AAAAHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! Ok, officially ducking under the covers now! Although, the covers probably won't help me! lol

Gah! And here I was, thinking dear ol' Voldie was bad. This guy makes Voldie look like a harmless kitten! Hmm .... *puts finger to chin in thought* ... nopes, I got no solution!

Nik, my dear, I love it. As usual, pure genius!

PAMS!!!!

Love Jade xxxxxx

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


~Codi~

Oooooooo, very dark...I love it!

Dun Dun Dunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn!!!!!

And guess what...you won't get an explanation in this fic. You'll have to wait for The Private Inner Eye


No, the covers won't help.


More after this post!


The darker the better in my opinion.

Chapter 20, part 3

"But why?" Harry cried taking a bold step forward.
"He's trying to draw us out. Krynd Sh'a has been waiting for a long time to finish his work. He's been biding his time and now it seems his patience has been rewarded. The gates are opening." Her voice had become distant and strange. It wasn't even like she was talking to him anymore. The mists swirling above the table had changed. They glowed crimson, scarlet and gold. Flames. Harry gazed into the fire for a while before glancing at Professor Dumbledore but even the Headmaster seemed to be lost for words. Harry looked pleadingly at the Headmaster who seemed suddenly frail and weak. Harry looked upon Professor Dumbledore and for the first time saw him: an old man.

"Someone must be able to stop him. Someone has to stop him." He whispered.
"Yes. They must. And Dracus knows it. He has already killed two of us." Harry looked up.
"The Coven?" he asked, his voice mildly croaky and broken. Sirius looked up and Harry saw the warning look he threw Krysta.
"My Mother. Voldemort killed her, not Dracus." He said.
"Aye, he did my dear. But on whose orders?" Professor McGonagall asked. He turned to her. He'd almost forgotten she was there.
"I always thought…I can't get my head around it. Voldemort working for someone else, it doesn't feel right."
"Of course not. The truth is Voldemort didn't want to kill your Mother…"
"Krys, no." Sirius stopped the woman in her tracks and she looked up.
"Oh for goodness sake, he's not a baby anymore!" she cried looking angrily at the man.
"This isn't the way!" he yelled back and Harry could almost feel the electricity charging the air around them.
"And when would be? When it's too late?"
"I just…it's gonna hurt."
"What is? Tell me. Sirius whatever it is I want to know." Sirius took a deep breath, which came across as a huff rather than a sigh and returned to his seat.
"Mister Potter I suggest you sit down a moment." Dumbledore sounded tired but the warm concern in his voice was enough to make Harry heed his words.

He sank into a comfortable but upright chair and clasped his hands together. Krysta looked uncomfortable.
"Headmaster, if it is alright with you, I think I must go and inform the boy of the terrible news." Whispered Professor McGonagall. She too looked uncomfortable and when Professor Dumbledore nodded she slipped quickly and quietly out of the room. What boy? Harry thought to himself, but his attention was diverted for only seconds. Finally Krysta ceased her anxious pacing and unfolded her arms from across her chest, letting them hang by her sides. Sirius was avoiding eye contact with anyone though he sat close to Harry. Finally Krysta exhaled and she took a seat herself.
"Dracus wants to wipe out the Coven." She began carefully. Harry nodded. He could understand that. "However he knows that wiping out an active, mature Coven is no mean feat. After all no one has succeeded before now."
"Before now?" he asked. Did she mean that the Coven had been wiped out? They can't have been. Besides, Krysta was still alive.

"When a sister of Natherra dies a new heir rises and so the Coven is never-ending. However…" she said in a low voice. "If all of the chosen heirs are killed before the last remaining active Sister of Natherra dies, the chain can be broken. The new Coven must rise to power together. When a sister dies, her heir will wait until the remaining sisters die. Then she shall join the other heirs and the new Coven is initiated together. " Harry frowned.
"So, if you had died before your Mother…" Harry began and Krysta nodded in confirmation. "Has that ever happened?" he asked to which she shook her head.
"If it had, we wouldn't be here now." She said and Harry smiled.
"So what if the current sister dies before the heir is chosen?" he asked and she shook her head.
"There is always a chosen one, but…" she seemed to pause here. "Your Mother died and now, the second sister has died in the attack, leaving only me. In the past the heir has always been the daughter of the previous Coven member or sister, but…"
"My Mother had no daughter." Harry finished and looked around at the people at the table. Dumbledore looked sad and Sirius had buried his head in his arms.

"What?" he asked. What was wrong with them all?
"Harry…" Krysta began and then stopped dead. Her eyes looked funny. Was she holding back tears?
"Dracus knew that if he could kill our daughters before he killed us, he could destroy the Coven once and for all." Harry nodded frowning a little.
"Yes I get that. But Mum didn't have a daughter. And neither do you…do you?" he asked, suddenly realising that he really didn't know that much about the woman. Krysta got up swiftly from the table and crossed the room. Sirius looked up, watching the woman putting distance between them. Harry stared at him. The man's eyes were red. He wasn't crying but they had the look of eyes that had been.
"Sirius?" he asked gently. Sirius shook his head.
"No she doesn't have a daughter…not any more."


Harry felt like he was under a ten tonne pile of bricks. The horror of the information his godfather had just bestowed on him was so powerful it had left him completely stunned.

The meeting, such as it was, had diminished completely after that point. Krysta had stayed as hidden as she could in a corner of Dumbledore's office and when Sirius went to join her Dumbledore had given Harry the look that suggested it was time to leave.
Now he sat alone on the roof of the tower too lost in thought to wonder what his fellow Gryffindors may be up to on the floors below him. And all alone, lost in thought, Harry Potter had begun to piece together the fragments of a long and painful story: a story that was far from finished.

And among his thoughts a few of his old questions had begun to answer themselves. He now knew why Lucius Malfoy had felt the need to kidnap Winky. He now knew why St. Mungo's hospital had been attacked. He knew what his dreams meant. He had a terrifying hunch as to why Hermione had been attacked by the Nightwraith and why she could understand the dolphins in the lake outside. He knew why the red sphere in the Arinella beat itself wildly around its cage whenever Hermione came near it. All these things had begun to fall into place when he had asked Sirius one last question. For when he asked when Krysta's child had died he had somehow known what the answer was going to be. And when he got his answer a shiver had gone down Harry's spine.
"September the Nineteenth, 1979."

Alright, evil. I'll wait. *pouts*


and I know who's birthday that is!
Ok, so I'm a bit confused about this chosen thing. Now if Krysta's daughter died, a new heir can be chosen or not? Why was Sirius so sad? Is he the daddy?? Or just grieving for a friend? That was really sad. But a really good chapter!

Ok, thie rules are a bit complicated so I'll try to make them clearer.

