Unofficial Portkey Archive

As soon as the door to Snape's office clicked shut the quartet set about their task. "Okay. Everyone under the cloak," Harry said as held the it up.

Ron knocked on the door. "Yes?" came Snape's muffled reply. A moment passed and Ron knocked again. "Come IN!" Snape said loudly, clearly annoyed.

Ron cleared his throat. "Knocky knocky, who's there?" he said in a perfect imitation of Peeve's irritating voice. He topped it off with a maniacal laugh. It was at that moment that Ron tossed a handful of the flamingo seeds under the door. Five seconds later a they heard a sound like popcorn popping.

"PEEVES!" Snape roared. The door flew open. He stood in the doorway, obviously wondering where Peeves had gotten to, holding a blue, plastic flamingo by the base of the neck. He was red with anger. He stormed down the hall, disappearing into the blackness. "Argus!" he fumed, opening the door to Filch's office. "I demand you do something about this!" The door slammed behind him.

Everyone hurried in through Snape's open door. "Let's go. We don't have much time," Harry commanded, pushing aside the flamingos that were in their way. They stopped in front of a section of wall where the bricks came out in a sort of half-pillar. Harry's heart was beating like a jack rabbit. His hands flew over the stones, looking for anything unusual.

"Get the Bloody Barron if you have to! I want this rumpus stopped now!" Snape's voice suddenly boomed out in the hallway.

"He's coming back! Hurry, Harry!" Wendy said in a loud whisper.

Harry's breathing quickened. He was nearly at full panic when he noticed something on one of the blocks. In very tiny letters were carved the initials 'J.P'. That had to be it. He pushed on the stone and the entire round section of wall rolled back into itself. The group piled through the entrance. It slid back into place just as Snape came around the edge of the door.

Snape looked around his office with a confused glare. "I could have sworn I heard a noise in here."

Everyone moved in silence for a few moments to make sure they were out of earshot of Snape. Hermione saw a torch on the wall in the dim light. "Incendio," the light from the torch revealed more along the walls of the long tunnel. She repeated her spell and the rest of the torches danced merrily with flame. The tunnel seemed older than the rest of the castle. "I wonder if this is one of the Druid escape tunnels," she mused..

"Huh?" Wendy questioned, tripping a little over a small rock.

"The druids were constantly persecuted. So they often built tunnels like this to escape to forests where they could hide." Hermione looked around in amazement. "This tunnel must even be older than Hogwarts."

"Wow," Ron remarked.

They walked for about fifteen minutes before a cold breeze rattled it's way down the passage. "We must be close," Harry said. They came to a dead end. He looked up and saw a trap door. "Wendy. Give me a boost?"

"Sure," Wendy replied. She went down on one knee. "Get on my shoulders."

Harry climbed onto his sister's back and grabbed her hands. She stood up and, using her hands for balance, so did he. He banged on the door. It didn't move. He got irritated and banged harder. After a moment it fell inward. The resulting rain of dirt caused Wendy and Harry to loose their balance and fall to the floor in an undignified heap, knocking down Hermione in the process.

Everyone was coughing from the cloud of dust that rose off the floor. Harry pushed himself up from the floor with his arms. He saw Hermione lying on her back, her eyes were closed. He saw that she also had a cut on her forehead. He felt a sudden sense of panic. "Mione?" he said.

Hermione groaned as her right hand rose to her cut. She opened her eyes. "Are you okay?" Harry asked her.

Hermione was taken aback by the look of concern on Harry's face. "Are you worried about this?" she said as she pointed to her forehead. Harry nodded. She waved her hand dismissively. "Head wounds always look worse than they really are. I'll be fine."

"Okay," Harry said, seemingly satisfied with her answer.

"Ow," said Wendy as she pushed herself up off the ground. "Oh damn. Let's not do that again." She smiled, then looked up. "Well. It's open anyway." She blinked as some more stray dirt fell from the opening.

"Now how do we get up there?" Ron asked, dusting some of the dirt off his robes.

Hermione picked up a piece of tree root. "Twindoma," she said. The root twisted, lengthened, and finally became a rope.

Harry grinned at Hermione. "You're just incredible you know that?" he said in awe.

Hermione smiled. "Now we just have to get it up there," she said.

"Leave that to me," Wendy said. Hermione handed the rope to her. Wendy tied one end into a loop and swung it lasso style at a very thick root sticking out near the edge of the hole. The rope landed perfectly and she pulled on it to make sure it was secure. She caught everyone's surprised stare and smiled. "I used to help my cousin rope wild horses."

Hermione smiled and began to climb. The rest of the group followed.

Harry pulled Wendy up from the hole. She stood up and scratched her arm absentmindedly. "So now what?"

"See if you can sense where the crystal is," Harry said.

Wendy had just shut her eyes when she heard a voice call out from behind Harry. "Harry Potter? What brings you out here tonight?"

Wendy thought she was going to pass out with glee. A centaur. A real. Live. Centaur. "I wonder how many other legends are true?" she thought.

The young centaur stepped a bit closer to the group. Harry spoke up. "I'm sorry. Have we met?"

