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Little Trooper · 09-10-2008, 04:42 AM

Wow just caught up sorry its been a bit. My daughter started preschool and working 6 days a week its been hard to keep up on here. anyways

Great post loved them. This just gets better and better. It so has me on the edge so can't wait for more Krysta.

Krysta · 09-14-2008, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriwizardChamp12

i knew it
there was deffinetly something going on between sirius and krysta
im so happy that neville had his hero moment

:cheerpyr:

Yeah, poor Neville.

Quote:

Originally Posted by EquestrianGal88

Wow. I just finished reading both new posts. Really nice job! I can't wait for more! -But don't rush yourself too much.

I'm still struggling with Two Houses at the moment. I'll post some more Coven in a minute, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Placids

Wow. You are AH-MAZING!! That last post had me completely on edge. I was so sure there was gonna be a fight. *in dangerous Voldemort voice*You have...disappointed me, Krysta.

=P

Don't worry, there will be violence, I promise, ha ha!

Quote:

Originally Posted by Little Trooper

Wow just caught up sorry its been a bit. My daughter started preschool and working 6 days a week its been hard to keep up on here. anyways

Great post loved them. This just gets better and better. It so has me on the edge so can't wait for more Krysta.

Awww, thank you. You sounds like you've been busy! Hope preschool is going alright!

Krysta · 09-14-2008, 06:11 PM

Chapter 22: The Beast Within

An endless ten minutes passed, uneventful and uneasy. A nervous, uncomfortable presence passed itself around and without the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Young eyes looked to their teachers in desperation and hope.

"What are they going to do?"
Nothing seemed to be happening. Harry looked from one teacher to the next but each simply stood their ground, sending the vampires threatening glances as though just to warn them of the terrible fate they would meet should one of them dare attack a child. Even Krysta Hedwig, the Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher, and a witch with a birthright to protect the innocent from the un-dead. Harry was becoming impatient.
"Why don't they do something? They're just vampires." He hissed, glaring at Krysta, though she was looking the other way.
"Only vampires? Have you seen a corpse after a vampire has finished with it?" asked Hermione, her voice full of authority.
"No." he bit back. "And neither have you." He added much to Ron's amusement. She scowled and pursed her lips.
"Well as it happens the description I was reading earlier was quite graphic." She retorted then folded her arms in a sulk.

"They're not going to do anything." Ron said, his hands still stuffed in his pockets. "I think they just wanted to spread out to keep an eye on us." He added. The casual tone of his voice didn't mask the concern it was attempting to conceal. The sudden activity had gotten all of their hopes up and they had been met with a bit of an anti-climax.
"Well somebody has to do something." Hermione announced looking determined.
"Hermione, we're trapped in a hidden underground chamber with a hundred vampires surrounding us. What exactly do you…oh yes perfect! And in true form, when faced with a crisis, Hermione reads a book." Ron 's tone was his usual sarcasm and even Harry shook his head in disbelief as Hermione grabbed her bag, sat down on it and began leafing through Heather's 6th year Dark Arts book. Ron raised his arms in the air in disbelief.
"Have you got a better idea?" she snapped glaring up at him.
"Yes, we wait this out and let Krys deal with it. C'mon Hermione, she's been fighting these things for years!" he cried, waving his arm erratically at the nearest vampire. "Don't you think that if there was a way out of this, she'd know what it was?" he asked and Harry agreed with him. He didn't dare say that to Hermione however.

"I think she has enough on her mind right now, and not to be rude about a teacher, but I don't think she's in the condition right now to be handling the crisis." She said quietly not removing her eyes from the text.
"How'd ya mean, the condition?" asked Ron, sceptically. Hermione ignored the question and tried to change the subject.
"You gonna help or not?" she asked calmly holding out a book to Ron. Harry frowned. She'd acted very strangely when asked about Krys. Ron simply stared at the book for a few seconds as though it were a clock that told the time backwards (i.e. completely useless) and eventually took it, dropping to the floor and crossing his legs.

Four hours later, Hermione, Ron, Harry, Heather, George, Fred, Lee Jordan, Neville, Dean and Seamus were pouring through every book they could find. Some sceptical Seventh years had donated their books, though the looks on their faces told Harry that they didn't think they would find anything of use.
Hermione kept looking up at Krysta every now and then but the woman seemed to be in another place entirely. She walked back and forth slowly hugging her waist with both arms, completely lost in thought. People had been standing so long, that even the threat of the vampires could no longer keep them on their feet. Slowly and reluctantly people were beginning to sink to the ground, trying to get as comfortable as they could.

As the hours passed by, soon the only people standing were the teachers, still on guard. Still the Gryffindors read on. Some of the Ravenclaws had joined them now, though they seemed dispirited and one of them told Harry that they were really just trying to take their mind off the evening to come. Harry looked at his watch and saw to his dismay that it was already 2:15 am. He stretched his arms in the air trying to stretch his back as best he could. He cursed quietly as he lost the page he'd been reading and dumped the book on the floor irritably. It seemed to be catching as just a few seconds later Dean did the same thing. Dean was holding his head in his hands moaning. Suddenly he cried out.
"This is pointless!" and threw the book as hard as he could across the room, narrowly missing one of the closest vampires who snarled and hissed menacingly, though didn't dare move any closer. Hermione looked up her eyes wide in alarm.
"What did you do that for?!" she yelled at Dean, her eyes blazing with anger.
"It was useless, Hermione!" he argued back.
"There could have been something in it!" she yelled back. "Something important and now it's over there!". Dean glared at her, his expression fuming.
"Then why don't you go over there and get it!"
"Is that meant to be funny?"

"Well, well, well. Dissention in the ranks." The new voice came out of nowhere, droning in a tone that made every Gryffindor in earshot want to commit murder.
"Go away Malfoy, I'm warning you." It was actually Fred that made the threat, but Malfoy ignored him.
"I don't know how you expect to defeat the Dark Lord. Why, we don't even need the vampires here, you lot are at each other's throats." He grinned at his own joke, which no one else seemed to appreciate.
"Malfoy, if we were trying to defeat the 'Dark Lord' as you call him, all we'd have to do is dangle you on a piece of string, then blast him when he comes out to kidnap you." Replied Hermione and everyone within hearing range burst into laughter. It seemed the rumours of Draco's demise earlier in the year were quite widespread. Draco fumed on the spot but held his countenance.
"And what does a mud-blood like you expect to do, Granger? Throw a book at him?" he asked, his own joke not getting anywhere near the response hers had.
"Believe me, Malfoy, your father's boss is the least of our worries right now."
"I see." Draco droned, not bothering to deny that his father was in league with Voldemort. "You lot are in for a rude awakening." He crooned a knowing look in his eye.
"And what's that supposed to mean Malfoy?" asked Ron who had clearly had his fill of Draco right now. "I don't know what you're so confident about, anyway. I hope you don't think You-Know-Who will spare you from Dracus. Last I heard he wasn't too fond of your family." Ron didn't get the response he'd hoped for. Instead Draco just smiled cruelly, an expression that was characteristic of Dracus himself.
"Like I said Weasley, you're all in for an extremely rude awakening." And with that, several angry and confused Gryffindors staring after him, he turned on his heel and sauntered away.

"They're quite fascinating." Commented Neville in a distant voice. He was reading some passages about vampires in one of the 7th year's books. Hermione nodded without looking up whilst no one else responded at all. "For instance, did you know they only drink human blood?" he asked and Hermione nodded again. "It's because they need it to replace and replenish their own blood, and since they used to be human, only human blood is any good." He explained but didn't get much response. Harry, for one, had already read that passage a dozen times anyway and none of it was news to anyone. There wasn't much any of them didn't know about vampires now.
"In fact…" continued Neville though no one was listening. "Any other blood is poisonous to them. Just like it would be to us if we got it in our systems. The main goal of a vampire's existence is to keep their human body alive. So putting any other blood into their bodies does them more harm than good." He said and Hermione looked up with mild interest and Harry studied her face. She looked thoughtful.
"It doesn't kill them, drinking other blood, but it makes them really weak and can even leave them unconscious until the body can repair itself." Hermione slowly put the book she was reading down and picked up another one. It was the Care of Magical Creatures book.

