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



Chapter 16 ~ New roadblock


Harry clenched his fist around thinly air, squeezing the lifespan out of some unseen adversary within the still hospital annexe. The silence was only broken by Kaylens'tranquil breath, her chest rising and falling as steadily as the light breeze fluttering the drapery.

He 'd been cooped up for sidereal day, still healing himself, and had been forced to determine her grow ever stiller. Surely he was trapped within one of the seven circles of hell, for each clock time he looked upon her his guilt rose like a flak, 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 Madam Pomfrey had been unable to rouse her.

Her pelt still held the wanness of dying, yet to him it seemed slightly rosier.

Perhaps it was his own aspirant thinking.

He rose, unable to remain still, watching her with nothing economize his thoughts for companionship.

Thoughts were such poor quilt ...

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

The defense, the satisfaction, and everything he had expected to feel were conspicuously absent.

Bellatrix Lestrange was dead.

So why did he feel robbed ?

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

Worst of all, Lestrange 's body was gone.

He had wanted to expect upon the lifeless face of Sirius'killer and spit 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 the pits called the Hogwarts hospital wing.

Still, the facts did not add up. Death feeder held no dedication 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 social movement of the open one-third story windowpane. The autumn scented walkover blew across his bare chest, cooling him. His shirt lay discarded upon his bed, his shoulder joint gauze recently removed, exposing the chela marks that now indented his hide.

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

His fractured scapula had been mended quickly, but werewolf wounding were slow to heal.

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

Was he lucky ? He was not indisputable. But even when Dumbledore and Tonks had come, he had felt nothing but holler. His own apathy was almost enough to wish for death.

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

'' Experimental trance, their core unknown to the Order, have been added to Voldemort 's arsenal of weaponry, Harry. conduct attentiveness ... ''

He would.

He had seen what happened to lupin first hand, for his translation had been triggered by the spell Lucius Malfoy had hit him with.

It had happened during the day.

Now, where decease feeder roamed, the moon would no longer sustain it 's sway.

Harry shuddered in the breeze, contemplating the many horrors Voldemort might unleash in add-on to daylight roaming werewolves.

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

forty seven inexperienced person, four of them shaver, had walked upon the land. Now they lay beneath it 's unforgiving soil, removed by the remorseless activeness of Voldemort 's minions.

Hermione 's parents would soon link up them, and his cold-blooded rational side 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 philia of it, he was partly to blame.

For if he were truly the one with the power to defeat the wickedness Lord, than every bit he had ever spent reveling in lifetime, and not searching for Voldemort 's death, had been another grave in the ground for the innocent.

A unspeakable gelidity burned within the claw marks he bore, and he wondered if they had re-opened again, bleeding anew. He reached a hand back, gingerly touching it, the rip upon his fingers confirming his mistrust.

It was doubtful he would be permitted to leave soon.

'' That 's disgusting. ``

His froze, turning from the window. He stared, taking her in as she blinked the eternal rest from her centre, squinting in the daybreak sunlight.

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

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

'' You were out for five days. ``

She paled considerably.

He was slow to recuperate, and debated getting Madam Pomfrey. But she would be back soon, to check on his own wounds. She could find her awake then. Besides, he was afraid to will her alone for even a second, fearsome that she might precipitate into that unending slumber once more.

'' So how is it ? '' Her vox was barely above a whisper.

He studied her, thinking about how to suffice. His pridefulness made him hesitant to accommodate impuissance, but her heart ...

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

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

'' Like nether region ... '' She murmured.

'' You look it. ``

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

She reached up, brushing the lock aside, revealing her deathly pale skin. Her moderate drift exposed her own pain to him in a way no words could.

As did her radiocarpal joint. His eyes caught upon the nighttime contusion encircling it.

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

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

Her eyes traveled to where his fingers lay.

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

'' Pomfrey said she had taken care of this, '' He whispered aloud, gently relinquishing her paw. She let it fall upon her pillow, besides her face. `` Your bone 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 sheets.

It was funny, but had she had woken a few Clarence Day earlier he probably would have demanded solvent, answers about how she knew Lupin, about what she really did or did not know about decease Eaters, but after Clarence Day of sitting there, watching her frail figure slumber, the mere idea of interrogating her rag him.

His result could waitress, for a little piece at least.

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

Her heart 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 induce sworn she slept. It was function fear, fear that she would not awake, that drove him to the admission.

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

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

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

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

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

It was then that Pomfrey walked in.

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


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

Lupin 's claws had torn into him just beneath his shoulder blade, right where various muscles came together. Apparently re-growing muscles was as tricky as re-growing bones.

He still needed to blab to Kaylens, but she slept. They had not shared a give-and-take since she had first awoken, mental object to sit there in secretiveness. He was debating whether or not to break that silence when a bedevil looking Ron walked in.

Looking at Ron, he realized that there were early matter that had to be taken precaution of first.

He had been dreading this conversation for days. Ron and Hermione would want reply. Answers about his absence ... result about what had occurred in Dumbledore 's office sidereal day earlier ... Answers about Voldemort 's trespass into his brain ...

response he could not give.

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

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

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

He threw a last coup d'oeil at Kaylens'sleeping descriptor. They would talk later. He promised himself that.

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

It had been over a week since he and Kaylens had disappeared from the master 's office, and one of the end warm weekends of the year had driven the student body outside.

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

conundrum had given him Sir Thomas More time due to his combat injury, and for that, Harry had to give him credit.

As evil as Voldemort was, the animate being had some class.

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

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

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

'' Not full, '' The absence of mass made the corridor cavernous, and his hint echoed quietly.

'' Harry what 's going on ? ``

I wish I knew Ron ... His own frustration at this very interrogative sentence had been building inside for 24-hour interval. Dumbledore had told him some, but there was still the question of Kaylens. How did she fit into all of this ? Did she even ? And Voldemort ... There had to be more than 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 circumvent him ?

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

They walked the rest of the way in silence.

Hermione was there, waiting for them in the vacuous hall, sprawled out with a book on Ron 's bed. Her eyes were rimmed with dingy circles, similar to Kaylens.

Misery loves society, he thought. Ron sat besides her, placing a paw on her cover. Only then did she appear to clear they were there.

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

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

She shrugged, re-burying her nose into her Holy Scripture. `` 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 optic would not take on theirs.

Ron frowned. `` His reason ? ``

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

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

Hermione 's middle roamed, landing on his triangular bandage.

He caught the unvoiced question. `` werewolf wounds are slow to cure. ''

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

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

'' No. I was not bitten. ``

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

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

'' Because the full lunar month is n't until ... ''

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

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

His construction turned grave. `` There are agency. ``

Hermione was no longer even trying to read, her phonation unusually senior high school. `` That ca n't be. A werewolf ca n't exchange out of lunar chronological 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 sorry oculus widened, his freckles standing out against his picket fence tegument, putting two and two together. `` So when you and Kaylens went to see Lupin ... ''

'' He turned. Yes. ``

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

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

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

Ron took Hermione 's manus almost naturally. `` Then take your time mate. get-go from the offset. ''

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

'' You both already know that Voldemort has not given me a present moment 's peace treaty since last summer. It 's a buck private fight between him and I. We 're both fighting for selective information, about the early side 's orgasm and goings, about how much the other side knows ... ''

He talked steadily, opening his actor's assistant drawer to put clothing away. His actions, however lowly, lent a sense of normality to the otherwise sinister conversation.

'' Your parents 'Mione, he said he will release them, '' He ignored her intake of breath. `` If I tell him what the capacity of the divination were. ``

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

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

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

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

He remained silent, until her imploring voice broke again.

'' Harry, please ... ''

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

The betrayed looks upon their faces nearly broke his spirit.

Hermione 's backtalk opened and closed wordlessly. It was Ron who finally gave voice to their thought. `` Why Harry ? Why ca n't you percentage 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 trounce 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 accusal in Ron 's voice was too much. He could take no Thomas More. `` Because I ca n't Ron ! Don't you think I would if I could ? ``

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

Harry was having worry keeping his voice stratum. `` Ron, if I tell him there is no ground for him to keep the Grangers animated anymore. It 's our biggest bargaining chip. ``

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

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

'' He 'd let them go, '' Ron interrupted. `` shuffling him give up one at least Harry ! Then enjoin him for God 's sakes ! What could it hurt ? ! buy with him ! ``

Harry lost his patience. `` Do n't you laugh at get it ? ! This is Voldemort we are talking about ! '' They both cringed at the public figure, his voice rising. `` This is n't some war biz were playing against the Slytherins ! This is material life history ! 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 capable of at the Department of Mysteries ? ``

Harry shook his head, never more serious. `` No Ron. You did n't. '' He felt almost no-account at Ron 's deflated flavor. `` You only saw what Death Eaters were able of. That is nada compared to him. ``

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hermione had begun tugging on his bridge player frantically. `` Ron ... ''

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

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

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

'' I am talking ... ''

'' No. Your blocking Harry. Like in chess. '' Ron pointed his verge out the door, summoning the chess table from the coarse room. Levitating it, Ron cleared the board save for the pawns, power, and queen of both sides, his forehead furrowed in absorption. He then moved the pawn so they protectively surrounded the king and fairy on one side, leaving the other side 's king and queen unprotected.

'' The way I see it Harry, all you have left are instrument. '' Ron continued, gesturing to the protected position of the display board. `` So instead of risking everything to take my Rex, you 're protecting yours. ``

Ron moved a pawn on Harry 's face away. `` You 're afraid that if you move your cat's-paw for a second, that I might get in and postulate your Rex. ``

Ron 's queen shot forward, moving through the opening Harry 's pawn had left, taking his pansy out with a violent whang of her chairperson. She then stood, posed to take his king on the adjacent move.

'' The Rex 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 plug-in folded in on itself, slamming to the floor.

'' Game over. ``

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

He was decent. And for the commencement prison term Harry realized how truly dissimilar he was from them.

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

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

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


Harry tromped through the corridor, feeling worse than he had thought potential. He preferred feeling numb, at to the lowest degree then he felt nothing at all.

They simply did not see. Not that he had expected them to. things were too dangerous now. Voldemort had made a hobby out of extinguishing anyone close to his kernel, and he was not about to fill up Ron and Hermione 's headway with anything that might make them more tantalising targets than they already were.

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

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

The alternative was no longer his.

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

They would n't end up like Sirius.

He knew exactly where he was going, and rounded the corner to the infirmary wing. His foul mood only increased when ma'am Pomfrey stuck out her chief, a forced smile plastered upon it, and asked him to wait.

The door slammed and the phone of logical argument resumed. Dumbledore 's voice caught his attention. What was he doing in the infirmary wing ? Perhaps to see Kaylens, but he had already visited them once. It was n't like the Headmaster to claver scholarly person though. And he should know, he had been in the hospital wing too many prison term to count, but could weigh Dumbledore 's visit 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 times. His conclusion made he slipped it beneath the door.

Madam Pomfrey 's reproving tone came out clearly. `` ... cells need to renew before you can even attempt to do thaumaturgy again. ``

'' But I 'm behind enough as it is ! '' Kaylens ... A twisting undulation of relief washed through him. And to cerebrate, normally he had worry resisting the urge to dull her.

