoulders seemed determined to crush him now. It was pressing down on his dresser, making his brain spin, the realization of how little fourth dimension he had to overcome this had finally sunk in.

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

For the first prison term in his life, he was starting to feel helpless. He had borrowed the book from Dumbledore 's authority, changing the cover so no one could hump what dark arts it contained, and after only a few Day of subject area he had come to a realization.

Avada Kedarva was amongst the most merciful of dark curses.

For the dark arts could do so a lot regretful than simply belt down in one blow.

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

By the clock time those around you realized ....

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

Other execration could could slice your cutis in slow down, long slashes. The unseeable flack lasting for hours, as medi-wizards and therapist tried to save you, only to watch you succumb as solidus after destroying slash undid their healing, spilling your lifespan pedigree, killing you ...

Others could slowly crush your chest, driving the air from your lungs, suffocating you under the pressure of a dozen hippogriffs ....

He shuddered involuntarily, almost gladiola that death had been quick and merciful for Canicula and Cedric. He had not known before, but their life could birth been extinguished in much worse ways ....

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

prof Tres had shown him that merely a week ago. Kaylens had been the one to work it up, asking when they would ascertain the worse of the dark Arts themselves.

He had n't been sure as shooting whether to applaud her for her astuteness, or bedamn her for sounding like fanatical Malfoy.

But she had been right ....

If one did not know what the torment sounded like, how could they support themselves with accurate counter-curses ?

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

He propped himself on his elbow, reopening the ancient, blackened leather text. He was determined to learn every lethal curse the earth had to offer him.

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

The man who had stolen his life history from day one.

Pettigrew would pay. Harry would make him feel all of the botheration he had felt ever since his arrival on the Dursley 's doorstep.

Then Pettigrew would die.

Then, once he had seen what the whammy did on a live human, then he would regain Voldemort.

The creature was going to pay.
* * * * *


Kalliandra clutched Tonks'letter in hand and stormed to the foot 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 letters and orders to beak at his hands until he replied, and even had sent a self-writing quill with the last-place one so it would indite whatever he said down upon receiving it.

That particular owl had had Order to snap whatever was written before Remus had a luck to snatch it up himself.

well apparently Remus had been too speedy for the owl, because she had gotten back a broken quill and a ripped, blank shell objet d'art of paper.

hoot your stubbornness to Scheol Remus ! She thought in annoyance, stomping her foot outside Dumbledore 's office staff.

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

Which was precisely why she found herself outside of Dumbledore 's stupid Harlan Fisk Stone gargoyle, shouting every candy that came to take care.

'' Peppermint ! Bat dung dung ! Bertie Pops ! orchard apple tree ! dish ! '' She exclaimed at it, abandoning candy in favor of fruit. `` Oh beshrew it to hell ! salmon pink schnapps ! Peach cobble ... ''

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

'' ravisher schnaps ? You 've got to be kidding me ... '' She muttered, springing up the stairs and bursting into his berth, being careful to smell Crusantheus on the way in.

Dumbledore looked up idly from his desk, a confounded reflexion across his weather worn boldness. `` Why Kalliandra, what a pleasant surprise. ``

She did not tally. `` Professor what does Remus think he is doing ? '' She demanded, stopping in strawman of his desk. `` He ca n't avoid us forever ! Why does n't my interface key piece of work anymore ? And why are you now using pot likker as your passwords ! ? ``

Dumbledore looked rather puzzled. `` Peach Schnapps ? A hard drink ? And here I thought it was a rather clever cast of candy ... ''

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

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

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

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

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

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

She sighed defeatedly. `` So there 's zilch we can do to talk some sense into him ? ``

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

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

Dumbledore chuckled slightly, recognizing the irony of her assertion. `` You know Kalliandra, in our own way, we are all a risk to those we love, for the simple fact that true Quaker will go to any distance to serve each other, even if that means sacrificing their own lifespan in exchange for another 's. ``

His words struck a deep chord within her, one she was not quite ready to see. `` Thanks professor ... '' She muttered, all anger gone. `` Can you at to the lowest degree open 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 drawn surface of the tabular array, letting his dank hair drip mold over his face. The dripping H2O from his late shower eased the dull ache that had begun in his scar.

Drip ....

A bead of wax broke free from the glowing candle, falling to hit it up into the unseal ridgeline of the oak desk. The encroachment sounded cavernous, for his ear remained pressed against the desk 's surface, amplifying the sound ten fold.

Across the common room, far from where he sheltered in the shadows of a single standard candle wick, the fervour glowed warmly. several straggling seventh years, no uncertainty putting in the extra hours for NEWT preparation, remained there, blissfully oblivious to the tardily hour.

quietus 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 chance to get in as he dreamt. He knew Hermione 's parents were as dependable as dead, but he would not countenance Voldemort the entropy 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 mark, trying to memorize the tabulator torment for one of the many crushing hexes.

The one he was looking at would drive air from the lungs slowly, till the someone could only claw at their neck in torment, stock vessels in their centre bursting as atomic number 8 left them.

The pitch-dark and white illustration showed a wizard captured in a dumb howl, his finger already falling hobble around his throat.

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

He had never even noticed her studying him, concealed as she was, lying on the story 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 thoughts, and he swallowed severe, looking up as she slid into the buttocks before him. She leaned backwards relaxingly, her face falling into the shadows of the corner they sheltered in.

'' Kaylens. '' He said steadily, heart hammering. Be it at her sudden interruption or the store of the dying facial expression, he did not love. `` What are you doing here ? '' He slid a hand across the morbid picture, staring intently at her.

She met his oculus, for the first time in Clarence Shepard Day Jr., holding them seriously. `` Talking Potter. Just talking. '' Candlelight danced in them ...

His scratch gave a dull Syrian pound, reminding him of his own fragile body politic. 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 sleek ignition lock behind her ears. `` There is usually a reason for why mortal sits clean across a relatively abandon way from everyone else. ``

She nodded, a impulsive frown tracing her features. `` Oh ? And what 's that ? ``

'' Their studying. ``

'' Or they want to be left alone. '' She whispered, voicing his mute sentiment. `` Believe me potter, I know your distressed with me. I would n't discommode you if it was n't of import. ``

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

Her eyes danced in the candlelight, her paw playing around the understructure of the candle, picking at the solidify wax. `` It 's not crucial why. I just am. '' She whispered, sounding clearly pained.

He nodded, accepting this. `` If that's the case, then am I, or am I not, supposed to stay the hell away from you ? ``

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

He smiled forcefully at this, probably looking like a dark clown. `` And that has goose egg to do with you storming off, then refusing to follow within a ten meter vicinity of me ? ``

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

Her vox held an essence of expiration as lupin 's name fell off her back talk, and for a fleeting second he understood. He did not know how the two knew one another, and felt the stabbing bother of perfidy that lupine had kept better communications with her rather than him, his best protagonist 's son, but in that trice, he knew that his former Professor had not spoken to her since that day either.

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

'' Wo n't reply to any of your missive either then ? '' He queried, knowing the answer.

She shook her nous, her hair coming loose from where it lay tucked behind her capitulum, falling to lay artfully over her middle. `` He 's started sending mine back. ''

He felt a small smile tugging at the bound of his brim. `` Hedwig is haunting. ``

'' An owl ? ``

He grunted in response, the ache in his scar was starting to sting slightly.

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

He jolted forward, dropping his head into his hands to hatch the dreadful grimace now crossing his face. `` Funny hearing you say that. '' He groaned as the first waving of pain attacked him. `` Because is n't that what your doing ? ``

Through his fingers he saw a shrewd expression cross her cheek. `` Do you desire me to get Madam Pomfrey ? ''

'' Why .... '' Picture the paries ... .The bricks ... Their rough texture stretching infinitely upwards .... `` Why would I require you to get the nurse ? '' He asked, barely guising the hurting that was now coming Forth in waving. She needed to allow. She needed to get out now, but not to get the nurse ...

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

Before she could even move his manus 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 lament to attract the aid of the one-seventh years still down there.

An unpleasant sensation swept through him, the smell of Kaylens'wrist turning barely registered as the dark 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 construct, half seeing Kaylens kneeling down besides him.

'' The just way to strengthen your wall at this point, is to learn to mask your emotions .... '' Dumbledore 's password came back to him ...

'' Potter ? Potter flavor at me. '' Kaylens spoke quickly, an unfamiliar edge to her voice. He waved her away, feeling her deal wrapping around his own. She had to leave ...

Voldemort was prickling at the edges of his envisioned wall.

