IMPORTANT:
a. There are several things you need to know about these next few chapters before reading it. This part of the story was originally written as a part of another one of my fan fictions. However, the storylines were so similar I toyed with and eventually used this introduction for this fan fiction.
b. This is about ten pages long (might be more) and in order to make this more bearable I have broken up the dream into two chapters. When ever I upload this chapter the second part of the chapter will follow shortly.
c. This chapter is heavily Hermione and Harry focused
d. Names have been changed:
Draco = Ace
Ginny = Sarai
Hermione = Abigail/I <- narrator
Harry = William
Ronald = Theodore
Luna = Serena
e. Italic = Dreams
Normal = Story
Nothing Gold Can Stay | Dreams
It was a warm night and Ginny not accustomed to the humidity tossed around in bed unable to keep her eyes closed. Eventually Ginny sat up and rubbed her eyes. She was so tired. Sighing she brought her legs to her chest. And lonely, Ginny thought. Ever since she was "transferred" that empty feeling she felt was once so small had grown into a gaping hole.
During the day she could hide her anxiousness to find out what Kaida and her house was doing to them; it was easy for Ginny to appear nobler than she really was. Her real reason was less noble; she didn't want to face her fears and insecurities. But pride prevented her from leaving. There was something about Kaida, a look in her eyes that screamed danger to Ginny. Kaida knew more about them all than she let on and that put her on edge. Facing the truth Ginny knew she couldn't sleep. She didn't want to face the dream. Every night the dream took more and more from her. It was such an odd dream; it was like someone was talking to her about something she should know. But she didn't know and the dream only made her want to remember what she couldn't. An hour later she lay back down, unable to fight off sleep any longer. The dream was waiting for her.
~ ~
William Parker, my boyfriend, was in a bad mood. When he was in a mood everyone felt his wrath. Being a journeyman and a sought out upperclassmen for either academic or personal guidance the whole school felt his anger. I, not just being his girlfriend but his confidant, knew and understood why he could at times be so uptight. Ace was his childhood enemy, as well as his family's foe. After the death of his parents, his only family, William was all alone. Even though everyone knew William mostly blamed Ace's family (mainly his father), there was no way to link Ace's father to the crime. Even though the accusations didn't die they had faded with time and were now just gossip between mothers. Ace, was if anything quiet, ambitious but honorable in his own way, the mirror image of his father physically. Ace, never having done anything wrong to the Will himself, was the brunt of William's hate; anything evil, William connected to the Haurus name and thus Ace was evil. Though many families of the students were against Ace entering the school claiming that with such a notoriously corrupt family, the son couldn't be a positive influence on the school. However, Eusebius (headmaster) was firm in his decision, and Ace Haurus was admitted into the school. He was on his way to the school at that very moment.
"You really need to let things go William."
We were walking to meet Ace outside. Ace's carriage was sighted a few minutes ago and as Head Journeymen it was out duty to meet him despite William's protest.
"He's done nothing to you." I added solemnly. It started to rain and we were getting soaked.
We had just got there when Ace stepped out of the carriage. If I wasn't totally in love and happy with my relationship with William, I would have been highly interested in Haurus Jr. He had blonde hair down to his shoulder's pulled back, sharp grey eyes that probably missed nothing, an aristocratic nose and chiseled jaw; kinda ferret like in appearance but it worked. Ace was tall but with a lithe build, probably due to the fencing skills that William told me the Haurus family was known, immaculate clothing, that was in the process of getting ruined by the rain.
"Parker." He greeted solemnly. He then turned to me and said, "Gaiver."
The fact that he knew who I was surprised me because Hushlin was a small school and coming from a low class family, my name coming from his lips was if anything but an unintentional complement.
"This way Haurus." I instructed.
Ace's things had arrived ahead of him by only a few hours and were already waiting for him in his room. Though it had only been raining for at most fifteen minutes, the grounds as well as any poor souls, such as ourselves who had the misfortune of being outside, were drenched. Another misfortune; the main building was a good walk away from the entrance but none of us made an actual attempt to move faster; it was as if we knew things were going to end. We were almost there when we caught sight of another soaked form; Sarai Wright. She was from a well known family; though not overly rich, the latest generation was exceptionally successful and was well known for having successful ventures in various fields. Being the only girl in the family and the last Wright in school, it was a known fact she was a loner. Many people hadn't tried to rectify the situation; William and I included. Sarai didn't generally talk to people, she kept to herself, not that she was cold, she didn't really feel the need to talk to people and if she did it was because she was addressed. No one was deluded enough to believe that they were her friend, Sarai had not friends except her pet Raven named Zareh. Sarai wanted it that way.
I was always jealous of her.
Ever since I met her through Theodore Wright, Sarai's brother a good friend of William and I who was a schoolmate from ages eleven to fifteen. He was needed back home and continued his education with a home school teacher. We saw Theo from time to time because he sometimes visited another student, his fiancée, Serena. Back to Sarai, I admired her ability to never get emotional, I am if anything an emotional idiot and her knack for keeping herself distant from others made me envious. Then there was the matter about her hair. It was a deep auburn color that was so thick and straight. Gripping a limp curl, and looking at Sarai in the rain, Zareh perched on her arm, I observed Sarai once again. There was something about her that just attracted most people. It wasn't her looks, she was pretty granted but it was the type of beauty that fought to get noticed. It seemed like our new resident was indeed into what he saw in Sarai.