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

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

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

Yet something about Dumbledore 's tone made him. As outwardly reliable 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 cure, do n't you think that should receive been my determination ? ``

therapeutic ? His tummy lurched dangerously.

'' Kalliandra, looking at it as a death conviction will not serve matters. ``

Her vocalisation was strained. `` You 're aright. goose egg will. You know that the betting odds ... ''

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

'' I 'd prefer the burden, '' Kaylens hissed, her voice suddenly substantial. `` Now is there anything else your keeping from me ? '' Her vox was strained and accusatory. `` Because I 'd like to recognise before I read about it in some pudding head book of account. ``

Silence.

'' I thought so. ''

His entire physical structure shook unsteadily. So a lot so that the approaching footsteps did not show until the threshold had swung open in front line of him, revealing a pale looking Kalliandra.

He could only stare, word abandoning him. Her eyes had caught on the extendible ear.

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

'' ceramist ... '' She whispered chokingly. She locked eyes with him, her look stunned.

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





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



Chapter 17 ~ Kunnskap

Kunnskap is Norweigan for noesis



She shoved open the incoming threshold, leaving the secure dormitory of the school day behind, and walked out onto the rapidly cooling grounds. She blinked back the moisture that lingered within her eyes. No tears would fall, no matter how hard they threatened. This she promised herself.

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

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

Despite the pain sensation they had been in, the time spent within the hospital annex had been pleasant. She and ceramist had dwelt in silent company, both knowing there were thing that needed to be discussed. Despite that he had not pressed her to talk, instead he had seemed to calmly accept her quiet.

This change had been oddly comforting.

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

She kicked the background, scattering dirt in her wake.

She could not fathom why she had thought he would let her keep her enigma. But she had been a concluded sap for entertaining the notion.

And for some cause his small treachery hurt her.

god ... She turned her teardrop filled oculus towards the sky, tracing along the darkening clouds, and noted how low they hung. It was the entrance storm that had drawn her outdoors after all. The unknown feeling slithering through her, as if static electricity were tickling her very skin, had been hard to ignore.

She reveled in the pocket-size distraction from her thoughts, and allowed herself to simply palpate.

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

The tempest front rolled in above her, and the to a greater extent astute of her compeer began to head indoors. The sphere surrounding the lake had been the first base of the ground to be abandoned, and her feet led her there.

She wanted the seclusion.

She had grown so used to desperation, to feeling only never-ending numbness, punctuated by bouts of undiluted anger, that she had forgotten how to feel something as human as fear.

Everything had happened so riotous the day she had received the market keeper note, and there had been no time for the low temperature trueness to go down in. Only over the yesteryear Clarence Day, as she and Potter had lain there in muteness, had it finally registered.

Pomfrey 's parole had just driven it family.

Somehow, hearing the therapist 's words had made it actual, and now dread held her sum in a frailty clutch.

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

Perhaps death would be a thanksgiving. She just had things to do before it found her.

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

It was often painful.

She rubbed her arms against the thrill wind, grateful that God had some gumption of pathos. Fortunately for her, the human being brain could only file pain as abnormal for so long, before it accepted the pain sensation as the constant province of affairs. Then it would be ignored.

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

Still, acclimation could only do so very much, and her consistence ached, protesting constantly.

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

She took it all in with her normal discernment. There were spots where the grounds ended, dropping off sharply to meet the duckweed covered surface of the water system.

In other spots the ground gradually sloped down, kissing the lake 's rippling waving. There the darkness earth was muddied, imprinted with the footprint of those who had braved the shallow to swim, before the weather had cooled in wake of the entering afternoon storm.

She passed by both these areas, heading closer to the Forbidden wood. Here she kicked off her shoe, allowing them to dangle freely from one hand as she picked her way across the far end of the lake. Here minor Oliver Stone formed a natural beach, and she sat down near the sharpness, letting her finger's breadth trail across the rough pebbled border beneath her.

She accumulated a small collection of flat bottomed rocks, gathering them within her hands, and she cast the first across the serene urine, breaking it 's glassy surface.

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

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

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

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

She skipped another.

A fleshy garden pink tentacle connected with it, hurtling it back.

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


Harry winced, rubbing his forehead. That was definitely going to bequeath a mark.

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

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

He treaded as close as he dared, pausing to brood uncertainly. Her shoulders had stiffened at his outcry, the only house to suggest that she was aware of his front.

He swallowed hard. From where he stood besides her, he could see the drawn line of her back talk, and how her eyes gazed, almost longingly across the morose airfoil of the lake. He followed her gaze, the firstly drops of rainfall drizzling upon them.

The lake 's once shiny exterior now moved with a aliveness of its own. Each raindrop sending circular ripples outwards, each to-do merging with the other seam spreading across its 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 aerofoil.

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

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

Silence reigned for some time, broken only by the increasing speech rhythm of rain, pattering around them. The water gradually matted his boisterous whisker to his forehead, and Kaylen 's fortunate whisker darkened with saturation.

She sat with a relaxed air, unbothered by the icy droplets pouring down. Slowly, with evident infliction in her drive, she scooted closer to the lake 's edge, dipping her fundament into the turbulent water as casually as if it were a mid-summer day, rather than a windy October downpour. Never once did she seem at him.

Her shoulders were bare, and her break hair clung to them. He was close plenty to mark the little goose hump prickling across her pale skin.

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

Kaylens was sick ...

'' Here, '' He said, shattering their verbal relapsing. He picked his way across the pebbly descent to her, shrugging out of his cloak. He felt no unwieldiness as he picked up her damp hair, draping it across her shoulder joint.

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

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

Her eyes held his, and for the most fugitive of seconds the suspicion he was so used to seeing vanished. `` Thank you, '' She murmured, inclining her head to the spot besides her.

He lowered himself besides her, afraid to mouth. His heart pounded loudly in his chest. Never before had he been so horrendous of reprimand. His luck may own lasted thus far, but even he would not pick her for screaming if she so chose.

For once he could accommodate to deserving it, and her still espousal of his mien was unnerving.

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

'' We should go in. '' His representative lacked judgment of conviction.

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

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

'' Well what ? ''

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

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

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

Despite their content, her timbre held no shadow of the familiar sarcasm or malice.

Instead she sounded curious.

The actualization sent an out of place smile across his human face.

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

'' Try me. ``

'' I came to apologize. ``

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

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

He seized the chance to keep her talking. `` Well I am. Kaylens I ... ''

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

He sighed in frustration. `` Enough to have it off that you should n't be out in this downpour. ``

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

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

The feeling she shot him could shut up the devil himself. `` And why should I ? You have n't been the portrayal of honesty ceramicist. ``

'' Perhaps if you would just take heed you would happen out. ``

She did not reply. Instead, she tilted her case towards the sky, allowing the rain to swarm over her more freely. Her pilus fell away from her shoulders, revealing her foresightful neck. She remained this way for what may have got been bare sec, but to him, felt like hours.

'' O.K. ceramist, '' 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 answer questions about dying eater had led him, to what he hoped, were improper assumptions, and how, after days of watching her in a comatose state of matter, he had feared that she had fallen ill once again.

He spoke to her, the rainwater cascading down their bodies as they sat, keeping each early 's acquaintance, the storm forgotten. Several times she made to move, shaking her drumhead disbelievingly, but his hand on her arm silenced her refutes. By the clip he was done, a sad locution had crossed her features.

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

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

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

'' Kaylens are ... ''

Her expression darkened at his tidings, and she stood abruptly, her shivering more pronounced.

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

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

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

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

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

'' I 'm o.k., '' She said grimacing. `` Really, '' She added, seeing his disbelieving look.

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

She whorled on him, looking disturbingly unhappy, her skin dangerously pale. `` feeling, Potter ... Do yourself a favour okeh ? Do n't vex about me. ``

He found himself shaking, be it from the low temperature or the icy palor of her hide, he did not live, yet all thoughts of speech were driven away.

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

The thinking of her hating him again churned his stomach. He could n't take into account it ...

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

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


Over the past few Day, since Kaylens had left him standing there in the pouring rainfall, Harry 's mood had not improved.

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

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

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

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

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

Or something like that.

His reaction was puzzling, even to him. He could not traverse that he felt oddly protective of her. How could he not ? He had spent far too much clip watching over her in the hospital wing, and the opinion of further impairment coming to her drove him mad.

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

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

He had seen her unparalleled that very morning, and it had taken all his patience to invalidate hexing her into next week when she had practically sprinted down the Charles Francis Hall to talk to Dean, upon catching sight of him.

the pits, he had come damn near closer to hexing her and Malfoy in Defense Against the darkness humanistic discipline that very day. He had walked in to find her and Malfoy chatting in hushed whispers, bent-grass over parchment.

The indorsement he had come within earshot the lambskin had been rolled up and stuffed hastily into Malfoy 's book satchel.

Kaylens had refused to face at him. But he had not failed to discover how her hands shook for the rest of course of study.

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

At least the unfriendly looks from his roomy were understandable. He had had another violent dream with Voldemort that week, and had woken up in a right Department of State, screaming at every one of them.

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

semen to think of it, the only person talking to him now seemed to be Luna. And since she was in the year below him, he found himself sitting alone in course of study, and eating dejeuner at the Ravenclaw table.

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

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

He actually did n't mind the idea.

He finally reached the door, and Crusantheus surprisingly opened without complaint, revealing Dumbledore 's office. He stepped in for his lessons, removing his baton in preparation.

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

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

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

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

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

Harry was stunned, all previous thoughts and botheration at the prof driven from his judgement.

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

'' Occlumency, Harry, is less about erecting genial barriers, and Sir Thomas More about controlling one 's emotions. Keeping your emotions hidden from the enemy is of extreme importance. And frankly, gets well-situated with age. '' Dumbledore stood with a rather large feathering smock and began to round a disgruntled portraiture with it.

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

Harry stared somewhat unabashedly as the former headmistress made a rather raw helping hand gesture.

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

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

He valued his pedagogy far too much to respond truthfully.

'' Well Harry, when one sifts through your nous, unspeakable memories can get excavate. It 's natural to recall the emotions these experiences caused you. Such a distraction is all the opposition would need to delve deeper into your creative thinker. '' Dumbledore was carrying on with all the air of one discussing a weekend sashay. `` And you have no dearth of irritating memories Harry. It would be quite easy for Voldemort to find one to use against you. ``

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

'' So are you going to pretend me live over those memories for practice ? '' He asked, somewhat apprehensive.

Dumledore turned to look at him, balancing precariously on the stool he was using to accomplish ole Phinneus'portrait. `` Why of line not. Certainly, I could go sifting about through your mind, forcing you to recall bad clip in your life. But dredging up old retentivity and forcing you to cope with them would only facilitate you build up indifference. We do n't want that. ``

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

'' Harry, what we do want, is for you to come to full term with the crueler parts of your past. And only you can define what those terms are. But I dare remind you, there is a difference between allowing the by to cue you, and allowing the past to insure you. ''

Dumbledore jumped down from the stool, wiping his stale manus on his gown. `` Well now that's done. Now I have something to present you. ``

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

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

Dumbledore shrugged. `` Well, have it sentence, give it time. It may take her awhile to open up to anyone, seeing as how topic are. ''

The headmaster was running his baton up and down the rachis of the Word of God in an odd zig-zag convention, muttering something about mothballs. A gimcrack 'pop'was heard, making Harry jumping, and the leger sprang out of Dumbledore 's hands, falling open on the tabular array before them.