There are 3 members of the Coven.
When one of them has a daughter, that child will become an heir.
An "heir" will only become a "member" or be "called" when their Mother dies.
If a "member" has no daughter, Yana chooses an heir upon the "member's" death.
If the heir dies before her Mother, Yana shall step in and choose a replacement. (which is what happened with Krysta's daughter)

HOWEVER

If all three "heirs" and all remaining "members" are simultaneously killed, then the Coven shall be destroyed. (Which is Dracus's plan)


Think that makes sense.

ok that makes sense. thanks.

Wait
hermione?
this is really confusing me
please post agian

Your wish is my command. Happy Friday everyone! Beware this is a long chapter.


Chapter 21: Darkness, Part 1

Darkness can have a strange effect on the mind. It can make you crazy, playing on your worst fears, taking you to the brink of despair until you feel like your insides are tearing themselves apart and you're helpless…so helpless. For Darkness represents all our fears. Darkness is the symbol and the mask that blinds us, it is the Vail that keeps us from that comfortable place of enlightenment. The very word enlightenment is so coincidence, oh no. Everything in this world seeks a state of stability, a place of comfort. And for us, for the human race as we are, we seek knowledge.
We seek understanding and clarity. We seek enlightenment for enlightenment takes us to that place of comfort, that place where we have knowledge. For if we have knowledge, we have power.
But without knowledge? We are lost and helpless, we are blind and confused, full of despair. We are in the dark. The true nature of Darkness here reveals itself. In Darkness lies our fear.
In Darkness…lies the unknown.

But is it all in the mind? Are all our fears a figment of our collective imaginations, manifested in the monsters under the bed? Are the monsters more likely a skeleton in the closet? Or are they real? The mind is a powerful force after all. Are the monsters just shadows of ourselves, cast from light and forged from Darkness itself. Maybe.
But maybe somewhere along the way the darkness took form, became solid and grew a knowledge of it’s own. Maybe the monster under the bed is real after all and the knowledge we hold so dear to us is the very tool of darkness.
Does our knowledge cloud our minds? Do we tell ourselves that the shadows are just shadows? Do we assure each other that the monsters are all in the mind, that they cannot be real? And if so, has darkness itself turned inside out? What is shadow if no more than darkness created by light? So what is our knowledge, if not lies…forged by darkness?
We are turned in on ourselves, and on each other. The light burns coldly now. Wherever we stand we cast a shadow, and only when light surrounds us are we safe. We are never safe from the dark. It's there, in each and every one of us. Doubt. Suspicion. Fear.
And sometimes, the safest place to be…is in Darkness.


-------------------------------------------


He didn't know how long they'd been down there. It felt like forever, the kind of forever that turns out to be just a few minutes. He felt like a child in the backseat, persistently enquiring: 'are we there yet?' to an increasingly annoyed parent. But he held his silence. He didn't want to break the eerie lull that emanated around the chamber. The only sound was shuffling students trying to get more comfortable in the packed and crowded space, or an occasional sniffle as some of the students had been unable to contain their fear.
He looked around the room as though seeing it for the first time. It looked so different now, packed with terrified students and anxious teachers. Professor McGonagall didn't seem to take her eyes off the door for a moment.
One way in, One way out.
He felt movement beside him and turned to look at Ron who half grinned his sideways smile, his eyes as always betraying his true feelings. But Ron seemed more disorientated than afraid. Harry wasn't surprised. It had all happened so quickly.

Hermione shivered and Harry squeezed her hand a little harder. Ginny was curled up against Fred who had an arm around her shoulder. Harry was glad that she couldn't see her brother's face for she would feel anything but comfort if she could. George didn't look much better. Nor did anyone.
The younger students stared around them with hopeful, fearful eyes, eagerly hoping for news. The older, more mature students merely stared into space or looked at each other for comfort, for they knew no news could be good news right now. And although they did not know what was happening in the world above them, they knew it must be too terrible and too horrific. For why else would they all be down here? The entire school locked below, protected by magics almost as old as the school itself. For the Headmaster to resort to such drastic measures…



The heads had stopped turning now and Harry was relieved. The interest in him for now at least had diminished. Everyone had their own demons to face right now. Merely hours ago - was it hours? It felt like years - every face in this room had been towards him. Anxiously and eagerly baited breaths, many whimpering in panic and fear. He did his part, he'd done just as he'd been told, done what nobody else in the school could have done, and ultimately saved the lives of every student in the room. But Harry couldn't think about that now. He couldn't take on board what could have happened if they'd been just minutes later in making their move. Moving the entire school into an underground cavern was no mean feat after all. But somehow, through all the panic and all the commotion, through the hysteria that had set in they had managed to get them safe.
A horrid thought went through Harry's mind. What if they had missed one? What if somebody had been left behind? Hiding in fear underneath their bed, or inside their wardrobe. Harry shivered and he felt Hermione squeeze his hand back. He smiled coldly at her and swallowed hard.

But Harry knew that somebody was left behind. Somebody had refused to go with them. Someone had insisted on standing their ground.
Why? Why? Why?
Why had they done it? They would have been safe. What could they have done up there? And where were they now? Had they escaped? Were they dead? Harry felt sick at the thought.
"Fool."
"What?"
Harry looked at Ron in surprise. He hadn't even realised he'd said it out loud.
"Sorry. I was just…thinking aloud." He murmured as quietly as possible. Ron held his gaze and nodded. The look in his friend's eye told him that he'd guessed Harry's thought.
They both fell silent again.

"He's still alive." They both looked down at their friend who was curled up in between them. Neither of the boys said anything.
"He's alive. But…" she paused again and they could both feel her shaking. "…he's in pain." Harry's mouth fell open and Ron hugged Hermione tighter as a tear fell down her cheek.
Harry squeezed the girl's hand with both of his and leant back against the rocky statue behind him. A flash of the past came back to him. He looked down at his body expecting to see it covered with blood, but saw only the school robes he'd been wearing in class. He glanced at the huge circular door again and focused his eyes more. Krysta was leaning with both hands against the door. Professor McGonagall was speaking to her but they were too far away for Harry to hear. He could barely make them out at all from this end of the chamber. Harry watched Krysta smash her hands against the metal in frustration. Harry knew she could not get out anyway. Only Harry could open the door. And Harry had a promise to keep. Another memory - a more recent one - flashed through his mind.

"You have to."
"No, I won't leave without you."
"You have to keep them safe, child."
"It's my fight, I won't let you fight it for me."
"You know this is how it has to be."
"No."
"You…know it. You've had the same dreams, my dear."
"You're a fool to do this, no! Get off me, Severus I'm not going. No!"
"There's no fool like an old fool, my dear."

Harry shook his head and turned away where he hoped no one could see the angry tear roll down his cheek. Why hadn't he listened to her? She was right wasn't she? It was her job to stay and fight. Not his. He returned his attention to the door. Krysta had given up the argument with McGonagall and had slumped to the floor, her back against the wall. He hadn't even noticed her climb down the ladder. He smiled briefly as a large black dog appeared beside her and slumped to the ground, resting its head on her knee.