"Who is she?" Ace asked either one of us, nodding his head towards Sarai who was staring into Zareh's eyes as if she was having her own conversation with her.
"Sarai Wright." William answered before I could.
"Oh."
As if she knew we were walking about her, Sarai turned her head and stopped to look towards us. Her face was in its usual blank face, her I-see-through-you eyes piercing into us. For some reason the world seemed to narrow down to the hour of us and William whispered.
"She's looking at Haurus."
Zareh cried out and successfully knocking both Sarai and Ace out of their daze. Sarai gave one final look to the three of us and walked off further into the wooded area outside the school.
~
We'd never know it but in that lifetime something important occurred between the four of us. We'd never have the time to figure out what that thing was because in less than a month we'd all be dead.
~
Ace assimilated quickly and nicely into Hushlin. It was amazing how he almost gave himself to the student population. He was charismatic, handsome, smart and overall popular. But to the careful observer, Ace really kept to himself, and was actually a guarded person. No one; I realized one day watching him entertain a crowd, really knew him. I think he and the Headmaster preferred it that way. William, unlike the rest of his school, was not charmed by Ace. Being constantly around him for two weeks William had to admit he actually was not all that bad. William's attitude moved from intense dislike to indifferent respect which was all I could really ask for. By the beginning of the third week the buzz of Ace had decreased and by the end of that month Ace could walk the halls without being stopped. It was maybe the first day of the full moon when William came to me, his whole usually peacefully aura disturbed, causing my immediate concern.
"What's wrong?" I asked already moving towards him. William looked around; we were in the library and I could see he wished to talk in private.
"Come on," I said to him, "Let's go up to my room."
It was a double edged suggestion (it wasn't the first time we went to my room) but it served its purpose in case anyone was listening. To any outsider it would seem like I was seeking alone time with my fiancée, nothing to get in an uproar about. We made it up the stairs without incident and we sat down in my two chairs. My parents, as a birthday gift, brought me chairs to put in my room. They said if I ever had company they would have a place to sit.
"So what's wrong?" I asked sitting forward in the chair.
"William sighed and leaned back before answering, "Haurus has been leaving the grounds after curfew."
"So? A good twenty percent of students here do that a least once a week." I laughed.
"William we've been on the grounds after curfew."
"He's been meeting Sarai and they go out towards the forest."
"I once again don't see your point."
"If something is going between them and Theo finds out that we know he'd never speak to us again."
"William." I took his hand, "Theo will still be your best friend. I don't think you can do anything that could change that. But we barely know Sarai and she doesn't seem to be the type of girl to get into something so unknown so quickly."
"So you are saying we have to trust them?" William asked. It was moments like that which made me wonder how he managed to become Head Journeyman. He was denser than dense.
"Yes Will. That is what I am saying." I leaned back in my chair and rolled my eyes. We sat in silence for a few minutes. That was that I loved about being with Will, we didn't have to fill the silence with meaningless words, and I value meanings and actions more than empty words. Tonight, the silence wasn't going to last long.
"So…" William trailed off. I sat up straighter and raised my eyebrow in question, "want to see what they are up to?"
The suspense was killing me and I shot out of my chair saying, "Let's go."
I'd only been in the forest once after the sun set. Will, Theo, and I had all dared each other to go into the forest. We were twelve and figured maybe the forest changed after the sun went down. The forest actually wasn't all that bad, there were some dangerous animals but our magic scared them off. There was a clearing in the middle of the forest and Will suggested that we start from there first. I agreed, I really didn't want to find the. I was just antsy and found myself eager for something out of the ordinary to happen. Will was right. They were in the middle of the clearing, facing each other so we could see their profiles. There was a few feet between their bodies hut the intensity of their staring was disturbing.
"What are they saying?" Whispered William in the quietest tone possible.
I shrugged and in an effort to hear I moved closer to the pair.
"You should really tell the Headmaster what you know. They will attack here next time and we won't be any match for the." Sarai said suddenly not breaking eye contact.
Ace sneered, "Oh ye of little faith. We aren't supposed to fight now."
"I don't know you and I don't trust you." Sarai challenged back, "How can I have faith in 'ye' of massive ego?"
"But yet we've met here everyday in the past week."
This time Sarai smirked, "Don't get flattered. I have nothing better to do in this school than to wait for things to happen."
They were silent for a few minutes. Ace turned his gaze towards the tree that William and I hid behind, for a minute I felt my heart freeze at the fearsome thought that they knew we were spying on them. Luckily Ace shifted his gaze back to Sarai who was looking Ace over.
Sarai asked dryly, "How exactly did they manage to change the physical form of creatures of the forest into such vicious creatures?"
"You answer my question and I'll answer yours."
Sarai laughed this time and looked up at Zareh who came and perched herself on her owners shoulder.
Ace looked over the raven with interests, "Pretty bird. But don't ravens signify death?"
"A stupid wives tale." Sarai reprimanded, "Nice wolf."
Sarai looked towards the shadows for the first time. It was the first time either William or I ha ever seen the fabled Haurus pet. He was a dark black wolf with dark black eyes but oddly contrasting manners. He stood stiffly, as if a person would, observing the meeting indifferently.
"I'll make sure he doesn't eat your bird."
Sarai laughed once again, "Zareh can take care of herself. I'll see you around."
TBC
That's the end of part one. I hope this is going to start making sense to everyone soon. And the Ginny monologue was only a taste of more. Chapter Eight is already written and you are all going to like it, lots of unknown Draco/Ginny unknown reaction.