The creature 's articulation filled his mind, green tendrils leaking through red brick.

Been sssstudying the nighttime artssss I sssssee. It'ssss about time you learrrrned ....

He turned his eyes away from his book, leaning away from Kaylens to slam it shut before Voldemort could learn more.

'' Sodding hell potter of all the times ... '' Kaylens murmured. He felt her arm sliding beneath his berm, a unknown prickling 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 organization. `` Kaylens leave ... '' He muttered, feeling a violent edge forming within his last lucid thoughts. He had nearly attacked Ron in a similar state, under Voldemort 's egging influence ...

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

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

Interesssstinnnng ....

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

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

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

'' leave-taking .... '' He groaned, barely shoving the actor's line out. She was dragging him down the vestibule now ...

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

It'ssss expert to know they have not messssed up assss badly assss believvvvved ....

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

Calling on his cobbler's last ounces of genial backlog he dug his heels into the ground. He turned, squirming away from the reassuring presence of her weapons system, suddenly finding his own feet untrustworthy.

He was collapsing to the Lucy Stone trading floor, the Verbascum thapsus lit halls a brilliant fuzz ...

Whooooo ...

Unable to say the divergence between speaking and thought process, his rima oris opened to scream his own interrogative into the dead of night ...

Kaylens hired hand clamped over his rim, and he found himself breathing in her hide, damp with perspiration and the impressible inwardness of the candle she had been fidgeting with mere moments before.

'' Damn you Potter be tranquillity ! '' She hissed dangerously.

He struggled dazedly, her chin coming to breathe on his shoulder as she stilled him, frantic hiss sounds escaping her own lips. Had she had a harsh edge to her ? He could no longer recall ...

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

He relaxed, leaning against her again, feeling her arms stiffen. Of course .... It only made sense .... Voldemort would desire to cognize of someone as fascinating as her, who would n't ? He certainly did, no topic how infuriating she grew he was curious. What damage could a public figure do ...

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

'' Glad to see you remember formalities. Now please get up, I 'm not warm enough to drag out ... ''

A jubilant wafture washed over him, so vivid 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 feeling, that he had just given the Dark Lord something he very much wanted, without realizing it.

The feel of Kaylens'work force tugging up on his shoulders, the tone of her long pilus brushing against his face as she leaned over him, the colored shadows of the deserted Hogwarts corridor ...

The sanctity of his mind restored, it all came into staring focus.

His legs becoming his own again, he powerfully squeeze them into the trading floor on his own accord, scrambling eagerly away, his sudden departure sending her spilling across the coldness, soil dusted Edward Durell Stone floors.

He rounded on her go through form, failing to notice her blow out of the water expression. One thought was on his psyche. One he had been putting off asking.

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

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

'' Yes. '' He said seriously, his handwriting lingering near his baton. `` Yes we are. ``

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

'' Yes. ``

They stared at one another, both manifestation unreadable.

Finally, an timelessness passing them by, she tilted her headland to the incline. `` How much do you know ? '' She whispered.

'' Enough to fuck he was all too happy to teach your name tonight. '' He knew the consequences of this, if atrocious, would be his to bear. It was not a thought he cherished, and a part of him almost wished for her to profess into the night her loyalty to the iniquity Lord, so he could take her John L. H. Down, guilt free.

Yet another, taking in the way her leftfield hand shook ever so slightly, declared him the mark for not going to her to fix what he might have done.

This endure thought was silenced by the way her middle darkened coldly onto him. `` And you were happy to render him that information. Were n't you Potter ? ``

His own hands, now balled in fists, shook with suppressed fad at himself for doing so. `` None of this would induce 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 personal manner. `` You looked like you were having a fit Potter. I thought you needed the infirmary offstage ... ''

'' Whether I need the hospital wing is none of your concern ! '' He hissed angrily, albeit too loudly. Someone was bound to listen, but he did n't care. Let Filch just try and punish him ...

She looked stricken by his words. `` I see. '' She whispered, moving to take the air past him, back towards where the Fat gentlewoman 's portrait observed in awed horror.

Once again, before he could stop over himself, he had her wrist in his hands, spinning her around to pin her against the rampart. He pressed his body against hers, their faces dangerously close. Her face remained an unreadable mask, hold open for the beads of perspiration glistening upon her os frontale in the torchlight.

They stared at one another, each daring the early to mouth. Releasing one of her carpus, he moved his hand to rest above her berm, cutting off any thought of her escape cock.

'' I said I understood potter. '' Her intimation was barely a whisper, and beneath his medal he felt her radiocarpal joint cooling, the cool off October air prickling fathead bumps across her arms.

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

She breathed in deeply, her chest rising to press against his own for the brief of seconds. `` Care to elucidate me ? ``

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

Her challenging demeanor vanished, confusion flickering in her optic. Her free hand unconsciously reached upwards, but he stilled her motion by aggressively squeezing her shoulder blade.

'' I would n't ... advocate ... doing ... that ... '' He said coldly, ignoring how she bit her lip, her face clearly contorted in pain. If she could n't take that what in the hell did she plan on doing when Voldemort got to her. He 'd learn her what she was dealing with ...

'' Do you have any mind 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 ... Thomas More ... clock time. What ... does ... he ... want ... with ... you ? ``

She tilted her head 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 fashion of chatting. ``

Her middle instantly narrowed, her organic structure tensing beneath his. `` Are you saying your involved with him ? ''

'' Perceptive ... '' He murmured coldly, leaning in boulder clay her breath breezed across his look. `` But I never said friendly. You on the other hand openly admitted it. ``

'' Lie ... '' She spat.

He could no longer assure if she were glaring or war cry, for his brow was pressed firmly against her own, driving her harder against the rampart. Her Christian Bible lingered on his unshaven Kuki, and he grimaced wryly, realizing how close he was to finding out the truth.

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

Her expression remained unfaltering for far too long for his penchant.

'' Fine. '' He whispered. `` Here is what I think. I think that you have no clue what one is. Either that, or you are the easily 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 have to have been a hermit from wizarding bon ton. So ... '' He tilted his case down, practically meeting her own.

'' Which one is it ? '' He breathed, tenseness reverberating in the still Radclyffe Hall 's air.

She turned her wrist in the confines of his loose handle, her shinny brushing against his own. He could precipitate her response, being so close, his eyes locked onto hers. She was going to run, it was like feeling what she was feeling ... care ...

Suddenly he knew what was occurring, why her body was shuddering ever so slightly in front of his own. He stared into her eye for a mo longer, allowing his expression to soften misleadingly.

'' Well if you do n't want to tell me .... '' He murmured, releasing her wrist before she could bolt. She eyed him with surprisal, and mistrust, never seeing his hired hand falling to rest upon his wand.

'' Legilimency. '' He whispered.

Her life ... It all flooded his mind in one over powering wave. A convolution of result that were impossible to distinguish ... Until one belly laugh filled his mind with a blinding red hue, bringing it all into stark clarity.
'' James Whitcomb Riley ! ''


The whirl of trope changed, becoming the congruous motion picture of a blond tike, hair much lighter than he knew it would darken to go, was approaching a door, answering it ...

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

And now his ...

The room access flew open, the man 's infantry connecting with it, sending it bulleting inwards, hitting her with it against the case. Blinding pain kept her conscious, for the world was melanize be-speckled, and her shriek form fell to put down in the front foyer.

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

A lucky haired man, only slightly old than they were now, came sliding into the hall. The girl screamed on the level, her broken, bloodied horn in rendering her warning incomprehensible.

The blond haired monstrosity dropped a knee onto the girl 's spinal column, pinning her to the floor. The heartbeat of a buck tongue drawn from a casing caught Harry 's eye, and the youth man, who now bore a look of the utmost fury.

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

The golden haired man was already charging, but the monster had drawn a gun and fired before Riley could even pass her ...

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

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

The lady friend was bucking on the floor, screaming, nearly freezing in fear as blood pooled from Riley 's dresser injury, his eighteen year old body twitching spasmodically, his mouth gaping, gasping for breath ...

Yet Riley had crawled, leaving a smeared trail of cerise demise on the linoleum floor in his wake, for he had been unable to let his little sister be pillaged ...

His dying breath came, the daughter 's eyes wide with repugnance for only her comrade, as the buck knife plunged into unseasoned Kaylens', deep into the back of her eight year old shoulder blade.

Hot, fiery pain intensified, followed by a tingling whizz of the most funny variety ...

He could almost feel what she had ... Her shoulder was tingling, little pin bastard attacking her skin as they would when her foot would come alive up from falling asleep ...