"Great." Said Ron who was reading the book Hermione had made Harry read when they'd first started researching. "So maybe if we were all Pixies, we'd stand a chance." He muttered sarcastically and gloomily. He'd obviously found the chapter Harry himself had been reading the day before. Was it really a whole day ago?
Hermione snorted a laugh at Ron's comment and then sat bolt upright staring at him as though someone had slapped her around the face.
"What?" he asked, wondering what he'd said to offend her. A smile was slowly working its way onto Hermione's face.
"Ron." She said, a fully-fledged grin had now appeared. "You're a bloody genius."

emjay · 09-14-2008, 07:07 PM

Hmmm..... wonder what Hermione's thinking...

Poor Draco. I almost felt sorry for him and his poor attempts at jokes. hehe

Great update! Keep them coming!

supercodi95 · 09-14-2008, 07:20 PM

love it!! can't wait for more!!

~Codi~

lilly_luna · 09-17-2008, 07:37 AM

new reader yey ! i spent 3 nights reading everything.... I sooo glad i found this and i love reading really long chapters since u get more of the story ! hopefully u have an extra long one coming up i can't wait to know what happens next !

Krysta · 09-17-2008, 02:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMorgan

Hmmm..... wonder what Hermione's thinking...

Poor Draco. I almost felt sorry for him and his poor attempts at jokes. hehe

Great update! Keep them coming!

First again! he he he

Quote:

Originally Posted by supercodi95

love it!! can't wait for more!!

~Codi~

More coming in a day or two!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilly_luna

new reader yey ! i spent 3 nights reading everything.... I sooo glad i found this and i love reading really long chapters since u get more of the story ! hopefully u have an extra long one coming up i can't wait to know what happens next !

Yaaay, new reader!

It is rather long isn't it? I'm really glad you found your way here too and I'm glad you're enjoying it. I'll post more either tomorrow or Friday.

TriwizardChamp12 · 09-17-2008, 09:49 PM

yes he is
thats my ron
mr.genius

Krysta · 09-23-2008, 08:55 PM

Chapter 22: Part 2

They approached him gingerly, none of them wanting to speak first. Eventually he sensed their presence and turned from the group of Slytherins he was muttering to. The furrows in his skin deepened as he regarded them with distaste and suspicion.
"Yes?" Snape asked the group of Gryffindors, who looked at Hermione expectantly. Some of the others had come with them for support and the procession had been watched with interest as they had picked their way through the crowd to their Potions Master. He raised an eyebrow as Hermione turned around the book she held in her arms so he could read the page. He watched her for a few seconds before skimming the page quickly. His expression didn't change.
"I don't follow, Miss Granger. Is there some point to this?" Harry and Ron exchanged one of their looks and Hermione took a deep breath before answering.
"Professor, do you think you could make this potion?" she asked. The man scowled at her.
"Is there a reason for your impertinence, girl or is this some kind of Gryffindor joke the rest of use mere mortals don't understand?" he asked. Hermione took her turn to scowl.
"I'll take that as a yes, then." She said boldly and his scowl deepened the crows-feet around his eyes even further.
"Miss Granger I have more important things to…"
"Can you make enough to administer to the entire school?" she asked, cutting him off mid-sentence. He stared at her incredulously.
"The point of that being?" he asked, sounding agitated and bored.
"To get us all out of here." She answered and his frown turned into an expression of annoyed bewilderment.

"Miss Granger I don't know what insane idea you have in your over-inflated head…"
"They can't harm us if we're all a bunch of Pixies." Harry cut in, getting annoyed with the man's insistence to block everything they ever said. Snape looked at him coldly a flicker of loathing crossing his eyes.
"I see, and this was your idea was it Potter? To turn the school into Pixies? Original I have to admit." Snape sneered at him and the Gryffindors chose to ignore the snickering from the Slytherin students.
"Actually it was Ron's idea." Interrupted Hermione scowling back with all the venom that Snape had mustered himself.
"Enough of this nonsense." He turned back around but in a moment of insanity Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him back around to face them.
"They can only harm us if we're human. Any other blood will poison them." He barked, becoming increasingly angry with the man's abstinence.
"Thank you Mister Potter, I hardly need a lesson in The Dark Arts from you." Snape hissed, shaking his arm free.
"No I bet you don't. You learnt all that first hand, didn't you?" Harry bit back, his mouth getting the better of his head. The rage in Snape's eyes overflowed and he raised his hand as if to strike.

"Severus!"
The act was cut short by the loud angry shout. All head turned to face Krysta and Professor McGonagall who both stood together, arms crossed over their chests looking livid.
"The boy was being insolent." Snape hissed, sounding more and more like Nagini in Harry's opinion. The way he was feeling towards the man right now, Harry would rather have been conversing with the dead Python than with the Potions Master.
"Oh well then batter away, Sev. Beat him to a ruddy pulp. That will solve the problem." Retorted Krys who was staring at Snape more with shock than anger.
"I wasn't…" began Snape but decided better of it. Instead he snarled at Harry. "You're not worth it Potter." He growled swishing his cloak around him as majestically as he could manage.
"Miss Granger, I believe you have an idea?" asked Professor McGonagall looking expectantly over her glasses in a way that so resembled Professor Dumbledore, Harry's stomach did a nervous flip. He couldn't be dead. He couldn't.

Hermione looked nervous for a second, but it quickly passed.
"Yes. We can just walk right out of here if we can…transform everyone into something else temporarily." She said quickly, and put in those words, Harry couldn't help thinking how ridiculous it sounded. And in that moment a voice spoke very loudly in his head: It'll never work.
"I see." Said Professor McGonagall sounding more than sceptic.
"They couldn't harm us. If, say, we were all turned into Pixies for just half an hour, we could just walk right out. They'd never catch one of us, Pixies are too quick and skitty. And even if they did, they couldn't bite us. It would poison them." Hermione rushed her words seemingly desperate to get her point across to the woman whose opinion Hermione valued above all Hogwarts teachers. McGonagall simply stared at the girl for a moment, clearly thinking it through.

"There would have to be a distraction. They'd just swarm around the door." Krysta suddenly spoke. Hermione looked at her in surprise. Krysta was clearly thinking this through seriously. "And Pixies are incredibly unpredictable. If you turned everyone into one, there's no telling what would happen. We could end up scattered over a ten mile radius in half an hour." She added.
"Better than being in here." Commented Ron and she looked at him with a faint smile. She nodded once.
"Can you do it?" she was looking at the floor but Snape instinctively knew she was addressing him.
"Krys you can't be serious…"
"Can you do it?" she insisted and she looked up at him. His eyes softened. He nodded. "Good." She said. "The question is, how the hell do we get hold of the ingredients?"

"This is never going to work, it's pointless!"
Hermione flung her arms in the air in exasperation. She was sitting on the floor cross-legged with Lily's pendant in her hands. Opposite her were Krys and Sirius; now in human form again. They were beneath the statue of Salazar Slytherin, apart slightly from the rest of the crowd. Harry, Ron and Professor McGonagall were watching from the edge of the crowd, close enough to hear what was happening.
"Why cant one of you go?" she cried again, looking as though she were about to cry.
"I can't, Hermione. I'd never be able to get to the surface. Dogs aren't as good at climbing." Sirius explained trying to sound soothing at the same time.
"Well Krys then, you're a cat and there's no telling what I would be, even if I did manage it." She wailed, slumping back and getting wet in the process. She pulled her hand out of the small moat of water below the statue and squealed slightly when a large tooth came with it. She threw the long basilisk fang away from her into the crowd, shivering - no one saw the small hand pick it up and slip it into their pocket.

"I have to stay here, Hermione." Krys spoke slowly and quietly and both Harry and Ron had to strain their ears to hear.
"Krys is the only one who can truly handle a large number of vampires if something goes wrong. She can think on her feet. That's what she does." Sirius paused for a moment. "That's what you do Hermione." He added, but she missed the hint he was giving her. She shook her head.
"But it took you 5 years to master this!" she cried at him. He shook his head.
"You're not me, Hermione. Krys has been doing this since she could crawl." Krys nodded solemnly at the girl who just shook her head.
"But you're special." She moaned, discarding the comments. "You're, you know…born for it." She concluded. Krys smiled and took Hermione's hand, covering the Talisman in it with her own.
"So are you, Hermione. Trust me. You can do this. Of anyone in this room…" Krys paused and Hermione looked at Ron and Harry for support of some kind.