"It's a relief having him down here with us."
Harry turned to look at Ron who had also been observing Krysta's frustration. Harry nodded.
"I'm just so glad he was in the school when…" he trailed off. He couldn't even bring himself to say the words.
"Yeah." Agreed Ron quickly, saving Harry the trouble. Ron probably didn't want to hear the words either.
Harry realised for the first time that they were not the only two to have broken the silence.
The din had been replaced with a low hum. The students seemed to have come out of their trance, and although the tension in the air had not lifted, the eerie feeling seemed to have lifted. Harry caught only the odd word of people's conversations but he could tell the panic at least was more or less over. Some optimistic characters were daring to hope that since they hadn't all perished then perhaps things were going to be ok after all.
The more sceptic of the crowd were speculating that since they hadn't heard from the outside world that they were all doomed to die from starvation or worse, suffocation at the foot of a giant stone Snake in the Chamber Of Secrets.
And although some of the Slytherins seemed to deem that a honourable way to die, some of the other houses were not quite so enthusiastic. Having said that the interest in the chamber was quite apparent among all students. It wasn't a picture of comfort right now, or ever, but it was quite a sight to behold, especially to a child that's grown up with the legend. Harry didn't feel such wonder and nor did Ginny. She had spent the entire time hidden against her brothers, shivering. ‘She must be going through hell’. Harry knew that. Her ordeal had left a terrible mark on the girl. She had nearly died down here after all.

A dark movement caught Harry's eyes and he refocused. He narrowed his eyes again when he saw the source of the movement. Professor Snape was slowly edging his way around the chamber, staring around him in what Harry could only describe as awe. But it was an odd awe. He looked calm but deeply and darkly thoughtful. He wandered out of view into one of the tunnels and Harry turned away. He didn't want to think about Snape right now. He closed his eyes for a moment but was forced to open them again quickly when he felt a slight tug on his robes. He opened his eyes wide in surprise to see a small girl standing in front of him, peering down nervously. She had straggly long brown hair that hung around her face. Her wide eyes were green and framed with wire-rimmed glasses, which she pushed up onto her nose quickly.
He noticed her robes were too big for her, the sleeves coming almost right over the edge of her fingers. Her skirt however seemed too short and made her somewhat knobbly knees stand out more than Harry thought they normally would. One of her long grey socks was wrinkled up in a heap around her ankle, spilling out over the top of her scuffed shoe.
He instantly liked her.

"Er, hello." He said a little cautiously. She sniffed and peered down at him. Without warning she dropped to the floor and sat cross-legged next to him. Harry stared at her in surprise and looked over at Ron who was grinning over the top of Hermione's head. Hermione herself merely gently watched the girl through hazy, almost sleepy eyes.
"So that was pretty cool, like." The girl suddenly piped up and Harry stared down at her, ignoring the stares they were getting from the people closest to them.
"Er, cool?" he asked.
"Yeah." She agreed, very matter-of-factly.
"You think what just happened to us is cool?" he asked a little unsure of who this girl was and what the hell she was on about. Maybe she was a Slytherin. Yes, that would explain it. In response she started up at him eyes wide and shocked.
"Don't be dense!" she exclaimed and Harry did not miss the snigger coming from Ron's direction. "I mean what you did for us. That was cool. And I know you're a freak and everything but I think it's cool."

She spoke so completely seriously and sincerely that Harry didn't quite know how to react. Ron of course was now trying desperately not to laugh out loud and Hermione's eyes had open wider and were taking this newcomer in with interest.
"Er…thanks." He said unsurely, but she cut in again.
"I mean if you weren't a complete freak then we'd all be dead, wouldn't we?" Harry just stared down at her open mouthed and Ron had resorted to biting some of Hermione's hair to prevent his laughter from escaping, which ended badly when he got it caught in his throat and ended up choking instead.
"Er…"
"So you know, I think its cool." She added again, saving Harry the trouble of trying to find something to say.
"Thanks." He concluded and she looked up and grinned at him.
"I'm Jessica." She said through the grin, and held out a grubby hand. Harry stared at it for a second before taking it and shaking it. "Jessica Withwright." She added.
"Harry Potter." He offered and she rolled her eyes.
"Well duh!" she grinned again and he couldn't help but return the grin.

There was suddenly a small commotion over by one of the tunnels and all heads turned to see Professor Snape dragging a boy from the depths of the maze of pipes. Peering, Harry could just make out that it was Stephen Casey. He was just wondering what on earth the boy thought he was up to when Jessica spoke again.
"I bet they feel right at home down here." She said bitterly and he looked down at her enquiringly.
"Bloody Slytherins." She added with a scowl. Harry grinned broadly. He definitely liked her.


When Harry came around his eyes opened wide. What on earth was going on? What were all these people doing in his dorm room, and since when was his dorm room this big? It took several moments for him to wake up properly. Clarity returned reluctantly to his face as he remembered where he was. He looked shakily around him, still groggy from the sleep that had crept up on him. He rubbed his eyes underneath his glass then straightened them. Most of the people in the Chamber were asleep, as he had been. Ron had drifted off with Hermione uncomfortably next to him. She looked up when she noticed movement from Harry's direction and smiled weakly.

"He fell asleep on my arm." She whispered clearly not eager to wake her friend up. Harry grinned a little but it was short lived. The girl, Jessica, had disappeared and Harry assumed she had gone back to whoever she had been with before. What a strange kid she was.
He sensed movement on the other side of the Chamber and strained his eyes as best he could to make out the figures. It was Krysta and someone else, someone about her height. The brilliant blonde hair gave Draco away even at this distance. Krysta was walking away from him but something the boy was saying had made her stop and turn around to face him. As Harry watched she took bold steps towards him and grabbed his shoulders and appeared to be shaking him. Out of nowhere another dark figure appeared and pulled Krys back. At first Harry's eyes played tricks, making him think it was Sirius, but the man's mannerisms soon betrayed his identity.
Krys shook herself free of Snape's grip and walked away from both of the Slytherins, closely followed by a black dog. Sirius had been there after all. Harry frowned. What could Draco have said to provoke her in such a way?

A sigh close by pulled his attention away again and he looked around to see that Ginny had finally awoken from her sleep. He frowned again but for a different reason.
"What are you doing?" he asked as quietly as he could and still sounding concerned. Her sigh it turned out was in frustration as she thumbed vigorously through a thick book that sat in her lap. She was sitting upright and cross-legged, her head buried intently in the pages, though Harry could tell she wasn't liking what she was reading.
"This is useless." She hissed throwing the book away in frustration. Harry winced as it narrowly missed the head of a sleeping sixth year student.
"What do you mean? What are you looking for?" asked another voice and Ginny looked up at Hermione who was watching the red head with avid interest.
"There's nothing here at all. Nothing that can help us. We're stuck here. If we leave, we die. If we stay here, we die." She spat out. Harry raised his fingers to his lips, begging her to lower her voice. The last thing they needed was for the entombed students and teachers of Hogwarts to panic.