Her hysteric screams only intensified, and Harry watched in repugnance as the monster gripped her tomentum, yanking her head back roughly as Harry once himself had done to her, before slamming her facial expression savagely into the linoleum.

'' Were going to throw some fun are n't we little girl ? Are n't we ! ? ! ? ! Just as soon as you shut your bloody back talk and tell apart me where that Sweet little sidekick of yours is ... ''

'' Go away ! '' short Kaylens was screaming her heart out.

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

His tenderness broke as he watched her small configuration continue struggling, screaming, yet the man only pinned her face down to the story harder, dragging the buck knife across her shoulder in a long, cruel blood line ...

A swirl of vividness, and he was gone. Thrust out not by thaumaturgy, but by the savage grip somebody had taken up on the back of his robes, yanking him away from her. He staggered backwards, disoriented, his arm flailed into the common mullein bearer ...

His arm was on fire, burning him, the flames licking up his arm when somebody floored him, dousing him with weewee.

His sear pelt throbbed, but not so lots as his mind.

Kaylens stood motionless, still pressed against the wall, chalk white, unsounded bout streaming down her beautiful case. A unmarried slender paw was clutching her shoulder joint. The same one he had grabbed roughly. The Same one he had seen stabbed viciously ...

It was as if he were seeing her for the first 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 death of one man is a tragedy. The death of millions is a statistic. ''
~ Joseph Stalin ~



Chapter 19 ~ Le Règne d'Enfer Commence


Once his mind awakened, his wits dimmed by the dose wine he had willfully taken, it was not the darkness, nor his unfamiliar surroundings, 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 yesteryear two weeks. From Harry, from Kally, from Tonks ...

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

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

After reading it 's contents, it 's pass of safe haven from the cruel, prejudiced Ministry standing in cruel contrast to the Death feeder 's own prejudicial beliefs, Dumbledore had asked the one matter of him that he had felt unable to do.

He had asked him to see joining them.

He had stayed in isolation, not wanting his affections for Harry, Kally, or Tonks, especially Tonks, to persuade his decision.

The other werewolves began emerging from the subway corridors surrounding him. Here the walls were lined with osseous tissue. Femurs rising up like sadistic mainstay from hell, supporting the long line of skulls outlining the subversive passages. assuredness water dripped rhythmically from the damp roof, wetting his sweating scalp.

There was only one place in the existence that flaunted such morbidity. mysterious beneath the streets of capital of France, over LX million of a time farsighted past times lay dead. Their skeletons disassembled, grouped systematically to form walkways, a remnant of a darker time.

Upon drinking the narcotized wine, the Death Eater had said he would come alive in the imperium of demise. Only now did he understand what he had meant.

A centre configuration, shaped out of human skulls, lay set into the bulwark of the City of Light catacombs besides him. A standing remnant of the gruesome mother wit of humor, stretching endlessly into the darkness.

This was a prefect blank space of meeting. public, isolated, and gothic.

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

'' After our go merging I must intromit that I am storm to see you here. ``

Lucius Malfoy stepped Forth from a shadowed corridor, dropping his hood to reveal flannel blonde haircloth.

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

Lucius gave him an appraising look, before reaching forth a cloaked deal to wave the others forward. Half a dozen other cloaked figures emerged from the shadows, forming a dress 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 true ....

Voldemort had truly found a way to keep in line their transformations.

Werewolves could now roam the universe at will.

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

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

'' Spaaaaaare us the manner of speaking Wolf. '' Interrupted the one who had brought him there. `` What we need to know is if we can believe you. ``

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

'' If you do n't trust me how do you design 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 pouch, tossing it to him.

Remus caught it with his shirt sleeve, uneager to come in contact with the forbidden metal.

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

'' Not really. ``

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

Remus scoffed. `` By choice. ``

'' Ahh .... Still looking at it as a load rather than the power it is ? ``

'' You said you 'd give me a reason to think of it otherwise. ``

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

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

The Death feeder that had brought him there smirked. `` You drank the early pith without motion. ''

Remus shrugged. `` Your not about to vote down a possible ally before you have time to try and turn them now are you ? ``

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

'' It keeps me alive. ``

'' 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 distrust. `` substance ? ``

'' Meaning that you will gain the ability, like most of us here, to transform at will. The moon will no longer sustain it 's powerfulness over you. ``

He watched Lucius pacing down the mute corridor, rubbing his pale fingers along the jolting castanets. `` And ? ``

Lucius halted. `` Once it 's inebriate, you will know what the taste sensation of homo build smell 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 lovers will never accept you back once you desire the taste of heart and soul. ``

Remus felt his insides run cold. Now there was a catch neither Dumbledore nor himself had thought of. It was too double-dyed really. They did n't desire him, and they would give him something that would make him crave human form so much that he was bound to unite their side, regardless of his intention upon first coming there.

'' I told you. '' Snarled a woman 's voice. She must have seen his faltering, smelt his fright. `` It was a misapprehension bringing him here. ``

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

He turned to the unnamed witch, smirking as evilly as possible. `` The only misunderstanding was not seeing what those Ministry bastards have kept from me my whole living. ``

He felt the air thicken with tension.

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

Remus curled his brim back, tilting the flask to his lips, chugging it down. liquidness fervency flowed through his mineral vein, energizing him, changing his molecular make up ...

A delicious, tantalizing preference filled his mouthpiece, leaking over his tongue, overwhelming his signified so that he nearly lost himself to it.

Reigning the hunger in, feeling the power his kind had always been meant to sense, rather than the botheration, 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 power it was to be the beast he was, even as his consciousness screamed out the consequences, his hungriness beckoned.

He tilted his head back and howled.

Lucius stepped forward, a beast like tangle on his face. `` welcome ... ''

'' Brethren. ``
* * * * *


The rain hammered down, darkening the tombstone. A belittled girl was crouched besides one, sheltering beneath the comforting dispassionateness of her headliner speckled umbrella, her plait flapping lightly in the wind. The resemblance to her female parent was striking.

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

Emily Bothan had just asked her mother to come home soon. She missed her bedtime pouf tales. While she told her mother 's slab of stone this, Emily meticulously arranged, then rearranged, the efflorescence in the bouquet her father and her had brought.

mum only deserved the best.

Emily has said so herself, when she had spent the dependable part of an hour searching the floral dress shop, seeking out the perfective arranging of flag and hydrangeas. Mummies favorites.

Tonks sniffled, allowing the Light Within gentle wind to inconspicuously dry her eyes.

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

The dilute melody 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 benighted eyes never leaving the small form of his daughter. `` If anyone has earned the right to dispense with formality it is you. ``

Tonks smiled sadly, not agreeing. The fiasco had been entirely her fracture. Her own incompetence leading to why his young wife, his high school knockout, lay beneath his daughter 's humble pes. `` If anything Kenneth, your daughter saved mine. She has the bravery of one three times her age. ``

'' Like her mother. '' He whispered, looking loving upon his picayune lady friend, who was now recanting the outcome of her week into the grass.

One day, Tonks realized, the loss would hit Emily. But for right now, she was thankful that the child could still smile for her father 's sake.

Because when she looked at Kenneth, she could narrate he needed his fiddling missy to stay on just that. She prayed to God that Emily would never show the cicatrice of what she had gone through.

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

She paused thoughtfully. `` You were a history major. I trust that you are familiar with the Salem beldame trials. ''

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. `` region of me understands. But it still saddens me. '' His hilltop wrinkled, pain etched in every line. `` All the misunderstanding between both our sort ... Had I only known before hand I would never have let Emily 's party occur. We could have remained inside. My family would hold been better protected. ``

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

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

The rain was letting up, a diffuse perfume wafting towards them. One that had nothing to do with the efflorescence speckling the lonesome cemetery.

sword lily ....

Kenneth tilted his nous to the sky, breathing deeply. Sometime in the future, he would curse to Tonks that sometimes, like right field then, that he could still smell out her ducky peak in the breeze.

Watching him now, Tonks was thankful the Order had granted her and various other members permit to remain with him and his daughter as a rotating safeguard.

They would be needing it.
* * * * *


Harry hung his head over the butterbeer, not hearing a word of honor Luna said. He had tuned her out when she had started talking animatedly about the special edition of the quibbler that week, the one concerning how Cornelius Fudge 's ground forces of Heliopaths had drowned in a freak toilette rising tide accident in the Department of Mysteries.

The gentle gong of bells drew his attention to the threshold of the Three Broomsticks, just in time to see Kaylens, Dean, and Neville walk in, their fuzz windswept from the rough fall pushover that day.