Harry stepped forward, but he didn't offer the support she'd been expecting.
"Hermione, I know it sounds crazy…but you can do this. I know you can. Don't ask me why, but trust me." Hermione stared at him shaking her head.
"How about you, Harry Potter, The Boy Who Lived." She started sarcastically. Harry stopped her before she could finish. He knew where she was going with this.
"This isn't about me. This is about something older, and deeper than anything I've ever been involved with. This is something only you can handle." She stared at him as though he'd escaped from St. Mungo's psychiatric ward.
"Why? Because I get good grades? Because I read a lot? I'm not even a pure blood!" she cried.
"No, you're better than that." Krys butted in. Hermione looked at her frowning.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"Pure blood Hermione. It's crap." She began and the boys exchanged an expression of surprise at Krys's language.
"Your blood has purer magic in it than anyone in this room." She continued and Hermione stared at her incredulously.
"How can I…" Hermione began but trailed off.
"Hermione, all those people out there." She gestured to the crowd of students. "So-called pure bloods. Their families going back hundreds, even thousands of years some them. Magic passed down through blood, generation after generation. It's diluted, Hermione. Mixed with other blood. It's all genetics. They are all witches and wizards because their parents were, and their parents before them. Passed down like red hair." She smiled at Ron who grinned back goofily. Ron could obviously see where this was going. "And there's nothing wrong with that, don't get me wrong. Look at me. My family's magic goes back to the dawn of time." She explained. "But you Hermione…" she said affectionately and Hermione looked at her, her eyes full of emotions Harry couldn't interpret. "You and all the other Muggle-borns, you are pure; the first in a line. Chosen by Yana itself to possess an incredible gift. You are the true Pure Bloods, Hermione."

Krys fell silent allowing Hermione to take all of this in. Harry could practically hear the cogs turning in her incredible mind and a look of clarity was slowly emerging in her eyes. She clutched the pendant in her hands and looked at Harry.
"Like Lily." She said a faint smile on her lips. Harry returned it and Krys nodded.
"Yes. Exactly like Lily, Hermione."

There was silence again. Then Hermione looked up at them, a look of certainty and confidence in her manner.
"I can do this." She announced. It wasn't a question; it was a statement. She sat up straight and closed her eyes, gripping the pendant as though for comfort and confidence.

She sat that way for nearly half an hour. Harry and Ron watched her in silence, as did everyone else.
"She's one isn't she?"
Harry looked at Ron, not knowing what his friend was referring to.
"She's one of them. One of the three Hugo Dracus is here for. Like Krysta; like your Mother." He continued then looked at Harry sternly. Harry could only nod, guilt overtaking his entire being. Ron was quiet for a moment.
"You should have told me." He said calmly. Harry continued to look at his friend, who in turn was watching the girl meditating on the floor. Ron didn't look or sound angry, and Harry realised that this wasn't the time for such emotions. Ron was simply telling his friend that he'd made a mistake. Harry could only nod. Ron was right after all. Another time Harry might have argued that he hadn't been sure and didn't want to say anything until he was certain. But that would have been pointless.
"Yes. I should have told you." He said.

Harry checked his watch. Time was creeping up on them, sneaking past them when they weren't looking. The evening was approaching and if something didn't happen pretty soon, their plan would never be put into action in time.
"Krys." He whispered and the woman came over to him. "How will we know when she gets back? How will I know when to open the door?"
"We'll just know" replied a new voice and Ginny appeared by Ron's side. She smiled up at brother who just barely returned the gesture. "She'll let us know somehow. And in the meantime, my darling brothers have an idea for that distraction you were talking about." She stood aside and Fred and George took her place holding a large bag in their hands. Krys leaned forward to peer into it and instantly her eyes danced with a broad grin.
"Perfect." She announced grinning at the twins who returned the grin in full.

Harry shuffled on his feet, trying to ignore the ache that was setting in to them. Ron had taken to wandering back and forth, not so much in agitation, but in a vain attempt to calm his nerves. Krys was talking in low voices with Snape, clearly to Sirius' distaste as he wore an expression of pure hatred. Snape's scowl was clear even from the distance between them. Eventually Krys wandered back to them and Sirius threw Snape a scowl, which the teacher ignored and turned his back on them.
"What's his problem now?" Sirius asked in a low voice. Krys sighed deeply and folded her back across her chest.
"He's worried about Hermione." She said quietly much to everyone's surprise. That was the last answer they'd expected.
"Doesn't he think she can do it?" asked Ron, trying not to sound angry.
"Oh yes, he's quite sure she can do it. That's what's worrying him." Ron and Harry exchanged a concerned look and both looked down at their best friend. Through it all, she remained, silent, still and concentrated.

"We're running out of time." Hissed Sirius sounding as though panic wasn't far away. "If Dracus gets here before…"
"He won't. She just needs time. She's nearly there, I can feel it." Krys hissed back.
"Look!" whispered Ginny moving forward slightly. They turned to look at Hermione.
Her eyes were open wide staring at nothing inparticular. Harry and Ron both moved closer, slowly. As they drew close to her, to their astonishment, they could see her eyes up close. But they were not her eyes. But this was not like when Harry had seen his mother's eyes peering out through Ginny's. This was far, far different. Her eyes weren't even human. Golden globes had replaced her usual green-grey orbs; black slits replaced her pupils. They were looking at the eyes of a cat. And even as they watched, to their horror and amazement, Hermione vanished from their midst.
In her place; pointed black-tipped ears twitching; tail flicking back and forth, stood a cunning, bright-eyed Lynx.

emjay · 09-23-2008, 10:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Krysta

First again! he he he

Uh... does that tell you that I'm on SS way more than I probably should be?

Before you answer that, yes I'm first again!

*claps hands with glee* Yay, Snape is cranky again! *snuggles cranky Snape*

And Hermione's a lynx... very cool! Can't wait to see them all turn into pixies.

lilly_luna · 09-24-2008, 05:58 AM

pixies ! an idea pulled out of the imagination of a great writer, love the story can't wait to see how they get out of this ! hermione a lynx very sneeky !

TriwizardChamp12 · 09-25-2008, 09:38 PM

yeah go hermione
rock that cat suit
XD

Placids · 09-25-2008, 10:59 PM

Ooooh good twist. Hermione is a bit thick though, not picking up on ANY of the hints =)

Krysta · 10-06-2008, 11:58 AM

Hi guys. Sorry it's been so long. xxxx

Chapter 23: …Beware of A Big Surprise

"What do you think of my tail?"
Harry rolled over and looked into the yellow eyes that smiled at him.
"It's nicer than your last one." he told her.
"I like her ears." Announced Ron stroking them affectionately.
"He's been doing that for two days." Hermione informed him, shaking her head with a smile.
"The sun will be up soon." She told him. Harry looked of the hourglass-shaped window. She was right.
"We're running out of time and little sister's coming soon. We have to get ready for her."
"My sister or your sister?" he asked. She shrugged.
"Both I think." She said sleepily.
"You're tired." He said and she demonstrated by lying down, staring at the horizon through the window.
"I like her ears." Ron said again.

"So you think he knows, Harry?" she asked in a quiet voice. He looked at Ron who still played with Hermione's ears.
"He wishes it. But he's willing to wait." She smiled.
"There's too much to do, you see." She murmured. He nodded. He understood.
"Too much has to pass before I can tell him." She added.
"I like her ears." Ron repeated.
"I have to tell you something, Harry." he lay down close to her and she took his hand.
"You have to stay behind, when the moment comes."
"I have to stay." He agreed.
"That's how it has to be." She added, and he nodded sadly. "Blood is thicker than water, Harry. It's all about blood. It's always been about blood."
"Why me?"
"That's how it has to be." She told him again.
"I don't want to leave you or little sister."
"I know."
"It's all about blood."
"Yes."
"He'll be with you." He told her, moving his face closer. She nodded softly.
"He's always with me." He smiled.
"I like her ears."
"I suppose I ought to get going then." He announced looking through the window again. The slightest hint of gold had appeared over the hill.
"Before you go…"
He turned back around to face her and she moved her face close to his. Close enough that they touched softly. This was goodbye.
"I like her ears…"

Harry woke with a start, crying out-loud. He stared around him at the anxious faces, total bewilderment taking hold of him. He clambered unsteadily to his feet, taking in his surroundings in confusion. Where was he? He touched his lips; somehow her touch seemed to linger there. He caught sight of Ron curled up on the floor a few feet away, his knees drawn up to his chin. A stab of guilt ran through him. Why had he dreamt that? He wasn't supposed to have dreams like that…not about her. But it hadn't really been like that. It hadn't…had it? Was there such a thing as a lover's kiss between friends?
"Harry?"
He spun around to face the speaker. It was Krys who watched him with concern. "You alright?" she asked. He nodded.
"Just a…just a dream I…I don't know…what's happening?" he asked. She studied him for a few more seconds.
"She's been gone for an hour or so. We're hoping it won't be long. Time is short." She told him and he nodded. Yes, that was it. Hermione had gone for potion supplies. Her small feline form slipping out of the door which Harry had opened from a distance drawing the attention of only two vamps, who hadn't noticed the lynx slipping through the shadows. Fred and George had seen to that.