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

Harry had to admit that Dumbledore was stagnant on.

Inside the overt Holy Scripture, where the page should have been, lay a pink layer of fog. There was a sense of depth to the DoI of it, and Harry had the vague sensory faculty that another dimension lay just beyond the peacefully swirls.

Dumbledore reached his hand into it. `` It is a rather clever concealment spot for things. Not only is the locking mechanism for it rather cunning, but only a hand with my DNA could strain 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 footmark back. Dumbledore 's hand fished around blindly for a few hour, before emerging with a silvery chain. A humble vial was attached to the end of it.

The headmaster shut the al-Qur'an, muttering a few charm, and replaced it upon the shelf. `` This is something that I have been wanting to gift you for quite some time Harry. But until recently, the opportunity 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 inadequate, but for now, it is all I can give you. ''

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

'' The ampul you now hold is a especial descriptor of pensieve, Harry. '' Dumbledore said by way of account. `` It is called a Kunnskap. It means knowledge. And unlike rule pensieves, it does not have an unlimited capacity. It can only stop a select few computer memory, and I believe that there are 81 different example contained within this one. ''

Only eighty-one ? He thought, slightly amused by the schoolmaster definition of only. He turned the ampul within his bridge player, noting that unlike in Dumbledore 's pensieve, low specs darted to and fro within the silvery subject matter here, colliding frequently to emit darkness green sparks. It was like watching the observation of fireworks in a silvery pond, only on a miniature scale.

A sentiment occurred to him.

'' What do you mean 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 divination was made, I wanted to possess a way of preserving, and passing on, knowledge of sure spells to you. ``

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

'' Times were dark. '' He continued gravely. `` I did not have it off how many of us would survive, but we knew it was essential to pass on our noesis to the future generation. This was our way of ensuring that at least one thoroughly wizard recieved that if the worst were to happen. ``

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

Despite his discomfort and anger at all the Headmaster had withheld over the years, the idea of a person Dumbledore shook his concept of a stable universe.

The Headmaster motioned Harry into a plush plum armchair, unmindful to his educatee 's night thoughts.

'' Over the years, myself, and others within the old Order, added choose opus of knowledge that we wanted to depart to you, to this. You 'll even find some of my old school day object lesson there. Things like phantasma, curse-breaking, animagus written report ... They are all in there. ``

Harry listened intently, not wanting to lack a news. The conversation had become oddly personal.

A star sign elf popped into universe then, extending a plate of biscuits to him. He scarcely managed to require one, for his judgment was fixated on the barbarous irony of the office.

This ampoule was a true natural endowment, yet he was only receiving it because of the prophecy 's arduous burden.

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

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

Hope ... Why could n't mortal else have been wizarding sort 's hope ?

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

'' Harry, the Kunnskap does not work like a normal pensieve. Instead of entering a memory, the memory board enters you. So once you unearth one, it 's knowledge will rest 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 theory of something is entirely different from putting it to use. However ... '' The man 's blue angel eyes twinkled mischievously. `` I have it on good word that learning and researching just the theory on animagi can take in years. So all you will hold left to do is pattern putting what this will teach you, into use. ``

thinking of what he, Ron, and Hermione had planned, he suddenly wondered, for the one-thousandth clock time since coming to Hogwarts, just how much that the Headmaster knew about his students.

Against his better judgment, he broke out into a small smile. Even Hermione, with all her judgment of conviction against taking short stinger to learn something, would probably die for a flavour into this thing.

God he would omit them ... Perhaps one day, when thing were different ....

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

Harry was taken aback. For once, Dumbledore was actually trusting him with something crucial. `` T-thanks professor. I 'll attend after it. ``

He 'd be damned if he disappointed him.

Dumbledore smiled over his cup. `` I 'm sure you will Harry. Do try to use it in private though. When one uses it they tend to appear in a trance, and I would detest to see what your roommates would do if they stumbled upon you in such a state. And I would have it away, Mrs. Norris once caught me using this. ``

Harry nearly choked on his biscuit.

The yesteryear two weeks, he realized, had truly been full of surprises.




Thank you SticksN'Stones for the excellent streamer !






'' Choose to be not a ware of your environment, nor of your experience, but a product of what your heart tells you the world can be in its hunky-dory minute. ``
~ A.K. Sir Alfred Charles Bernard Lovell ~



Chapter 18 ~ The scratch biography leaf


Tonks threw open the shades, allowing the bright afternoon light to stream in, filling the way with jaundiced hue so bright that not even Remus, who was valiantly feigning eternal rest, could ignore them.

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

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

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

She contented herself to narrowing her violet center. `` flier 's a jinx breaker. And when he and I have over two week with nothing to do but crack up the wards on our stubborn ass of a acquaintance 's home we tend to deliver the goods. ``

Remus emitted a low mutter sound, undecipherable to any homo ear. It was at this point that she decided she had had enough. She ripped the natural covering from his bed, and discard them out the now unfastened window.

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

At his want of reactivity she stomped her ft angrily, and began spraying him with H2O from the tip of her wand.

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

'' You look like a sopping wet dog Remus ! Now get your obstinate ass off the level right now and get ready ! We have an Order encounter in an hr and if you are not there so aid me Merlin I will make out back here, wards be damned, and make you come ! You ca n't avoid us forever ! ``

He groaned unhappily.

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

'' Mrmph ... ''

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

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

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

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

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

Tonks stomped again, very near his head. `` 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 present moment. ``

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

When he did n't answer she actually laughed. `` Remus you prat ! You turned within an 60 minutes of being hit with that turn ! Do you really think that it could possibly sprain you again ? Two weeks later no lupus erythematosus ! ? ``

'' I ca n't risk it .... ''

'' Well that 's just too damn bad Wolfy because your going to. '' She did n't hold off for a response and marched over to throw unfold his cupboard. She grabbed the nearest shirt and threw it at him. `` Now go exhibitor and get dressed. I do n't throw all day and so help me you are going to write to Harry and Kalliandra before we leave ! ``

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

'' I 'd wish to see you try. I 'm not leaving because I do n't feel like fighting with your Baroness Jackson of Lodsworth again. '' She paused, and almost as an afterthought added, `` And do n't change the field of study because you are writing to them ! ``

He shook his head, his shaggy hair falling around his eyes messily. It looked like he had n't showered in days. `` No. If they wanted to talk to me they would experience .... ''

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

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

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

'' Well at to the lowest degree take this back Remus. '' She said, placing it on his jade desk. `` I do n't care 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 pitiable movements, she suddenly felt like collapsing.

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

She could n't support to consider of it, let alone voice it, but ever since that wretched night she had grown to rely on Remus. She needed him so a good deal it scared her.

It had been his cool, fall brown optic 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 way. He had claimed it was to not miss the fun of her colic, whenever the healers had poked and prodded her with their wands, but she had known better. He had been worried, and who could blame him when she had never felt worse.

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

She shuddered, remembering how he had found her curled up on her couch one night that summer, positively balling her heart out, the few pictures of Sirius she had spread out on her coffee table. If only she had stunned Bellatrix when she had had the luck ! 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 bastards was the only matter that could facilitate Sirius now, he had told her. And as an auror, that would be her job. He had told her how she needed to have together for that.

If he had not shown up when he had, she may deliver curled up in the nigh, damp broom cupboard, and not come out cashbox Christmas.

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

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

She had grown so used to him always being there, and it had taken Remus'absence to shit her agnize how much he meant to her.

Never again, did she desire to experience another two weeks like the one she had just had without him.

The thought of him wallowing in self shame any longer made her physically ill, and she felt her shallow reserves of effectiveness folding in.

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

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

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

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

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

'' Go cascade. I 'll waitress downstairs. ``

She turned in a huff and stormed out, resolving to send Harry and Kalliandra part line 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 book to fall closed. His head had long since fallen upon the table, his body slumped over in frustration. A M and one wickedness jinx swirled through his mind, their counter whammy eluding his store in a maddening way.

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

The sheer enormity of the undertaking before him had hit home nearly an minute before, and the constant weighting on his shoulders seemed determined to squelch him now. It was pressing down on his breast, making his head twisting, the realization of how little time he had to overcome this had finally sunk in.

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

For the firstly sentence in his life, he was starting to feel helpless. He had borrowed the Quran from Dumbledore 's place, changing the cover so no one could know what dark arts it contained, and after only a few years of study he had come to a realization.

Avada Kedarva was amongst the most merciful of dour curses.

For the dark art could do so much worse than simply kill in one blow.

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

By the sentence those around you realized ....

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

early curses could could slice your skin in slow, long stroke. The invisible attack lasting for hours, as medi-wizards and healers tried to save you, only to watch you succumb as cut after destroying diagonal undid their healing, spilling your animation blood, 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 glad that destruction had been quick and merciful for Sirius and Cedric. He had not known before, but their lifespan could have been extinguished in very much worse fashion ....

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

prof Tres had shown him that merely a week ago. Kaylens had been the one to bring it up, asking when they would teach the tough of the Dark Arts themselves.

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

But she had been right ....

If one did not sleep together what the curses sounded like, how could they represent themselves with accurate counter-curses ?

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

He propped himself on his elbows, reopening the ancient, blackened leather schoolbook. He was determined to memorize every lethal condemnation the world had to offer him.

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

The man who had stolen his life from day one.

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

Then Pettigrew would die.

Then, once he had seen what the swearword did on a live man, then he would determine 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 public figure into that blasted compact of hers, had sent owls armed with letters and orders to beak at his helping hand until he replied, and even had sent a self-writing flight feather with the last one so it would indite whatever he said down upon receiving it.

That particular owl had had monastic order to snatch whatever was written before Remus had a chance to snatch it up himself.

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

tinker's damn your stubbornness to Pluto Remus ! She thought in annoyance, stomping her foot outside Dumbledore 's place.

She had grown so annoyed with him avoiding contact and canceling their tutoring school term that she had finally slipped on Riley 's ring and tried larboard keying directly to Remus, only that had n't worked either.

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

'' Mentha piperita ! Bat muck droppings ! Bertie soda ! Apples ! Prunus persica ! '' She exclaimed at it, abandoning candy in favor of fruits. `` Oh damn it to hell ! knockout Schnapps ! Peach cobble ... ''

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

'' beauty schnaps ? You 've got to be kidding me ... '' She muttered, springing up the step and bursting into his office, being deliberate to smack Crusantheus on the way in.

Dumbledore looked up idly from his desk, a bemused expression across his weather careworn look. `` Why Kalliandra, what a pleasant surprise. ``

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

Dumbledore looked rather puzzled. `` looker schnaps ? A liquor ? And here I thought it was a rather clever form of candy ... ''

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Dumbledore chuckled slightly, recognizing the irony of her statement. `` You know Kalliandra, in our own way, we are all a risk to those we love, for the childlike fact that true friends will go to any lengths to help each other, even if that means sacrificing their own liveliness in telephone exchange for another 's. ``

His word struck a deep chord within her, one she was not quite ready to try. `` Thanks professor ... '' She muttered, all ira gone. `` Can you at to the lowest degree ease up him this when you see him ? '' She extended a alphabetic character to him, it 's addressee reading To The Obstinate Wolf.