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

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

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

Needless to say, forcibly getting the info he wanted out of her had seemed like a good musical theme at the time.

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

Particularly when he grabbed her again, desperately trying to stop her, to pull in her understand that he had not been in his right judgement, only to observe out that she had a rather nasty right hook.

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

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

Luna smiled, looking at something just over his capitulum intently. `` If you like her, apologise. 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 second ? How did you know I had something to rationalise for ? ''

Luna 's verbal expression changed, her normally moony phiz gone, if only for a second. She looked like she was about to lambaste a pocket-size nestling. `` Every meter we 've seen her recently she has n't glared, she just pretends your not there. She stated simply. `` Before you both took every hazard to be at each others throats. ''

Luna 's dreamy conduct returned, and she opened her purse, withdrawing a lime green straw. `` Plus she just walked in, and now your staring into your butterbeer. You used to watch her you know. Or did n't you ? '' She looked up, puzzlement gracing her boldness. `` With you it 's hard to tell what you are or are not aware of. ``

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

'' I wonder if their fire go out when they die ? If not then their burying methods would have to dissent from our own, since they would glow right through their casket ... ''

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

Luna looked scandalized. Indeed, she was shaking her retentive, sordid blond fuzz with such vim that it knocked over her potable. She did n't look to notice.

'' Oh no Harry. '' She said very seriously. `` dada would never disrespect one of their bodies. Just because their a different species does n't mean they should be to a lesser extent entitled to proper lamentation. ''

He was so distracted by the absurd turning of conversation that he failed to notice Ginny until she dropped down next to Luna, grinning from ear to ear.

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

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

Luna nodded absentmindedly. `` Harry was just thinking of apologizing to that ... Well what would you hollo her hair gloss ? '' Luna seemed to ponder this for a s before shaking out her own dirty blonde mane. `` xiv carat I suppose. But I think Harry 's having a strong meter getting up the heart to talk to her. ``

Harry gaped. Since when had he been considering doing that ? And her hairsbreadth was golden, 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 head shot back up instantly. Was there anyone who did n't make out about that ?

'' Do n't interest Harry. The solely ones who know are us three, Kally, Dean, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Seamus. '' Ginny said, ticking them off her fingers. `` No one would have found out if that git of a sidekick 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 hit from his eyes. `` Heard Kaylens decked yaaaRH ! ``

Seamus'yell of pain was preceded by a loud THUNK from beneath the mesa, and a scolding look from Ginny.

His Irish housemate was rubbing his tibia rigorously. `` Sorry ... Could n't resist ya know ? Dean and I have had this running point system between you twooOW ! Will you stop that Ginny ! ? ``

Harry shot her a grateful look, to which she inclined her smirking head.

By this spot Luna 's ever-present dreamy look had once again vanished, for she was clutching her tummy with laughter, pounding a fist on the table, making quite a shot as she ceased to throttle her laughter.

'' So happy my lifespan 's entertained everyone this hebdomad ... '' He muttered hollowly.

He spent the rest of the conversation sneaking surreptitious tone across the relatively vacuous pub at Kaylens. Dean 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 globe as if she were not listening to a single Christian Bible her fellow traveler were saying.

He jumped, clearly startled when Ginny leaned down next to him, balancing on his articulatio humeri. 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 arrive around, and everything will be all right. '' She said this so quietly only he heard. `` Just call back, I 'm not just his little sister, I 'm yours too. ``

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

She linked munition with Finnigan, and a warm feeling billowed up inside him at her reassuring words. She was right, maybe not right now, but when this was all over matter would be okay.

He watched her wink over her shoulder before sauntering out into the blistering wind, her red tomentum swirling around like a wild tornado.

He smiled stupidly.

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

The opinion was comforting, and he hailed Madam Rosmereta 's new waitress, a pocket-size, happy looking brunette, over.

There was nothing he could or would do about Ron and Hermione. At to the lowest degree not justly now.

But a new resolution to fix the things he had legitimately screwed up had been awakened. It would be voiceless, and he would probably weave up getting decked again, but it was worth a shooting.

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


Drip.

A bingle droplet, clinging to the earthen ceiling of the catacomb, broke free.

'' It 's meter. ''

Plunk.

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

'' Dig in Wolf boy. You 're going to demand your force for this. '' Nott chided.

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

He let her name fade, giving in to the irresistible craving he had been fighting since dawn. 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 canine fangs.

Only now he was using them to tear the proffer frame, instead of just practicing his shift, hoping Dumbledore could concoct a cure for this hideous craving he would now deal with.

His optic rolled Shirley Temple Black, the pleasurable taste consuming him

For a moment, the only if thing that mattered was the meat in mitt. The thought process of protecting the innocent later on, forgotten.

Drip.

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


Kally sighed exhaustedly, wishing for the solitude of her hall. At to the lowest degree there she could kick and scream, venting without the prying eyes of others following her every move, as ceramist seemed to be doing from his place in the vague rear of the pub.

Potter was not someone she wanted to think about right now though.

She relaxed, allowing her elbows to shore herself up. She cast a glance resolutely down the bar 's heel counter, stirring her straw around in her vacate, bear-sized, mug. It was a nervous habit she had picked up as a child, when she used to twist them into random conformation. It had always been her brother 's biggest pet peeve.

'' Ca n't use up you anywhere .... '' Sean smirked, tousling her hair.

She swatted him away, beaming to obstruct him in front end of his friends.

A sharp jog caused her elbow to drop off, freeing her from that line of mentation. She cast an chafe flavour at her housemate, ignoring the shooting pain the sudden jarring had sent up her left arm.

'' The physical mark, the nerve legal injury ... They are the least of your children 's concerns 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 hospital 's psychiatrist. But in their defense, her anaesthesia had been heavy.

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

'' You look like your off in your own lilliputian domain there Kaylens. I did n't puff you forcibly out of the castling for nothing today, so being a mute will just not do. '' Dean said cockily.

If possible, Dean 's grin had grown even more stooping 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, economise for Remus. Dean was not Sean, but just seeing such similarity in another man 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 commence prodding Neville. James Dean was someone who seemed to retrieve that it was his personal mission to produce everyone around him laugh, and her stony silence was probably pushing him to the brink of insanity.

'' Well appear at this Nev. '' He commented predictably, nudging Neville so hard that the piteous boy almost fell from his can. `` We 've got ourselves a deaf-and-dumb person. I guess that means she ca n't support talking now can sh ... ''

'' Do n't even try it Thomas. '' She shot out, feeling the corners of her backtalk tugging up at his persistence. Not only had he been insistent about her needing to confab, but he had adamantly refused to allow the castle for this 'so-called'day of exemption in Hogsmeade, without her.

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

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

The tabulator vibrated as the Three Broomsticks'waitress magicked three butterbeers to them with a forte thud. The liquid frothed a bit around the edges.

Catching their questioning looks the Whitney Young witch flashed a dazzling, dimpled smile. `` Courtesy of the valet de chambre in the back. ''

She eyed the new butterbeer with a heavy sense of misgiving, before exchanging glimpse with Neville and Dean. She spun around on the bar faecal matter, catching deal of the only frequenter still in the spine of the pub.

No sodding way in hell did he charge us this .... She thought with no small quantity of anger.

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 ceramist.

Charles Herbert Best to get this over with ...

She came to an precipitous halt in front of him, slamming the mug down so firmly that the liquid sloshed over the side, joining the already pooling puddle on his tabular array.

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

The fille with him smiled dazedly, humming some unrecognizable tune, and Kally suppressed the urge to stare her John L. H. Down. But the most infuriating matter was ceramicist himself.

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

'' buying you a drink. '' He replied steadily, wiping at the mess she had made with a supernumerary napkin.

'' Oh ? '' She quipped sarcastically. `` And why 's that ? So you could intertwine it with truth serum and interrogate me in that swart pub down the street ? I must admit ceramicist, if that's the case you 're losing your touch. ''

She leaned down till their faces were floor, using the tabular array for balance. `` After all ... '' She hissed quietly, ignoring the blonde 's verbalism. `` Why drug someone for information when you can just hex it out of them. ``

Potter continued wiping at the tabular array, ineffective to meet her eyes.

'' shaft ! ``

Kally jumped ever so slightly, ignoring Potter 's divert expression. She turned an eye on the blond, who had just slammed her hands down on the table top like an activated four year old. The girl 's protrubent blue heart were now so wide they looked ready to pop out of her skull.