Finally the sneaking around and secretive behaviour of the twins had revealed. As it turned out they had been planning the end of year feast of the century. All year they had been working on a brand new fireworks display. The contents of the mysterious bag they’d been carrying had been some of their prototypes and this was how they’d executed their distraction.
The entire bag had been thrown into the pool at the base of the Slytherin statue. It took barely seconds after the almighty explosions began for the entire hoard of vampires to begin panicking. Mortally afraid of fire, their temporary state of catatonia had given Harry and Hermione the opportunity they so desperately needed. By the time the dark abominations had reached the door, Harry had already closed it again; it was like having a remote control voice.

"She's close." He agreed, nodding.
"How do you know?" Krys asked. Harry touched his lips again and smiled.
"I just know."

*

He was right. Ten minutes later Hermione lay gasping for breath in a heap on the floor surrounded by staff and students. With a shaking arm she handed a shoulder bag to Professor Snape who glanced at her with a little concern for a second, before disappearing from sight. Ron immediately gripped her hand as it became free and she fell against him.
"Oh Lord." He breathed in horror. He held up his other hand in alarm. It was stained crimson with blood and several people gasped.
"It's…not…mine." Hermione managed to gasp in between sharp breaths. She struggled slightly but managed to face Professor McGonagall. Harry couldn't miss the desperate fear in Hermione's eyes.
"Professor Dumbledore…he's…" she gulped in some air and let out a moan. Harry quickly moved forward and took her other arm, so she was supported between her friends. Professor McGonagall stepped forward eagerly.
"Yes, Miss Granger?"
"He's…" she breathed deeply and deliberately and Harry could feel her begin to regain some of her strength.
"He's still alive."

Professor McGonagall's hands flew to her face, the relief flooding into her eyes.
"Where is he? Hermione where is he? How much blood has he lost?" It was Krysta. She was irrational.
"Hey back off!" Ron cried angrily, moving in between Krys and Hermione. He seemed livid and Harry couldn't help feeling the same way. Harry was as worried as anyone about Dumbledore, but Hermione was clearly in some state of stress or shock. After what she'd been through in the last few hours, Harry wasn't surprised.

After a short staring match with Ron - which he actually won - Krysta wandered off a little distance to the edge of their safety perimeter where a single glare from her, sent a vampire scurrying several feet in the other direction.
"Wow, they're really scared of her." Said Ron, watching her go. Sirius snorted a little. He'd clearly given up his Animagus form permanently. Everyone had seen him now anyway.
"So would you be if you were a vampire, and you'd seen what she does to their kind. She burned one from the inside out once. Slowly watched him crumble to nothing in agony. It took over an hour. She watched the whole time."
Ron gulped a little and looked very glad he wasn't a vampire.
"What did it do?" asked Harry in horror. Sirius' face looked downcast and he was silent before answering.
"It killed a child." He answered and Harry's face fell. In the back of his mind something clicked and a name came into his mind.
"Kye." He spoke quietly and Sirius looked up. "It killed Kye…didn't it?" Sirius visibly swallowed the lump in his throat and he turned from them, moving away. Harry closed his eyes, sensing the grief.
"Who's Kye?" whispered Ron, looking confused. Harry took a deep breath and lowered his voice so only Ron could hear.
"Their daughter."
Ron's mouth fell open in horror and shock. No words came out. What could he have said?
The atmosphere in the Chamber of Secrets was suddenly very cold.

"How long?"
"Longer if you keep asking me that, Black." Hissed Snape. Sirius turned on his heel and faced away from the small bubbling cauldron.
"Is there going to be enough?" Krys asked. Snape didn't answer or look up. He just kept stirring gently. The silence was uncomfortable.

*

Someone was calling his name.

"Harry! Harry! Where are you?"

He blinked. Sunlight was sleepily flickering above him. They continued to call.

"Harry! Answer if you can hear us!"

He just wanted to sleep. He lay there staring up at the broken rays of light that filtered through the barren trees; cold wintry sunshine that gave no warmth, just enough light to know that it was day.

"Harry!"

Who was that? Why couldn't he feel anything? Why couldn't he remember anything? Where the hell was he?
Something scuttled over his leg making him shake it in panic and he managed to raise himself to a sitting position. He winced. Everything hurt: his back, neck and leg muscles screamed in protest as he tried to get to his feet. He stayed where he was on the woodland floor, blinking hard. His glasses were gone and everything was in a blur. How the hell did he get here? The last he remembered was…
And then it hit him like a freight train.
She was still down there.

"You know you can't hurt him, Tom. Let him go."

Her voice echoed through his mind and he covered his face in a pointless attempt to either wipe the memory or enhance it. He couldn't decide which.

"Get out of here!"
"I'm not going to leave you down here with them!"
"Go Harry! Find Dumbledore. Just go!"
"No!"

He held his head in his hands and shook it slowly. How could he have left her there to die? How could he have closed the door on her tomb like that?
Because she told you to.
Yes she had told him to. Constantly shaking, Harry staggered and stumbled to his feet, grabbing a nearby tree-trunk for support, he let out a moan of despair.

"Harry! Harry!"
"Harry!"

Another voice had joined the first and an ounce of recognition crossed Harry's consciousness.
"Sirius?"
He was shocked to find that his voice was practically none existent. It came out as a hoarse, deep rumble that was barely recognisable as human.
"Sirius!"
He tried again and this time his vocal chords seemed to co-operate a little more, though just a little.

"Harry!"

The voice sounded farther away and Harry panicked. They were going the wrong way.
"Sirius!" he cried again, desperately and fighting tears. They were going to miss him completely.
"Harry?"
"Sirius! I'm here!" he cried again, his voice breaking the last words off in a rumbling whisper.
To Harry's relief he could hear the crunching of running footsteps in the undergrowth not too far away. He could hear the snapping of twigs and the thumping of large feet on the hard winter soil.
"Over here!" he wailed again, his voice beginning to sound a little stronger.
The sounds stopped.
"Shout again Harry. We'll follow your voice!" he heard his Godfather yelling through the trees. He sounded far away again.
"Over here! Sirius! I'm here!" he cried again, beginning to panic once more. He heard the thumping of feet again; two sets, one heavy one light. Harry's heart skipped as he realised they were getting closer now.
"Keep shouting!" Sirius called again and Harry responded eagerly.
"Here! I'm here! Over here!"
He carried on yelling, whatever random words came into his head.
"I'm here, I'm here. She's still there, still down there, she made me! Made me leave! Made me leave her! Wouldn't leave with me! Find Dumbledore! Find Dumbledore!"

He kept yelling and shouting. Delirium had taken over him completely now and even when a blanket was being placed around him and hot liquid forced into his mouth he was still shouting out.
"She, she still there…with them! With them!" he wailed as arms encircled him
"Harry it's alright. You're safe now. You're safe." He carried on mumbling random thoughts, but his yelling ceased and as he was half led, half carried through the Forest his random burbling and mumbling continued and didn't stop until finally the shock got the better of him, and he passed into unconsciousness once more.

Someone was stroking his hand. He breathed out gently and murmured slightly.
"He's coming 'round."
He recognised that voice immediately.
"Ron?" he croaked.
"Hush, don't say anything. You must be in shock." That was Hermione's voice he thought as the hand holding his gave it a gentle squeeze.
Harry closed his eyes and smiled, relaxing into the soft mattress. Instinct more than conscious knowledge told him he was once again in the Infirmary.
"We got out." He murmured and felt the hand holding his let go suddenly. There was a sob and he heard feet running quickly from his bedside. He opened his eyes and was shocked to find that Hermione was gone. Ron moved closer and gave him an uncomfortable lop-sided smile.
"Harry, there's…some things you should know." Harry opened his eyes properly and tried to sit up gain. Ron didn't stop him.
"What happened?" he asked, dreading what the answer may be. For Hermione to run away like that…Harry wasn't sure he wanted to know. Ron looked even more uncomfortable. He looked sideways and grabbed a chair from behind him. He pulled it close to Harry's bed so he could talk in a low voice.