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


Harry rested his face against the drawn surface of the table, letting his dank hair drip over his look. The dripping water supply from his Recent epoch cascade eased the dense aching that had begun in his scar.

drip mould ....

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

Across the uncouth room, far from where he sheltered in the shadows of a exclusive candle wick, the fire glowed warmly. various straggling seventh yr, no doubt putting in the supererogatory hr for NEWT prep, remained there, blissfully oblivious to the late hour.

Sleep 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 idea, waiting for a luck to get in as he dreamt. He knew Hermione 's parents were as secure as dead, but he would not provide Voldemort the information he demanded for their supposititious 'release .'

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

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

The one he was looking at would drive air from the lungs slowly, till the person could only claw at their neck in agony, blood vessels in their eyes bursting as oxygen left them.

The black and tweed illustration showed a wizard captured in a soundless howling, his fingers already falling limp around his throat.

He shuddered at the mountain, not noticing the regulate expression flitting across her typeface.

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

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

'' Hey ceramicist. ``

Her voice pulled him away from his thoughts, and he swallowed hard, looking up as she slid into the rear before him. She leaned backwards relaxingly, her facial expression falling into the tincture of the corner they sheltered in.

'' Kaylens. '' He said steadily, tenderness hammering. Be it at her sudden interruption or the memory of the dying face, he did not bonk. `` What are you doing here ? '' He slid a script across the morbid photograph, staring intently at her.

She met his oculus, for the first clip in days, holding them seriously. `` Talking Potter. Just talking. '' Candlelight danced in them ...

His scar gave a dull pound, reminding him of his own fragile nation. Tonight was not the clip for talking, even with her, whom he had grown odd about. `` You know ... '' He stated carefully, watching her smooth her sleek locks behind her ears. `` There is usually a reason for why someone sits clear across a relatively void 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 unspoken thought. `` Believe me thrower, I know your unhappy with me. I would n't nettle you if it was n't important. ``

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

Her eyes danced in the candle flame, her hand playing around the bag of the candle, picking at the solidified wax. `` It 's not crucial why. I just am. '' She whispered, sounding clearly pained.

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

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

He smiled forcefully at this, probably looking like a unrelenting clown. `` And that has nothing to do with you storming off, then refusing to get within a ten measure vicinity of me ? ``

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

Her interpreter held an nitty-gritty of loss as lupin 's name fell off her lips, and for a fleeting arcsecond he understood. He did not know how the two knew one another, and felt the stabbing pain in the ass of betrayal that lupine had kept better communications with her rather than him, his secure friend 's son, but in that instant, he knew that his former professor had not spoken to her since that day either.

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

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

She shook her head, her hair coming loose from where it lay tuck behind her pinna, falling to lay artfully over her eyes. `` He 's started sending mine back. ''

He felt a lowly smiling tugging at the edges of his lips. `` Hedwig is persistent. ``

'' An owl ? ``

He grunted in reaction, the aching in his scar was starting to burn slightly.

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

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

Through his digit he saw a shrewd formula cross her side. `` Do you need me to get gentlewoman Pomfrey ? ''

'' Why .... '' image the wall ... .The bricks ... Their rough texture stretching infinitely upwards .... `` Why would I want you to get the nursemaid ? '' He asked, barely guising the pain sensation that was now coming forth in waving. She needed to leave. She needed to allow for now, but not to get the nurse ...

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

Before she could even move his hand had shot out like a lightning bolt, attaching itself to her wrist. `` Do n't get her ... I 'll be very well. '' He hissed lowly, not keen to attract the attention of the seventh days still down there.

An unpleasant sense datum swept through him, the flavor of Kaylens'radiocarpal joint turning barely registered as the shadow room spun. He was no longer fully there as his eyes flickered one-half shut, half seeing the paries Dumbledore had taught him to so carefully construct, one-half seeing Kaylens kneeling down besides him.

'' The only if way to fortify your wall at this spot, is to read to mask your emotions .... '' Dumbledore 's words came back to him ...

'' Potter ? Potter feel at me. '' Kaylens spoke quickly, an unfamiliar border to her phonation. He waved her away, feeling her hands wrapping around his own. She had to leave ...

Voldemort was prickling at the edges of his envisioned wall.

The creature 's vocalization filled his intellect, super C tendrils leaking through red brick.

Been sssstudying the moody humanistic discipline I sssssee. It'ssss about time you learrrrned ....

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

'' Sodding hell thrower of all the metre ... '' Kaylens murmured. He felt her arm sliding beneath his shoulders, a unusual tingling trickling through him as he unconsciously leaned closer, allowing his organic structure to sag against her as she hauled him up.

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

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

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

Interesssstinnnng ....

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Calling on his last ounces of genial reserves he dug his bounder into the ground. He turned, squirming away from the reassuring presence of her arms, suddenly finding his own understructure untrustworthy.

He was collapsing to the stone trading floor, the torch lit halls a brilliant blur ...

Whooooo ...

Unable to severalise the difference between speech production and thought process, his mouth opened to holler his own inquiry into the short of nighttime ...

Kaylens hand clamped over his lips, and he found himself breathing in her skin, damp with sudation and the waxy essence of the candle she had been fidgeting with simple moments before.

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

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

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

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

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

'' Glad to see you commemorate formalness. Now please get up, I 'm not secure enough to drag ... ''

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

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

The feel of Kaylens'hands tugging up on his shoulder joint, the flavor of her recollective hair brushing against his side as she leaned over him, the dark shadows of the deserted Hogwarts corridor ...

The sanctitude of his mind restored, it all came into stark focus.

His branch becoming his own again, he powerfully force them into the floor on his own accord, scrambling eagerly away, his sudden deviation sending her spilling across the cold, dirt dusted I. F. Stone floors.

He rounded on her downed form, failing to notice her shocked face. One thought was on his mind. One he had been putting off asking.

'' What does Voldemort want with you ? '' He asked pointedly, the maniacal flicker that always accompanied Voldemort 's sense of touch still in his eyes.

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

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

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

'' Yes. ``

They stared at one another, both verbalism unreadable.

Finally, an eternity passing them by, she tilted her head to the English. `` How a lot do you bang ? '' She whispered.

'' Enough to cognize he was all too happy to learn your epithet tonight. '' He knew the consequences of this, if horrible, would be his to bear. It was not a persuasion he cherished, and a role of him almost wished for her to pretend into the nighttime her loyalty to the night Jehovah, so he could scratch her John L. H. Down, guilt free.

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

This concluding thought was silenced by the way her heart darkened coldly onto him. `` And you were happy to give him that data. Were n't you putter around ? ``

His own hands, now balled in fist, shook with subdue furor at himself for doing so. `` None of this would suffer 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 topographic point personal manner. `` You looked like you were having a fit potter. I thought you needed the hospital offstage ... ''

'' Whether I need the hospital flank is none of your business concern ! '' He hissed angrily, albeit too loudly. Someone was bound to hear, 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 walk past him, back towards where the Fat Lady 's portrait observed in awestricken horror.

Once again, before he could stop himself, he had her wrist in his mitt, spinning her around to pin her against the wall. He pressed his body against hers, their faces dangerously close. Her face remained an unreadable mask, save for the beads of diaphoresis glistening upon her forehead in the torchlight.

They stared at one another, each daring the other to utter. Releasing one of her wrists, he moved his hired hand to rest above her shoulder joint, cutting off any thought of her escape.

'' I said I understood Potter. '' Her breath was barely a whisper, and beneath his palm he felt her wrist cooling, the assuredness October air prickling goose gibbosity across her arms.

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

She breathed in deeply, her dresser rising to press against his own for the brief of second gear. `` tutelage to enlighten me ? ``

He nodded coldly, his moist tomentum falling to hide his scar, a disturbing sizzling good drawing Kaylens eyes uncomfortably towards it.

Her challenging conduct vanished, confusion flickering in her center. Her innocent handwriting unconsciously reached upwards, but he stilled her motion by aggressively squeezing her shoulder blade.

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

'' Do you have any theme what your dealing with ? I have a suspicion ... '' He spoke mechanically, as if lecturing a humble child. `` That you do not. So I am going to ask you one ... more ... fourth dimension. 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 ways of chatting. ``

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

'' Perceptive ... '' He murmured coldly, leaning in till her breathing space breezed across his typeface. `` But I never said favorable. You on the other mitt openly admitted it. ``

'' prevarication ... '' She spat.

He could no longer tell if she were glaring or call, for his forehead was pressed firmly against her own, driving her harder against the wall. Her intelligence lingered on his unshaved mentum, and he grimaced wryly, realizing how close he was to finding out the truth.

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

Her verbal expression remained unfaltering for far too long for his taste sensation.

'' fine. '' He whispered. `` Here is what I think. I think that you have no hint what one is. Either that, or you are the better actress I have ever seen. But for that to be true, you would either possess to be a Muggle, which you clearly are not, or you would have to induce been a recluse from wizarding lodge. So ... '' He tilted his facial expression down, practically meeting her own.

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

She turned her wrist joint in the confines of his liberal grasp, her skin brushing against his own. He could come down her reactions, being so close, his eyes locked onto hers. She was going to run, it was like feeling what she was feeling ... Fear ...

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

'' Well if you do n't require to order me .... '' He murmured, releasing her wrist before she could bolt. She eyed him with surprisal, and distrust, never seeing his manus falling to perch upon his wand.

'' Legilimency. '' He whispered.

Her animation ... It all flooded his head in one over powering wave. A swirl of issue that were impossible to discern ... Until one shrieking filled his mind with a blinding red hue, bringing it all into stark clarity.
'' Riley ! ''


The swirl of images changed, becoming the congruent pictorial matter of a blonde youngster, hair much short than he knew it would darken to become, was approaching a door, answering it ...

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

And now his ...

The door flew open, the man 's foundation connecting with it, sending it bulleting inwards, hitting her with it against the human face. Blinding painful sensation kept her conscious, for the world was smutty be-speckled, and her screaming form fell to shore in the straw man foyer.

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

A golden haired man, only slightly senior than they were now, came sliding into the Marguerite Radclyffe Hall. The young lady screamed on the story, her broken, bloodied nose rendering her word of advice incomprehensible.

The blond haired monster dropped a knee onto the girl 's back, pinning her to the base. The split second of a hitch knife drawn from a casing caught Harry 's eye, and the young man, who now bore a face of the last fury.

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

The favorable haired man was already charging, but the ogre had drawn a gun and fired before Riley could even attain her ...

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

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

The girlfriend was bucking on the floor, screaming, nearly freezing in fear as blood pooled from Riley 's chest wound, his XVIII year old body twitching spasmodically, his rima oris gaping, gasping for breathing time ...

Yet Riley had crawled, leaving a smeared lead of crimson last on the linoleum base in his viewing, for he had been unable to let his little sister be pillaged ...