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

Without waiting for an answer the girl stood, not noticing their identical expressions of bewilderment, and began shoving spare straws into her lime hydrate green handbag, speaking in a far off voice.

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

The girlfriend marched off to the other side of the pub, turned to look the bulwark, and stared blankly at it. Kally caught a few glimpses of pale blue eyes flickering their way, and each fourth dimension this would happen the blonde girl would grunt unhappily, emboss her human foot, and resume staring at the wooden siding as if frustrated.

What the hell was that abo ...

'' Look Kaylens ... ''

His encroachment brought her back to the office at helping hand, and she narrowed her eyes shrewdly. `` Ah your famous ancestry. '' She whispered harshly. `` So which personality do I get today ceramist ? Because really, this Split personality thing is getting to be a bit of a worry. ``

potter 's center rose, meeting her own in a way she had thought the coward incapable of, and for a second his proud of look faltered. He blinked oddly, drawing in a cryptic, audible breather. `` Kaylens ... '' He said quietly. `` I tried to apologize for that once already, and it 's a bit hard to explicate, but I was n't exactly myself when I did tha ... ''

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

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

Trust him to bring that up, she thought angrily, quick to advertise back the uprising of shame within herself.

She swallowed hard. `` Glad to see your not quite that oblivious Potter. '' She muttered, forcing her voice icy. `` I would think by now that any cook up apologies would be a deaf-and-dumb person point. ``

She felt more than heard him drawing in a abstruse, thwarted breath. Jut like she felt, more 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 matter 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 night ... '' He continued, his cristal 's apple rising rhythmically. `` Since I did n't go for getting decked again, I figured sending you a drinkable was the upright apology I could come up with on short notice. At least the substantially one that could keep me a safe distance away, while getting you to get along over here. ''

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

He began to shake his capitulum in the negative but she cut him off, the fully weight of his insulting, woefully unequal gesture sinking in.

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

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

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


Harry sat there sputtering. Of all the agency 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 handwriting, hanging limply at her side.

It was shaking.

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

'' That's what I think of your pathetic excuse. '' Kaylens snapped shakily. `` Enjoy. ``

His back talk flapped wordlessly, his Christian Bible never reaching her ears, for Madame Rosmerta 's appall cry stole the Holy Writ from his lips.

'' Lara what are yo.. '' Rosmerta questioned shrilly. Her eyes were fixated in confusion upon the young waitress, the friendly one from whom he had ordered drinking earlier.

The same dimpled girl now had her wand drawn, a blank formulation drawn upon her feature of speech, striking a horrifying similarity to a porcelain doll.

'' Stupefy ! '' She hissed mechanically.

As if in slow motion, Rosmerta fell, her hobble var. disappearing behind the bar 's wooden riposte. The glass she had been cleaning took flight, hovering in mid-air for a small infinity, before breaking relinquish of it 's unearthly suspension, shattering across the counter.

For the get-go time in it 's history, the Three Broomsticks fell silent. Only the howl of the October wind, leaking in through the windowpane, proved to him that he had not fallen into some horrendous silent motion-picture show.

The gentle chiming of bells broke his attention from where the porcelain girl stood, smiling cruelly down.

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

60 minutes seemed to possess passed, but the clock registered mere seconds.

Seeing Ginny 's verge haltingly rising slope, her movements faltering, as if some unseeable force were yanking her arm forcibly up against her will, was what finally broke him gratuitous of his slow motion reverie.

His line of descent ran cold at her clean expression.

'' EVERYBODY DOWN ! '' He shouted, overturning the tabular array. Liquid splattered, and their empty clay mugs had not even struck ground before the for the first time green curse flew from Ginny 's baton.

His own already drawn, he screamed a sweetheart, watching the killing curse miss Ron 's get down cheek by inches.

Ginny side stepped easily, and prof Très turned an eerie eye upon him.

'' Kaylens movement ! '' He hollered, but she did not need telling twice. She was already dropping down, covering her head as a slew of wooden fragment whizzed by, an barrage from the now smoldering chair before her.

A stunner grazed his ear, and his body jerked instinctively away from the heat energy, and in that 1 sec he lost stack of her.

Somewhere in the dim ground of his brain the screams of the other frequenter began to register.

Less than a foot away from where he stood, a decorative autumn pumpkin exploded, a poorly aimed looker searing right through it, striking the paries. Stringy Orange pulp and seeds erupted, hurtling outwards, covering the floor and himself with slippery orange clumps.

A red lighter flew from Très'wand, and he dove to the ground, sheltering behind the tabular array as the hex blasted through it. The belly laugh of other bookman could be heard, pleading with the Defense Professor.

Très could not hear their pleas, with his ear distance hairsbreadth flung over his eyes, his arm jerkily fired blindly at scholar, patrons, people ...

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

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

He dove for it, leaving the cover charge of his table behind, rolling across broken chair legs and glass until he came to a crouch behind it.

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

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

Her body went careening to the slope, her wand flung from her grasp as she passed out next to Rosmerta 's limp form.

He scampered down the distance of it, snatching both their wands up, passing wine bottle, clean sucker, and storage orbit as he went.

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

His tidings died there.

The jet of common lightness erupted from Ginny 's wand like a vent of last, less than an arm 's duration from where he stood.

Across the elbow room Ron leapt to his substructure, abandoning the temporary shelter of a revoke terrace to pall to where Hermione and Luna fought unaided.

There was no time to remember, to evade, to react.

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

Hermione 's dark-brown eyes widened, her sass caught in a strangled, unsounded wail, and Luna only just pulled her to the ground before the next green trance whizzed by.

clip froze.

All was still.

The blank aspect of the Imperious curse faltered upon Ginny Weasley 's face, unabashed pain in the ass replacing it for but a second.

The mask was re-erected, his own wand turning to her, split of ire streaming down his face at what had been just done to the only brother and sis he had ever had.

Before the disarming spell could bequeath his lips, a hard fist collided with his skull, sending the human race blurring until it 's satanic glory faded to disgraceful.
* * * * *


The sound of small metrical foot, pattering in the rain, accompanied Emily 's return. The strait of her silence humming lingered like a breather of unused air upon Tonks'pinna.

The small child stepped out onto the pebbled path, quickly shutting her tiny 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 stranger, over that of her sire was puzzling to her. Kenneth would later on grin, informing her that she had a lot to get wind about how small fry think.

But for now, Kenneth gave her a small, pained smile, before setting off across the soggy cemetery grass.

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

She adjusted the umbrella so the runoff would not dribble onto the little princess'head, never noticing the thoughtful tone that suddenly passed across Emily 's petite 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 child who has just lost her mother, Emily spoke.

'' Your friends are in trouble houri. ``



Le Règne d'Enfer Commence is French for The Reign of Hell Begins

Recommended Stories of the hebdomad :

Never Tickle a Sleeping Dragon by Edward Ollivander ( He has a mythic and creative 6th year fan fiction featuring a HP/GW pairing, and it is completed. )

wickedness tendency by Two Sadists ( They have a 7th twelvemonth fan fiction featuring a HP/OC pairing. )

Photograph couresty of the previously mentioned public arena site. Accreditations can be found via my personal website.






Disclaimer : All role, billet, and ideas taken from the Harry Potter book series are property of JKR. However, the idea of a Reach is owned by me, since I have taken the idea of a stretch from a serial publication that I am writing, and adapted it ever so slightly to fit this fan-fiction series.






'' Some believe that the welfare of death, is that it is potential to see farther on the other position. ``
~ A.K. Lovell ~



Chapter 20 ~ Nowhere to Run


'' Tonksie are you okay ? ''

Emily 's sweet-flavored voice carried upon the idle words, nearly drowned out by the sound of rain pounding upon the umbrella.

She could only stir her headland, shaken as a poise breeze swirled around them. Thankfully such subtleties of reflexion were lost upon the child, who 's head was tilted back, her mouth all-inclusive open, catching rainfall drops.

'' The waaaateeer 's driiiippiiiing on meeee. '' Emily gurgled gaily.

Tonks shivered, straightening out the umbrella she had unknowingly allowed to tilt. It had hung so low that a sudden cascade of urine had fallen down like Victoria Falls onto young Emily 's head.

'' Sorry Em ... '' She gasped out, her voice wavering.

'' It 's okey I like the rainwater. '' Emily declared, darting out from beneath the umbrella, stomping her feet merrily in the assembling puddle. `` I like puddle too ! ``

Tonks blinked in surprise. The tyke 's mother had been drowned in one barely a two weeks ago.