"That your Defence book?" asked Hermione who sat up quickly and nodded towards the discarded literature. Ginny nodded gravely. Hermione looked down at the comatosed Ron and with a deep sigh, yanked her arm from underneath him as quickly as she could. The move reminded Harry of the old conjurer's tablecloth trick and although Ron was jolted quite harshly he merely mumbled something about blue dragons and turned over in his sleep. Hermione didn't even stop for a giggle and immediately grabbed a leather bag she'd been leaning against.
"Hey!" cried Harry when he realised it was his school bag she was rummaging through.
"I left mine in the library." She announced not looking up. "When the attack happened I wasn't allowed to return to the table to get it, they just herded us out of the door."
"And a good thing too. I heard the library isn't even there anymore."



To Be Continued...

I have a million questions now! I kinda feel like I missed something . . . I get that they are in the Chamber of Secrets, but what happened to send them all down there? Why do they say that they are going to die if they leave? Or is this something to be answered later?

Who is the person Harry and Ron are talking about staying behind and who is the person they're are talking about when they say he's alive but in pain? Same person or 2 different?

I was lost on Harry's flashback too, but I have a feeling all my questions will be answered in a future chapter . . .

I know this probably wasn't meant to be funny, but it really struck me that way. he he

Really good chapter, but you must post another soon! I need to know what happens!

Nik, she does have a point ^^

It is confusing at first but when you find out what happens next it makes sense...

Great post!!

Abi...xox

lol, yeah thanks Abi. It's meant to be confusing because it's leapt ahead in time, But it does all get explained, I promise.

SO CONFUSING!!!
i dont like these time warp thingies....

xo, Padfoot

Weeeellll, it is IS Wednesday. I suppose I could put you all out of your misery.


Chapter 21, Part 2

Heather dropped to the floor, appearing out of nowhere. She joined Hermione's rummage through Harry's school bag and Harry felt a little disconnected watching too girls go through his property as though he weren't even there. Heather was opening all the exterior pockets whilst Hermione was leafing through the papers and books in the main section. Instead of arguing Harry just watched, hoping they would find whatever it was they were looking for. Finally Hermione pulled out two books throwing one to Ginny and the other to Harry she went back to her search.
"Get reading. You never know, there maybe something useful in these." She added, pulling out another, thicker book which she began to leaf through herself.
Harry looked down at the book he'd been passed. It turned out to be his Advanced Potions book and with a sigh he began to thumb through the index hoping a useful chapter would leap out at him. He glanced up to see that Ginny was eagerly going through the fifth year Defence books whilst Hermione, to Harry's shock was intently digesting Harry's Divination scriptures. After the initial shock was over he returned to his own study of the weird and wonderful potions Snape had been trying to drum into their heads this term. Some of them were really quite incredible. Though Harry failed to see how turning the entire school into pixies for a few hours was going to help them. However Hermione and Ginny's strange determination to get them all out of this was rubbing off on him and so he kept looking, scanning every page word for word in a glimmer of hope that the words may begin to make sense to him.

"It's too basic. This is just too basic. These are school texts for goodness sake." Ginny exclaimed and the look in her eyes showed how scared she was getting. Hermione didn't respond however. Something she was reading was obviously extremely interesting and just as Harry was about to ask her what it was she dropped the scriptures and scrambled across the floor towards a sleeping body a few meters away. Heather, who was still rummaging through the pockets of Harry's bag, looked up in surprise. Neville didn't even twitch as Hermione 'borrowed' his bag from under his arm. Dragging it back over to their little newly established study circle, she pulled it open and immediately found what she was looking for. 'The Complete Book Of Runes'.

"What are you going to do with that?" Harry asked a little confused.
"I've been reading up on the Coven." She began, pausing as she began flicking through the pages. "Turns out they used runic writings in their spells and things like that." She added. Harry waited patiently as Hermione found a page and opened the book wide. "I think that the writing you saw in you visions, on the stone tablet, was written by Coven members. You said the land that place was built on is owned by Krysta?" she asked and Harry nodded.
"I asked her who owned it and she said 'I do I suppose' or something like that. I guess that the land could belong to the Coven itself. What you reckon makes sense."
"No, no, the Blue Dragon." Muttered Ron in his sleep and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Yes Ron." She muttered quietly so she didn't wake him. "The Blue Dragon owns the land." Harry sniggered a little at her sarcasm.
"Darn straight he does." Ron muttered again and rolled over. Hermione looked at him thoughtfully before returning to the book.

"Harry if you could only remember what those Runes you saw were, we may be able to translate them and…"
"And it may give us a clue. It could help us right? I mean the Coven existed to destroy these monsters. Harry must have been given these visions for a reason, surely." Concluded Ginny looking optimistic for the first time in a long time. Hermione nodded.
"Well that's great but I have no idea what those runes were. Even if I could remember what the symbols were, I'd never get them in the right order."
"Harry you have to try, it could be our only hope."
"Er, guys what's this?" asked an American accent. They looked over at Heather who was holding something in her palm of her hand. At closer examination Harry recognised the object to be the stone Remus had given him for his birthday.
"Oh that's the vampire stone. Tells you when Vampires are near. Ironic really, when you think about it." He said in a deeply grave voice.
"Oh." Heather remarked. "Well that's fascinating. Tell me, does it tell you Vampires are close by glowing?" she asked. Harry studied her face.
"Yes. Why?" he asked as Hermione and Ginny moved closer to Heather to get a closer look at the stone. Heather didn't answer in words. As Hermione swallowed hard and Ginny took in a sharp breath, Heather held her palm out towards Harry. Harry leaned closer and gasped.
The previously grey-black stone was now pulsing with a blood-red glow.

On the other side of the chamber a large black dog was growling, his hackles raised. Heads were beginning to turn one by one towards the round iron door as more and more people were beginning to notice the sounds coming from the other side. A hissing, humming murmur only a few of them recognised for what it was. And one by one students were getting slowly to their feet and moving backwards, not taking their eyes from the door.
Two teachers dressed in black were moving slowly between the students and the door in a defiant but somehow useless barrier.
Slowly but surely the students were moving back across the chamber like mice in a cage, backed into a corner.
The hissing became stronger and more forceful before falling suddenly and sickly silent. Not a soul stirred. Few even dared breathe. All eyes were fixed on the only way in or out of their prison, willing it pointlessly to remain still. Nothing moved; an image in a muggle photograph. And in that silence all ears heard the distinct slithering and final clunk as the door's lock was activated, the metal snake gliding its way around the bolts which were finally released in a deafening click echoing throughout the entire chamber.

Stillness.