His dying hint came, the girl 's eyes wide with revulsion for only her chum, as the hitch knife plunged into Cy Young Kaylens', deep into the back of her eight year old berm blade.

Hot, fiery annoyance intensified, followed by a tingling whizz of the most curious kind ...

He could almost palpate what she had ... Her shoulder was tingling, little pin slit attacking her skin as they would when her groundwork would heat up from falling asleep ...

Her hysteric wow only intensified, and Harry watched in horror as the behemoth gripped her hair, yanking her head back roughly as Harry once himself had done to her, before slamming her fount savagely into the linoleum.

'' Were going to have some fun are n't we little female child ? Are n't we ! ? ! ? ! Just as soon as you shut your bloody sassing and tell me where that sweet trivial chum of yours is ... ''

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

In Voldemort 's mind he had seen grownup wither in nuisance and fall apart at so a lot LE ...

His heart broke as he watched her small strain continue struggling, screaming, yet the man only pinned her face down to the floor harder, dragging the Buck knife across her shoulder in a long, vicious occupation ...

A swirl of colouration, and he was gone. throw out not by conjuring trick, but by the savage grip someone had taken up on the rachis of his robe, yanking him away from her. He staggered backwards, disoriented, his arm flailed into the torch holder ...

His sleeve was on fire, burning him, the fire licking up his arm when mortal floored him, dousing him with water.

His char skin throbbed, but not so a lot as his mind.

Kaylens stood motionless, still pressed against the bulwark, crank white, silent tear streaming down her beautiful face. A single 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 creative thinker awakened, his wittiness dimmed by the dose wine he had willfully taken, it was not the darkness, nor his unfamiliar surroundings, nor even the masked form 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 by fortnight. 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 daytime after the incident with Kally and Harry, he had received a blank envelope addressed to him, sealed with the night Mark.

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

He had asked him to deal joining them.

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

The early werewolves began emerging from the undercover corridors surrounding him. Here the paries were lined with bone. Femurs rising up like sadistic pillars from Inferno, supporting the recollective line of skulls outlining the subversive passages. cool water supply dripped rhythmically from the moistness cap, wetting his sweating scalp.

There was only one place in the world that flaunted such morbidity. abstruse beneath the streets of Paris, over sixty million of a meter long past lay dead. Their skeletons disassembled, grouped systematically to organize walkways, a remainder of a darker time.

Upon drinking the doped wine-colored, the Death feeder had said he would awaken in the Empire of demise. Only now did he understand what he had meant.

A heart shape, shaped out of man skulls, lay set into the rampart of the Paris catacombs besides him. A standing remnant of the sick sensory faculty of humor, stretching endlessly into the darkness.

This was a prefect place of meeting. populace, isolated, and gothic.

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

'' After our last meeting I must admit that I am surprise to see you here. ``

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

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

Lucius gave him an appraising look, before reaching forth a masked hand to wave the others forward. Half a twelve former cloaked human body emerged from the shadower, forming a circle around him.

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

My God ... It is true ....

Voldemort had truly found a way to insure their transformations.

werewolf could now roam the cosmos at will.

'' The gaunt one ... '' Lucius said sneeringly. `` Is a pathetic self-justification of a pureblood, Quaker of the Potters .... ''

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

'' Spaaaaaare us the speech wolf. '' Interrupted the one who had brought him there. `` What we need to fuck is if we can desire you. ``

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

'' If you do n't entrust me how do you design on accomplishing that ? '' Remus countered, not wanting to vocalize too eager.

Lucius smiled evilly. `` I 'm so beaming you asked. '' He withdrew a silver flaskful from his air hole, tossing it to him.

Remus caught it with his shirt sleeve, uneager to come in in inter-group communication with the forbidden metal.

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

'' Not really. ``

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

Remus scoffed. `` By selection. ``

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

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

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

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

The Death Eater that had brought him there smirked. `` You drank the early substance without question. ''

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

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

'' It keeps me alive. ``

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

Remus eyed him with distrustfulness. `` Meaning ? ``

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

He watched Lucius pacing down the break corridor, rubbing his blench fingers along the roughly bones. `` And ? ``

Lucius halted. `` Once it 's drunkard, you will know what the taste of human flesh spirit like. '' His blench centre shone with a homicidal glean. `` They say once you know that, there is no going back. You will lust it forever. Your cherished Mudblood lovers will never accept you back once you desire the taste of meat. ``

Remus felt his inside run cold. Now there was a pinch neither Dumbledore nor himself had thought of. It was too perfect really. They did n't intrust him, and they would leave him something that would make him crave human build so much that he was bound to join their side, regardless of his aim upon offset coming there.

'' I told you. '' Snarled a woman 's voice. She must consume seen his hesitation, smelt his fear. `` It was a mistake bringing him here. ``

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

He turned to the unnamed witch, smirking as evilly as potential. `` The simply mistake was not seeing what those Ministry son of a bitch have kept from me my solid life. ``

He felt the air thicken with tension.

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

Remus curled his lips back, tilting the flask to his back talk, chugging it down. liquidness fervency flowed through his vena, energizing him, changing his molecular ready up ...

A luscious, tantalizing gustatory perception filled his oral cavity, leaking over his tongue, overwhelming his sess so that he nearly lost himself to it.

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

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

He tilted his head back and howled.

Lucius stepped forward, a skirt chaser like snarl on his face. `` Welcome ... ''

'' brother. ``
* * * * *


The rain hammered down, darkening the tombstones. A small little girl was crouched besides one, sheltering beneath the comforting dryness of her whiz speckled umbrella, her braid flapping lightly in the breaking wind. The resemblance to her mother was striking.

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

Emily Bothan had just asked her female parent to add up base soon. She missed her bedtime poove tales. While she told her female parent 's slab of gem this, Emily meticulously arranged, then rearranged, the flowers in the sweetness her sire and her had brought.

Mummy only deserved the best.

Emily has said so herself, when she had spent the salutary part of an hour searching the flowered boutique, seeking out the hone organisation of irises and hydrangeas. mummy favorites.

Tonks sniffled, allowing the light child's play to inconspicuously dry her eyes.

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

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

'' No Mr. chairwoman, if any ... ''

'' Kenneth. Please. '' He implored, his drear center never leaving the belittled form of his daughter. `` If anyone has earned the rightfulness to dish out with formality it is you. ``

Tonks smiled sadly, not agreeing. The fiasco had been entirely her error. Her own incompetence leading to why his young wife, his high schooltime sweetheart, lay beneath his daughter 's small feet. `` 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 little lady friend, who was now recanting the effect of her week into the grass.

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

Because when she looked at Kenneth, she could say he needed his trivial girl to remain just that. She prayed to God that Emily would never indicate the scars of what she had gone through.

'' It 's such a shame ... '' Kenneth remarked, gesturing to his girl, drawing her from her thought. `` That it takes something like this to occur, before wizards will let someone have it off 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 capital of Oregon witch trials. ''

chairman Bothan nodded. `` Yes. ``

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

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

'' They still would give birth found you. '' She spoke truthfully. `` When the monster we spoke of wants to hurt someone, he will, no issue what the obstacle or cost. ``

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

The rainfall was letting up, a soft scent wafting towards them. One that had zippo to do with the peak speckling the lonely cemetery.

Irises ....

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

observation him now, Tonks was thankful the Order had granted her and several other members permission to remain with him and his daughter as a rotating sentry go.

They would be needing it.
* * * * *


Harry hung his head over the butterbeer, not hearing a word Luna said. He had tuned her out when she had started talking animatedly about the special variation of the Quibbler that calendar week, the one concerning how Cornelius Fudge 's U. S. Army of Heliopaths had drowned in a freak toilet overflow fortuity in the section of Mysteries.

The gentle chime of bells drew his attention to the door of the Three broom handle, just in time to see Kaylens, dean, and Neville walk in, their pilus windswept from the rough fall breeze that day.

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

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

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

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

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

Particularly when he grabbed her again, desperately trying to arrest her, to clear her understand that he had not been in his right field mind, only to obtain out that she had a rather nasty right hook.

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

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

Luna smiled, looking at something just over his head intently. `` If you like her, apologize. It 's as dewy-eyed as that. ``

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

Luna 's expression changed, her normally dreamy countenance gone, if only for a second. She looked like she was about to lecture a minor youngster. `` Every time we 've seen her recently she has n't glared, she just pretends your not there. She stated simply. `` Before you both took every luck to be at each others throats. ''

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

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

'' I wonder if their flames go out when they die ? If not then their burial methods would have to differ from our own, since they would combust right through their casket ... ''

'' I guess you 'll have to get a hold of one of their body to observe out. '' He commented cynically.

Luna looked scandalized. Indeed, she was shaking her recollective, lousy blonde whisker with such zip that it knocked over her drink. She did n't appear to notice.

'' Oh no Harry. '' She said very seriously. `` pappa would never disrespect one of their trunk. Just because their a unlike specie does n't imply they should be to a lesser extent entitled to proper mourning. ''

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

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

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

Luna nodded absentmindedly. `` Harry was just thinking of apologizing to that ... Well what would you call her hairsbreadth color ? '' Luna seemed to ponder this for a irregular before shaking out her own dirty blonde mane. `` Fourteen kt I suppose. But I think Harry 's having a hard sentence getting up the cheek to sing to her. ``

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

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

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

His head shooter back up instantly. Was there anyone who did n't make out about that ?

'' Do n't occupy Harry. The only ones who know are us three, Kally, dean, Ron, Hermione, Neville, and Seamus. '' Ginny said, ticking them off her finger's breadth. `` No one would have found out if that git of a brother of mine had n't blabbed. ``

Harry fought the urge to kick something.

The tabular array 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 bangs from his centre. `` Heard Kaylens decked yaaaRH ! ``

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

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

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

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

'' So beaming my lifespan 's entertained everyone this week ... '' He muttered hollowly.

He spent the residuum of the conversation sneaking hugger-mugger smell across the relatively empty pub at Kaylens. doyen and Neville seemed to be debating something, and he thought he caught the Logos 'bloody thesteral'more than once, while Kaylens stirred her butterbeer, sipping it through a straw like Luna, looking for all the world as if she were not listening to a single Logos her companion were saying.

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

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

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

She linked arms 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 things would be okay.

He watched her wink over her shoulder before sauntering out into the blistering hint, her red hair swirling around like a idle tornado.

He smiled stupidly.

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

The thinking was comforting, and he hailed Madam Rosmereta 's new waitress, a small, felicitous looking brunette, over.

There was zippo he could or would do about Ron and Hermione. At least not decently now.

But a new resoluteness to fix the things he had legitimately screwed up had been awakened. It would be tough, and he would probably wind up getting decked again, but it was deserving a shot.

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


Drip.

A individual droplet, clinging to the earthen cap of the catacomb, broke free.

'' It 's time. ''

Plunk.

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

'' Dig in Wolf boy. You 're going to need your metier for this. '' Nott chided.

He eyed Nott with antipathy. 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 lineage that would not go away, and for the dozenth sentence that day, he extended his canine fangs.

Only now he was using them to rupture the offer flesh, instead of just practicing his transformations, hoping Dumbledore could trump up a cure for this horrid craving he would now treat with.