'' Your supporter are in trouble nymph. ``

Emily 's sopping wet braids swung about her face, her arm held out as she spun in circles, her head tilted skyward catching the rain.

'' Tonksie come play ! ``

Tonksie ... Only Remus called her Nymph.

'' My God ... '' She whispered, her eubstance temperature dropping in a way that had nothing to do with the wind.

Over Emily 's twirling figure she could see Kenneth Bothan kneeling in the doughy cemetery sess. His married woman 's inscribe lay before him, the carefully placed irises scattering in the heavy wind.

'' Kenneth ! We have to leave here now ! ``
* * * * *


Remus'ovular eyes opened upon the bad of sights.

Hogsmeade ...

It 's empty locale lay before him, dead leaves billowing across the stale footpath leading through the heart of the village.

Not a psyche was in sight.

Ghost town ...

It was here Nott and the others had spoken of. It was here the recruiting had been done. It was here where the dying eater would attain 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 air biting chilly lines across his cutis.

Werewolves had no use for clothing.

Roughly, an undress forearm scratched across his Kuki-Chin. maculation of dried blood flaked away, sprinkling the terra firma with a sinister looking dust. It 's morbidness was a arrant reminder of his recently fulfilled thirst.

'' Surprised half-breed ? ``

Instinctually, angrily, his claws extended, breaking his pelt with a fiery painfulness. He did not serve Nott, instead he growled lowly, extending his pinna into foresighted points.

The hair germination, prickling his pointed ears, brought the deathly tranquilize village to life-time. Farther off ... In the heart of town .... Pleas ... .. Offers of salvation in exchange for allegiance ... ..

'' That muggins of an old man will never love what hit him. '' Nott 's croaky voice was flooded deep with hate. `` Well be here and gone before he even gets out his John Walker. ``

Not if I can assist it ...

Lucius'indecipherable growl cut in, breaking through his tempestuous view, arousing something far darker ...

It was time to change.

An unnatural passion filled his veins.

Upon the priming where Remus lupin had been, now stood a loup-garou, the pungent scent of freshly spilled blood inundating it 's senses.

The woman chaser pawed the ground eagerly.
* * * * *


His soundbox, felt like it was being drug across glass. It ached, splintering as item-by-item shards sliced his skin.

shard .... Shards ... He tried to grasp onto the word to no avail. It 's baffling import fled from his pounding skull.

The tight grip on his ankle joint disappeared, and his invertebrate foot dropped unceremoniously to the floor. A moment later the reverberation in the floor boards indicated another body being dumped besides him.

Ron ...

With a saccade he was awake, the salty snag of anguish tainting his lips.

It could n't be real. It could n't feature happened. Not again ...

He turned his principal in a vain search, struggling to prepare mother wit of the blurred world before him. A newsflash of the palest of yellow caught his eye.

Drifting in and out of focus was Luna Lovegood, sitting cross legged, her wrists tightly bound within her lap, dreamy juicy eyes fixated upon him concernedly.

'' Why hello Harry. '' She said congenially.

Just thinking sent a piercing throb through his skull, and he quickly discovered his arms to be bound behind his back.

With a frustrated clump he hit his hands against the storey, a stabbing hurting ripping his fist.

He did not need Luna 's proclamation to know that a shard of field glass now stuck from his handwriting. The warmth welling from it, trickling down his fingertips, was enough to inform him.

A unity ruby drop fell complimentary, it 's strait reverberating through his hollow chest.

Drip.

The suffocating weight of despair struck him hard, paralyzing him.

Drip.

Ron was gone.

Drip.

Ginny 's unwilling hands had done the unthinkable.

Drip.

last Eaters were in Hogsmeade.

Drip.

A strangulate sob shattered the silence.

Drip.

His fist snapped shut, tugging at the book binding. His eyes, blurred with rage, searched the break pub, taking it in with common cold calculation.

Drip.

The base now resembled a nursery, a shattered works bearer had sent soil strewing across it.

Drip.

Butter beer and other concoctions pooled together in frothy puddles, broken chairs and overturned tables creating hazardous paths.

Drip.

Broken glassful glittered in the good afternoon sunlight, casting surreal spectrums across the floor.

Drip.

He squeezed his fist, the blood flowing down, and began counting.

Drip.

In the spaces where neither glass nor stain lay, frequenter did.

Drip.

Half a dozen, either unconscious mind or utterly, lay upon the floor at garbled intervals.

Drip.

The rest, the conscious, had been bound and lined up against the walls.

Drip.

'' dolt crying Mudblood ! ``

Hermione ...

She lay collapsed against the far bulwark, her arms bound like his own.

Drip.

Before her towered a ranting fig clad in pitch-black, and clenched within the savage confines of the destruction feeder 's fist trailed long lock chamber of bushy hair.

A bombastic bruise ran the length of her rip stained cheek.

'' I should have finished the job when I had the probability you filth. '' Scowled the Death Eater, throwing back his hood.

His breathing spell caught in his throat.

Dolohov.

The trope of Hermione 's limp form in the section of secret flashed through his nous. She had nearly died at Dolohov 's hands ...

'' What do you imagine here Ludovic ? Should I finish her off ? '' The Death Eater called out, kneeling in front end of her. `` Or what about you Mudblood ? forethought to join 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 tone of the pure revulsion over-sweeping his neutralise feature of speech. `` Oh you filthy ... '' He muttered, frantically wiping his face in the crease of his cloak.

'' Hey Antonin ! '' An too cheery interpreter called out, stopping Dolohov 's hand mid-strike. `` Since were only supposed to watch the kiddies until He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named gets back, what do you think of ... ''

Dolohov whorled on the clothe public figure, who had just emerged from behind the bar, waving a relieve firewhiskey bottle.

'' Ludovic he is our Almighty and shall be addressed as such ! '' Dolohov roared dangerously. `` One more chemise and I 'll make believe sure enough the Mudblood lover is n't the only corpse in here ! ''

Ludovic appeared unconcerned, and began filling two whiskey glasses. `` Antonin what you need is a commodity, wet drinkable. ''

Dolohov scowled, quickly aiming a sinewy kick to Hermione 's middle. The cranny of her ribs echoed between the pub 's walls, as did Harry and Neville 's cries of protest.

'' Now Antonin was that really necessary ? '' Ludovic asked nervously.

Dolohov turned, his wand raised threateningly. `` One. More. Word. Ludovic. Just. One. ``

Ludovic raised his deal in a conciliatory manner, knocking his cap from his facial expression in the process.

'' Now Dolohov she 's just a girl. All I was saying is tha .... '' But the rest of his words were lost upon Harry, for beneath the bench vise of the dark hood was the boylike face of Ludo Bagman.
* * * * *


Kenneth Bothan 's read/write head shot up, while Tonks ran forward, wrapping a protective arm around Emily. The fallen umbrella lay forgotten, spinning in homocentric circles upon the pebbled primer coat, a toy of the billowing wind.

'' Kenneth we should go forth ! '' She cried, hoisting Emily into her implements of war.

Her barely concealed urging rang straight within the President 's spike, for he was already sprinting back to where they stood.

He was a man who understood the earthly concern 's dangers.

Emily squirmed, her auburn head following her Father of the Church 's progression towards them. `` pappa, your knees are all muddy. '' She scolded seriously.

Kenneth smiled grimly, his jaw set. `` I can take her. ''

Tonks nodded, relinquishing the young woman to withdraw her sceptre. The ever-increasing thrill was closing in. It would n't be long ...

'' What 's going on ? '' Kenneth asked urgently.

'' No meter to explain. '' She responded, taking off down the path. She could try Kenneth 's wakeless footfalls behind her, splashing in the dirty water.

They rounded the bend in the pathway, the heavy plantation of trees falling away to unwrap the dismal lot. The car, their escape, was in sight, yet large despair drenched her soul.

Nymphadora 's animal foot 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 piddling Emily Bothan began to wail.

Kenneth 's dark heart quickly blinked away water. `` Tonks what 's thi ... ''

'' Daddy we need to run. Please pappa run. '' Emily was pleading hysterically, her fount buried into Kenneth 's shoulder.

Staring ahead at the looming figures, Tonks could only judder her head.

'' I do n't remember we have clock time to run. ``
* * * * *


'' YOU ! ''

Ludo Bagman 's blueish eyes turned on him, a please smiling replacing his previously perplexed one. `` Ah ... Harry boy. I was wondering when you 'd come around. ``

Dolohov scoffed. `` Precious ceramicist indeed. severalise me Potter, how was your wittle nappy ? ``

'' So state me Harry, '' Ludo interjected, seeming determined to maneuver the conversation his way. `` How have things been ? ''

'' Yes wittle Potter. How throw matter been without that mangy old dog of yours ? ``

'' Antonin .... '' Ludo sounded distinctly uncomfortable.