"Harry after we all left you in the Chamber…" Ron began in a deep voice. Harry thought how grown up his voice sounded. He nodded.
"There was barely enough potion to go around. We were lucky." He commented. Ron shook his head.
"Not that lucky. The potion worked but some people were already changing back by the time we'd reached the surface. Its kinda hazy…I was a pixie for god's sake." He continued keeping his voice as low as he could. Harry listened his eyes wide in concern.
"But you made it to the surface?" Harry asked. Ron nodded but his face still looked grave. The vampires had followed us up. I guess they're not as stupid as we thought. It was already dark…whilst the rest of us flew off into the forest the people changing back into humans…" Ron's voice trailed off as though he didn't have the courage to finish.
Harry's mouth opened and closed in horror, his eyes welling with tears.
"No." he whispered. He couldn't believe it. "How many?" he asked in as solid a voice as he could muster.
"Harry I…"
"How many Ron?" he asked insistently and a few faces looked up from neighbouring beds at Harry's raised voice. Ron pursed his lips fighting with the decision; to answer the question or not.
"Over fifty people haven't been found yet." He finally replied. Harry closed his eyes and cursed silently under his breath. That was nearly half a house. He couldn't breath. He swallowed hard, trying to fight the tears, unable to draw breath he whimpered and choked.

"Harry there's…something else." Ron continued cautiously. Harry looked at him nervously and saw Ron looked white as a sheet. He looked sicker than Harry had ever seen him, and Harry had watched Ron vomit slugs before now.
"What is it?" Harry asked, again fearing the answer. Ron was shaking his head and for the first time since knowing Ron Weasley, Harry watched a tear roll down his friend's cheek.
"Is it the people? The one's who are still missing?" he asked slowly and carefully.
Inside he was praying the answer would be a 'no', but deep down he already knew the answer. Ron nodded and Harry's heart stopped beating long enough to make his chest burn. With fifty people missing…the chances were they knew some of them. Ron took a deep breath.
"Dean…" he began, his voice weak. Harry felt another pull inside his chest. He nodded, barely able to see.
"Lavender…Angelina…" Harry murmured and whimpered "…Neville…"
"Oh god." He whispered, his voice non-existent. Ron sniffed and to Harry's horror, the list of names continued.
"Colin…Susan…Cho…"
Harry sobbed
"Heather…"
His hands covered his mouth in pure terror and disbelief. This couldn't be happening.
"And Harry…"
Ron was close to full-blown tears. Harry blinked hard to clear his vision. Nothing could prepare him for this. Ron closed his eyes and then opened them again looking directly at his friend.
"Fred…and Ginny."

emjay · 10-06-2008, 04:43 PM

hehe, leave it to the twins to cause a diversion

great chapter, update soon!

TriwizardChamp12 · 10-06-2008, 09:03 PM

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

lilly_luna · 10-07-2008, 02:02 AM

i agree with triwizardchamp ! nnnnnnnnnnnnooooooo!!!!!! only mines a bit shorter!

great chapter as usual a little confusing but great all the same can't wait for more Ginny and fred have got to still alive haven't they ......

Krysta · 10-08-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMorgan

hehe, leave it to the twins to cause a diversion

great chapter, update soon!

You can always rely on them to cause as much trouble as possible.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriwizardChamp12

Nnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnoooooooooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilly_luna

i agree with triwizardchamp ! nnnnnnnnnnnnooooooo!!!!!! only mines a bit shorter!

great chapter as usual a little confusing but great all the same can't wait for more Ginny and fred have got to still alive haven't they ......

Oh no, I'm sorry. I agree this part of the story is very confusing. To break it down:
Hogwarts was attacked by Vampires so they locked themselves in the Chamber of Secrets. Dumbledore stayed behind to fend them off and got injured really badly. But Voldemort let Hugo Dracus, king of vampires into the chamber where he demanded that the new generation of the Coven be handed over and gave Krysta 24 hours to make the decision.
But the trio worked out that if the turned into pixies the vampires guarding them couldn't attack because pixie blood would poison them. Hermione managed to transfigure into a Lynx and slipped out of the chamber to fetch supplies for the potion and bring them back. Snape made the potion and gave it to everyone but there was barely enough to go around. Most of the school managed to escape to safety, but some changed back into human form too early and are now missing.

Krysta · 10-12-2008, 11:52 AM

Chapter 23, Part 2

For nearly fifteen minutes neither of them spoke. Harry was fighting for air every second. This wasn't happening; it wasn't real, it was a dream. He told himself over and over again but it didn't go away. He didn't wake up and this wasn't a dream.
"Krys is still down there." he finally spoke, breaking the silence. Ron frowned and looked confused.
"She made me leave her there with Dracus and Vol...You-Know-Who. She made me lock them in." he explained. Ron was shaking his head though.
"No, Harry..." he began but Harry interrupted.
"I know, it's crazy but she made me. She wouldn't leave." he shook his head and sniffed again, trying to clear his sinuses.
"Harry, you've got it wrong." Ron spoke clearly with a frown on his face. Harry looked at him indignantly.
"I was there Ron. I shut the door myself, I didn't dream it."
"But...Krys is here."
Harry sat up straight.
"She got out?" he asked his heart lifting slightly. Ron shrugged.
"I dunno. She never mentioned being shut down there. It was her that found us. She got us back to the castle."
Harry's mouth once more was dropped open in confusion.
"But...how did she get out?"
Ron shrugged and in Harry's mind he felt a distinct motion of unease.

It didn't make sense. Only two people could have opened that door. He was one of them and he hadn't let her out. The other was locked in there with her; Lord Voldemort, her hated foe and sworn enemy. And the only way she could have gotten out of the Chamber Of Secrets was if he had let her go.

He wrapped the blanket around him tightly and shuffled silently forward. His chest tightened a little when he heard the raspy cough from the other side of the curtain.
Everything ached, but he moved on slowly, listening for any approaching feet on the corridor outside.
With a shaking hand he reached out and drew back the pale, dusty curtain and a silent gasp left his lips at the sight that befell him.
Professor Dumbledore was a shell of the man Harry remembered. His once healthy silver-white beard was bedraggled and matted together, hanging in rough strands over his chest and his shoulders. His skin was ghostly white, wrinkled and thin; it clung to his bones so thinly Harry felt like he were looking at a skeleton. His eyes were sunken into their sockets and were closed, his spectacles missing made him look almost a different person altogether.

"He's hanging on."
The voice made Harry jump out of his skin. He hadn't even noticed her there. Krys sat on a wooden chair at the end of Dumbledore's bed watching him, her eyes unblinking. She looked very different somehow; harder, more powerful. Her clothes had changed. She'd traded her robes for more practical attire: she now wore tight black trousers that resembled the ones horse-riders wear and tough-looking leather boots that finished just below her knees. Her top was jet-black and skin-tight. It was vest-shaped and her arms were fully exposed; she wasn't even bothering to cover the dark mark anymore.

Harry frowned. She never had explained how or why she'd got that. Her black hair was scraped away from her face and tied back in a tight ponytail high on her head. To Harry she now resembled some kind of soldier; someone ready to do battle.
The tattoo-like symbol on her upper arm looked painfully red and swollen. From experience Harry knew that that was due to Voldemort being so close, that or him being extremely angry. Harry had the impression it was probably both. He remembered last year when Snape and Karkaroff's marks had begun burning because Voldemort was rising to power once more. He'd also witnessed Voldemort making the Death Eater's Marks burn deliberately, proving to them the power he still had over them. He thought back to the scene below in the Chamber, how she had ordered him to leave her there. Seeing the Dark Mark again only heightened his suspicions. Was she a traitor after all?

"With the injuries he's sustained, the blood he's lost…he should be dead." She added.
"So should you." Harry answered quickly and she looked up at him her eyes wide with what could only be described as mild fear.
"Harry I…" she began as though to defend or explain herself but she was cut off as the curtain was once more pushed aside and two people joined them beside Professor Dumbledore's bed.
"Mr. Potter, you should be in bed." Exclaimed Professor McGonagall as quietly as possible and still sounding cross.
"I had to see him." Harry stated. He wasn't making excuses; he was beyond that now. Even Professor McGonagall could see that this was no time to be pulling rank and she nodded reluctantly and settled herself in a chair beside Krys.
"Is there any change, my dear?" she asked the younger witch. Krys shook her head slowly.
"He's waiting for something." She stated firmly and Professor McGonagall looked perplexed, but didn't question her any further.