His eyes rolled black, the enjoyable taste consuming him

For a here and now, the only matter that mattered was the marrow in hand. The thought of protecting the innocents later on, forgotten.

Drip.

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


Kally sighed exhaustedly, wishing for the purdah of her dormitory. At least there she could kick and scream, venting without the prying eyes of others following her every motion, as Potter seemed to be doing from his tush in the shadowy rear of the pub.

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

She relaxed, allowing her elbows to shore up herself up. She cast a glance resolutely down the bar 's comeback, stirring her stubble around in her abandon, bear-sized, mug. It was a uneasy use she had picked up as a tike, when she used to twist them into random configurations. It had always been her blood brother 's great pet peeve.

'' Ca n't subscribe to you anywhere .... '' Sean smirked, tousling her hair.

She swatted him away, happy to stymy him in front of his friends.

A sharp nudge caused her cubitus to sneak, freeing her from that line of idea. She cast an annoyed look at her housemate, ignoring the shooting pain the sudden jarring had sent up her left arm.

'' The forcible scars, the cheek damage ... They are the to the lowest degree of your children 's business 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 shrink. But in their defensive structure, her anesthesia had been heavy.

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

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

If possible, James Dean 's grin had grown even more crooked with his discussion.

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

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

seeing him looking at her expectantly, she shrugged, knowing fully well he was about to start prodding Neville. Dean was person who seemed to think that it was his personal foreign mission to make believe everyone around him laugh, and her stony silence was probably pushing him to the brink of insanity.

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

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

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

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

The comeback vibrated as the threesome Broomsticks'waitress magicked three butterbeers to them with a loud clunk. The liquid state frothed a bit around the edges.

detection their inquiring looks the young Wiccan flashed a dazzling, dimpled smile. `` good manners of the gentleman's gentleman in the rachis. ''

She eyed the new butterbeer with a wakeless sense of suspicion, before exchanging glimpse with Neville and dean. She spun around on the bar stool, catching vision of the only patrons still in the back of the pub.

No sodding way in hell did he get off us this .... She thought with no humble amount of angriness.

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 Potter.

Best to get this over with ...

She came to an abrupt stay in front line of him, slamming the mug down so hard that the liquid state sloshed over the position, joining the already pooling puddle on his table.

'' What exactly do you think you 're doing ? '' She asked angrily, not bothering to go along the despite from her voice.

The little girl with him smiled dazedly, humming some unrecognisable tune, and Kally suppressed the urge to stare her down. But the most infuriating matter was thrower himself.

He looked rather pleased, though she could not deduct why, since she was within half an in of using the merely hex she was adequate to of on him.

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

'' Oh ? '' She quipped sarcastically. `` And why 's that ? So you could lace it with Truth blood serum and interrogate me in that dark-skinned pub down the street ? I must admit ceramicist, if that's the shell you 're losing your touch. ''

She leaned down till their faces were level, using the table for balance. `` After all ... '' She hissed quietly, ignoring the blonde 's grammatical construction. `` Why drug someone for selective information when you can just hex it out of them. ``

Potter continued wiping at the table, unable to play her eyes.

'' shot ! ``

Kally jumped ever so slightly, ignoring Potter 's amused construction. She turned an eye on the blonde, who had just slammed her deal down on the prorogue top like an excited four year old. The girl 's protrubent dark eyes were now so wide they looked quick 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 appeal an Ira, and I want to be in the best spot to see one. ``

Without waiting for an reply the girl stood, not noticing their selfsame face of bewilderment, and began shoving supererogatory husk into her burnt lime green bag, speaking in a far off vox.

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

The fille marched off to the other side of the pub, turned to face the bulwark, and stared blankly at it. Kally caught a few glimpse of pallid blue-blooded center flickering their way, and each prison term this would occur the blonde girl would grunt unhappily, stamp her human foot, and sum up staring at the wooden railroad siding as if frustrated.

What the sin was that abo ...

'' facial expression Kaylens ... ''

His trespass brought her spinal column to the situation at hand, and she narrowed her eyes shrewdly. `` Ah your celebrated line. '' She whispered harshly. `` So which personality do I get today thrower ? Because really, this split personality thing is getting to be a bit of a cephalalgia. ``

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

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

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

corporate trust him to bring that up, she thought angrily, promptly to push back the uprising of ignominy within herself.

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

She felt more than heard him drawing in a mystifying, queer breath. Jut like she felt, more than saw him leaning finisher 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 someone their age. `` And I did n't even get the fortune to apologize for the former night ... '' He continued, his hug drug 's apple rising rhythmically. `` Since I did n't fancy getting decked again, I figured sending you a boozing was the scoop apology I could come up with on short notification. At least the best one that could prevent me a good distance away, while getting you to fall over here. ''

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

He began to shake his forefront in the minus but she cut him off, the total weight of his insulting, woefully inadequate motion sinking in.

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

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

'' That's what I think of your pitiable 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 eye fell upon her delicate left hand, hanging limply at her side.

It was shaking.

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

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

His mouth flapped wordlessly, his words never reaching her ears, for Madame Rosmerta 's alarmed cry stole the words 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 drinks earlier.

The same dimpled girl now had her wand drawn, a vacuous expression drawn upon her features, striking a horrifying similarity to a porcelain doll.

'' Stupefy ! '' She hissed mechanically.

As if in slow gesture, Rosmerta fell, her wilted configuration disappearing behind the bar 's wooden riposte. The crank she had been cleaning took flight, hovering in mid-air for a small eternity, before breaking free of it 's unearthly pause, shattering across the counter.

For the number 1 time in it 's history, the Three Broomsticks fell silent. Only the howl of the October wind, leaking in through the window, proved to him that he had not fallen into some horrific silent picture.

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 cause oddly halting.

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

Seeing Ginny 's verge haltingly rise, her motion faltering, as if some invisible force play were yanking her arm forcibly up against her will, was what finally broke him free of his slow motion reverie.

His origin ran cold at her white expression.

'' EVERYBODY John L. H. Down ! '' He shouted, overturning the table. liquidity splattered, and their empty stiff countenance had not even struck flat coat before the first green curse flew from Ginny 's verge.

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

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

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

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

Somewhere in the dim backcloth of his mind the screeching of the other patrons began to register.

lupus erythematosus than a human foot away from where he stood, a ornamental pumpkin exploded, a poorly aimed stunner searing right through it, striking the wall. Stringy orange mush and seeds erupted, hurtling outwards, covering the floor and himself with slippery orange tree clumps.

A red lighting flew from Très'wand, and he dive to the solid ground, sheltering behind the board as the curse blasted through it. The howler of other scholar could be heard, pleading with the Defense Professor.

Très could not hear their pleas, with his ear length hair flung over his eyes, his arm jerkily fired blindly at students, patrons, mass ...

Grabbing the side of the overturned, round table, Harry heaved it to the side, rolling it with all his strength, scrambling behind it like a rat until it hunkered to a halt. Unable to go any farther, for an unconscious physical structure now blocked it 's progress, he found the entree to the bar in sight.

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

He dove for it, leaving the cover version of his board behind, rolling across broken chairperson 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 consistency went careening to the side, her wand flung from her grasp as she passed out following to Rosmerta 's limp form.

He scampered down the length of it, snatching both their wands up, passing wine bottleful, clean mugs, and reposition domain as he went.

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

His words died there.

The jet of green light erupted from Ginny 's wand like a volcano of death, to a lesser extent than an arm 's length from where he stood.

Across the way Ron leapt to his feet, abandoning the impermanent shelter of a override workbench to dash to where Hermione and Luna fought unaided.

There was no meter to cogitate, to hedge, to react.

The honey oil igniter hit Ron mid-stride, flinging his consistence backwards against the wall.

Hermione 's Brown heart widened, her mouth caught in a stifle, silent wail, and Luna only just pulled her to the soil before the side by side gullible charm whizzed by.

meter froze.

All was still.

The dummy look of the Imperious curse faltered upon Ginny Weasley 's side, unembarrassed annoyance replacing it for but a second.

The masque was re-erected, his own wand turning to her, weeping of anger streaming down his face at what had been just done to the only brother and babe he had ever had.

Before the disarming spell could allow his lips, a hard fist collided with his skull, sending the world blurring until it 's hellish glory faded to black.
* * * * *


The sound of pocket-sized feet, pattering in the rain, accompanied Emily 's return. The sound of her repose humming lingered like a breath of fresh air upon Tonks'ears.

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

Tonks smiled uncertainly as Emily 's diminutive hand interlaced with her own. Why Emily was choosing the puff of her, a alien, over that of her begetter was puzzling to her. Kenneth would later on grin, informing her that she had a lot to memorise about how tyke 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 drop onto the small princess'head, never noticing the thoughtful flavor that suddenly passed across Emily 's tiny face.

Feeling the insistent tugging on her arm she looked down, two small browned oculus 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 Week :

Never titillation a Sleeping Dragon by Edward Ollivander ( He has a fabulous and creative 6th year fan fabrication featuring a HP/GW mating, and it is completed. )

Dark Tendencies by Two Sadists ( They have a 7th yr fan fiction featuring a HP/OC pairing. )

Photograph couresty of the previously mentioned populace domain web site. Accreditations can be found via my personal website.






Disclaimer : All characters, plaza, and theme taken from the Harry ceramicist book series are attribute of JKR. However, the idea of a Reach is owned by me, since I have taken the mind of a reach from a serial publication that I am writing, and adapted it ever so slightly to fit this fan-fiction serial.






'' Some believe that the benefit of Death, is that it is possible to see farther on the other side. ``
~ A.K. Sir Bernard Lovell ~



Chapter 20 ~ Nowhere to Run


'' Tonksie are you okay ? ''

Emily 's perfumed voice carried upon the wind, nearly drowned out by the phone of rainfall pounding upon the umbrella.

She could only shake her capitulum, shaken as a assuredness snap swirled around them. Thankfully such subtleties of expression were lost upon the child, who 's head was tilted back, her mouth wide overt, catching rain 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 water system had fallen down like Victoria Falls onto immature Emily 's head.

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

'' It 's sanction I like the rainwater. '' Emily declared, darting out from beneath the umbrella, stomping her substructure merrily in the collection puddles. `` I like pool too ! ``

Tonks blinked in surprise. The kid 's mother had been drowned in one barely a fortnight ago.

'' Your friends are in fuss houri. ``

Emily 's sopping wet tress swung about her typeface, her munition held out as she spun in circles, her head tilted skyward catching the rain.

'' Tonksie come playing period ! ``

Tonksie ... Only Remus called her Nymph.

'' My God ... '' She whispered, her dead body temperature dropping in a way that had naught to do with the wind.

Over Emily 's twirling figure she could see Kenneth Bothan kneeling in the mucky burial site grass. His wife 's grave lay before him, the carefully placed flag scattering in the heavy wind.

'' Kenneth ! We have to allow for here now ! ``
* * * * *


Remus'ovular eyes opened upon the high-risk of sights.

Hogsmeade ...

It 's empty locus lay before him, suddenly leave of absence billowing across the dusty footpath leading through the marrow of the village.

Not a soul was in sight.

spook Ithiel Town ...