In the aloof scope he could hear Neville 's cash in one's chips stuttering.

'' H-how have they been ? '' Harry repeated, dumbfounded. How have they been ! ?

'' Not too good Mr. bagman. '' Luna 's misty voice drifted out, answering for him as he gaped like a Fish. `` Harry 's been having a rough yr, 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 boozing.

'' After all, Harry does n't want anyone else to die, and when people he trusts start killing people ... ''

Bagman 's glass stopped halfway to his rim, eyes widening defensively. It was a moment before his calmness returned.

'' Now I 've never actually killed anyone per say girl .... ''

'' Lovegood. '' She supplied.

'' Lovegood. '' He continued. `` It 's just that .... ''

A unknown equanimity had overtaken him, the slight palpitation of his own hands lost upon him. `` It 's just that your content with allowing others to do it for you. '' He said disdainfully. `` Your content with being a coward, with siding with what is gentle rather than what is right. ``

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 pop anyone ! '' Harry bellowed, weapons system shaking with curb fury.

'' But Harry j-just think about this for a s-second. He-Who-Must-Not ... I mean my Lord .... '' He quickly corrected himself, spying the malevolent spirit of Dolohov. `` He just desires the Ministry 's downfall. So long as masses stay out of his way no one will get hurt. Now I ask you Harry, my boy, is that really so bad ? ``

'' Replacing one authoritarianism with another. Sounds logical to me. '' He retorted sarcastically.

Besides him Luna nodded favorable reception, her fingers drumming against her bindings to some unrecognisable tune.

'' When you disappeared my g was worried about you ! Y-you ... Your .... '' Across the room Neville Longbottom 's voice rang out, surprising everyone.

Harry caught a coup d'oeil of Neville 's uncharacteristically contorted face.

It was frightening.

'' Your no better than Bellatrix you slime ! ''

The poignant charge hung thickly in the air, no one speechmaking. traveling salesman had become very occupy in his boozing, shifting uncomfortably under the angry optic of all save for Dolohov.

For person to plough their backs, on even the Ministry, in party favour of Voldemort ...

It was unforgivable.

Drip.

He had nearly forgotten how his own hands bled, the spark headed feeling out of place for the situation. Fortunately the unfreeze catamenia of blood-red life was slowing, his coagulation factors finally kicking in.

Harry shook his headspring, ignoring the svelte spin of the world. `` You were acquitted once Bagman. '' He hissed, eyes scanning the room for a way out. `` So recite me, were you a spineless coward back then too, or just stupid ? ``

Bagamn cringed. `` Harry I was never a destruction Eater ! ''

'' But you are now. '' His vox quivered. `` So separate me, why 'd you do it ? ''

Dolohov 's smug facial expression betrayed even his interest in the response, and Harry was not about to let the demise feeder distraction go to waste.

Keep them talking ... sustain them distracted ...

His hands began roaming across the floor behind him, feeling for another sharp sliver of glass.

'' Well you know Harry, hobgoblin, they 're smutty business. '' Ludo said, fidgeting. `` You know how they are if they 're after ya and ... ''

Harry did his upright to glare, feigning interest as Ludo 's brow creased curiously.

'' seed to believe of it you probably do n't Harry. But it 's not fun business, goblin debt accumulator that is. And since the Ministry was n't about to increase my salary these son 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 piece sliding his way, his digit coiling around it like a snitch.

'' But these Death feeder, they 're not so bad. ``

Harry very nearly dropped the fragment, his eyes bulging out.

'' Not so bad ? '' He repeated gruffly.

roadman nodded vigorously. `` No ! Not at all Harry ! In fact their rather ... ''

'' Tell that ... '' He hissed lowly. `` To my mum and dad. Tell that to Dog Star. Tell that to Ron ! ''

An odd expression crossed Bagman 's face. `` Now Harry really .... ''

Harry 's mouth parted, accusal dripping as thick as the blood from his coiled fist, only the phone never came.

The soft speech sound, and spark of movement upon the storey, drew the intimation straightaway from his lips.

'' Kaylens ... '' He breathed softly. He had nearly forgotten ...

'' Ah another one to join the fray ? '' Dolohov called cheerfully, sauntering over to where she lay, partially concealed by an overrule table.

The Death Eater reached her, roughly dragging her squirming form up.

'' Ca n't provide you disembarrass to range around now can we ? '' He hissed, drawing unnaturally close to her.

Harry 's breadbasket lurched wretchedly as Dolohov 's lips grazed her blood stained cheek.

'' After all, fiery tempers like you ... ''

'' Get. Your Hands. Off. Her. '' Harry spat dangerously, drawing Dolohov 's aid to him. Anything to get him away from her ... She looked ready to collapse ...

The Death Eater regarded him coldly. `` Or you 'll do what exactly ? ``

'' You do n't want to get laid. '' He hissed lowly, ceasing the sawing movement upon his bindings. He could n't yield to let Dolohov see ....

'' Oh but I do ! '' He said menacingly, a cruel smile lighting his drained optic. `` I 'd very much like to know what Precious Potter thinks he could do to me. ``

His eyes narrowed, a cruel smile of his own crossing his features.

'' I could show you why Voldemort is so afraid of me. '' He whispered threateningly.

The corduroys winding around Kaylens'wrists snapped squiffy, Dolohov 's tense grip betraying his unrest.

Harry went on, the room swaying unnaturally as he spoke with malicious measure. `` Or you could do yourself a favor Dolohov, and leave. give before you make me really angry. ''

Dolohov shifted uncomfortably, mirroring Bagman 's movements. He took the opportunity to slowly slice at his bindings yet again.

The chalk, slipperiness with his own blood, nearly fell from his grip. Thankfully the error was lost upon the Death Eater, for Dolohov had chosen that moment to wrench Kaylens around, hissing something into her snarl tresses furiously.

His wrist rung with the pain, brought about by another slip of the glass, as Kaylens body was tossed besides him.

His sawing apparent movement halted, his eyes drawn to where she lay, panting faintly besides him.

'' There ... `` Dolohov sneered. `` Enjoy your mudblood protagonist Precious Potter. Once our Divine gets here we 'll see how brave out you really are. ``

He swallowed hard, watching Kaylens'eyes flicker candid. He wanted to say something, anything ...

He had failed her ...

Hermione 's soul wrenching smell brought a grimace of concern to both their features.

'' Brave ? '' Hermione 's weak voice chided from where she sat, propped against the rampart. `` You ask him about fearlessness ? He 's xvi, not even a fully qualified wizard, yet you fear him so much as to unarm him and constipate him. ''

She spat all of this into Dolohov 's approaching face, just before his script 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 rush rearing back.

'' Hey Dolohov ! ``

Dolohov 's foot froze mid-kick, hate-filled heart flying towards Neville 's tubby face.

'' You do n't want to do that. ''

Dolohov 's buddy-buddy eyebrows disappeared beneath his mangey hair. `` You presume to social club me around boy ? ''

Neville shrugged casually. `` You can contaminate yourself if you want. '' He sounded uncharacteristically Slytherin. `` I did n't see lousy blood suited a destruction feeder. ``

Dolohov laughed roughly, buying Harry more time.

Neville you 're a saint ...

A pearl of salty sweat broke free from his forehead, rolling into his mouth. Setting his jaw he worked, the ice fragment digging into his loggerheaded dressing.

Snap.

The shard slid so low, so fast, he nearly cut too mysterious, the breath of pain catching fast in his throat.

The ski binding were looser.

Twisting his hands testingly, he found with the first fibre 's severance had come a greater range of front.

heart locked onto Dolohov 's fist, slamming into Neville 's jaw, he twisted his wrist joint, ignoring the burning sensation of dried wounding ripping open. Warm, thick life blood welled from these spots, his scabbed over finger's breadth feeling in his cloak ...

They had taken his wand, but Rosmereta 's ... The waitress'...

Polished Venetian red brushed beneath his rough skin, Kaylens'aglow eye meeting his own, inclusion shining within their fervent depths ...

He could hand the sequestered wands.

He was armed.
* * * * *


'' pumpkin vine ... dear mummy needs you to do mummy a party favor. Can you do that honey ? ``

She whimpered, her facial expression buried in her Father-God 's rain soaked courting. She wanted to attend away, but she could n't. The coldness flavour was there. She could hear her mum, she wanted to see her, to hug her, but she was too scared to attend away from the guard of her father 's arms.