Professor Snape, the other newcomer lingered by Dumbledore's head waving a small bundle of cloths around his face. Even from here Harry could smell the pungent scent that came from within the tangle of fabric.
"That won't do any good, Sev. He's beyond us now." Snape stopped and looked at Krys who did not look back at him. After a few seconds he retrieved the strong-smelling token and stuffed it in a robe pocket before falling uncomfortably into another chair.
The atmosphere was stuffy and uncomfortable. Harry's head was swimming so much a complete question didn't even form in his head. He remained silent instead and watched the Headmaster shuffling from one foot to the other, bundled up in his own blanket.
Part of him wanted to return to his own bed, but he didn't want to leave Professor Dumbledore. He felt bound to him. Finally something did manage to force it's way to the front of Harry's mind and a question had to be asked.

"Krys, where's Sirius?" he asked and she looked up for a moment.
"He's still looking for the others." She replied. "Hermione's trying a locating spell, but something's blocking it." She added. Harry frowned. What could be blocking a locating spell, and a locating spell cast by Hermione at that?
"Could it be Voldemort?" he asked and watched her face for a response. She just shook her head and Harry felt sceptical. For one, how could she have been so sure it wasn't him, and for another, he still wasn't entirely convinced of her loyalty. He wasn't given very long to mull this over however as a door suddenly banged on the other side of the curtain and several feet could be heard running into the room. Professor Snape was on his feet in seconds, pulling back the curtain. Harry cried out in horror at what he saw.

Three students were carrying another between them in their arms. They carried the child over to an empty bed and Madam Pomfrey was fussing around in a panicked state and soon all the teachers were on their feet.
"What happened Poppy?" asked Professor McGonagall and Madam Pomfrey looked so bewildered Harry thought she was going to cry. He moved closer to the bed and moaned in horror at the site before him. A child lay motionless, crimson fluid spilling from a wound on his neck. Krys rushed forward and began pressing the wound frantically.
"Oh god, oh god, oh god." She whimpered to herself. She was frantic. "I'm not going to lose another one." She added to herself, rather than to anyone in the room.
"My dear he's lost so much." Madam Pomfrey told her, but Krys could not be stopped.
"He needs blood." She ordered.
"We don't have any, dear."
"What do you mean you don't have any? Why not?" she demanded.
"Krys this is a school, not a hospital. Vampire attacks aren't exactly common around here." Snape tried to explain calmly and Harry suddenly felt a bizarre and unwelcome respect for him. Krys was shaking her head dismissively.
"I'm not going to lose another one. Not today."

Everyone unconsciously took a step backwards as she retrieved a dagger out of one of her boots. It was long and enticingly sharp at the point. The erratic intertwining blades were oddly familiar to Harry and he couldn't quite remember where he'd seen it before. He gasped in horror as she ran the dagger smoothly over her own wrist and a line of blood appeared almost instantly in its wake.
"Krys, no this is crazy."
"You got a better idea, Sev?" she asked angrily and he backed away at the fire that burned in her eyes.
She held her arm up to the boy's lips so that her blood just touched them.
"Drink." She told the child and his eyes fluttered open. Harry's mouth opened in horror as the boy did just as he was told. To begin with he allowed her blood to merely drip into his mouth and swallowed it but soon he was sucking the life-giving fluid right out of her veins. She gasped a little as he drank a little too vigorously. Her fist was clenched and Harry could see by the twisted expression on her face that she was in pain. Still the boy drank. Fifteen minutes passed and the colour was returning to his flesh, as it drained slowly from hers. Finally Professor Snape could clearly take it no longer, he wrapped two surprisingly strong arms around Krys and pulled her away from the boy whose eyes flashed with despair and anger for a second before dropping back on the bed, falling almost immediately into a peaceful, deep sleep.

Krys was offering no resistance as Snape half led, half carried her to the only remaining empty bed and lifted her onto it. She fell there, unmoving, her lips pale and wrinkled from lack of blood. Her cheeks had adopted a blue-grey tinge and her eyelids were almost purple. Blood had stopped flowing from the cut on her wrist as Madam Pomfrey quickly bandaged it up.
"She'll be fine, Severus. She just needs rest." The nurse announced as Professor Snape clutched her hand a look of fear plastered across his face. Harry scowled. That should be Sirius at her side, not him. Krys mumbled something and Snape smiled. Harry didn't like it when he smiled…it made him look too human.
"She says she needs chocolate." He announced and Madam Pomfrey immediately produced a slab of the sweet dark remedy and placed a chunk in Krys' mouth.

"What actually happened, Jeskins?" Professor asked the boy next to her, once the situation had calmed. The boy looked up at he and shrugged.
"He came out of nowhere, Professor. We were in the Great Hall and he just wandered in from outside. He had this." The boy announced and gave Professor McGonagall a roll of parchment. She unrolled it and frowned.
"I'm afraid I don't understand." She said and handed the parchment to Snape. He skimmed it and also frowned. It clearly didn't make any sense to him either. He looked down at Krys who appeared to be asleep.
"I think maybe it was meant for her." He announced but then looked up at Harry or a moment. He was frowning, but not in a malicious manner. Reluctantly he handed the parchment to Harry and he took it.
"Make any sense to you, Potter?" he asked trying to sound sceptical, but not really convincingly.
Harry unrolled the scroll and his eyes widened in surprise. He didn't know the writing but the words…the words were all too familiar.

"It's all about blood, my dear. It's always been about blood."

The silence was once more broken when another figure dashed into the room, nearly colliding with Professor McGonagall.
"Ron!" Harry cried in surprise. Ron was out of breath and looking desperately from one person to the other. For a moment his gaze rested on Krys' barely moving form and his mouth opened in shock.
"What happened?" he asked.
"She's alright, Mr. Weasley. What news do you have?" asked professor McGonagall, placing a hand on his shoulder. Ron drew his attention away from the Defence Against The Dark Arts teacher and looked at Harry.
"It's Hermione. She keeps asking for Harry." he began. "I think…I think she may have something." He finished and the teachers all exchanged hopeful looks. Leaving Snape and Madam Pomfrey with Krys, Harry, Ron and Professor McGonagall headed straight for the Great Hall.

Hermione was sitting cross-legged in front of the huge fire when they found her. She was sitting on the tabletop staring into the flames, seemingly hypnotised. When she sensed their arrival however she whipped her head around ad looked directly at Harry.
"Harry, I think I know where they are." She told him firmly.
"The location spell worked then?" he asked, sitting down beside her, taking the hand she offered. She shook her head.
"No, something is blocking me. I don't know what it is, but it's powerful and it knows me. It knows what I am." She announced, still shaking her head.
"Is it…is it you-know-who?" he asked the same question he'd asked of Krys. But again, Hermione shook her head.
"No, this is different. It's more…substantial in a way. Voldemort is so cruel, so shallow and harsh. But this presence…there's love there somehow. There's emotion and compassion." Harry noticed Ron shrink back and he understood why. Harry had never heard Hermione call Voldemort by his name before.

"But it's corrupted and perverted. It's evil and yet…" she trailed off and he squeezed her hand. She looked at him. "It wants you there. And it wants her." She closed her eyes. "It wants her so badly." She added.
"Her? You mean Krys?" asked Ron and Hermione nodded.
"Is it Dracus?" Harry asked, another idea popping into his head. Hermione shook her head again but frowned.
"Dracus, no I don't think so." But she didn't sound completely certain. "It feels similar but there's something stronger. It's powerful you see. Dracus did not love. He knew only desire. But this…this presence has such powerful emotion." She repeated and Harry looked at Ron questioningly. Ron shrugged.
"Where are they Hermione?" he asked, sounding serious.
"He won't let them go." She told him, shaking her head.
"He may not have a choice, Hermione. Just tell me where they are."
"It's all part of his plan. He knows you'll come for them. That's the idea."
"What does he want with me?" he asked. Hermione looked unsure.
"Bait." She finally answered.