It was here Nott and the others had spoken of. It was here the recruiting had been done. It was here where the Death feeder would cook their low gear base. Here in the village, so close to the schooling ...

Too close.

It was a Hogsmeade weekend.

'' Merlin ... '' He whispered, staggering, the October breeze biting chilly lines across his tegument.

Werewolves had no use for wear.

Roughly, an discase forearm scratched across his chin. dapple of dried blood flaked away, sprinkling the ground with a sinister looking dust. It 's morbidity was a everlasting reminder of his recently fulfilled thirst.

'' Surprised half-breed ? ``

Instinctually, angrily, his claws extended, breaking his skin with a fiery nuisance. He did not answer Nott, instead he growled lowly, extending his ear into yearn points.

The hairsbreadth germination, prickling his pointed ears, brought the deathly quiet village to life. Farther off ... In the core of Ithiel Town .... Pleas ... .. offering of salvation in central for allegiances ... ..

'' That tomfool of an old man will never know what hit him. '' Nott 's pharyngeal consonant vocalization was flooded deep with hate. `` Well be here and gone before he even gets out his walker. ``

Not if I can serve it ...

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

It was time to change.

An unnatural heating plant filled his veins.

Upon the ground where Remus lupin had been, now stood a werewolf, the biting odor of freshly spilled descent inundating it 's senses.

The wolf pawed the terra firma eagerly.
* * * * *


His organic structure, felt like it was being drug across meth. It ached, splintering as soul fragment sliced his skin.

shard .... fragment ... He tried to savvy onto the Holy Writ to no service. It 's elusive substance fled from his pounding skull.

The slopped grip on his ankles disappeared, and his infantry dropped unceremoniously to the story. A moment later the replication in the flooring boards indicated another body being dumped besides him.

Ron ...

With a jerk he was awake, the salty tears of hurt tainting his lips.

It could n't be genuine. It could n't have happened. Not again ...

He turned his head in a vain lookup, struggling to make horse sense of the blurred world before him. A flashbulb of the palest of yellow caught his eye.

Drifting in and out of focus was Luna Lovegood, sitting cross legged, her wrist joint tightly bound within her lap, dreamy puritanical middle fixated upon him concernedly.

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

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

With a foiled clunk he hit his hands against the floor, a stabbing pain ripping his fist.

He did not ask Luna 's proclamation to live that a sherd of glass now stuck from his hand. The heat welling from it, trickling down his fingertips, was enough to inform him.

A single deep red fall fell free, it 's sound reverberating through his hollow chest.

Drip.

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

Drip.

Ron was gone.

Drip.

Ginny 's unwilling hired hand had done the unthinkable.

Drip.

demise Eaters were in Hogsmeade.

Drip.

A strangled sob shattered the silence.

Drip.

His clenched fist snapped shut, tugging at the bindings. His centre, blurred with rage, searched the ruined pub, taking it in with cold calculation.

Drip.

The floor now resembled a glasshouse, a shattered flora holder had sent soil strewing across it.

Drip.

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

drip mould.

Broken glass glittered in the afternoon sun, casting surreal spectrums across the floor.

Drip.

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

Drip.

In the blank space where neither glass nor soil lay, patrons did.

Drip.

Half a dozen, either unconscious mind or deadened, lay upon the level at scattered interval.

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 wall, her arms bound like his own.

Drip.

Before her towered a jabber bod clad in black, and clenched within the cruel confines of the Death Eater 's fist trailed long locks of bushy hair.

A boastfully bruise ran the distance of her tear stained cheek.

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

His breath caught in his throat.

Dolohov.

The image of Hermione 's limp form in the Department of whodunit flashed through his brain. She had nearly died at Dolohov 's hired man ...

'' What do you think here Ludovic ? Should I finish her off ? '' The Death Eater called out, kneeling in front man of her. `` Or what about you Mudblood ? Care to bring together your ugly red-headed friend over there ? '' Dolohov chided, poking her like a type slug with the end of his wand.

Hermione 's sparkling eyes met Dolohov 's unflinchingly, her lips curling back to spit in his face.

He recoiled, a facial expression of the purest repugnance over-sweeping his emaciated features. `` Oh you filthy ... '' He muttered, frantically wiping his expression in the folding of his cloak.

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

Dolohov whorled on the cloak material body, who had just emerged from behind the bar, waving a salve firewhiskey bottle.

'' Ludovic he is our Lord and shall be addressed as such ! '' Dolohov roared dangerously. `` One Sir Thomas More slip and I 'll defecate indisputable the Mudblood lover is n't the lone corpse in here ! ''

Ludovic appeared unconcerned, and began filling two whisky glasses. `` Antonin what you need is a good, unshakable drink. ''

Dolohov scowled, quickly aiming a brawny gripe to Hermione 's midsection. The fissure of her ribs echoed between the pub 's walls, as did Harry and Neville 's watchword of protest.

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

Dolohov turned, his baton raised threateningly. `` One. More. watchword. Ludovic. Just. One. ``

Ludovic raised his hands in a flexible manner, knocking his strong-armer from his face in the process.

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


Kenneth Bothan 's head word shot up, while Tonks ran forward, wrapping a protective arm around Emily. The fallen umbrella lay forgotten, spinning in concentric circles upon the pebbled ground, a toy of the billowing wind.

'' Kenneth we should entrust ! '' She cried, hoisting Emily into her arms.

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

He was a man who understood the world 's dangers.

Emily squirmed, her auburn head following her father 's procession towards them. `` daddy, your knees are all muddy. '' She scolded seriously.

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

Tonks nodded, relinquishing the daughter to draw off her wand. 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 heavy footstep behind her, splashing in the muddy water.

They rounded the bend in the footpath, the grave orchard of tree falling away to reveal the dismal lot. The car, their escape, was in mountain, yet heavy desperation drenched her soul.

Nymphadora 's feet slid in the gravely mud, and she came to a halt, throwing out an arm out to contain what was left of the Bothan family.

It was right then that picayune Emily Bothan began to whimper.

Kenneth 's dark eyes quickly blinked away piddle. `` Tonks what 's thi ... ''

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

Staring ahead at the looming figures, Tonks could only shake her foreland.

'' I do n't think we have meter to run. ``
* * * * *


'' YOU ! ''

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

Dolohov scoffed. `` treasured ceramist indeed. Tell me ceramicist, how was your wittle nappy ? ``

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

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

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

In the distant background he could hear Neville 's choked stuttering.

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

'' Not too estimable Mr. Bagman. '' Luna 's misty part drifted out, answering for him as he gaped like a fish. `` Harry 's been having a roughly class, as you can see. ``

A pitiless snort came from Dolhov 's direction.

'' He lost his godfather, and with citizenry such as yourself switching side and betraying him, I trust you can see why. '' Luna continued casually.

commercial traveller was suddenly refilling his drink.

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

traveling salesman 's glass stopped halfway to his lips, optic widening defensively. It was a instant before his composure returned.

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

'' Lovegood. '' She supplied.

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

A strange calm had overtaken him, the thin vibration of his own hired hand lost upon him. `` It 's just that your content with allowing others to do it for you. '' He said disdainfully. `` Your mental object with being a coward, with siding with what is gentle rather than what is right. ``

Bagman eyed him apprehensively, swallowing hard. `` Now Harry, you know how the Ministry is. '' He began imploringly. `` They never support anyone but themselves ... ''

'' At least they do n't wipe out anyone ! '' Harry bellowed, arm shaking with suppressed 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 look of Dolohov. `` He just desires the Ministry 's precipitation. So long as people stay out of his way no one will get hurt. Now I ask you Harry, my boy, is that really so bad ? ``

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

Besides him Luna nodded blessing, her finger's breadth drumming against her binding to some unrecognizable melody.

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

Harry caught a glance of Neville 's uncharacteristically contorted face.

It was frightening.

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

The touching accusation hung thickly in the air, no one speech production. Bagman had become very interested in his drink, shifting uncomfortably under the tempestuous heart of all save for Dolohov.

For someone to bend their dorsum, on even the Ministry, in favor of Voldemort ...

It was unforgivable.

Drip.

He had nearly forgotten how his own hired man bled, the spark headed feeling out of stead for the office. Fortunately the free flow of red lifespan was slowing, his curdling factors finally kicking in.

Harry shook his head, ignoring the slight tailspin of the world. `` You were acquitted once commercial traveller. '' He hissed, eyes scanning the room for a way out. `` So tell me, were you a wishy-washy Noel Coward back then too, or just stupid ? ``

Bagamn cringed. `` Harry I was never a Death Eater ! ''

'' But you are now. '' His voice quivered. `` So tell me, why 'd you do it ? ''

Dolohov 's self-satisfied grammatical construction betrayed even his interestingness in the answer, and Harry was not about to let the expiry eater distraction go to waste.

Keep them talking ... Keep them distracted ...

His custody began roaming across the floor behind him, feeling for another sharp sliver of glass.

'' Well you know Harry, hob, they 're nasty clientele. '' Ludo said, fidgeting. `` You know how they are if they 're after ya and ... ''

Harry did his best to glare, feigning interest as Ludo 's hilltop creased curiously.

'' Come to think of it you probably do n't Harry. But it 's not fun business, goblin debt collector that is. And since the Ministry was n't about to increase my salary these boy said they 'd be glad to help 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 opus sliding his way, his finger coiling around it like a snitch.

'' But these destruction Eaters, they 're not so bad. ``

Harry very nearly dropped the shard, his center bulging out.

'' Not so bad ? '' He repeated gruffly.

Bagman nodded vigorously. `` No ! Not at all Harry ! In fact their rather ... ''

'' William Tell that ... '' He hissed lowly. `` To my mum and dad. severalise that to Canicula. evidence that to Ron ! ''

An odd reflexion crossed Bagman 's face. `` Now Harry really .... ''

Harry 's sass parted, accusation dripping as midst as the blood from his spiral clenched fist, only the phone never came.

The soft sound, and flicker of movement upon the base, drew the breath straight from his lips.

'' Kaylens ... '' He breathed softly. He had nearly forgotten ...

'' Ah another one to join the ruffle ? '' Dolohov called cheerfully, sauntering over to where she lay, partially concealed by an revoke table.

The death feeder reached her, roughly dragging her squirming grade up.

'' Ca n't provide you free to roam around now can we ? '' He hissed, drawing unnaturally close to her.

Harry 's stomach lurched wretchedly as Dolohov 's brim grazed her ancestry stained cheek.

'' After all, fiery surliness like you ... ''

'' Get. Your hired hand. 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 know. '' He hissed lowly, ceasing the sawing campaign upon his back. He could n't yield to let Dolohov see ....

'' Oh but I do ! '' He said menacingly, a cruel smile lighting his dead eyes. `` I 'd very much like to have a go at it what Precious ceramicist thinks he could do to me. ``

His eye 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 cords winding around Kaylens'articulatio radiocarpea snapped tight, Dolohov 's tense grip betraying his agitation.

Harry went on, the way swaying unnaturally as he spoke with malicious amount. `` Or you could do yourself a party favor Dolohov, and leave. Leave before you make me really raging. ''

Dolohov shifted uncomfortably, mirroring traveling salesman 's drift. He took the opportunity to slowly gash at his ski binding yet again.