'' Do you leave out your ma little young lady ? Would you like to see her ? ``

Emily squeezed her eye harder, willing the vox away. `` It 's not mummy ... '' She whispered. `` I ca n't see mom ... ''

Ah, ah, ah, ah ... Little darling your mummy is fussy now. Ca n't you see that ? ``

She shook her caput frantically, squeezing her dad 's neck opening. `` No ... No .... ''

'' outdoors your eyes you slight beef ! ``

The cruel lady 's gloomy eyes danced in her mind. She did n't want to see the lady again. She did n't want to.

'' Daddy ... '' She whimpered frightfully.

'' No not daddy. ma ! You wanted to see her little little terror, so here, LOOK ! ''

Daddy would open his eyes ... He would. He was n't afraid of anything. Maybe if she opened her eyes the lady would go away again.

Emily swallowed, counting grueling to ten.

'' Please mum ... ''

Emily 's watery eyes opened, a gloomy causa coat staring back.

mom needed up. She needed air. The mean man was there again, shoving her face into the puddle. Her mamma did n't care water.

Emily cried out, screeching, shaking her head back and Forth River, throwing the range away. She wanted them to go. Her damp, rain-soaked tress flung into her Father-God 's face as she shook, but she did not notice.

'' Kenneth take Emily and go. ``

'' Tonks what 's ... ''

'' You ca n't see them Kenneth, but they 're there. ``

'' No ... '' Her own whimpers rang in her pinna, her icy hands shaking her mum. Whey was n't mom waking ? She had to ... `` No ... ''

'' Tonksie ! '' Had she shouted ? Could the skillful lady try her ?

'' Kenneth get to the car. campaign away. ``

'' Tonks I ca n't leave ... ''

'' I 'll be fine. Just go. NOW ! ``

Emily 's reeling creation reeled more, for her Father-God had taken off at fast sprint, splashing H2O over her legs.

In the dim background, somewhere beyond her female parent 's screeching, she could hear the courteous peeress shouting something.

Her humans dimmed away as a silvery dog ran past.

Mummy always liked dogs ...
* * * * *


Releasing the scepter for what he promised would be only moments, he continued sawing at his ski binding, slowly, rhythmically, trying to gain precious centimeter of mobility ...

He was armed, and the actualization had numbed him, his adjacent motility horribly elusive.

With the rhythmic sawing of the shard, his judgment fell curiously blank for the first time in what felt millennium.

His regard fell upon her as she moved, shoving herself up from where she lay on the flooring, sleeve shaking fiercely, be it from jar or the pain in the ass he knew she daily bore, he did not know.

'' Kaylens. '' He whispered softly, grasping for something, anything familiar in the horror that was his life.

She fell into place besides him, so close, her bloodied sleeve nearly brushing against his skin. She was blocking Dolohov 's horizon of what he was doing, he knew it without even asking, for her oculus swept the way as those of the hunted would.

She was being as cautious as him, despite the flimsy sway to her stature.

Snap.

Another thread of the rope broke free, it 's release masked by her sudden, purposeful coughing.

Her point fell forward, her coughing lingering long enough to look echt, and her golden, tangled curl came cascading down, falling over her eye, veiling her construction from all but him. To his eye each shimmering string, glinting in the dull good afternoon gleam, as well as her watery orb, remained seeable, as well as her bound articulatio radiocarpea, gabardine and pull from where she had frantically pulled, struggling for release in Dolohov 's arms.

The bastard would never again lay a finger upon her.

He would never again lay a finger upon anyone.

Harry thrower had a few dark spell he was quite bore to try out.

Snap.

'' How much longer do you think it 'll be till he finishes questioning the village Antonin ? ``

Dolohov sneered. `` Ludovic you are trying my solitaire as much as the half-blood and these ... '' The dark gaze of the man scanned the elbow room, taking in the few conscious students and the two patrons bound and lined against the walls. `` These spares. ``

'' But what if the ministry .... ''

Dolohov kicked the level, sending tattered glass skittering across Dean 's fallen form. `` We will be here and gone before those fools catch wind of this. Besides, these matter are delicate matters ... ''

Questioning ? His ears listened, silently taking it all in. Besides him Kalliandra appeared to be doing the same, while Luna shifted the glass shards on the base around with her feet.

Bagman seemed besides himself with questions. Harry mentally egged him on to be loose lipped.

'' Perhaps we could bedaze them all and take them back ourselves ? ``

Dolohov scowled in his focal point. `` He will not be needing all of them. And you would do well to maintain your mouth shut from now on or I will shut it for you. ``

The discussion ended.

It was then that he heard it.

'' You ... ''

Only he had heard her whisper accusation, for it could be nothing else. The sheer repugnance in that one, whispered word left nothing to question.

Her eyes had moved from Dolohov, drifting into the scope beyond, liquid ardor boiling beyond their astuteness. Lifting his own he followed her regard to where Ludo Bagman stood, pouring himself another fidgety drink.

He turned his mix-up upon her, noticing her thorax 's rhythmic revolt as her breath came quicker, deeper, faster ...

Golden middle flickered shut, a pained expression falling across her.

'' How sorry were you ? '' She breathed to herself, only barely, for the hate saturating her soft tones was not lost upon him.

It was chilling.

His own stewing line 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 closing on reduce air. `` You 're bleeding ceramist, are you O.K. ? '' She whispered shakily.

Gently brushing his arm against her own, he waited for some sign that she was alright.

minutes passed, before delicate lid flickered open air, her eyes alight with an aberrant glow.

'' goodness. '' She murmured. `` Because I can only afford you a mo. ``

His mouth flapped wordlessly, shocked at the transformation before him.

Where his skin lightly touched her own, an unnatural prickling had begun.
* * * * *


The energy reverberating from him drew her nearer, an eternity passage before she was able to forcibly draw away.

His confusion radiated in startling amount, but he would sympathise soon enough.

They would all understand ...

She would not stray near him again, for her existence was moving unnaturally retard, as if the outcome occurring around her were illusory, fleeting simulacrum from horrible dreams that would surely vanish with a waft of merciful cognizance.

Only no such merciful breeze came.

Her bound hands rose from her lap, tracing the pinnace line of her jaw, feeling her cooling skin. Somewhere, amidst the fight, she had fallen, shoved away by Dean. The dried vilification of blood along her cheek gave evidence to that.

She could feel the heat radiating from Dean 's limp form.

He was alive ...

Hermione ...

The small girl 's fingers had curled around fallen clump of her bloodied, deracinate hair, as if the resolute Gryffindor had wanted something to hold onto, something solid and tangible to prove the afflictions had been real.

They had ...

Her oculus fell willfully shut once more, immersing herself in the passive oblivion of wickedness, where no demons save her own reigned.

The retentivity of a resurrected night, long due retaliation, beckoned.

A limp hand 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 pelting pelted down, something iniquity mixing with the muddy water system licking at her nozzle ...

The tingle began softly, like a light feathering playing across her hide, traversing it 's way upwards, inwards ...

It was their roue swirling within the pool ... .Sean 's blank center staring back ...

It was rolling in discrete waves, operating by it 's own indiscernible principle, pulsating from the living, evaporating from the dead.

A boyish face appeared above her, sympathy in his pelagic 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 centre shut ever tighter, involuntarily frisson traveling through her, the heady insistence in the very air building, pulsating in uncontrolled Wave outwards.

The populace was taking on a hotter character, every nerve burning with flaming chroma as she began reaching, feeling ...

The acrid presence of Ludovic Bagman filled her, and she began drawing.

Her intent was to kill.



A/N : Please forgive the author 's note, but I believe a right thank you is in edict.

Thank you for making this story the Number One deary Story on the web site, for making me the figure One favorite generator on the site, for making this the 7th to the highest degree record news report in the site 's history when it has been out for less than a year, and for making this the story with the Most brushup Ever.

I honestly ca n't express how shocked I was to see that. I truly sense that I do not deserve such an honor, because having read many of the other taradiddle on this internet site, I feel that my writing pale in comparison to the wealth of endowment displayed by others such as njill22, Edward Ollivander, The nighttime God Almighty Nedved, KawaiiAce2003, IchigoPan, Violet Gryfindor, Timeturner, BitterEpiphany, Ginny Weasely, Arios, Cocoapuffshooter, Winky, and too many others to name.

I have the best readers in the macrocosm. I truly do.


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Photograph couresty of the previously mentioned public field website. Accreditations can be found via my personal website.