The emptiness that everyone was experiencing was short-lived as a new collective fear spread throughout them all. As the door began to slowly, painfully slowly, swing open the children and teenagers of Hogwarts School Of Witchcraft and Wizardry moved further back still. Only one moved forward. Only one began weaving their way in between their peers, heading towards the front of the Chamber where the teachers were doing their best to stand between their pupils and whatever horror stood on the other side of that door. For they knew only one other could open that door besides the Potter boy. Only one other knew the location of the Chamber, and only one other could speak the words to release the lock. And they all knew that he was not alone on the other side of the door.

"Harry what's she doing?" Ron tried to dart after her but Harry pulled him back.
"No Ron." They both watched their friend make her way towards the teachers, both wondering what the hell was going through her mind.
"She's crazy. Harry we can't let her." Ron fixed Harry with a determined look and Harry looked at him for a few seconds before nodding determinedly and together they set after Hermione, pushing their way through the crowd that seemed only too happy to let them through.
When they caught up with her she was standing a few feet behind Krysta who was standing just a little further forward than the other teachers, her fists clenched at her sides. They couldn't see her face and Harry wasn't sure he wanted to.
Each of the boys had a grip on each of Hermione's arms to stop her moving any closer. They were just in time to witness the door swing open wide. Harry squinted his eyes to try and make out the figure more clearly. He was in complete shadow but even as they watched he took a step forward into the dim light cast by the torches on the walls. Harry's eyes widened in wonder and he heard a chorus of gasps and murmurs pass lightning-quick throughout the crowd. He could almost feel the hatred boiling in Krysta as the newcomer grinned broadly down at her. His features were dark and to Harry's surprise extremely handsome.
Hermione's face was a picture of wonder and if Harry had turned around he would have seen similar expressions on most faces in the room.
The man took another step forward and Harry could see another darker, shadowy figure behind.
"Voldemort." He hissed to himself.

Harry's gaze was drawn back to the other figure though. He was tall with dark hair that hung thickly around his shoulders. His cloak was crimson and appeared to be of rich velvet. His features were firm and finely chiselled. His smile was intoxicating and Harry just couldn't take his eyes off him. Without warning the man took a leap from the top of the metal ladder landing neatly and lightly on the stone floor. Even on the same level as them all he seemed to tower above them and Harry felt very, very small in comparison.
He scanned the room taking in the surroundings, the terrified souls backed into their corner. Finally his gaze came to rest on the woman standing between them and himself.
That smile returned; the smile that never quite reached his eyes. He took a confident step towards her and the smile broadened. And then he spoke. His voice was deep, smooth and as intoxicating as his smile. It was a foreign accent, European Harry figured, but he couldn't even form full thoughts in his head. It was like he was being sung to sleep and his head felt light like he were not quite connected to his body.

"My dear Krysta." Harry noticed the flinch in Krysta's posture as the man reached out his hand to stroke her cheek with the tips of his long, slender fingers.
"We must stop meeting like this."
She shook his hand violently away from her and he chuckled. Krysta looked over the man's shoulder and motioned to the shadowy figure still standing in the doorway.
"I see your taste in company hasn't improved over the years, Dracus." Harry gulped. It was him. Dracus looked down at the large black dog, which was growling gently by Krysta's side, and then over to Professor Snape who looked away immediately seemingly afraid to look this man in the eye. Dracus' smile turned into a sneer.
"Neither has yours, my dear." He retorted smoothly ignoring the snarl from Sirius.
"Tom do come in, don't hang around in the shadow. Come, you must show me around this wonderful place of yours. It is after all your Chamber." He called over his shoulder before passing his eyes once more over the crowd of students. "But, Tom, you didn't need to provide lunch." He laughed at his own half-joke and Harry suddenly realised that he was holding Hermione back with all his strength she was pulling so hard to move forward.
Krysta acted for him with a blow Harry didn't even see. Dracus was thrown several feet backwards hitting the stone wall behind him. Even caught off surprise he remained un-phased and chuckling gently to himself he straightened his robes and moved forward again.

"Now, now, violence never solved anything you know." He mocked. She went to move forward again but was pulled back this time by Snape.
"Get out of here. I'm warning you." She hissed. Dracus stopped and his face turned serious suddenly.
"Warning me? My dear I hardly think you're in a position to threaten Me." He told her in a low voice, as Voldemort moved close behind Dracus' left shoulder, his eyes glowing in the dim light. Harry could feel the fear in people now. Many of course weren't aware of the identity of this charismatic man before them, but they all knew who the shadow behind him was.
"You're not going to harm these children." She warned him in a low, firm voice, her eyes blazing with hatred.
"No?" he asked, not really requiring a response. "Ok." He announced standing up even straighter and taller then before. He moved aside and Voldemort stepped forward.

Harry heard tiny whimpers of fear behind him. What was he going to do? Harry watched in horror as Voldemort pulled his wand from his robes and with a sneer on his face raised his arm high. The blow came completely without warning as a figure hurled themselves at Voldemort sending him sprawling across the floor. Harry let go of Hermione in shock, staring at the small figure dragging herself to her feet.
"You great bully! We're not afraid of you!" Harry was too gob-smacked to move to her defence and it was too late. Jess found herself lifted effortlessly into the air where she hung helpless, beating at the air in anger.
"My, my this one has a lot of Spirit." Swooned Dracus, moving forward again to get a better look at his accomplice's attacker. Voldemort had found his feet again and Harry had never seen him so angry. Krysta was fighting against Snape, trying to get to the girl before either of the monsters could harm her. And even Harry knew it was in vain.

"He's going to kill her." Whispered Hermione, her face white as a sheet. And the look on Dracus' face told Harry that she was right. The smile wasn't quite right. It was the smile of a madman.
"You're nothing but a bully. An old, has-been loser. You couldn't even kill a little baby! You're nothing! The only power you have is fear, and we're not afraid of you!" Jess continued to yell at Voldemort. Her yelling was soon cut drastically short along with her breath. Her air supply had been completely cut off by the powerful fingers around her throat. Dracus grinned in sick amusement as he dangled her struggling body in the air.
"I love a child with Spirit." He began and Harry was beginning to seriously panic.
"So young, so fresh. They always taste so good." His fingers were tightening around her throat and her face had begun to flush red as her blood circulation was restricted. The monster holding her seemed to grow more excited by the visual sight of blood in her veins.
"Luckily for you, my dear, I've just eaten." He crooned and Harry released a deep sigh of relief. That relief was over in a split second with crack loud enough to echo around the room.

People couldn't believe their eyes and Harry's heart had stopped beating. Jess's body fell to the floor with a muffled thump, her broken neck rolling her head at a sick angle. Snape had released Krysta in the insanity of it all and she just sank to the floor. Dracus moved close to her and dropped to one knee speaking softly to her.
"You're pathetic, Krysta. You're useless. You couldn't save your friends. You couldn't save your Mother. This little girl, your own Daughter. You couldn't save any of them. Your old master, he's dead too you know." This last comment made her look up in horror, her eyes red but not from crying. Dracus smiled. "Oh yes. He's dead too. The old fool thought he could protect you all. I admit he didn't taste particularly sweet, but the power…" Dracus licked his lips. "The power was incredible." She hung her head and now the sobs were apparent. Next to her even Snape looked horrified. Professor McGonagall was clutching her robes around her throat and staggering back slightly. Sirius had sunk to floor, still in K-9 form. Harry caught on to what everyone else seemed to have understood. Dumbledore was dead.