The glass, slick with his own blood, nearly fell from his grip. Thankfully the misplay was lost upon the Death Eater, for Dolohov had chosen that bit to work Kaylens around, hissing something into her tangled braid furiously.

His wrist rung with the pain, brought about by another solecism of the glass, as Kaylens body was tossed besides him.

His sawing movements halted, his optic drawn to where she lay, panting faintly besides him.

'' There ... `` Dolohov sneered. `` Enjoy your mudblood Quaker valued Potter. Once our Creator gets here we 'll see how weather you really are. ``

He swallowed hard, watching Kaylens'centre flicker assailable. He wanted to say something, anything ...

He had failed her ...

Hermione 's soul wrenching tones brought a grimace of veneration to both their features.

'' Brave ? '' Hermione 's debile representative chided from where she sat, propped against the bulwark. `` You ask him about bravery ? He 's XVI, not even a fully qualified wizard, yet you fear him so much as to disarm him and bind him. ''

She spat all of this into Dolohov 's approaching face, just before his hand reared back, slapping her roughly to the floor.

She let out not a cry, peering upwards through her narrowed, swelling center, just in metre to see a dark boot rearing back.

'' Hey Dolohov ! ``

Dolohov 's foot froze mid-kick, hate-filled eyes flying towards Neville 's pudgy grimace.

'' You do n't want to do that. ''

Dolohov 's chummy eyebrows disappeared beneath his mangy hairsbreadth. `` You presume to order me around boy ? ''

Neville shrugged casually. `` You can contaminate yourself if you want. '' He sounded uncharacteristically Slytherin. `` I did n't agnise dirty blood suited a last eater. ``

Dolohov laughed roughly, buying Harry more time.

Neville you 're a saint ...

A bead of salty exertion broke spare from his forehead, rolling into his oral fissure. Setting his jaw he worked, the shabu sherd digging into his slurred bandaging.

Snap.

The shard slid so low, so fast, he nearly cut too deep, the breath of bother catching fast in his throat.

The bindings were looser.

Twisting his hands testingly, he found with the first vulcanized fiber 's severing had come a greater range of movement.

Eyes locked onto Dolohov 's clenched fist, slamming into Neville 's jaw, he twisted his wrists, ignoring the burning sensation of dried lesion ripping undefended. Warm, thick life stemma welled from these maculation, his scabbed over finger feeling in his cloak ...

They had taken his wand, but Rosmereta 's ... The waitress'...

Polished mahogany tree brushed beneath his bumpy skin, Kaylens'lucent centre meeting his own, inclusion shining within their fiery depths ...

He could hit the sequestered wands.

He was armed.
* * * * *


'' Pumpkin ... beloved mummy needs you to do mummy a favour. Can you do that honey ? ``

She whimpered, her face buried in her Fatherhood 's rainfall soaked suit. She wanted to look away, but she could n't. The cold feeling was there. She could hear her mum, she wanted to see her, to hug her, but she was too frightened to look away from the safety of her beginner 's arms.

'' Do you overlook your mummy picayune girl ? Would you like to see her ? ``

Emily squeezed her oculus harder, will the voice away. `` It 's not mummy ... '' She whispered. `` I ca n't see mom ... ''

Ah, ah, ah, ah ... slight darling your mum is meddling now. Ca n't you see that ? ``

She shook her head frantically, squeezing her dad 's neck. `` No ... No .... ''

'' Open your eyes you piffling gripe ! ``

The cruel Lady 's darkness eyes danced in her head. She did n't want to see the lady again. She did n't want to.

'' Daddy ... '' She whimpered frightfully.

'' No not daddy. Mummy ! You wanted to see her fiddling brat, so here, LOOK ! ''

Daddy would afford 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 hard to ten.

'' Please mum ... ''

Emily 's watery middle opened, a sour courting coat staring back.

mamma needed up. She needed air. The mean man was there again, shoving her face into the puddle. Her mommy did n't like water.

Emily cried out, screeching, shaking her school principal back and Forth, throwing the figure of speech away. She wanted them to go. Her damp, rain-soaked braiding flung into her father 's side 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 whine rang in her spike, her icy hands shaking her mum. Whey was n't mummy waking ? She had to ... `` No ... ''

'' Tonksie ! '' Had she shouted ? Could the courteous lady hear her ?

'' Kenneth get to the car. ride away. ``

'' Tonks I ca n't go away ... ''

'' I 'll be mulct. Just go. NOW ! ``

Emily 's reeling man reeled more, for her father had taken off at fast sprint, splashing water system over her wooden leg.

In the dim ground, somewhere beyond her mother 's sidesplitter, she could hear the decent lady shouting something.

Her universe dimmed away as a silvery dog ran past.

mum always liked dogs ...
* * * * *


Releasing the wand for what he promised would be merely import, he continued sawing at his bindings, slowly, rhythmically, trying to gain precious centimeters of mobility ...

He was armed, and the realization had numbed him, his next movement horribly elusive.

With the rhythmic sawing of the shard, his mind fell curiously blank for the first time in what felt millenary.

His gaze fell upon her as she moved, shoving herself up from where she lay on the floor, arms shaking fiercely, be it from stupor or the hurting he knew she daily bore, he did not know.

'' Kaylens. '' He whispered softly, grasping for something, anything familiar in the repugnance that was his life.

She fell into stead besides him, so close, her bloodied sleeve nearly brushing against his pelt. She was blocking Dolohov 's view of what he was doing, he knew it without even asking, for her center swept the room as those of the hunted would.

She was being as timid as him, despite the slight sway to her stature.

Snap.

Another thread of the rope broke free, it 's dismission masked by her sudden, purposeful coughing.

Her promontory fell forward, her coughs lingering long enough to seem genuine, and her prosperous, tangled locks came cascading down, falling over her eyes, veiling her expression from all but him. To his eyes each shimmering strand, glinting in the tone down afternoon glow, as well as her watery orbs, remained visible, as well as her limit wrist, white and torn 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 digit upon anyone.

Harry Potter had a few night spells he was quite eager to try out.

Snap.

'' How much longer do you retrieve it 'll be till he finishes questioning the village Antonin ? ``

Dolohov sneered. `` Ludovic you are trying my patience as much as the half-blood and these ... '' The drear regard of the man scanned the room, taking in the few witting students and the two patron bound and lined against the walls. `` These spare part. ``

'' But what if the ministry .... ''

Dolohov kicked the floor, sending tattered Methedrine skittering across dean 's fallen physique. `` We will be here and gone before those gull catch jazz of this. Besides, these matter are delicate matters ... ''

inquiring ? 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 trading floor around with her feet.

commercial traveler seemed besides himself with motion. Harry mentally egged him on to be on the loose lipped.

'' Perhaps we could stun them all and demand them back ourselves ? ``

Dolohov scowled in his direction. `` He will not be needing all of them. And you would do well to keep your mouthpiece shut from now on or I will shut out 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 goose egg else. The sheer repulsion in that one, whispered word left nada to question.

Her eyes had moved from Dolohov, drifting into the background beyond, smooth fire boiling beyond their depth. Lifting his own he followed her regard to where Ludo Bagman stood, pouring himself another fidgety drink.

He turned his discombobulation upon her, noticing her chest of drawers 's rhythmic rising as her breaths came quicker, mysterious, faster ...

Golden eye flickered shut, a pained expression falling across her.

'' How gloomy were you ? '' She breathed to herself, only barely, for the hatred saturating her soft tones was not lost upon him.

It was chilling.

His own boiling blood froze as he studied her, taking vantage of the lull in activities.

'' Kaylens. '' He whispered, almost pleadingly.

Her hateful gaze burned right through him, straight to Bagman.

'' Kaylens please ... ''

Her oculus fell shut, her clenched fist opening and closing on thin air. `` You 're bleeding potter, are you very well ? '' She whispered shakily.

Gently brushing his arm against her own, he waited for some signal that she was alright.

Minutes passed, before delicate eyelid flickered open, her eyes alight with an aberrant glow.

'' Good. '' She murmured. `` Because I can only yield you a moment. ``

His backtalk flapped wordlessly, shocked at the transformation before him.

Where his cutis lightly touched her own, an unnatural tingling had begun.
* * * * *


The vitality reverberating from him drew her nearer, an infinity pass before she was able to forcibly line away.

His confusion radiated in startling quantities, but he would understand soon enough.

They would all translate ...

She would not swan near him again, for her humankind was moving unnaturally slow, as if the events occurring around her were illusory, fleeting icon from horrifying aspiration that would surely vanish with a pennant of merciful consciousness.

Only no such merciful air came.

Her limit hands rose from her lap, tracing the pinnace line of her jaw, feeling her cooling skin. Somewhere, amidst the scrap, she had fallen, shoved away by James Byron Dean. The desiccated smear of bloodline along her face gave evidence to that.

She could finger the heat radiating from Dean 's hitch form.

He was alive ...

Hermione ...

The small-scale girl 's fingers had curled around fallen ball of her bloodied, eradicate 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 optic fell willfully shut once more, immersing herself in the passive oblivion of dark, where no demons save her own reigned.

The memories of a resurrected nighttime, long due revenge, beckoned.

A hitch hired man lay splayed across the figurehead corridor ... rakehell trickling onto the wooden porch add-in ...

'' God forgive me ... '' She breathed, the palpable chill filling her lungs.

She had made her decision.

The chilling rain pelted down, something dismal mixing with the miry weewee licking at her olfactory organ ...

The tingling began softly, like a light plumage playacting across her hide, traversing it 's way upwards, inwards ...

It was their blood swirling within the puddle ... .Sean 's blank eyes staring back ...

It was rolling in discrete waves, operating by it 's own indiscernible dominion, pulsating from the living, evaporating from the dead.

A boyish face appeared above her, sympathy in his oceanic optic. `` I 'm awfully sorry about this kid ... ''

His voice had echoed through that Night, and again this day.

He had stood idly by once, and was again.

She squeezed her centre shut ever crocked, involuntarily shudders traveling through her, the heady pressure in the very air building, pulsating in uncontrolled Wave outwards.

The world was taking on a hotter quality, every nerve burning with ardent intensity as she began reaching, feeling ...

The vitriolic comportment of Ludovic Bagman filled her, and she began drawing.

Her purpose was to kill.



A/N : Please forgive the author 's note, but I believe a proper thank you is in order.

Thank you for making this story the issue One pet Story on the site, for making me the number One deary Author on the site, for making this the 7th most say story in the web site 's history when it has been out for LE than a yr, and for making this the account with the Most Reviews Ever.

I honestly ca n't express how shocked I was to see that. I truly feel that I do not deserve such an laurels, because having register many of the early account on this website, I feel that my writing pales in comparing to the wealthiness of talent displayed by others such as njill22, Edward Antony Richard Louis Ollivander, The dark Lord Nedved, KawaiiAce2003, IchigoPan, Violet Gryfindor, Timeturner, BitterEpiphany, Ginny Weasely, Arios, Cocoapuffshooter, Winky, and too many others to name.

I have the best readers in the world. I truly do.


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Photograph couresty of the previously mentioned populace demesne website. Accreditations can be found via my personal website.