"My name is Ardian. My father has told me much about you. You shouldn't be in the forest now. A terrible beast has awakened and....." He just stopped talking. All he did was stare at Wendy.

"Ardian?" Harry prodded. "Ardian are you alright?"

Suddenly Ardian dropped to three knees. "Beastmaster. You grace this humble forest with your presence," he said, his head bowed.

Ron started sniggering. Harry just looked stunned. Hermione grimaced like she knew this would happen. Wendy simply looked confused. "Huh?"

Ardian looked up. "You mean you do not know?" he said disbelievingly.

"Know what?" Wendy replied impatiently.

"Beastmasters are highly respected by we centaurs."

Wendy put her face in her hand. "Oh dear God." She walked over to Ardian. "Please get up. This is embarrassing," she said, offering him her hand.

"My apologies, Beastmaster. I did not mean to offend," he said as he tentatively took Wendy's hand and stood up.

"You didn't offend me, but honestly, Harry's more worship worthy than I'll ever be," she said, waving a hand at her brother.

Ardian bowed his head slightly. "You are too modest, Beastmaster."

Wendy rolled her eyes. "And please stop calling me that. My name is Wendy," she complained, kicking at the dirt.

Ardian merely nodded. "May I join you on your quest?"

"Sorry," Harry interrupted. "But we're doing this ourselves," he said sternly.

"But Harry, he could know where the crystal is," Hermione said.

"I don't want anyone else involved," Harry replied.

"Very well then. But please be careful," Ardian said, bowing his head again.

The group walked away from the centaur, who was waving.

"I wonder where we should start?" Harry asked.

A breeze twisted Wendy's hair around her face. She put her hand over her heart. The crystal was calling to her. "Follow me," she said. With that, she began to walk.

Hermione moved over next to Wendy. "Sorry. I should have warned you," she said, her voice showing a twinge of regret.

Wendy looked at Hermione out of the corner of her eye. She was trying to concentrate on the crystal. "You knew Ardian would do that?"

Hermione pushed a branch up and out of her way. "I completely forgot about it till he said something."

Wendy shrugged. "S'okay. But is anyone else gonna do that?" she asked, pointing behind her with her thumb.

Hermione thought for a second. "Not that I know of. You see centaurs are a little....eccentric."

Harry snorted. "A little?"

Everyone laughed a little. It helped to ease the nerves that were being ever so kind as to make their stomachs a bit ill. "This definitely wins first prize for creepiest place I've ever been in," Wendy commented.

"Least we haven't seen any giant spiders," Ron said.

Wendy's eyes opened wide. "Giant spiders??" she said in a small voice.

"We almost got killed by giant spiders in here once," Harry explained.

Ron shivered at the memory.

Suddenly Wendy stopped mid-step. She was staring straight ahead, looking frightened. Harry stepped up to her. "It's okay. We're nowhere near their nest."

Wendy shook her head, still staring. "Look," she said, her voice shaking.

Harry squinted to try and see through the blackness of the night. A small movement caught his attention. A pair of slanted eyes glowed at them in the dim light of their wands. "Beastmaster," called a low, guttural voice. "Beastmaster come forth. Claim what is yours."

Suddenly the area in front of them got very bright. Everyone raised their hands to shield their eyes. When they focused again they saw a clearing lit by glowing orbs of light. "Bright spots," Hermione said, barely above a whisper.

Harry tore his eyes away from the scene in front of him to look at Hermione. "What?"

Hermione gulped and continued. "Hagrid told me about them. They're.......they're what bubble sprites eat."

Harry sucked in a breath. "Then this is why the sprites were out of the forest!" he glanced over at Ron, who's eyes were blazing. He put a hand on his best friend's shoulder. "Calm down, Ron."

"BEASTMASTER! Come to me now!" the low voice called again. Everyone froze as the soul beast stepped into the clearing. It seemed even more terrible than Harry's dreams.

Harry stifled an urge to run away screaming. The beast held out golf ball sized object in it's clawed hand......The Soul Crystal. "Take this," it said to Wendy. "Take it and become the most powerful witch in the world."

Wendy began to walk forward. She stopped not more than twenty feet away from the beast. She was shaking visibly. "I....I don't want it," she stuttered. The pull on her heart was very strong. It was hard not to rush over to the beast and snatch the crystal from it.

The beast became angry. "Take it! It is impossible for you not to," it said, and stomped the ground. A slight rumble went through the earth.

"No," she said with more confidence. "In fact...you're gonna give it to my brother."

The beast laughed loudly. It was a horrible sound. "Foolish girl! Do you take me for a common Unicorn? I can not be controlled by you." Its eyes narrowed dangerously. "And if you won't take it then I have no use for you." It let out a horrible roar.

"Wendy get out of there!" Harry yelled.

The beast swung back one of it's mighty arms, then threw it forward, hitting Wendy in the chest. Hermione screamed as Wendy went flying backwards through the air. Cracking sounds could be heard as branches gave way to the force of her body hitting them. "WENDY!" Harry yelled.

Harry wheeled around on his right foot to face the Soul Beast. "You bastard!"

The beast laughed again. "You will all die!" With that the beast lunged forward towards Harry and the others.

.........TO BE CONTINUED