"No." he moaned and felt Hermione gripping his arm and he could feel her shaking. He felt weak and numb like everything was a dream again. He wasn't dead, he couldn't be. He was going to come through that door any second. Dumbledore wasn't dead. He couldn't be.
"So pathetic." Dracus said again. "I don't know why I even bother to hunt you down, you're hardly a threat to me. Killing your daughter was a waste of time, she was probably going to be just as pathetic as you anyway." He rambled on, walking away from her and grinning insanely at Voldemort whose sneer was probably as close to a grin as he could manage. That was his only mistake. Behind him the weak, 'pathetic' figure had risen to her feet. And as he turned to face her suddenly aware of the change of pace an enormous black dog changed miraculously into human form.

Both Sirius and Krysta moved forward towards their nemesis and his grin turned into a smile.
"Oh I'm sorry." He said gently. "Did I hit a nerve?" he asked bowing slightly, mocking them. Snape had joined them and the three dark figures moved slowly closer and closer to their enemies. Voldemort's sneer had become a snarl as he held his wand ready for any attack. Harry was beginning to realise that Jess's comment had been correct. Voldemort's true power was fear and now he was off guard.
"Now, now children." Dracus spoke again. "You know you can't hurt me. What do you hope to gain? Or do I have to kill another child?" Sirius stopped but Krysta moved forward again.
"Why did you come here? You didn't come to feed. If you came for me, then fine, here I am."
There was silence for a few moments as Dracus stared at her in surprise. And then he laughed. A loud, booming laugh and Harry covered his ears.

"Why on earth would I come for you? You are of no consequence to me anymore, my dear." Krysta faltered slightly and she seemed a little confused. "Yes, you see I've had a lot of time to think in my exile. And I've come to realise something. Somewhat of an anomaly had occurred has it not?" Krysta's head was tilted to one side, and she'd taken a step back. She was worried, that was plain to see. "It's been fourteen years since your sister was killed has it not?" he didn't wait for an answer and Harry's blood was boiling at the mention of his Mother's death. "And I'm thinking that the next generation is approaching maturity. I bet they've begun the changes, haven't they?" he asked again, but clearly not requiring a reply. "And the way I see it, my dear, is the one thing standing between them and death…is you." He said fixing her with an intense stare." Krysta's eyes closed and she shook her head slowly to herself.

This was what she had feared. That he would work it out.
"As long as you are alive, I can kill them. And as long you are alive, no new generation shall rise." He concluded, strolling around the floor with his hands clasped behind his back. "So you see, my dear, I need you alive. It's quite ironic don't you think? If you had been co-operative and died when you were told to, all this would never had come about. Your selfish acts all those years ago have condemned these girls to their deaths, and the Coven Of Sk'Natherra shall be completely wiped out." He grinned triumphantly.
"But there is one problem." He said and now he looked serious. His handsome features had hardened and his brow had formed deep furrows as he frowned down at her. "Who are these spectacular young girls? I have absolutely no idea…who they are. You've done a very good job of hiding them my dear. So you see, I knew my plan was pointless. And that's where my friend here came in." he announced motioning to Voldemort, who moved forward holding out his hand. Something fell from his bony fingers and dangled, glinting in the light. Harry recognised the pendant immediately and Hermione's hand went subconsciously to her chest where one of the three talismans was hidden under her clothes.
"Very clever, Krysta." Voldemort hissed.
"Thank you, Tom." She snarled slightly and he returned the gesture at the use of his human name.
"A fake eye of Natherra. How original." Voldemort continued sarcastically. "So our location spell failed. But then we heard of a little incident between Potter…" he spat the word with pure hatred and Harry flinched a little. "…and two other students involving another talisman. Then when you turned up at Hogwarts it was all too obvious. We knew you would protect them at all costs, and instead you led us right to them. Why else would you come here at a time like this?"
Harry was subconsciously pushing Hermione behind him, putting himself between her and them. What if Dracus could sense the presence of the talismans? She had one around her neck right at this very moment.
"So the question is." Voldemort continued. "Which of these potential appetisers are they?"


It was a stalemate situation and no one wanted to make the next move. Harry didn't even know what the next move was. Everyone in the room was holding their breath, their eyes fixed on the figures near the door. How would this end? When would it end? And who would still be alive when it did?
"The Quaffle is in your court, Krysta." Dracus suddenly announced, now in a serious tone. Harry thought he understood. There was a deal on the table here and he knew that Krys was in a terrible position. The power had been put on her, to save every student and teacher in the school. But she had to hand over the coven in order to do that.
Professor McGonagall looked strangely helpless. The woman so used to being in control had had her power stripped from her. She had no cards to play in this game.
Sirius looked torn. He kept looking at Krysta helplessly, feeling the anguish and the way she was being ripped in two spiritually. But Harry knew as well as Sirius did there was nothing he could do, no advice he could offer. There was nothing anyone could do. Their future or lack thereof lay on the shoulders of Krysta Hedwig. And she looked like it was killing her.

What a weight to lay on Krysta's shoulders . . . and that Dracus is one nasty figure. Looking forward to the next part!

Mary is that a pic of you on your Avatar?

And yeah, poor Krys

No, I'm not that gorgeous, lol. That's a pic of my rp charrie. (I just got sorted! Yay! )

EDIT: and now that I have an avvy of a masked death eater, I find the above comment to be extremely funny. . .

Yes poor Krys has suddenly been replaced with Cho Chang.
Here's the rest of the Chapter:

Chapter 21, part 3
"Tell me who they are, girl. Or do I have to convince you some more?" Dracus asked in a cool, quiet voice. She looked up sharply and heads suddenly turned as a high-pitched squeal broke the din. There was a small commotion and gasps and cries of dismay were echoing around.
"Oh God." Moaned Hermione covering her mouth with her hand as many others were doing. Voldemort had snatched another child from the cowering crowd and was holding them aloft as they struggled, gripped with a fear Harry knew they had never felt before. A rage was brewing in him, seeing the helpless boy hanging there, frightened to struggle, frightened to stay still. It spread through his bloodstream raising its temperature until in boiled in his veins.
"It would be just so easy to take that life." Crooned Dracus, moving his face closer to Krysta's. Her eyes were shut tight now as were Harry's fingers closing tightly around his wand. An insane fury that was not a part of himself Harry knew was sweeping furiously through him.
"Tell-me-who-they-are." Demanded Dracus once more, speaking each word slowly and deliberately.
0A
The conversation broke in an instant as a loud crack and a thump met everyone's ears. Several students, girls and boys screamed in panic and fear as the boy's body dropped to floor, lying motionless. But something was wrong. Dracus' head had snapped around in surprise just as everyone else's had. He was staring at Voldemort a little surprised.
"Tom I…" he began but stopped dead as the body on the floor began to move. There were gaps of relief as the boy half scrambled, half crawled back into the crowd as fast as he could. Faces were twisted in confusion, including the adults and including Dracus. All except Voldemort himself who had his hand raised awkwardly in the air.
"Where's his wand?" whispered Ron, shaking with excitement and fear. Harry shook his head but his question was answered in the most peculiar way imaginable. Someone had stepped forward from the crowd of students and was standing shaking at the front of the chamber. Hermione gripped both Harry's and Ron's arm in shock and panic.
"My God, it's Neville." She hissed in horror. Harry's mouth fell open in shock. He was shaking before the awkward looking figure of Hugo Dracus who regarded the boy with an amused kind of interest. Voldemort snarled through his hooded cloak, clearly off guard. He was clearly not accustomed to being disarmed by a school boy - not counting young Mister Potter.
"That was not very polite, young man." Dracus spoke breaking another uncomfortable silence. Krysta was staring a t the boy in horror, as was Hermione and anyone else who knew Neville.
"What's he doing?" she hissed and Harry had had to clamp her arm again to stop her going to Neville's aid as she always had done for as long as she had known him.
Neville was shaking so violently and Harry suddenly realised it wasn't from fear. Neville was in a violent fury.
"You killed my parents." He hissed and Harry's mouth dropped again. He heard Hermione whisper a prayer under her breath. Krysta had stood up straight for the first time for what seemed like hours but Dracus was staring intently at the boy.
"Your parents?" he asked thoughtfully. "My dear boy, I have killed many people's parents. Am I to remember yours?" he asked casually.
"And my sister." Neville added. By now a look of vague understanding was beginning to reach the furrows of Dracus' features. Harry frowned however. Neville had a sister?
"I see." Dracus engaged Neville properly turning his whole body towards him, acknowledging him completely.
"You understand boy, I had no choice."
"No Choice!" Neville spat. "You had every choice. I understand my Mother." He blurted out, clearly now beyond distressed and approaching insanity. "But my Dad? Why him? Why my brother? They were no threat to you!" he screamed and Dracus' demeanour changed. Was that a hint of regret? Surely not.
"I didn't know about your sister. And technically I did not kill any of them."
"It was your orders! Your wish: their command. You killed the m just as you killed Harry's parents, just as you killed Kye. You're a coward." He screamed until he was almost hoarse.
Harry was experiencing a strange feeling. Neville was confronting the murderer of his family. And Harry had a strong compelling urge to join him. He noticed slight movement to his left and spotted Voldemort reaching for his wand, which had landed several feet behind him as a result of the rather powerful charm Neville had finally managed to cast successfully. He acted quickly.
"Accio wand!" he cried raising his wand high above his head. To everyone's amazement and Voldemort's screech of anger the wand was snatched out of the Dark Lord's reach and was caught deftly by Harry who looked at with interest. Next to his own wand it was almost identical bar a few scratches and grazes. A bizarre humming passed through Harry's left hand and a slight smile touched his lips. He looked up and his gaze met Neville's. He nodded to him and took a bold step forward to stand next to his friend.
"You killed my Mother and My Father." He said coldly finding the courage to look Dracus firmly in the eye. Dracus tilted his head to one side.
"Mister Potter I presume?" he asked and there was a mild diminish in the sickening confidence in his voice. It was only a mild diminish but Harry wasn't the only one to notice it. Sirius had moved closer.
"You killed my little girl." He growled and Harry suddenly realised who Kye was. He looked at his Godfat her with deep sympathy for a moment. Harry had had no idea that Sirius had had a daughter. When he'd mentioned Krysta's loss he hadn't put two and two together. Krysta and Sirius had clearly been far more than friends once. Krysta had joined the small group now.
"You killed my Mother. You killed my sister. My Grandmother. My whole darn family. It stops here." She spoke in a strong, clear voice, her eyes ablaze. The atmosphere was electrical. Dracus seemed to ponder this for a second.
"I don't think so." He suddenly announced casually folding his arms firmly across his chest and the spell had been broken. Neville and Harry exchanged a horrified and panicked glance and the distinct sense of panic and spread back through the crowd again. Something had gone terribly wrong. Krys faltered and took a slight step backward.
"You think you can threaten me with this little display of bravado, my dear. Do you think these children scare me?" he asked gesturing lazily to Harry and Neville who had sunk back into the crowd again. Hermione latched onto them both thankful they were both still alive.
"I want those girls, Krysta." He said, matter-of-factly. "I give you until the full moon to hand them over. Or you can all rot down here…that is, if my friends don't get hungry." He finished and just as Harry was wondering what he meant by that there was a loud scream from within the crowd and everyone was looking around in horror. They were surrounded, entirely by what Harry cou ld only assume were vampires. His heart flipped in his chest and even Ron was gripping the back of his jumper now. Why did everyone cling onto him in a crisis?
"Dracus…" Krysta warned him pointlessly as she took a step backwards and sideways looking in every direction around her. Dracus was moving backwards towards the ladder laughing wildly. Voldemort gave Harry one last loathing-filled glare, his eyes lingering on the wand Harry still held and disappeared up the ladder like a ghost. Harry was sure his unseen feet never even touched the rungs.
"Until tomorrow night then, my dear." Dracus announced before leaping effortlessly and stylishly onto the platform, and with one final bow to his nemesis, he disappeared through the door. As it clunked loudly shut behind him with a boom that shook entire the chamber, each and every soul in the crowd felt the door slam on their tomb.