"You can't be serious, Harry you heard what she said." Ron was following him down the corridor as Harry bundled his Father's cloak into a backpack.
"I'm not going to hang around here whilst they're out there, Ron."
"Harry this is insane. At least wait for Sirius to get back and…and we'll all go together."
"By then they could be dead, we don't know how long Sirius is going to be or even where he is."
"Harry this is suicide. Like Hermione said, you're expected. You don't even know what you're facing!"
"No, I don't. But I'd rather be out there facing it than sitting around here worrying about the people I care about."
"Hey, now listen here!" yelled Ron grabbing Harry roughly by the shoulder and spinning him around. "I care about those people too, you know! That's my brother and my sister out there." Harry's eyes softened a little.
"I know, Ron." He took a deep breath. "Come with me, then." Ron looked at him uncertainly. He looked over his shoulder towards the Great Hall where they'd just come from. Harry knew his thoughts.
"Stay with her then, Ron. Take care of her, but I'm going after them." And with that he shook his shoulder free from Ron's grip and continued down the corridor, a new determination in his step.

"You let him go!!!"
Ron fell back onto the sofa in shock.
"Well you said!" he yelled back. "He was acting on what you told him!"
"Ron I told you he was bait! I told you so he wouldn't go in the first place!"
"Well we didn't know!" he yelled back. Hermione collapsed next to him on the sofa. She looked exasperated and defeated for a second and Ron relaxed…not for long.
"Why didn't you go with him? How could you let him go on his own? God knows what's going to happen to him."
"Because I wasn't about to leave you!"
"I don't need you looking after me Ron! I've got the teachers and Krys here I don't need…" she was suddenly cut off, unable to say another word. Ron had silenced her, the only way he could think of.

Neither of them had any concept of time. They were lost. Ron felt like his heart was imploding in his chest and he whimpered a little at the sensation. She pulled away from him and looked at him.
"I er…" he began.
"Yeah." She replied in agreement with his unspoken sentiments.
"We can't…"
"I know we have to find him." She agreed, slightly out of breath and nodding. Her own heart was doing cartwheels.
"Have to stop him." He added in agreement also nodding. She had a hand behind his head, resting on the nape of his neck. "I suppose we better…" he began but this was his turn to be cut off. She pulled his head towards hers and their lips met again with a new intensity. The desire to resist; to hunt for their friend was temporarily forgotten as he pressed her against the back of the sofa. Ron and Hermione had some lost time to make up.

TriwizardChamp12 · 10-12-2008, 04:58 PM

OH MY FUDGEING GOD!!!!!!!
i thought if would never happen
XD

lilly_luna · 10-13-2008, 02:29 AM

finally ! now we just have to figure out who harrys going to face i wonder who it is ...

emjay · 10-14-2008, 01:12 AM

Ah, the suspense builds...
And this...

Quote:

Harry didn't like it when he smiled…it made him look too human.

hahaha

3uzz3ee · 10-20-2008, 06:55 PM

OMG! Dracus is an idiot! How dare he try and kill Dumbledore! But whats he waiting for?? TELL ME!!

And why does Harry have to be bait! Its all happening now!!!

Wait... Ron? Hermione? Time? YAY!!

Krysta · 10-21-2008, 09:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TriwizardChamp12

OH MY FUDGEING GOD!!!!!!!
i thought if would never happen
XD

I know!!! I hope you liked it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by lilly_luna

finally ! now we just have to figure out who harrys going to face i wonder who it is ...

dun, dun, dunnnn!
You'll find out very soon

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsMorgan

Ah, the suspense builds...
And this...
hahaha

he he. I aim to amuse.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3uzz3ee

OMG! Dracus is an idiot! How dare he try and kill Dumbledore! But whats he waiting for?? TELL ME!!

And why does Harry have to be bait! Its all happening now!!!

Wait... Ron? Hermione? Time? YAY!!

I love the way Abi acts like she's never read this before

Ok, guys next bit coming up!

Krysta · 10-21-2008, 09:46 AM

Chapter 23, Part 3

"Should we wake them?" asked Sirius smiling down at the pair who had fallen asleep wrapped in each other's arms. Krys stood beside him smiling gently.
"It seems a shame." She replied. "Reminds me of us. Snuggled up on the Gryffindor sofas." She added with a sigh.
"Krys, darling, you and I never snuggled on the Gryffindor sofas." He commented with a frown. Krys suddenly looked uneasy and slightly bemused as though she'd just rethought that memory.
"Er, we didn't?" she asked trying to sound innocent and not at all succeeding.
"Krys, is there something you want to tell me?" he asked with a sly squint. She kissed him softly on the cheek.
"Not just now darling." She answered and reached down to shake Ron's shoulder. "C'mon lover boy we got work to do." She murmured close to his ear.
"Mmmm." Replied Ron turning a little and tightened his arms around Hermione who had begun to stir a little.
She was actually the first to come round and opened her mouth in horror when she saw the two adults standing over them with amused expressions on their faces. She sat bolt upright and in doing so knocked Ron out of his slumber.

"What the…argh!" he cried when he saw Krys's blue eyes staring into his. Krys grinned in amusement at his reaction and stood upright again. Ron rubbed the back of his neck and looked nervously from Hermione to Krys to Sirius.
"We, er…"
"We were tired and we…"
"Were a bit in shock!"
"You know with everything that's happened."
"And we…"
"Just fell asleep?" asked Krys, who was visibly trying not to laugh at their guilty mumblings. They both nodded enthusiastically.
"Of course." Agreed Sirius with a smirk.
Hermione straightened her top and rearranged the fabric of her jeans whilst Ron tried desperately to sort out his hair which very much resembled Harry's.
"Come on." Krys said in a more serious tone. "We've got problems."

"So they're in the forest?" asked Sirius looking at Hermione who sat on the other side of the table.
They were sitting at one end of the Gryffindor table in The Great Hall. They'd been joined by Professors McGonagall, Snape, Flitwick and Hagrid; who was sitting sideways on the bench since he couldn't quite get both legs under the table.
Most of the other students had already been sent home, the Hogwarts Express having left that morning. The concern was now the fifty or so kids still out there.
Hermione nodded in response to the question.
"They're in the old temple. They're being held there but I don't know who by." She explained and Ron noticed that Krys was gripping a piece of parchment in her hands. It was the one Harry had been reading earlier when he'd gone to the infirmary to fetch him. Hermione had clearly also noticed.
"That scroll." She said looking at Krys. "It's from the person holding them. He wants Harry so you will go after him." She continued and Krys stared at the table.
"Yes, I know." Sirius and Snape looked at her sternly.
"I thought you said Dracus was taken care of." Snape said, darkly.
"Hugo Dracus is no longer a concern." She replied with a nod.
"Then who?" asked Sirius. Ron frowned. He wanted to know, as Harry had, what had happened to Dracus and how Krys had escaped from the Coven in the first place. But he knew this wasn't the time for the question.

"I can't say for sure…"
"But you have a pretty good idea." Snapped Snape and she looked at him, her eyes burning.
"He isn't your concern. He won't harm those kids."
"Why not? How can you be sure?"
"Because he doesn't care about them. He only wants me."
"Then why does he have them?"
"Because he knows I won't let anything happen to them. He's going to hand them over to…to Voldemort."
"What?" everyone replied in one voice.
"I think you need to come clean with us, Krys."
"It's…" she took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "It's Caeleb Dracus." She finally replied and the remaining colour drained completely from Professor McGonagall's face.

Ron looked at Hermione for some sign that she understood what this meant but she looked as confused as he felt. He looked back at Krys who was staring at the table in a desperate attempt to avoid the gaze of Sirius. There was silence for a few moments, which was suddenly broken when Sirius got up from the table and walked briskly away from them. As the door slammed behind him, Krys jumped and sniffed. Her eyes were shut but Ron could see they were pink around the edges.
Professor Snape's expression was as dark as Ron had ever seen it but he looked at Krys with pity more than anger.
"What does Voldemort want with the students?" he asked in his low droning tone. Krys wiped her eyes and looked up, trying to draw strength from somewhere. To Ron it looked like all her strength had gone out the door with Sirius.
"Because when he wakes up tomorrow morning, he's going to be feeling extremely hungry." She answered and to begin with Snape looked confused. But something resembling clarity and horror was manifesting itself on his face.
"No. You can't mean…"
"We can't let that happen, Krysta."
"I know that!" she cried back at McGonagall who looked desperately worried about something.
"He made a deal with Caeleb; the kids for me. He would use Harry to lure me out there and Voldemort would get Harry as a bonus."
"But he can't hurt Harry, can he?" asked Hermione and Ron looked at her questioningly. She gave him a look that said she would explain later. Krys shook her head.
"No, but he would make him watch as he killed the others."
"Krys, how on earth do you know all this?" asked Snape. Krys looked at the table once more, her fingers shaking.
"Tom told me. The deal was…he would let them all go, allow our escape from the Chamber." She began to explain and everyone was looking at her with equal expressions of disbelief and dismay. An ugly sneer was appearing on Snape's face.