As the echoes rang in diminishing circles around them, the students of Hogwarts moved closer and closer together, inching their way as far from their dark, pale-faced captors as they possible could. Nobody knew which way to look, so completely surrounding were they. The larger and the older kids were pushing the smaller and younger behind them, protecting them as best they could. Like most hunters, a vampire would pick off the weakest first.
Automatically Ron and Harry pushed a stubborn Hermione behind them, standing at the edge of the crowd she seemed so vulnerable to Harry. Harry's e yes darted around him from one monster to another, wand at the ready. But after the initial shock had passed the immediate threat seemed to disapparate with it.
The vampires weren't even watching them. There were just lingered in the shadows of the huge statues, seemingly unwilling to venture any closer.
"What are they doing? Why don't they attack?" asked Ron suspiciously.
"Maybe they're on orders not too. I think Dracus wants us all to himself." Suggested Harry, growling his words. Ron nodded, but was clearly not confident enough to lower his wand yet.
"No, I think maybe they're a little scared. Afraid what may happen to them if they do attack anyone." Said Hermione from behind them. Ron nodded again.
"Yeah, I certainly wouldn't want to disobey orders if Dracus was my boss." He agreed. But Hermione shook her head.
"No, not afraid of Dracus. Look at them. See how they're sticking to that end of the chamber mainly."
Harry and Ron and a few students in earshot to their conversation looked around them and they all saw Hermione's point. In general the vamps were denser towards the other end of the Chamber to where they were standing near the doors and was it Harry's imagination, but they seemed to be casting very wary, red eyes in their direction. Harry tried to follow their gazes but could only tell it was in the direction of the remaining teachers.
"The staff?" he asked, still slightly puzzled. He could understand in a way. What was a bigg er threat, a bunch of school kids regardless of their number, or a collection of extremely experienced witches and wizards. But Hermione tutted and shook her eyes again.
"Imagine: you're a vampire, you drink blood, you don't need to breathe, not much can kill you and you're a ruthless, relentless killer. What scares you?" she asked. Ron scratched his head.
"Fire?" he asked, thinking back to their Defence Against The Dark Arts class.
"Sunlight?" asked Neville who for once seemed to have absorbed some information from their lessons.
"The Vampire Slayer?" asked Dean with a not-too-confident smile and Harry grinned. Dean was still obsessed with that television programme.
"Oh!" cried Neville a look of illumination crossing his face. Hermione smiled and nodded.
"They're afraid of Krys." She said and Neville beamed, clearly pleased with himself. "Vampires are really superstitious, their culture is full of myths and legends. They're terrified of the Coven. They know who Krys is and that somewhere amongst us, there are three others."
Harry looked down at her a stab of guilt passing through him. It was clear that Hermione wasn't aware, didn't know what he knew. Right now he was glad of that.
Some people close to them were looking in Krys's direction and sure enough she was slowly strolling up and down glaring threateningly in the direction of any vampire who dared make eye contact. Her arms were folded firmly across her chest, her head tilted down slightly so she was glaring at them upwards, which seemed to make her stare even more threatening.
"Wow, she could melt lead with that look." Murmured Dean.
Harry scanned the room again and noticed that his fellow students had calmed down considerably as it became increasingly obvious that the vampires meant no immediate threat.
"Well that's great." said Ron, sounding sarcastic. "But unless someone..." he glared in Krys's direction "...thinks of something pretty drastic in the next 24 hours, Dracus will change his orders and that lot will start picking us off one-by-one." He announced in a quiet voice, so as not to alarm anyone close to them unnecessarily.
Hermione 'hmph'd a little but Harry couldn't help but agree with Ron. What was she going to do? Just stroll up and down the chamber until tomorrow night?
"What time is it?" asked Hermione sounding frustrated. Harry checked his watch.
"2:30." he announced.
"a.m. or p.m.?" she asked and he looked blankly at her. His watch was analogue and he'd lost all track of time since they'd been down here.
"p.m." announced Dean holding up his digital watch for them to see. Hermione checked it pointlessly as though Dean may have misread it.
"So we have little more than 24 hours then." She said, confirming Ron's previous statement. Harry looked back over to Krys. She was now talking to Professor McGonagall who was talking animatedly but seemed to be trying to remain discreet at the same time. Even at a fairly close distance, Harry couldn't tell a word of what they were saying. Ron stuffed his hands in his pockets with a deep sigh.
A conversation someone was having in the crowd somewhere had met Harry's ears and a new look of concern crossed his face.
"What's wrong?" asked Hermione, the first to notice. He touched his ear and nodded his head behind him. Hermione discreetly moved closer and tilted her head to one side as though trying to make the conversation more audible.
"No it can't be. Professor McGonagall's standing right there." said the voice.
"I'm telling you it's him."
"No, it can't be."
"It is! My dad put up the wanted poster on the kitchen wall so we'd all know what to look out for."
Hermione too adopted a worried expression as she realised who they were talking about. Ron still looked a little confused until the last comment about a 'wanted' poster and then alarm appeared on his face too. Sirius was a known criminal, a pretty famous one at that and he had just materialised right in front of the entire school. Harry swallowed hard. Even if they did get of this alive, Sirius would undoubtedly be arrested. But a comment one of the voices had made struck him as a little odd.
"Hey they're right. McGonagall's standing right there and hasn't said a word about Sirius." he whispered to Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked over at the Deputy Headmistress a little curiously.
"Maybe Dumbledore told her all about what really happened and convinced her that he's innocent." she suggested and Harry thought about it and nodded slightly.
"You don't think it's true do you?" she suddenly asked sounding desperate and upset. He looked at her strangely.
"What do you mean?" asked Ron.
"About Professor Dumbledore." she said in a tiny voice and Ron and Harry looked at each other, their eyes wide. Both suddenly looked sick as Hermione looked pleadingly at them, chewing her bottom lip.
"I...I don't know, Hermione."
Their conversation was suddenly cut short as someone extremely short bumped into them.
"Excuse me, Miss Granger, Mister Weasley." squeaked Professor Flitwick disappearing into the crowd as quickly as he had appeared. They watched him go out of view amongst the legs of the other students and looked at each other in astonishment, the distressing nature of their conversation instantly forgotten.
"What's goin' on?" asked Dean in a voice that was more cockney than normal. They turned to look at whatever he was staring at. The found themselves looking in several directions. The teachers had split up and were moving amongst the crowd and spreading out. Hermione seemed to catch on immediately.
"Look, they're taking vantage points around the room." she whispered. Sure enough each of the Hogwarts teachers that had made it down to the Chamber with them were discreetly positioning themselves at equal distances around the perimeter of the crowd of students. Krys was staying near the door and when Harry looked for Sirius he seemed to have disappeared.
"There."20said Ron who had guessed Harry's thoughts. Harry followed his pointed finger and was just able to make out a dark shape moving on all fours to the back of the chamber. He watched Sirius leap from rock to rock until he was standing practically at the top of the great statue of the Serpent at the far end.
"He's obviously the look-out dog." Hermione commented. "He must be able to see every single vampire from up there. My guess is, one bark from him and any advancing vampire is as good as a pile of ashes." she added and Harry half-smiled at her analogy.
"Where'd Professor Flitwick go?" asked Harry trying to peer over the heads to locate him. All three of them scanned the entire room but couldn't see him.
"I'm here!" came a squeaky voice from seemingly nowhere and they looked at each other in surprise.
"Up there!" cried Seamus with a grin. They looked up and Saw Professor Flitwick floating quite comfortably above their heads.
"Which is Snape, and which is the Vamp?" asked Dean and everyone laughed as they saw Professor Snape snarling at a vampire that had ventured a little too close to the Slytherin first years for his liking. From this distance it was very difficult to tell them apart. Harry gazed around him.
"Well Hermione, you're the brains of our operation." He said and she looked up at him questioningly. "What are they going to do?"

I knew it! I just knew Sirius was the daddy, now we'll just have to see how that develops in your prequels.
Another good chapter with a bit of a cliffie...
*wondering why Flitwick is floating*

Yes Sirius was the Daddy. So sorry to Jade AND Abi, but Krys gets him in the end.

Flitwick's floating so he can keep an eye on everything.

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

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

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