"You made a deal with him?!" cried Ron in disgust.
"I had no choice, Ron!" she looked around at everyone pleadingly. "We would all have died down there. I…I had to!"
"And what was your end of the deal?" asked Hermione, her voice shaking, close to tears.
"He wanted to put an end to Dracus. I guess he was sick of Dracus swanning around like Lord of The Manor. He needed him out of the way. What I didn't know was that it was all part of the deal with Caeleb. He double crossed me." She hissed.
"You sound surprised, Krysta. What did you expect?" asked a new voice and Krys covered her face as Sirius rejoined them. He re-took his seat and avoided any eye contact with her.
"Caeleb wanted revenge on his Father, he always has done."
"Tell you that did he? On one of your midnight rendezvous?" asked Sirius, spitting the words out.
"This isn't helping." Hermione butted in and all the adults looked up in surprise.
"Sirius, Krys you obviously have some things to sort out, but this isn't the time. Right now we need to find Harry before Voldemort or Caeleb find him. We have to reach Voldemort before he gets to make his request." She announced looking at each person in turn. One by one each adult nodded in agreement. Only Ron was left staring at her.
"What request? Of who?" he asked. Hermione looked at him solemnly.
"One that can't be granted…at any cost." She said looking at him sternly.

"Krys has to go out there." Announced Hermione. "Hagrid we need you by the lake, you'll know why when the moment comes."
"Righ'." Agreed Hagrid and got up heavily to leave, the whole bench creaking. Hermione turned to professor McGonagall.
"Professor you have to stay here, the Hogwarts express will be in London by now and the Ministry could be here any moment. That means you have to make yourself scarce." She announced, turning her attention to Sirius. "They catch wind of you being here and you'll be sharing your evening cocoa with a Dementor." She told him and Ron noticed a slight shudder at the thought. Sirius nodded readily.
"Professor do you have any Veritaserum?" she asked and Snape sat upright.
"Of course." He announced looking at her suspiciously.
"Good, if we're lucky we may need some. Then you and Sirius need to get to the Temple. Get the others out. Hopefully we can keep Caeleb and Voldemort occupied long enough." She announced. He nodded, giving her a look that Ron translated as a kind of stiff upper-lip kind of admiration. He then disappeared towards the dungeon.

"What about you?" Ron asked quietly as everyone began getting up from the table. Hermione turned to him and he gulped as she took his hand.
"I'm going with Krys." she told him and Krys looked at her sharply.
"You're doing no such thing!" exclaimed the woman moving over to the students.
"You'll need me there. You're no match for Caeleb."
"Well then you certainly aren't, girl." She cried.
"She's right, Hermione." Sirius reappeared beside Krys, though Ron noticed he'd made a point of not touching her.
"Maybe I'm not. But two sisters is better than one, right?" she said looking up at Krys partly in pleading and partly in the knowledge that she was right, and Krys knew she was right. Krys nodded and Hermione got up to join her.
Ron grabbed her wrist pulling her back down. He looked at her pleadingly.
"I'll be ok, Ron. This is what I'm meant to do." She told him gently. He nodded.
"I know. I know that…this is your calling and all but…" he stopped and looked at her face, trying to memorise it, like he hadn't done that a million times already. "I reserve the right to worry about you." He told her and she looked at him intensely.
"Herm, we have to go now. We have to find Harry as soon as possible." Krys butted in, looking as though she felt bad for the interruption. Hermione looked back at Ron and before anyone could say anything she leaned forward and kissed him. The looked at each other for just a second, then Krys took Hermione's arm and the two women left the Hall together.

Sirius breathed deeply watching them leave as intently as Ron was. He dropped back onto the bench with a sigh.
"You ok?" asked Ron, a little timidly. Something intense had happened between him and Krys. Sirius looked at Ron and laughed.
"No, not really. Ron, my son…" he said semi-jovially, clamping an arm on Ron's shoulder. "I hope you know what you're letting yourself in for."

The lake was still in sight when the rain started. Harry cursed out loud to himself as his usually unkempt hair became plastered to his head. He turned sharply at the first squealing sound behind him. He held his wand out in defence but lowered it again when a splash in the lake revealed the source of the sound. Nearly all two-dozen dolphins were on the Lake's surface, their long grey noses pointed to the stormy sky. Another sonic cry filled the air as another dolphin crashed beneath the waves. Harry stopped to look at them. He'd never seen them act like this before.

He tripped again and cursed as his knees sunk into the mud. He pulled himself up again and clambered on relentlessly down the rough path towards the waterfall. This was the only route Harry could be sure of not getting lost on. It was by no means the shortest route, but the shortest route was straight through the trees and he didn't have any balls of fire to guide him this time. He was so busy concentrating on where his feet were treading he didn't see the figure ahead until he'd run straight into him.
Hands grabbed Harry around the neck and a familiar whining voice met his ears. He looked up scowling with hatred into the face of Peter Pettigrew.
"Hello Harry. My master is expecting you."

He struggled with all his might but he could not free himself from Wormtail's grasp. It turned out that his new hand was indeed, extremely strong and powerful. He threw Harry across the clearing and Harry cried out in pain as he landed awkwardly against one of the boulders. He was covered in bruises and cuts from where he had been dragged roughly through the forest. An unmistakable laugh was just audible above the thunder that rumbled overhead.
"My dear boy we just keep bumping into each other don't we?" Harry looked up through the oncoming rain, into the face of Lord Voldemort.
"I'm not afraid of you." Harry growled up at the hooded figure and Voldemort studied him for a few moments.
"No. So I see. Maybe it's time you were re-educated…"
"What are you going to do, stare at me until I die of boredom. Unless you've forgotten I have your wand." He announced dragging himself shakily to his feet, using the boulder for support. A cruel smile spread across Voldemort's face.
"Do you? Check your pockets, boy. I think you'll be quite surprised." He crooned, with a sneer. Harry gasped in horror as Voldemort slid his hand out of his own cloak retrieving a familiar black wand. Harry fumbled in his own robes but found only his own.
"But…how?" he asked, horror filling his trembling voice.
"Harry, my boy, you never know who you can trust do you?" he asked cruelly and Harry stumbled back as the cruel, insane laughter filled his ears. Voldemort raised his hand high above his head, his eyes glinting madly in the lighting that filled the sky. He opened his mouth in a blood-curdling scream of anger and screamed.
"Avada…AAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! !"

Voldemort's scream was so excruciating Harry had to cover his ears and he wasn't quite sure what had just happened. From what he could see, Voldemort now lay several feet away on his back, looking for all the world as though he'd had the wind knocked out of him. Harry squinted in the darkness, the rain distorting his vision slightly. A black shadow stood over Voldemort, white teeth and yellow eyes were lit up by a flash of lightning. Harry suddenly realised the rumbling sound he could hear was not thunder, but the growling of a Black Leopard. A movement to one side caught Harry's attention and he screamed the warning just in time.
"Krys! Behind you!" The cat dodged out of the way just in time to avoid the almighty fist that was aimed at her head. Wormtail squealed in anguish as Krys returned the favour by launching at him, pinning him helplessly to the ground, long, sharp claws digging fiercely into the flesh on his shoulders. Her teeth were bared in a snarl.
Harry scrambled back to his feet once more, as did Voldemort. Harry saw his nemesis searching frantically for the wand that had been knocked from his hand when the great cat had pounced. Harry acted faster and wiser. Gripping his own wand in his left hand he commanded loud and clear.
"Accio Wand!" Voldemort screamed in anger and frustration and his wand's twin flew neatly into Harry's hand once more.

"And just in case there's another mix up…" cried Harry. He pocketed his own wand carefully and held aloft Voldemort's. He gripped either end of it ready to snap it in two and just as Voldemort realised what Harry's intentions were, he let out another scream.

"If you know what's good for you, Potter, I wouldn't do that."

Everything stopped dead. Krys stopped snarling and Voldemort stopped screaming. At the sound of the new voice, it even sounded as though the wind and thunder had subsided just to allow the new speaker to be heard.
Sure enough a new figure could just be made out in the shadows of the trees. Krys had re-transfigured into her human form and Wormtail scrambled hysterically away from her. Behind him, Harry could hear Voldemort chuckle and a new level of dread found its way into Harry's heart.
The look on Krys' face said it all.
Harry didn't know why, but suddenly he was very, very afraid.

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